'Twas A Week Before Christmas...

By Yours Truly...With apologies to Clement C. Moore...

'Twas a week before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
The stockings were hung with the chimney with care
And even the puppy's new stocking was there!

The children were watching Christmas movies in bed,
while visions of Barbie dolls danced in their heads.
While hubby lie snoring and I read some blogs,
We had just settled down with our mugs of warm Nog.

When out on the kitchen there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
When what to my wondering eye should appear
But a minature pup, and an ornament near...

She was covered in fur, from her head to her foot,
Her paws were all tarnished with wet, outdoor soot.
She held to her prey of the ornament dear
And I knew in that moment that our tree was in fear.

Her eyes, oh how merry- a right mischievious elf
And I smiled when I saw her, in spite of myself
She looked up and eyed me, then went straight to her work,
She pawed it, she bit it- then turned with a jerk.

My smile quickly faded as I soon followed suit,
but this only made puppy pounce hard on my boot.
Then wagging my finger up close to her nose,
She gave it a lick, then up the staircase she rose.

I followed the culprit right up to my room,
certain that I would find messes and doom
Instead, she was snug in her own little crate,
Walked in by herself- without any bait!

I gave her a pat and lie down on my bed,
Snuggling in with the girls as I rested my head.
The children were drowsily watching a show,
Starring Rudolph, Cornelius, and plenty of snow...

As I blissfully drifted to dreamland so sweet,
So close to that place where deep sleep and I meet...
I heard it exclaim from somewhere nearby,
"Move your foot!" "No, scoot over- Mommy, she bumped my eye!'

I sleepily led my two children right out,
Put them each to their bed- as they fussed all about.
I kissed them each soundly and went back to my room,
Lay back on my bed, too tuckered to fume.

Soon, I was back to my wonderful state
Of being so restful that sleep was my fate
When hubby came in, just as tired and beat,
We both settled in towards those dreams that are sweet.

Rudolph had ended...a new show began...
One with a grouchy and stingy old man...
The TV played on as we rested so fine,
But soon in the distance, I heard a faint whine.

I sleep-walked the puppy right out to the lawn
To do all her business, and turned with a yawn.
I stepped on the ornament which puppy had caught,
And now it looked worse- which is saying a lot.

I crawled up the stairs, with puppy in arms
She licked at my chin as if there was no harm.
I fell into bed, pulled my covers up high
Turned off the TV, then relaxed with a sigh.

But I heard it exclaimed just as sleep came once more...

"Move over, please, Mommy. Oh...and try not to snore!"