Saturday, December 19, 2009

No, no, no! Scary Christmas!

This is the first year that the babies have been healthy enough to share in the glorious, much-coveted chance to sit on the lap of SANTA! Girum talked about the coming event with glee all day yesterday. He's crazy about "Sinta" and walks around in a Santa hat saying "Ho, ho, ho" and "Merry Christmas" a LOT (I should really post a video of that, shouldn't I?....Given my awesome gift from my little brother a few weeks ago, I ought to be able post one soon!). Tari and Taye were also excited, an excitement that only escalated when we came within view of Kris Kringle himself! Everything was fine, in fact, until the drop. Apparently, Santa's enchantment demands a three-foot viewing parameter...the magic turns to panic when that threshold is breached. So, for your holiday amusement, here's a photo and a little Christmas Quiz: Which of the people pictured below was most traumatized by Santa's Lap '09?



Here's a hint: We've had the same Santa -- a now retired Santa -- for 7 years running. This Santa is new. I believe this was his first foray into the world of jolly old St. Nick.

Did you guess Santa himself? If you did, you were correct! The minute Santa's helper whispered the word "triplets" in his jolly old ear, St. Nick began to look frightened and truly nauseous. As we approached, all semblance of character and mythology eroded, and a genuinely frightened old man told my children where to sit, whom to hold, and just how many pictures he was willing to try (2 shots). After we removed our screaming babies, Olivia's sweet letter (I wish we could have kept a copy...it was so sweet) and sparkling personality returned him to his moderately-Santabulous self (Josiah didn't stick around long to chat), but he kept muttering (seriously) for several minutes about the pitch of the screams and the number of children...and the volume..."the sheer volume." He was truly quivering...like the fabled bowl full of jelly. So if your house gets missed this Christmas, chalk it up to Post Traumatic Stress disorder and send your best wishes to the north pole for a quick recovery.

On an upside (and there are a lot of upsides here), all of my children were smiling and fully enamored with Santa Clause by the time we walked through the exit gate of his....lair. And this morning, we've had an absolutely wonderful Christmas. I hope you and yours enjoy the same this year.

Merry Christmas.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I can't stop looking...like rubbernecking a wreck on a highway! I laugh everytime I look at this picture! Poor Santa...and Girum, Tarikwa, and Taye! I love your babies!

Benjamin and Katie enjoyed seeing them, too. Katie said, "Awwww...Oyaya...Taka...Siah!" Benjamin wanted clarification on who exactly was sitting under the kids dressed like Santa! The old "Santa's helper story" was my fallback since I didn't have mama and daddy here to answer that one!

Merry Christmas, my dear daughter! You are a brave mama...even more brave than Santa! Next time you think you are inadequate to the task, remember the look on Santa's face and you'll feel much better about yourself!

You are all amazing and I love you!

Love,
Mama

Anonymous said...

You are amazing Amy! I've been checking often since the "sick" postings and I am thrilled to see everyone back in action. When Gwen was little she was totally in LOVE with Buzz Lightyear -- until they saw him in person at Disneyland. She was horrified at his size. The reality of him was not nearly as much fun as the make-believe. Santa was always the same for her too. Keep him the book!! Too funny ;) Love and hugs all around from Missouri!! -Barb :)

Mama Papaya said...

Is it wrong that this is my new favorite Christmas picture ever?

Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

I'm with Cindi! I have probably picked my laptop up 5 or 6 times to read your blog again...and it is still as funny as the first time I read it! I'm just sorry Santa didn't get to see how wonderful all 5 of those kids are.

Thanks for sharing this story, Amy! You make me feel like I was there with you....are are amazing in so many ways!
We love you all!
Sandy and Steve L

Cindy said...

LOL LOL LOL!! This is a fantastic fantastic picture! Merry Christmas.

Cathy said...

Your Mom turned me on to this, it's absolutely adorable. The "Sheer Volume", I can't imagine, and yet it's still so precious. Chris and Sam both responded in kind on their first Christmases on Santa's lap. Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

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Cindy said...

hehehe! Love it!!! I have never brought up the Santa-on-lap thing with my lovely three, but this year there he was and my identical pair very naturally cozied up in line and sat on that old lap with no fear at all and fat smiles. My lovely fraternal babe however, announced that he had to urgently pee that moment so we got out of line and I missed the whole first time on Santa's lap thing!!! And guess what happened next time we walked by Santa's mall village? Suddenly T blurts out, I gotta pee (he abruptly stopped when he realized we were not stopping to sit that time!).

Anyway, very cool picture. Best Xmas photo I've seen! :)

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