"It's Christmas!"

This morning we arose to snow falling. When I told Summer, she said, "It's Chrismas!" :) It was cute. So, we bundled up and headed out to play in it before it melted (sure enough it's 90% gone now). It was fun. The snow was perfect for snow balls. Summer's gloves were not the water proof kind so her hands got cold. I gave her my leather ones and everytime she threw the snow ball, a glove fell off. I made some snow angels on the bridge which she thought were neat, but didn't follow suit.

We've already flipped Christmas countdown to 19 (but now that I look at the calendar I realize it's 20). We've got two Christmas parties today. Summer got another invitation in the mail yesterday. After today, we have 4 Christmas parties and 2 birthday parties before the 15th. WOW! We are busy little socialites over here. It feels good to be enjoying life and not worrying too much (about Summer anyway).

Her hair is very visible now and still blonde as can be. She felt her eyebrows yesterday. I am going to miss the bald head a little though. It was just so shiny and smooth...and tear-free due to the lack of hair (and thus tangles). I wonder if she will get her wavy, wild hair back. Only time will tell.

For now, life is good. We have enjoyed the company of Lexie for the past few days. Summer does really good with her and is learning that it is okay if Lexie messes her toys up a bit. Lexie has done a good job clearing out the last of the stage 3 baby food we had left from Summer....and the rest of the size 3 diapers.

Here are some pics from the last week. We are living it up over here!

Summer was really smiling for the camera in this pic with our tree. She LOVES the Nativity!

Her cake was awesome at the party they had for her at the clinic.

Princess Summer is done with chemo. Her main Dr. is the tall guy behind her.

All bundled up and headed to to the mall.

Liliana and Summer ride the train.

Rock City was a blast for Santa's elves.

Lexie drives at the mall.

Summer, Lexie & Clint ride the train.

Our snowman.

She loved this flower.

Happy Holidays to you all! Hope you enjoy each and every day!

A day at the mall

Yesterday, Summer and I met up with some friends at the mall. We got there a little early, so we stopped by the jewelry store to see what they had. There were several things Summer liked, but we didn't get anything because I knew we had to come back later to shop for hairbows with our friends. Not for Summer, of course. She might wear a headband, but not for too long. Her bald head is rather slippery and she just doesn't really care to wear them very often. Anyway, we headed to the indoor playground to meet up with Alicia, Liliana and Laila. On the way, we stopped to get an angel off of the Salvation Army tree. I wanted to get a 3 year old girl, like Summer, but there weren't any so we got a 2 year old. It was fun shopping for her, although it did call for a bit of running around. After the playground and train ride, we went to Build-a-Bear to get some accessories for Teddy. Summer had a gift card from someone at my dad's work and $10 from a lady at church and a $5 coupon. So, we really only had to spend $2 of our on money on an outfit, a couple pair of panties, hair bows and a snuggie for Teddy. Deal!

After that we headed to Santa. The girls just sat on his lap to tell him what they wanted. We didn't even get pics taken because I am waiting to see if I am getting a voucher for free pics at our breakfast with Santa in a week or two. Those pics are expensive this year! I went to a different mall for pics last year, and I don't think they were quite this expensive. But, you gotta have the pic with Santa. And, he don't work for free, ya know! Summer is going to have her fair share of Santa run ins this season. Last night, we were at Rock City and she sat in his lap again. She keeps asking for Zhu Zhu pets. The first Santa had heard of them, but the second Santa must just have started because he look puzzled. :) As for the dart board, she now is saying her Daddy is getting it for her. Good luck getting him to shop! :) Although, I am already preparing Summer to take her Daddy their so they can get me something. LOL Unlike him, I am not hard to shop for. That must be where Summer gets it.

We found a few cute outfits on sale for our angel at the mall. Then, we headed to ToysRUs to browse the toys. Surprisingly, we did not buy anything there. I already pretty much knew the toys I was going to get were coming from WalMart anyway. I was looking for an electronic (or "electraconic" as Summer says) puppy or kitty. Summer found the perfect one for her. No, not the angel. For Summer. LOL I ended up getting two. One for the angel, and one for Summer. Yep, I'm a sucker. But, they were only $9 which is a deal compared to the $50 cat she has. Plus, we can't have a real dog. By the end of the year, we will have a house full of electronic pets! I must say batteries are cheaper than pet food. And, the toy pets are a lot easier to clean up than poop. :) Summer already loves her dog, Patsy. Patsy got a present from under Summer's tree this morning..."early" she told me. I imagine she is referring to her gift for her real dog. She plays with Leah, too, all the time. She is now snuggled up on pillows in Summer's floor, covered in blankets and wearing the princess tiara Summer got at her no more chemo party on Monday.

After we got all the gifts, we ran back to the mall to turn it in. We also picked up a gift I had seen earlier on our trip that I regretted not getting for a friend. I guess the Christmas spirit is stirring around here. Maybe we'll spend the day wrapping up gifts and listening to Christmas music. I'd love for Summer to learn the Christmas carols I grew up singing. Tonight, I am planning on taking her to church to practice for the children's Christmas play. Maybe if she can learn the songs, she'll get up on the stage with the other kids. Fingers crossed.

Back in the swing of things

Summer has her no more chemo party at the clinic this afternoon. This is actually the first Monday in probably six months or so that we have not had an actual appointment at the clinic or been in the hospital. As fate would have it, we ended up having to go anyway so Summer can get her cake. It isn't until 1:00 this afternoon though.

We just showered and she is making her "dolly" in the floor with her clothes. She already tried on the shirt I picked out (this hasn't happened in a while), but insisted on taking it off to make her dolly before putting on anything else. I don't know what is up with the dolly, but I'm going to let it go. She is becoming more independent at playing. Her imagination soars. Yesterday, we were at my aunt's house who has a rather hissy cat. So, Summer wanted to lay on the couch pretending she was a cat and have me come up and pet her. Then she would wake up and hiss at me and chase me through the house. She even got my Granny and Sandra to play along a few times. I even chased my Granny around like I was a hissy cat. I must say I've never done that with her, even when I was a kid. The only time she was chasing me was with a fly swatter....and I was faster than her. :) It was so much fun. And, a pretty good workout too!

We've developed sort of a night time routine. At some point it will be time for "goodnight games." We will play Pretty, Pretty Princess or Go Fish or Crazy Eights or Old Hare (like old maid). She likes to play and would never be happy with just one game. She just told me Hannah Montana was her favorite game still, but the last time we tried to play my CD player wouldn't work. :( NOT. Sometimes we also play Hungry, Hungry Hippo or Don't Spill the Beans. After that we will brush our teeth and usually read a few books. Of course, we don't limit game playing to night time. I don't think she would go for that.

She loved helping me put the tree up on Saturday. We had a little talk about how some of the ornaments can break easily on the hard floor so we have to be careful. That put a little fear in her and she was careful with all the ornaments. I don't think we broke any this year. However, all three of the stocking holders managed to get broken (and repaired) at some point in the day. First, Summer knocked off one trying to hang a stocking on it. Two seconds later, the second one went. I didn't make too much of a fuss of it because the look on her face was enough to know she was upset by what she had done. Anyways, the day was spent decorating and finding old treasures. When we came to my Memaw's old Nativity, Summer wanted to set it out. It was cute. She tried to stuff all the animals in the one stall in the stable. Then we went over the Christmas story again and moved them around. Good times. That night before bed we read a few Christmas books, one of which Summer's Nona had given her which tells the Christmas story too.

Summer especially likes to wrap presents. There are still no presents under the tree for her. I am trying to decide how to do it. I have accumulated quite a few little gifts for her throughout the year. Maybe the 12 days of Christmas will be possible again if I can get them all wrapped and organized. That's hard to do when she is here though because if she sees the wrapping paper, she is stopping by to help. Tape is usually her job. I did let her wrap her Paw-Paw's present by herself. Well, I did the tape, but she did all the folding of the paper. There is one more thing I have to get because she is asking Santa for a magnetic dart board like we saw at Learning Express. I hope I can find a coupon like I had the day we saw it. I just couldn't buy it then though with her with me. Plus, we were on the bike. There is no sneaking there.

We had a "normal" breakfast today. All three of us had cereal. I can't remember the last time that happened. Summer told me she liked the milk and asked what flavor it was. I told her skim. :) She is eating so good and gaining weight too from the looks of her. Her hair is growing back. She has blonde fuzz all over her head although you can't really feel it yet. Her eyelashes are longer and will probably be longer than mine by the end of January. That's just not fair! She is a bundle of energy, always wanting to play. Last night, I let her run me across the bridge. She would pull my hand while I jogged on a small ledge and then I would have to do hers. We ran into some of our neighbors who probably thought it was quite a sight to see. Then she asked me to pick her up and run which I did. I had a hard time making it to the end, but she wouldn't give up on me. :) She's such a blessing and an inspiration to me. I know now is the time to live life to the fullest. There is no reason to wait. Oh, what an adventure this life is....and a fun one with her by my side.

November memories

Summer's last visit to the hospital. We did her nails with the kit one of her angels sent her.

Farm animals are a fun sight for these three.

The girls are dressed similar with no planning on our parts.

My little rockstar. She only wore the wig for the pic because it was itchy.

Bubbles never grow old.

I just love how she dresses herself.

Headed to the playground with Barbie.

Daddy climbs with Summer.

Baked beans - breakfast of champions.

Still smiling as we wait for Daddy's last dr. visit. Barbie was a good patient too!

Can't have a sleepover without a little jumping on the bed!

They both loved the swings.

The playground at the campground was a hit with the girls.

Summer and Willow hop into the sleigh while shopping in Gatlinburg.

Santa's sleigh is filled with girls.

Mining was fun for the whole family!

Summer's a cute scarecrow.

Willow and Summer roast hot dogs on our camping trip.

Summer enjoys the campfire.

Summer and Willow rock out with their guitars.

Getting the girls to pose at the same time is pretty hard.

Summer's wingspan is short of a hawks.

Sliding makes her happy.

Lexie is just about big enough to really enjoy the playground on her own two feet.

She's excited to put the star on top!

Being her silly self while decorating.

Making a "dolly" with her clothes before she gets dressed. She does this almost every time!

Summer decorated her tree herself.

Bowling was right up her alley!

anticipation....

The bone scan was the last of her scans - all were clear. Praise God!

Her room is all decorated for Christmas.

She's getting so big, but not big enough to get to the top of her dresser.

Summer shows her pictures to her big sister, Amanda.

At the clinic waiting to be called back, building the train tracks is our favorite things to do while we wait.

Summer liked rat puppet at the Creative Discovery Museum.

Chillin' on the couch with Teddy watching cartoons.

Summer pulls Lexie in close for this pic on Thanksgiving.
Climbing trees with Uncle Bradley, Leah & Jonathan.
Today at the carousel. She was telling me she wanted to ride 2 more times.