Santa Photos

I cannot believe it is Christmas week and I haven’t posted the kids’ Santa photo! Since I’ve never posted any Santa photos, I’m putting them all up. We’ll go in reverse chronological order because the last one is the best. Be patient, don’t skip ahead.

2009

This was our second attempt at going to see Santa. I don’t know who’s wise idea it was to go to B Square on a Sunday in December for Santa photos, but the line was too much for us to take. I didn’t stand in the 4 hour line for the H1N1 vaccine to save my kids’ lives, and I sure wasn’t going to stand in the  2 hour line for Santa. But, a Monday morning at Macy’s Downtown turned out to be a great idea! (Shhhh, don’t tell Niamh’s teachers that she saw Santa after calling in sick to school!) We were one of 2 families there. We were lucky we had the time and attention of the photographer because the kids were totally star struck and looked terrified. Finn, Mr. Goofy All The Time, wouldn’t smile. He couldn’t. I think he was concentrating on not peeing on the Big Guy’s red suit. He was so nervous. And my beautiful Niamh, every time I think people are going to approach me to sign you up for a career modeling kids clothing, I see these photos where you look like you are half asleep (I’ll have to post her school photo). Believe me, of the series of pics the photographer showed me to choose from, this was the most animated by far!

2008
Love this one. Taken at B Square. Great Santa. Great Smiles.

2007 Obviously, they (Finn) wouldn’t sit on Santa’s lap. Santa pulled one of his little tricks to get a cute photo anyway. Too bad though, I don’t have any classic pics of the kids screaming on Santa’s lap. Missed opportunity at a timeless treasure.  This one was from Nordstrom Downtown. Waiting in this line was a real treat. Santa had 2 breaks while we were in line. One to “feed the reindeer” and one to visit the Men’s Room. You’d think Nordys could hire a Santa with a real beard!

2006 University Village. I laugh every time I look at Finn’s square chubby face. Niamh is such a little cutie with her wispy hair.

2005
This was from Northgate Mall. (Why have I visited every Santa in the Seattle Area?) The Man in Red looked great but was a man of few words, and fewer teeth if I remember correctly. I think they plucked him right out of the rec room at Kindred Hospital around the corner from the mall. It was the last Christmas photo before Finn was born. The baby on Santa’s lap is Cousin Ashling. I think Niamh had enough of Ashling by the time the shot was taken.

2004 One of my all time favorite photos of Niamh. Oh, she was so absolutely adorable when she was a year old. Such a love. We didn’t do Santa pics at this point. Instead we went to the park on a sunny December day when we were living in LA, we thought cold thoughts, took along the Frosty that we got for free because we spent a certain amount of money at Toys R Us, and loaded the Radio Flyer with the tree. I still have about 200 photos from this day. Choosing one as the best was a task.

2003
Our very first Christmas as a family. Have I ever mentioned what a horrible newborn Niamh was? I won’t go in to it right now because it might just fill me with rage. Just know that I didn’t sleep for 4 months. I mean it. Not at all. Niamh was only a month old here so I still hadn’t learned how to deal with no sleep. I guess I didn’t know how to dress or brush my hair either. Nice jeans, Fiona. Even Steve’s jeans are more stylish than mine. I am a denim snob. I can’t believe I owned this overwashed disaster. And Sneakers! On Christmas!
Steve is choking Eddy.
Now let’s focus our attention on the doll sitting on the horse behind me. That’s right. I said “horse". My parents have in their living room this enormous horse made from tusk or some other bone. The family is divided about how appropriate it is to showcase this piece of ….art??? During the holiday season, my mom ties antlers to the horse’s head.
Back to the doll. This doll, the one with her boobs hanging out, was also a showcase item at my parents’ home. She was usually displayed in the side-lying position on the couch in their formal sitting room. When you enter the house, she used to catch your eye, and for a second, you’d think there was really a scantily dressed old lady lying on the couch. We named her “Grandma”. I refer to her in the past tense because Eddy ate her.
Cheers to more photos to laugh at, more memories in the making, and more mall Santas to evaluate!