She sat with him!!!

This year I was determined to get Miss H to sit with Santa on her own…and happy!  Mostly because I didn't want my fat prego self stuck in all these Santa pics :-)  Well our first attempt was pretty good.  Yes, I am a crazy momma and we do drive bys for Santa starting on Black Friday!  We always go see Santa while in MN because he honestly is the best Santa in the world! I am just sad he is our first one because I would love a pic of her with him…but at that point she isn't ready.  Santa there is so cool and hip I mean he wears crocs for goodness sake.  He is very friend and always starts our Santa month off great.  After him every single time we are at the mall NO MATTER what…I tell Miss H we will go talk with Santa.  

She always walks up with great intent to sit but then ends up just standing beside him.  No problem there at least she is close to him.  Our goal is to get him on her lap by the time Santa comes to Chris' work!  Chris' company is amazing and host a kids Christmas party every year.  Santa comes and brings the kiddos a gift!  This Santa is wonderful too and we love him.  So after about 2 1/2 weeks of drive bys and chatting about Santa and how sweet he is and siting on his lap is okay we are ready for the party! 

December 9th marked the best day ever!!  Christmas could be over as far as I am concerned because we got a picture with Miss H and Santa!  Yes she was on Mrs. Clause's lap but she was there and happy!! She was so proud of her self for sitting with them.  She was also super excited about the Little People airplane he brought her!  

After that successful Santa picture we had one more event with Santa.  Of course this time I was unsure if Mrs. Clause would be there so I warned her she would have to sit with Santa!!  Our sweet friends always invite us to this wonderful charity even for NICU kiddos!!  We had another successful Santa pic there too…Now the unsuccessful part was getting 3 2 year old's on Santa's lap!  But man did we get some classic Santa DISLIKE pics! 

well they were all on his lap…kind of and then!!!!

Regardless of the Santa picture issues there the kids had a blast.  They get to decorate cookies, dance their hearts out, and see Prancer.  Miss H loved it and would have stayed all day if we let her.  

Breakfast with Santa

Last Saturday our sweet friends Carrie and Mike invited us to join them at a charity event.  They are the best for thinking of us.  Miss H and LK play together a lot so this was another fun event the girls got to do together.  Carrie and I went to high school together so we love that our girls are friends too.  The event was Breakfast with St. NICUlas it was benefiting a local NICU. Of course you know that I have a new found sympathy for any family that has to be in the NICU after our PICU stay with Miss H last January.You can read more about it here.  Needless to say this events donations will help many families who need it!!

The event was amazing to say the least.  There were children everywhere enjoying great music and fun.  We began our breakfast by taking our picture with Santa.  Miss H still didn't want to sit on his lap.  She promised not to cry if I would go with her.  LK also felt the need for her mom to come.  We tried to get a picture of the girls first…then did our family picture.  I am hoping we got a good one but who knows!!

This pic is going down in the books for sure…trying to get both of them to just sit! 

Well at least they aren't crying anymore!

After our picture fun we moved on to food.  That perked Miss H up right away…such a little food lover! The food was wonderful and kept Miss H pretty happy.  She really was loving everything.  After we ate we roamed around doing various things.  You could go to the photo booth, pin booth, decorate a cookie, make a craft, see the reindeer, and dance.

We began with the reindeer.  Both Miss H and LK were in love with Dancer.  I learned a lot of interesting facts about reindeer while the girls looked at it.  H did try to touch Dancer at one point…I quickly explained that it may not be the best idea!  After meeting Dancer we made a few buttons.  I love this one…because how often are there buttons around anymore.  I mean when I was a kid your parent wore your sports button at games and such.  H made a few buttons and loves to look at them!

I took a pic while the button guy was taking his…She had a silly smile!!

While we were there we ran into the my super sweet OBGYN…I adore her! She couldn't believe how big H was…and neither can I.  Then we did some cookie decorating and dancing.

In front of one of the big trees

Oh and did I mention that there were 2 guys walking around on stilts…H was not sure about those guys at all.  I really wanted a pic of her standing by their shoe for a size comparison, but she would not do it.  Oh well such as life.  This was such a fun outing for our family.  We are so grateful that they invited us to come.  Plus Carrie and I will have some great THROW BACK THURSDAY pictures for the girls to use one day! If that is still cool then, ha.

Santa at AXA

Thank heavens the sun came out…I thought we were going to miss one of the best events around!  Chris' work is so wonderful when it comes to family fun.  Every year Santa comes to the office for the children.  He also brings each kiddo a gift…can you believe that?  This party is all about the kids from the food to the entertainment.  

Of course this is our big SANTA moment! You know the one that I have been talking to my child about for weeks now.  The reason why I stop at the mall every other day for her to see SANTA..not because I love the mall traffic or play area.  Many discussion have been based on this party so when we were iced in you can imagine how sad that made me.  All my hard work preparing Miss H to not cry and take one GOOD picture, could be lost.

No worries my friends because the sun came out all day TUESDAY…thus our driveway began to melt as well as our neighborhood streets.  We were FREE!!!  Besides the excitement about Santa we were excited to be out of the house finally.

Miss H was super excited she talked about Santie (what she has named Santa) all day long.  She talked about how she was going to dada's work and Santie brings present.  She talked about how she wouldn't cry but didn't want to sit on his lap either.  We discussed that she could stand beside him to take the picture if she liked that better.  She felt that was a good idea.  Also we chatted about house Santie's wife Mrs. Claus would be there.  Then she became known as Claus, this girl and her names!!

Thankfully we made it safe and sound to the party and boy was Miss H excited!  We got there a little early so she could check it all out.  Plus I didn't want her to freak out when Santa came in.  He and Mrs. Claus come in to the conference room and sit by the tree.  They chat to the kids and just have fun.  Really it is the best one on one with Santa any kid could ever want.  Miss H was super excited to because her friend B was there.  B's mommy and I taught together…and now their daddy's work together.  I love how they are growing up as friends.

Miss H had to give her a big hug when she got there

The grand entrance of Santa!!! Well Miss H saw him coming and immediately began to CRY!!  NO NO NO…we talked this over why oh sad mom moment.  No worries thought I asked Santa to do Miss H's gift last.  He began with some of the bigger kids.  Miss H only cried for about 3 minutes then really watched.  She watched as each kid when up sat between Mrs. Claus and Santa.  Then listened to them talk about gifts and get their present.  By the time it was her turn she was all smiles…okay not crying at least!   We walked up and she instead that I sit with her.  Sure as long as you are not crying I will do anything!!  WE did it!  WE got a non crying picture…can't say its her best smile but I will take it.

Once she sat there took her pictures she promptly told Santa that she would like a horse please.  He smiled and told her that it was a big gift so he would try.  Then he gave her a gift to open.  She was so excited about this.

 Our 2 pictures with the jolly guy!!

Of course she is doing her new cheessseee smile! 

Had to get one with both girls, who were not fans of Santa

So excited she got Baby Jese as she calls him

After opening her gift she was much happier to visit with Santa…she took him some of her toys too! Then as we were walking out the door she told them all good bye…and followed it up with a finger point and Santa and "HORSY" As if she was reminding him what she wanted!  Oh how I adore this child!

The big red suit....

a family pic before Santa arrived

that scares most little people at this age!  Well, no different here in this house.  Miss H is not the biggest fan of Santa Claus.  I have been doing "drive byes" every chance we get.  Basically each time we are at the mall we stop and chat with him.  The last time she actually went up to him before starting to cry.  Thus I thought our Christmas Party at Chris' work would go better than it did. 

Chris' work host a party for all the children.  They are so sweet to do this and it was tons of fun.  H loved seeing all the other kids at daddy's work.  Then towards the end Santa and Mrs. Claus come give out presents to all the kids.  They also take pictures with them and talk.  Santa and Mrs. Claus were over the top nice. I just loved them.  They could see we were not going to be the easiest lap sitter around....and well it didn't go without tears but wasn't as bad as it could have been.  

As he walked in..she began to worry!

 I love this one...you can see the progression of happiness to sadness.  She is so funny!

 However, she was all SMILES while she opened her gift from Santa.  

Good night North Pole...what a fun book for Santa to bring

 Of course we had to get Miss H and Miss B together for some pictures.  Miss B is my good friends baby whos husband now works for Chris.  We are so happy to have good friends like them and let our girls grow up together.  

So we tried a new attack with Santa this time.  However, Miss B was tired of sitting in the chair.  This is the true tell of how life with babies goes.  One is happy the other is sad, ha ha.  But it took Miss H a moment before she realized who was behind her! 

hummm what is the white fluffy thing?

Oh no that man is there again....AHH

 Then we had to get just a few pictures without the man of the hour.  However at the very end of the party Santa showed H his jingle bells.  Now that was something she was excited about because she loves music!  He was close to winning her over, close that is. 

Julie and I with our sweet girls

always the happiest when getting to run free!