LDS Cancer Mom: This Month at the Hospital

Princess Fiona and I had the best time at the hospital this month. How good was it? I didn't even open my book. Usually I finish one book and start another. I paid for less than 2 hours in the parking garage. We got up there on time and were greeted with a wild Christmas party. Santa was there, a few of his penguin friends, Mrs. Claus, a juggler that also rode a unicycle, strolling guitar player, catered food, face painter... a place to choose your own present.

First we had to visit Santa in order to earn the present. Fiona was shy, which is a bit shocking. I think she was as surprised as I was to find this circus in the clinic's lobby. There I am in the back, holding the big book I expected to read in its entirety while we were there. She let him hug her but didn't tell him what she wanted. A little help in that department would've been greatly appreciated.
Then she picked out a present. They had some good stuff. There was a Leapfrog Leappad. A Barbie head to fix up. Fancy Nancy's new board game, which I thought she would've gotten. But she ended up with a Barbie image tracer. That works just fine for her. She's a big fan of drawing and being creative. When she was five and in the hospital, she called herself a coloring machine.
Then we headed over to the catering area where she had chicken strips, a slice of pizza, a Dr. Pepper, a frosted brownie and chocolate chip cookie. Then she had a bit of a stomach issue. Go figure that one. But I managed to distract her with some face painting.

We asked for a poinsettia flower in order to keep in the holiday mood. The face painter was amazing! She also had glitter to add to the regular paint.
We got right in after all of this and saw the doctor and headed right home. I could've brought Fiona back to school, but we took the opportunity to go Christmas shopping for a present for Fiona to give to Buttercup. She had two excellent selections and had a hard time picking.
When we got home she couldn't wait to start using her new toy.