MASS, PRESENTS, SWEET BOY - A perfect Christmas Day indeed

This Christmas Day has been simply fabulous for us. Got up and got ready for the day. Got Colby up and ready for the day. My dad came by, picked us up. We went to Mass at the Cathedral. Met my BFF Kim and her boyfriend there. Last year's Christmas Mass ended badly, as Colby had a choking episode, a really bad one, right when Mass was ending. We had Colby all sprawled out, lying on the floor back by the blessed Mary statue. It really was an unpleasant experience. This year I was determined things would go better, and sure enough, they did. As soon as we got there we started scoping out the best place to sit. Kind of hard because Colby's chair is so big with all his equipment on the back vent tray. The priest had come over to say hi, and I mentioned that I really didn't like sitting all the way in the back of church. So he springs into action. Goes completely to the front of the church, the very front freaking row, and starts clearing us out spots to sit. Now, the only thing I dislike more than sitting in the complete back of church is sitting at the complete front. But what can you do? So all 5 of us went to the front and sat for Mass, suction machine being turned on, Colby's jabbering, his vent beeping every now and then, for all the congregation to see and experience. Oh well, Colby has just as much right to be there as anybody else. I kept thinking, what if he chokes? What if I have to give him a CoughAssist treatment right in the middle of Mass? What if we have an emergency with him? WHY are we at the front, very front of the church?! But everything went fine, wonderful actually. Colby did great, and I'm glad we did something "churchy" on Christmas Day. It was important to me.

Came home. Got Colby all settled in for the rest of the day. Did his 2:00 feeding, 3:00 cough treatment. His daddy came over to give him his Christmas present, a new fancy schmancy 10-gallon fish tank. The ex's wife got me a present from Colby. Yes, a little odd I admit, but she's always been super nice to me. I like her waaaaay more than I like the ex. It's a beautiful necklace with a peacock on it. Something I never would have picked out for myself, but actually I really love it. After they left, Colby and I opened the rest of our presents from each other. Now he's chilling out watching some of his new Spongebob DVD, and I'm sipping on a most delicious bloody Mary. They were making Christmas dinner, so I think later the ex is going to bring me a plate of food. Yes, weird I know, but thank goodness we get along decent. I'm sure it will be much better than the flavored popcorn and rum cake I've had so far today.

A friend of mine on Facebook described having all their kids together for Christmas and feeling "content and blessed." That describes how I've felt over this holiday season, too. Very blessed for the gifts we've been given this year. Colby has stayed out of the hospital, first and foremost. Not one single day in the hospital for an illness. NOT ONE! That's almost unheard of in the SMA world. Colby has made such amazing progress this year with learning to drive his chair and operate his eye gaze communication system. Lord knows he still has a ways to go, but wow, just look how far he has come. AND he's going to school 5 days a week! I never, ever thought that would happen for Colby, but sure enough, don't count that little crap head out. He is amazing to me and to many who are lucky enough to know him. He is the sweetest, most precious gift God has ever given me. Every day with him is like Christmas, truly.

Okay, going to let Colby watch a little more Spongebob, then it's Mama's turn to pick what we watch. Christmas Story (you'll shoot your eye out) or National Lampoon's Christmas (shitter's full)? Decisions, decisions. Merry Christmas to all out there in blog land. Hope you build memories with family and friends and that you ended up on the nice list. Or if you ended up on the naughty list, hope you had a lot of fun getting there!