Yesterday, was Mikulas Day - December 6th is when the Hungarian Santa, or St. Nicholas visits children and leaves his gifts - and the kids were excited to wake up and find their shoes filled with chocolates, candy and a new Christmas mug.

"Whoa, you guys ARE sooooo lucky!"

Even through the very nasal tone, I recognized it to be my son's voice and waited, along with everyone else, for The Boy to explain, except Mini-me.

"Nuh-uh; I got the same stuff, YOU did!"

My two oldest girls are 14 and nearly 12 - they have done this before and understand how it works - and having dealt with "the creeping crud" this week, I still wasn't feeling very well, so, I was happy to hear Thing One and Thing Two intervene on Mikulas' behalf and just sort of, you know, listened from upstairs.

"Mini-me is right, nobody got anymore than anyone else."

Then, I heard someone stomp their foot.

"Noooo, I know THAT!"

Judging from the tone, I assumed it was The Boy.

"I mean, she hasn't been very good, pretty bad, actually and she's just lucky she didn't get any coal!"

D'oh, and there went any thoughts of my sleeping in.

"Hey, KNOCK IT OFF down there!"

I know - yelling at the kids first thing in the morning on Mikulas Day, and all - but at least it shut them up and long enough, you know, for me to kick the dog off the bed, get some feeling back into my legs and crawl downstairs.

"That wasn't a very nice thing to say, Sweetie."

Even though it's, you know, true.  Being 4th in line - not to mention, cute as she is - my youngest daughter, unfortunately, has learned a lot watching her older sisters and brother, which means she knows just how to get her way, by getting on everyone's nerve, quicker and is way smarter than I am.

"Yah, kind of wude, too and you should take away his choc-wits and teach him a wesson!"

Mini-me has been a pill, lately.

"No, I don't think what The Boy said was THAT bad, really!"

He stomped his foot - yep, I was right! - but, this time, The Boy's voice was way louder, than mine.

"I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THE GIRLS!"

Huh?

"I was talking about you, Mom!"

HUH, wait a minute...and...WHAT!?!?

"You haven't been a very nice Mommy."

Yeah, well, are we ever?  Besides, I didn't fight Garth (not his real name) when he gave them ALL a mental day off, yesterday - a perk for bringing home very good report cards - but, I was sick and then he went to work...oh, and...SO!?!?

"But, Mikulas only cares about YOU kids!"

[eyes go wide]

"Yeah, but Thing One used one of YOUR shoes!"

[sound of crickets]

"I don't think Mikulas know-dit!"

Oh, how the kids laughed and I just sort of, you know, went back to bed, but not before speaking up for all us, mean Moms.

"See, I guess even Mikulas knows that Mommy's need a break and that even HE can make mistakes, sometimes!"

Besides, Thing One and I DO wear the same size and clearly, if he'd known the shoe fit, Mikulas would have left Vodka!

[blank stare]

TGIF, everyone - if anyone needs me, I'll be upstairs, coughing up a lung and tending to a very sick little Mini-me.

Stupid shoes!

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