holiday wrap and miswrap

There is Legoing happening here.  I believe to lego is a verb in our house.  (To happy became a verb when Pook climbed into Bug's crib to happy the crying infant.  Successfully.)  There are many Lego kits from many relatives given to two very happy boys.  And one still to come.

My mom and I shopped together, so I knew what kit she'd gotten each.  At the same time I bought a mid-sized kit for my nephew and the small kit requested of Santa by Bug (confusing a 'b' and 'd' spelled as "asingroebshudl" -- spelled 'Assassin Droid Shuttle' by Lego).  I'd had trouble deciding what to get for Pook.  The mid-priced kit he'd just bought for himself would have been perfect.  As it was, I would have had to go up in price significantly to get something he wanted in Lego Castle or Lego Pirates.  If I did that I'd probably buy a Bionicle for Bug to balance it all.  Instead, I moved on to the Bionicles, chose one for Pook and we went home.

When I wrapped up the gifts, I made a pile that needed tags and did several at once.  I remember thinking repeatedly that the box for my nephew was for Pook, but I labeled it correctly-- and Christmas morning WB opened it and liked it.  The small kit Bug wanted, I labeled for Bug-- and he opened it and liked it.  Both boys opened a very large kit together from Sister MD.  Each opened their kit from Nana.  But I'm not sure what happened with the Bionicle kit from me. Later in the afternoon, when the chaos of eleven people opening gifts was long past, the boys were talking about their Lego I realized that Bug had two kits from me and CD while Pook had none.  It seems that Christmas morning Bug had opened it- quite happily.  I will never know if I mis-labeled or he mis-opened.  But I am being held to the promise that Pook can still get a Bionicle kit.

Similarly, my mom has informed me that one of the shirts and one of the pairs of earrings I was given were actually intended to be held for my birthday next month.  Maybe I won't wear them until then.  But I was given some wonderful things, including a heavy plaster bunny for the garden by Pook and a hand blown glass flower pendant by my niece BK.

The best part for me might have been Bug's face when anyone opened one of his gifts. He'd struggled with his gift to Pook.  He wanted to buy him baseball cards, but reached first for the tiny pack.  I pointed out that he could get 100 for only twice the price.  The problem was that if his brother had 100 new cards then he, Bug, would have many many fewer in his own collection.  In the end he splurged and put almost every penny, nickle and dime he had towards the gift for his brother.  He wrapped it in disguise and carefully marked the tag 'too Pook frum Bug'.  And when his brother opened it, he beamed.  That I will remember.  (And the card I have kept.)

And now, I have promised to help upstairs.  I must go Lego.