Title stolen from my favorite Ben Harper song.
If you don’t know it, go listen immediately. It’s beautiful, and it’s seriously hard to pick a favorite
Ben Harper song, but this is it.
The reason this post has this particular title is because of this sweet girl:
and her reaction to Santa yesterday.
Now, for some reason, I’m pretty sure Harper has a connection in her mind between
Santa and Daddy.
I don’t know why.
Perhaps it’s because both are mythical in her mind, or because she really wants to be a good girl for both of them, or because she can’t “see” either of them.
But when we pulled up in front of the mall yesterday, she could barely contain herself.
She was practically vibrating with energy and excitement and she was talking 100 miles an hour.
She said “santa here, mommy! but daddy not here, right?”
And I told her that no, Daddy wasn’t there.
See, they are linked in her 2 year old brain!
So anyway, she was so over the top excited on the way into the mall,
that she fell on the slippery concrete in her pretty little Hanna Anderson dress
and white tights. Those patent leather shoes are SLIPPERY!!
Her crestfallen little face when she got up squashed any inappropriate notions I might have had
about letting out a giggle.
I assured her that she still looked beautiful, and we went on.
As soon as the double doors opened, she started yelling
“SANNNNNNNNNNNTA??? ARE YOU??? IT’S HARPER!! ARE YOU????”
Let me tell you, the mall walkers and Auntie Anne’s customers LOVED this.
There were so many smiles directed at us.
And when she spied Santa’s cottage,
she started RUNNING and I thought her face was going to split open,
she was smiling so big.
And that’s when I lost it.
Big tears were running down my face,
and honestly they are running down my face as I type this.
It was so pure…I mean is there really, truly anything more beautiful than a child that believes with all of her heart?
The rest of the visit was your normal Santa visit.
Sadie was NOT a fan. But she has major separation anxiety and didn’t like me standing a few feet away and not holding her.
Harper was very reserved around Santa. I guess she was in awe.
She spoke so quietly, he could barely hear her ask for a rocking horse.
And I’m positive that I’m the only one that heard her ask for daddy.
And I’m pretty sure Santa loved the ring pop Harper brought him.
And my heart is still full from witnessing that sight.
And I believe…I still do!
Merry Christmas, friends.
Have a beautiful day.
xo
s