Have you ever seen a cuter reindeer? I haven’t. Madeline had her Christmas concert today, and I knew Santa was coming for a visit. As he reached into his big sack and pulled out a present with her name on it, I held my breath. We visited our favorite town Santa a few weeks ago, and she wanted no part of it. No picture on his lap, smiling, crying or otherwise.
Today, she went right up to him, let him put her on his lap and told him what she wanted. I have no idea where the change of heart came from. It must be the dress. (The dress is circa J. Crew’s Crew Cuts 2010. She wore it for Easter, and I adore it, so was super excited that I got to eek one last wearing out of it before it goes to the consignment shop)
And this next bit … this is exactly why, although I love the trappings of the city life, I will forever want to live in a small town. Where although people like to gossip, sometimes people knowing things is a good thing. I swear I teared up. Someone there knew that I didn’t have a picture of the two kids with Santa yet this year.
And knew that I wanted one.
If you know me, whether in real life or through visiting here, you know I kind of like to document things. Photographically. And Santa? The holidays? My kids? Huge. So Nick had a half day today. It was a nothing day. They have done no work at all all week. They had their holiday party yesterday. He knew Madeline’s concert was today and asked if he could go. I said yes.
When someone at Madeline’s school saw Madeline on Santa’s lap, willingly, happily, and noticed that Nick was with me, there was a quick scrambling and beckoning to get Nick up there too.
Because they knew I didn’t have the picture I wanted.
And they wanted to help me get that.
My heart melts for moments like these.
And so I got it.
It’s a simple thing really. Something small. But when the kids are grown-up with families of their own, I want them to look back at the pictures with their own children, and be able to say, “This. This is my life. This is when I was your age. My childhood.”
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