Ben's Christmas List

Sorry we've been away for awhile. As usual the holidays have been hectic with lots of going here and there and...well mostly to a doctor's office. For some reason it seemed like one of us was knocked off our feet each week of Advent with the most wicked of cold viruses - Ben even had it twice. Despite the amount of Lysol, Tylenol, Advil, NyQuil, DayQuil, Mucinex, and hand sanitizer used the past month we've maintained a fairly upbeat attitude about the Christmas season.

Indeed as this Holy Day approached and eventually unfolded I would think the entire family would agree that this has been the most fun we've had during the holidays in quite some time. It all culminated in our community experiencing the first white Christmas in quite some time. Although Joan and I were both alive the last time it happened (1963) we probably weren't soiling our diapers in excitement.

Now that Santa has parked his sleigh for another year and Rudolph & company are snacking on left-over carrots, we'd like to present Ben's "official" Christmas list for the upcoming year. So throw another log on the fire, warm up some more cocoa, and enjoy reading about some things that will most definitely make our son's eye twinkle.

1. Take time to hug a penguin, mainly one by the name of Mumbo. If an arctic bird is not available then instead Ben suggest a friend or loved one who might need it more. Otherwise he thinks you might want to consider a Pillow Pet.
2. Sitting next to a colorfully lit Christmas tree and singing to it is a good thing. It's better therapy than watching Dad set something on fire. As Buddy the Elf would say, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."
3. Everyone should have a sister like Jessie. No one can open a present faster nor run out of excitement over opening the next one.
4. Riding in a wheelchair down a snow-covered wheelchair ramp is quite fun. For Mom? Not so much.
5. After observing Jessie and cousin Chandler, the best way to spend Christmas night after playing in the snow is watching Elf in front of a warm fire eating popcorn.
6. Having a finger full of mocha icing placed on your tongue is an excellent treat particularly if you have a feeding tube.
7. Be sure to give the nurses a really big smile - they know where to find the mocha icing.