Merry Christmas

I bought this set of stockings two years ago, when we hadn't decided if or how we would expand our family.  Up until that year we had a mish-mash of stockings, so on a whim I bought these five at an after-Christmas sale.  Last year, we hung up one for Pterodactyl, but didn't use it, as she moved right before Christmas.  This year, the fifth stocking belonged to Cricket.  It had fruit snacks, an ornament, a little dog, a rubber ducky, and some treats from B's parents.  I was happy to use it, and it amazes me how much has happened in our little family in the past two years.

For her presents from us, I wanted to stay small and personal, knowing she would get some donated toys through the agency and possibly some more from her mom (though she didn't end up getting any from her).  I bought her a carrier for her doll like the carrier I use for babywearing with her, some Chewelry, a cape with her initial on it, and this He's Got the Whole World book.  She knew the song before she came to live with us, and we sing it about her family in particular.  The agency toys got bigger grins, but I think she will use all of them and they will be good gifts to belong to her for a long time.

Christmas was up and down.  We tried to attend a Christmas morning service and it was a disaster.  Her mom called for the first time in months.  Opening gifts was fine with our little family, but later with my extended family, she was overwhelmed and told me it was too noisy.  So, I missed a little of that time, but I couldn't have been prouder of her for calmly telling me with words when it was too much for her.  At two years old.  She really is an incredible little girl.  She tried to claim several gifts that others opened and got into one kid's candy (in hindsight I should have told or helped my sister to have her kids move their gifts out of the way).  There were some fights with Rhinoceros and ripping of Dinosaur's new book.  A new thing is flushing toys down the toilet, and we had to put in a new toilet the day after Christmas.  But overall, we had many more good times than bad times.  She stuck close to me most of the time just like Thanksgiving, which was draining, but what she needed.

Usually we like to leave up our tree since we spent the time and money on cutting it down, but I'm realizing it needs to be gone to get things back to normal.  And what is normal?  Weekly in-home therapy, visits with mom (I hope), waiting on the next court date and the possible move to Cricket's sister's relative.