Merry Christmas to All...

I decided to take Mia downtown to see the big Christmas tree this week. I was really excited about it. Then again I get pretty excited about anything related to Christmas. I've watched White Christmas 7 or 8 times since Thanksgiving.

So, one morning after we had breakfast at a diner near my house, Mia and I headed downtown.

I love driving anywhere with Mia. She loves Taylor Swift. Imagine a 2 year old sitting in her car seat singing all of the words to Love Story.

"You be the prince, and I'll be the princess, it's a love story, baby just say yes!"

It's just about the cutest thing in the world. It wasn't too long ago that I really didn't think it mattered what music I played in the car...then I had to tell her mom that her baby knew most of the words to the new Killers album.

Well, we got downtown and I had to park in a pay-by-the-hour parking lot. So before getting Mia, my purse, and her bag with a change of clothes in it out of the car, I stuck my parking ticket in my overhead visor.

On our way to the Christmas tree, I saw that we were going to have to walk by an old man playing his guitar on the sidewalk. I'm sad to say that my first reaction to this was annoyance. Here I am carrying 2 bags, trying to hold onto a 2 year old's hand as she runs screaming towards a giant Christmas tree, and I have to feel guilty walking by this man who expects me to stop, put everything down, and search through my bag for change.

Just past the man with the guitar I noticed a kiosk that had a sign that said, "PAY FOR PARKING HERE"
I. don't. believe. this.
I have to pay for parking here? I left my parking ticket in the car...surely you can pay for it on your way out of the lot...
As Mia dragged me by I strained to see if there was something that said, "You can also pay on your way out of the lot!"
But no such luck.

Well, we saw the tree, which was great except that she was more interested in playing on the escalators inside. But she was also very excited to see the tree, and we had a lot of fun. Except that the entire time I was trying to decide whether or not I should chance loading Mia into the car only to have to walk back to the damn kiosk with my parking ticket.

So, I decided to just get the ticket and come back to the damn kiosk. It was nearing nap time and I didn't want to deal with buckling Mia in twice...she wouldn't understand. Of course, that meant we had to walk out to the car past the man playing guitar, get the ticket, walk back to the kiosk past the man playing guitar, put $1 on my credit card because the machine didn't take coins, then walk back to the car past the man playing guitar. Turns out Mia didn't understand this either. As we were walking back from the car, a woman who was putting up garland saw us and said,

"Did you just go back to your car to get your ticket?! You can pay for it on your way out of the lot..."

I just smiled and nodded...I was about to lose it.

As we walked past the man playing guitar again and again and again, my guilt growing, Mia kept trying to pull me towards him. While I was waiting for the damn kiosk to print out my reciept for $1 I finally heard how beautiful his voice was. I looked down at Mia who was watching this man, listening to him sing "Joy to the World" and my annoyance faded away. I put down my bags, searched through my wallet and gave Mia as many coins as would fit into her little hands. She walked up to him and put the coins into his guitar case. He looked down at her, smiled and said, "Merry Christmas little lady," and she smiled at him and said, "Merry Christmas!"

I hope I teach her as much as she teaches me.

...and to all a good night.