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Well, it’s about four days until the big day and already we’ve had our Christmas miracle.
Not the kind where a dying person lives or all the wrinkles all down my neck disappear. And, no, I didn’t discover that my scale has been broken for a month and I really did lose those last 10 pounds and get to go on a cruise after all. No, not that kind of miracle.
Yet, it was still as satisfying.
Our toddler actually wants Christmas to come. He wants Santa to come inside his house and leave Spike the Dinosaur. He can’t wait until Friday morning.
You see, he’s no longer afraid. Of the guy in the big red suit.
And I have a three-hour trip to the Great Plains Mall on Saturday to thank. And a blister from the mile or so trek through the mall in my (only for show, not for comfort) boots and a lovely 13-year-old boy who at times is really raising his little brother.
For weeks now, youngest has said he didn’t need any toys for Christmas. He had enough. Santa could give his to someone else.
It took awhile, as I said last week, but I finally figured out he was afraid of Santa Claus. He thought that if he didn’t sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what he wanted, he wouldn’t get anything. And there was no way he was sitting on that guy’s lap.
So, no presents this Christmas.
He stopped looking at the Toys R Us Big Book or any toy ads on Sundays. He figured he had enough toys to play with.
Until Saturday when my sister and I decided we’d take both boys to the mall, eat fattening food, enjoy some more shopping and maybe, just maybe, walk by Santa’s little workshop. We’d just walk on by, maybe wave, and see what happened. Cameras were ready.
And apparently so was our oldest. When his little brother said he would just walk up and say hi and then leave, oldest was all about it.
“I’ll go with you,” he told him, kneeling down on his level.
Now, you probably don’t remember this, but last Christmas I had a bad mom moment and basically forced oldest to sit on Santa’s lap. At his elementary school. With his friend’s walking by.
Horrible mom. Horrible mom.
He said then that never again, he wasn’t sitting on Santa’s lap for anything. For anyone. And I agreed.
Yet, on his own, he went up there and planned to stand next to the big man long enough for them to get a picture.
Once youngest was on Santa’s lap, and he wasn’t all freaked out or screaming, he looked over at his brother, who was kind of just hanging out near the chair. Ready to walk away, feeling good that he had gotten the little guy that far.
But youngest wanted him to sit. So did the people taking the photo. I shut up. Didn’t say a word.
And without any more prodding from anyone, our teenager sat down on Santa’s lap, flipped his way too long hair to the side and smiled.
So did his little brother. I took photos like a crazy woman. My sister did too.
Santa got in a few words to the little one who for some unknown reason forgot all about Spike and said he wanted a puppy and a “bouncy ball.” We can do the last one, but, well, Spike is potty trained. So Spike it is.
Doesn’t really matter what he said he wanted. All that matters is he’s not afraid of Santa.
Don’t you just love big brothers?
Once again, I say I'd be more than thrilled if my girls, as adults, chose to be with someone like your oldest son. He's a future mother-in-law's dream! I'm happy for you that the youngest has decided Santa isn't a creep. I know you're relieved!
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