This will most likely be understood only by the parents out there.  Not just any parents, but those who have kids 3 and older.  Unlike myself, I have a 16 month old little boy, as most of you know, named Hunter.  My wife, who has more experience at parenthood, has a 3 (Almost 4) year old little boy.  It is for her, that I write this.

I believe she broke a cardinal rule of parenthood.  One SHE should have known about, whereas I have the excuse on non-experience to hide behind.

I put a Part 1 on this because there are bound to be more revelations and/or violations of this code in the future, and I welcome anyone to write a Part 2

So I am outside, sitting on our patio watching some stand-up comedy last night and right before 8pm, which is bedtime (I wake at 3am for work), Little Damon (stepson) comes outside and tells me that he wants his Thomas toy

OK I said.  Go get your Thomas toy and take it with you upstairs because it is time for nigh-night.

Its in Mommies closet. In the back. He whines.

Once again, I failed to see the significance Alright, go get it and lets go to bed. I replied as I grabbed the laptop and took it inside.  As I was locking up downstairs and turning all the lights off, I hear him screaming upstairs and crying in defiance of going to bed.

I head upstairs and he is screaming for his Thomas toy.  Not exactly unusual, as he doesnt like going to bed most nights and always wants his Mac Truck or McQueen (you parents know about Cars).  Well this time he is really throwing a fit and it takes me a few minutes to calm him and get him in bed despite his protestation of wanting this Thomas Toy so badly.  He kept saying I saw it!, and I figured that it was just another toy he misplaced and he will fine without it.

Once I got him settled (somewhat), and went into our bedroom, my wife looked kinda bummed and I asked her what that was all about.  As I was circling the bed to check the alarm, she was telling me that she sent him downstairs to ask me about the toy to give her time to recover, and that was when I saw it.

A Thomas The train inflatable Ball pit that was on her side of the bed (the far inside invisible from the rest of the room), which you could tell was hastily placed, and would not slide under the bed.  Unopened, and very tempting, its mere presence told me the entire story.

She hadnt thought to hide it very well, even though her little boy has always been known for his observational skills.  Hell when he was barely talking, we used to move one thing in our old house, lets say a picture frame and the moment he got home from daycare, he would IMMEDIATELY proclaim that the picture was moved!

Well he saw that toy, and she used go ask daddy-B about the toy as a distraction to get him downstairs.  Now he sits in bed crying and my wife is realizing (with a little help from me) that she broke a VERY important parental rule regarding Christmas and Kids.  A rule I never thought much about until now

Good thing is that I can Hunter anything I want, and he would have as much fun playing on the box, and ripping open the wrapping paper, that he wouldnt even notice that the toy inside is not anything he hasnt seen before.

Anyway, just thought I would put it out there that kids ARE SMART AS HELL!  Hide those presents well!  Do not underestimate the slightest change in something that a 4 year old sees often, like the walk-in closet

Poor guy I did slightly enjoy rubbing my wifes nose in the fact that she slipped up and it wasnt me slipping up this time.

Na na na na na!

To make up for it, I ordered a phone call from Santa.  Cost $3.99 and they used his name on the call, and it made up for it.  I would highly suggest that as well.  Just google phone call from santa and there are tons of choices.

Namaste