About three or four years ago I went with my best friend Liz and her family to South Dakota for Thanksgiving. I had never been there before so they introduced me the state and I introduced them to a Christmas song they had never heard before.
Liz and I were in the car driving to get her brother Josh from school. The song "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas" came on the radio. I was singing along and happened to glance over at Liz who was looking at me like I was nuts! Apparantly she had never heard the song before and she couldn't believe that I knew the words! We got back to her grandmother's house the next day and she was still talking about "The Hippo Song". Turns out, her parents had never heard it before either! They sure thought I was weird-er!
So I told you that story to tell you this story!
For the past two years Andrew and I have made it a tradition to go over to Liz's parents house Christmas day night to hang out. This Christmas was Deklan's first "Kolb Christmas" experience and he got a HIPPOPOTAMUS for christmas! I was confused at first but what they did was hysterical! Deklan's gift was wrapped in a box. First he pulled out a stuffed hippo, then a cd, and then a book. I didn't understand until I saw one of the songs on the cd. Yep! It was the HIPPO SONG! But, the part I loved the most was the book they gave Deklan and I can't resist sharing!
BUT NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS by Sandra Boynton
A hog and a frog cavort in the bog
BUT NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS
A cat and two rats trying on hats
BUT NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS
A moose and a goose together have juice
BUT NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS
A bear and a hare have been to a fair
BUT NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS
Now the hog and the frog hurry out for a jog
with the cat and the rats in their new running hats....
While the moose and the bear and the goose
and the hare are doing their best to keep up with the rest
BUT NOT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS
Then the animal pack comes scurrying back, saying,
COME JOIN THE LOT OF US!
And she just doesn't know- should she stay? Should she go?
BUT YES THE HIPPOPOTAMUS!
But not the armadillo!
Isn't it funny what people remember?!?!