Santa

Last year, Sam loved the idea of Santa but was terrified of the man himself. I remember driving to the mall before Christmas and telling Sam that Santa would be there. His face lit up, "Can I talk to Satan?" (Not a typo...he couldn't say "Santa") I promised that he could. He talked about it nonstop until we got about ten feet away from jolly old Saint Nick. Sam started crying and yelling, "I don't wanna see Satan, I don't wanna talk to Satan....!"

Christmas morning was equally memorable. When I heard Sam up and playing in his room I snuck out of bed to turn the tree lights on. From the bottom of the stairs I called, "Sam, come see! Santa came!" I heard the pitter patter of his little feet as he ran from his room. Then he peaked around the corner and asked in a very worried voice, "Is Satan gone?"

This year I thought it would be different. Sam is after all a very tough almost 3.5 year old! Tonight we went to the mall (Trying to kill time before bedtime...it was that kind of day.) Sam was very excited to talk to Santa...until we got about ten feet away from him. He turned and looked at us and said in a very quiet little voice, "Can we just go right by him?"