"The" Santa Pic

I think my Santa pics every year are definitely something to look forward to. I mean, our trips to Santa are pretty eventful every year. We all know that it can't be a simple, "Let's go see Santa" trip.

Aubrey has been deathly scared of Santa for the past 4 years. I really tried to coach her and encourage her this year, in preparation for the "big day". I had a feeling that this year she was going to be alright. Turns out, I was right!

However...

It seems that Aubrey has passed the deathly-scared-of-Santa torch on to her sister.

Yay.

Aubrey was a bit shy at first, so I had to trick her. Yes, I said trick her. I'm a really good Mom like that! I picked her up, pretending I was going to comfort her, and I walked right over to Santa, plopped her down on his chair right next to him and she just sat there frozen. Then, I had to go get Ariana... I literally had to pry every finger of hers off of me and put her down on Santa's lap as fast as I could. As soon as I sat her down she started crying and screaming, "Mommyyyyyyyyyy!! Mommyyyyyyyyyy!" It was so sad and so cute all at the same time.

Luckily, there was one of those fanatical dog owner's there... They had their pug dressed up in a Santa outfit and had just gotten done taking a picture of their dog with Santa. Normally, I would kinda laugh at that, but there would be none of that on this day. I needed a little help from the fanatical dog owner and their pug. I started saying, "Ariana, look! There's a puppy!!" She stopped crying for just a few seconds to look at the puppy (puppies are her favorite!)...
Then she turned around and saw that she was still on that old fat man's lap and proceeded to start crying all over again!
So I called it quits and saved Ariana from her yearly torturous Santa experience. But, in true Aubrey hot & cold fashion, Aubrey had her arms wrapped around Santa (and that is one big waist to wrap your arms around!) and would not let go.

After all of these years of Aubrey kicking, screaming, fighting and clawing her way out of Santa's arms, here she was, completely smitten with him and would. not. get. up.
She even ventured her way onto his lap...
and even SMILED for a picture!
So, it was one step forward, two steps back. But hey, like i've always said, smiling pictures are boring! It's all about the hysterical crying Santa pics, right?!?!

Well that's what I will keep telling myself. :)