AvecLion
December 19th, 2006, 01:32 PM
DJ turned 16 while I was laid off. He told me to wait on a gift until I started my new job and we got caught up on the bills. Then there was school shopping, and it just seemed there was always something major to pay when I had spare $$ to get him a gift. He suggested waiting until Christmas and combining what I'd have spent on his birthday with what I'd spend on Christmas so he could get a Nintendo D/S. It was reasonable and he'd been very patient, so I agreed.
What he didn't know was I wasn't getting him a D/S. It was his 16th birthday and I'd have spent more. J and I bought him a video iPod instead. I'd seen him look at them, but he never said a word about wanting one. I'd told him we'd called several stores in the area and the D/S wasn't in stock - looked like he was going to have to wait even longer. He said it was OK, he knew I tried.
On Sunday, I broke down and asked J if we could give DJ his present early, since it was also his birthday present. J agreed. I loaded up all the songs I have on my player that I knew he liked, about 1500 of them. And I downloaded XGames, Mind Freak and Degrassi (yes, it's supposed to be a "chick" show but all the guys here watch it) so he'd have a few videos. When I was done, I packed everything back up and called him to the top of the stairs. I told DJ I had his Christmas present. I also let him know that this was it - nothing else from us, not even a stocking this year. If he wanted it, all he had to do was close his eyes and reach out. Otherwise, I'd wrap it and he could have it on Christmas Eve. Hey, he's only 16. He can't resist temptation yet.
I put the box in his hand. He opened his eyes - actually, his eyes kinda bugged out of his head. He looked at the box, looked at me, and forgot to breath. I think that means we done good. He yelled out that we were the f@#$ing best ever, holy $#!* and how the F@#$ were we able to afford it - I offered to take it back if he wasn't happy and he actually hugged the package to his chest and shook his head. Then he vaulted down the stairs - amazing to see someone 6'3" flip around in mid air and ran to J and I heard J say OK OK, put me down. Then he ran up the stairs and bowled me over (good thing I hadn't gotten up yet, I'd have gone through the wall if I weren't sitting when he tackled me). Then he took it out and was surprised that it came fully charged (yeah right) and then he realized it was already loaded. And then there was more cussing and more tackling and the tears started running down his cheeks and somewhere in there he spat out this is the best f@#$ing Christmas ever. I think that meant we done real good. Either way, we sorta got caught up in the moment and forgot to remind him not to cuss or get on his case about getting physical in the house.
He won't take off the protective plastic. He has an eyeglass cloth that he keeps with his iPod, so he can put it down without worry about scratches. Course the cloth goes on top of a ziploc bag, so there's no chance of it getting damp, either. And when he's done listening/watching/charging, it goes back in the box it came in and placed on a high shelf out of reach of the evil cat. He had all his friends over yesterday for show and tell - but he wouldn't even take it out on the front steps.
I was feeling bad he didn't really get to celebrate his birthday in style when it happened, but things happen for a reason. I've never seen anyone so thrilled to get a present - not even when he did believe a fat man came in through the radiator. Giving to him early was a present to me, too. With shopping to do, people coming for dinner on Sunday, cleaning up after holiday parties at work, AnnaDot getting sick, the holidays were getting me down. And watching DJ go ballistic over his gift - not holding back one bit of emotion - reminded why I go through this every year and gave me the boost I needed to get through the rest of the week.
So, in the words of the most amazing teenager I know....Merry F@#$ing Christmas, y'all!
What he didn't know was I wasn't getting him a D/S. It was his 16th birthday and I'd have spent more. J and I bought him a video iPod instead. I'd seen him look at them, but he never said a word about wanting one. I'd told him we'd called several stores in the area and the D/S wasn't in stock - looked like he was going to have to wait even longer. He said it was OK, he knew I tried.
On Sunday, I broke down and asked J if we could give DJ his present early, since it was also his birthday present. J agreed. I loaded up all the songs I have on my player that I knew he liked, about 1500 of them. And I downloaded XGames, Mind Freak and Degrassi (yes, it's supposed to be a "chick" show but all the guys here watch it) so he'd have a few videos. When I was done, I packed everything back up and called him to the top of the stairs. I told DJ I had his Christmas present. I also let him know that this was it - nothing else from us, not even a stocking this year. If he wanted it, all he had to do was close his eyes and reach out. Otherwise, I'd wrap it and he could have it on Christmas Eve. Hey, he's only 16. He can't resist temptation yet.
I put the box in his hand. He opened his eyes - actually, his eyes kinda bugged out of his head. He looked at the box, looked at me, and forgot to breath. I think that means we done good. He yelled out that we were the f@#$ing best ever, holy $#!* and how the F@#$ were we able to afford it - I offered to take it back if he wasn't happy and he actually hugged the package to his chest and shook his head. Then he vaulted down the stairs - amazing to see someone 6'3" flip around in mid air and ran to J and I heard J say OK OK, put me down. Then he ran up the stairs and bowled me over (good thing I hadn't gotten up yet, I'd have gone through the wall if I weren't sitting when he tackled me). Then he took it out and was surprised that it came fully charged (yeah right) and then he realized it was already loaded. And then there was more cussing and more tackling and the tears started running down his cheeks and somewhere in there he spat out this is the best f@#$ing Christmas ever. I think that meant we done real good. Either way, we sorta got caught up in the moment and forgot to remind him not to cuss or get on his case about getting physical in the house.
He won't take off the protective plastic. He has an eyeglass cloth that he keeps with his iPod, so he can put it down without worry about scratches. Course the cloth goes on top of a ziploc bag, so there's no chance of it getting damp, either. And when he's done listening/watching/charging, it goes back in the box it came in and placed on a high shelf out of reach of the evil cat. He had all his friends over yesterday for show and tell - but he wouldn't even take it out on the front steps.
I was feeling bad he didn't really get to celebrate his birthday in style when it happened, but things happen for a reason. I've never seen anyone so thrilled to get a present - not even when he did believe a fat man came in through the radiator. Giving to him early was a present to me, too. With shopping to do, people coming for dinner on Sunday, cleaning up after holiday parties at work, AnnaDot getting sick, the holidays were getting me down. And watching DJ go ballistic over his gift - not holding back one bit of emotion - reminded why I go through this every year and gave me the boost I needed to get through the rest of the week.
So, in the words of the most amazing teenager I know....Merry F@#$ing Christmas, y'all!