Yickety Yack Don't Talk Back

Ben spent the afternoon telling me how much he hates certain things, particularly things I really love.

Please don't be fooled, he's still a boy of few words. He's just getting better - much better - at getting his point across. And when he doesn't like something, he makes this noise in his throat that is somewhere between the word "ick" and a hiss. It actually sounds like someone hacking up a cold byproduct. We're not really sure where he picked up this habit, but I blame my mother. Although, she likes to reserve this lower form of communication for food.

Ben used to keep this "word" in his pocket too, but he unleashed it with full force today. While I was making breakfast, he brought me the case for A Muppet Christmas Carol, pointed emphatically and said, "Ick," like a hundred times.

What?! That's arguably the best Christmas movie ever! The Muppets meet Charles Dickens meet the best musical score I've ever heard! How can you possibly hate it?! So, I asked him and he looked me in the eye and said, "Ick."

First, please reserve your back talk, for a time when there is actual talking involved. Second, I don't care if you do hate it - I'll just watch it when you're in bed and your judgey father is out of town (like I do every year).

He also told me he hated a CD of instrumental Christmas music (which is beautiful and super calming by the way) and his cup of apple juice... which I later found in the trash.

He is truly his father's son and even now they love many of the same things: meat, grunting rather than talking, and the Chiefs. That's right, Ben loves the Chiefs and he proved it today when a friend dropped off some Chiefs apparel her son outgrew. Ben pointed at that arrowhead logo and said, "Cool Chiefs!" Actually, it sounded more like, "Coo Sheesh," but the sentiment was clear.

Fine, the two of you can have each other and you're welcome to make fun of the things that I love all you want. It's only fair, I remember mercilessly making fun of my mother for watching this awful, black-and-white version of A Christmas Carol. I'm pretty sure it followed the book word-for-word and that's why my mom loved it so much. But to me, it was torture.

So Benjamin, here is a list of my favorite Christmas movies. Please feel free to hate them and tease me relentlessly. It's your God-given right as a child to think your mom is lame.

5. White Christmas - I love Danny Kaye and can sing every word of every song. So what.
4. Elf - Will Farrell in green tights. I don't think there is anything else to say.
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas - Linus' monologue made me love him even more and someday, my blanket-toting son, will love this movie too.
2. It's a Wonderful Life - This movie always fills me with so much hope. It's great to remember how valuable we all are.
1. A Christmas Story - "Randy laid there like a slug. It was his only defense."

And the very best Christmas movie of all time - A Muppet Christmas Carol. I really don't know how anyone can resist this movie's charm. Check out my favorite song from this movie.