britton (almost) met santa

I got excited this year because when I asked Britton if she wanted to meet Santa she said "Yes!" I asked her what she was going to ask Santa for and she said, "Ariels (yes, the princess with an "s"), Dora pajamas, and books." So we planned on going to the same place as last year and got there right on time. I waited in the line as Britton hung out with the hub, Memaw, and PawPaw. But something happened. Yes, the man himself, SANTA, walked down the line and Britton saw him from afar. She freaked. We figured maybe she didn't really get it, so I got her from Memaw and talked about Santa and how she could tell him what she wanted and she seemed to calm down. Until Santa came back. And then she was clawing at me like a spider monkey, screaming her head off, "No Santa! No Santa!"

I noticed the others moms smirking, some giving me the sympathy eyes and some avoiding eye contact. Like, poor me and my unruly child who GASP doesn't want to meet Santa. But here's what it comes down to - SHE DOESN'T WANT TO MEET SANTA. She got a glimpse of the guy and she's not sold on it. And that's okay because I don't really need another picture of her on Santa's lap crying and fighting to get away. That would be for me. For her, she's got to want to meet Santa, to tell him everything she wants for Christmas and that she has in fact been a good girl all year long. But she doesn't want that. Because she's two years old and she doesn't get it yet.

So, we got out of line and went to the bookstore, then got gelato.





And then, once Britton was calmed down, I got my freaking picture of her with Santa. With some concessions, of course.



And after that, we left. Because she certainly had no intention of changing her mind. And we were all full on Starbucks, gelato, and Wetzels pretzels.

And then it happened - something HUGE. On the way to the car, I spotted Santa's sleigh. This is breaking news people - has his sleigh ever been spotted during the day before? I don't think so. But here's your look at it. And proof Santa is real. And a Ford man, apparently.