Dear Santa

I had a wonderful patient yesterday...think of your average grandma and then add a bunch of piss and vinegar.  She was hysterical and really made my day.  Anyway she kept telling me that she was going to write a letter to Santa if I didn't treat her nice.  So it got me thinking about what I want from Santa this year...

Much to my surprise I actually got a phone call from Santa on my way home from work.  He was inquiring about what is on my Christmas list.  It's odd how much Santa sounds like my mom on the phone...

So all this Santa talk got me thinking about what I want this year.  More specifically what I want for Henry.  There are plenty of things I want for Henry this Christmas...even though he really won't be able to appreciate the magic of getting toys on Christmas morning.  I think I want the experience more for myself than for him (I know...selfish!).  I have been thinking lately about quite a few things I want for Henry that are actually a little more...intangible.

-I want Henry to grow up happy.  I want him to be smiley and full of laughter.  I don't want him to be a Hell-on-wheels brat like I was.  Its going to be hard not to spoil the poop out of him though.

-I want him to be healthy more than anything.  I want him to be able to run and play and rough-house with daddy.  If he wants to sit and play with barbies...I'm okay with that too. 

-I want him to be the kind of person that doesn't hit someone in a parking garage, dent their car...and then drive away.  No note.  What a dill-weed.

-I want Henry to let us tuck him into bed...until he leaves for college.  Like my parents did me...hand to God.  I would not lie about something like that.  And to this day, I love them more than anything for it.  Bedtime at our house was somewhat of a ritual. We all went to bed at the same time...10 pm.  I always got tucked in and told how much I was loved.  I want to give that to Henry as long as he will take it.

-I don't want Henry to be a quitter.  Looking back on my life I am ashamed to say...I have been a little bit of a quitter.  And I'm not even talking about the big things, like optometry school (whole 'nother story).  I'm talking about little things, like the golf team in high school, knitting projects I get a quarter of the way through, jobs that I hated.  If I didn't like something...I just quit.  I don't like that about myself.  To my parent's credit they just wanted me to be happy, so I hope we have the strength to encourage Henry to stick with things.  Even if he doesn't like it.

-I want him to be like Michael.  Michael has such a strong, unwavering sense of what is right and what is wrong.  He is not swayed by anyone or anything.  He grew up with his nose tucked in a book...helping his mom pack the diaper bag when he was 3.  He has been responsible from the womb.

-I want Henry to be a little like me.  A little whipper-snapper.  I want him to have fun...within reason.

-I want him to be the person on ABC's TV show 'What Would You Do?' that sticks up for people.  I want him to be the one that gets in the action and stands up when he knows something is not right. 

-I want Michael and I to be great parents for Henry.  I want for us to be supportive of him. No matter what.  When I had a break-down sophomore year of college, called my parents and told them that I wanted to transfer schools and be a marine biologist...they were very calm.  I mean, to their credit, they knew I was just having a rough patch.  But anyway, I want us to be able to remain calm when Henry throws us curve balls.

-I want Henry to be able to laugh at himself.

-I want Henry to inherit his father's athletic ability and grace.  I go through life like a pin-ball, ricocheting off walls and furniture...a complete klutz.

There are so many more things I want for Henry.  I want everything for him.  I just asked him what he wanted...

More milk...go figure.