Pictures with Santa

Yesterday we went to Moonee Ponds shopping centre to get pictures with Santa.  The kids had practiced what they were going to say and we had gotten Christmas shirts and hats a couple weeks ago.  Target had forgotten to take the security tags off the hats but after we went back and they fixed that we were set and walked out to Moonee Ponds.  It's fun now that the kids will keep hats on their head and after a bit of a wait it was their turn.
Emily was a bit nervous once she got into Santa's area.  She was okay if mom came with her but he was definitely scarier than she was expecting.  Cian ran right up to Santa and gave him big hugs.  He was ready.  Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas and eventually she got out "toys".  He also asked Cian and Cian replied with his consistent "NINJA TURTLES" (Good thing I got him something Ninja turtles!)  It was fun to hear Santa have an Australian accent.
The kids sat on Santa's lap and Emily started to cry but very quickly they were both smiling like champs.  The tickling elves did a very good job.

That evening the kids had a new babysitter, Ciara, and we went out for a date.  I had gotten tickets through the hospital to go see "Book of Everything" which was AMAZING.  We both thought it was really good.  The acting was very well done as well as the set design, sound design and on-stage musicians (these are the things I notice).  The theatre is on the south side of the Yarra River and we hadn't been over that way before.  It was a gorgeous night (around 21 degrees) and there were lights on the palm trees and a sweet-smelling breeze through the streets after the show.  The horse-drawn carriages also go down that tree-lined street past all the major theatres in Melbourne and it was a beautiful evening walk back to Flinders Street station.
The kids seemed to really love Ciara (they barely made a peep when we left) and she seems awesome because a) she wants to be a pediatrician b) she is going to Tanzania this school break to work at a hospital c) she has a brother named Cian d) she has lived in Canada, Scotland and Australia and e) she was watching Sherlock when we got home.  All these things instantly endeared me to her.  We will definitely have her again if she continues to babysit through Uni.  All in all, a lovely evening after a festive day with the kids.