Nana!....We have a problem

Nate's mom had her house all ready for Christmas at Thanksgiving, because that is when we celebrate with Tom's family. This means the stockings were hung and stuffed full of goodies, yeah!!! Nana let the kids open one present from her and Tom while they opened from Bubba Dean and Grandma Viv (Tom's parents) as well. Well....the beloved gift was an Advent Calendar with chocolate behind each door. What an awesome gift...NOT FOR A TWO YEAR OLD!!!!!

Day 1: Nate and Conley sit on the floor of the kitchen and Nate explains that Conley gets to open ONE door each day and can get a chocolate. Today is the first day, so he can open the "1" for December 1st. Do you get it Conley. Conley (drooling at the mouth) says "otay dadda" and helps Nate open the door #1 and devours the chocolate. Of course he immediately asks for more, and Nate explains that he is going to go to bed and tomorrow is day #2 and then he can open another one. Conley says again "otay dadda". At this point I was loving this. I took pictures, our first advent calendar, scrapbook material (for my mom of course), oh so cute!!!

Day 2: Yes that would be today! The kid woke up, got dressed, went downstairs, and asked for the chocolate "dadda open it"!!! Nate came into the kitchen and they talked about how today was day #2 and opened the door and Conley ate the chocolate for breakfast. Now it gets fun! We get home from daycare and Conley spots the calendar (WHY DIDN'T I HIDE IT, I swear my mommy skills suck!) and asks for another chocolate, wanting Nate to open it! I play up that dadda isn't home and when he gets home HE will explain to you how this works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He whimpers, but agrees with me that would be okay (otay momma). Nate gets home and we try to explain that we are still on Day #2, but a TWO YEAR OLD DOESN'T GET IT!!!!! He begs, cries, tries to find it, tries to reach it, moves on to other sugary treats (dinner hasn't even happened yet), and finally demands water...weird.

Lesson....

Yes...Advent Calendars are fun for kids

Yes...They need to put a age limit on the box

Yes...They make great gift ideas

No...They should not be a gift for my children

No...I don't enjoy watching my child eat the chocolate and I get nothing

No...I can't find the day on the little board easily because they scatter them around, not in order

No...I don't think my child is eligible until he is at least 5 and until then just buy him a Hershey's candy bar, it will have the same effect

No...I don't have good hiding spots, where my child can't find the BELOVED Advent Calendar

Nate explaining the rules of the calendar. The tape is how daycare informs parents of diaper needs. Too funny, forgot that was on there!

Conley just received his first piece of chocolate.

He is showing me where is chocolate popped out of. The shirt should have been my first sign this probably wasn't going to end well. Above the words is a pretty "bad" motorcycle.