Upon opening several of his favorite Christmas presents this year Ivan exclaimed merrily, “FINALLY!” These were not gifts he had actually been requesting. But every time we passed the magnetic dart board display at our local bookshop he played with it and has for the past 3 years. So, Santa brought him the magnetic dart set this year even though it wasn’t on his list. “FINALLY!” smiled Ivan.

Many times over break often when we were walking and I was holding his hand, Ivan would ask, “Amanda, is this a good day?” I’ve realized when I am particularly happy spending time with my children I tell them, “This is a good day. I like that we’ve gotten to do X (play, walk, snuggle, read, eat-out, what-have-you) together.” Ivan was noticing that we were enjoying time together and asking me to notice too.

Ivan and Ezri went to a park district lead day adventure on a day school was off but the parents were working. Ivan has trouble with new people and places but having his sister with him meant he was able to adjust more easily to going to the park district program. Ezri when talking about the day told Ivan he would get to spend the whole day with her. She knew his worries and stepped in unprompted to reassure him.

Later we talked about how he will go to the park district’s adventure day camp with his sister this summer when school is out. He was commenting on the return to school today that he wished he could go to summer adventure camp instead. I asked why. He said, “Because I get to go WITH Ezri.” They go to the same school, of course, but completely separate classrooms. It is nice that after two weeks off school and much time together my kids still want to be together. As an only child, I wondered sometimes about raising two kids but I’m glad I decided to have two. They squabble but they love and care for each other.

Here’s Ivan celebrating New Year’s Eve in the best way – having a friend over and sharing things you love with them. They are building a bad guy prison tower here for Star Wars bad guy figures.