Santa!!!

Last year, we went to the mall to take Santa shots but since Ave is much more mobile, I decided that I couldn't bear to wait in that line.  Luckily, my parents' neighborhood hosted Santa.

I just knew it was going to be a disaster since Ave is not a huge fan of new people especially ones dressed up in strange clothes.  I figured that if we got a screaming picture then I could just send it in to the Ellen show's Holiday Photo Disaster segment :).  It went about as smoothly as I had imagined.  

Are you kidding me???

This is the point in which Santa instructed me to sit on his other leg which I promptly said "heck no!"  Creepy!

She was having such a great time, can't you tell! 

This was the best we got.  She was still clutching to me for dear life but the sheer terror on her face was mostly gone.

The pictures were taken at the pool/clubhouse by their house.  They had marshmallows for hot chocolate which Avery is now a huge fan of.  She roamed around the place after the pictures and became fascinated with this man wearing reindeer antlers.  Why she was so terrified of Santa but not this man is beyond me!

Avery also tried to go swimming about 20 times while we were there.  I just know that she is going to LOVE the pool next summer!

Is it bad that I like the screaming Santa pictures just as much as sweet smiling ones?