Wow!!! What a difference a year makes!!!

Last week, May 18th, marked 1 year since I finally held James in my arms again 

after having to say good-bye in Korea and continue to wait. It marked one year that Daddy and Zoey

met him for the very first time. Most importantly, it marked one year that we became a family of four. 

To celebrate we of course had to start the day with a cake pop just like he had on his very first outing in America - to Target of course!!! Nothing like Starbucks and Target as a first trip. 

 May 23, 2012

May 18, 2013 

Just amazing how much my baby has changed in a year. 

He is growing up WAY TOO FAST!!! 

I also find it so sweet that every single time he gets a special cake pop at Target he always picks pink - just like his very first visit. 

AT ONE YEAR HOME

32 months old

Favorite Foods: 

Everything!!! He no longer says "KaKa" for snack and is very precise in saying exactly what he wants as a snack. He loves fruit - Strawberries, grapes, watermelon, oranges, apples and he still likes bananas too. He loves treats and asks for "special treat" all day long. He also loves "special ice cream drink" - aka - fruit smoothies. This boy loves to go out to eat too - whenever I stop somewhere new that he has never been he usually asks me if it is time to "eat eat". He still likes his seaweed but the last time we went out for Korean he was kinda peeved that they didn't have a "burga and french fry" or "scaggeties". 

Favorite Toys:

Still loves everything with wheels but fire trucks are his absolute favorite- and buses aren't far behind.  He likes to play trains on his train table, doll house, puzzles, blocks, and of course EVERYTHING that sister plays. He loves playing doctor, cooking, and taking care of baby dolls.  He recently started playing board games (Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders) but still needs some help at turn taking. He loves the Ipad and works it quite well. 

Achievements:

James amazes us every day. He has been in big boy underwear all the time since he was 28 months old. He has Mickey, Thomas, and Jake but prefers his little man boxer briefs. He knows all of his colors, shapes, and the majority of his letters. He understands the concept of having one and having two. He also has learned to clean up his toys very well. He is counting (although not always in order), sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, "Rock the Baby", and most of  his favorite song "The Wheels on the Bus". He had an Early Intervention evaluation a few months ago and scored above average in all areas except speech which was average - which they thought was great being he wasn't even home a year yet and English wasn't the first language he heard and spoke. 

Stayed the Same: 

Little man did not keep very much of his Korean language so what he does still use I love to hear. 

He no longer calls me Omma :( now I am  Mommy. 

He still asks for "ah-boo-bah" when he wants to get on my back (we don't do it as often anymore) or when he wants a baby doll tied onto his back. 

He still calls his blanket "Chikim" which some of us adoptive mama's found to mean "go to sleep". 

He answers to Jun-ha and we still use Hajima. 

Random Facts:

When James came home he pushed us away as he grieved. He did not want to be rocked. Now, several times a day he will climb up in my lap and tell me to "rock my baby".  Talk about melt my mama heart. I might not have been able to rock him at a week old, a month old, or even a year old - but at two + years he lets me rock and cuddle him all the time. 

James has a picture of him and his Omma ( his foster mother who took care of him in Korea). When he started calling me Omma (which he did on his own) I was quiet honored because he finally saw me as someone who meant so much to him, someone who met his needs and cared for him for so long. Now, when he looks at the picture from Korea he recognizes himself as the baby in the photo and sometimes will look at me and look at the pictures and say "2 mama". Smart boy knows exactly what a mother is. It doesn't matter if they are an Omma or Mama or Mommy - what matters is whats in the heart. 

James came home a pretty great sleeper. We still co-slept for months (James has never slept in a crib) because that was what he was used to in Korea. We would take turns sleeping in his room with him so he never slept in our room. In December we started having him sleep on his own and aside from waking early we had no issues. Then about 3-4 months ago we started hearing the pitter patter of little feet and all of a sudden he would be in my bed. Now, he comes every night. Sometime between 2 and 6 he finds his way into the middle of the bed and snuggles right up with me. Some nights at bedtime he even tries to get over on me. He will drag me in my room, point to one end of the bed and say "Daddy bed"...point to the other end and say "Mommy bed" and then point right in the middle with his larger then life smile and say "Jame bed mama, Jame bed". While we always make him start out in his bed, he always ends up in ours. 

And I am pretty okay with that. I know, like Zoey, it wont last forever. So, for a little while longer we just want him to be little. 

Little guy has a love for bedtime stories. He asks for one more over and over and over again. 

I draw the line at 12. 

He listens and focuses and studies the pictures. 

Some favorites: Baa Baa Bedtime, 10 in the Bed, Max and Ruby, Biscuit, Good Night Moon, All the Ways I Love You, Sleep Tight Kitty, and my childhood favorite The Pokey Little Puppy. 

He also has started reading himself. ;) I will hear him in his room trying to retell a story I read him while looking at the pages and always ending with The End. 

Still can't believe what a difference a year makes. 

Can we freeze time? 

Because my baby is turning into a big boy way too fast!!!!

5/26/2013

Pulling back

Not sure why I haven't updated in so long...

it definitely has not been because I don't have anything to

write....but more like the Wong's are out there living life - like big time,

and something always ends up on the back burner...

and this time it was the one place I used to prioritize, the place

that I made sure to come to and update so that one day when if James

wants to know what what the process was like on this side

of the world, my feelings and thoughts...some of the tough stuff...

this blog has captured it and recorded it just as it was.

The good, the bad, the hard...all of it.

It is so hard to believe that this time one year ago,

I was in the middle of planning a trip half way around the world with

five days notice and that we are almost at the one year anniversary of

one of the top days of my entire life.

April 10th, 2012, I woke up in Seoul, South Korea.

As I watched the sunrise over the city I was so thankful to finally be waking up

in the same city as my son. I was thankful that after two years in process, after carrying him in my heart for just about a year, after the uncertainty in the process and worrying that he was never coming home...I was thankful to be finally meeting the sweet boy that I already loved so much.

And at 2:15pm at our agency in Seoul, South Korea a new mama held her son

for the very first time.

What an amazing moment, looking back I still don't know how I had the strength to

get back on the airplane without him....but in hindsight I am so thankful that we had that time

together in Korea even if it meant the single toughest goodbye..EVER.  I am so blessed to have had the chance to see James' personality before we all trucked through the hard stuff...before he lost everything he had known...before the grieving...before we were all sleep deprived and wondering how we would all survive another ten minutes let alone the rest of forever.

I was blessed to know the free spirited, smile larger then life, silly , cuddly, sometimes mischievous tiny tot who came out with me for the day like he had known me for a lifetime...who was active and adventorous...

who wore himself out and then slept so peacefully in a cab back to

 Holt moments before it was time to say goodbye.

I was so very blessed to have those moments because

now that we have been home just about a year

I know that WE HAVE ARRIVED.



The Wong Family is a little over a month away from that one year mark and WE SURVIVED.

We survived the first year of international adoption and toddler adoption -

 there should be some kind of award for all of us. 

That happy, smiling, care free little boy I met in Korea is a happy, smiling, care free boy

in New Jersey...just a little bit bigger.

And he is AMAZING.

Gone are the days that we couldn't communicate... The days that I would cry just wishing I knew what to say to this sad scared little boy as he grieved the loss of his foster family that cared for him for so long. Gone are the days that everything I served him was pushed away and he refused to eat....or the days that I would try to talk to him with the small amount of Korean I knew as he looked at me perplexed...if he could talk back then he would probably have said "give it up lady".

Those days are gone because James is now rocking it - like big long sentences rocking it.

Even if his favorite is "No, I don't want too" he is rocking it.

He has lots to say.... sometimes over and over and over again.

James has a motto  - if at first you don't succeed try and try again.

"Mama - ice cream Paaalease"

"No James, we dont have ice cream in the morning"

"Mama - Ice cream Paaalease"

"No James"

"Mama Ice cream Paaalease"

You get the picture :)

Gone are the days that I worry if these two will ever be able to exist together.

That first month home I really worried.

I cried the first days home when my logical four year old suggested that "maybe he wants to go back to Korea" and I cringed when a month later she shouted "Send him back".

The truth is becoming a big sister after being an only child is tough...

but becoming a big sister to a 20 month old grieving toddler is REALLY TOUGH.

At four years old, adoption is a hard concept to understand.

I remember just days before James came home, Zoey asked me

where James' mommy was going to sleep. Why we didn't have a room for her.

The mommy that she was thinking of was his foster mother, the kind woman that was in his pictures each month as we waited to bring him home, it was his Omma.

After a few nights home, all of us a little delirious from lack of sleep, Zoey revisited that thought again.

She knew what he wanted, she shouted it out , "I told you that you should have brought his mommy".

That  night I knew that it couldn't get any worse.

It was chaos...we were all exhausted...physically, emotionally, and even a little bit spiritually. 

James' grief was big and even I felt helpless.

If bringing him back to Korea, back to his foster mother, was a real "forever" solution

I think I would have gotten on the first flight back. Not because I didn't love him, and not because I couldn't handle it, but because I had already loved him so much that it hurt to see him grieve. It hurt to have him push me away and call for Omma because I wanted to take away his pain, I didn't want him to suffer.

Big Sister got it. She knew that this little boy needed a mommy and I was not cutting it.

Those days are so far gone.

Slowly, my baby and I found the same rhythm.

Slowly, he opened his heart and let my love in.

Slowly, he realized I was his mother - he even called me Omma.

Slowly, I watched my two greatest joys find joy in one another.

I watched the love between them blossom, and grow.

Slowly, I watched them forever becoming brother and sister -

joined in their hearts. ♥

Gone are the days that I wonder if a temper tantrum is attachment related or if

my strong willed son just really wants to play outside in the rain.

Gone are the days that we eat 15 lollipops a day, because James likes them, and if I am

the keeper of the lollipops then maybe, just maybe he will let me in.

Gone are the days of post placement visits, court appearances, and paperwork. 

We arrived...we are family.

I have a mama's boy who loves to snuggle - and I love it.

He loves to give kisses and is super sweet.

I have a baby girl who loves her brother so much, and a baby boy who

looks up to his big "sissstaaa".

And a daddy who loves them both so much.

And in this family, we keep an extra special spot for some very special people half way around the world. The foster families who cared for our sweet son until he had a forever family, and an amazing woman who gave this amazing little boy the gift of life.

Pulling Back

So now, the pulling back part. A few weeks ago I read the blog of another adoptive family that really made sense. She wrote about how they are home and settled and maybe its time to say goodbye to inviting the whole world in, to putting everything out there, and for me it made sense.

Like her, I loved having this blog as a creative outlet, as a place to put into words the emotions in my heart.

But I am only one part of this huge dynamic situation, and one day James might not like that I chose to share my feelings about our journey with the world.

So, as we approach one year home, we will be also approaching another ending.

While I will continue to blog about the daily happenings and the joy my kids bring, I will be pulling back and blogging  much less about adoption. I will also be having this blog printed, put away, and then removing the posts that one day James might not want to share with the world.

Because the truth is while adoption is beautiful, with the beauty also comes loss.

And so much of our family story is his story.

He might not care that I shared with the world those first days,

but maybe he will.

And now, as he gets older, it is our job to protect his back story....

And  after almost a year home, the story that we have written

together the past 11 months is very much part of his back story...

One day James might want to share what he knows about his life in Korea

or how he grieved the loss of his Omma...but it will be his story to tell.

But for now, he is just the sweet little boy who was born in "Kia" is "2" and flew home on the "big awplane".

Waiting for Spring

The Wong's have been busy wishing away winter.

The best part of having four seasons is as soon as your over one you

can dream of the next. So, we have been keeping busy with indoor activities

and wishing for Spring. (Thank you groundhog for not seeing your shadow - we owe

you one) So, while we are waiting this is what we were up to this week.

Little man has mastered most of his colors. (red, orange, green, purple, blue, and  his favorite

yellow) We are working on brown still but he just likes to call anything brown "Chocolate".

One day a few weeks ago James came into the room holding a platter from the pretend kitchen and told me it was a circle. So, we decided to start working on shapes. We like to let little man take the lead :)

He catches on quick - he knows circle, star, diamond, heart, oval, triangle and square now.

He is so proud of his shape flash cards and likes to carry a few wherever he goes.

James has had 3 Karate classes now and I just can't get over how cute he looks in his gee.

Grandma had to take it up about a foot in the arms and legs because even the xxxs was too big.

James isn't as thrilled with the uniform as much as his mama - but he is liking it more and more each day.

How cute is he?

My baby girl had a great week filled with school, cooking class, tumbling and an award ceremony.

Each month at school a child is picked to have lunch with the principal and she was thrilled to be

picked for th emonth of January. She was super excited that day and shouted from the rooftops (well maybe not shouted but she made sure to tell everyone she saw).

Then her school had an awards ceremony and all the parents came. She got up on stage to recieve her

award and as she stood among the other Kindergarteners up on the stage she seemed so small still.

While she may not have grown much in height she sure has grown in so many other ways.

In confidence and determination for sure...she has matured so much, learned so much, and overcame so much. She is bright and beautiful - inside and out.

She is nothing short of amazing and I am very proud.

James likes to help mommy do EVERYTHING. How cute is he? sweeping in his underpants!!!

He has now been home 8 1/2 months - how did that happen??!

It feels like he has been home forever - adoption kinda rocks like that.

At night, when I check in on him and watch him sleeping, I wonder how I was lucky enough to be his mama.

I think of how incredibly blessed I am to call him my son.

I pray for the first mother in his life that sacrificed so much so that I could have this wonderful gift.

I pray that she knows that this little boy is healthy, happy, has a huge personality, and is so very LOVED.

One blesses Mama of Two wonderful kids. Life Is Good.

Activities

Well, it is freezing and we can't wait for warmer weather.

Spring, please come soon.

While we wait the kids have been keeping busy with lots of activities.

Zoey has started a cooking class on Monday's and Wednesday's afterschool

and James loves to pick her up from class and snack on whatever the kids have made.

I wish I could have gotten a picture of him sitting with the "big" kids last week -

but this will have to do.

This boy takes eating VERY serious.

James started Karate - Tae Kwon Do!

He has only gone once so far but he is so stinking cute!!

We are excited to be starting him so young because the school is Korean based

and we thought it would be a great place for him to continue to learn more Korean.

James did great for his first class.

At one point, Master said "Say Thank you Sir" and James looked

at him, smiled, and leaned in for a kiss.

Sorry my sweet sweet boy - No kisses in Karate!

(head over to facebook and look at my videos to see it all unfold :)

http://facebook.com/melissa.carbonewong

The class that James will be in is aged 2-4, but right now it seems like the kids are all a little older and James is definitely just a baby compared to the preschoolers in the group. So, they have matched him up with a teenager who has a black belt and was also adopted..from Korea..and born in Busan..just like James.

God is definitely in the details - how amazing is that!!!

For the next month James will be working on the basics..

and MaMa will be trying to convince him that he likes

his new Karate uniform.

Well that, and washing it over and over until it gets soft :)

Zoey had her Daisy Investiture Ceremony - and officially became a Daisy.

She has been working hard since September to earn her petals and patches,

 sell her nuts and cookies,

and be a good girl scout.

So proud of her!!!

She has really grown so much in so many ways over  the last year.

Next week she starts tumbling and she keeps on asking to join Cheerleading.

Things are getting busy over here at the Wongs - throw in her OT and she has a full

afterschool schedule every day of the week.

Things are certainly busy at the Wongs - but things have really fallen into place.

These two are quickly becoming the best of friends. 

It is hard to remember back to the time when James was so jealous of Zoey 

that he didnt want her anywhere near me. He would push her away from me over and over. 

And Zoey, she had a hard time dealing with his screaming and grieving and would suggest that "maybe he wanted to go back" and when she really struggled sometimes the sencerity in her words just wasn't there and we would hear strong words flowing from her lips and would cringe at the sound of  "Send him back".

What a difference a little time makes. 

They really love eachother - and I love that they love each other.  

I love that Zoey loves to tuck her brother in each night and that James never forgets his sister "Wow-ee" when he says his prayers. I love the way they spash together in the tub and the way Zoey looks after her baby brother - instead of getting upset when he cries she has learned to comfort him - to get his blanket.

I love how James gets so excited when Zoey comes in from school and how he loves to climb into her bed in the morning and say "Good Moon-ing"

I love how I can't remember the last time the "maybe he wants to go back" words came from her mouth but instead this week when I picked her up from school another  teacher came to see James and said that Zoey let her know that James was a Wong now and we were all a family - she is so proud to be  a big sister.

James really looks up to Zoey. He watches what she does, takes it in, and wants to learn to do it as well.

Like potty training, if big sister wears "UnderWearwers" then he wants to too.

He keeps them dry all day long and big sister cheers him on.

The only thing greater then underwear - Mickey underwear.

They balance each other.

They compliment each other.

But most of all...

 They LOVE each other ♥



Oh My Word - James

A few weeks ago my mom sent me a picture...

It was of a little boy with the following words

"Remember the day you brought me home and you were

filled with joy? go to that place because I just drew all over the walls

and shaved the dog" 

Yeah, that about sums it up.

Little Boy......BIG SPIRIT!!!

When I was in Korea visiting with James his foster mother used 2 words to describe James.

Smart and Strong.
 Yeah, that about sums it up.

This cute little boy can sure get into things.

No matter how much we child proof he outsmarts us.

James and the hair lotion he fingerprinted the furniture with.
Too bad he does not like to get dirty when we actually do try and finger paint.

James needed a closer view of the TV I guess.
Not only did he climb, you can clearly  see  how he built
"stairs" to get up there.

Here I left a sleeping little boy who was quiet and napping. He used a stool to climb over his gate, somehow opened the door with the child proof gadget that was supposed to keep him out.
He got into the vanity and opened fast drying nail polish.
He then painted his nails, his hand, the floor, and a cup.
He was so quiet that I had no idea... until my daughter, who has an over active sensory system,
came to me complaining that she smelled "permanent marker".

 

Here, I left James and Zoey watching TV on my bed while I put laundry away.
James opened one of those special, designed to keep kids out doorknobs, and proceeded to bring
my makeup bag from the bathroom into the bed - and well, the picture says it all.

Zoey's reply - "I told him it wasn't a good idea mommy"

James and the red Gatorade.

And for every antic we catch on film I assure you we have at least 3 that we don't.

Somehow I missed the climbing on top of the fridge ( with a chair from across the room)
and shoveling the potty rewards into his mouth mishap..
 I missed the sneaking in the pantry and opening the yoo hoo sippy boxes and drinking
not one but two when I was trying to get dinner started.
The emptying out my wallet, hiding daddy's phone in the oven of the play kitchen, taking everyone's keys,
getting into the diaper bag in an effort to find treats, putting play food in gertie the guinea pigs cage...

James cooks fresh spinach. 

While I was cooking he must have taken the greens that I was washing and decided to cook them up himself. 

How funny is it that he chose a colander just like I was using. 

And to think we just broke him of the habit of dumping his sippy cups in the play tea cups. 

Good thing he plays hard and rests hard or I would never keep up. 

Actually, thats when he usually goes on a mission. 

He can be quietly resting for some time and then quietly he executes his missions. lol 

I should have known to be on the watch - with a smile like his how can he not be a little mischievous?. 

 But his mischievousness is balanced out by sweetness..and care...and kindness.

 He has a gentleness about him... he loves to cuddle and give kisses and hugs.
He loves to take care of his baby and carry her "ah boo bah".

So I can overlook that he takes EVERY.Single.Pillow (sometimes cushions too)
and stacks them up in the living room several times a day. I can close my eyes and not see the 652 scratches on my favorite coffee table that I have had since before Zoey was born.. .and the fact that hit had 0 scratches before he came home... and instead remind myself that we both happen to love that table.. he just shows his love with big vehicles and blocks rolling all over his favorite place to play.

Because at the end of the day I wouldn't change a single thing.
This kid has a HUGE personality.
and a little part of it happens to be mischievous.
And one day I am going to look back and miss this.. .this age...the antics
and I will laugh, heck between me and you, sometimes its hard not to laugh right in the moment.

I am blessed beyond measure.

These two are just amazing.

Sick today, :(  but just amazing. 

Top 12 of 2012

Hard to believe 2012 will be over in just 2 days.

So, to ring in the New Year ... My top 12 of 2012.

(in no special order)

 Number 1

Traveling half way around the world on a moments notice ( well 5 days notice) so I could finally

be in the same city as my son. 

I was blessed to have a great friend who is just like a sister accompany me on the trip.

While I would have loved to have been with Anthony when I met our son for the first time, I can't think of a better travel partner and friend to have shared it with. 

What an amazing trip.

Number 2

The first day I arrived at Holt Korea and met my sweet boy.

Almost a year after being matched, almost two years from the start of the process the moment finally came.

In a little room inside of the Holt building I met the baby boy that I watched grow in pictures for the very first time. The moment was nothing short of amazing.

Meeting him for the very short time was better then I could have ever imagined. After all the waiting, hoping, and praying my arms were no longer empty. I still dont know how I had the strength to say goodbye to him and get back on the plane to America.

So happy that I had the chance to travel to Korea and see James in his birth country.

I was able to see that he was a busy boy that wrecked havoc in Seoul just like he does here. :)

That its not an attachment thing - its a James thing.

Number 3

Saying goodbye to my sweet boy as I left to come back home was one of the single hardest

things that I have ever had to do. However, it was a defining moment in 2012 because it meant that

my little boy was real.. the journey was real... and the emotions were real.  This sweet boy slept peacefully in my arms after a day we spent together. It meant that for the first time I would be able to tell my family and friends what James was really like - that I met him and got a glimpse of this sweet boys personality.

Number 4

Meeting a great group of new friends.

Several years ago, I joined a moms group when Zoey was just a few months old. We all always said how lucky we were to meet so many good friends so late in life. Lets face it, the older we get the harder it is to balance life, family, and old friends let alone make new ones. I was very fortunate to meet so many friends and in turn so was Zoey. 

This past year, again, I was very blessed in meeting new friends.

Adoption is a hard process, but an amazing online adoption community exists.

I had the blessing of turning some of those online friendships into real life ones.

(don't worry - adoptive parents have quite the background check)

And get this, many of these new friends not only have children the same

age as James but older siblings the same age as Zoey - JACKPOT!

I cant say enough for these friends who supported me as I navigated my way to Korea and back again, as I brought James home and worried over and over again about his attachment.... friends that picked up the phone while I was jet lagged and awake on the other side of the world and just really got it.. the feelings and emotions... the highs and lows of this journey... these girls who  turned from waiting buddies that I would have dinner with occasionaly while waiting to friendships that will be here to stay. 

Number 5

Family Day!!!

 

After all the prayers, the waiting, the delays...

After traveling 1/2 way around the world to meet him and coming home without him...

The best day of 2012 for sure... and one of the top 3 best days 

of my entire life....

My baby boy was placed in my arms.

That moment, in a terminal at Philadelphia airport , was magical.

God was surely there - seeing his perfect plan through.

The child I prayed for before I knew of him...

the little boy I loved from the moment I saw his sweet face on my computer screen....

he was home. 

Forever.

Number 6

My baby girl became a big sister.

It didnt happen all at once and we definitely had struggles in the begining.

But slowly,

my baby girl grew into an amazing big sister.

She looks after him...teaches him..and is learning to be patient with him more and more each day.



These two have my ♥

Number 7

James was baptized.

With family and friends present we celebrated his special day.

For many, this was the very first time meeting him.

We were honored to have our good friends,  Kim and Steve ,

accept the responsibility of being his godparents.

It was a day to celebrate such a huge blessing in our lives.

James cut the rug on the dancefloor.

and the kids had a blast with face painting, ballon art, and games. 

Number 8

Somehow, my princess turned 5.

Ummm, how did that happen?!?!

We always celebrate birthdays big - what better way to celebrate a big blessing - right?!?

This girl amazes me. She has grown and matured so much this year.

My beautiful baby girl..

You have blessed us more then you will ever know.



You light up our lives.

Number 9

Happy 1st Birthday home little man.

I think its safe to say that James had a blast celebrating his 2nd Birthday

and we had a blast celebrating it with him for the very first time.

Little man partied, partied, and partied some more.

He loved the animals and petting zoo...

and of course the bounce house too.



Sweet baby James...

You make everyday interesting.

Your smile lights up every room.

So blessed that we were brought together - forever.

Number 10

First family vacation with James home.

Disney of course!!

What an amazing (and exhausting) 12 days.

But the first trip together as a new family is down in the books.

Cant wait for more to come!!!!



Number 11

Yun, Jun-ha forever becomes a Wong.

The judge put on paper what our hearts already knew.

James is forever our son.

27 months after we started the process



We are finally a family of four.

FOREVER. 

NUMBER 12

Christmas

2 years ago on Christmas we told our extended family that we were in the process to adopt.

1 year ago our hearts hurt because our son wasn't home for the holidays.

This year .....

was a month of holiday cheer with both my babies.

This year my home was filled ....

...and so was my heart. ♥

We had many special visits with the man in the big red suit....

and somehow Santa knew just how special this Christmas was.

He came to our home on Christmas Eve.

This year my greatest gift was definitely not under the tree.

but in my heart.

Having both my babies here on Christmas morning.

Happy New Year!!!!!