Santa arrives via big blue hot air balloon!

Our local mall hosts a "Breakfast with Santa" each year. I bought our tickets on Thursday and found out it was also tether rides with Santa in a hot air balloon. A really cool idea but probably not for our 2 year old with a fear of Santa Claus as is!

We arrived at the mall this morning and there is a big blue hot air ballon being inflated. We go inside for the Chik-fil-a breakfast and activities. The Elves are creating balloon animals so we get in line. Moments later Emma starts pointing and yelling "Santi Caws" over and over again. We looked behind us and Santa & Mrs. Claus were in the air in front of the mall.

We were in Group B so we finish our breakfast and attempt to take Emma's picture with Rudolph. She gives him several high-fives and danced all around him but was not into a posed photo. We went to the reindeer food station and the ornament station...then it was time for our group to get in line outside. It was so cold - like 40 degrees out! Emma was having fun dancing around to the Christmas music and watching Santa go up in the big balloon with other kids...until they call for us to step up to the balloon. She freaked and started screaming. We got her calmed down and told her she did not have to sit in the balloon - just tell Santa hi with Mommy. We get up there and she is clinging to me and teary eyed but she does say "Hi Santi Caws" and gives him a wave and a high-five.

We ran a few errands around town this evening and the same hot air balloon was in the air. Emma kept asking "Why Santi Caws?" and we kept telling her he must be lost on his way back to the North Pole. We have a feeling that hot air balloons will be forever tied to "Santi Caws" after this morning!