Christmas Day

**I wrote this Christmas Day and forgot to post.*
AC's pappaw asked her on Christmas Eve what was special about Christmas and she said, "It's Jesus's birthday and I get to eat monkey bread." We started that breakfast tradition in the Hoyer family. It's one of my faves too. I thought AC would wake up early since she had trouble going to sleep Christmas Eve, but she  didn't come down until 8am. I asked if she'd help me make the monkey bread before we opened gifts. She was sweet to agree. She was excited to use a sharp knife for the first time. :)

I got a new camera for Christmas but the battery had to be charged. Sorry these are great, but they are from my phone. :) One of AC's gifts was a bed for her doll.

Sometimes I think my kids enjoy their stocking stuffers more than the big gifts. AK was very excited about his gluten free playdough. (AC and AK played for about an hour with it after breakfast).

AK also loved his train set. He played with it for a long time yesterday and woke up this morning wanting to play again.
We had my in-laws over for breakfast. Then we went to my parents after AK's nap. Once I figure out how to upload pictures from my new camera, I'll add some more. We had a great time with family yesterday. The cousins are getting to an age where they play so well together. The only thing that makes me sad is that EK doesn't play. She likes to watch them and she was super happy at my parents house, but she's the oldest cousin. In a normal situation, she'd be the bossy one, telling her younger siblings and cousins what to do. I think having a special needs child brings waves of grief all the time. I'm not sad or depressed all the time. But there are moments where it hits me and makes me sad that she's missing out on special things. I wonder if she realizes she's missing out? This morning as AK and AC played with their new toys, it made me wish that we had ONE toy that EK would play with. Something that would keep her attention and encourage her to engage in typical play. Instead, she just wanders around the house, unless you're right with her, holding her and talking or singing to her.
This was not meant to be a sad post. We really had a sweet Christmas. It was fun seeing the excitement in the kids as they opened their gifts. AK was really into it this year. I had put his train set in a Huggies diaper box. When he ripped the paper off, he yelled "My diapers!" and grinned. What a sweet boy to be happy even about diapers. :)
AC was excited about all her gifts. It's fun to have AC and AK at an age where is really doesn't matter what you get them or how much you spend. I know it won't always be this way, but for now it's a blessing!!

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