Seeing Santa.

On Thursday afternoon, after afternoon naps were completed, I packed up the boys to go see Santa. Henry is more excited about Christmas this year, his eyes light up when he sees Christmas trees lit, when he sees pictures of Santa, and he's excited about all the presents we've got lining the top of our bookshelf.

On a sad note, we tried to buy a Christmas tree this year, a real-life tree, but the day after we bought it, Henry woke up and had hives all along his chest, and his eyes were all puffy. So, I'm not sure just what exactly he was allergic to, the tree, the stuff they spray on the trees...but it had to go. I told him that we were just babysitting the tree and that we had to give it back to our neighbors, and Henry was totally cool with it. If anyone asks if we have a Christmas tree he promptly responds that we babysat one once, but gave it back. I've been meaning to get another tiny, fake tree from Target ever since, but we started potty training soon after and ... I haven't gotten around to it.

BUT, we saw Santa!!

The boys and I met Ryan at Macy's on Thursday evening and we went through Santaland and we talked to Henry about telling Santa what he wanted, and the wait was a bit on the long side (almost an hour and a half), but it was a success. Henry told Santa that he wanted a train and Walter sat on his lap with a blank stare and when the photographer started shaking his rattle and telling the boys to smile and look this way they both had these awkward fake smiles sitting in this stranger's lap... it was adorable.

We've definitely been lax in our Christmas traditions this year, but I'm so grateful we checked this one off the list. No matter which version of Miracle on 34th St. we watch (Ryan loves to original and I love the mid-90s version) I will always think of our own little visit to see the man in the red suit.

Christmas is coming! (...and we snuck in seeing the Macy's window displays since we were so close. All you other stores, you're on the list next year so you'd better be good ;)