Lunch with Santa

My friend Ann heard about a special lunch with Santa that one of the local bakery's was holding and thought it would be fun for her to take Ayla and I. Ann is such a good friend and has basically adopted my family as part of hers. She and her husband Paul look out for us and really love our kids. It's great to have them around. Anyway, Ann made the reservations awhile ago and last weekend was the big day. It was a really cute little bakery that is actually built in an old civil war era church. They had it all set up and decorated for Christmas and of course Santa was there. Ayla was excited to go out to lunch with just the girls. She thought that she was a big shot, especially when I let her drink out of a "big girl glass."

Watch her eyes in these first three pictures, you can tell what she's thinking. Here it's "What is this stuff, I'm not sure I'm gonna like it."

 "Oh, hey, it's pretty good!"

 "Wow, I do like it, in fact I think I LOVE it! It's delicious!"

 She was even more excited when her apples filled with banana cream and topped with chocolate and whipped cream arrived!

 Ayla and Ann

 When it was our turn to go see Santa Ayla was more than a little bit apprehensive. I'm not sure why, a grown man in a red velvet suit, with a full beard, who likes to hold little kids on his lap, isn't creepy at all!

 So... I had to sit next to Santa in order for her to even stand by him.

 Here Ayla's thinking... "Ok I'll turn my face towards the camera but I'm not taking my eyes off that creepy guy with the beard!" "He better not try to touch me or I'll haul off and kick him in the shin like I did last year!"

 Then Santa gave her a candy cane. She decided he must be okay after that and relaxed a little, but not much. She still wouldn't talk to him. (I'll have to have the talk with her about strangers and candy later on. But I need to get through another round of pictures with Santa and both kids first before I really freak her out.)

 Finally she told him what she wanted for Christmas. Here's her list in this order: 1. Camera (Santa already knew that one) 2. Watch (this is a new request) 3. Dora video game (I think Santa might bring her a Sesame Street video game) 4. a new rug (Really!) (Hey, I think that's on my list too!)

 After we finally let her walk away from Santa she was all smiles and so happy that she finally got to tell him what she wanted. Later on she told me "Oh no I forgot to tell Santa that I wanted a pillow pet!" ....Santa already knew

 Thank you Ann for thinking of us, it was a great afternoon!