Christmas is a time for family

December 18, 2010

Christmas is a time for family

i know that seems like an obvious thing to say, but this year more than any other i am finding out how true it is. i am still constantly amazed whenever i stop to think about the fact that i will have 3 children to celebrate Christmas with this year, and i know how incredibly lucky i am to have my gorgeous family. We have put up a Christmas tree and lots of sparkly lights which the boys especially love to look at (lights are one of the few things that William will focus on) and we've been busy buying them some nice presents which are already wrapped and hidden in a cupboard ready for 'Santa' to deliver next Friday night. Poppy is so excited, and asks everyday when 'Ho Ho' is coming, but at least she understands the concept of her Advent calendar better this year so she has some idea of how much longer left (though we have to keep it downstairs, else she would eat all the chocolates in the night and expect Christmas to be the next day!).

We're planning to visit friends and family before or after Christmas and spend the day itself as just the 5 of us at home. me and Sir will share the cooking, so i'm not feeling stressed about that, and we'll probably take things nice and slowly on the day with opening presents, etc. so as not to overwhelm the kiddies, especially the babies who are experiencing the whirlwind of Christmas for the first time ever! Just as we did with Poppy we've bought special baubles to commemorate the twins' first Christmas, and i got them really cute little outfits (a reindeer suit and an elf suit) to take photos to make into thank-you cards. Poppy wants to dress up as a 'fairy' so that should be nice and simple with a tutu and wings. i think this is the first year that Poppy can truly appreciate Christmas, so it will be lovely to share it with her, as well as our boys' first one ever! i can hardly wait to see them playing with their new toys, and i'm looking forward to snuggling inside with my family for the whole Christmas weekend and just enjoying spending time together.

Poppy made me cry the other day when Santa visited her nursery. She sat on his lap and asked him for a 'bumster' (hamster) and then without any prompting she added 'and a happy head for Willum'. She knows that William has a 'poorly' head which makes him ill a lot and even at the age of 2 1/2 she is able to wish that he didn't have it and that some magic could make him better. She is just so sweet! So they were happy tears shed by me at the gorgeousness of my daughter, but also sad tears that there is no magic Santa out there to make her (and our) wish come true. William has just been diagnosed with additional problems to those we already know about - apparently his brain damage means that he doesn't process sensory information properly, especially visual and tactile, so we have been referred to a baby sensory class starting in the New Year and have been recommended to do as much sensory work with him as we can. Sir has decided to have our loft converted into an extra bedroom plus a sensory/soft play room for William so that we can provide him with as much stimulation as he needs, so we are hopeful that this will help his development. He also has indications of sensory integration disorder, but they can't properly diagnose this until he is older, but basically it means he will need therapy for it and they are going to start it now and show us some techniques to use with him at home too. This is the weekend that we start his ACTH injections and we have to take him to the doctors for monitoring every other day, because of the risk of side-effects, so i am worried about that and hope that it won't spoil Christmas for him.

Finn ia doing great and is now using a Bumbo chair to help him sit up. He is pushing and kicking with his legs lots too and has really good control over his head and neck, so i am looking to start taking him swimming in the New Year. i need to get my mum confident with looking after William first though, as he doesn't have the head control required to go swimming yet, but he is going to start hydrotherapy sessions at the early intervention clinic, so he won't be missing out. It's so hard trying to keep the needs of both babies balanced, as well as Poppy's but i think we are doing well so far. In a way it is hard having a 'normal' twin with a disabled one, because it makes it more obvious how behind William is already with his development, but in another way it makes us appreciate both boys as unique individuals and celebrate every achievement no matter how small. And i really do believe that Finn is Joshua (our angel baby) returned to help out his twin brother, because he is so patient and so in-tune with the needs of William. He really is a special little boy, and William is just a gorgeous little bean.

And of course we can now enjoy Christmas with the support of Sir's mum, now that she has accepted the fact that William is disabled and is loving him despite this. i am so glad because it was stressing me out quite a lot not having her on our side, but now she is being a lot more supportive and there doesn't seem to be any prejudice at all in her treatment of any of the children, so i am very relieved. She will be coming round just before Christmas to give the kiddies their presents and to spend time with us. That's what's important to me this year - spending time with my family, and everyone being happy and as healthy as possible. i know that i'm probably getting an ipad for Christmas, and i am excited and grateful about that, but to be honest if i didn't end up getting it, infact if i ended up getting nothing it wouldn't bother me so long as the children enjoy themselves and i can be with those i love. That's what's important to me this year and i hope that everyone can have that for their Christmas too.

If i don't get to post again this week, have a very Happy Christmas with those you love.