Full Circle

My conversation with Ryan this morning in the car: let me preface by saying that I took the Christmas tree down yesterday and put it in the garage until trash pick up next week. So it's in the stand in the garage with my car.

R: Mommy, why is the tree in the garage?
M: Christmas is over, it's time to take it down.
R: Why is Christmas over? Where is Santa?
M: Christmas is baby Jesus' birthday; our birthday is only one day and now Santa went back to the North Pole.
R: Oh, right mommy. I think Santa must be tired from bringing me all my toys. Will I get more toys from Santa?
M: Well, only if you stay on the 'Nice' list. Santa keeps a 'Nice' list and a 'Naughty' list of all the little boys and girls.
R: Well mommy, I'm a big boy...I'm not naughty. Naughty is bad, right mommy?
M: Yes, naughty means bad. But you were a good boy this year so Santa brought you presents. Santa watches us all year to make sure we're being good and he talks to mommies and daddies to see if "big boys" are being good or bad.
R: Mommy, will you tell Santa I'm a good boy so I can get a robot next Christmas?
M: I can do that.

15 minutes later in the car:
R: Mommy, Santa must be tired, I think he's fishing to feel better. He's using his fishing pole and putting his feet up in his boat.
M: Is that how Santa relaxes?
R: yeah, but we have to be careful so he doesn't pull the trees down when he's fishing. Mommy, why are those men pulling the trees down? Are they taking down those Christmas trees because it's not a birthday anymore?
M: (we passed construction of a new highway where they are clearing trees out) They are making room for a road. What do you think they will use the trees for?
R: To make Santa's fishing pole, silly mommy.
M: What else can we use the wood for? Maybe to make houses, boats, or a fire in the fireplace?
R: Oh no mommy, we don't make fire. Fire is a bad word. We have to call the fire mans so they can put the fire out like this...stop drop roll, mommy. Can you say 'stop, drop, roll?
M: Stop, drop roll.
R: No mommy, you're not saying it right. Say 'stop, drop, and roll arrow pointing up.'
M: (he was looking at a street sign with an arrow pointing up) 'stop, drop, and roll arrow pointing up.'
R: good job mommy, that's right. Now we stopped the fire and Santa can have his fishing pole so he can rest and bring me my robot because I'm a good boy on the nice list because I stopped the fire.

3 hours later at home
M: Ryan, what are the next three steps?
R: Lunch, my video game, and then quiet time
M: Good job buddy. Let's finish all our lunch okay?
R: Mommy, thank you for making my lunch for me. You're a good girl, I'm going to tell Santa that you are on the 'nice' list then he will bring you a robot too on Christmas. Okay? Now let's take a nap so I can have quiet time and talk to Santa.

Seriously, how would I ever win a battle with him???