Close Encounters with Santa Clause and Frosty the Snowman

Yes, 'tis the season.  Time for the annual sojourn to see Santa.  Once again, while Ken minded the store (literally) Grandma Mary, Grandpa Roy and I took Cornelia to visit Jolly Old St. Nick at Westfield Mall.  Before jumping on the Muni at the Castro Street station, however, we stopped by the Wingard store for a quick "hair fix."  Try as I might (and I do try), I can't do pigtails like Ken can do pigtails.  And I wasn't going to have my inept hairstyling skills memorialized in Cornelia's 2012 picture with Santa.

At the mall the line to see Santa was short.  I prepped Cornelia for the moment by pointing out Santa and coaxing her to wave "hi" to him.  As we stepped up for Cornelia's turn on Santa's lap, she was  intrigued by the big man in the red suit.  I was confident she would again produce a wonderful picture, with a big smile for the camera, caught in time for years to come.  Alas, within mere seconds of coming to rest on Santa's big red knee, the tears came complete with screaming and arms outstretched to Daddy.  I suppose it was inevitable, and I guess it's adorable nonetheless.  After all, part of the Christmas tradition is a red-faced wailing child on Santa's lap. 

Here's the least tearful of the pictures.   

"Is this the guy who promised me a pony last year . . .
and didn't bring me one?!"

And one more Christmas story:  Last night Coco was home with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Roy while Daddy and Papa were out for a Saturday night with friends.  Cornelia was bathed, in her pajamas and content with her bedtime cup of milk.  It was 8:00 p.m. and Frosty the Snowman was on TV.  Cornelia was on the couch, sipping on her milk and focused on the show with laser-like attention.  And then it happened . . . halfway through the show . . .  Frosty melted.  Black hat in a puddle of water.  Little Karen, Frosty's little friend, started crying . . . so did Coco.  She burst into tears.  Who knew that at nineteen months she was following the plot?  She did manage to calm down and watch the rest of the show.  And then at the end, when Frosty waved good-bye to Karen and said he would be back again someday, Coco burst into tears again.  

Karen and Frosty the (melted) Snowman