A New Year

I have had a wonderful holiday break.  We had a lot of family adventures and yet we were still able to relax.  It was perfect.  Christmas didn't bring much sadness this year.  We were able to enjoy the kids as they are, not how we wish they could be.  They didn't enjoy unwrapping the gifts, but they certainly liked what was inside.  They each got a comfy beanbag chair.  They got a lot of books - new ones and copies of old favorites that have been destroyed.  We have a slew of new chewy toys to keep them happy.  The jumbo chewy necklaces (they look like old telephone cords), seem to be the biggest hit.

Oliver turned 4 years old a few days ago.  His birthday tends to get overshadowed by the holidays.  He has never had an actual party, just family around the dining room table.  I felt bad about that this year.  I am going to try to do something special for him and his classmates this next week.

Birthdays are always difficult.  I remember significant changes beginning with Waverly at age 4.  She started to become more hyper, chewing intensified and she had more difficulty with routine tasks.  They are very different kids, but I still anticipate that this is going to be a tough year for Oliver.  He has had a terrible week's sleep - getting up around 4 am.  Thankfully, I feel more prepared for these behaviors.  I can anticipate the changes and adjust my expectations.  It is still sad to see another year pass.