You Better Watch Out

You better not cry

Better not pout I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list and checking it twice; Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping

He knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake! O!

You better watch out! You better not cry Better not pout I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

Our visit with Santa today was quite the experience. I've learned a few things after our little visit.

1) The American Cookie Company is right across from where Santa is for a reason. Next year I am going to give Santa a cookie and drink when it is Elle's turn to sit on his lap. (I can't take credit for this tip - it's a tip from one of my co-workers and I wish I would have remembered it today!)

2) I'm not going to put Elle on Santa's lap until the picture lady says she is ready. I put Elle on Santa's lap and that would have been the best picture because Elle looked up at Santa and was mesmerized and Santa looked at Elle and was smiling. It was a great moment that was NOT caught on film. The picture lady had to catch up on downloading pictures so Elle was on Santa's lap for a few minutes before they actually snapped a few shots.

3) Next year - I will remember my camera

As I was picking Elle off of Santa's lap, he asked if she had a hernia surgery. He could feel her button through her dress. I told him no - but she did have 2 heart surgeries, a nose surgery and a feeding tube put in all before she was 6 months old...and she is deaf and usually wears hearing aids. He was in shock. His reply touched me - he told me that she is beautiful. I couldn't agree more! Then Santa said something that made me so sad - his Mrs. Clause is battling the end stages of breast cancer. He is taking her to Mexico for her final trip. He was so sad and I couldn't help but feel sad for him too. My reply of "God bless you and your family" just doesn't seem adequate for this poor man and his family. We never know the struggles that the person walking next to us is going through. It is so easy to judge a book by it's cover - it would have been so easy for me to upset because Santa wasn't smiling in his picture with Elle. But now that I know his pain and his personal struggle, my heart hurts for him and his family. I pray that meeting Elle uplifted his spirits a little and he is able to enjoy this time of year with his wife and cherish the time they do have together.