I apologize right off the bat. If you are not family or close personal friend (and even if you are), this is a massive photo dump. You may not want to sift through it all, or maybe you do, afterall the subjects are pretty darn cute. But you have been forewarned.
Words cannot express how grateful I felt this Christmas.
1.) The boys were sick just before and just after but not DURING this holiday season for the first year EVER. People that are close to us know that this was a huge deal for us.
I'm not talking sniffles when the boys get sick. I'm talking monitoring oxygen rates, using steroids, and nebulizers every three to four hours around the clock and even during the night to keep up their oxygen levels and help them breathe easier, etc.
It is getting better with each passing year as the boys get bigger and stronger but with their lung issues, any respiratory stuff still hits them really hard and its a constant worry whether they'll need a hospitalization when illness strikes.
they definitely have the doctor thing down.
I love watching them check each other's ears
or listen to the others lungs
and watch them nod their head
and say "uh huh, uh huh." LOL
Just the eve of Christmas Eve we took Alex in again to the doctors
and his oxygen was hovering around 92 even on steroids and nebs.
Usually 90 and below will send him to the hospital for oxygen and monitoring--
exactly what happened this time last year--
but gratefully we averted that and both boys
were feeling up to celebrating with all of our family and friends!!!!!!
It was exactly all I wanted for Christmas!!!
Nicholas is ALWAYS trying to hug on his brother.
He really is such
a sweet affectionate boy.
We'll often hear him say "I just trying to hug you Alex"
when Alex playfully pushes him away or tells him "No"
they end up wrestling
Nicholas will also be the first to say "I love you brother" at bedtime
or even spontaneously
during the day.
And although Alex may not be a hugger (except for his Momma)
there's no mistaking that Alex loves his brother too!
2.) This is the best age so far. Truly. The boys understand a little more about Christmas, and know enough to get excited about it all. They don't yet know that they can ask or or even try to demand for certain toys so its that blissful spot of just being happy for whatever comes. LOVE it!
3.) Getting lots of time to spend with our family and friends, sharing in the old and making of new traditions together. Lets face it, this is what its really all about.
We kicked off by celebrating Christmas Eve with my dad, sisters and brother and family.
Yikes, you will see I started off really strong with all the picture taking,
and it dwindled pretty quickly from here.
my beautiful nieces
My gorgeous sisters home from college
Our newest cousin
waiting patient as Grandpa passes out the presents....
Drawing/painting: another huge hit!!!
and ofcourse trucks, trucks trucks!!!
and another small brunch party at our house Christmas morning with Nana and Grandpa.
The boys are all about pretend and they especially
love playing with a doll house at school,
luckily Santa knew that and brought them one
to play with at home too :)
they play with it. every. single. day. so far.
realizing now that about this time,
I had already started getting lazy with the camera
and there were a lot of shots that I missed
just sat back and enjoyed
instead of running to get the camera.
The choo choo train play tent, another huge hit!!
Then we headed over to "Mammie" and Grandpa R's for Christmas afternoon/evening
I was able to sit back with a glass of wine
and "drink" it all in.
Here are some of the photos I did manage to capture:
Cousins :)
Nicholas starting to fade......
Like most families, It's a crazy time cramming it all in over just a couple of days.......
but its full of love and we just couldn't imagine it any other way.
