Simple Pleasures

Last night we declared that this was to be a "sleeping in" day. So my eyes popped open at 6:45 rather than 6:30. Sheesh. The Doodle woke up half an hour later, at 7:15 rather than her usual close-to-9-o'clock, probably because the plan was for her to "very quietly" watch a movie in bed (a special privilege) until Jelly was awake. So even before saying good morning, she asked if she could watch her movie. She just appeared, having paused the Shirly Temple version of Heidi, and asked if she could have a snack in bed. She's now happily ensconced under her Hello, Kitty! blanket, with a paper towel and TWO Christmas tangerines ("because they're so small, Mama").

Simple pleasures.

Woody just appeared, but it may be a while before we see the fourth member of the family. Jelly is a night owl, not falling asleep easily the way her Daddy and sister do. As a result, she is usually the last to wake in the mornings. We usually need to wake her to get things going in the mornings - breakfast, chores, devotions, school. Anyway, I promised her last night that she could stay in bed today until she decides to get up. She needs the extra rest.

Jelly has wanted a Nintendo DS ever since she played with her godsister's system last summer while we were on vacation. We've always been adament about NOT having Nintendo in the house. For six months, she stayed constant. The DS was the ONLY item on her Christmas wish list. As a visit with Santa loomed, she got a bit nervous, not wanting him to think she was greedy. We'd talked about the higher-than-usual price tag of the DS and all the accessories and so forth that are required. She knew that Doodle's request, a snow globe, was a much less costly item. In the end, her great desire won out, and she did ask Santa for the DS.

Woody and I decided to give Santa a break. Joining financially with the girls' Papa, WE gave her the DS and accompanying accessories, including the much-desired game, Nintendogs. There was momentary disappointment when the game system was NOT among the gifts Santa left. As the presents under the tree were opened, and the DS was discovered, Jelly's joy and excitement was precious. It was, as we had hoped, made more so by the fact that the gift had come NOT from Santa, but from loving parents. (Note: Doodle did get her snow globe, but not from Santa. She and Jelly each got unique snow globes, chosen just for them and delivered by Owl Post on behalf of their friends at Hogwarts. Maybe I'll post about that later. Doodle's special gift from Woody and I, and Papa, was her own sewing machine and "real" sewing kit. More on that in another post.)

As loving parents, we've always been quite consistent about allowing only one hour of computer time daily. For some unfathomable reason, we didn't even think to extend any kind of limit to Jelly's Nintendo DS play. Until now. Due to, we are sure, MUCH too much time focusing on that tiny little screen for three days in a row, Jelly is complaining of a phenomenon that she calls "screen vision". She is, at our suggestion, on haitus from the long-awaited DS, having made such comments as "I wish I'd never asked for it!" Jelly, as is common to her age, tends to the extreme and the dramatic. We've assured her that her eyes merely need to rest. Once they recover, we'll monitor her DS time the same way we do the "big" computer, and she'll be able to enjoy herself again.

For now, she's rediscovering the joy of audio books.

Simple pleasures.