November 26, 2011
Like everyone our family has some wonderful traditions that add fun and interest to our lives. My favorite daily tradition is that we sit down to dinner together as a family (as often as we can) and we go around the table and do our “best and worst” parts of our day. We find it a great way to find out about our kids day when they aren’t in the mood to talk otherwise and our kids learn a little about us. Some of my other favorites are just now beginning as the holiday season starts. We did our first official Christmas one today – the Saturday after Thanksgiving we sit and write our letters to Santa.
This year was no different – the kids were so excited – they all ran to their rooms and started writing: Dear Santa…… (with a number 1 item listed for him – so he knows the importance level of their items.) Then they bring them down for me to review and we put them in the magic box by the fireplace – Santa will magically take them tonight from the magic box as they sleep so he knows in time to get them SOME of what they have on their list.
Ryan wants his Legos (Star Wars and any other kind possible), Wii games, a new family dog and Nerf guns – a few other small items. His list is pretty much the same every year. The interesting new item this year is the family dog. I remember the day we had to put Bailey down, a little over 6 months ago, it was two days before Allison was diagnosed with Type 1. Had she not already been getting sick that Saturday I might have thought the stress of losing her dog might have been the cause, however since Bailey had been sick for a few weeks it very well could have been the trigger for her. I think of that often as I wish Bailey was still around. She was such a great wonderful dog and loved us all so much. As a note we will be getting a dog – for the family (but not as a Christmas present.)
Samantha wants an American Doll girl, some Legos, a Justin Beiber Barbie (not sure about this one!), a blow up pool (like we have in the summer) and a few other small things – number one on her list was the American Doll girl – one that looks like her. Her list is very different this year than the past - except that it doesn’t have much original to it – she tends to want the same things as her older brother and sister. Legos like her brother and dolls like her sister – the blow up pool – that is all HER – and not sure where to get one of those this time of year!! J
Allison wants an American Doll girl, a Justin Beiber Barbie, and a camera. That is all she had on her list. Well written and of the three kids she was the only one that remembered to say Love, Allison at the end. I thought that was all until she said turn it over, I did a picture of the American Doll girl and a P.S. That was a very new item - a P.S.? I will quote it for you:
“P.S. Santa I also still want candy in my stocking please.”
I asked her why she said that – “because Santa knows I am now diabetic so I don’t want him to not give me candy – I will eat it like I should with insulin.”
Until that moment our tradition was moving along exactly the same and then like everything else in our lives since May 1 I got a slap in the face of how it is different. It will never be as easy as it once was – here was my beautiful seven year old girl thinking Santa was going to bring her something other than candy now for her stocking but her brother and sister didn’t have to give it a second thought (why would they?) Allison was so worried she made a special note of it for Santa - she was thinking about being diabetic – she probably always does but I just don’t realize it.
Traditions are important and as much as diabetes is a part of our lives we will just wrap it up into our traditions slowly and it will become a part of them – this first year is just us learning how to manage that aspect of it. During our dinner “best and worst” Allison never says her worst part of any day is anything to do with being diabetic – she didn’t seem sad to have to ask Santa to bring her candy – it was just a matter of fact that she wanted him to know she could still eat it – with assistance of her insulin.
We are excited about this season and all the fun traditions we have to come – and will manage them one at a time as they are adjusted for our new world – we will follow Allison’s led and make the necessary adjustments and not change the tradition – because keeping things the same as much as possible is what matters the most to us now!
Until there is a cure,
Jennifer
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