I go on the good list!

I'm in charge of dropping Gavin off at daycare every morning. We really enjoy our daily commute, where we talk about all kinds of important things like whether or not snowmen like hot chocolate. (We decided that was a negative, because of the melting factor, but they do enjoy marshmallows.) He loves daycare and preschool, but loves hanging out with me more. He's the self-elected president of my fan club and has recently decided he should just go to school with me instead of daycare. When we get to his school, there are usually few tears and clingy moments, before Grandma Gwen peels him off of me, and I dash for the door. Obviously, I feel less than happy afterwards and have been racking my brain for a way to get him to not be upset, because face it, there is no such thing as waterproof mascara! (I didn't say the tears were just from him.)

Enter the man in red, the one, the only: Santa Claus! Yep, yesterday afternoon I resorted to telling Gav that when he cries when I leave, it makes me and Grandma Gwen sad, and when we are sad, Santa is sad. When Santa is sad, the elves have to cheer him up and can't work in the toy shop. The look of confusion on his poor little face was like he was thinking "Shoot, if I make Santa sad, there go my toys for Christmas!" He was strangely silent the rest of the way home.

This morning, I dropped Gav off as usual. However, as we got out of the van, he saw a flashing red light and some white lights in the sky. He automatically thought it was Santa and Rudolph coming to check on him. He started jumping up and down, yelling, "I'm a good boy. I go on the good list, not the rock list." I didn't have the heart to tell him it was a helicopter. He walked into daycare, helped put his things away, gave me a hug and kiss, and practically ran to Grandma Gwen - leaving me in the dust. This time it wasn't him crying at the door with me; it was just me, because I was so proud of my little man and thankful for the helicopter that chose today for a flyover. I think the man in red had a little something to do with the timing.