The elves have been so busy...

Christmas cuties

Sorry so long since i've posted!

I deserve coal in my stocking for this. I didn't realize it has been so long. We had a great Thanksgiving with parents and pre-teen niece from Pennsylvania. I hadn't seen them for a year.

Alex had his first appointment with the pediatric orthopaedist. Alex walks with his legs a bit turned in and falls sometimes on his left side but otherwise gets around great. He is even potty trained which is great for having spina bifida. The doc said that he has some nerves that never developed in his hip area, so he has learned to walk as best he can (by sheer spunk imho) and there's nothing to be done about his gait. Just let him keep playing. (i have already seen alot of progress in his gross motor skills since he came home) As for the falling, he said there is just some weakness in that leg. He will be keeping an eye on his hip bones to be sure they grow normally. We also talked about the possibility of tethered cord surgery in the future ( some of the kids never need this, but many do as they grow). Sometimes there can be a loss in mobility after surgery but he feels that in a mild case like Alex's it would never be so bad that he wouldn't be able to walk. Let's pray that he never needs it!

Alex is continuing to do well emotionally. He loves kisses and hugs and wrestling. He loves all the Christmas decorations and especially seems to like snowmen. He is always stopping to point at something and say "Mama, Mama!" He gets excited when Daddy gets home and loves a bath. He looks proud of himself when he says English words. He said "It's my turn!" the other day.

This seems like the busiest holiday ever with 3 kids. This week we have 2 Christmas parties, and Dan is running slides for the church Christmas concert, and Dora is an angel in it as well. I have cookies to bake, cards to mail but what a happy chaos when I see the season through my kid's eyes! Today, we went to see Santa at a store and the kids were so excited. I wanted to make sure they remembered the real reason we are celebrating. I asked the kid's "whose birthday is it? and Zach said "Jesus!" Good job my sweet little man. I told them that Santa was a person long ago (Saint Nicholas) who gave presents to children to celebrate Jesus, and ever since people like to pretend and add to the story. Their enthusiam was undimmed and I was happy to know it in the right direction :)

Love to all,

Pam