Breakfast with Santa

This morning, we headed over to the Country Club for our annual Christmas tradition - Breakfast with Santa!  Katie Anne has done breakfast with the same Santa each year (click here and here to see last year's), and it is such a fun way to do the visit - no long lines, just a relaxing breakfast and visit with the Jolly Old Elf himself!

Last year, Katie Anne was terrified of Santa and cried the whole time.  This year, she's much more excited about Christmas - she understands exactly what's going on, and she's talked and talked about seeing Santa, sitting on his lap, and telling him what she wants for Christmas.  I was a little (okay, a lot) nervous that she'd freak out at the last minute and not be able to do it ... I was worried both for the picture's sake and because I knew she'd be disappointed later that she missed her shot with Santa, because she's been so excited about it.  We talked a lot about not being shy, that Mr. Louis would be taking her picture, that she had to tell Santa what she wanted or else he wouldn't know what to bring her, that Santa is nice.  (We didn't take it to this level, though.)  So, hopes were tentatively set high that Katie Anne would enjoy her trip to see Santa.

Guess what?  She did wonderfully!!!  Katie Anne was so excited to see Santa - she could not wait.  We had to wait in a little line of about 2 families, so she got to watch her friends Anna Barton and Anderson pose with Santa first.  Anna Barton, who's a little older than Katie Anne, did a great job, but Anderson - who's a little younger - cried.  Katie Anne said, "Poor Anderson - he's a baby.  Babies are scared of Santa Claus.  Me and Anna Barton are big girls.  We aren't scared."  Then, her friends Lily and Bear were in line behind her, and KA knew Lily was really excited, too.  So she was surrounded by lots of positive toddler support!

She sat right on Santa's lap and took a nice picture - I can't wait to get the package back and see it!  Then, she told Santa what she wanted for Christmas... a Barbie house and Barbies, Strawberry Shortcake, and a Diego toy.  On top of all that, she even sat on Santa's lap while we made our family picture with him!  Then, Santa gave her a candy cane. 

After our visit, we all enjoyed a big breakfast of fresh fruit, danishes, cheese eggs, waffles, french toast, grits, hash browns, sausage, bacon - the works!  Katie Anne had a great time eating breakfast with both sets of her grandparents and her great-grandmother Grandmama.  Here are some pictures of the fun!  I'll post the professional Santa pictures when they come back.