Christmas Magic Backfire

We all know I am a bit crazy this time of year.  Ok, ESPECIALLY this time of year.  There is something about that whiff of pine mixed with gingerbread spices and the sight of twinkling lights and felted wool that just drives me crazy! in the best possible way.

So it should come as no surprise that after nearly 4 full years of careful grooming, my oldest has turned into a mini me/FANATIC at holiday time.  Ainsley hardly needed direction at all when we began our Christmas prep.  She knew right where the tree stand was, lugged it up to the living room for us and placed it carefully in the corner.  Needed no help hanging ornaments and digging through bins to find treasures.  After decorating their play table carefully she continued to find more and more "must haves" in the basement.  If it were up to Ainsley our entire house would be decked out in gaudy garlands and lit up mini houses. I love it.

::the girls' Christmas village::

And then it happened.  All this Christmas cheer and creativity backfired.  Big time.

This weekend there was lots going on in our house.  After putting up the tree on Friday our house was in a state of disarray, so that needed dealing with.  And then there's all that other stuff.  Making something for everyone for Christmas stuff, pregnant crash in the afternoon stuff,  Ian's new obsession with everything electronics and microscope stuff.  Thankfully the girls are rather self sufficient in the play department.  Ainsley happily worked on an art project of her own for most of Saturday morning and Louise was equally content with drawing her elephants on colored paper and reading books outloud.

Then that afternoon during clean up, I noticed that Ainsley had moved everything out of our decorative fireplace and carefully laid her art project on the brick floor.  Thinking nothing of it, I moved it up to a clip on our art wire and filled the space back in with the usual blocks and train tracks.

After naptime Ainsley bounded downstairs as usual, happily telling us about all her great dreams and how well she slept.  Then suddenly, "Look! Mommy!  Santa came and took my Christmas note!  It floated up to his sled and he took it and now he knows what I want for Christmas!!!!!! Yippeeee!!!"

Um, excuse me?  What Christmas letter?  What gift?  What do you want for Christmas?  I thought you just wanted two candy canes?!?! I've asked you 4 million times and you've only EVER said you just want 2 candy canes!!!???!!!

I of course masked my confusion with a big smile.  My girl was SO excited that of course I wasn't going to squelch her magic.  Throughout the day I casually got out of her the whole story.  That her "letter" had been a carefully drawn picture of Millie (from Team Umizoomi, a character on one of her favorite shirts that her cousin gave her last year).  That now Santa knew that she wanted a Millie doll for Christmas and she was going to get one!  Yippee skippee!!!

Now it's not the end of the world.  There are worse things for her to want than a peppy math measuring doll toy from a hyper active show.  But this is the problem with all my uber planning for Christmas.  There's no room for a $30 doll.  I already had her gift all planned.  But I really don't want to disappoint my girl.  She is SO sure that Santa knows what she wants now.  She even counted out her piggy bank money with Ian last night so she could purchase an Umizoomi app on our Ipad then proceeded to KISS Millie when she popped up on the screen.  "Oh Millie, I love you so much.  I can't wait to have you for Christmas."

Oh dang.

So, a Millie doll.  I've got to figure that one out.  I'm thinking I could make one that would suffice, but honestly I know I'm going to be so burned out from all the making that I'm worried I won't do a good enough job.  Break the budget?  Risk making a mediocre imposter toy?  Don't get one at all and disappoint my girl/challenge her belief in the magic of Christmas at the ripe age of 4?

I'm sure it's not such a big deal, but boy, I want to do the right thing here.  Help, please?!?!