Santa Disaster

Visiting Santa was not meant to be this year. Since Everett may likely be home this week, and Ella is gone Tuesday through Thursday, today was the last day we had to visit Santa.

First of all, my mom was supposed to go with us, but she got sick and canceled, and Gary couldn't leave work so I had to take her myself even though I'm not supposed to be lifting her.

Second, of course it has to be POURING RAIN today.

Nevertheless and despite the fact that I'm still kind of sick, I get Ella all dressed up in her Christmas dress and shoes, run to the car and put her in the carseat as rain is soaking me. I get all the way to the mall, and I realize I forget my freaking camera! There is no way I'm paying the ridiculous package price and not even getting my own digital photos since their photos are always such bad quality. Sooo, we turn around and go back home. We don't have time to get back and visit Santa before I have to pump again so I promise Ella we will go see Santa after her nap.

The second I walk into her room after her nap, she says, "SANTA TAUS!" I figure that's a good sign even though I'm pretty sure she's still going to cry when she's sitting on his lap.

I AGAIN get her all dressed up in her dress and shoes, put her in the car in the pouring rain and head off to the mall. It's still pouring when we get there so I have to carry her into the mall from a far away parking spot all the while thinking, "I'm so going to pop my stitches."

We get in line for Santa, and there are only about 2 people in front of us- SCORE! I mean, what other nutjob is going to take their kid out in the pouring rain in their good clothes on a Monday afternoon?? Ella starts to act really clingy in line, and I know this is not going to end well.

As we approach Santa, he legs get tighter and tighter against my body...you all know this feeling. When I try to detach her from my side to put her on Santa's lap, she starts crying and clings on so tightly to my body that I think it would have taken a chisel to separate her from the side of me. I have no one with me to try and distract her or take photos for me so I just give up. Santa said, "this has been happening to me all day!" I was so sad because he was the cutest Santa too!

Alas, this is the the closest I could get her to Santa for a photo...