Well since Lapland we seem to have had a whirlwind of events!
Harry was in the church nativity on December 15 th as a shepherd. Callum refused to be a shepherd, but created a new character for the nativity play this year - 'the Gruffalo!'
After the church nativity play I sold 25 cuddly toy pigs for 'Harry's Star' a branch of the Brain Tumour Society, with the money being ring fenced for post treatment support for children and teenagers in Yorkshire. 'Harry's star' was set up as a legacy to another Harry that died in 2010.
I was chuffed to sell so many pigs and also received £50 in donations! The remaining 15 pigs had been reserved, meaning I have sold 40 in total!
Post treatment support for all the cancers is an area that I am very interested in, knowing that the impact of the treatment on children can last months or years.I currently know families struggling as children have completed treatment, but unfortunately still remain in need of medical intervention.
Following a fab nativity play at church, Harry rode his bike for the first time since October! He managed very well. His determination coming through yet again!
As said at the end of my last blogg, we have been unsure if the pain would decrease as the fracture healed, knowing that cancer cells were present in his leg too! However, Harry has been so pleased that he is allowed to run again and the pain is controlled via his buprenorphine patches still in situ, meaning there has been no stopping super Harry!
Harry commenced his last week at school, by being involved in the school nativity play. An event he didn't partake in last year, as he missed so much school due to being in hospital either as an inpatient or in clinic having blood or platelet transfusions.
Harry performed in all 3 performances, he had a small line as narrator number 16! He sang his little heart out and I have to say my heart nearly burst with pride! It feels unreal that he has made it this far, with the energy to be able to participate in the festivities!
On the Wednesday, Callum had his nursery nativity play and having told me, he wasn't going to be in it, he stood on stage and sang his little heart out too in 'whoops adaisy Angel'. Callum was a king and made a very good job too!
So Harry made it to the end of term! Another term completed!
We have been very sociable this Christmas too, the first time really since Harry was diagnosed!
We have had friends here and been out with friends too. Exchanged many a Christmas present too and drank a few glasses of wine!
It is the first year that both boys have been literally bursting with excitement about Christmas! Harry was excited last year, but wasn't as well as he is this year and Callum is full of it too now, so between them, the giddiness has been getting to a new pitch every day!
Christmas Eve morning was spent at Martin House Hospice Christmas party! A lovely couple of hours spent there. The boys just love that place, seeing Mary's farm animals, getting their faces painted and of course seeing Santa! Their 7 th Santa of the season I do believe!
Harry and I even went on radio York, live, as they had a reporter at the event!
The boys ventured outside to play on the wooden fire engine, even though it was freezing! I was relieved that the hose nearby had been taken down for the winter, as Callum made his way straight for it! A soaked, cold Callum wouldn't have been fun!
Having had their faces painted as reindeer, of course it was only right and proper that they had bells to jingle as they ran inside and out pretending to be Rudolph!
Once home our friend Janey visited us and we were able to exchange more presents! We finished Christmas Eve with a family meal with my parents, sister, brother-in-law and niece!
The boys went to bed quite well considering their excitement! Only of course after, a mince pie, carrot, whiskey and milk were laid out for our pending visitors of the night!
Once they were in bed, of course mummy and daddy elf set to work ensuring we had all presents retrieved from their secret hiding places and placed carefully under the tree!
The boys amazingly slept in until 7.30, the time I needed to put the turkey in the oven! Their faces were priceless when they entered the living room and could see that Santa had visited! Such special times to treasure, that sheer magic that only children truly have!
Once the turkey was in the oven, the boys were allowed to open their presents! Lots of whoops of delight as they got many of the presents on their list!
Granny and Grandad took them to church and play at theirs after, whilst mummy and daddy prepared lunch. We had my parents, sister, brother-in-law and niece over, so 9 in total!
Actually with the aid of a gin and tonic and then mulled wine, dinner was ready for about 1.30!
The boys had ripped open more presents from granny and grandad before lunch - more pirate playmobil! Getting them to sit down and leave their presents was a bit of a challenge, but the temptation of Christmas crackers won them over!
At the end of Christmas Day, 2 happy but shattered boys went fast asleep!
Festivities continued on Boxing Day as we went to grandma and granddad's for round 2! Our friends visited in the afternoon, with Paul, his dad and friendRichard going out for some cheeky drinks, whilst us ladies chatted nearly in peace as the boys played with their friend Olivia and baby Jessica finally slept!
We had tea with our friends and Grandma and Grandad, then the boys shared a bath with Olivia before bed! Being in a strange bed, it took a while for them to fall asleep! Up though for 7 am, but Grandma and Grandad played with the boys, whilst mummy and daddy had a lie in!
We have rounded the week off with our friends from Scotland visiting and staying the night!
Between our 2 boys and their 2 boys, we had the ages of, 2, 4, 6 and 8! Adam age 8 and Callum age 4 seem to be the worst for plotting and planning though!
Once finally asleep, the house was quiet until 8.30 am this morning! Result!
Harry has been on good form. We reduced his patch slights before Christmas, but he soon started with chest pains, like he had in the summer, when his patch got taken too low, so we quickly increased his patch again. Within 24 hours the pains had gone. However, this morning the pains were back, but only temporarily.
As always we have no idea what winding twisting turns our path has in store.
However, with over a week of the Christmas holidays left, I'm sure there is still time for more fun and festivities!
Happy Christmas to one and all!
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