Merry Christmas

And boy is it a merry one...for us anyway.

Which brings me to one of the reasons that today (a few days after Christmas) that I decided to finaly post.

Ever since bringing Payton home its been an incredible ride.  Its been so easy to forget what we faced, what we experienced because Payton is so stinking healthy.  She's gaining weight like a champ (moved from the 25th precentile for weight and height in Oct to the 85th percentile in December) and breathing and eating like a normal baby.  Even her hearing seems to be better since we've been working to talk to her a lot, have been taking her to the odd chiropractic appointment (which is touted to helping clear fluid from ears).

Even when I look at her scar its so hard to believe that this defect was so potentially devastating.  I find that I get complacent in my expectations of her and both girls slip into that 'ho hum' of everday life.  But I don't want the ho hum.  I want the appreciation, the moments, the wonder that is our lives and our children to always be there front and centre in my mind and heart.

I want to never under appreciate what we have been given especially in lieu of what we have lost.

Part in parcel is also keeping in our hearts those precious babies that have been so instrumental to our fight with CDH, those precious babies who fought along side of Payton though they lost their battle.  Leaving so many tears in their wake.  Remembering them, remembering our boys, helps me cherish and appreciate our girls.  If even for a second our experiences will allow another parent to hold their child just a little closer, to remind them of how lucky they are, then it makes my writing her worth it.

This Christmas this is what I did.  I appreciated my girls.  I appreciated my husband.  I appreciated my family.  I soaked up every moment of it and am going to cut this blog entry short because I still have a bit more soaking up to do this evening before we put the bug to sleep (its Christmas holidays so bed time is much more flexible here).

In signing here is a photo of us on Christmas morning in our holiday pj's: