Decorating the Tree

Andy set up the tree in the morning, so the kids and I decorated it after school.

Van and Esther were so excited. Christmas music was playing and the lights were low. Van kept saying, 'I love decorating the tree!'.

He came up with a lot of really creative ideas. There were some bird ornaments and he made eggs out of paper and put the eggs under the birds. They both made ornaments out of gold pipe cleaners, Van made the first letter of everyone in the family's name and hid them on the tree. He said everyone had to find their letter on the tree on Christmas as a surprise.

Anyway we were almost done and suddenly the music turned off. Van was in the other room trying to change it to "What does the Fox Say?" I told him no, I liked the Christmas music for decorating and he got mad. "Fine! I'm not going to decorate any more" he yelled, and ran up to his room and closed the door. It was an overreaction to the situation so I knew he must just be tired, we traveled all day yesterday and got home late. Esther was still decorating with me but she kept picking up a breakable glass ornament we told her not to pick up, and dropping it.
Me: "Esther, please put that down-STOP THAT!"
Esther: "FINE!" (imitating Van) "I no more decorations with you"

And she stomped up to her room and closed the door. Suddenly after being so happy in my perfect christmas evening, I was alone, with baby Jon sleeping on my lap.

Well that turned quickly. I decided to go eat some dinner.

Then I sat down again and watched the tree.
Eventually Van came down, he was holding something covered in wrapping paper. "I have a present for you" he said.
I opened it. It was my organic chemistry molecule building set, which I let them play with sometimes. I had been annoyed to find it torn apart on his bedroom floor earlier that day but I hadn't said anything.

Van: "I put it away with all the pieces in the right places"
Me: "Van, this is the best present ever!"

Later I also found a sign on his door, it said, "Neeb Tim"
I wasn't sure what that meant, but he explained it said, 'Need Time' and when he's upset and just needs to be alone, he'll put up his 'Need time' sign until he feels better. On the other side it says, "Cum in". And he turns it over when he feels better.

So his spelling needs a bit of work, but if that isn't the most self aware, brilliant, emotionally intelligent thing I've ever seen then I don't know what is. I love that he can know that he just needs time alone when he is upset and can come back good as new. He is a great little man.