Felipe' The Shelf Elf

We have a shelf elf named Felipe'. He is a little guy dressed in red who sits around our house and keeps an eye on the girls. The story is that he reports to Santa each night and in the morning will be watching from a new location in the house. Felipe' sure knows how to keep a parent on his or her toes. Luckily, he keeps the girls on their toes, too. Their desire to behave for Santa is strong, so our house is a little more peaceful than usual. 

Did Felipe' come with his name? NOPE, though Mattie cannot explain why, she felt that he should be named Felipe' and so he is. Felipe' is a great vessel for Mattie and Caroline's creativity. He receives and delivers letters to Santa. Put on the spot, Mattie could only come up with two items for her official letter to Santa. Luckily Felipe' is here so that her list can be updated on a regular basis. Caroline's eyes shine with the joy of a true believer each time Felipe' assumes a new position in our home. Her reaction to Felipe's magical abilities is the stuff childhood is made of.

Time is moving too quickly now. I would like to just put everything on hold for a while to be sure I get the most out of this magical time in our lives. Our kids are young enough to be innocent and happy, yet old enough to be independent and, most importantly, able to sleep all night. I have a feeling this Christmas will remind us why parenting is the most important and fulfilling job we can ever have.