santa store

Last Wednesday Nicholas's preschool class went on a fieldtrip to see Santa at the mall.

When I was telling him about it on Tuesday, Ellie jumped up and shouted

"ME too?! Santa store!?"  

I couldn't say no to that, so we skipped naptime and tagged along.

 Nicholas's class.  These are some super cute kids, and it's been awesome for him to be able to make new friends.
(He's kind of wincing in this picture because he was NOT pleased with the super bright flash on the camera they were using.  He would jump and grimace every single time.)

 Nicholas told Santa he wants frosting, oatmeal, and a pet fish for Christmas.
Santa hasn't decided yet if the fish is going to happen... Santa might not make up his mind on that one until the last minute.  Santa's pretty torn.  (The joy in his eyes when he sees he got a pet fish vs. the work for Mom to take care of a pet fish.)

I was kind of expecting Ellie to be too afraid to sit on his lap, 
but she surprised me by willingly and happily approaching him, climbing onto his knee, and telling him that she wants "presents!" for Christmas.  

As we walked away, she turned back to Santa, waved and said "Merry 'Mismas' to you!"  Since then, she's been saying that to everyone, including the checker at Target.  
This girl.  I want to eat her up she's just too cute.

These kids are super excited for Christmas this year.  I'm talking shrieks of joy when we take another link off our Christmas countdown paper chain. 

Ellie has learned to sing Jingle Bells ("Bells! Sleigh! Horse Open Sleigh!")  and Nicholas is a big fan of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  

We've been wrapping presents (and re-wrapping....Ellie just can't handle the temptation), making and eating gingerbread houses, dancing around the Christmas tree to Pandora, eating our meals by candlelight, reading Christmas books, and talking lots about the real Christmas story.  

We went to a live nativity the first weekend of December, and Nicholas has been very curious about the story of Baby Jesus and when he was born.  We've had more than one instance of tears and despair because he "just wishes we were there when Jesus was actually born!"  and "Why didn't you take me to see the real baby??"  Teaching a four-year-old about what two thousand years ago means is no easy task.