Deck the Halls With Lots of Help

We are still furiously decorating for Christmas here in the house. Everything takes at least 4 times as long (at least, at least) when you have lots of enthusiastic help from the under-3 crowd and the four footers, and I'm using that as the excuse to explain why we aren't quite done.

By the time we went to bed last night, we managed to get the artificial tree decorated with (mostly) cat proof and Toddler proof ornaments. The live tree with all the "my heart will break if this ornament breaks" will come in a few days -- as soon as we figure out when we have time to go get it, that is. (Gotta love all that rain -- and for kicks and giggles, you might be amused to know that as soon as it stopped raining here, it started snowing. Still no outdoor Christmas lights ....)

The most common sounds heard around this house yesterday were these:

TODDLER: I do it! I try it!

GIRL CAT: *chew* *chew*

ME: CAT! Don't eat the tree!

TODDLER: CAT! No eat tree! No, no, no! (Said while crawling after the cat on all fours, pausing periodically to wag his finger at the cat in the age-old, "No, no," gesture.)

ME: Toddler, only touch the green part of the tree, nothing else. (Fat chance, Mom.)

TODDLER: Mommy, it's broken! (pointing out the numerous blown tree lights by grabbing them with his fist repeatedly)

GIRL CAT: *blah* (expel artificial tree needles)

ME: Again? Seriously? I just cleaned up furball a few minutes ago.

TODDLER: I help! Mommy, I help! (Okay, that one got me running for the disinfectant wipes really quickly.)

Of course, I cut out a lot of stuff, but you get the general sense. Shortly after DH got home, Big Black Cat got into the act and made a few attempts to climb the tree. He has yet to figure out that there is a reason why I spike the tree with all those bells -- I can hear a violation of the branches from two rooms away.

All told, we only lost two ornaments. One turned up broken in the box, and one "fell" off the tree while I was out of the room. I came in to find Toddler squealing with glee, pointing at the pieces on the ground, while one or more of the cats were huddled under the coffee table in defense-mode.

Hard to say which one did it, but my money is on Toddler.

On the other hand, Toddler still has a tremendous tendency to announce what he is about to do, and doing, repeatedly. This is a great habit, in my opinion, because it gives me warning. For example, Toddler was playing in the family room when I heard him say, "Cut, cut, cut. Cut, cut, cut." At that moment I realized I had made the very poor decision of leaving the scissors (which I was using on the wrapping paper) on the floor. He was announcing to the universe that he was going to pick them up and try them out. Whew! Thanks, Mickey Mouse for having those silly repetitious phrases throughout Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! (Bad, mommy! Bad, mommy!)

I'm sure today will bring more of the same. I'm sure of it.