Christmas Cookies

Last weekend the girls and I set about to make some Christmas cookies.  Well, I did most of the making, the girls did most of the icing and eating...

I tried VERY hard not to redo what they had done, but there IS a right way to ice cookies...isn't there?  I was happy as long as they kept their fingers out of their mouths.  Their biggest fans though, were their brothers, who made quick work of eating the cookies! 

Round two came this weekend, wonder if there will be any left for Santa?

She's afraid

You may or may not know that Olivia has a special need.  She was born without the bone in her arm that runs up the inside of your arm, thus making her hand turn inward in a "club" fashion.  She also has what is referred to as a floating thumb, her thumb just hangs and swings back and forth, hanging on by skin and tendon.  She has adapted very nicely over the last eight years and uses her pinky and ring finger as a pincher of sorts. 

When we brought her home, we consulted with an orthopaedic hand surgeon regarding what could be done to help her.  Ultimately we decided to have her thumb removed (we don't know how she has kept it this long) and the surgeon is going to reposition her hand over top of the bone she does have, thereby straightening it out.  We decided to do this over Christmas break, so she wouldn't miss any school (hoping) and get further behind.  So, surgery is scheduled for the 23rd.

Saturday night, Livi got out of bed and was sobbing.  She said she had a bad dream about her hand, that it would hurt to have the surgery, and she was afraid.  This was all triggered because she has a dr. appt. tonight, and she thought it was for the surgery.  Anyway, I talked to her, tried to calm her little fears and told her mommy and daddy would never do anything to hurt her, that we would control her pain as much as possible and that it would all be good in the end.  I reassured her that her appt. on Monday was purely a pre-surgical thing and she wasn't having anything done tonight. 

She seemed to believe me, to trust me.  That is a good thing, as some days I'm not sure she truly trusts me.  I want her to know we will take care of her and love her no matter what.  So, if you are reading this, would you say a prayer for my little girl, that she will be surrounded by God's love and grace and that her surgery will go well; that the Lord will guide Dr. Reilly's hands and eyes as he makes Olivia's hand and arm look more like her other one and that she will be free of pain especially for Christmas Day - her very first!

***UPDATE***

We are postponing Olivia's surgery until Feb. 3 in order for her to truly enjoy her very first Christmas (surgeon supported and suggested). 

Santa Claus

We had such an awesome experience tonight while taking the girls to see "Santa".  A local nursery really puts on a Christmas display and their Santa is so real and LOUD.  We headed over and got in line.  The girls were both anxious, Abigail because she really didn't like Santa last year and Livi because she just doesn't "get it" and I'm not quite sure how or what to tell her.  When it was their turn, they both went right up to see him (we were close by).

They were completely enamored with him.  He asked all the typical questions, what are your names, what do you want for Christmas...Abigail answered for both girls while Olivia giggled and giggled in amazement.  Then he asked them if they wanted to sing Jingle Bells with him.  Well, Olivia has watched the Curious George Christmas movie enough that she knew the words {sort of} and they were both ecstatic.  So, the three of them started singing and then we joined in and next thing we know, the whole line of people are all singing Jingle Bells with Santa and my girls.  It could not have been a better first time experience for Livi (and really Abigail too).  Everyone was so full of joy, it really was magical!

Now HOW will I tell them he's not real???  He was sooo very real...