"James"

The Elf on the shelf book says that the kids can talk to their elf but they can't touch him or his magic will leave. Well...Jake touches him everyday...this was too distressing for Ben so I changed the rules so that when James is touched he becomes naughtier, which they love of course. After putting mustaches and whiskers on our family picture his antics continued by painting the boys toenails bright pink while they slept and toilet papering our Christmas tree...

Ben is really into Santa this year. He asks everyone if they are a "believer". We have never made a big deal about Santa and I try to be sure that I never lie to him outright about him so when he asks me if I believe I usually just say "well, do you?"
He looks at me like I am nuts and says "Mommy! We have an ELF in our house!?"

When we bought the Elf on the Shelf I never dreamed that he would actually believe he is a real elf. I thought my introspective, thoughtful and logical Ben would know that we were moving him around and think it was a fun game...nope. He believes absolutely that James is a real elf and is flying back to Santa every night.

5 year olds are so fun. Jacob on the other hand...the jaded other half, laughs at him scornfully with a little eye roll "Bum (what he has always called him) he is dust a dawl! He isn't weel!"- Ben glares at him. But I know Ben really does think he is real. I have heard him talking to him when he thinks I am not listening...and of course there was the finger under his nose to check his breathing incident. 

I wonder what James will be up to tonight...