My Christmas Wish...

I've been keeping a secret... this year I asked Santa to bring me something for Christmas.  And guess what?  I must have been an extra good girl this year, because he brought me what I asked for.  The present that I asked for did not come in an extra large box.  It did not require any wrapping paper or ribbon.  In fact, it's quite likely that no one else knew that I received my wish but me (unless possibly if you've attended Christmas or seen my Christmas day photos for the past 2 years).  What you may ask was this seriously awesome gift that I was lucky enough to receive? 

2 HEALTHY, happy little 3 year olds! 

2 years ago, Miss Summer was sporadically vomitting and had a high fever and then the next night an extremely low temperature and we wound up in the ER with her.  Which amounted to just be teething apparently.

Last year, Summer had ear infections and what we thought we sinus infections that would not go away despite weeks of antibiotics from the first week in December through the end of February when she had tubes put in her ears and her adenoids removed.  And not to be outdone, Cole spiked a 104 fever 2 days after Christmas during a huge snow storm and didn't eat for almost a WEEK (this kid is usually an eating machine) and wound up having pneumonia (he would have pneumonia 2 more times before winter was over)!  Last winter's illnesses seriously took their toll on me.  Each year since the kids have been born, I have been making a photo book of that year as a gift for our families (and to ensure that I have an album summarizing the year).  In making this year's book, it caught me a little off guard to realize how swollen Summer's face was all of last winter from her constantly being so sick. 

Can you see those fevers last Christmas?

When the pattern of illnesses started again in September & early October, I was seriously crushed.  I had been promised by everyone from the daycare director to my pediatrician that the first winter in daycare would be the worst and that this year would be better.  In the beginning of November, we visited an allergy/asthma specialist (recap here) and I couldn't be happier with the results so far.  We have settled into our medication routine each night before bed.  Summer has taken to her nose sprays like a champ and Cole does his daily nebulizer treatment at school.  We just had a follow up with the doctor and he was happy with the results as well.  I'm hoping down the road to find out what they are in fact allergic to, but for now I'm happy with the fact that both kids were HAPPY on Christmas morning.  And that they were neither white as a ghost or feverishly red in all of my pictures.  They were playful and full of energy and able to make it through all of our planned festivities without any major meltdowns.

An added benefit to this wish that I wasn't expecting, Summer is a beaming, happy, lovably different person.  Not that she wasn't ever happy before, but there is a notable difference in her since starting all of the medications and her actually being able to breath out of her nose and not have what must have been so much pain and pressure in her face.  Her teachers have even commented on how much nicer she is being to her friends.  When I look back at all those swollen faced pictures of last year, I can't imagine the amount of pain she must have been in.  No wonder she had such a short fuse and was constantly snapping at those around her.  Not to say it never happens now, but much less!

Thank you Santa and Dr. Toci for bringing me my Christmas wish!

My Christmas Wish come TRUE!!!