Avery Meets Santa & My Favorite Grocery Cart Cover

Well, we really got into the Christmas spirit this weekend as Avery got to meet someone very special for the first time...Santa! I knew I wanted that "first year Santa picture"...it's like a baby rite of passage right? But I also knew I wanted nothing to do with going to mall and standing in line for hours just for a quick picture. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just knew that would make me lose my mind a little bit if I had to do it! So when I saw my favorite local health food store was hosting a free Santa photo session, I was immediately on board! Ironically enough, it was on the day we already go there to do our weekly grocery shopping, bonus! Let's cross two things off the list!

So how did little Miss Avery do with Santa? See below!
Avery's First Picture with Santa
No smiles, but at least no tears...yet!
We got so lucky with the photo session because there was literally no line at all when we went to get her picture.
For real Mom? I don't have to wait?

As you can tell Avery was excited and ready to meet him!
Oh my gosh...Santa!

Alright, already get me up there!
Here's what happened when she got to meet him.
Admiring his soft coat.


Had to wear some special socks/shoes to match Santa!

Now her happiness with Santa lasted for a short time and then after awhile, she decided she was done.
Okay Mom, enough with the pictures! Get me off of here!

Now after our Santa fun was done, it was time to shop.  Awhile back I posted about The Sleepy Wrap, and although I do still wear her in that occasionally, I have started sitting her in the seat of the grocery carts...mainly because she gets pretty heavy in the wrap from time to time.  Now with all the germs and who knows what else being on the cart, you know I'm covering it up in some kind of way...enter Baby Ease Wee BE Organic Clean Shopping Cart Cover. This things rocks! It only cost about $25 and it's very green in how it's organic and instead of traditional polyfil padding, it just uses three layers of organic cotton fabric.  What I like best about it, other than the cute peace sign designs, is the fact that I can just wash it and continue using it over and over for years to come (or as long as I can keep her in the cart!).  Basically all you do is place the cart cover on top of the seat in the cart, sit the baby in, attach the Velcro seat belt and you're good to go.

My little shopping helper in her Wee BE Organic
Shopping Cart Cover.
Some dislikes:
- although I made it sound easy to put on above, it can be a little cumbersome at times to put on, but I'm sure it would be that way with any cover. Also, I probably never put it on 100% correct with all the pieces attached (you can Velcro various sections to each other), but as long as I have her feet in the holes and the latch around her tummy, we're good to go.  I feel like it's a secure, safe fit. 

-doesn't always work with other carts.  The carts at my favorite health food store are a bit smaller and more narrow than traditional carts, so it's a perfect fit for Avery. But, at places like Wal-Mart and Target, Avery has way too much room in the cart, maybe because she's so young, but at those places I usually just go with the wrap instead of the cart cover.  I'm sure once she gets bigger, the cart cover will work perfect!

All in all, it's a great cart cover and I love knowing that Avery's not touching any of the germs, dust, dirt, or other allergens on the cart.  Enough talk, let's see that cart cover in action! Here's some of the fun Avery had in the grocery cart cover that day at the store:
 
She loves to try and reach for things...which I have to
watch out for sometimes.


She also likes to reach for things in the
back of the cart, and bring them
up to the front.  By the way, that Udi's
gluten-free pizza crust was
really good, just had it for dinner!

There is a little hook of fabric in the front
I use it to hook some toys onto to keep
her occupied.

Once again reaching for food from the
back.

Success! Time to try and eat the bag-lol.
Well that's the fun we had when Avery met Santa...and I got some grocery shopping done.  And as if one visit to Santa wasn't enough, she made another visit today with her grandma, who watches her three days a week...
Santa Take Two...
Boy, after all these visits I think she's definitely going to be on Santa's "Nice List"!

Do you have a favorite grocery cart cover or way of carrying your baby once they start to grow out of the wrap? Post below! Funny "first year Santa picture" stories are also acceptable! ( ;