Benjamin the Elf

Mia has had lots of fun finding Benjamin each morning.  The first morning, she wasn't sure what was going on, but she found him on the mantle.  We had new mattresses delivered that afternoon, and the delivery guys leaned the new mattresses against the mantle.  Apparently, Benjamin fell from his perch on the mantle.  When Mia realized he wasn't up there, she got really anxious.  She kept saying, "Where's Benjamin?  Oh no, Mommy, where's Benjamin?"  After she returned from looking for him in the kitchen, he had magically reappeared on the mantle.  This is good since we can't touch him!  Mia understands that and likes to remind us.  I didn't think she really understood very well when we read the book.  However, when she watched the movie An Elf's Story about Benjamin's friends, she got really into it. 

Mia decorated the lower half of the tree with candy canes.  She decided that this branch needed three of them!

The next morning, Mia stumbled into the dining room with her green blankie to eat some breakfast.  She stopped to look at the Christmas tree, and there he was sitting right on top of it!  Mia was speechless.  She just stood there gasping and pointing at him.  Pretty funny.

The following morning, Mia discovered Benjamin in the pantry.  She said, "Mommy!  I thought he was in the living room!  I was looking for him in the living room, but he's in the pantry!"  She thought it was funny that he got some of her raisins.  She decided that he must be hungry.

After that, Mia found him on Connor's picture.

When she saw him this morning hanging from the ceiling fan, Mia said, "There's Benjamin!  He's swinging!  That silly elf!"