Mouse!

This semester has been a rough one. Alex has been nap-striking and refusing nightly bedtime since early September. I used to be able to study and do homework during his naps and in the early mornings before he'd call for me. Without those times, I was constantly playing catch-up into the wee hours of the night. Tonight was no exception.

Alex wouldn't go down until shortly after 11:15 tonight. I was a bundle of misery, with a test due tonight and such.

A few days ago, I needed the Christmas Spirit to get started already. So, I ordered a DVR movie, looking for some Christmas themed movie. All I could get that looked decent was 'Barbie in the Nutcracker'. It's the Nutcracker story, but with some of the ballet and Tchiakovsky's music, but 'Barbie' is drawn like Barbie and 'cast' as Clara. Alex loves exciting music and Tchiakovsky usually doesn't disappoint in that area. I thought Alex might like some parts of the story. He did.

His favorite part so far is when the Mouse King comes into Clara's house looking for the Nutcracker. And the Nutcracker battles the Mouse King and his mice soldiers.

So, tonight, Dan put it on for Alex while he was fixing some late night snack. I was a stressball, unable to concentrate. I walked out of the den and headed for the kitchen to get some decaf. There was Alex, holding onto a book and lightly swashing it like a sword against his play yard walls. He looked up at me and said "Mouse!" as if to explain what he was doing.

He was battling the evil Mouse King.

It's hard to stay stressed out about math tests when Alex is fighting the Mouse King. So, I got a sip of decaf and walked back into the living room to plop down and watch the Nutcracker with Alex.

Life is good.

December 2, 2008