Christmas fun

I think I have said it before, but Christmas is my favorite.  I love the time with family, the songs, advent, the food, and all of the wonderful giving that occurs.  I also love that I have an excuse to sugar load the kids I work with and have 6 or 7 "Christmas parties" a day.  This year I had my kids decorate a sugar cookie by answering my therapeutic questions so it was technically still therapy, but also super fun.  I should have taken some pictures of the cookies because they were something...kindergartners plus a bottle of sprinkles...just picture it :) 

My cat also loves Christmas.  We just happened to catch her about to climb the tree when we were taking some pictures...crazy cat

Speaking of my kids at work, they continue to make me laugh about the whole pregnancy thing.  One of my 3rd grade clients has created a song that she sings to the baby and gets whom ever is around to join in.  It goes something like, "Mrs. Alexis is having a baby, Mrs. Alexis is having a baby, Mrs. Alexis is having a baby..." You get the idea.  I have realized that the baby (more like my large and ever growing stomach) gets many more hugs during the day than I do.  Another client asked if my baby could be his best friend and go to his house to play with his dog.  I questioned if dogs and babies are safe together and he informed me that in fact they are because all his dog likes to do is lick babies.  Probably my favorite, and most embarrassing moment, so far though has been when I went to the cafeteria to find my client to have lunch with and he wanted to feel the baby kick.  The baby wasn't kicking at the time so he grabbed my stomach with both hands and shook my stomach, literally, stating, "wake up baby."  I didn't know my stomach could do that!  Being the therapist that I am, I decided to use this as a 'teaching moment', and grabbed his shoulders and (lightly) shook him and told him to wake up.  Lesson learned ;)    However, if anyone is in need of a Santa for a Christmas party I am for hire, my stomach does shake like a bowl of jelly.  I have also had a couple of super sweet moments too where my clients and moms have shared with me that they believe my baby is the "luckiest kid ever" to have me as their mom. 

Ridiculous candid picture, but the only one that shows the shakeable belly

More on the baby news, I have officially hit the third trimester.  My only complaint still is that this kid rarely stays still.  I asked my doctor last week if this is normal and she informed me that I probably feel much more because of my size...and that they are going to get stronger...awesome.  Marcus came to bed one night and asked if it was me or the baby kicking.  It wasn't me, the baby was kicking so hard he could feel it through the mattress.  Marcus then had the nerve to call it "annoying" after experiencing the kicks for about 5 minutes.  I live with this all the time, thanks honey.  Don't get me wrong, it is definitely one of the coolest things to feel the baby move and be able to bond with them this way.  I just sometimes wish it didn't hurt or stop me mid sentence during therapy sessions.  I have posted a video of me trying to sleep one night and the baby not being ready for bed (something I should probably get used to huh).

Another thing about this Christmas that I am really looking forward to is going to New York City with my mom to visit my sister.  I have never been before and it is going to be decorated in wonderful Christmas splendor.  After the trip we then rush into family Christmas craziness with 1-2 gatherings a day with various family.  The Monday after Christmas, Marcus and I are going to Kansas City with Derek and Alexia to hang out and have a relaxing, fun vacation before I am restricted from traveling.  I would love suggestions of fun things to do in either place!

Hope you have a wonderful week before Christmas without stress or too many visits to Walmart.

-Alexis

A Letter for you

Precious Child,

I have been thinking about this letter for awhile now.  I want to let you know how wonderfully special you are.  When I first found out I was pregnant with you I was so surprised.  It took me a bit to wrap my mind around being a mom.  It’s not that I didn’t want to be your mom, but I had never really felt like I would be that good at being a mom.  I prayed a lot about you being healthy and for our future as a family.  I began to see how God was going to use you to help grow Marcus and me in our marriage and in our selflessness.  Through these things I became assured that you were going to bless my life.

You have already done so much more than that.  Not many people can say they know their purpose in life.  I believe that God creates us each with a specific purpose and plan and yours, or one of yours, became evident this fall.  You have saved a life!  I already feel like you have given me more than I could ever give to you.  It is my job as your mother to provide for, care, protect, and love you, but I feel as if no matter what I do I will never be able to repay what you have done.

My mom, your grandma, was having some back pain.  She had had this pain for a long time but didn’t want to see a doctor about it.  However, when she found about her first grand baby, she could only think about holding you.  She went to the doctor to figure out how to heal her back so she could be there for you.  It was through this that we learned about her cancer.  Something you need to understand about Grandma, or G’mama, is that she is strong and a fighter but stubborn.  Even knowing about her cancer, she was resistant to going through treatment.  That is until she would think about you, meeting you, kissing you, holding you.   You were, and are, her motivation to heal.  You gave me my mom, my best friend. 

You are truly a gift from God who is destined to do great things.  God has used you do bless and heal so many already, and I can only imagine the wonders He has planned for you.  Know that every day I am thankful for you.  I am thankful that you were gifted to me.  I am thankful that you have blessed my family.  I am thankful for the joy and love that I know you are going to bring.

Love, Mom

Jeremiah 1:5 (The Message)

⁵"Before I shaped you in the womb,
   I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
   I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—
   that's what I had in mind for you."

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.” (Psalm 127:3)

Romans 8:28 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.