Little Red Charlie: Dec. 7

Little Red has keen observation skills. (It's how he got his job and how he keeps his job; Santa needs reliable intelligence.) He's noticed that his biggest fan in the Damm house is Katie. She wakes up every morning eager to find him, and she checks on him throughout the day. She visits with him more than the other people in house.

With that in mind, he settled in overnight right next to Katie's stocking in the family room. Sure enough, he was rewarded with a happy shriek of joy around 6:30 a.m.

Little Red Charlie: Dec. 6

Little Red has learned that the busiest room in the house is the kitchen. From this corner, near the breakfast table, he can oversee three meals, newspaper reading, homework time, crafty projects and more.

He's perched atop a photo of squirmy 2-year-old Katie, who at the time wanted nothing to do with Santa. Little Red understands. The boss can be intimidating to little people.

Little Red Charlie: Dec 5

Little Red looks so innocent in the kitchen, sitting near favorite family photos (3-year-old Katie and Santa; 3-year-old Cooper and Santa; and Tyra and Steve on the day of Tyra's college graduation in 1993). What you can't see is the stash of nearby candy. Our elf is (1) watching to be sure no one snags a peanut butter cup without asking and (2) planning his own snack attack.

Dressed to visit Santa

Dec. 3, 2010

Little Red Charlie: Dec. 4

Little Red is resting in the dining room, surrounded by some other Christmas friends. He enjoys the afternoon sun in this spot and the ability to listen to children playing (and never, ever arguing) in the nearby playroom.

Little Red Charlie: Dec. 3

Weekdays can be dull for Little Red. Kids are at school. Mom is working. With that in mind, he chose a bookshelf in the family room for today's hiding place. When no one's around, he can take a peek at books including How Santa Got His Job (career development), NurtureShock (child rearing), The Secret Garden (classic about a "bad" girl turning good) and I am America (And So Can You!) (political satire for elf cocktail parties).

Little Red Charlie: Dec. 2

From this Christmas tree branch, Little Red can see who comes in and out the front door and can overhear conversations in the playroom and kids' bedrooms. He can also dream of a Parisian vacation, well deserved after what will be a busy month of spying and reporting.

Little Red Charlie: Dec. 1

Little Red Charlie likes to make a grand entrance during the night after the star is placed atop our Christmas tree. So, he settled in to a sneaky spot the night of Sunday, Nov. 28.

His perch was so sneaky, in fact, that he went unnoticed until this morning. Katie spied him tucked into a vase on top of our piano and in front of the gorgeous Lee Weiss watercolor (a gift to Steve from his parents for his 40th birthday).

Four years later

When Cooper was in kindergarten, Katie was 1. She tagged along to every school program, many of my volunteer shifts and countless lunches long before she was a Bledsoe student.

Now Katie gets to experience the same kind of fun firsthand. And I have the privilege of watching her while reliving the joy of Cooper's kindergarten year.

Mrs. D and Cooper, November 2006

Mrs. Harris and Katie, November 2010

Cooper, Tyra and Katie, November 2006

Katie and Cooper, November 2010

After church today

In front of Steve's tree (which lost its leaves in the past week)