First time meeting Santa Claus

The girls have been so excited about Santa. Every night for the past two weeks, after the bedtime routine, they say "Baba, tell us the story about Santa again."

So finally they meet him. Our kids approach him cautiously. They don't want to do anything that might be perceived as 'naughty'. Santa asks Marin "Have you been a good girl this year?" and Marin answered "I try to be good. I try really really hard. Honest. Not kidding." The poor kid was practically begging. It was adorable and sad at the same time.

Then Santa asks Emmy what she has done this year. While Emmy is staring, awestruck, not even knowing what to say - Marin decides to answer for Emmy. "Emmy kick Marin. Emmy bite Marin. Emmy smack Marin hard. Emmy really really bad girl." Ahhhh sweet revenge.

Emmy gets this "Oh, crap. What are you doing??" look on her face and starts stuttering trying to defend herself. Marin turns and looks right at Emmy, serious as a heart attack, and says "Emmy, you know you're a bad girl. I'm telling Santa. I'm mean it."

Quite a turn of events. Kind of embarrassing to be airing the family laundry in front of Santa.

Tooth Fairy Banned!

Ever since the tooth fairy came, Marin has not slept well. When we asked her why she said she is afraid of the tooth fairy. We told her how nice and gentle and kind fairys are. Didn't matter. The thought of someone or something sneaking around her while she slept terrified her. We are curious as to whether some experience in Ethiopia causes her to feel this way.

Finally we asked Marin what she wants us to do. She said she wants to tell the tooth fairy to never come here again. Marin wrote a letter to the tooth fairy, put a stamp on it, and asked me to mail it.

"Dear Tooth Fairy. Please don't come to my house again ever. Thank you very much. Marin"

She wrote the letter two days ago and has slept soundly since.

Marin the charmer

Last week the kindergarden teachers hosted a Math night at school. They filled the gym and cafeteria with tables containing different math games and the students rotated around the tables. Marin and I attended.

The next day at school, Marin and I were talking to her teacher, Mrs. Whynot. I asked Marin what part of Math night she liked the best. She said "I got to see Mrs. Whynot."