the year I was bigger than Santa.. yes Santa..

December 11th, 2010

so tomorrow is our 4th annual Seattle Christmas shopping hotel day.. we go down and get our Santa photos done.. we eat at El Mexico restaurant..  we stay at our favorite hotel.. Olive 8.. and we hot tub and get our Christmas shopping done.. We go to our favorite Santa at Nordstroms.. where they still take their photos on film so it gives you that “old fashioned” look..  it is always great.. although I fear tomorrow will be torrential down pour the whole time.. but I will get over it..  I am starting to think of our Santa photo outfits.. no doubt Olive will be in something striped.. probably in the green and red family.. I however am dreading it.. because of this photo.. 

yes.. the year I was bigger than santa.. I remember at the time manypeople saying how great I looked.. I had just had a baby 2 weeks earlier.. (I am a Christmas die hard..c section or not.. I was keeping my tradition!) and I was feeling good.. not to tired.. and pumped.. than we got this photo in the mail 5 days later.. and to this day it sits on papas dining room table all year round.. and is now referred to as.. you guessed it.. “the year I was bigger than Santa.” I have tried to blame angles and lighting.. but who are we kidding.. this is our fourth year at this exact same Santa setup.. and I am holding my own in the other ones.. which brings me to my next weird fact.. Olive just turned two.. yet this is her third christas! riddle me that..

This truly is the best Santa around.. they built this little Santa house just for this occasion.. there are elves and Mrs. Clause.. and great decorations up every year.. and you are served hot apple cider and fresh homemade sugar cookies while you wait! I have always said to Dustin that even when we move home.. we will be driving down to keep this tradition alive!! 

so the photo to the left is clearly when I was child free..  young.. fresh.. heels on :0  I had wanted to do this shot in our  photo for a while.. I mean how funny.. dust is a rotten little boy who was losing his shit.. and I was his mother disciplining him.. we never told the lady we were doing it.. and she goes.. “ok. ready” .. we did the pose.. everyone was hysterical.. it is my favorite to date.. 

the second year.. well.. we all saw that one.. but the third year.. I kept it smart.. cute toque.. somewhat hiding behind the big guy.. but to this day I wonder why I wore those shoes?  and good lord.. who knows what tomorrow holds.. I am tired.. and preggo.. and ghostly white.. and I was just butchered at the salon.. my hair makes me look like I am ten years old.. so tomorrow.. I will go to my old salon down town.. ( this is also my 4th year going before santa photos!.. raandom.. ) and hope they can fix the cut.. I am aiming for looking at least 18 ;)  

we have been prepping olive for santa for almost a month now.. 

guess whos coming?  he brings treats and presents.. he gives you chocolate!!

I know it wont work! but am hoping we may have a shot at it.. I wanted to keep with the bear theme.. but she doesn’t have a bear costume anymore.. and I think when she is 11 years old.. she may be in therapy for the things we used to make her wear in public.. so this year.. it will be scratched.. I know my mother is agreeing with me right now ;)

time to pack.. and in Olives words.. ” Antas come in”