The Kid is Awesome!
We went to see Santa tonight. Leda has asked to go see Santa for about two or so weeks now, ever since I made a big deal about Santa at the end of the Macy's Parade on Thanksgiving. I decided that going on a Monday night, after dinner, early in the month was probably going to be our best bet to avoiding a long line (and the subsequent meltdown that might ensue when you make a two and a half year old stand in a two and a half hour long line!)
So after dinner we piled into the car and off to the Mall we went. Terrifying. I hate Malls at Christmas. No, really. I hate Malls just about any time of the year, but ESPECIALLY at Christmas. The only time I will go Christmas shopping at a Mall is early on a Sunday morning - it is always the quietest time to go shopping. I can't stand the crowds - and, if I am not done by noon (when it starts to get crowded), the rest of the shopping is done online!
Anyway, I digress....so, we get to the Mall and luckily, it is not busy. We get to Santa and the line is not long at all...all of about a ten-fifteen minute wait. Leda was getting excited. She wasn't too keen on the waiting in line to see Santa - I mean, come on, he's right there, why can't I see him NOW! But wait she did, with very little whining, if any at all, which, these days, was an amazement in itself (that's a totally different post!)
I figured that this is what would happen...we'd get up to Santa and Leda would immediately be shy and not want to have anything to do with him. I would try to get her to sit next to him or on his lap and the screaming would commence. I figured the only picture of Leda and Santa I was going to get this year was going to have Mommy somewhere in it - preferably BETWEEN Leda and Santa. Boy, was I wrong....
So, it was her turn, and she walked right up to him, said Hi, lifted her arms up for him to pick her up and she sat there on his lap and had a conversation with him. She just started talking to him. I was so stunned and everyone in line behind us and around us were so amazed that she was talking to him, I have no clue what she said to him! Really! She had a conversation with Santa. With acknowledgement from Santa. And Leda not screaming.
The picture taking was still a little difficult. When it came time for Leda to smile at the camera, she stuck her tongue out. We tried to get her to say "Cheese", "Happy Feet", anything, just stop sticking your tongue out, kid! Finally, she did smile, a very coy looking smile, but one good enough to take and keep for prosperity!
She said Merry Christmas and off we went to the Build-a-Bear Workshop to let her pick out her own Bear this year. We didn't bribe her, she had no idea we were going to take her to get her a bear until after she sat on Santa's lap. I would have been getting her one this year anyway, as I do every year. Leda picked Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. And she is sleeping with him right now!
We got in the car to come home and Leda said, "We do it again, tomorrow?" She was so darn awesome, I might just let her!
So after dinner we piled into the car and off to the Mall we went. Terrifying. I hate Malls at Christmas. No, really. I hate Malls just about any time of the year, but ESPECIALLY at Christmas. The only time I will go Christmas shopping at a Mall is early on a Sunday morning - it is always the quietest time to go shopping. I can't stand the crowds - and, if I am not done by noon (when it starts to get crowded), the rest of the shopping is done online!
Anyway, I digress....so, we get to the Mall and luckily, it is not busy. We get to Santa and the line is not long at all...all of about a ten-fifteen minute wait. Leda was getting excited. She wasn't too keen on the waiting in line to see Santa - I mean, come on, he's right there, why can't I see him NOW! But wait she did, with very little whining, if any at all, which, these days, was an amazement in itself (that's a totally different post!)
I figured that this is what would happen...we'd get up to Santa and Leda would immediately be shy and not want to have anything to do with him. I would try to get her to sit next to him or on his lap and the screaming would commence. I figured the only picture of Leda and Santa I was going to get this year was going to have Mommy somewhere in it - preferably BETWEEN Leda and Santa. Boy, was I wrong....
So, it was her turn, and she walked right up to him, said Hi, lifted her arms up for him to pick her up and she sat there on his lap and had a conversation with him. She just started talking to him. I was so stunned and everyone in line behind us and around us were so amazed that she was talking to him, I have no clue what she said to him! Really! She had a conversation with Santa. With acknowledgement from Santa. And Leda not screaming.
The picture taking was still a little difficult. When it came time for Leda to smile at the camera, she stuck her tongue out. We tried to get her to say "Cheese", "Happy Feet", anything, just stop sticking your tongue out, kid! Finally, she did smile, a very coy looking smile, but one good enough to take and keep for prosperity!
She said Merry Christmas and off we went to the Build-a-Bear Workshop to let her pick out her own Bear this year. We didn't bribe her, she had no idea we were going to take her to get her a bear until after she sat on Santa's lap. I would have been getting her one this year anyway, as I do every year. Leda picked Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. And she is sleeping with him right now!
We got in the car to come home and Leda said, "We do it again, tomorrow?" She was so darn awesome, I might just let her!
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