Therapy Update!

So as many know, I am in therapy 4 times a week. Phyiscal Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy for communication, and Speech Therapy for feeding. Lately I have been taking leaps and bounds in my progress. But one very important thing, I recently FOUND my swallow. I have been dying to try so many of the delicious things that everyone around me eats. But no matter how much I chewed and crunched and munched, it didn't matter because I had lost my swallow. Well about a month ago, I found it! I am currently just practicing sips of water, but let me tell you, I am looking forward to the days when I can have chocolate chip cookies and pizza.

Dashing Through the Snow

So we finally had a good snow storm! Lucky for us we had recently been shopping at Daddy's favorite sportsman's store and got this awesome sled.

It started out great for me, Ryker was still thinking about it.

Then I started realizing that it was awfully cold outside.
It was then that Ryker came to the conclusion that this was rather exciting.

I was trying to be courageous for everyone.

But I finally said, "I am done."

But if it means we get to spend time as a family, by golly it will be awesome.

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

Last year, my aunt and uncle convinced us to have a REAL tree. I don't think we will ever go back to the artificial ways of our past.

The beautiful twinkle lights! But watch out, you can get pretty tangled up.

Don't worry, though, I am very flexible and can untangle myself. Here I am putting the first ornament on the tree. (It is a train from our trip to the North Pole.)

My parents have what we call an eclectic tree. We collect ornaments from all our travels, adventures, and just about anything we really want to remember. The ornament that Ryker picked out this year on our way home from the Heller Family Reunion.

The ornament I picked out this year. My very first ornament Grandma bought me when I was still very little and in the hospital.
Ryker's very first ornament I helped pick out when he just a brand new baby.

Now this is a very special ornament. After Mommy's Grandpa and Grandma past away she wanted something very special to remember them by. So she asked with tears in her big brown eyes and got one very special item. An ornament from their very first Christmas together. The year was 1938, 71 years ago. That is what we call an heirloom.

Another special ornament, an ornament that Mommy's mom made for Grandma and Grandpa's very first Christmas. It may not be the most monetarily expensive ornament, but the years and joy it symbolizes, WOW!

And the Ornament that started it all. Daddy and Mommy bought this on their honeymoon almost 7 years ago. Once a lonely ornament, now encircled by many others who symbolize all our family memories.

Our tree keeps changing and becoming more and more beautiful with the ornaments that we add each new adventure.

To The North Pole of Course!!!

Okay, so we have watched the Polar Express one or two . . . bazillion times. So we had to snatch up the chance to go to the North Pole ourselves and see the Big Man himself. This train ride was magical.

Nothing is better than sitting in Daddy's lap and enjoying a good ride.

Just watching the world go by.

So we met Mrs. Claus at the beginning of the ride and she gave this special paper so that I could write a letter to Santa. I knew this was extremely important, so I meticulously wrote my letter, starting with thanking him for all the thoughtful gifts. Then specifying what I truly want. Then ending with another Thank You. You never can be too thankful.

Ryker enthralled by outside world.

The amazing family who agreed to join us on our adventure to the far North. (Currently a family of 3 and 8/9.)

Oh, the beauty!

Isn't this breathetaking!

Our family of four after our amazing ride up to the see Santa.

See, the North Pole. (It really is a Pole, who would have thought.)

The two of us meeting Santa at the North Pole. I was weak in the knees with excitement. I almost forget to ask for my heart's desire, but I remembered at the last second, don't you worry.

The whole family with Santa. What an amazingly magical experience!

First comes stomach illness

Then comes dehydration. Then comes a whopping case of pneumonia which lands you in the hospital on IV Fluids, IV antibiotics, breathing treatments, and a couple of chest x-rays.

After our beautiful and ever so wonderful Thanksgiving Day, we all ended up getting some stomach virus. Sorry, Shellie and Landon, we came to your clean germ free home and left it in such a mess. Then things spiralled down hill once we got home. I ended up in the hospital for 2 days and 2 nights. Mommy finally figured out what I really needed to recover and come home was the Fancy Nancy nightgown my cousin had given me early for Christmas. She knew I would really need it soon. But I am now on the road of recovery at home.

Thanksgiving!!!

So after Grandma and Grandpa left, we decided to invite ourselves over to my aunt, uncle, and cousins house for one big festive Thanksgiving. It took a lot of planning and doing, but we went. I of course had to push, shove, and obviously do most of the packing to get this thing going, but it happened.

Ryker and I all ready to go.

Our Pilot at the helm all ready to go.

As much as we like to travel, this view gets very old. That is why Ryker and I have learned the art of sleeping in the car.

AAAHHHH, we were being chased by the Ghost Light! (Or mommy realizing that trying to take a picture of the moon while traveling in a car going 65 mph doesn't work.)

Thanksgiving Morning. It was like the sky was anticipating the Thankfulness that would soon fill the air.

A face that says I am thankful for food.

A smile that says I am thankful for everything.

A hug that says I am thankful for you!

My sweet cousin Ella had drawn my name for the Cousin Christmas Exchange. She could hardly wait for me to get out of the bath so I could open my present. A Fancy Nancy nightgown!

Landon is amazing, and decided to go with a new ever popular trend and FRY the turkey. So here is the boys doing what boys do. (Ryker kept watching out the window, trying to communicate that he was the last male in the house and he couldn't handle all the estrogen anymore. So he finally did what boys do in such situations, took a long nap.)

Can you really have a Thanksgiving Dinner without pumpkin pie? I think if you tried, the Thanksgiving Police would come and arrest you for breaking with Traditional Holiday Law. But we will never know since we will always have Pumpkin Pie.

Oh turkey . . . Oh yummy.

Table beautifully set with all the all the adornments.

The FEAST! It was absolutely superb. Shellie and Landon, THANK YOU!!!

Two fancy cousins after an exciting day full of thanksgiving! What a wonderful day.

A Turkey

Grandma and Grandpa were on their to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins for Thanksgiving, so we decided to have our own little Thanksgiving Dinner early with them. Do you know that watching the Turkey cook is amazing? Well, it is just in case you were wondering.