Adventures in Santa

This morning while we were eating breakfast we were talking about how tomorrow is Christmas Eve and Kyla said, "Well, I haven't given Santa my list yet.  I need to get him my list."  So, I said, "Well, I saw him at the mall the other day.  We can go later and give him your list if you want to."  She gave a definite yes to that and we got out to the paper and she started writing.  We talk mostly about how Christmas is about Jesus being born and we try to apply it the best we can in four year (almost five year old) terms.  Last year we began to realize we were going to have to figure out how Santa was going to factor into all of it. Troy and I both came to the conclusion that Santa doesn't need to be the main thing, but that we can still have a little fun at this stage.  And just like the Disney princesses, Kyla is at the age right now where it is all very real.

I hadn't really even thought about making a special trip to go see Santa, because like I said, we haven't made a huge deal about him, but when Kyla asked to go, we were up for it.  And, we found that going to the mall to see Santa on December 23 can be quite the experience.  We first arrived in the late afternoon to a very long line.  We were waiting when I saw a sign that said Santa would soon be taking a break, I asked a worker and she said he was about to take a 45 minute break.....good grief, Santa.  We were all getting hungry so we decided to go get dinner and then maybe come back later.  We also wanted to go see lights tonight.  After dinner we drove out a little bit into the country to a house that has lots of lights and also a Santa who gives out candy canes to the kids.  So, Troy and I thought, well, if there is going to be a Santa there maybe Kyla can give her list to him.  She was not feeling that.....in her mind the "real" Santa was at the mall.  As we were leaving the lights she said that man was dressed up as Santa but I want to give my list to the Santa at the mall.  Back to the mall we went......the things we do for four year olds who believe. 

After lots of waiting, she has her list ready and it is almost her turn

Ashlyn was all smiles at a safe distance from Santa.  We just mentioned sitting on his lap and the tears started.

But she was happy to wait with her sister

When it was finally Kyla's turn, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  She didn't seem nervous at all, but I know her well and often times she can get shy at things like this.  Not with Santa.  When her turn came, she walked right up to him and got straight into his lap with the list in hand.  He was a very nice Santa, reading over her list and asking her questions.

When we were walking away she said, "I think it was kind of tricky for him to read my list, but I think he knows everything I wrote.  He told me that he saw I want a Bitty Baby."  The list is in and we made a Christmas memory.....at a very crowded mall on December 23 waiting in line for Santa. I love this age and all the memories it makes.  Merry Christmas!