SANTA

I attended my first playgroup since school started. Jayda is getting older and loves to be around kids and I think she is ready to go to play group. I even had a great time talking to everyone. When we got there Jayda was asleep. I got her out of the car and she was still so tired.

I thought, what a great time to get Jayda on Santa's lap and take some pictures. She was so tired I was sure she wouldn't wake up. I put Jayda on his lap and it was working until Santa thought it would be good to move her and get her to face the camera.

She woke up and noticed that the warm, strong arms wasn't her mom. She looked at him for a minute, looked at me and then looked back at him and that is when she started to cry. She didn't cry as much as I thought she might. I thought she did pretty good considering she just woke up and also being 1 years old.

We had our ward Christmas party and our special jolly friend Santa visited. My kids knew right off who was playing Santa that night. Zach immediately said mom, that is "Brown Trout." We both started to laugh and I had to tell him not to ruin it for anyone else. Brown Trout is a nickname he called Dylan in St. Kitts while they were diving. I guess it was their inside joke and Zach thought it was so funny that he couldn't stop talking about it. Zach went up and said "Hi, Brown Trout." I am glad that no one knew Zach called him that because it would have given it away. Santa thought that was some what funny. He laughed for a bit but then told Zach he was going to get coal in his stocking.

I had to try again with Jayda and the whole Santa picture thing. I wanted a good picture with the two of them. When I mean good, I mean crying, snot nose, and scared picture. All my kids got one of them and I didn't want Jayda to miss out. I was actually surprised she cried because she got a candy cane but I think "Brown Trout" scared her. When Santa said good by to everyone we all thought he left the building. Until Trey found his clothes. While we were cleaning up Trey found Santa's clothes in a box in a room. He came a found me and said with a concerned voice and big eyes that Santa wasn't real. He left his costume in the room. I tried not to laugh at his voice or face and just explain that Santa has helpers this time of year because he can't be everywhere now because he is getting ready for the big night. This seemed to work and he was satisfied with my answer. I hope that believing in Santa last for a long time.