Some say "Christmas comes but once a year...." but not if you're lucky enough to be one of our kids! In the Belgian/Canarian traditions that were ingrained when the mama and papa both lived over thataway, we decided to celebrate "Kings Day" and actually give all the kids the gifts that didn't get given on the normal day of gift-giving. Miraculously, all Christmas shopping was in fact done before Christmas Eve (must have been those angels helping out again). But our days have been so full of hyperbarics and hyper-babies that it got put off until Alexis, 7 going on 27, decided that Jan. 6 would be present day since we'd already talked about the European countries closest to our hearts (Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Spain) celebrating their major gift giving on the day when the three kings showed up to see baby Jesus.

Sada and Alexis volunteered to keep Paige and Jason busy by building block towers upstairs while I went downstairs, threw a few things into 5 different bags and took them back up with the announcement, "Don't count the number of presents - enjoy them. You get what you get and don't throw a fit." The last is the mantra the kids repeat when one of them decides to throw a tantrum at dinner. Between desperately needed winter clothes and a few books and art supplies, our "Dia de los reyes" was a hit and Christmas is FINALLY over!!!!

We did everything just before Sada's second hyperbaric appointment this afternoon. She'd spent most of the afternoon sitting down, and was pretty tipsy when she put on her boots to go outside to the car. When she got home after doing an hour dive, she walked in a straight line across the kitchen without holding onto the couch or counter, and she was taking bigger steps. Maybe she was just more confident in herself at home after being away, but it could also be the extra oxygen from the dive helping reduce pressure on the brain stem. Let's go with the latter and I'll have sweeter dreams tonight ;-).