Just coming around the mountain of holiday excitement that’s been building up for months (thanks to commercial advertising), I’d like to share my top 10 list of the best things about the holidays this year, for me. SO, the number 10 best thing about the holidays….
10. My Boys really got it this year! They felt the excitement of Santa Claus Coming to Town and were able to tell the big, red-suited, white-bearded Jolly Old Soul who visited our local nursery/Christmas Tree “Farm” what toys they hoped he’d bring them on Christmas Day.
9. Santa brought really cool, ability-appropriate, developmental toys to my children, who, by the way, were all on the Nice List this year! It was a PT/OT Christmas.
8. They sooooooo ROCK those 2-wheelers with training wheels!
7. We just knew the way my Little Man works that Wii remote that he’d be able to fly his remote controlled helicopter!
6. Random toys are making way for real interests and hobbies, a very cool transition and a little glimpse of the interesting people my children are becoming.
5. TWO GOLDEN RINGS — we’re getting better hangers in the main beam not only to rehang the rings and trapeze bar that have significantly improved The Boys’ core body strength over the past few years, but to hold the new heavy bag as My Little Men foray into the world of kick-boxing (Something they’re amazingly adept at thanks to Kung Fu Panda 2)!
4. My kids were happily into choosing appropriate gifts for each other this year instead of thinking mostly of themselves. It was very cute to see the forethought in the selection and then watch the joy they felt in seeing their sibling get excited about the present they gifted. Very cool little givers!
3. They also get it that Christmas is Jesus’ Birthday and that all this fuss was really a major big birthday celebration! (Next near I’m going to get a Carvel birthday cake–a birthday tradition in our house–to drive the message home!)
2. They were not so excited that they were bouncing off the walls, refusing to go to sleep or waking up at the crack of dawn those few days and hours before Christmas! (Yeah, for me!) My poor Old Soul had to wait 2 hours for her little broeys to wake up before tearing open her own cache of gifts.
And the number one Best Thing about the holidays for me this year…
1. At 10, my Old Soul STILL BELIEVES IN SANTA CLAUS! We are at that age where the logic outweighs the belief for most kids! But, she has sustained her belief, I know, because she WANTS to believe! In fact, I see evidence that she’s transitioning smoothly from the literal belief to the understanding that Santa and the entire holiday season is about giving to others. She’s already taken to playing Santa for her pets; buying gifts and secretly signing them, “Love Santa.”
Finally, in the spirit of giving, I want to thank you all for giving so much of your lives to your children and to other parents of children with special needs. The support and information you’ve imparted to me these last six years has surely been the greatest gift I have received and the one I’m most happy to pay forward. This holiday season, I am wishing you all the love and joy and laughter that makes parenting so rewarding for me; I’m wishing you and yours good health and good health insurance; and peace of mind and body and, especially, peaceful nights.
Happy Holidays!
xo maggie
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