Bouffant Blonde

Mama has been busy baby proofing the house. Little Guy helps in every way he can. He follows Mama around and asks question after question. Mama isn't putting out anything breakable this year. At least not anything low enough for little fingers to reach. "But Mama I won't break the reindeer. I promise," Little Guy says. "I know, Little Guy," she assures him. "But Matthew is little and he crawls everywhere. I wouldn't want him to get hurt. It's best to only use things that can't break." "Oh, I see. " Little Guy thought a minute. "He wouldn't eat my treats, will he?" Mama laughed. "We'll make sure to keep your treats well away from him. I know you really don't like to share." Little Guy was relieved. He really doesn't like to share. Mama moved a plant up to a higher shelf. "Why don't you leave it down low, Mama," Little Guy asked. "It isn't breakable." "No, but ...

Mama is happy. The Christmas tree is finally up, ornaments and all. Now Mama is baking cookies and he wants to help. Mama is baking Snickerdoodles. She made some earlier and Gran ate them. Little Guy hardly had any. So this time he plans to be right there when the cookies come out of the oven. He sniffs the cinnamon that fills the house as the cookies bake. Little Guy loves cookies. Any kind of cookie. He's really not particular. Except he is a little partial to whatever cookie Sunshine has. He figures hers always taste better than his. Mama is singing Christmas carols as she forms little balls out of the cookie dough. Little Guy listens. His ears stand up straight as he tries to remember all the words. He's not much of a singer. But he's willing to try his best. "Woo-woo," he sings loudly. Mama smiles. "Fa, la, la, la, la," she sings. "Woo-woo," Little Guy adds. Singing is so much fun. Sunshine lifts her head up, glances his way, then lays her...

Mama was not a happy camper. Little Guy knew this right away. He sat in the dining room and looked toward the Christmas Tree in the living room. Mama's glasses were perched on her nose and her hands were searching among the tree's branches. "It shouldn't be this hard to find a plug," Mama said. "You'd think they'd make it easy. It's supposed to be easy. Just plug in a few strands and the lights twinkle on." Mama searched a little more. Her head slipped under the branches. She sat back in frustration. "The top of the tree looks wonderful," Little Guy said in an effort to cheer her up. "You're right," she said. "But the bottom half has no working lights. I've got two things that need to plug in somewhere. There has to be somewhere to plug them in. But where? They didn't just disappear between last year and this year!" Mama's hands searched the tree trunk once again. She pulled her hands out and look...