The Girls And The Ho Ho Man.

Yesterday we decided to take the girls to get their photo taken with Santa. It seemed like an easy proposition considering it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you look and every single mall has a Santa grotto set up. The first place we went had a minimal line so we queued up and once we were close to the front a very helpful little elf came out and asked us which photo package we were interested in. We said we just wanted one photo of the girls with Santa and that was all. They didn't do that you had to buy a package. Oh crabby patties. We really didn't want two 8 x10's and a whole bunch of wallets. I mean seriously we are still trying to push Lily's school photos on any unsuspecting guest that walks into our home. LOL. Who really wants a kazillion photos of their kids with the chubby guy? We decided to leave and try somewhere else. If this was all that we could get then we would do it and just put them in a drawer to gather dust. I thought the idea of seeing Santa is for the kids to ask him what they want for Christmas and for him to say,,,"Ho Ho Ho have you been a good girl this year?," in his gruff voice. From what we could hear and see this dude failed to even do that.

So we strapped two confused girls back into the car and headed to a different mall. As we headed to this Grotto there was no line at all. We talked The Ho Ho Man up big time to Rosie as we approached but once she saw him she FROZE. That child can attach herself to me like some sort of adhesive. Her little pinchy fingers grasped the skin around my collarbones and she was not about to let go. As she chanted over and over again, "Me no like Ho Ho Man." I just backed out of the area and said we would be back. Jacob took Rosie out of my arms and walked away with her. In the meantime the photographer said that we could have a family photo but I really didn't want to be in the picture and I thought it would just be Lily which was fine. The people were all so very nice and friendly and then I realised that all of them, including Santa, were Asian. Pretty wonderful for the girls to find an Asian Santa and believe me Lily noticed it before I did.

After a few minutes, Jacob appeared with "Reluctant Rose" who was toting her blankie and with lightening speed he swooped her onto Ho Ho Man's lap with Lily and the photographer snapped a picture. Santa then asked her what she wanted for Christmas and asked her if she had been a good girl and told her she would definitely get it?????? (umm, hello Ho Ho Man she asked you if she could have a car like Mummy's!) He then talked to Lily for a second and before anyone had a chance to say Ebenezer Scrooge we were out of the grotto at lightening speed thanking Santa and all of the elves for their help and promising to be good girls and boys for the rest of the year.

So here it is: The girls first photo with Santa together.

We didn't even try to take one last year because we knew that there was no way Rosie would have allowed it.



It is a shame that the photographer used her artistic licensing to pile a bunch of pressies in front of Rosie. I know she was trying to hide her blankie but actually her blankie or Bray bray as she calls it makes it more real. Oh well never mind it isn't the worlds best photo anyway but we LOVE it. And the drama that went with it....priceless.

BTW.....I heard Angels sing today when I started this post because it is the last day of November. The final day of National Blog Posting Month of whatever the heck it was called. I just know I don't have to post daily any more.
Don't come looking for a post tomorrow cos it won't be here. I won't stay away long but just not every single freaking day...it's killing me and all the others that do it.