A few weeks ago we were at our local mall, and it was already completely decked out for Christmas. It was barely a week after Halloween at that point…pretty soon it’s just going to be a mad slide from Back-to-School directly into the Christmas buying season. Craaaazy. We were somewhat near where Santa’s house would be set up, so Mike and I thought it would be a good idea to walk over to the area so Annabel could look at it and start mentally preparing for meeting Santa this year. Instead, we were greeted with Santa himself.
Apparently Santa comes the second week of November now.
Annie was like, “OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG SAAAAANNNNTAAAAAAA! LET’S GO SEEEEEEE HIIIMMMM!”
Mike told her we could go down and wave to him, so off we went. As we got closer, Mike picked Annie up. When I asked him why, he said it was a conditioned response. We were so used to Annie flipping out when she got too close to the Jolly Man that Mike was certain she was going to run.
Santa was up and walking around his “cottage,” as it was just about time for his dinner break. He walked over to where Mike was standing with Annabel.
Santa: Hi there.
Mike (overly enthusiastic): HI SANTA!!!!
Annabel: Santa! Look, I can do this!
She then put the fingertips from each hand under her eyes and pulled the skin down, exposing the red inside icky part of her eyelids.
Santa: ……..Well look at that.
Annabel: It makes me see better!!!
With that, Santa went off to have dinner. Mike and I looked at Annie.
Annie (distressed): Mommy! Santa came over and I showed him inside of my eyeballs and I didn’t tell him what I wanted! I DIDN’T TELL HIM BUT I SHOWED HIM MY EYEBALLS!
Poor girl realized she’d choked. We tried to reassure her that it was okay and she’d get many other chances to tell Santa what she wanted, but she was distraught. I honestly wasn’t much help either, because I couldn’t stop giggling at the mental image of Annie pulling her eyelids down for Santa.
Every day since then, Annie has played, “Practice Santa” with me, where, according to Annie, “Mommy, you can practice being Santa and I can practice being Annabel.” The good news is that I’m pretty sure Annie isn’t going to freak out for her photo with Santa this year! Now we just have to work on James.
Katrina says:
OMG that’s hilarious! Yeah, I’d say she’s over her fear of Santa. And James will be fine. Just hand him to Santa with his back towards Santa and him looking at you…and then snap the pictures quick! quick! quick! Before he looks up and realizes who is holding him!
Jayme says:
It’s totally her version of “I carried a watermelon?!”
Meghan says:
That is fantastic lol!
Kirra says:
Haha! Love this!
Karen says:
Hilarious! Reminds me of my freshman year of high school when around Christmastime I went to a Christian concert with some friends and got to meet the band after the show. The swoon-worthy guitarist asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said “a comforter!” His response – “That sounds… cozy…” I was mortified! haha
Tracy says:
Tell Annie not to feel bad. I pulled up next to Michael Jordan at a stoplight right before the 1991 Finals – both of us with our windows down. He looked at me. I looked at him. And I gave him the “thumbs up”. Greatest basketball player ever – biggest moment of his career and I gave him a sheepish “thumbs up”. Should have shown him my eyeballs…
Rachel says:
I’ve searched a bit and can’t find the answer. Where did you get Annabel’s Animal House shirt?
Heather says:
It’s from http://www.hatchforkids.com/ and it’s my favorite thing EVER!
Rachel says:
I think I’m going to have to get one for Cora. If nothing else, to make her teachers laugh.
Rachel says:
Oh and Cora’s just now at 3 1/2 aware of Santa. She wanted to send him a letter and decided on “the letter A.”
Alexandra says:
I know exactly how she feels. I met Chris Colfer yesterday at a book signing and completely forgot how to act like a human being.
Pattie says:
Poor Annie. LOL She’ll do well when she finally gets to sit with him for her photo. As it is, my husband and I are going to be playing Practice Santa, too, since all our daughter says she wants is “Christmas presents.”
Emily E says:
We have a guy in our home town who seems to believe that he is Santa. He bears a great resemblance to the big guy and really plays it up. Drives a red van with a santa license plate. Always wears red. One of the restaurants even has a large picture of santa over ‘his’ table at the restaurant. Doesn’t matter what time of year it is, he comes over and plays the santa bit for your kids. It’s cute but also reallly creepy. He came over to my 8 month old at the grocery this morning and she was just like ‘what’s up with the weird guy mommy?’
Robyn says:
Just a thought, since she said she can see better when she pulls on her eyes, it might be time to see if she needs glasses. And how adorable she would be in them!
Heather says:
True! I will mention it to her doctor when I see her next week!
Jess says:
Good call, I was about to say the same thing as Robin. She would ROCK those glasses, if they were necessary. Your Annie is so hilarious and I love your posts. Thanks for being an AWESOME mama as well as a hilarious and talented writer.
Lanie says:
Santa always gets to hear what kids want for Christmas – how often does he get to see the inside of their eyeballs?! I think Annie’s response helps her to stand out – it was a brilliant maneuver! xo
Karen says:
Friends of mine just posted the Santa photo w their three kids on his lap. The photographer skillfully got a shot when the infant was paused between screams to give Santa the old “Who the heck are you?” side-eye. On the other hand, step-nephew’s first Santa picture is the classic red-faced child with wet cheeks. Poor guy!
Annie cracks me up! Would our heads just explode if we spent five minutes inside a toddler’s mind? Santa had a cute story to tell at his dinner break
Cara says:
lol, all I can picture is that scene in “A Christmas Story”, where Ralphie chokes and agrees to a football, but then clings to the top of the slide to request a Red Ryder BB Gun…and gets a Santa-boot to the forehead!
Christina says:
Poor Annie! She had an “I carried a watermelon” moment!
Paula says:
I have many pictures of my boys reaching for me to get away from Santa. My oldest was not afraid of Santa but freaked out at the Easter Bunny. LOL!