dreams fulfilled

according to the chinese calendar, last year was the Year of the Ox.  here in the US, of course, it was just 2009.  i've often thought that the chinese should be commended for creativity -- who needs numbers when you can define time with living creatures instead?  so this is my idea: in the future, we'll refer to past christmases not by the year, but by the presents the kids received.  for example, we won't look at pictures and say that they were taken in 2009; we'll say, "oh yeah ... that was the Year of the DS and the Bike."  and 2010?  "that was the Year of the Basketball Goal and American Girl Doll."  (hmm.  that's a pretty long name.  no wonder the chinese stick with animals.)

anyway, for months now, the only thing liam has requested has been a basketball goal.  it was actually quite difficult to give suggestions to family, because we knew santa would likely be taking care of the one thing on his list (seeing as how he'd heard about the thing every time liam sat on his lap) and there wasn't much else liam would even mention.  susanna, on the other hand, had a list a mile long, which varied depending on the day of the week and what toy catalog she happened to be holding.  but the one constant was the american girl doll named kit.

on christmas morning, our two poor children were forced to wait at the top of the stairs while i positioned myself with the video camera near the tree.  they entered the family room, mouths agape at the transformation that had taken place while they slept and a bit overwhelmed at where to begin, so we finally suggested two particular boxes to open.  santa had written liam a riddle to solve and had enclosed it in his box, which was supposed to lead him to look out the window -- but in all the hubbub, he didn't quite get it.  (he races through reading the poem outloud on the video, so don't expect to understand anything but the final two lines, and that's only because i repeat them for emphasis.)

but what is clear is their sheer JOY at discovering that santa had granted them their wishes.  unfortunately, what's also clear is my high-pitched squeal.  when susanna does it, it's endearing.  when i do it, it's grating.  perhaps 2010 will go down as the Year of the Shriek.