Chapter 4



February 1, 1997,



My baby brother Prince is due any день now and the anticipation is driving dad crazy! He’s still shopping for some еще supplies because he’s been so busy performing shows; he has not had time to. I don’t think he means to forget about me but, lately he does. Sometimes it’s good for me though, because I’m becoming еще independent! Plus Grace gives me a lot of attention when dad is busy working или preparing for the baby to come.



It was a half an час before my bedtime and dad was just getting back to our hotel room after his concert. He came into my bedroom and sat on the edge of my bed. He сказал(-а) “I brought Ты a cup instead of a bottle because Ты don’t need baby bottles anymore! I asked “why?” He сказал(-а) “because Далее месяц you’ll be three and you’ll have a baby brother to give your bottles to! I сказал(-а) “I already let Ты throw away my pacifiers; I don’t want to give up my bottles too! He sounded sympathetic and сказал(-а) “listen; I know Ты don’t want to but, drinking from a regular cup is not as bad as Ты think it is!” I asked “can I just use my bottle for one еще night daddy?” He sighed and сказал(-а) “no, let’s just get this over with!”



When I realized I wasn’t going to get my way, I reluctantly took a drink from the cup. Grace walked in the room and сказал(-а) “I’m glad to see that daddy threw away those baby bottles, it’s about time!” I сказал(-а) something that pulled on dad’s heartstrings. I сказал(-а) “you took away my pacifiers and my bottles; I hope there’s nothing else Ты can take away from me!” He asked “aren’t Ты glad Ты don’t have to be three years old and still look like a baby because Ты still used all that stuff?” I сказал(-а) “yeah; I guess you’re right!” He kissed my forehead and сказал(-а) “I can’t believe how big Ты are getting!”



February 13, 1997,



When I woke up from my nap this afternoon, I was in a hospital room. I looked around and Debbie was laying in a hospital постель, кровати with dad sitting Далее to her with something in his arms. I climbed off the chair that I was sitting in and once he saw me he smiled. I got onto his lap and he сказал(-а) “this is your new baby brother Prince!” He moved the blanket away from the Дети face and that was the first time I saw Prince! I leaned over and gave him a Kiss on the cheek. He didn’t look anything like what I expected him to; he was a lot cuter! Dad looked at the both of us and сказал(-а) “now I have two beautiful angels!”



Debbie looked exhausted as she fought to keep her eyes open, dad сказал(-а) “well; I think I’m going to take Alanna and Prince to the house so Ты can get some much-needed rest!” She waved goodbye as we walked out of the room. Even though dad tried his best to keep Prince’s birth hidden; somehow it got out and the paparazzi had surrounded the hospital! The bodyguards had to carry me to the SUV because if I walked I would have gotten trampled. The flashes from their cameras were so bright that dad could not see where he was going. They even tried to ask me Вопросы but, I had been taught from a very young age never to respond to them.



Once we had safely made it home, I unbuckled my car сиденье, место, сиденья and hopped out. I walked inside and dad shut the door behind us as he carried Prince in his car seat. I went into the living room and sat on the couch. Dad asked “do Ты want to hold Prince?” I shook my head yes and he passed him to me. Dad сказал(-а) “let me help Ты hold his head up because if I don’t he will get hurt.” He helped me support his head and I сказал(-а) “he is so cute daddy!” Dad smiled and сказал(-а) “you’re so cute too!” I сказал(-а) “okay; daddy I want to go in my playroom now and watch a movie! Will Ты help me put a tape in the VCR?” He сказал(-а) “I can’t sweetie; I have to feed Prince his bottle but, I’m sure if Ты ask Grace she will help you!” He took Prince from me and Grace and I went into the playroom.



Grace sat down on the floor and asked “you know that Ты have a whole bunch of new Дисней Фильмы that Ты got for Рождество right?” I сказал(-а) “oh yeah; I forgot about those. What ones are new movies?” She grabbed a stack of five Фильмы off the вверх of the big TV that was in the room and put them down in front of me. She сказал(-а) “you have Toy story, the lion King two, the sword in the stone, the jungle book, and 101 Dalmatians.” I asked “have I seen any of these before?” She сказал(-а) “no, I picked them out for Ты because Ты haven’t seen them yet!” I picked up the toy story case and asked “will Ты watch this with me; since daddy’s busy with Prince?” She сказал(-а) “yeah, it looks like daddy has things covered with Prince!”



I guess I am going to have to get used to not having my dad’s full attention when he is home! Ever since I’ve been born he has done his best to teach me everything in life that I learned this far. He’s realized that he can’t be there for every sneeze, crazy dance move, and to run around the hotel room and playing hide and seek Ты with me. I don’t know how this week is going to go because dad is taking some time off to spend with the baby before he has to do some еще concerts. He is happy though because he is bringing in so much cash so he won’t have to tour for a very long time.







February 25, 1997,



Grace left for a few days yesterday, so she could check on her sister. It’s been just dad, Prince, and I since she has been gone. Dad is starting to feel overwhelmed, but he’s trying his best to keep his cool. I don’t think I’m making it any easier on him though!



I had just gotten up from my nap and went into the living room in our hotel room. That’s when things started to get on dad’s nerves! He had just put Prince down for a nap in his легкий шлем с забралом, колыбель, люлька and went to go get me a snack. The секунда he thought he was clear to leave the room; Prince started crying! He rushed to put some cheese doodles in a bowl and quickly passed it to me. He picked up Prince and tried to comfort him. Luckily he fell right back asleep but, I wasn’t going to let him relax by any means.



I сказал(-а) “daddy, I want to play light sabers with you!” He сказал(-а) “okay; go get them and we will!” I ran to my bedroom and grabbed them. As we were play fighting with the light sabers I decided it would be funny if I poked in the eye… So I did! He jumped back and asked “why would Ты do that? That hurt really bad! I chuckled as he washed his eyes with a washcloth and he сказал(-а) sternly “it’s not funny Alanna, Ты could have really hurt my eye!” I didn’t respond and he started to get irritated. He сказал(-а) “you need to at least say sorry to me!” I сказал(-а) “okay, okay, I’m sorry daddy!” He hugged me and сказал(-а) “it’s all right; just don’t do it again!”



March 18, 1997,



Dad was just arriving back to our hotel room after his концерт and he was clearly exhausted. When he walked in the door Grace сказал(-а) “it has been a long день Michael!” He asked “let me guess, Alanna isn’t behaving for you?” She сказал(-а) “Yep” and picked up Prince. He сказал(-а) “I’ll go talk to her in her room!”



He walked down to my room and sat Далее to me on the edge of my bed. I сказал(-а) “hi daddy!” He asked “hi; how was your day?” He сказал(-а) “Grace told me Ты weren’t listening to her at all!” I сказал(-а) “you сказал(-а) Ты are the boss, not her… So I don’t have to listen to her!” He сказал(-а) “hey, you’ve got it all wrong! I am the boss but, when I’m not here she is in charge!” I сказал(-а) “she can’t make me listen to her!” He сказал(-а) “if I hear that Ты are not listening to her and behaving, you’re going to be in trouble by me! He asked “why are Ты not being good when I’m working!” I сказал(-а) “I just wish Ты were here more, I miss the times when you’re at Главная with us all day!” Ты could hear the sadness in his voice when he сказал(-а) “I wish I could be here all the time but, I have to work!” I rested my head on his shoulder and asked “how much longer till we can go back Главная and stay there?” He сказал(-а) “about a месяц and a half but, I promise Ты after that I’m not touring for while!” I сказал(-а) “okay, I just want to go back home!” He сказал(-а) “I know; me too sweetheart!” He kissed me and сказал(-а) “I want Ты to go apologize to Grace for not behaving today!” I walked up to her and gave her a hug. She asked “what was that for?” I сказал(-а) “I’m sorry for not being good and not listening to Ты today!” She сказал(-а) shocked “well, thank Ты for saying you’re sorry!”





March 20, 1997,



The phone rang and dad picked it up. He was getting ready to perform a концерт in New Zealand and was wondering who could be calling him at this time. He сказал(-а) “hello!” Grace сказал(-а) “your daughter won’t go to sleep, I don’t know what else to do!” He сказал(-а) “you’ve got to be kidding me; it’s almost 10 o’clock at night! Have one of the bodyguards bring her down here and Ты stay with Prince.” She сказал(-а) “okay; I’ll get her ready!” She had no idea what dad was up to but, she was so exhausted she was willing to try anything!



Grace сказал(-а) “get your jacket; Ты are going to see daddy!” Dad’s bodyguard Joe picked me up and сказал(-а) “we will be back after the concert.” He took me out to the SUV and drove me to the концерт arena. When we walked inside he took me back stage and сказал(-а) “wait here; I’m going to get your dad!” There was a mattress set up on the floor and a small TV with a remote. There was also a stack of VCR tapes near the TV. I was definitely wondering what was going on and wanted to know what was taking dad so long!



Dad opened the door to the room and he looked upset. He asked “why are Ты not listening to Grace?” I didn’t have an answer for him and he made me feel guilty. He сказал(-а) “you’re going to sleep here and I’m going to take Ты back to the hotel after the Показать is done! Ты can watch the movie until Ты fall asleep but, I expect Ты to be asleep when I come back here for the intermission!” He put a звезда Wars movie in the VCR and сказал(-а) “go to sleep… I mean it!” When he shut the door I could hear the screams of the Фаны and was still amazed by what he does! I want to do exactly what he does for a living when I grow up!



March 29, 1997,



Dad had Grace, Prince, and I go back Главная to Neverland while he finishes his last week of concerts. Grace told me he would be back Главная one week from today, so I’m just waiting for him to get here. It’s not the same not having him here. I’m not used to him not being around. There have been times when I call out dad’s name and then realize he’s not here!



I was up in my room playing and watching TV when I heard the front door shut. I didn’t pay much attention to it and continued to put my action figures into fighting poses. Grace yelled my name and сказал(-а) “come down here, I have a surprise for you!” I walked downstairs and сказал(-а) “yeah?” She stepped out of the way and dad was standing behind her. I ran to him and сказал(-а) “my daddy!” He smiled as he bent down to pick me up and I asked “are we going to stay here for a long time now?” He kissed the вверх of my head and сказал(-а) “yes, for a long time!”



After dad had gotten settled in at home, he went upstairs to check on me. He stood by my doorway staring at me trying to moonwalk. I didn’t notice he was watching me and he сказал(-а) “you’ll learn how to do that; it’s really hard trust me!” I сказал(-а) “daddy; I want to be a singer and dancer when I grow up!” He thought about it for 5 min. and сказал(-а) “you can do anything Ты want to do when Ты grow up but, promise me you’ll stay my little tomboy for as long as Ты can!” I kissed him and сказал(-а) “I Любовь Ты daddy, besides; I like being a kid right now!” He сказал(-а) “good” and smiled.



April 4, 1997,



I was playing outside and dad was watching me on the patio while he drank his iced tea. He got up from his chair and looked at something in the garage. He pulled a tarp off my bicycle and asked “do Ты want me to take the training wheels off your bike for Ты Alanna?” I сказал(-а) “I don’t know how to ride my bike without them on though!” He сказал(-а) “I’ll teach Ты how after I take them off!” I was hesitant to say “okay” but I really wanted to have them taken off my bike. I was scared еще than Ты could imagine but, I tried not to let that Показать because normally I’m very Храбрая сердцем and fearless!



I watched him take the training wheels off and hoped that something would go wrong so I wouldn’t have to ride my bike. After he had taken them off he сказал(-а) “alright; get on your bike!” I reluctantly got on to it and he pushed it to the middle of our long driveway. He сказал(-а) “the gates closed and I’m not going to let Ты get hurt so, you’re safe!” As soon as I started pedaling I сказал(-а) “daddy I’m scared; don’t let go!” He сказал(-а) “don’t worry I won’t let anything happen to you!” He saw my hands shaking as they held on the handlebars!



I started to get the hang of steering the bike and dad had to run to keep a hold of me. I started to laugh because when I looked back at him his pants had fallen down because he wasn’t wearing a belt! He let go of me and I was able to keep control of the bike by myself. He blushed as he quickly hurried to pull up his pants because the Neverland staff was staring at his polka dotted boxers! I rode past him and сказал(-а) “nice underwear daddy!” He shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

April 8, 1997,



I was just arriving at Neverland after spending the weekend at my grandma and grandpa’s house. I walked in the doorway and grandma followed behind me. She looked at dad and сказал(-а) “she had fun!” They both laughed and grandma shut the door as she left.



At ужин dad sat down Далее to me and сказал(-а) “did Ты have fun when Ты were with grandma this weekend?” I сказал(-а) “yeah but; I missed Ты a lot daddy!” He kissed my cheek and сказал(-а) “I missed Ты too AJ!” He took a bite of his Еда and I asked “daddy what does damn it mean?” I thought he was going to start choking when he heard me say that because his eyes widened like I had never seen before! He struggled to say while forcing down his Еда “where did Ты hear that word?” I сказал(-а) “grandpa was really mad and he was screaming it at grandma.” The look on his face was something I’ll never forget. He turned bright red and whispered “I can’t believe he was yelling at her in front of you!”



He got up from the таблица and grabbed the phone off the counter. He сказал(-а) “Alanna, go to your room; okay!” He dialed grandma’s phone number and they talked:



Grandma: hello

Dad: hi mother; I need to talk to you!

Grandma: what’s wrong Michael?

Dad: why in the world was Joseph swearing and yelling in front of Alanna?

Grandma: I didn’t even know she was listening!

Dad: I’ll make it very clear to Ты that I don’t want him screaming profanity at Ты while my daughter is around, because of what he сказал(-а) she just asked me what damn it means! It’s nothing against Ты mother but I don’t want AJ around that stuff!



He hung up the phone and went upstairs. He walked in to my room and sat Далее to me on the floor. I looked at him and he сказал(-а) “let’s talk about that word Ты heard.” I asked “what does it mean?” He сказал(-а) “well; that is a bad word… Only some grown-ups can use those words. Kids aren’t supposed to say those words!” I сказал(-а) “okay; I won’t say that word anymore!” He сказал(-а) “it’s okay that Ты сказал(-а) that word this time because Ты didn’t know it was a bad word!”







May 21, 1997,



Dad was outside with me playing in the pool when he asked “do Ты want me to teach Ты how to swim without your life jacket?” I сказал(-а) “no, I’ll drown!” He сказал(-а) “you know I won’t let that happen AJ!” He took my life куртка off and сказал(-а) “don’t be scared!” He picked me up and placed me in the pool. I сказал(-а) “I’m going to drown!!!” He laughed and сказал(-а) “I am not going to let Ты drown!!!” I walked up the steps and сказал(-а) “please don’t make me daddy!” He сказал(-а) “alright, but I hired a swim instructor to come tomorrow and teach you, so you’re not off the hook!!!”



July 17, 1997,



Dad was just walking in the door after finishing some last минута work to get all the money he earned on the history tour. He looked around the room and asked “what’s going on here?” Grace сказал(-а) “Alanna is driving me nuts!” He asked “what do Ты mean? What is she doing?” She сказал(-а) “well; to start off with she was so loud I couldn’t get Prince to sleep!” He said: “I’ll go talk to her!” She rolled her eyes as he walked up the stairs.



He walked into my room and сказал(-а) “hi AJ.” I hugged him and сказал(-а) “I missed you!” He сказал(-а) “I’ve told Ты so many times that Ты need to be good when I’m not here and Ты won’t listen!” I tried to say something and he cut me off. He сказал(-а) “since I’m now working for a while Grace is going to go on vacation and I’m going to stay here with Ты and your brother. I’m not going to let Ты get away with this stuff, Ты will be in trouble… No not just standing in the corner!” I asked confused “what do Ты mean? He сказал(-а) “I’m going to start taking your toys away and go to you’ll have to earn them back!” He sat down Далее to me on the floor and сказал(-а) “no matter what I’ll always Любовь Ты though… You’re my first baby and I don’t want Ты to grow up too fast!”



He stood up and grabbed one of my action figures out of my toy box. I asked “where are Ты going with that?” He сказал(-а) “I told you, when Ты don’t listen a toy gets taken away!” I looked at him shocked and couldn’t believe that he was actually following through with it!



July 20, 1997,
Dad walked through the front door and looked around for Grace, Prince and I. He went upstairs and could hear Grace say “we’re in here Michael!!!” He opened the door to the bathroom and Grace сказал(-а) “I know Ты need to go AJ!!!” He asked “let me guess; potty training isn’t getting any better?” She сказал(-а) “listen; I need to go feed Prince….will Ты stay here with her?” He sat down on the floor and сказал(-а) “of course!!!” She took Prince downstairs shutting the bathroom door behind her.

Dad asked “what’s up?” I сказал(-а) “I’m not going to go potty!!!” He сказал(-а) “we aren’t going anywhere until Ты go….I’m getting tired of changing those diapers.” I сказал(-а) “I’m still not going to go!!!” He сказал(-а) “that’s too bad because I bought Ты something at the toy store.” I got excited and asked “is it the Spiderman web shooter daddy?” He took it out of the bag he was holding and сказал(-а) “as a matter of fact it is!” I tried to grab it from him and he сказал(-а) “if Ты use the potty Ты can have this!!!” I сказал(-а) “but if I do I won’t be your baby anymore daddy.” He сказал(-а) “I don’t know where Ты came up with that!!! It doesn’t matter if you’re 3 years old или 300 years old you’ll always be my baby!!!” I сказал(-а) “pinky promise?” He stuck out his pinky finger and сказал(-а) “pinky promise!” I looked at the toy and then looked at dad. He сказал(-а) “all Ты have to do is…….” He heard the noise of something tricking and he gasped. I smiled and he сказал(-а) “GOOD JOB!!!”
A few минуты later we walked downstairs and Grace was still feeding Prince. I was carrying the web shooter and she asked “where did that come from?” Dad сказал(-а) “let’s just say I don’t think she’ll be giving Ты a hard time when it comes to the bathroom!” She сказал(-а) “wait….she went? No way!!! But how in the world?” He laughed and сказал(-а) “don’t Вопрос the king; just accept it!!!

July 28, 1997,



Yesterday dad took me shopping because he was able to have the manager closed the store for the day. When we were in the store I saw a toy that I really wanted but; dad told me that I couldn’t have it because he had just bought me a toy last week. I threw myself on the ground and had the worst temper tantrum that dad had ever seen. He had never seen me this mad in my life. He was really embarrassed by the way I was Актёрское искусство and we ended up having to leave because I kept trying to hit him.



Today dad had a behavioral specialist/therapist come over to the ranch to see if there was еще to the way I am acting. He knows that it can’t be me just being the typical three-year-old and wants to get to the bottom of whatever is going on. She told him that after evaluating me that she had diagnosed me with oppositional defiance disorder. That means that I don’t think about something before I do it and that most of the time I get so caught up in my attitude that I don’t remember what I had done wrong. She also told him that there is not much she can do to help the situation and that dad is going to have to be patient but also very strict; especially as I get older because it’ll probably only get worse! All I remember dad saying is that he is committed to helping me deal with this and keeping me out of trouble.



August 12, 1997,



One of the bodyguards let Debbie into the house and she heard me trying to argue my way out of doing something. She walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Dad сказал(-а) “you know it’s not okay to call people names!” He knelt down in front of me and сказал(-а) “all I’m asking Ты to do is put your crayons back in their box so nobody steps on them.” I сказал(-а) “I don’t care about the crayons Ты stupid head!” He picked me up and сказал(-а) “I told Ты not to say that word anymore!” He put me in the corner of the living room and сказал(-а) “you stay here until I come get Ты because Ты weren’t being nice!”



He sat down on the диван, мягкий уголок Далее to Debbie and сказал(-а) “that’s her third timeout today and it’s not even noon.” She сказал(-а) “well; I have some good news to tell you!” He asked “what?” She сказал(-а) “I’m pregnant again!” He сказал(-а) “oh my gosh… I’m going to have three kids!” I walked up to dad and he asked “what are Ты doing out of the corner?” I сказал(-а) “I have to go potty.” He сказал(-а) “okay; but Ты have to promise me not to say stupid anymore because it’s not nice and it hurts my feelings!” I сказал(-а) “I’m sorry; I won’t say that anymore!” He сказал(-а) “that’s okay; I don’t want to hear Ты say that word again!”



While I was in the upstairs bathroom dad and Debbie talked. Debbie сказал(-а) “I found out yesterday that I was pregnant!” Prince crawled up to dad and he picked him up. Dad looked at her and сказал(-а) “it’s so unreal; my first baby is pretty much not a baby anymore and my секунда baby is already seven months old!” Debbie looked at him as tears filled his eyes and she сказал(-а) “look at it positively… You’re going to get to have a newborn that is totally dependent on Ты again!” He сказал(-а) as he rubbed his eyes “it’s not that!” She asked “what’s wrong then?” He сказал(-а) “it hit me yesterday that Alanna isn’t a baby anymore! She hardly ever asks me for help; it’s been like that all week long! It went from her saying daddy I can’t do it by myself to daddy leave me alone!” He got up and сказал(-а) “I know she’s only three but; it hard to let my baby go!”



Debbie hugged him and сказал(-а) “she going to grow up to do bigger and better things than the little milestones she’s reaching now! I know it’s hard but Ты have to let it happen!” I came downstairs and walked up to dad. He knelt down and I hugged him. I whispered something in his ear and he сказал(-а) “I’ll help you.” Debbie сказал(-а) “I’ve got to head out now; I’ll call Ты when I have my first ultrasound in a couple weeks so Ты can come.” He kissed her on the cheek and сказал(-а) “alright; I’ll see Ты then.”



September 9, 1997,



Dad was just getting back to the ranch because he had gone shopping to get some Рождество gifts. He walked into the living room and Grace сказал(-а) “listen; I can’t watch AJ anymore!” He looked irritated and asked “what; why?” She сказал(-а) “because she will not listen to me! She thinks it’s funny when she doesn’t do what I ask her to do!” Dad сказал(-а) “I don’t know what else Ты want me to do; Ты know she has oppositional defiance disorder!” Grace сказал(-а) “I know she doesn’t really mean to be so disobedient but; I just can’t deal with her and Prince with Debbie having another baby soon on вверх of that!” He сказал(-а) “I’ll make a deal with you; if I can get your to at least somewhat behave for Ты when I’m not here will Ты watch her again?” She сказал(-а) “I don’t see how Ты going to do that but; if Ты can pull it off еще power to you!” He сказал(-а) “I don’t plan on going out on any big trips for it while so I won’t let her get away with being disrespectful to you!”



I came downstairs and dad gave me a look that I will probably never forget. I knew that in some way, shape или form that I had done something wrong! He picked me up and put me on the couch. He sat down Далее to me and сказал(-а) “I know that Ты haven’t been behaving for Grace and I told Ты that I’m not going to let Ты act like this!” I сказал(-а) “but daddy; I didn’t mean to!” He сказал(-а) “I don’t want to hear it; just remember I’m here all день now so I hear and see everything that goes on in this house!”



He went upstairs and came back down carrying the pieces that go on вверх of my train table. He opened up the closet door and put them on the вверх shelf. I сказал(-а) “no daddy; I Любовь my Thomas the trains!” He knelt down in front of me and сказал(-а) “you’ll think twice Далее time before Ты decide not to listen to Grace; won’t you?” I stomped my feet and he calmly сказал(-а) “that’s enough!” Grace сказал(-а) “welcome to my world Michael; this is what I deal with every day.” I tossed a couple of video tapes across the room and he сказал(-а) “I сказал(-а) that’s enough!” I looked at him as I reach for another tape to see if he would do anything and he asked “do Ты want to watch TV in your room tonight?” I сказал(-а) mad “yes!” He сказал(-а) “you better not throw that because Ты won’t be allowed to watch Фильмы tonight!” I put the tape down and he сказал(-а) “thank you; it’s time for bed!”



I walked up to dad and hugged him. He picked me up and asked “do Ты want to watch Мультики on Дисней Junior или watch a movie?” I сказал(-а) “I want to watch Scooby Doo!” He сказал(-а) “okay; go get your pajamas on and wait for me to get your toothbrush ready!” He put me down and for the first time in a long time I did what I was told.



December 25, 1997,





I woke up and walked down the hallway. I climbed onto dad’s постель, кровати and jumped on him. He opened his eyes and сказал(-а) “merry Christmas!!!” I сказал(-а) “merry Christmas” and jumped on him again. He сказал(-а) “okay; I’m going to get up.” He picked me up and сказал(-а) “we can’t go downstairs until Prince is awake.” He carried me into Prince’s room and put me down. Prince was standing up in his детская кроватка with his hair sticking out in all directions. Dad picked him up and grabbed me with his other arm.


Dad carried Prince and I down the steps and I could see the Рождество tree. He took us into the living room and put of us down. There were presents stacked all over the room and something with a blanket over the вверх of it. Dad asked “what’s under that blanket over there?” I walked up to it and there was a piece of paper taped to the blanket. I pulled it off and brought it over to dad. He сказал(-а) “it looks like a letter from Santa Claus!” Now that I’m much older; I know that Santa Claus isn’t real, but dad tried to keep the magic alive for as long as possible while I was growing up.



He opened the letter and read it out loud. He сказал(-а) “I hope Ты like your Рождество presents and I know Ты tried really hard to be good this year. You’ve grown so much since the last time I left presents under your дерево and I’ve been watching Ты from the North Pole. I do think that Ты need to try harder at being a better listener. Every time Ты don’t listen to daddy Ты Переместить closer to the naughty list. I’ll be back to see Ты and your brother Далее year. I can’t wait to see if the new baby is going to be a boy или a girl!”



Dad сказал(-а) “see Santa knows everything; so Ты better be good!” I had a worried look on my face and сказал(-а) “I will try harder!” I pulled the blanket off and underneath was the Jeep that I had been asking for all year! I got in and was about to put the key in when dad сказал(-а) “yeah; that’s еще of an outside toy!” I went over to a tall stack of presents and he сказал(-а) “after we open all your gifts Ты can play with your Jeep.”



After about eight hours of slowly opening each gift, grandma showed up. I was upstairs changing out of my pajamas because I had been wearing them all day. I came back downstairs wearing a pair of jeans and my new red звезда Wars long-sleeved фуфайка, толстовки with Anakin Skywalker and R2-D2 printed on the front. I walked into the кухня where dad was talking to grandma and I sat down at the table. She сказал(-а) “you know Joseph really want to come here with me. I don’t understand why Ты don’t want him here!” He сказал(-а) “now that Alanna is in the room I think we should stop this discussion!” She сказал(-а) “you know I want to be here but; I’m going to go back to the house because I don’t him to have to be alone!”



Dad rolled his eyes as she shut the door and left without even getting to say hi to me. He came over with a few plates of Еда and sat down Далее to me. As he was cutting my Еда for me I сказал(-а) “thank Ты for all my presents!” He сказал(-а) “you’re welcome sweetheart.” He looked around the room at all of my new toys sprawled out on the floor and сказал(-а) “look at all these toys!!!” I сказал(-а) “I got so much Spiderman, Thomas the train, and Scooby Doo stuff!!!” He сказал(-а) “I think Ты got еще звезда Wars stuff than anything else. I can’t believe Ты got six different pairs of звезда Wars pajamas!!!”