On Saturday, we attended the event that I think was the highlight of Abigail's holiday season - Breakfast With Santa.  The gala was held in the gym at our church (the girls' school) and since we bought tickets two weeks ago, Abigail has been telling everyone she meets that she gets "Breakfast Santa Me!  Breakfast Santa Me!" I didn't think I was going to get to go because I had a photo shoot scheduled for that morning, but the weather turned frigid on Friday (remember yesterday's post?) and it was a downtown outside shoot and the family has a 3-year-old, so we all decided it was better to reschedule.  I had a ticket on the off-chance that I'd get to go, and I think I was as excited as Abigail! 

When we got there, the gym was decorated beautifully and the girls got to do crafts.  Gracie was excited because she got to sit at the table with one of her friends.



They had all kinds of crafts for the kids to do.  There was even a food craft and you know how I love those (although Gracie refused to do it there - she wanted to bring it home with her)


We ate a delicious breakfast with biscuits and bacon and sausage....yummy!  Then, the big moment arrived.  Santa walked through the door.  Abigail had a perfect vantage point - here was her face the moment she spotted him:



Then, she jumped out of her chair and chased him around the gym.  She makes me giggle - my friend Cindy, who has a daughter just about Abigail's age, said her daughter was at the age where kids are scared of Santa.  Gracie was that way - just the thought of getting near Santa would put her into an emotional tailspin.  Abigail evidently missed that toddler memo.  She takes every chance she can to talk to the man (and tell him in exact detail what she wants for Christmas!).

Here was the jolly old man himself:


The girls went up to talk to him.  Neither would sit in his lap (I think Gracie was nervous and Abigail picked up on that).  Gracie had drawn a picture for him and took him a plaque that said "Friends Warm Your Heart", which she promptly took back from him - poor Santa!  Then, a member of the church read a book about the Christmas story to the kids and Gracie gave a running commentary during the whole thing....

We played a bit more and then Gracie asked to go up and see Santa again (that, I think was the nicest thing about the whole event - Santa was there for almost the entire time and the kids that were a bit shy the first time had the opportunity to go back up).  This time they were brave enough to sit in his lap: