Two weekends ago we went home for our cousin Covin’s birthday and to visit with the CV fam. On the Saturday morning car ride there, we start talking about our need for Christmas cookies, as long holiday car rides always require large stockpiles of our family-favorite sweets. As we brainstorm cookies, Jacob volunteers, “Eating Grandma’s cookies feels like getting a hug… even though no one’s hugging you.” Such a lovely sentiment… though it probably won’t get him all the sandies he can eat.
On Sunday morning, Covin’s school is having a pancake breakfast fundraiser, staffed by elementary schoolers. By the way, I am completely against child labor, but I can in fact see why it is so tempting to less-regulated and progressive societies. I haven’t received such attentive smiling service in decades. I practically have to fend off all the syrup replacement and coffee refilling experts.
The dining room/gym is decorated as the North Pole and we are immediately greeted by Aunt Me, aka Queen of This North Pole, aka Great Aunt Laurie. She bends down and assumes the close with Nate… straight in for a long, tight hug. Against all odds, Nate hugs her right back, unlike his brother who has averted eye contact and squirmed into the crowd.
When The Queen of the North Pole releases him, Nate turns to me and half whispers, “Mom, I hugged that lady! I was so bwave.”
The other highlight of the pancake breakfast, besides the bake sale selling what looks like pickles on a stick but turns out to be green Twinkies, is that Santa is scheduled to visit. Well, it’s really just Santa’s helper. Jake keenly points out that it is definitely not the actual Santa Claus because “Santa has real leather boots with sheepskin inside, not shiny black rain boots.”
Possibly the cutest thing that happened was before we left for the breakfast. We’re sitting in our pj’s at the kitchen island and Nonna says in a sing-song voice to Nate, “Are you ready to go? I’ve heard someone special is going to be there.”
And without missing a beat Nate says, “Granddad is going to be there?!”
His boots are definitely the real deal.
Santa’s Helper & Nate