Ho! Ho! Ho?

Jones met Santa.

It took two tries.

We have a very nice, adorable park in our neighborhood with playgrounds, walking track, tennis courts and several gazebos. We visit this park often.

They go all out with the Christmas lights every year. So when I saw a sign that said Santa was going to be at the park, I was more than thrilled to take our little one.

It was really cold the night Santa came to the park. But, all for the sake of pictures, I dressed Jones up in his Christmas gear, hats, coats and a blanket and we set out for the park after dark. Santa was going to be there, after all! And free hot cocoa!

I imagined a picturesque scene where children politely stood in line in their Christmas frocks and smiles as their parents (all chipper and kind) were waiting to take their sweet picture.

Wrong.

Average age: 12

And it was chaos.

And cold.

And when I heard the DJ play a rap version of Jingle Bells, I knew it was time to go.

We only saw Santa from afar.

In their defense, I know it was a lot of fun for the older kids. They got a free toy. They chatted it up with the big guy in the red suit. They played on the playground until their little hearts were content.

But me, with my runny-nose 8 month old, it was just a bit much.

A few pictures of the first attempt:

"Ya'll have completely lost touch with reality."

(Clearly I dressed up for the occasion)

So the next day, I dressed Jones in the same outfit (I had, in that picturesque image in my head, him in this green outfit. It would go great with Santa's red suit!) and headed out to the mall to see Santa.

I hate a cheesy Santa.

But this one wasn't so cheesy. Yes, he was planted in front of Dillards and not in a lighted gazebo of my dreams, but he was pretty real looking, as fall as mall Santas go. So I was pleased.

What I wasn't pleased about was a sign (and woman enforcing such sign) prohibiting personal cameras. What?! Trey is armed with camera, camcorder and my phone camera (for easy facebook posting, of course). It doesn't end there. You have to buy a package. The cheapest one? 29 bucks for a glossy 5 x 7 and 4 measly wallets.

Clearly Santa is causing dilemmas this year.

But nonetheless, I have a child celebrating his first Christmas. Santa we must see.


While in line, Trey and I discussed what Jones was going to do when we plopped him down in a large strangers lap while a over-caffeinated teenage girl waved stuffed animals in his face in hopes for a smile.

We knew he wouldn't cry. That is not his style.

We knew he wouldn't smile for the camera. That is certainly not his style.

He performed the way we thought he would: he studied. He wouldn't, even with all the efforts of his parents and a hyper teen, so much as look towards the camera. He just looked at Santa with a puzzled expression on his face.

Such the philosopher.

So, without further adieu, I give you Jones' first picture with Santa: