I am 98.6% evil, so I decided to torment Alexis with some questions about Santa. Specifically, I decided to ask her what she would do if he didn't come through and deliver the thing that she has requested. Given that she has flipped her lid any time we have threatened to call Santa and tell him to put her on the Naughty List, I was expecting some fun (for me) drama. She is REALLY committed to getting that American Girl doll.
As I worded the question, she looked at me carefully and then sighed loudly. Her face pinched up a little like this:
I tried to contain my laughter as I relished those moments of pained thought. But then Alexis' face relaxed as she continued to ponder my question. A few moments later, she finally said, "If Santa doesn't bring me an American Girl, I'll try really hard to be brave."
"You'll try to be brave?" I asked, my heart obviously swelling with pride.
"Yeah, I'll be brave," she repeated. "He might need to give it to one of the kids who doesn't have any toys."
We're doing something right.