So we have a bit of a history with Santa. Koen has only once sat on his lap without a fit...he was 6 weeks old. In hopes of avoiding any sort of psychological trauma to our child, I've decided to put the Santa visits entirely into his hands. Last year, he flat out said "No" every time I asked him if he'd like to go see Santa. So the season came and went, and I heeded his wishes...no Santa.
But this year, his friends have been talking about Santa a little bit. Koen even got to take a good look at Drew's picture with Santa. I made sure to point out Drew's smiling face. After a short moment of thought, Koen decided that he DID want to go visit Santa. So all week we talked about what he wanted to say to him. We discussed that it would be Finn's first time meeting Santa and that they could both sit on his lap together!
Nope! Koen stopped me right there. There will be no lap sitting for him. He clearly stated that "Finn will sit on Santa's lap, and I (Koen) will stand by him." Ok. That's fine, I thought.
We colored a picture and wrote a little note to Santa. Mind you, Koen still doesn't really 'get' the whole Christmas-Santa-presents thing. I'm still sitting on the fence about how far I want to go with it. I kind of like the fact that he's not tangled up in the greed of it all (for lack of a better word). I briefly explained that soon it will be Christmas, and on Christmas Santa will bring him one present to open! I did not forget to mention the 'naughty or nice' thing, however. I feel that can definitely be used to my advantage right now. :)
Anyway, in Koen's note he wanted me to ask that Santa bring him a 'blue' present. That's all. A 'blue' present. So funny, and simple! I love that kid.
Well, we waited in line, quite a long one for a week night. Shandy and Collin kept Koen occupied, playing with him and being goofy in the silly mirror. Koen even waived at Santa through the fence a few times, and Santa waived back! Wouldn't you say this is a kid who's ready to meet Santa?
I mean he was all smiles until the very last moment. And then....
Yep, he fell apart at the very last moment. Talk about trauma. After 30 seconds, and seven adults jumping around, whistling for him to look up and smile, Clay went in for the rescue. It was bad. Koen had gone completely silent, tears streaming down his cheeks, eyes squeezed shut, and his whole body was trembling as Santa held him tight. He was literally trying to find his happy place. Poor kid! I mean, really! Poor, poor kid. It broke my heart. I gave him a big hug and asked him if he was o.k.
And, as if to twist the knife a little more, he looked at me and said, "Mommy, I said I would STAND by Santa, not sit on his lap." So this one is on my conscience. I'm the dope who threw him up on the jolly man's knee. I feel so bad. I can't help but wonder how it would've turned out if I'd remembered my son's simple request. :(
Oh well. Better luck next year. Or should we even attempt it again? If it's a completely traumatic experience, why bother at all? I would guess that at least 75% of the kids in line tonight were carried away in hysterics (not just my kid). Who knows, maybe Finn will totally love Santa in the years to come and we'll keep up the visits for him? I just wish we could have at least gotten a smile out of the smiliest baby in the world! :)
We colored a picture and wrote a little note to Santa. Mind you, Koen still doesn't really 'get' the whole Christmas-Santa-presents thing. I'm still sitting on the fence about how far I want to go with it. I kind of like the fact that he's not tangled up in the greed of it all (for lack of a better word). I briefly explained that soon it will be Christmas, and on Christmas Santa will bring him one present to open! I did not forget to mention the 'naughty or nice' thing, however. I feel that can definitely be used to my advantage right now. :)
Anyway, in Koen's note he wanted me to ask that Santa bring him a 'blue' present. That's all. A 'blue' present. So funny, and simple! I love that kid.
Well, we waited in line, quite a long one for a week night. Shandy and Collin kept Koen occupied, playing with him and being goofy in the silly mirror. Koen even waived at Santa through the fence a few times, and Santa waived back! Wouldn't you say this is a kid who's ready to meet Santa?
I mean he was all smiles until the very last moment. And then....
Yep, he fell apart at the very last moment. Talk about trauma. After 30 seconds, and seven adults jumping around, whistling for him to look up and smile, Clay went in for the rescue. It was bad. Koen had gone completely silent, tears streaming down his cheeks, eyes squeezed shut, and his whole body was trembling as Santa held him tight. He was literally trying to find his happy place. Poor kid! I mean, really! Poor, poor kid. It broke my heart. I gave him a big hug and asked him if he was o.k.
And, as if to twist the knife a little more, he looked at me and said, "Mommy, I said I would STAND by Santa, not sit on his lap." So this one is on my conscience. I'm the dope who threw him up on the jolly man's knee. I feel so bad. I can't help but wonder how it would've turned out if I'd remembered my son's simple request. :(
Oh well. Better luck next year. Or should we even attempt it again? If it's a completely traumatic experience, why bother at all? I would guess that at least 75% of the kids in line tonight were carried away in hysterics (not just my kid). Who knows, maybe Finn will totally love Santa in the years to come and we'll keep up the visits for him? I just wish we could have at least gotten a smile out of the smiliest baby in the world! :)
2 comments:
since when do we try to make our children sit on the laps of strangers anyway... kudos to koen's street sense - strangerdanger.
Yeah...no kidding. You were there last time, too. Sugarhouse, remember? White fist clenching his candy cane amidst the tears and horror of it all? So sad.
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