On the eleventh day of Christmas (eleven must reads this Christmas)

 

One. Luke 2 

If you don't have time to read anything else this Christmas, take time to read the Christmas story from the Bible. This is appropriate for even the littlest ears.

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Two. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

There are so many fun versions of this Christmas classic. I haven't found one I don't love!



Three. Alabaster's Song

Max Lucado nails it in this precious children's book about the magic of Christmas.




Four. The Polar Express

Even better than just reading this book, is to read this book aloud, while sipping hot chocolate teeming with marshmallows, dressed in your most comfy pajamas.

I love this site for fun games to accompany this beloved novel.



Five. Tale of Three Trees

"Many, many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him," her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful," she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world."

 


Six. The Crippled Lamb



Seven. The Christmas Carol



Eight. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever



Nine. How the Grinch Stole Christmas



Ten. Room for a Little One



Eleven. Gingerbread Baby

Happy reading.

Happy making memories with your little ones.

Happy Christmas.

 note: Click on the picture of each book to purchase it from Barnes and Noble.

On the tenth day of Christmas

As I hoped, and as I so diligently prayed, Baker is home from the hospital.

My baby boy is asleep in his bed.
He is clothed in his pajamas.
He took a bath in his bathtub, with his soap, where he played with his toys.
He sat in his high chair, where he ate his supper.

As I type, I am mesmerized by the glow of the lights shining brightly on the tree.
I am momentarily distracted by the Christmas flick dancing on the television screen.
There are presents peppering the floor beneath my feet.
The room smells of pine needles and joy and all things merry and bright.

There are no tubes.
There are no monitors.
There is no beeping.

There is just family.

For that, I am extremely grateful.

 

Brian turned Baker's hospital bed into an awesome fort.

Leave it to my fabulous husband to transform a yucky hospital stay into an adventure.

Baker was no longer a patient in a hospital, he was with Max stomping alongside the Wild Things.

On our last night, the nurses let us dress Baker in real pajamas.

We ordered pancakes and French toast, smothered in way too much syrup.

We watched The Santa Claus and snuggled in Baker's baby bed.



 

The next morning, we escaped!

Shh! Don't tell!

 

I learned a lot during those four days in Room 323.

 

As I rocked Baker in that wooden rocking chair tangled amidst oxygen tubes and IV cords, I whispered the familiar words,

 

"Long lay the world, in sin and error pining

'Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees..."

I cannot sing those lyrics without crying all the tears.
I have tried to make Christmas about gifts and clothes and glitter and lights.

But it's something much more simple.

The author of this beautiful song nailed it.

Christmas is about hope for a broken world yearning for a Savior.
Long lay the world, in sin and error pining

A baby born in a lowly manger brought light where darkness permeated .
'Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth

Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King.
A thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices

He is here. He is glory. He is light. He saves. He makes all things new.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

He is worthy all praise and honor. Lord, I lift your name on high.
Fall on your knees

Oh Holy Night, indeed.

On the seventh, eighth, and ninth days of Christmas

Baker was hospitalized Thursday morning with RSV and severe dehydration.
Upon being admitted, the doctors noticed pneumonia on his lungs.
He was also diagnosed with an ear infection.

The past few days have been rough on our little man,
but in true Baker form, he is fighting it with incredible strength.

His fever got up to 104.7.
That's a favorite country music station, and is always welcome in my car, but if I never have to see that number on a thermometer again, it will be too soon.

He is taking breathing treatments around the clock. Somehow, these are timed to occur the 4 minutes after Baker has fallen asleep. As are the checking of vitals, changing IV fluids, and monitoring oxygen saturation levels.

His IV infiltrated without us noticing last night, so his entire left leg has doubled in size.
Hello, Sumo Baby!
Dehydration is still a major concern, as he is refusing liquids.

We have made lots of memories and some special new friends, eaten our weight in ice chips, changed our opinions on hospital food, slept in some precarious positions, and worn 3 day hair and clothes with flair!

Baker has shucked his gown for a Christmas outfit. We have to get back on schedule with Christmas attire, and since we lost three days, we have some serious making up to do.

In the mean time, ABC Family has put together a killer lineup, and we're sampling all the Popsicle flavors. We have been blessed by calls, and texts, and even gifts from the crew at Aeropostale and a team of Alabama State Troopers.

We are abundantly grateful for your thoughts, prayers, and love. Lord willing, my tenth day of Christmas post will be from the comfort of home.

On the sixth day of Christmas

I have had several people ask what we are getting Baker for Christmas.
 

As the conversation has progressed, most have inquired to know how buying for children with special needs differs from buying for typically developing children.

 

I'll let you in on a little secret...

Come closer...

A little closer...

 

it doesn't

 

Baker, and other children with disabilities, are first, children.

They like to play, explore, have fun, interact, and entertained.

 

Baker is so silly.

He loves to laugh.

Music is his love language.

He wants to be read to, although getting a nineteen month old to sit still is getting increasingly more difficult.
Can I get an amen?

He likes things that move, and move quickly.

Anything that lights up makes him feel like the bitty rockstar he is.

 

If you have an extra special little one you are buying for this Christmas,
typically developing or not,

here are a few tips to help you find the just right gifts for them.

 

1. Cause and effect toys are genius. These toys and games are stimulating and enforce certain actions cause reactions.

 

2. Books are always appropriate gifts. They have words and pictures and promote relationship building and language acquisition and can be geared towards any interest or skill level.

 

3. Fine motor skills can always use fine tuning. Grasping, pinching, putting together puzzles, stacking, interlocking, maneuvering, cutting (although be careful giving scissors - you don't want to be that aunt) molding, coloring are all fine motor skills that can be considering when choosing a gift.

 

4. The age range on the toy is usually appropriate for children of all abilities. If the toy says 12-24 months, it would be appropriate for most one year olds - whether it is a one year old child developing at a typical level, a one year old with a mental disability, or a one year old with a physical impairment - but use your best judgment based on each individual child.

 

Toys "R" Us has a "Differently Abled Toy Guide" that is a wonderful resource to help identify just right toys. It tailors toys to the area of development you want to target.

 

Here are some of our favorite developmentally appropriate, super fun toys, for all children!

 

Flashbeat Drum

 

 

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Mega Bloks

 

 

 

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Melissa and Doug Basic Skills Board



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 Peg Board

 

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Play Doh

 

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Personalized Step Stool

 

 

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Melissa and Doug Shape Sorting Cube

 

 

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Melissa and Doug Geometric Shapes Jumbo Peg Puzzle 

 

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Sensory Ball

 

 

 

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Activity Table

 

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V-Tech Sit to Stand Learning Walker

 

 

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Edushape Sensory Snap Beads

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Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Apptivity Case



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Touch and Feel Books



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Fisher Price Love to Learn Puppy



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As for what we got Baker for Christmas, well, now I cannot tell you that.

It's not Christmas yet!

 

On the fifth day of Christmas

I love the thought, that today, all over the country, friends and family are opening their mailbox to find Christmas wishes from the Bell family.

 

I love the season of happy mail.

 

From me and mine,
to you and yours,

we wish you a very Merry Christmas and

all of the Lord's blessings into the New Year.

 

 

 

We mailed out the black and white version of this card, which I adore!

 

These are pictures from Baker's one year session with Amber's Photography.

I just love every single one!

 

Every time I look at these, I smile.

I hope they bring a smile to this fifth day of Christmas to you also.

 

Here are some of my favorite ideas for displaying Christmas cards.

 

 

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May the number of Christmas cards outnumber the bills in your mailbox on this fifth day of Christmas!

 

Joy to the Word, the Lord is Come...

Let Earth Receive Her King!

On the fourth day of Christmas

On the fourth day of Baker's second Christmas,

I got lost looking at pictures of his first.