Now I know where the script from National Lampoons vacation came from…ahh, Christmas has come and gone and it was beautiful and wonderful and it’s hard to find the kids in the midst of all the new toys that they have gotten. Things have slowed down to a tiresome pace since we moved to the third of January. We are back in lock down mode so we have had a pretty low key Christmas. All Winslows 24-7 has led to some interesting altercations between Lulu and Gavs.

Our last outing was Lauren’s Christmas concert to see her on stage with her little classmates. I think she may have only learned three words to each song, but she loved being up there. And really, is there anything cuter than three rows of Rudolph hats looking back at you?! Santa came after their show, and her eyes got as big as Reese’s peanut butter cups with delight. On our way home, I told her that I couldn’t believe Santa had made such a trip so close to Christmas, and that they must have a great class. She then assured me not to worry, Santa is not so busy, it’s the elves that are working like crazy. Apparently, she has decided that Santa is more in the PR, delivery management sector, which allows his appropriate face time with children immediately prior to his visit. He is in essence “the man” in a big red suit. Her favorite gift was her number one request, her harp (like every other four yr old out there, she too had a harp on her list—-who asks for that, only Lulu!)

We have put Gav on a rigorous exercise program prior to transplant. He is into sit ups (rotate arms on back of head back and forth and move Buddha belly side to side) and Hi-ya kicks…it’s all so very official. We are thinking of putting a sweat band on him and making a toddler exercise video…look out Baby Einstein. His hair is actually beginning to become too long for his mohawk which has put me at a crossroads. I do enjoy his mohawk (probably more than I should) but I would hate to cut his hair…which puts him at where he is now, a bad baby comb over…but I think that we are going to bear through it and let it grow out (Jay does not agree with this) and see if he gets his curls like his sister…I figure if I let him have a mohawk now, and then long hair, he can do little to shock me in the future (I’m going to regret that)…

Jay and I are recovering from the 46 sugar cookies that we ate over Christmas (and when I say 46 I really mean 117.75) and are just trying to make it through each day…we did take Gavin in today and his labs have been the worst that his have ever been. We have made the appropriate changes, and hopefully we will see the results that we need on Jan 2nd to proceed with his transplant. They do believe that it is possible to get everything in place, just more dialysis and shots and food changes…but on the upside, his liver enzymes were good, so we just need to boost his hemoglobin quick, especially to avoid a transfusion which will complicate things. Well, I better get to my gift from Santa this year, five empty photo albums for about three years of photos backed up onto Shutterfly, that I still have yet to order… the curse of the digital camera…

Jill