Yet every year she says she wants to go. So the dance begins. About two weeks before the 'big day' we go to the mall and check out where Santa is, at this point Leah will wearily walk around his spot and say "Uh yeah can we go now?". We do this two more times. Then we talk about it some more and Leah usually picks the day she is going to go. This year she picked "Next Tuesday" but it ended up not being the best choice because Matt had defensive driving. So instead she said "Fine Thursday then." For the last week Leah talked about how 'brave' she was going to be and how she couldn't wait to see Santa.
We went through this last year. We got as far as waiting on line and it almost being our turn when off she went. Took off down the mall as far away from Santa as possible.
Thing with Leah is, and something many people do not understand, is that she is scared, she is scared to death...but once you get her up to the person/character/ride and you get her close enough she is just fine. Sometimes I get comments from those around me that I am cruel to push her on so many things but I know my daughter. Can't let her be afraid of everything forever. You have to nudge her just right to get her to do it. Once she is there, she is fine. She gets all happy and participates and then afterward can't wait to go back and keeps telling you "It wasn't a big deal! It wasn't even scary!"
That is Leah. You just have to have the patience of a Saint and go through the dance with her.
So there we were at the mall at almost 6 p.m. We got some dinner, we talked about it some more. We always go on a weekday. It isn't busy, Santa isn't cranky and a little more patient with the high maintenance kids. After eating Leah decided she was ready. We went downstairs she was excited, she was practicing her perfect smile and then we were up and...off she went down the mall, crying and running away. -_-
Matt wrangled her up and we went to Ikea to have a cinnamon bun (only a buck and really yummy) . She ate her bun. She made it clear she did not want to see Santa. We decided to let her run around in the playground for a bit. We left for the playground. She played for 15 minutes or so and then agreed to go back to Santa.
She mustered up enough courage to go back downstairs, and go up to the counter and then...off she went again, crying and running away.
Matt got the patience to go wrangle her up again and bring her to me. I picked her up and marched right over to Santa where he was more than happy to see Leah. As soon as she saw him right up close she was fine. She was ready and off she went.
Here is the picture:
For comparison:
Leah and Santa 2007
Leah & Santa 2006 - Not so happy
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