"He's Not the Real Santa!"

This is a continuation of yesterdays performance.

After Emi's Christmas Party at daycare yesterday, and dance class had wrapped up for the year (we have next week off) we proceeded to pick daddy up and head to J&J's Family Restaurant, where we would get to see Santa one last time before the "big day" arrives.

In the car on the way over, the roads were a little slick, so Daddy was driving the Mom-Mobile - We were talking about how much money we'd spent - and making sure we were done with our list completely, before Christmas finally arrives.  He asked what I wrote a check for and I brushed it off, fully knowing that it was the remainder of his "big gift" an iPod, that a friend was selling.  I'll get into that in another post, promise.  So we're talking to Emily about how it was going to be busy, and that we need to make sure to remember our polite words, and be patient.  Santa only has a few minutes for each child, and it would be worth the wait.  She sighed, deeply, and agreed.

Upon our arrival, we saw just how busy it was - people were lined up and waiting for tables, and had been there for quite a bit of time.  It was also, Karaoke Night.  Yep, uber busy.   Santa was out and giving each child a small present!  How lucky was Em?  Free pizza, drink AND a present, plus more face time with the big guy to ensure his visit to her place?  Right on - right?  Wrong.   The minute she saw him, she freaked.  Screamed, cried and wanted nothing to do with him.

Awesome.

I passed her directly over Santa's head, and into my mom's waiting arms so she could calm down - and as we passed her over, Santa calmly, quietly and very politely handed her a wrapped gift - so she wouldn't be left out.  She sniffled and said thank you, very politely through her tears and cowered with "Erma" until she calmed herself down enough to come back to the table.

On the way home, after dinner and opening her present - which was a throwback to when I was a kid, those felt and paper coloring things? - as she was drifting off to sleep the following conversation took place:

E ~ Mommy, I'm sleepy.  my eyes are tired from being open so long.

M ~ So close them baby, it's okay we have one stop to make and then we're going home, and we're ALL going to bed.

E ~ :through a yawn: Momma, know why I didn't want to say hi to that Santa?

M ~ No, I don't.  I thought you were going to ask him about his reindeer?

E ~ Yeah, I was, but - that wasn't the real Santa, he was a faker.  I didn't want to talk to him, cuz I knew he was lying to all those other kids.

Flabbergasted, I didn't have a response for her ... shortly there after, she fell asleep.  We went to our "one stop" and did our little Santa Errand, and headed home.   She slept last night from just after 8 until almost 7:30 this morning, the longest she's slept in a long time.  

Merry Christmas my Friends, and a very Happy New Year.