Poor Santa...

 We returned to Bass Pro this year for visits to Santa.  It proved to be just as traumatic for Rhett as it was last year.  Poor thing doesn't care to sit on a stranger's lap...and I'm okay with that.

I really like Bass Pro's display.  There is a HUGE santa's workshop, elves (including the creeper to the left in pic above), stuffed reindeer, fake snow and all sorts of Christmasy stuff.  It's fantastical for the kiddos.  If you go at the right time there is hardly a wait.  I think we waited 5-10 minutes this year and we went at 4:00 on a Monday.  Last year we went at 7p.m. and that was a mistake.  Thankfully there is lots to keep boys occupied at Bass Pro.  You get one pic for free and can take as many as you want.  

 Jude actually told Santa what he wanted this year!  He is wise to the whole santa deal, but I thought it was cute that he still let him know, you know, just in case:).  

Santa was also at our church this year for pictures.  This is one of our older pastors.  Jude raised a hairy eye-brow right away when he saw him.  All of the other kids in his class were giddy and screaming, "santa, yay!"  Jude b-lined it over to me and said, "Mom, is that santa or is that pastor Ron?"  He's no dummy.  He knows who to come to if he wants to hear it straight.  

Poor Rhett...I promise I do not get pleasure out of seeing him cry.  He has a love/hate relationship with old man Christmas.  He pretends like he wants to see him, claps when he does and then screams bloody murder when we set him down.  Then as we pick him up he sounds like an emotionally abused child and repeatedly says, "santa's a nice boy...a nice boy." Maybe next year.  

Here is my favorite santa pic to date...

Two years ago and two crying boys.  Same santa!  This dude is like 6'5" and super nice. 

There are a lot of places around town to get free pics.  After talking with some friends I learned that some places are charging $20 for santa pics.  That's crazy!  Even Navy pier had free pics in Chicago.  Another one of my favorites!

Jude wasn't scared.  

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!  We are all super excited around here.