On Saturday of last week, Bianca, Isaac and I did our annual trek to the mall to do some Christmas shopping and to see, of course, Santa.  I-man wasn't 100%, but he was more than excited about an opportunity to see the big guy face to face. 

As with most things Santa related, once in the company of such great power, little guys and gals lose their nerve.  After all, what would you do if, on an annual basis you had to meet with and tell your wishes to a person that was the equivalent of the President, the Pope, and Steven Speilberg all at the same time.  Here is Santa, the decider, the moral arbiter, and the paramount of celebrity, and you have to tell him what you want for Christmas.  In that context it seems a little intimidating.  And it is. 

Isaac stood, face to face, and talked to him--telling him he wanted a Wonder Woman action figure, a few stuffed animals, and some Lego Star Wars stuff.  Then he blanked.  Sensing the impending freeze up Santa asked Isaac if he would like to take a picture.  Isaac hoped up on his lap and sat there, not exactly smiling and not exactly frowning.  He was somewhere in the middle.  I tried to get him to smile by sticking out my tongue and then in a quick moment I will never forget Isaac flashed me a look that was something like "Dad, not now, not in front of the big guy...my whole Christmas is on the line."  I backed off and he took his picture.

Still in a daze, as he got down he told Bianca that he blew it--he didn't ask for enough stuff.

I love our kid. 

Isaac and I had a talk about wrestling at school.  He had been spoken to about this at school and he was a little rattled by it.  As it turns out he and his friend were both voluntarily wrestling with each other.  I explained to him that he has to listen to his teachers and that is why he got in trouble, but I also told him that while bad, wrestling with someone that wanted to wrestle is not as bad as just punching someone.  Isaac then responded with this: "Well boys just like to wrestle."  I told him that I know, but that he has to listen to his teachers.  Then he told me "It is what it is, Dad."  I never say this phrase.  Bianca never says this phrase.  But apparently Isaac does. 

Isaac recently told Bianca that he loved her, as he does quite frequently.  He then told her that he wished that he had met her first, as in before I did.  Bianca had to explain all sorts of things to him, and while he was understanding he wasn't sold on the idea. 

That kid.

On Tuesday Isaac and I both had the day off.  Thanks to the veterans of the US armed forces we were able to wake up and enjoy a day doing whatever we wanted.  We decided to go to a very unusual place--a butterfly conservatory in Western Massachusetts called Magic Wings.  Bianca's friend Sarah had told Bianca about the place and since Isaac loves animals, it was an easy decision.

The place is really a series of greenhouses stuffed with butterflies, and when I say stuffed I mean it.  It wasn't a onesy or twosey kind of thing, but wall to wall butterflies.  We had to be careful to avoid them. And if stood still a beautiful specimen would land on us. At one point Isaac tried to induce them to land on him, but that didn't work.  Instead, while looking at the koi, aka giant gold fish, the butterflies landed on Isaac.


Over the course of our trip, Isaac had 9 butterflies land on him.  It was pretty amazing. 

After the butterfly place we came home and played.  We went to St. Bernards equipped with our swords, including a double bladed sword (yep, Isaac is still obsessed with Star Wars).



Then we came home and started working a Lego version of a Star Wars ship. 

And yes, Isaac wore his cape the entire day.  Because if you have a cape, why not wear it the entire day?