Aiden had his photo taken with Santa today at Lynn Valley Centre after riding the Elf Express train (lots of fun too). Although he was looking at me instead of at the camera as I slowly tried to sneak away, I consider it a roaring success. Just a little over a week ago Aiden refused to sit on Santa at the Polar Express and it’s definitely an improvement over last year’s tears! He’s smiling and looking very adorable in that special Aiden way.
I have now seen 3 different mall Santas over the years and, though I liked the Oakridge Santa experience the best, it was the most expensive of all the Santas and the drive is pretty far. I was considering going again this year if the Lynn Valley Santa wasn’t realistic, which he was. Park Royal was nice… but waiting at least one day for the photo? No fun.
A week of prepping Aiden on the importance of sitting on Santa’s knee to get the present and photo seemed to have worked!
How have your toddlers been with Santa this year?
I have never wanted my children to play with toy guns of any sort. I think there are many more appropriate types of pretend play. If Aiden made a stick a gun, so be it, but toy guns would not be in our house.
I hadn’t yet decided how to approach water guns though. They are pretty damn fun, after all. And now, before I’ve had a chance to figure it out, Aiden has had his first water gun experience with neighboring kids.
It’s not a big deal and I don’t mind, it’s just one of those parenting ‘decisions’ that came and went and had to just be shrugged off. Fun is fun, and Aiden made a cute water cowboy.
This is ‘Yucky’ (Lucky), a friendly cat who lives in out strata. He’s more outgoing than our Nala and more toddler-friendly than our Guinness. So, of course, Aiden loves him. If the neighbors are not around to play with, he asks to go look for Yucky.
I’ve always hated that phrase: “sleeping like a baby.” You mean, barely sleeping? But now, I see it… And not because Aiden sleeps well. Because, even at nearly 2 years old, he’s my baby again when he sleeps.
He’s my baby when he sucks his thumb and curls up on his blanky. When his little lips part and he twitches a smile. When he melts onto my shoulder after falling asleep in the car. He’s my baby always, but most in these moments.
It’s not a perfect photo, but sometimes these moments of calm in the day are too precious not to share.
I wonder if it’s telling that one of these times Aiden lay his head back and said “tired”? #imitation
