Christmas is upon us!

Another year has flown by and 2012 is drawing to a close.  It has without a doubt been the best year of our lives.  I remember writing a status on Facebook at the beginning of 2012 saying my only wish this year is that Caitlin has her first year of not needing any surgery.  It has came true!  Well, we have a week left of this year but it's looking good :)  Some parents take their child's good health for granted but for us having Caitlin at home all year and just watching her grow up and enjoy life has meant the world to us.  And while she was enjoying being a toddler she achieved an incredible milestone.  At the age of 2 years and 9 months Caitlin let go of her walker and took her first independent steps :)  That was a major highlight from this year!  She has come on leaps and bounds.  I couldn't be prouder.

As if that wasn't enough we had a surprise in store for this year too in the form of our little Aoife Lily.  After a lot of heartache I fell pregnant with her early this year and she is just perfect.  Of course I worried and stressed throughout the pregnancy.  But with each kick and scan I relaxed more and more before that amazing day when she arrived when I became a mother again to a healthy baby daughter  :)

Caitlin also celebrated her 3rd birthday! I can't believe my baby is 3 years old.  It seems like yesterday she was a tiny baby.

But she grew,

And before I knew it she was a year old,

Then suddenly she was 2 years old,

And as quick as a flash she's 3 year's old!

 And opening birthday presents once more...

The worry and the stress of having a child with spina bifida has surfaced quite a few times but that's just a part of the journey.  Every time she's sick or complains of a sore head I worry about Mr. Shunt, every time she says her legs are sore I worry about the cysts on her spine damaging her legs.  She's also going through a phase, (well I hope it's a phase!) of saying she can't walk.  Encouragement isn't helping, bribery rarely works and letting go of her hand while she's walking results in her dropping to her knees and shouting, "I told you I can't walk!!"  Again those negative thoughts are popping up every time she does it, is it her tethered cord becoming symptomatic?   But it could also be the fact her sister has arrived and this is Caitlin's way of getting attention and knowing if she doesn't walk she'll get carried more?  Or is it the fact the nursery she attends has lots of children wheeling around and using walkers and she's decided it's easier to walk with help so she's went with that option?  It's impossible to know.  Time will tell.  The waiting and seeing is one of the worse things about spina bifida!

Looking back on this year I never would have thought I'd be a mum to two wonderful, thriving, happy little girls.  I am so lucky and blessed for this life and I try not to take any of it for granted.  You never know what's going to happen in the future.  You have to appreciate every happy moment.  I'm looking forward to the first Christmas with my two girls.  Caitlin hasn't had much luck with Christmas so far.  She spent her first Christmas in hospital recovering from surgery,

Her second she was at home recovering from more surgery, 

Her third she was sick with a tummy bug and spent Christmas vomiting.  I don't have a picture of that thankfully lol.


So I'm really hoping both girls will be at home and well this Christmas.  The plan is to play a lot, snuggle a lot, watch Christmas movies together, laugh a lot and just spend time together as a family.  I can't wait :)

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year to you all, from my family to yours :) x