Seeing Santa

I was sick for most of last week so it was mainly surivial mode around here. I kept the kids fed, clothed, and clean and the house from caving in on itself until Mike could come home and take over and that is all I accomplished. So now it's time for some catch up...

Our neighbhorhood has a Donuts with Santa every year where Santa comes to a community center and families can come have a donut and juice and sit on Santa's lap. Little Man has been looking forward to this for months. He refers to the community center as, "The place where Santa comes" and has been pointing it out to his little sister when we drive by it. There was quite the turnout for the breakfast this year and so we had to stand in line for a while. As our turn drew nearer, Little Man's courage started to fade. He started backpedaling from his previously confident talk about sitting on the jolly old man's lap and started saying he didn't want to. I asked him how Santa would know what he wanted if he didn't talk to him and he seemed to draw some courage from that. In the he sat on his lap, but only if it was at the same time as Kiwi and she sat on his lap since Little Man was worth her. I thought this was cute and it worked out. This is actually the first year we've had both kids on the lap. All our previous pictures have Mike and I in them with one of us holding a child.

Little Man asked Santa what he has been telling us he wants for weeks, "A Handy Manny tool set." I breathed a sigh of relief when the words came out of his mouth. Although he's been pretty unwavering in his request, I was worried he might change his mind last minute and I happen to know that Mrs. Claus is already in possession of the said tool set for Little Man. Kiwi simply sat on his lap and said, "Dora," very queitly. Since checking out a Diego video from the library she has been obsessed with Dora. In the week and a half since we've seen Santa, Little Man has said things like, "Kiwi you want a Dora doll that talks don't you?" or a Dora doll that does something else. I quickly stop this reminding him that all she said was Dora. I also happen to know that Mr. and Mrs. Claus recently purchased a Dora doll that does not talk, but is a Dora scientist doll and comes with a brush for her hair (because apparently Dora the Scientist needs to brush her hair...)

(While typing this post, Little Man just came up to me and asked me to help him remember the reindeer names. After going over them a couple of times he ran away only to come back a couple of minutes later exclaiming, "Hurry quick! I'm going to be late! It's Christmas Eve and I'm Santa Claus and I HAVE to learn my reindeer's names before I leave!" Faced with this possible diaster, what choice did I have but to stop typing and go over the names again? There is a certain little boy in our house who is very excited about Christmas this year...)