The Christmas Miracle

We had the blessings of spending Christmas with our family - well most of them, those who didn't have the flu.
Uncle Mark (the new uncle Mark Steve's brother vs. the old uncle Mark Cathy's husband) couldn't make it in from New Hampshire due to illness. Jackie, Justin and Robbie J. all had the flue too. Wagilia just wasn't the same.

It will certainly be a memorable Christmas. Zach sort of opened a few of his presents. Sophie eagerly helped him open up most of his - and almost took a squatters position of ownership once she did open. Indeed, we didn't have the Christmas that we hoped for, but it was nice nonetheless. There weren't a ton of presents for the kids from Steve or I, we tried to go out and find things, but just a few choices were all that we made. I want my children to appreciate Christmas for more than presents so I sort of liked the simpler way. However, I know that we were missing a certain joy that comes with finding a really great toy for your child that you know they will go nuts for. I was envious of my siblings who got Wii's for their families knowing how much fun they would have as a family with such a great toy - and their kids are all grown up for the most part.

But our families really came through and took up some of the slack for getting the kids neat stuff that they seem to enjoy. Thank you so much!
Steve and I have been pretty consumed with reading the report from Yale andseeing the written words of Zach's diagnosis. It has much more of an impact than I imagined. It confirms the reality - its indisuptable now. I guess I was still hoping for someone to say - "no, he's fine, you are just overreacting." No such luck. Like I said before - how many times in your life would you hope for someone to call you a neurotic mother?

Aunt Cindy will be sorely mssed when she returns to Colorado. I noticed a particular attachment Sophia seems to have for her. Two kindered spirits?

Well, not all of our presents to Sophie are a bust. Sophie has been enchanted with the movie Madeline, so much that she has finally declared that when she grows up, she wants to be a nun. Whoa. First of all - Sophie never wants to grow up! Remember the 3 things? Or maybe I forgot to post them. Well Sophie has declared on a few occasions that there are "3 things" which I presume she means to be 3 truths in life to strive for - "1- I don't want to grow up. 2 - I don't want to die. And 3 - I don't want hair on my dupa." I can relate. Aunt Cindy declared that the Pope is likely quivering in his Prada shoes over the possibility. I told Sophie it was most admirable. With her preschool obsession of Nolan, we will just have to see what truly wins out in the end, a celibate life of working for the Lord, or her interest in hyperactive and cute Asian men .


Christmas Eve was spend with family at my sister's house. We have decided, for a number of years now, that for Cathy's birthday on the 24th of December, we will allow her to host a party for 25 or so of us in her honor at really muss up her house. She seems to do it with a smile so we will let her continue.

Christmas Day some family came to our house. It was a crazy day for me - Steve and I seemed to be operating in some sort of fog. But dinner came out pretty well. People ate and appeared somewhat merry. We couldn't get Natalie's petite amie to sing for us, but that's OK. The kids were busy doing their thing. And then came the evening. As everyone was preparing their exits, my dear niece Melissa went chasing Zach. I had no idea why. Then as she got her coat on to leave she told me. "Zach just said 'I love you'." She said that as she was getting ready to depart she told Sophie she loved her, and Zach then said to her "I love you." She chased him into the living room to see if she could get him to say it again by telling him "I love you" and sure enough he did it for her again. My sister-in-law Cindy confirmed.

One of my goals for Christmas was to get Zach to say "ho ho ho" when asked what Santa says. This was not fulfilled. But I never get what I want when I want it. God almost always throws me a curve ball when he does throw me a ball. I wasn't there to hear it, and haven't been able to get him to say it for me, but my son told someone he loved them. I don't care if it's echolalia or gustalt, he knew that when someone you love tells you that, you should say it back. If that aint a Christmas miracle, than I don't know what is.

Additional pictures at my picasa public site.