In December of 2009 Nalah needed emergent tummy surgery. At first we were crushed, as Nalah had not yet spent a Christmas at home. Our first Christmas was spent in Stollery PICU as Nalah coded December 1, 2008 and was still in recovery (thank god). It did not take long to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and remember that what was best for Nalah was best for all of us. We had to put her well being before any other objective or plan. So, December 14th was the deadline for being admitted to hospital. The surgery (fundoplication, malrotation repair, g-tube, etc) was to take place the week before Christmas when the surgeon was on call. We had such a special time that week at home before admission. We did Christmas activities every day, whether it be a handcraft, decoration, baking, setting up the trees, or listening to Christmas music. We had a hard time finding the perfect tree, so we bought a few. Karis decided to put our green Christmas Tree beside our pink Christmas Tree, and string them together with colourful ribbons and streamers "so they could never be apart". Karis wanted trees as close and inter-twined as her and her baby sister Nalah. It was adorable. We attempted Christmas photos. I bought matching dresses from a nearby shop, as I could not stand to leave the girls any longer to shop somewhere farther away. The dresses cost almost the amount of a mortgage payment, but whose telling? I treasure the memories of my girls in their fancy dresses.....the photographs were a bust. Karis and Nalah would not behave. We did capture some tender moments of the girls kissing, or playing tea party, but a 'posed' shot was out of the question. I treasure these photos of my girls at play. This Christmas, which was sadly our last, was the happiest time because we were, despite the PICU, together as a family and that is all that counts. Together and loving each other, just as we are.