Connor meets Santa

We kind of let the month of December get away from us and then I was discouraged by people telling me that the line to meet Santa was HOURS long at the mall.

 

Santa went to Connor's school Wednesday the 16th, but Connor was home sick (you are shocked - I am sure)

 

On Thursday the 17th Cecil kept Connor home an extra day even though he was feeling better because Hand Foot and Mouth was going around at his school.  It just made sense to try to go see Santa. I called the mall before I left work and they said there were only two families in line. Yessss.

 

I asked Cecil to meet me there with Connor kind of last minute and I think he was frazzled because he missed the exit and it ended up taking him FOREVER (Traffic around and parking at the mall is insane!) to get to the mall. I was able to hold our place in the front of the line and let one family go ahead at a time so Connor didn't have to wait at all. It really was painless!

 

Unfortunately, Connor hadn't seen me all day and I'm sure he could feel Cecil's frustration with being late so the very last thing he wanted to do was go to a stranger.

 

At first he was just concerned and uneasy, but then he was really upset. (But I not-so-secretly love terrified Santa pictures). I kind of wanted it to be good or really bad. We pretty much got in between, but its adorable - there's always next year to scary him more. #momoftheyear

 

This is from my phone -even his toes look unsure.

 

 

I grabbed this one from the computer, because we only got to choose one and I'm #classy

And I was pretty sure 'Santa's elves' could not care less.

 

 

This is my clear favorite, but Cecil wanted the better (less tearful) one so we went with it.  

 

This is the one we went with and I plan to have it framed in our house during Christmas time for the rest of our lives. 

 

PS: We took these at the Northeast mall and Santa and his photographer were really really great. And I think he's one of the best looking (read: doesn't look like a smoky trucker) Santas I've seen. 

 

PSS: While I was waiting on Cecil Santa had to take a bathroom break and his helper went with him and it made me think that is probably a weird experience (with a lot of responsibility) to walk around with or dressed as a magical man.

 

PSS: The mall looked pretty decorated for Christmas but I am happy to report this was my First and LAST trip to the mall during the holiday season. NO THANK YOU!