Christmas Parade

Today was the annual Children's Christmas Parade downtown. It's always on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It marks the start of the holiday season. My sister and I have been taking her kids for the past couple of years. They love going and secretly, so do I. Parades can bring out the kid in anyone. This is a pic of the gang before the parade started. It was naptime for Teagan so he stayed home with Daddy. Yes, my sister is holding a green, plastic frog. That happens sometimes when you're a mom. The parade had a little bit of everything....police cars, fire trucks, clowns, marching bands, cheerleaders, floats, uni-cyclists, police motorcycles, horses, dogs, ROTC units and a bunch of other stuff. The most exciting moment came when a guy in a gorilla suit rode up on a motorcycle, stopped in front of us, got off his bike and picked up Travis over his shoulder. This was probably not the right kid to choose to do this trick with. Travis is a shy, sensitive kid and we could tell by the look on his face that he was terrified. But he held it together and the gorilla put him down at the insistence of the clowns. Travis didn't think it was cool. And I was so shocked by the whole thing that I forgot to grab my camera!

Tatum was her normal enthusiastic self. She loved the marching bands the best. You could hear them coming by the sound of the drum corps echoing off the buildings. She would start doing this little marching dance as soon as she heard them. Very cute!

The parade always ends with the arrival of Santa Claus. My sister said to me "Just think next year we'll be bringing 5 kids down here for the parade." Oh from your lips to God's ears, Carla. I hope and pray the CCAA gives me my baby before next year's parade. I can't wait to bring Mia!