Visit to see Santa

This past Saturday even though Gavin had an ear infection (he seemed to be getting over it) and it was really cold outside, we decided to take him to the mall and get his picture with Santa.  I wanted to leave early that morning so the crowds wouldn't be that bad but of course that didn't happen for many reasons.  So we get to the mall right at 1 and immediately go to where Santa is supposed to be but we don't see him!  So we walk around his little area two or three times until we finally see the sign that says he has gone to lunch and won't be back until 2.  Ugggghhh!  Well of course after all of this we are not going home so we decide to try and find a stocking for Gavin because we hadn't gotten him one yet.  So we waste about 45 minutes looking and not finding a stocking because Clay wants one as plain as possible and all they have left are either frilly ones or ones with some kind of cartoon theme.  When we get back to Santa's place there are already 6 or 7 families in front of us.  Clay has Gavin in the front carrier which so far has worked wonderfully.  Then he hands him to me so he can go find a bathroom.  Well all of the sudden Gavin starts grunting and reaching for something behind me.  I turn around and it is a lady that he is reaching for.  Well I tell him that she doesn't want to hold him but then I guess she heard me because she asks me if she can hold him.  I know, I know  save your breath I know I should have said no but I was so caught off guard that I didn't.  So instead I just stand over her like a crazy person all ready to chase after her if she makes a run for it although she already had a little girl so she couldn't possibly get away with both of them :-).  So I just stand there awkwardly waiting on Gavin to realize that she is not his Momma and to reach back for me.  Well he sure takes his precious time and in fact he waits until Clay gets back, I think he was trying to get me in trouble :-).  Anyway, Santa finally came back from lunch and the mayhem began.  All the parents were excited and dreaming of awesome pictures that they would pay a minimum of $15 for and all the kids were completely freaked out by this big huge man in a red suit.  All the kids but Gavin that is, he thought he was just fine and I truly think he thought Santa's beard was a cat.  He kept turning around and looking at it like he wanted to grab it.  Thank goodness he didn't, I would have died!  I tried to take some free pictures but they didn't turn out so great, the one we paid for was cute and a good keepsake.