The Nightmares before Christmas

Casey's work had a Christmas party for all the employees' kids on Saturday. We were pretty excited to go and Olivia was really excited because I told her that Santa was going to be there. We went and were having some fun when Santa arrived. All the kids were so excited and Lou was even excited. Then came time to sit on Santa's lap. Oh boy. The death grip on her daddy and screams she let out were priceless!! She did not make it on his lap. That's okay. She was still happy Santa gave her a toy, which has been a hit, a little magna doodle pad thing. When you ask her were she got it she will tell you "Santa."So this was all done. I didn't think it was too bad. I did not really expect her to sit on his lap, she gets pretty scared and shy around anyone, and Santa is no exception.

Saturday night rolls around. I am just getting ready to hop into bed and was checking on the kids when I come out of my room and am scared to death because there is my precious little girl standing in the hallway. She had went to bed 3 hours ago. Oh course, being the jumpy person I am, I let out a death scream (wonder were Olivia got hers?). This in turn scares my daughter and she starts to cry and says she wants to sleep with Mommy and Daddy. She has never done this before. My daughter has never slept in my bed with me besides when she was tiny and I would put her in bed with me in the mornings. She seemed pretty scared and after talking to her a bit we figured out that she had a nightmare. What was the nightmare about you ask? Of course, it was Santa getting her. Yes, my daughter is now terrified that Santa is coming to get her at nights. She has now came into our room 3 times in the middle of the night. It would not be too bad if she would just go to sleep but she thinks she has to watch some TV, lay sideways in the bed with her head on my belly and her feet kicking Daddy's head, or sing us "Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer." We let her stay the first night. Casey actually went and slept in her bed and she stayed with me and eventually fell asleep. We have had the put her in her own bed after awhile for the other two.

The second night she came into our room, I was trying to get her to lay down and go to sleep. I told her "Olivia, lay down and go to sleep, Mommy is tired." She sat up faced me and said "You need to be patient with me, I'm only little." It was the funniest thing and is now said regularly between Casey and me.

So the nightmares in our home are filled with Jolly Old Saint Nick. I thought that I would be able to get a good nights rest now that Callen sleeps through most nights but nope, my 2 year old is now waking me up instead. I just need to remember to be patient, she is only little.

Happy Holidays!