meeting Santa

Lynn (Grandma Lodwig), Anya, and I ventured downtown yesterday afternoon to ride the carousel, and pot around Westlake Center. On the spur of the moment, we went to Macy's to see if Anya could get her first visit with Santa. Surprisingly, there was no one in line so we were in luck. Anya, however, was not in the mood to sit in some weird, bearded old man's lap. She refused to get out of the stroller, saying "I don't want to see Santa!". Mean mom (me) made her get out anyway, assuming she'd change her mind about the whole thing. No such luck. She clung to me for dear life. And if Santa reached out to her she yelped as if she was burned and buried her head in my shoulder. He did finally manage to get her to talk a tiny bit. When he asked what she wanted for Christmas, she responded "a crow." Obviously what every child wants for Christmas, right?

So I sat her in my lap and Santa snuck around to get in the picture. I tried to move out of the way for the shot, but she panicked if I moved an inch. So below is my expert cropping of the picture, so my face isn't in it. I would have considered leaving my head in there, but the picture is pretty bad. Like really bad. To where Chris joked, "aww, it was charity day and they let the homeless people take pictures with Santa, too." Dude, had I known or thought about getting a picture with Santa, I would have spruced up at least a little. And Anya too. Oh well. It's here for the record. Anya got to meet Santa and get her picture taken with him. 2009.



I've probably scarred her for life. Lynn and I asked her later if she met Santa, and if he was nice, etc. She said "no, he was not nice. I didn't like him". Maybe if a crow ends up under the tree Christmas morning, she'll change her mind.

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She did have fun the rest of the time - riding the carousel on the "pink and purple up and down horse", and the escalators at Pacific Place were a hit.

Christmas

Santa came to the Lodwig house and left a good amount of loot for Anya this year. As usual, we spent Christmas Eve with the Scheuer clan (which was almost postponed due to the massive snow amounts Seattle got this year), and then Christmas Day with Chris's parents.

Amy and Anya Christmas Eve. Chris says I look fat in this picture. But it's a cute one of Anya.

Anya, Grandpa Lodwig, and cousin Kelsey

the tissue paper was more interesting than the presents

Christmas morning at our house. Santa left a shiny new trike for Anya.

Anya looks out at all the snow Santa left us Christmas morning (and pauses to smile for the camera)

present opening time at Grandma and Grandpa Lodwig's

the carnage