A permanent spot on the naughty list

A few nights ago I was exhausted. I think Bennett and Will had used up every amount of my grace and patience that day. I couldn't wait until they went to bed and I could just collapse and breathe for the first time all day.

So, I took Bennett upstairs for story time before she went to sleep. I sat in her rocker and she snuggled in my lap. Bennett is very particular about her story time. She knows all of books by name and will tell you which one she wants. No, she will insist. Actually, she will demand that you read the book she has her mind set on for that evening. I forgot to pick out her book before I sat down, but once I sat down with her in my lap, I was not moving. I had no energy left to get up and go through the 5 minute routine of her picking out a book.

So I looked on her nightstand and sitting there was, "The Night Before Christmas." I thought that was perfect so I picked it up and began to read. Then Bennett looked up at her bookshelf and realized that she had been had. That was most certainly not the book she had in mind. She wanted her storytime Bible. The rest of our conversation went like this-

Bennett: No no. Jesus.
Me: Bennett, we will read that tomorrow night. Let's read this book.
B: Okay, Jesus.
M: Oh, sweetie. I can't stand up. Let's just read this pretty book.
B: Please, Jesus?
M: But look at this one. It's about Santa.
B: No, Mommy, no, no no.
M: But we love Santa.
B: Okay, Jesus.
M: We will read about Jesus tomorrow. Tonight we are reading about Santa.
B: Okay, Bible. Jesus?
M: We are reading about Santa tonight and that is final.
B: (sighing) Okay, Santa.

The irony was not lost on me. I got three pages into the book and then got up and got the Bible. We read about Jesus and the manger and the star and Mary. Then Bennett said-

B: Bye Bye, Jesus. Okay, Santa.