Because I enjoyed Santa and my husband enjoyed Santa, we ‘do’ Santa with our kids. Neither of us were traumatized, and my 4-year-old daughter seems to really WANT to believe. If someone tells her Santa isn’t real she won’t believe them. I am following her cues in determining what she wants as best I can.

Honestly, I’m not all that fussed about the lying. I tell my kids a lot of lies. I think that most parents do, if they really think about it. Like, say, my preschooler smells chocolate on my breath in spite of my efforts to hide it. Or I am really just not in a position to have a long and drawn-out discussion about what that newscaster was saying. I don’t deliberately set out to deceive my kids, but in the course of life I am frequently less than honest. Santa at least has the advantage of being fun for them.

http://www.hobomama.com/2009/12/wordless-wednesday-holiday-babies.html

Like Melodie, I can’t stop thinking of the cushion as Boppy-shaped now that I’m thinking about it that way!

About the maintenance man, I think you did the right thing, even if it was hard to deny your son. You have to listen to your instincts, and sometimes the best thing for your child is not what he thinks is best in the moment, of course.

Your first point about dry, indoor air reminded me — we stayed at a long-term hotel for several months when we moved to a new city (this was long before having a baby), and I went to a health clinic for something unrelated and they commented with concern on how diluted my urine was. One thing led to another, and I had a bunch of tests, but nothing conclusive. I told them I was just exceedingly thirsty all the time, so I was drinking a lot because of that. Then we moved, and things calmed down and I gave up on the testing. We had a chance to return to the same hotel some time later, and I had the same experience. It was the forced hot air of the room’s heaters! Those close quarters, and that very dry heat. It was just drying out my mouth and making me feel thirsty. So there’s a travel tip for breastfeeding mothers — if you’re staying in a hotel, in particular, be aware that the room’s heat (most hotels are like this, I’ve found) can play havoc on your sense of thirst. I’m sure it could happen to babies, too, leading to increased nursing in that environment.

Thanks for posting this, and enjoy your holidays!