Roper Mountain Holiday Lights

My school was having their Christmas concert, so I thought it'd be fun to take AK. Once we got there, I realized it was not a requirement for me to be there, and I was worried about Addie getting kind of grumpy (it was right at her bedtime), so we said our "hellos" and left! I called Tommy, who was at a friend's house nearby, and asked if he wanted to meet me at Roper Mountain Science Center (which is right by my school) to take Addie to see the lights and go ahead and tackled sitting on Santa's lap (notice the thrill in my voice as I was not looking forward to it!). It was a clear night, and had been rainy for so long, and it was a weeknight (so half the traffic), so I thought we should maybe just go for it. Good plan, because we all had a great time!

Beforehand, she and I had a little dinner at ChickFilA - her favorite - [and what is starting to be my favorite because they are just so darn polite and helpful - I mean, seriously, they are a fast food restaurant that brings you your food (when you have a kid with you at least) and comes around to refill your drinks!]. She was just acting so sweet and cute that I busted out my camera right there in ChickFilA! (I was also trying to get a good picture of her super cute dress. I smocked it and my mom made it. We were trying a new pattern that we still have to perfect. Actually, we like everything about it - except the dinky collar. I think we can get another year's worth of wear out of it though, so my mom is going to make a new collar that is bigger. Also, it's smocked on the back with Santa Claus, which I think is precious to smock something different on the back. And that darn Santa was one of the hardest things I've ever smocked - and wouldn't you know it, I don't think I got a single picture of the back of this dress the whole Christmas season?)

(Please excuse the stamps on her hands - she had been to Little Gym that day (love that place and the fact that she and her friends have a private class, but seriously, they stamp her hands, feet, and even sometimes her legs!), and excuse the bruise on her face - can't remember what that's from!)

Here she was waiting on Daddy after we had already been to school. She dearly loves to play in the car, when she's not in her car seat. I mean, look at the joy on that face!

And finally at Roper Mountain Lights. These pictures are all taken in the part where you can walk around. I didn't get any decent pictures in the drive through part, mostly because AK was sitting on my lap, and also because it had started drizzling and the pictures just didnt' turn out good.

And in here was where they have a little gift shop, naturally! But also where Santa was! They have these beautiful balloon structures. This was only one of them (I was entirely too occupied keeping AK from freaking out to take many pictures.), and this picture does them no justice.

And here he is! Notice who got to sit with him this year? Thank heavens he was in a sleigh instead of just a chair, or I would have had to sit on his lap! Once I convinced Addie that everything was ok, which was no small feat, she was able to tell Santa that she wanted 2 pink babies and 5 books. I think this was news to Santa, who had to frantically run around to add to her already huge Christmas stash, two babies. (Specifically because Santa is quite picky in the type of babies Addie needs!) The books were no problem, as Santa knows how much Addie loves them.

Check out that ear-rubbing! She was not happy, but it was 100x better than last year, and like I said, she did at least talk to him!

No smile for Addie!