A Letter to Santa

It's getting to be that time of year again. I am one who get's excited for Christmas but doesn't want to rush past Thanksgiving (but secretly, I am dying to put up my Christmas decorations). However, Isaac has been talking about Christmas and Santa since AUGUST! (yes, it's been a long 4 months!)  But, this year is so different from all the other years for us. This is our first child and he is finally at an age where he understands what's going on. He's excited, which makes us even more excited! When I wrote about this 4 months ago I am very amazed Isaac has stayed true to his top three items on his Christmas list.  Yes, he adds more and then forgets what he said... but the top three have always remained. 

We were in the mall the other day and Isaac noticed the giant trees and couch sitting in the middle of the mall. He stared at it and screamed, "MOM! This is where Santa is coming?" I have to admit, I am really amazed without telling him he understood what that place was for. He talked about it all day that Santa would be there and he could go visit him. As we kept walking through the mall we stumbled into Macy's where he saw a GIANT RED MAILBOX! Oh boy, he didn't know what it was but he figured out it had to do with Santa. I told him we could go home and write his letter to Santa telling him what he wanted for Christmas. Then we would come back and drop it off. He couldn't wait. So the next morning we got out the crayons and started his letter to Santa...

I know, Isaac is ALWAYS in his underwear in the morning, therefore... all of his morning pictures are too! It's like too much trouble for him to put back on his pajama pants? Anyways, we printed off a "Dear Santa" border and Isaac got to work. He drew his picture of his top three items: (Always in the same order) 1. Blue Scooter 2. Computer and 3. Roller-skates. 

He had me write cause he says he's too little, so I had him help me. We put arrows to his pictures of his 3 items he drew. Then I asked him what we should tell Santa, like if he's been good. So this is what Isaac told me to write: "Dear Santa, Please bring me a scooter (blue), computer, and roller-skates. I've been a good boy. I help my mommy and share my toys." I asked him if there was anything else he wanted to tell Santa. He asked,

Isaac: Will Santa come in his new car?

Ashley: No, Santa will fly in the sky with his reindeer!

Isaac: Oh! Then we tell him to fly safe! (When dad leaves every morning we tell him to drive safe). Then Isaac quickly added, "AND DON'T GET HURT!"

I thought that was very sweet! But, he must have kept worrying that Santa might get hurt because when we started making the envelope to put his letter in he said,

"Mom? Maybe grandma has a net to catch Santa? Or, Maybe I can catch Santa with my hands if he falls? (as he held out his little hands, cupping them close together). Then Santa won't be hurt. When he falls, I catch him!"

 I had to smile and agree that it was a good plan... so calling all grandmas, get your nets out on Christmas Eve! It seriously makes me laugh when I think of "his plan" to keep Santa safe... and to think that he came up with it on his own! (As he was "writing his letter" he drew circles in the top corner and started singing, Jingle Bells!)

We made it back to the mall last night. Isaac was so excited to see his GIANT RED MAILBOX as he calls it. (It must be giant to him, look how tiny he looks standing next to it!) Now it was time... to drop his letter into the box. 

Isaac kept peeking his little eyes through the mail slot, almost putting his envelope in... and then pulling it back out. "No I don't want to leave my letter," he kept telling me.  So we got back in the stroller and told him to hang onto it and if he wanted to put it in the mailbox when we left, he could. He was very pleased holding onto it as we strolled through the mall.

Now, this should be getting close to the end of my story but you wouldn't believe what happened next. We got into the elevator and Isaac peeked out of the glass and looked down below. And who did he see? He started screaming, "MOM! IT'S SANTA!!! I CAN GO GIVE HIM MY LETTER!" Oh boy, he was so excited and I was excited for him. We got close to the gate and there it was... A letter informing us that it was a PRIVATE SESSION and to come back Saturday morning when Santa "officially" arrives. Now I ask you, how on earth do you tell an excited two year old that you can't go talk to Santa when he is standing less then 5 feet away? Well, if you have never had to do it... it's heartbreaking! I really wanted to cry myself when I saw the sad, SAD look on my son's face when I tried to explain to him we couldn't talk to Santa. Isaac just kept telling me that he wanted to give Santa his letter.  Brett and I felt terrible. What could we do? What can you say when your little boy has big crocodile tears in his eyes because he can't go talk to Santa? Oh, it was terrible! Just then, the sweetest little girls walked up to Isaac. They couldn't have been more then 6 or 7. They had gotten an extra candy cane from Santa and came up to talk to Isaac. They looked a little nervous, but they asked Isaac if he would like a candy cane. It's like he forgot about the terrible thing I just told him, smiled at them, and said, "thank you." What sweet little girls?! It made his night ten times better! Just then, Santa got up, waived and had to leave. It happened so fast, we told Isaac Santa had to go eat dinner because he was so hungry. Well, Isaac believed me! He jumped in his stroller with his candy cane in hand and said, "Santa's got to eat dinner mom. We will come back later. Let's go mom!" What a relief! Those little candy cane girls saved the night and it was a miracle Santa was leaving. It made everything all better and Isaac is totally fine with going back to see Santa another day. (We actually were going to go this morning for the "Welcoming of Santa" but Isaac was too tired.)  

We left, got ice-cream and luckily, Isaac didn't think much about it. On the car ride home he must have been thinking about what santa looked like. (After-all, this is the first year he has really cared about him. If you remember the picture from last year, he hated Santa! Isaac started pointing to his chin, tapping it and said, 

Isaac: Santa has stuffs right here.

Ashley: Oh, you mean Santa has a beard?

Isaac: YA! (Then, he started tapping his head) Santa's Ho Ho Ho's were broken.

Ashley: Ho Ho Ho's?

Brett: His hat. 

Isaac: Santa wasn't wearing a hat. His Ho Ho Ho's are broken. He will have to fix his Ho Ho Ho's mom. Maybe he can use tape? (Because in a two year olds mind, tape fixes everything!)

Ashley: Oh, and put tape on his hair so his hat will stay on?

Isaac: No mom. Santa can put tape on his hat and then his Ho Ho Ho's will stay on. 

Once again, I stand corrected. These little conversations with my son are so interesting. Don't you just love what two year olds have to say? We haven't gotten the letter delivered to Santa yet. Isaac is waiting until we see him again to give it to him. It was really funny making the letter with him, pretty sad trying to  deliver it, but hopefully it will end well when we finally get to deliver it!