Dear Santa,

Last year I was bound and determined to take my kids to see Santa Claus. I wanted them to experience the magic of meeting Santa, making their requests known and then on Christmas morning opening up exactly what they asked for! Yes, yes, yes I realize Christ's birth is the true meaning of Christmas. And we do celebrate that! That is our main emphasis. But I was thinking that it *might* be Isaiah's last Christmas truly believing in Santa. I loved the magic of Santa as a child - probably because we didn't have much growing up (in regards to material belongings) and it was the one time a year I got whatever I wished for...within reason of course:) And like my own childhood, it is a rare occurrence when my kids get exactly what they want, when they want it.

Add to this the fact that I had heard a rumor that THE BEST Santa Claus was at Bass Pro Shop. (Which is a solid 45 minutes away from our home.) But it is practically on our route to Minnesota (ie "home"). Ok. Really it a slight detour but in the general direction of our driving route home for Christmas. All this to say, I decided last year that it was a good idea to stop and see Santa at the beginning of our 8 hour drive "home"! What I didn't factor in to my plan was the 2 hour wait to see Santa! Add in a tired, nursing baby and the experience was slightly tortuous. When it was finally our turn the moment was pretty magical. Santa was patient and attentive as Isaiah introduced himself and asked for ONE thing.

Santa 2012

I thought the one gift request was sweet and very unselfish. UNTIL I went to buy that one gift. And much to my dismay EVERY toy store within a 50 mile radius of my parents' home was sold out of the Lego Ninjago Rattlecopter! And just like that I became the crazed mom bound and determined to get the right toy for my kid. My determination knew no limits. (Seriously, an old high school friend posted on FB that she was shopping at Mall of America and I texted her asking her for help despite the fact that we hadn't spoken in years.) I was that mom despite being completely perplexed that I had  become a stereotype without even realizing it!

Before I drag this on for-ev-er, we found the Lego set (without taking extreme measures). And Christmas morning was magical. End of the Christmas 2012 story.

Christmas morning!

 

Lo and behold, Isaiah still believes in Santa this year. It wasn't our last chance to have that magical experience after all! Jokes on me. But I wised up this year. We went and saw Santa on Monday afternoon. NOT Friday evening. And NOT in conjunction with a 8 hour road trip! And we went armed with a gift card to a local restaurant so that when we were all starving after our long wait there would be a quick and fun fix! BUT best of all there was NO wait. We just walked right up and chatted with Santa.

 

Ok. Ok. It wasn't quite that easy. First, Isaiah threw a fit in the van about not wanting to wear the sweater I picked out for him. (He put the sweater on). Then Charlotte, despite all her talk of being brave, cried big crocodile tears at the sight of Santa. (Bravery went by the wayside, daddy held her the entire time). Lastly, Hannah fell and hit her head as she was walking up to meet Santa. (She recovered quickly but then freaked out when I put her in his lap.) But it happened quickly and then we went out to eat. All in all a success!

 

Oh and most importantly, I came prepared. I had talked extensively with my kids about their requests for Santa ahead of time. I knew exactly what they were going to request! In fact their gifts "from Santa" were purchased and wrapped loooong before they ever sat on the jolly man's lap. Isaiah will be getting a rainbow loom kit. And Charlotte will be getting an Ariel dinner set - purchased on clearance at Target immediately after she saw it and "had to have it" and I strongly suggested she asked Santa for it;) Easy peasy*. Oh and Hannah, she will be getting a lump of coal. I am kidding. Well sort of. The girl doesn't talk so I guess I get to decide what she gets. Just might be that headband I bought on clearance last month. We shall see:)

*Since I believe in full disclosure. Let me explain that I thought it was going to be easy peasy.  And it was...kindof...with a little manipulation on my part:) Charlotte wasn't brave enough to sit on Santa's lap but she was brave enough to introduce herself and make her gift request known. And after all my prep work, what did she do?! She asks for a ninja riding a dragon! What?!? Um. Yea, wasn't expecting that one. But I was able to recover this little lapse by convincing her she needed to also write Santa a letter "in case he forgets". And what do you think was included on that list? An Ariel dinner set! Alls well that ends well. Lets just hope it ends well on Christmas morning when there is no dragon riding ninja to be found...