Nanny Diaries: All to see Santa Claus!

We talked about Santa last week.  We watched the Santa movie today.  We went over all of the facts, details, and things to know.  Like be a good girl, make a list, tell Santa what you want, go to bed early on Christmas, Santa comes..... So much excitement for a little girl who was barely a year old for her last Christmas!

L Bug was psyched to see Santa.

Nanny was bored, so hey, that worked with me.  Got my bugs ready, loaded them into the car, and a half hour later, we were off.  We drove up to Beachwood so Miss Amanda could also pickup a 2010 refill for her Coach datebook. ;-)  Anyhow, the 20 minute drive was filled with L Bug asking the most random questions and then asking "WHY??"  "Well, because it's cold outside."  "But WHY??"  "Because it's winter."  "But WHY??"  Sometimes you run out of creativity and just have to start ignoring "Whys" at a certain point!  (Or it's possible to get to the point of wanting to scream at the top of your lungs.  That one requires a lot of self control, though!)  So 1000 "Why??"s interlaced with a fussy Baby Bug, and I was so excited when we finally got to the mail.

Until I took the double stroller out.

Now, my fiance sweetly put this together for me but I'm guessing I probably said something along the lines of, "No, don't show me how to open it - I'll figure it out" after he offered to demonstrate it to me.  Right.  I fought with it for about 15 minutes with both girls still in the warm car - L Bug screaming random things and Baby Bug screaming her head off (she hasn't mastered the art of retaining her own pacifier).  I became so desperate that I asked 2 complete strangers to help me.  (Neither had a clue.)  It was freezing, and I hate strollers.  So I give in and call the fiance.  (He probably rolled his eyes and remembers wanting to show me how to do it in the first place) and he so sweetly downloaded manuals and Googled until I finally found some random lever that released the entire crazy fancy contraption into a whoa-  big, long double stroller!  Snapped it into place, put L Bug in the front with a snack, put Baby Bug in the back with a blanket, everyone buckled in tight, and off we went.

Good thing we were parked at Saks Fifth Avenue because the doorman saw me coming.  (Macy's does not have doormen.)  He got the doors for me as I drove around this ginormous stroller contraption for the very first time.  After all, this was our first real going-somewhere outing with both L Bug and the new baby!

"Look, there's Santa!" I told L Bug.  "NOOOOOOOO!!!"  I told her something about how nice Santa was, blah blah blah, and decided it would be a good idea to run to Coach and save Santa for last.

Coach done.  L Bug having a panic attack about Santa.  Nice Coach lady tells L Bug how amazing Santa is.  L Bug didn't buy it.

 Sooooo we get up to the big jolly man who must have been the real Santa because he was just perfect.  He was so nice and tried to calm L Bug, but to no avail.  She held onto every side or piece of the stroller she could, screaming and kicking.  Meanwhile, one of Santa's helpers had given Baby Bug to Santa, and she was having a blast just sitting on his lap playing with her fingers and making faces.  "See, your sister is having fun with Santa.  I bet she told him what she wants for Christmas.  How will Santa know what to get you if you don't tell him?"  Skip ahead like 10 minutes and I finally get the kid out of the stroller, into my arms, digging herself into me, "NOOOOO SANNNNNTAAAAA!!!"  Hoping I'm not traumatizing her for a lifetime of fearing Santa like some kids fear clowns, I sat down next to Santa and told him what I wanted for Christmas.  He then asked L Bug what she wanted.  She played shy and just looked at him.  "A dolly?"  "You love baby dolls, L Bug!!"  Her eyes got big.  Still red and wet, but big.  Then Santa's helpers said they were going to take the picture.  1-2-3, L Bug was ready to bolt as soon as the shutter went down.  Santa gave her a lollipop and said to have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!  L Bug did not want the lollipop and did not wave bye-bye to Santa.  I did.

Then the whole way home, L Bug cries "My coat.... I don't like my coat...." then "My boo boo, I pinched my boo boo....." then "Snack.... I need a snack....."  (ok, more like "Nack, nanana, whiiiiiine, but you get the idea)  Baby Bug has meanwhile fallen asleep (yes, amongst her sister's noise- how? I have no idea) and L Bug is just going on and on about how she hates her coat and her booooo boooo and where is her bunnnnnnny.....

We finally got home, and had lunch, over which L Bug excitedly told me "Santa is bringing a big doll to my house!!" (Santa, ahem?)

Now, both kids are napping.

Joy to my world. :)