Realization

This morning J and Kidlet were to meet me at Steamworks Coffee for our annual visit with Father Christmas; I arrived about 15 minutes before them. As soon as I saw The Man, my eyes went misty. Good Lord, I am such. a. girl.

It was an amazing time - everything we could hope for, and then some. Seriously, Father Christmas is Kidlet's first boyfriend. She is big-time crushin'.

Busy, busy, busy...

OK, who shook the calendar and made the days of December fall out? We're at X minus six days, and I am, oh, shall we say, behind in my holiday knitting. My eyes are always bigger than my schedule; I'm knitting on caffeine and prayer at this point. Gads.

Last Saturday Kidlet and I were on our way to an ECFE event and decided to say hello to the big rabbit sculpture on Portland and Minnehaha Parkway. It's sweet that someone puts a ribbon 'round its neck every December. We clamored through the snow and snapped a few pictures, but the rabbit was too frosty for Kidlet to stand on. We also stopped at the footbridge over Minnehaha Creek. She marveled at being so high above the creek. Then it was off to build "gingerbread" houses with other preschoolers. A messy endeavor, but what a blast!

I saw the sweetest holiday photo on another knitter's blog (well, second to Kidlet, natch). The young boy's words couldn't have been scripted better by a team of Hallmark's best writers. Follow this link to her post.

Enjoy the last days of expectation, and happy (frantic) knitting!

Meeting Father Christmas

Note to readers: My post today is not yarn-centric, so if you aren't in the mood for a toddler report, keep on movin'.

J and I took Kidlet to Steamworks Coffee & Tea Co. in north Minneapolis this afternoon to meet Father Christmas. (I love discovering things by following links on other blogs - this is a favorite on Cate's.) The owner assumes the exquisite persona of F.C. every year, and we scheduled a liesurely half hour visit with this gentle man. Kidlet was completely transfixed from the moment we walked in and saw his coat lying on the bench. You know how Wallace holds his hands up at his shoulders and shakes them back and forth when happy and/or excited? That was Kidlet as we waited for our visit. Giddy.

F.C. came into the coffee shop, immediately greeting Kidlet and donning his coat and hat. He has obviously developed a method of drawing children into the sitting - starting out at a distance, exploring the Christmas tree, and listening closely to their words. If F.C. had a fan club, I'd want to be the prez. This is a wonderful way for kids to meet him. Forget the mall, Macy's, and all other frantic memory mills that plop a child into a strange man's lap and expect a favorable response in two minutes. I was touched by this experience, to the point that I'd drive hours to visit him each year until Kidlet professes nonbelief - and maybe a few years beyond.

(So, Meema, how do you really feel about Father Christmas?)