Elfing around town

Our itty bitty monkey showing off the gingerbread train

Today we started out elfing around town delivering cookies and running errands. Creed got to play with friends while Mama spent much needed time with a special friend, making upcycled Christmas stockings out of beautiful wool from Goodwill. The boys played well together and I enjoyed extra snuggles from a very small itty bitty. Together we made a gingerbread train, which the boys enjoyed eating the candy just as much as decorating the train. The icing, by the way, is super yummy. ;-) 

Next stop was a visit the pediatrician's office. Creed said he was going to give the doctor a check-up. I was really surprised how quickly we went in and out of the office. Creed decided that he didn't want to sit on the white crinkly paper, after marking the examining table with what turned out to be permanent marker! Eeeek! He went straight into monkey-mode with an explosion of energy, that I'm sure came from having an appointment during nap time. Up and down … up and down, off the table, on the table. He was having a blast. Mama was less than thrilled. When the nurse tried to hear his heart beat, he was explaining to her he had a frog in his throat. (I haven't said that phrase before and it's really funny how he picks things up. If I remember right, Little Bear told his mother he had a frog in his throat). As she was shushing him he said, "I love you Mama." "I love you too, " I answered. "Shhhh Mama. We have to be quiet," he said, in a very hushed tone. He was wiggling and wriggling around and she was amazing at redirecting his focus. Not all doctors have the best bedside manner, even when you'd think all pediatric physicians would. I had been bothered by swollen lymph nodes that made an appearance earlier this year and never went away. I saw his first physician in the same practice, that made me feel ridiculous for even bringing him to the doctor's office. Finally, when this last lymph node showed up and was made clear just looking at his neck, I decided that I was going to take him again, even if it meant just paying for peace of mind, however we would see a different physician. When the doctor came in he was really compassionate and explained that most small children have them and that they swell up and go down over time, sometimes taking a couple of years. He said the only reason I could see or feel them was because he was skinny, but a healthy skinny. He said in no way was it anything to worry about with childhood disease or illness. I was immediately relieved. Cancer is always in the back of my mind. My younger sister died of Lukemia when she was six years old. Other members of our family have had and survived and had and not survived cancer. My father has had cancer taken from his body off and on in the past few years. I prayed to God last night to restore complete health to my child and watch over him. When he gets sick I think it's something I've done or not done. This thought is from the enemy, I know. And yesterday I rebuked the enemy in great anger. Sometimes it's completely exhausting being on the defense all the time, but with every rebuke he loses power. So, in short, I have a healthy son, one that will exude his livelihodd, with hearty toddlerness. I smile when I think of this and thank God for him.

Yummy gluten and dairy free cookies (except for the m&ms)

I've been able to find some free Christmas printables online. I printed an alphabet banner from A-Z, which I can't wait to cut out and hang up for Christmas. We half-way played a Thanksgiving game this morning matching uppercase and lowercase letters. 

I had it in mind to do something Christmasy every day for December, which hasn't panned out, but we've been able to do a lot of things so far including driving around looking at Christmas light displays, making Christmas cookies, wrapping presents, singing Christmas songs, building a gingerbread train, watching Christmas movies, going to the theater, making Christmas magnets, decorating the Christmas tree … more to come! I know these memories will last a lifetime, like the ones we had growing up. So, we're busy making every day count as something special. Sometimes that's hard to do, especially when our itty bitty is throwing either an itty bitty fit or a colossal tantrum, but hey, I'm no angel either!
Visit the blog one plus one equals one here: http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/2013/11/christmas-alphabet-printables/ for the Christmas A-Z printables. It's totally free and the quality is amazing. I love her opening quote, "To the world it makes no sense, to God it makes perfect sense." Plus, the fact that she states, "Never planned to homeschool. Now wouldn't trade it for the world."