December 8, In Search of the Perfect Claus...Ho Ho Ho!

Scott and I packed Sophia into the car and told her we were going out in search of Santa Claus. She needed to be really good so that Santa would want to see her.  We drove to Mid Rivers first. We jumped out the car packed the stroller with all the necessary stuff and a couple cameras, video recorders, etc.  We walked the length of the mall and suddenly Santa was right in front of us in the middle on the mall. I hurried over to get in line with the stroller and Sophia in hopes of not being there all night.   Just then, Scott strolled around the corner and whispered to me if I had seen the Santa.   I told him that I just jumped in line, never thinking that I should check out the Santa Claus before I got in line.  

Scott told Sophia and I that wasn't the "real" Santa Claus because he wasn't fat and jolly, but rather skinny, frail, and very old.  He said to Sophia, "That is just one of Santa's elves!" he said very quietly so as not to let the other kids know.   "We are onto him!"  "Let's go find the real Santa!"  

So, we packed everything in the car and put Sophia back into her carseat and zoomed off to Chesterfield Mall.   We rushed into the mall in hopes that real Santa would be there at the North Pole.    Magically, we arrived at the North Pole as quick as a flash when we parked the stroller at the Exit sign.  We saw Christmas trees and snow and a street sign that said, "North Pole."  Sophia was really impressed with the snow village feel of the surroundings. She was smiling and checking out the scenery.  I showed her the sign that read, "North Pole" and exclaimed with excitement, "We are here the North Pole!" She smiled from ear to ear.  She rounded the corner in her beautiful little velvet red Christmas dress and got "snow on her shoes as we trodded around the village. Santa was just ahead..  " Santa, we brought Sophia to see you."  She would like a photo with you and she would like to tell you what she wants for Christmas.  

"Ho, Ho, Ho, come and sit by me Sophia and we will get a picture and you can tell me what you would like for Christmas!"  

In a flash, she hesistantly walked over with mommy and daddy to talk to Santa. She was a little scared. Once, Santa told mommy and daddy they could come sit on his lap, Sophia got the idea.  Now, I can't tell you for sure if mommy and daddy are on the "Naughty" or "Nice" list, but I heard Santa tell Sophia she was on the "Nice" list.  He even gave her a "Santa Stop Here" sign to put in the window so he remembers to stop at our house on Christmas Eve.  He showed Sophia his jingle bells and told her to listen for them on Christmas night.  (No worries folks, I bought some jingle bells at the store yesterday that Santa can ring when he gets to our house Christmas night to announce his arrival.)  We assured him that we had a Santa plate for cookies and mug for milk. 

The photographer snapped the picture above and we thanked Santa for the visit.   On our way out, he gave her a little stuffed penguin and a jolly, "Ho, Ho, Ho!"  As we chose our photo we were magically transported back to the Chesterfield shopping mall for some Christmas shopping and a trip to the carousel like last year.  Sophia rode the reindeer.  I told her it was one of Santa's reindeer.  She was a little scared, but I assured her that the carousel was very fast and that is the reason Santa must take the sleigh so he can carry all the toys and not fall off the reindeer like she kept trying to do.   We stopped in Borders and daddy found a book about Christmas, "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house.......  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"