Holiday Letter 2006

Our traditional end-of-year holiday letter. Enjoy. (Or don't. It's up to you.) Please note that this is the version before the Network Censor got to it.


When E! devotes an episode of True Hollywood Story to the DeWitt Family, the show will turn to its ubiquitous “and-then-it-all-began-to-go-wrong” plot line when describing the events of November 2006.

That’s when Donovan, age two and a half, developed enough hand strength and devious mind power to a: open his bedroom door despite the Toddler Stopper 2000 knob cover, and b: lied about it. The entire house is now his for the exploring, at any and all hours of the day.

But for the most part 2006 was a joy.

Jackson’s coup d’etat at Triangle Presbyterian Pre-School and Kindergarten was successful, and he is now “El Presidente” of his class, The Bears. The dreaded “Letters” from his teacher Miss Alana that detail unwanted behaviors arrive only sporadically. Jackson’s reaction, when confronted, range from a complete refusal to accept the letter’s authenticity to a tepid admission of guilt followed by several seconds of contriteness. Then it’s right back to organizing games of "Roar" around the cul-de-sac and rooting vociferously for Chick Hicks (“I like the way he cheats”) in the "Cars" movie.

Donovan also entered TPPK this fall, as a Turtle. He loves Miss Pam, and his manipulation-by-charm skills have earned him kudos from all. He has all sorts of new pals – Joshua, Thomas, Lia, and others. For the past few months he has refused to wear any shirt that isn’t a football jersey (“with numbers!”). On the rare occasion he doesn’t like something (OK, maybe not so rare) he has developed a comprehensive system of communicating his displeasure.

A sample:

Mom: Donovan, time for bath.
Donovan: AUUUGGHHH!

Jen and Dave are still gainfully employed by separate units within the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill; Jen at the Center for Developmental Science and Dave at the significantly-less-valuable-for-society WUNC Radio.

Merry Christmas, “ROAR!”, and “AUUUGGHHH!” to all,
The DeWitt Family