The last month has been busy as always, but GOOD.
Memphis made a difference. It's not like my kids stopped and said, "Gee, Mom. I feel a little better. Thanks for that."
Brynn, who is normally very independent and lives in her own sassy world, has been very attached- asking for snuggle time, wrapping her arms all the way around with doses and doses of "I love you more than anything.". Very, very sweet. More than her actions, you can just tell that the load she is carrying is a little bit lighter right now. She acts like a girl in love. Not that anything that happened in Memphis was world-changing so to speak, but it was just enough to get her through that tough spot and she obviously feels less conflicted for the time being.
It took Cale a little longer. We still had a few rough spots in the week or so after Memphis. He was still testing to see if he acted ugly enough or said just the most terrible things- would we go away? We didn't. Now his rages are more few and far between, he regulates easier. Things that were setting him off, he is breezing by. When he is in that place, he is a gem. Best kid on earth. We hear him repeating mantras and affirmations that have been repeated to him. Even his prayers have changed. You learn a lot about someone when they let you listen to their prayers.
Things are just really GOOD right now. Belly laugh good. Most days! It is Christmas-time afterall. I love that they are all about giving away their toys and wrote letters to Santa asking him to skip our house and give to someone who needs it more... but don't want to share with their siblings? KIDS!
Nathan made it home in time for Thanksgiving- but that seems like a million years ago now. Despite the fact that Nathan whistles Christmas tunes year round, I'm kind of stickler for the transition occurring after all the Thanksgivings. So December 1st is our day, or at least our goal. This year, it fell on a Sunday so that seemed like the perfect time to shift into Christmas gear.
EVERY YEAR, I get giggly with the anticipation of cocoa and carols and twinkling lights and rosey cheeks (because if you have all the others, rosey cheeks are a given). And EVERY YEAR, when all is said and done... I need a beverage and an aspirin.
Again this year, December 1st comes and I am definitely ready to shift gears and I'm giggly with anticipation. Cocoa was on the stove, the Hanukkah station was on Sirius, Polar Express was on the tv, and pink was on Nathan's cheeks... because he was doing all the work. I did mostly nothing to contribute. I didn't try to manage or make anything perfect. I didn't tell the kids where to put their ornaments or to turn off Disney XD and get back to the regularly scheduled program. And when ornaments broke, the lights didn't work, and Polar Express turned to yet another episode of Jessie, I did nothing. Maybe missing that hint of Christmas magic, but also missing stress. I'll take it. Side note: Walker only eats the ornaments that have Layla's face on them. I'm not sure if that means he likes her the most or the least? Weird.
Last week's snow day gave us a nudge into magical territory. We actually woke up to a couple of inches in our yard, the kids were dressed and out the door before breakfast. We had peppermint ice cream in our hot chocolate, the Grinch, and a Christmas tree re-do. Magic :)
We've already kicked off our season with a few Christmas gatherings and the girls' performances in The Nutcracker. So proud of both of my dancers!
HERE COMES CHRISTMAS!!
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