Seeing Santa- December 10

I have misplaced my SD card with picture from our visit to Santa so I've been holding off on this post but it's not like we were able to take pictures with Santa anyway so I figured I could always add them later.

Owen's preschool class was going on a field trip to see Santa at the mall and I decided I could be a good mom and help. The morning of the field trip, as I was waiting at preschool waiting to get ready to leave, I got a call from Ian's school nurse telling me I needed to pick him up immediately because he had a runny nose. His school has a very strict sick policy and I'm happy to help keep the kids well so I rushed over to pick him up. I figure, he can go to the mall with us. Let the fun begin! Ian is great until we have to wait in line. He can see Santa and he is crying out and screaming "Santa, Santa! It's you!" So cute! Until he has a total meltdown because I won't let him barrel down the kids in front of us to sit on Santa's lap. He laid on the floor and screamed. I was getting lots of looks (what else is new?) and the workers were all trying to be helpful but I knew he would not quit screaming until he was ON Santa's lap. Finally it's his turn and he runs up jumps on Santa's lap and starts pulling on his beard and glasses. Then, Santa starts COUGHING on Ian. Yep, Santa is sick. Great I think, a virus we probably haven't had and another week of Ian home. Yippee. I have to pull Ian off of Santa's lap and he isn't happy. Luckily my friend Kelly had her (almost) adult daughter there and she was a great help with Ian while we waited for the rest of the kids to have their turn. My little Owen who was soooo excited to see Santa and tell him he wants a race track set completely froze the minute it was his turn. He wouldn't sit on his lap and he wouldn't talk. That's ok though because if he did he might have said he wanted "Follow me Thomas" and I know for a fact Santa decided to get him a race track. We wouldn't have wanted a disappointed little boy Christmas morning! So, I was happy to tell Santa that he wanted a race track. We gathered all the little preschool kids and headed out the door. I had made the mistake of parking by Macys instead of closer to where Santa was so we had to walk down the corridor of the mall. Only, Ian had decided he didn't want to leave. He threw himself on the floor several times, kicking, screaming and being absolutely out of control. At first I think, no problem, I can handle this. Only, all my tricks aren't working and he is getting more and more agitated. AND, then I notice we starting to get the rubber neckers. I am getting more and more frustrated and so I end up dragging him, yes, dragging him by his arm down the corridor of the mall until he finally stands up and walks out with me. Once we get to the door he bee lines for the Tahoe not stopping to look for cars. Of course I'm running after him but I never caught up. Luckily there wasn't much traffic because any cars coming wouldn't  have been able to see him and/or stop in time. THIS is why I don't take my children anywhere. I had thought that maybe I would come back another day with Emilia and get pictures taken with Santa but somethings just aren't worth the stress! And this is defiantly one of them!