This holiday season, as a 2 year old, Ava is very aware of Christmas. She is enthralled by the lights, the music, the magic, and with Santa. Or so we thought....
For a few days we had been talking up Santa, watching movies about Santa, looking at pictures of Santa, and making sure Ava knows who Santa is and what he does. Ava has been very excited about seeing Santa and she just couldn't wait.
Fast forward to our trip to the mall to see Santa. It started out great; a little car nap on the way, excitement that we were finally there to see him, and Ava ready to bust out of her stroller and run up to him. We waited in line for about 10 or 15 minutes and the whole time Ava was watching him, telling people she was going to see Santa, and trying to cut line to be the first kid through. Man, was she excited. Now take that WAS and concentrate on it.
So, she ran up to Santa, stopped dead in her tracks, and she was done. It was all over. Now, she didn't cry, but rather had this deer in headlights expression on her face. There were no smiles, but no tears either. She didn't want to look at him or talk to him. It was just so sad. She refused to sit on his lap of course, but she stood in front of him and accepted a candy cane and a small (very small) hug at the end. But from that point on, the rest of our time at the mall was so subdued and sad. It was like she was heartbroken and she didn't know why. I am so tempted to take her to see Santa in Dyersburg to see if it gets the same reaction or if maybe she will have warmed up.
Now that I think about it, it kind of resembled Ralphie from A Christmas Story when he gets up to Santa and can't remember what he wanted. Our little girl just lost the ability to talk and be the funny little social butterfly we know she is. I am just glad there were no tears and maybe next time, she will be a little more responsive to the man in red.
