Santa Reboot

So, for the record, this Christmas is the first Christmas that Noah and Anna know the truth about Santa.  And it's cool.  It'd been time anyway.  And they are enjoying the holiday no less for the knowing. Good holiday milestone for my bigs! 

And also for the record, last Christmas we didn't take Lasa to meet Santa because we thought that was a memory her momma should get to make with her after their reunification.  Now that this year is a WHOLE different story in terms of her momma, that priority has expired.  Now IIIIII am the momma and it's go time.  So this year, we took the child to meet her first Santa.  We had NO idea how she would respond, but just for good measure, I talked Santa up alllllll day and let her touch Santa ornaments and practice being gentle with Santa's beard. ;)  

When it was go time at the end of the Jellystone Dancing Lights, her meeting with the Big Guy went off without a hitch.  Precious first time!  And it helped to have her Noah and Anna close by for moral support.   First, some lights ...

Then, the man in the red suit.  We really lucked out that night.  The assigned photo crew that charges too much for a picture was not there yet, so everyone was getting to take their own pics for free.  NICE! And much preferred.  Lasa didn't freak out about us handing her over to a stranger. She just stared and stared and did not move an inch.  HA!

Our favorite shot of the Santa.  Adorable!

So there ya go, the first year my bigs didn't need to tell Santa what they wished for for Christmas was the first year we started the Santa routine for Lasa.  A Santa Reboot of sorts! Truthfully, I don't think we will adhere to the Santa thing as routinely as we did with our first batch of babies.  But if she wants to see him, we'll take her.  Whatevs.  Parenting the second time around is way more chill, I have decided. :}

PS - Josh surprised the kids after this with taking them to a Free Build Night at the Lego Store. It was part of his daily surprises counting down to Christmas.  They built little Christmas packages.

Enjoying a slower paced holiday season so much!