For the most part, I don't do Christmas before Thanksgiving. I mean, I buy gifts, but putting up decorations? Listening to Christmas music? No. Except this year, I seem to have relaxed that rule. No Christmas tree, no real decorations, but I did pull out my Rocky Mountain Christmas CD over the weekend. Then, last night, I got the bright idea to check and see if Santa was already at the malls, since I knew they'd had their tree lightings already. Yes! Santa is at the malls! So, I thought we could go early, get the requisite Santa picture (Yes, I pay the exorbitant amounts of money for the crappy pictures. I like them.) while there were no lines, AND I could finish my photo calendars before December. Win!
Patrick has had differing reactions to Santa throughout the years. His first Christmas, he did not see Santa, as he was five days old on Christmas Day. Second Christmas, he was sick with daycare crud for almost the entire month of December. Horrible mother that I am, I took him to TWO malls while he was home one day with a fever. He cried. His third Christmas, I took him by the mall on a snow day. He loved waving to Santa. He did not want to get anywhere near the man. Last year, I wasn't even planning to attempt a Santa picture, but I happened to be at the mall at the end of November, and Patrick INSISTED on waiting in line and going up to sit on Santa's lap. He grinned for the picture. It was adorable. I thought we were set.
This year, Patrick has been so excited about telling Santa what he wants for Christmas. He has an ever growing list. So I asked him this morning, did he want to go see Santa. He said yes. I also told him he could go play with the trains at Barnes & Noble so he was all in. He even wore his special Christmas t-shirt. We got to the mall. He played with the trains. He got me to buy one, even though I had insisted beforehand that we were unequivocally NOT BUYING ANY TOYS TODAY. He bounded toward Santa's house. There were two people ahead of us. This was cake. I got in line. Audrey was rebelling against the stroller, so I was carrying her while pushing the stroller. I started chatting with the mom ahead of me, who had an older baby with her. Audrey was flirting with this baby. The mom said, "Oh look, they're both smiling!" I said, "Yeah, right up until they get on Santa's lap. This one--" pointing at Patrick "--SCREAMED for his first Santa picture."
At this point I noticed Patrick cowering by the little lamp on the rustic North Pole bridge that signified the Santa line. "I don't wanna see Santa," said Patrick. "I'm scared."
Oh dear.
I cajoled. I bribed. I threw Audrey under the bus. Patrick was scared. Finally I said, "I am going to get Audrey's picture with Santa. You don't have to go up there."
When it was our turn, I took Audrey up. Santa had a southern accent. He said hello to Audrey. She grinned gummily at him. He was charmed. Patrick was cowering behind the stroller. I asked him if he wanted to come up. He finally came over, stopping about three feet from Santa. He managed to get out, "I want the castle with the yellow door and Rocky the Rescue Train..." and then it went downhill. Santa said, "Can you come over here so I can hear you better?" and Patrick disappeared behind the stroller again.
There was no turning back now. I plunked Audrey down on Santa's lap. The flirty grin disappeared. Audrey looked confused. She looked every which way but at the camera. Finally she looked straight ahead for two seconds, blinked, and then screamed bloody murder. Luckily we caught her in between blinks.
