Ho Ho Horrible Picture

You know that feeling you get when you're waiting in line for a holiday photo and the kid (or kids) in line before your family throws a crazy tantrum or cries or freaks out and you have this flood of pity for that parent who is frantically trying to get the situation under control and salvage the meeting with Santa/Easter Bunny/(fill in the blank)?  Well, yesterday, I was that parent you felt sorry for and tried to avoid eye-contact with.  Oh good lord.  I know I'll look back on yesterday with laughter someday, but for now I gotta say that it was pretty rough.  It wasn't a Norman Rockwell Santa visit, that's for sure!

In hindsight, it was our own fault for trying to fit too much into one day.  We chose to also visit a friend of ours that had just had a baby and the visit took up most of the morning.  We got to the mall just after lunch time with a tired eleven month old and a played-out three year old = recipe for disaster.  Anyway, Oscar did fine at first and had a nice conversation with Santa.  He hopped up on Santa's lap and was ready to hang out and tell Santa all about his day.  Then daddy put Charlie on Santa's lap and the party began...  Charlie acted like somebody just shot his freaking puppy dog.  He howled like nothing could fix his poor broken heart. No amount of fanning him or jangling bells could calm that child.  After that, Oscar was just mad that Charlie stole the show, I guess, and so he refused to smile.  Then Santa even got grouchy and scolded me. That's right.  That chubby toy maker who breaks into people's homes late at night and eats their cookies scolded me (and Tim) for trying to cheer up our infant.  It was awesome. 

I picked out two pictures to commemorate this "memorable" visit.  Which one is your favorite, reader?!?  

(I personally prefer that last one... Santa's face here is just too much.  That "jolly old elf" looks like he really hates his job.  You better not eat the cookies at OUR house this year, Santa!)