2008 Santa Visit & Christmas Morning

We didn't go visit Santa this year until December 23rd, cutting it awfully close for the kids to ask Santa for gifts. We got to the mall a little later than I was hoping that day, about 2 p.m. My fingers were crossed all the way to the line wishing for a short line. Yeah! It was pretty short - about 30 minutes. The kids and I happily got in line, but then I noticed there was a cord stretched across the line about 4 people in front of us. Uh Oh. After inquiring with the people in front of me, we discovered Santa was about to take a 1 hour break. Wow. What to do now. Do we sit here for what they are telling me will be 1 1/2 hrs (1/2 hr of people to go BEFORE the 1 hr break starts), or leave, walk around the mall and come back to get in line. What if the line gets long during that break? After much hemming and hawing, several people in front of us left and we decided to stay. I was more than a little nervous being unprepared to sit and wait for 1 1/2 hrs in a line that doesn't move with 3 kids. Usually Brian comes with us, so one of us can take the kids for walks around the mall while the other waits in line. But he was stuck at a client's office, so it was just me.

I wish I could say the time passed very quickly, but not really. But we did just fine. I had a piece of paper so we played tic tac toe and hangman, Birdie listened to music on my iPhone, we talked to other people in line with us and even ran for a bathroom break. We were very glad we stayed put. The line during that break got really long. Probably longer than that 1 1/2 hr we had to wait.

When Santa came back, it went very quickly. A little too quickly. The two families in front of us had bigger kids, so they went fast, with no problems. Suddenly, Birdie started crying about Santa. Oh Dear. Not another one of those pictures. We talked about it and pointed at him, trying to reassure her it was fine. Then it was our turn. Our Santa is so good. We've had him the last 3 years and he is great with the little kids. He doesn't rush them or grab at them to sit on his lap. He bends down and talks to them first, then encourages them to sit with him. Birdie seemed to do just fine.

The all important question is asked after the picture is taken. Ashley told him she wanted a guitar, Daniel wanted part of his train set and Birdie said nothing. The best part - no one was disappointed Santa chose other gifts to bring them on Christmas morning. Ashley tells me Santa is really good at picking gifts that you love - she received her own sewing machine, Daniel was brought an Indiana Jones Lego Set, and Birdie was surprised with a plush ride on rocking horse. As a bonus, Santa brought them a telescope and Mommy & Daddy the Rock Band 2 game for the Wii. Wow, were we surprised! Santa doesn't usually bring Mommy & Daddy presents.

As with past years, Ashley was the only one awake on Christmas Eve to put out the cookies for Santa. Poor Laurie and Daniel just fall asleep on the ride home from Grandmommy & Granddaddy's house. Ashley doesn't mind. She enjoys it. But Mommy wasn't very happy with Santa this year because he left a crummy mess of cookies on the coffee table Christmas morning. The kids thought it was quite funny. I'm going to have to have a talk with Santa before next year.
Christmas morning was lots of fun this year. All three kids really enjoyed themselves. After everything was opened and breakfast eaten (by 8:30), we spent the rest of the morning playing with the new toys and Wii games. I think there was even a nap on the couch for me!