Since Mommy started dating Daddy in 2005, there are a few traditions that our families have started and kept up over the holidays. One of those, that you got to experience today, is the trip to downtown Seattle for Santa pictures and shopping. Every year, Nordstroms hosts a Santa Claus and the Brewer children get their picture taken with him. They line up outside the store in the morning before Santa arrives and keep warm with Starbucks goodies. Grandma Lois orders one print for the collection. (Some day you need to look through the pictures of Daddy, Auntie Antje, and eventually Mommy, from your age through being the oldest “kids” there.) This year, Auntie Antje and Grandpa Don got there early to save us a spot at the front of the line. We picked up Uncle Caleb on the way down. You were perfect: you sat on Santa’s lap, gave his long beard a good tug, and smiled a big open-mouth smile the first try. We were paid and out of there in <5 minutes.

After pictures comes shopping at Westlake Center: getting truffles for Grandma Lois at Godiva, checking out the quirky stuff at Fireworks, squeezing through the packed aisles of the Japanese shop, and generally trying to check off people on Christmas lists. Next, off to Pikes Place Market for tasty food, including hom bows at the Chinese bakery, and more quirky stores. Finally, a trip to Nordstrom’s Rack for a mostly futile attempt to find shoes for the large of foot: Uncle Caleb, Mommy and Daddy. Past years have also included catching a movie at Pacific Place, but this year, we decided that you had probably had enough excitement for one day.