Around the House...

Just a few pictures of the apartment at Christmas. I can't say that I've really been in the mood to decorate this year which explains why some of these pictures look a bit disjointed this year. This past year has been a lot more difficult after Dear Son was released from the hospital last year. In 2009, he was able to go to school and that afforded me more time to get things done. Back then, I was exhausted when there was a three day weekend and I was caring for him 24/7 for those three days. After he was released last Christmas, everything changed and I went to caring for him 24/7 seven days a week, which has taken it's toll. Caring for an invalid 24/7 is very different than watching your children. Taking care of a 190 pound man, is a bit tough at times. A picture of the coffee table and then of the end tables.

I love the sconces when they are lit at night.

A foyer table.

Dear Son was only five weeks old when this picture was taken. It's one of my favorites.

The armoire in the dining room.

The dining room.

I made the centerpiece this year, not sure if I like it. Just added a glass dome to the deer. Regardless, I was trying a few other options yesterday and the dome slipped and broke into a million pieces so I'll have to try something else next year.

A view of the living room. For some reason, nothing seemed to photograph very well this year.

But the best news is that Dear Son has started to move his feet again. After the hospitalization last year, he was no longer able to move his feet, legs or toes for that matter. I worked for a few months trying to help him regain the movement in his extremities. Over the summer, I'd sit him in the his wheelchair, take off the leg/foot rests so his legs would dangle. Then I'd take a giant exercise ball and gently roll it towards his legs and when it hit his legs I would tell him to kick it back. For the most part, I couldn't even get the slighest movement at all from his legs. I used the giant ball in hopes that when I rolled it to him, the ball would hit his legs and perhaps if he moved slightly, it would look like he kicked the ball and help him move. Nothing worked and I was fairly certain he'd never move his legs again. Dear Son has lost so many skills with each hospitalization and with his progressive neurological disease.

Sometime a week or so ago, he was sitting in the rocker/recliner and he moved his foot slightly to rock the chair. He had been unable to do this in over a year. I was thrilled but tried not to get too excited. He did it a few more times over the next week or so. Then the other day, he was trying to get my attention as I sat across with him and thought he'd be funny and kick the Christmas tree. Well, of course, I told him not to do it, sort of...lol. I was so happy that he moved his feet. He kept teasing me and trying to kick with his leg and actually lifted his leg up and his foot was some three inches off the floor as he tried to kick the tree. He delighted in me telling him not to kick the tree (he likes to be a little bit bad, lol). It was like having the old Dear Son back. He would often tease me by doing something he knew would get my attention and then smiling once he got my attention. It was wonderful to see his personality again. For the record, he didn't knock anything off the tree, but if he did, I'd be excited. If there is anything I've learned in the last nineteen years of motherhood is that it's far better to have a little life in the house than to have a house with no life in it. Children make the world go round and for that, I am grateful. I think 2011 is going to be a good year.