Holiday festivities, out-takes, and questionable parenting

 It wouldn't be the holidays without putting ourselves and our child through obligatory preparations- photo shoots, Holiday card designing and mailing, and of course, sitting on Santa's lap.

Let's start with the aw, that's so sweet and then lead into the wow they are bad parents!

Our holiday photo card will be in the mail shortly, so I can't show the good photos. Adventures in trying to get a toddler to stand in front of a tree and look at me for .05 seconds. Here are some out-takes.

That face just says, "I've loved you since the moment you sat on that ridiculous pinecone"

I do love this one

Shrieking with Anna. A typical moment.

Tilly received her first stocking, made with love by her Mimom, and hung by our chimney with care. I think it's beautiful.

Nervously killing weekday time while waiting on dissertation edits from my advisor, Tilly and I made 20 jars of body butter with my now perfected secret recipe for many on our gift list. So delicious and skin softening! 

Over the weekend we went to Breakfast with Santa at the Pittsburgh Zoo. 

Nothing says holiday outing like a girl in a red pea coat with patent leather shoes!

First, we were served elementary school cafeteria style brunch (overcooked french toast, greasy potatoes, etc). Then a zoo employee came with live animals to entertain the kids. They got to learn about, and touch, an armadillo, lizard, and chinchilla.

mesmerized by the docent and her many animals

self photo

she loved the soft chinchilla

 They had ornament and cookie decorating stations set up as well.

That's where the good times ended. Mathilda's fear was primed when a person dressed in a polar bear costume started making the rounds to the tables. She screamed, cried, wouldn't let me put her down, and kept yelling "bye bear! no bear!". Finally the beast left, but she was on edge.

Then the moment we had been waiting for came- SANTA! Mathilda had talked all week about Santa and his boots, red coat, ho ho ho, and all of that good holiday cheerful fun stuff.  Right out the window all that joy went. She was calm and quiet as we stood in line to sit on his lap, and then she softly, sweetly started saying, "no Santa, no Santa," as if not to hurt his feelings, but letting us know this was not gonna happen. And happen it did not.

I give you- Holiday photo extraordinaire 2012:
(combined into one frameable shot thanks to the wonders of Instagram)

Yep, that is total fear on her face. She had a terrified cat's grip on Reggie's clothes and there was no way in hell she was getting near that guy. Am I a bad parent for thinking it's just a bit funny? I can't help myself.  Don't worry, she recovered quickly. And really, I don't blame her. What Santa says he prefers "religious music like O Holy Night" to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" when asked by a group of 4 year olds. Come on buddy, take some of that Christ out of Christmas! You're Santa, not a baby dressed in swaddling clothes! These kids don't know the words to O Holy Night, but I bet they could rock out some Jingle Bells!
Anyway, we then got to spend the day walking around the zoo. It was only open to those doing the Santa event, so we practically had the place to ourselves.

I just think this one's pretty

She apparently has memory problems (PTSD amnesia?) because today she told me she liked Santa, and was ho-ho-ho-ing it up again. Better luck next year, kiddo!