HO-HO-HO!

Saturday morning Brad's wing sponsored a Christmas breakfast with Santa at the Officer's Club on base. They had a complimentary buffet and craft stations and of course Santa. The thing I appreciated the most is that they didn't have a photographer charging 18.00 for a 5x7 glossy and 2 wallets. What parent doesn't bring their own camera to see Santa? So everyone was free to click away...and guess what...everyone I saw had a camera and no one asked, "where is the photographer?"

Baileigh and Mckenna were excited to see Santa (for the 2nd time) because the first time around at the mall they forgot to ask for jump ropes. I love that they want jump ropes. First of all...cheap. Second, good excercise. Third, the innocence of it...it's not a My Little Pony Dream House (why do horses need a house with bedrooms and baths?)and it's not a Talking Dora the Explorer (69.00 for 5 different phrases!).

Not to make my girls sound ideal...I know the details on those 2 other mentioned toys because they have been oooohed and aahhhed over at the store or on TV.
This picture is the real point of this blog...to show everyone how I tortured Brooke with her first visit to Santa. I've never actually had this experience with one of the girls. Baileigh's first Christmas she was 7 weeks old and slept in Santa's lap. Mckenna was 4 months old at her first Christmas and also too young to protest or object. Brooke, being my spring baby, is almost 9 months old and too young to understand but old enough to know she didn't want anything to do with this man with the big white beard. I've seen other parents insist their kids sit with Santa despite the kicking and screaming and always thought to myself "why are you torturing that poor kid...don't force them to sit with Santa!" But when it was my turn to be in their shoes, what did I do...insist that Brooke stay there 5 seconds more so that I could get a picture of her with Santa for her first Christmas! One more picture, Brooke, then the torture will end. I promise...well, maybe one more with Mommy and it will be less scary. No such luck!
Possible thoughts going thru Brooke's mind..."HELP." "I'm going to need therapy over this someday." "MOMMY." "Don't think I'll forget this just because I'm a baby!" "I wish we were Jewish...dreidels aren't scary!"