traumatized or wishful thinking?

Chandler made need therapy. Then again, my he's just hoping for a surprise trip.

Two years ago (in November), we surprised the kids with a cruise. They thought they were driving Kevin and I to the airport to go on a cruise but when we got there, we pulled out their suitcases which I had secretly packed and told them they were going with us. It was a great surprise!

Last year after opening presents on Christmas day, Kevin and I headed to the airport to fly to Hawaii. We spent a week there with friends and had a great time. The kids spent time with their grandparents and then with their cousins. Everything seemed great.

Until this year. Chandler has asked Kevin and I several times if we're leaving him again on Christmas day. We keep assuring him that we're staying with him this time. We were beginning to think we had severely traumatized him by abandoning him on Christmas day.

Then, one day he announced that his belt was missing and he was sure I had taken it. When I wanted to know why I would've taken his belt, he was sure I'd secretly packed it for a trip.

Ohhhhh...so he's NOT traumatized. He's just hoping we are going somewhere fun and that this time we're taking him.