My five year old son is writing his very first letter to Santa on a notepad he got from the nice folks at Adirondack Trust at last year's Rotary Home show. He worked The Saratogian's booth with me and was a big hit as our official "newspaper hander-outer".

His eyes light up as he considers the important task at hand. With his toungue out (he does this when he's concentrating really hard) he picks up his pencil and asks "What do I write first, mom?" I tell him it's completely up to him so he gets right to work with my husband and I there only to help him spell his words and wishes. He doesn't ask for world peace but takes great care writing each item and wants to be sure he uses "good manners". When he's finished, he puts it in an envelope, licks it shut and writes 'Santa' on the front. The look on his face is priceless.

Of all the things I'm thankful for, watching him grow and change and become this little person that's uniquely him is my absolute favorite.

Happy Holidays!

Dear Santa,

Merry Christmas to you. I've been very good. Please bring me:

1. Suitcase (like Dad's)
2. Electric Pencil Sharpener
3. Cool Sneakers
4. Erasers
5. Skeleton
6. Notebook
7. Map

Thank you very much,
K

Note: For a sampling of adorable letters to Santa, click here

Whenever I'm planning to go to the gym in the morning, I go through a little routine to make sure everything will run smoothly for my husband and son.

I pick out clothes for my son to save him the trouble of hunting around for stuff. I set his lunchbox on the counter and wash out his Thermos. I set his backpack on a chair in the kitchen, so it's ready to go.

Now, I think I'm just being helpful, but I could see how this could be construed as being a bit of a control freak. But because this is the first year of having to get our sixth-grader on the bus at 6:50 a.m., I figure every little bit counts to save the two of them time. It doesn't seem feasible to get the poor kid up any earlier than 6 a.m., not when we tend to have so much stuff going on in the evenings that prevent him from getting to bed early.

Maybe part of what I'm doing is easing my guilt. Just after school started in September I started meeting my friend Melissa at MY GYM (on Route 50 in the Carousel Plaza in Ballston Spa) a few mornings a week. The only time we can meet is 5:45 a.m., so we can get home in time for when our husbands leave for work.

It's a good thing that we are working out. I know that. But I feel a little guilty leaving my husband to get our son ready and on the bus in addition to getting himself ready and out the door at the same time. I've been getting both kids ready and on the bus for years all by myself, so why do I feel guilty?

I guess it's just hard for moms to let go sometimes ad do something good for themselves. Besides, it's been a couple months, and the boys seem to be doing fine in the morning without me.