Merry Christmas from the Gillespie Family

Dear Santa,         

As you may know, Jeremy took a job in downtown Chicago and in July we moved to Naperville, Illinois. Some of the little people at our house are concerned you won’t be able to find us this year, so I promised them I’d forward our Christmas Wish List on to you with our return address on the envelope. These are the things we’re really hoping for:

James (15 months)-  Santa, this year I need you to bring me some sort of weapon to defend myself. I spend half of my day toddling away from Elisabeth who likes to pick me up under my arm pits and drag me around the house with no apparent destination in mind. Since we don’t have much in the way of weapons around here, I’ve taken to brandishing a fairy wand, holding it backwards and pointing it at anything that moves. Oh, and if it’s not too much I’d also like some socks. I already have socks, of course, but I prefer other people’s dirty socks. No matter where we are, at our house or someone else’s, I’m the basset hound of dirty socks and will sniff around until I find some. And once I have them in my grip, I’ve learned to be firm. My thought is that people can have their socks back if they can pry them from my cold, dead fingers.

Elisabeth (4)- Santa, what I’d really like this year is a new dad for James because I’m not kidding when I say he keeps trying to take mine. Don’t get me wrong, I’m vigilant. There is never a time when my dad tries to pick up James that I don’t charge them with my horns blazing and insist on being picked up too. It would just make things easier for everyone if we could get a different dad for James. If that’s not possible, keep in mind that I’m also open to the idea of giving James to a new family for Christmas this year.

Kate (8)- I don’t really need to tell you what I want this year, Santa, you can just check my cousins’ lists who live down the street from us. Whatever they ask for, that’s what I want too! And it’s not that I want to be a boy, since there are plenty of girl things I like, it’s just that my boy cousins are so awesome with their skate boards, air guns and Halo Legos. I recently cut my hair in a short bob, and I wear tennis shoes and a hoodie to school every single day, but having some boy toys of my own might help. In the meantime, if you’re looking for me, Santa, I’m that colorful streak that races through the house from morning until bedtime because like Forrest Gump, wherever I’m going I am RUNNING!

Madeleine (10)- Seriously Santa, if you could change my mom’s taste in music, that’d be a good start. She listens to piano music (thumbs down) while she cooks so the other day I tried to send a message by marching into the kitchen and saying, Awesome music mom. My new favorite! What she doesn’t get is that anything worth listening to is on the radio. KSFM. I remind her every time we get in the car, before we even back out of the garage, to turn on KSFM. I know all the lyrics to every song too. My mom isn’t impressed with this accomplishment, but I suspect that’s because she’s getting old and can no longer recognize the artistic genius that is Taylor Swift.

Lauren (old)- This year I’d like to order a sleep induced coma that lasts at least one week. Between teething (James), waking up scared in our new house at night (Elisabeth), and flu season (all the kids), I’ve barely slept through the night since we moved last summer. But if the coma isn’t an option, Santa, I’d also love a swig or two of that liquid from the Hunger Games that allows you to vomit after you eat… so you can keep on eating. I realize around some parts that magic potion is called ipecac, but man does it look delicious. And for those who may be concerned upon reading this, please rest assured I do not support eating disorders. I support eating. I joined a local gym this fall and although the spin and zumba classes are fun, it gets us out of the house during the winter months, and of course exercise is good for you, blah, blah, it doesn’t resolve the fundamental problem that there are so many new restaurants and great food in Chicago and there’s never enough room to try them all.

Jeremy (older)- Santa, like you my job allows me to spend a little time each day hanging around in sub-zero temperatures. Who would have thought the North Pole and Chicago share such a similar climate? And as much as I enjoy waiting outside for busses and trains during my daily commute downtown, this year I wouldn’t mind receiving a Star Trek Beam Me Up Scotty transporter to speed up the process. Then I might have more time to devote to my play book since I was recently asked to coach the teenage boys’ basketball team at church. My wife suggested that perhaps I was asked to coach because my sense of humor is compatible with that of fourteen year old boys, but my guess is that it’s my athleticism, my cat like speed and reflexes. They saw what I could do at the church turkey bowl football game this year and now it’s out. I may be thirty-five, but old man, I’ve still got it. Zooey Mama!

In conclusion, Santa, we’ve all tried to be good although admittedly some more than others. But we’ve come a long way from last year, 999 miles to be exact, and we’re looking forward to a new year, in a new city, with a new job, and hopefully less miles on our car.

With Love, 

The Gillespie Family