A visit to Santa Claus

I've come to enjoy living in a small town.  A lot.  I don't miss freeways, tons of people everywhere, pollution, lots of noise.  It takes me seven minutes to get to daycare and work.  I'm walking distance to Smith's and Natural Grocers.  I fill up my SUV about once a month. 

I do miss good shopping.  Farmington is not a shopping hub.  There's not a Bed, Bath and Beyond.  That's in Durango.  There is a Dillard's, albeit small.  I do most of my shopping online.  Amazon is my favorite.  There also, happens to be no Hallmark store.  Years ago, a tradition was started for me wherein I get a Keepsake ornament, every year.  I have passed that tradition on to Owynn.  So, I turned to the internet to find the closest Hallmark Store.  Specifically, the "maps" app on my iPhone.  My boy, Siri lead us to the mall in Durango.  We walked the whole mall.  Didn't take too long, it's not a huge mall.  And there's no Hallmark.  But, there is a Santa Claus! 

Since we put up the tree, O has been obsessing over his "Visits to Santa" ornaments.  Obsessed.  He talks about them every day.  How he cried at Santa when he was 2 but was happy when he was 1 and 3.

1st Christmas (3 months old)

2nd Christmas (15 months old), "When I was sad at Santa!"

3rd Christmas (more than 2 years old)

Apparently, we didn't go see Santa last year.  I must have been busy, graduating from nursing school.  Or something.  So, when we saw Santa at the mall, O was SSSOOOO excited!  Well, as excited as my shy boy gets.  He started smiling and waving at Santa and asked, quietly, if he could go see him.  I agreed.  We waited in NO line and O held my hand as we walked over to Santa.  They chatted from afar.  O told Santa what he wanted, from afar.  And then, Santa invited O to sit on his lap.  O looked at me for reassurance and I said to go for it.  He hopped up and told Santa that he wants a hula hoop and a piggy.  He then proceeded to tell Santa that he broke his piggy and wants a new one, please.   My heart smiled so big!  As he left, O was given a candy cane.  Which he consumed in less than a minute.

When we left, he asked where his 4 picture was at.  I told him we would have to go to the store and find one.  Off to Hobby Lobby we went.  He picked the frame and I found the pipe cleaners to make the number 4.  He was beyond proud!

When I look back at the Christmas pictures, I see what grown up boy I now have.  He is smart and sweet and so much fun. 

On our way back to our car, outside Hobby Lobby, it was SNOWING!!!

He said: It's December, that's why it snows.  But, not when it's November.  O is also pending time obsessing about calendars, dates, when months start (one what day of the week), how many days are in each month.  He can't wait to start his 2015 calendar.  It's full of Superheros (the Avengers series) and he's picked out a spot on the kitchen wall for it.  Happy Christmas season to all!