All He Wanted For Christmas . . .

It’s been a challenging year for us financially, so although we had a feeling this would be the Best Christmas Ever (b/c I still believe that every Christmas is the best Christmas ever), we knew there’d be slim pickings under the tree.  I wasn’t sure how much money I’d be able to spend, but I still wanted to make this a special Christmas for my husband.  Thankfully, since before Thanksgiving, he had been telling me how much he hoped Sarah could learn the “Hippopotamus song” for Christmas.  I had no clue what he was talking about, but I tried my darndest to make it happen.

First, I searched the libraries and a few stores for CDs that had the “Hippopotamus song” on them–I didn’t have an actual title, so this is what I had to go on.  Then, my good friend Melissa, informed me that she had a CD of the song (which she herself finds annoying) and told me the very simple title, “I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas.”  And, then, of course, came my Google search which led to the other favorite megasite–YOUTUBE!  Thank you to everyone else out there who made animated shorts and filmed their own daughters singing this sometimes annoying but also adorable medley.  Sarah enjoyed watching it, and then I learned it as we watched videos and slowly brainwashed her over the weeks leading up to Christmas.

We were never able to catch her singing it oh-so-enthusiastically of her own volition–I know all you other parents know how that goes.  But we were able to bribe her to sing it for the camera with a promise of 2 gummi bears at the end!  Here is the finished product:

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
P.S. It was the Best Christmas Ever!