A Christmas Tradition

What started out as Baby's 1st Visit to see Santa, soon became one of my most treasured Christmas traditions.  The first year we took William to see THE BIG GUY, we just wanted a sweet baby and Santa pic.  Year two- and we thought, "huh- it's the same Santa" and by year five we prayed and prayed that Santa would make it until my child stopped believing.  Dear Lord Santa- don't retire until then!  Because our Santa had quickly become THE REAL SANTA and it simply wasn't Christmas without a visit to our special guy.

I wrote a blog post a few years ago about the HORROR we experienced one year when we thought THE REAL SANTA was gone.  It was a dark time, but praise Jesus my Facebook friends set me straight and simply let me know that I arrived too early.  Needless to say, we took two trips to the mall that Christmas.

And so- we are officially on YEAR #12 with our favorite Santa, the only Santa if you ask anyone in my house.  Starting at just 10 months old and ending with this year's photo of my sweet MAN CHILD at 11 1/2 years.

Please join me in saying a prayer of THANKSGIVING that we've been blessed to have twelve wonderful photo's and keep your fingers crossed that THE REAL SANTA will be back again next year.  It's not Christmas without our Santa and this Mama will be in MOURNING when he finally moves back to the North Pole with Mrs. Claus and lives the high life drinking hot chocolate and eating his candy canes.

Here it is- our Christmas tradition.

And finally, this year's photo. There are simply no words for how special these images are to my TENDER Mama's heart.  Each year, as I cut out the new one and place it in the picture ornament and hang it on our Christmas tree, I have myself a big ole' ugly Mama cry.  Where once I held my baby in my arms, he will soon tower above me.  And Santa....our sweet, old Santa will one day be gone and on that day, my boy will officially be a man.

Thank you Santa- for all the wonderful years.  You have become such an important part of our Christmas and the lifelong memories that you've given to this family are simply priceless.  Please do this sappy Mama a favor and give me at least a few more years.

Pretty please Santa.

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