If You Build It, She Will Run

Christmas is the most wonderful time of year! Along with the joy and general merriment, it is the time when our children teach us one very important lesson: buy them a toy and they will play with the box. I continue to learn this lesson over and over again in various forms. Charlotte is not old enough to believe in Santa or understand that the holiday season is upon us, but she does light up like a Christmas tree every time I open the door to the bathroom. That’s right, the bathroom, which is attached to the enormous playroom we have created just for her, with enough toys to rival Santa's workshop. Never mind Disneyland folks, we have found Charlotte’s happiest place on Earth.

Many mom friends admitted that it was just easier to forgo putting up a Christmas tree than to watch their toddler attempt to climb it while choking on various reindeer ornaments. This is not a hostage negotiation. I refuse to live in a world which is one hundred percent dictated by a tiny human that cannot yet locate her nose. My husband assured me he could design something to keep Charlotte away from the tree. While he was building a glorious tree guard contraption, I took Charlotte over to the tree. My daughter has never showed fear of any kind. She goes to any person, laughs when our dogs play fight and would body surf down the stairs (if I let her). My husband is an hour and a half into this project and Charlotte reaches out to touch the tree like Sleeping Beauty with the spindle. Immediately she pulls her hand back, cries out, and rushes for my lap to hide her face. By this point my husband is knee deep in wrapping paper and I don’t have the heart to say that the whole project might not be necessary. 

I sit in the once living room/now playroom while Charlotte chews on the child proof latch that she removed in the bathroom. I try and take a picture of Charlotte by the Christmas tree and she reaches 4G while "running" away. We make plans and Baby laughs.