INFORMAL PATERNITY CHECK

Tim and I have this re-occuring joke. When William does something we recognize in a genetic sort-of-way, we call it an informal paternity/maternity check.
Well, I wrapped gifts the other day. I needed to get my gifts for the states wrapped and shipped. The lines will be LONG and the custom forms take forever to fill out, so I got done early. This also means that wrapping has been done at our house, the inventory taken, and Tim and I are lagging--- substantially--- behind William in the amount of gifts. We will try to remedy that over the next few weeks.

Tim took the presents down and put them under the tree. William was home all afternoon long. He was playing piano right next to the tree, and playing melodian on the floor, eating at the table, watching TV in the adjoining room... and he never once saw the gifts.

So I said to Tim, "Has he seen them yet, or is this another 'informal paternity check?" So Tim said, "Hey, William, have you seen our family ornament for this year? Let's put it on!" We get one each year that represents something we've done, and we bought this one the other night. We decided to wait to put it on and make a little family time of the event with William around. Hallmark does make ornaments for EVERY occasion, as you can see. William took it out of the box, put it on, roughly 18 inches above the mounds of wrapped packages. Nope, didn't even see the gifts.

Yes, bonus points for those of you who see his dog Bernie is still sleeping, this time under the tree.

I have 9 teachers at the school to give gifts to. One of my Japanese friends LOVES Almond Roca (and I get to claim it as a local specialty since it's from Tacoma), so I am wrapping stacks to give to them. It's my understanding that between Christmas and new year, you give gifts to teachers and the like. I'm just going to give Christmas gifts and call it square!