Considering how poorly our attempts to get the kids to sit with Santa ACTUALLY went, this picture is AMAZINGLY good.

Everyone’s looking at the camera! No one is actively sobbing, even if their face is still covered in the tears of a poor, abused child who was handed off to a strange fat guy. Little Evan is maybe even almost smiling!

So it wasn’t a perfectly magical visit…although the glowing ice rotunda where glitter snow floated gently down from the ceiling onto my delighted children was pretty magical.

I’m going to sit here and stare at the magic for a few more minutes, because then I get to go deal with a toddler who has started horking up his lunch! And his milk! All over himself! And on all the things! Christmas magic, indeed.

I’ve known these girls since I was 15 and brand new to my hugemongous high school in Northern Virginia. We didn’t start out as the best of friends (possible understatement of the year) but when you live through puberty and graduation and college and life together and are still on speaking terms it creates kind of chemical bond that means you’re destined to be together forever. It’s science. We met because we were all involved in the drama department (and OH the DRAMA that was involved in that department!) but that’s where the similarities end. Each in a different year of school, different colleges, different careers, different stages of our life, and always so so busy.

But turning 30 is a Big Deal, so come hell or high water (or two hurricanes that managed to just miss ruining our weekend) we knew we needed time to catch up.

Thank GOD they’re the kind of friends who think your baby is adorable and laugh hysterically when your toddler photobombs all your pictures.

Because even if you don’t change at ALL when you have kids and cling desperately to every ounce of childless coolness your old self ever contained, you are still your old self WITH KIDS. And kids have needs, and naptimes, and bedtimes and are loud and messy and generally regarded by your child-free friends with the same amount of enthusiasm as they’d regard a raging case of herpes. Your social calendar empties like so many wine glasses of your youth and you’re left with wedding pictures featuring bridesmaids you haven’t seen since you announced you were expecting.

Not THESE friends.

These friends teach your baby how to walk and show your toddler the cool seashells. They don’t consider their vacation ruined by the presence of your children. They think your kids are super well behaved and they tell you so.

We started as three and now we are seven.

And we are DEFINITELY DOING THIS AGAIN.

E, Me, Caroline, Elliot, Erin, Sara and Little Evan