The Big Guys Magic

Every single year at Christmas time, I take the boys to the local mall to meet Santa. And every year Xavier (who still believes completely and for that I'm both thankful and in awe) would stand no closer than 15 feet from the Big Guy and shout out his list instead of sitting on his lap or even coming to shake his hand. I don't know why this is. He never had a bad experience with Santa (or the Easter Bunny for that matter). He just never ever wanted to be that close. And I never pushed him. Santa for us, is not something forced on our kids, but is to be cherished and respected. And each kid develops their own relationship with the jolly old elf. My oldest just had a relationship that was a minimum of 15 feet or further away.

Today I bundled up the kids and we headed to the Mall to meet Santa and let the kids give him their wish list. I fully expected the same deal. Wait in line for 30 minutes, stand at the edge of the red carpet next to the velvet ropes, help translate Xaviers shouts (and Ashes who of course copies everything his older brother does) and translate back to the kids Santa's responses. Instead I was gratefully surprised to have no lines whatsoever to deal with, a real authentic looking Santa (real beard and all woot!) and to my complete astonishment, Xavier sauntered right up and sat on his lap while Ashe clambered up beside him and they conversed for a good 5 minutes. I was completely floored. I noticed Santa kept glancing up at me with a confused smile on his face, probably wondering why my jaw was touching the ground as I watched this episode occur.

Soren was snug in his Moby wrap while their conversation was going on and at one point, Santa turned to Soren and said "well young man I understand you want some tub toys for Christmas?" (Of course all I'm thinking is NOOOOO! he wants a ball popper and robeez not damn tub toys!! Crap now I got to go out and buy tub toys too???) Xavier looked at Santa and said,

"How do you know what Soren wants?"

"Oh Soren and I can talk with each other in our own special way." (wink)

"You can?"

"Oh sure. It's part of my magic. I bring gifts to babies too."

So here I am listening to this conversation and a whole slew of things start racing through my mind with a smile plastered on my face.

1. I need to buy tub toys for Soren

2. This could potentially be the time where Xavier starts to really question Santa if I cant pull off a good explanation from the questions that were sure to follow. Which is fine if it came down to that, but I'd be sad to see the end of this childhood era this year.

3. What the heck kind of tub toys can I find that will fit into a stocking and is good for a 6 month old?

4. How do I explain this new magic Santa has that he didn't seem to have for Ashe when he was a baby?

We finish our meeting, I add in to Santa that Soren really wants a ball popper too, and maybe a pair of robeez, but I'll send him a letter with the size and style sometime this week and we walk away.As we sit down for lunch the questions start to come and my brain has to go into overdrive:

"Mom did you know Santa could talk to babies?"

"No I didnt, but I always wondered how he knew what to get you and Ashe when you were babies. Now I know."

"How do you think it works? I mean it's not like Soren knows words or anything."

"I don't know. Maybe Santa can see pictures in Sorens mind and knows what it is he is trying to say."

"But why would Soren want tub toys?"

"Beats me. Maybe he sees you and Ashe having a lot of fun during bath time and sees you playing with your toys and he thinks it looks like fun."

"Huh. I never thought of that.... do you think he would want to have a couple of our bath toys until Christmas is here?"

"Aww honey that's sweet, but I think that your toys are too big for him. He'll need baby tub toys. Thanks for offering though."

"No problem. I cant wait to see what kind of tub toys Santa brings Soren!"

"Me either."

I casually steered the conversation to how astonished and proud I was that Xavier went right up to Santa and sat on his lap for their chat and he smiled, proud of himself too. He's growing up in one way. But I hope I have another year or two before he grows up and out of Santa completely. It will be a bittersweet year when he finally decides he's too old to believe in magical fat elves who can shimmy down a chimney and bring every boy and girl toys in one night. I know it's coming soon. In fact I'm surprised it hasn't come yet. But I'm grateful it looks like I still have at least one more year to keep the magic alive for him.

Now to figure out bath tub toys for a 6 month old......