Christmas!

We got to have a mostly peaceful Christmas at home!  Clayton really got into Christmas this year.  The whole Santa and Christmas morning thing clicked with him.  Only problem was he wanted to unwrap EVERYONE's presents for them...with them, without them...made no difference to him.

I think Clayton had a nice modest Christmas.  We try to keep to our minimalist concept as best we can, and at the very least, we try and keep to small items.  But he doesn't care and still gets little goodies and is good to go.

That's not a new ipad.  Same 'ole ipad new cover.  He honestly loved all of his gifts.  Especially Planes Fire and Rescue that Santa dropped in his stocking!  I feel like our TV could play the movie by memory now.  Of all of his toys from us, Santa and family, the only one he hasn't paid much attention to is Sully.  Which I was surprised by.  But he goes through phases and Sully will see his day soon.

I'm vey excited about his only "big" gift.  A playground!  So technically the swing set was a Christmas gift the year he was diagnosed with cancer and he got his table and chairs a few years back to from his Aunt.  But this year, my parents went in with George and I to make him an area in the backyard that is his.  No dog poo or cat poo or chicken poo... You get the point.  He always likes to lay on the ground with his toys and grass can make him rashly plus the animals all poo everywhere and we were constantly on high alert for animal crap.  Now he will have a clean, soft (impact absorbing) area to play to his hearts content!  So happy for him.  Better picture when it stops raining.  It's railroad ties and pea gravel for those wondering.

Especially because with germs we often avoid public parks, so now we are giving him his own haven in his own backyard and it's his for the playing whenever.  That's kind of our thing...creating a haven for our family.  Life with Clayton lots of times keeps us secluded and I think that translates into the importance of creating a home that truly has all you need for those times when it's all you have.  We have been incredibly lucky.  My parents allowing us to build on their property has given us a place that provides in so many ways.  My mother's house is nearby which serves as an amusement park in its own right to Clayton and let's him get out of the house here and there; George can scratch his hunting bug on those days he needs to be nearby by strolling the property or stalking animals in the back clearing; our neighbors (who were like my second parents growing up) have a pond where George can fish or train with Macy;  I have our little budding homestead for myself; and now Clayton essentially has an outdoor playroom to laugh and play in to his heart's content.  Even when it seems like everything gets flubbed up all the time, sometimes the "big" things just work themselves out as though they were meant to be all along.

As for his head and the subdural hematoma, the neuro surgeon said it should be fine now that we are past the first 48 hours, symptoms could persist for a few weeks, but he does not feel anything more serious will occur at this point.