September 27, 2012 - Birthday Shopping

Today we went shopping for the Baby's first birthday gift. We got him a sleeper and a toy remote control. We also for him a fisher price toy with cars and ramps. We already gave him the remote but we are saving the car toy until we celebrate on Saturday.

September 26, 2012 - Wednesday

 

Today the Boy had his first Cubs meeting. He was really excited over the summer to start cubs, but he seemed really sad when he came home. They divided the kids into smaller groups and he wasn't happy with his group. I think he is dealing with his own place in the hierarchy of the group. I think he sometimes needs to be the follower a little more. He is more often the instigator or the leader in his social groups. I think it will be good for him and I think he will adjust.

In today`s photo the Baby is having his first taste of orange juice.  He saw the Husband`s juice as soon as he put it on the table, and he quickly made his way around the table and almost begged to try it.

September 25, 2012 - Daycare Visit

Today the Baby and I visited his daycare. He did well and seemed to interact appropriately with the other babies at the centre. The only concern I have is with the cost. It is so expensive and I am afraid we won't have enough money to live!

September 24, 2012 - Things I Love

In contrast to yesterday's post, here are some things that I love:

1. Morning hugs from the kids
2. Children who do what they are told
3. Cheesey Saturday night movies on W
4. Breakfast in bed (although I rarely have it)
5. When the Boy makes my coffee in the morning
6. When the internet works properly
7. Hitting all green lights when I am going somewhere
8. No line-up at Tim Horton`s
9. The Farmer`s Market on Saturday morning
10. Time to scrapbook - but I haven`t had any for about 5 years
11. Time to read
12. Sleeping babies
13. Watching a baby fall asleep
14. Listening to the kids laughing
15. Airmiles
16. Payday
17. Pumpkin (my cat) on my hip
18. Inspiration
19. Summer rain
20. Thunderstorms
21. Taking photos

This list is much longer than yesterday`s which is a good thing!

September 23, 2012 - Things that drive me nuts!

 

















The Girl and I went to a bridal shower today for one of my Husband's cousins.  The Girl ended up being our table's toilet paper bride.  She looked beautiful.

I have been writing down things that drive me nuts!  Mostly for fun, here is a selection:

1. Our flaky internet
2. Stupid, non-functioning can openers
3. Smelly diapers in the garbage can waiting for me to change the bag
4. Noticing you are out of soap when you are already in the shower
5. Socks that fall down into your shoes
6. Missing remote control once you have already sat down
7. Warm apple juice
8. Alarm clocks that go off 5 minutes after the Baby went back to sleep
9. Bumps in the sidewalk that cause the front wheels to catch and ram the handle bars into my stomach.
10. Bare feet on cherios
11. Stupid autocorrext
12. Repeating myself because no one listens
13. Repeating myself because no one listens
14. Fruit flies in my kitchen!

September 22, 2012 - Brampton Day!

Today there were lots of activites at Gage Park to celebrate Brampton day.  We first walked through the farmer's market and checked out the weekly produce. Everything look so delicious! 

When we got to the park there was free hot dogs and kettle corn.  Normally I don't eat hot dogs at 10:30 in the morning, but it was delicious!  The Boy got to try rock climbing.  He had fun, but couldn't make it to the top of the structure.  The Girl was upset because she couldn't do the rock wall, she wasn't heavy enough.

 The Baby was pretty agreeable in his stroller unless we stopped for more than 5 minutes.  So we just kept moving and he was happy!











The Girl enjoyed all the freebies that the different city departments and companies
were giving away.  Here she is in her police hat showing me her "I'm going to arrest you!" pose.

 



September 21, 2012 - Last day of summer:(

Today is the last day of summer and it is pretty dreary outside. It was also photo day at school. I don't like photo day because I can't be sure that the Girl will have her shirt tucked in and hair in control. Last year her skirt was way too high, the photographer could have taken a moment to pull it down (or aka her to) so that it looked more appropriate in the photo.


I also booked the Boy and the Girls birthday parties for their school friends. They are both having cooking school parties at the Real Canadian Superstore. The Boy is having a pasta party and the Girl is having a pizza party.

Today I remembered to catch a last shot of the setting summer sun.  It was such a memorable summer for me that it brings tears to my eyes when I think about it ending.  I know it will happen again every year, but this year was so special for me, because I got to spend so much time with the kids being off on maternity leave.  I know that I will never ever get this much time off again, nor will I ever get enough annual vacation to take the summer off.   I am glad for the time I had with them, but there is a pit in the bottom of my stomach when I think about then end of my leave.

September 20, 2012 - He Hugs!

For the past week or so, the Baby has been hugging on demand. It's really cute. If you are holding him and ask for a hug, he leans in and puts his head on your shoulder.

He is still having rough nights, where he is waking multiple times. It's exhausting!!! Work is going to be so hard:(. On the other hand for two nights in a row, we put him in the crib at bed time and he didn't cry! It's amazing. It took a long time though, we've been working on it for weeks!! Now to get him to stay in his room so that we can sleep too!!

The Baby has taken to climbing on everything.  Today he discovered that he could climb from the sofa to a small cabinet between the window and the sofa.  Then if he moved the curtains he could see out into the backyard.  He looks so proud of himself!

September 19, 2012 - Cubs and Open house

So it begins...the hectic school year. The time when me and the kids are supposed to be in two places at the same time. I lucked out when the Husband got home earlier than expected. He was able to come with me. Tonight the Boy has cubs and since it is registration night they want me to go so that they can get some information to me. At the same time there is an open house at the school. My plan is to drop off the Boy, then go to the school. Once we are finished at the school we will go back to Cubs to pick him up. I really hate days like this, at least we'll get lots of exercise going from school to school.

I'm selling Scout Popcorn again this year.  For every $100 he sells, he will get a coupon for some money off his camp.  My goal is to sell enough so that we don't have to pay for one of his camps.

We are also selling the mint Girl Guide cookies.  I'm getting a case next week.  'Tis the season for fundraising.  The kids will be selling chocolate bars for school too.   I know it's alot, but the school and their groups count on some of this funding to pay for things throughout the year.

For Scouts, I didn't even know that the unit only gets $5 of each child's registration money.  This is horrible, something is wrong with the system.  Shouldn't the unit have more money?  I thought I was paying for his weekly meetings and activities.  Turns out I am paying for the head office or something!

I love today's photo, it captured the moment the Baby found out that the iPod was not only a satisfying chew toy, but it also plays music!  He was thrilled:)

September 18, 2012 - Shopping

Today I went shopping with my Mom. I needed to get a gift for the bridal shower that the Girl and I are going to on Sunday. I also wanted to get a few work clothes.

In the last couple of weeks while cloths shopping I have noticed that every store has a lot of those sweaters without buttons that women are wearing. There are so many of them. I don't get it!? I have three or four of them at home and it is plenty. I suppose I missed something whole I have been off work. Perhaps someone could explain this phenomenon to me!

September 17, 2012 - Beautiful Monday

Today was a beautiful day. It reminded me that there won't be many days like it because winter is on the way. It seems like we spend all fall dreading winter, and the winter hoping for spring. Then we go through spring waiting for sinner. This seems to take forever! When summer finally arrives it seems to fly by at breakneck speed. Now my last two weeks of leave are rushing by. I would love to do something fun with my family but I find that I am mostly doing the same mundane things.

Tonight the Girl started back in her sparks group, she had so much fun!

September 16, 2012 - Fifth tooth

Today we noticed that the Baby has two more teeth coming in. One of his top teeth is through and the other is almost out. My poor cranky baby!

Today we went to Downey's to pick our pumpkin and buy some pumpkin donuts. I also wanted to take a few photos of the kids in the pumpkin patch.

September 15, 2012 - Mini vacation

Today we went to one of our friends trailer for the night. It was chilly but sunny. We had a campfire and the kids had smores and we got to see stars. In the city you forget what the stars look like, and just how many there are.

September 14, 2012 - PA Day

Today was a PA day, so there was no school. We decided to go to the "stop, drop and read" program that was offered by the region. The kids had fun and we got a few free books plus the kids won one of the raffle prizes.

Then we went to the library to exchange books.

September 13, 2012 - Coffee and Turtle Pie

Today my parents came over to have coffee and turtle pie. 

September 12, 2012 - Top Teeth!

So the Baby's top teeth are officially out!  The top teeth were rough on him and the last few nights have been horrid.  The worst part is when he is wide awake at 4am and crawling all over us on the bed.  Oh and when I say "us", I really mean "me".  It is almost like he is trying to get comfortable on top of me or right against me and can't.  If we move him to his bed he will cry for about 15 minutes.   While we have been mostly following the "cry it out" system at bed time and nap time, we haven't been consistent when it comes to waking in the middle of the night.  The reality is I am just too tired to try in the middle of the night.  Since I am still breastfeeding the night time feeds and wakings have been almost entirely my resposibility.  Sometimes I wake up to his crying and can't even get my brain to make my legs get out of bed and get him. 

 

Work is going to be so difficult withn the Baby still waking at night.  I am hopeful that the consistency that daycare will bring him, will have a positive affect on his home sleep routine.  Well a girl can hope can't she???

September 11, 2012 - Shutterfly Book

A while ago I got a coupon from Huggies for a free 20 page photo book from Shutterfly.  I have been working on a book about our vacation for months now, and I figured I would create a quick book of the last year with the free coupon which would also let me see what the Shutterfly product will look like. 

Today the book arrived.  It was in the mailbox as I was leaving to pick up the kids.  I was so excited that I took it with me to open while I was waiting for the kids to get out of school.  The book looked great!  I was really happy with it.  The book I received didn't have any frills.  I didn't use any fancy paper or add any journalling to the pages.  I wanted just to see what the quality of the photos was going to be.  I am happy with it, and I am definately going to send in the vacation book as soon as it is finished.

September 10, 2012 - TIFF!!!

Tonight I went to see a movie at the Toronto International Film Festival with my sister.  We saw Antiviral.  It was about celebrity obsession taken to the nth degree.  It was creepy and intelligent at the same time.   Normally I see movies that are more Hollywood then this movie, they are polished and more lighthearted.  This movie was neither.  It was an excellent movie and it was definately enjoyable to be at a premiere.  The showing tonight was the North Americam Premiere of the movie.    Some of the cast was at the theatre, and both the Director and Producer spoke before the movie started.

It was nice to get out of the house without the kids.  I liked spending time with my Sister.  I am hopeful that the Husband and I can actually spend some time together without the kids in the near future, because we really need that!

September 9, 2012 - 253 Posts

I can't believe I am up to 253 posts already!  I am mostly keeping up with this blog and I am going to be so happy to have a record of this year to keep forever.  I hope when I am back to work in a couple weeks, that I can find the time to keep it up!

September 8, 2012 - Keep Out Of Our Bed

Ok so last night when Baby woke (12:30am and 4:30am) I didn't bring him into our bed. I am thinking if I break the association of waking and snuggling in our bed, he might sleep better in his. At both times I went into his room and fed him. Then I rocked him until he was sleepy. Then he wouldn't or couldn't get comfortable with me holding him, so I put him in the crib, patted his back and said goodnight. Both times he cried for about 2 minutes after I left the room an went to sleep. He woke at 7:30am. I guess this is progress, it just feels so slow and I am always hoping for fast positive results!

September 7, 2012 - Still Crying It Out

I am getting worried that the Baby won't be sleeping through the night when I am back to work. It will make life hard on me if I am exhausted at work.

I am still letting him cry at almost every sleep time. Last night I let him cry in the middle of the night because he wouldn't settle in bed with us.

September 6, 2012 - Eat Your Lunch!

So the Girl is now spending the entire day at school since she started grade one on Tuesday. This also means that she is responsible for eating the food that I send for lunch. What I have learned is that you cannot trust a five year old to do any thing. At home I have to constantly tell her to eat her breakfast and dinner. So my question is: who is now responsible for making sure she eats? I send her to school with her lunch and the school gives the kids 20 minutes to eat her lunch and she doesn't eat anything.

Don't they keep an eye on their students to make sure they have eaten? Isn't this part of caring for them for the day?

September 5, 2012 - Locked Out

Today we got locked out of the house. We had left to get the kids from school and when we returned our keys wouldn't open the front door.

The Husband had to drill the lock out so we could get into the house.

September 4, 2012 - School :(

So the kids went back to school today. My big Boy went to grade 3 and my baby Girl started grade 1. Where has the time gone? I remember when they both started kindergarten!

The Boy had a good day. He has some of his friends from last year in his class. The Girl knew a couple of kids in her class too. Thy are both in split classes for now, they will probably reorganize after the PA day on the 14th.

With the kids out of the house all day, the Baby had a nice long nap and I actually got some cleaning done.

 

Last year on the first day of school, the Boy was really upset.  He was starting in a new school and he missed his old school friends a lot.  For he first two weeks of school he asked us every night to go back to his old school.  It was heartbreaking to tell him that we couldn't do that.  Eventually he made some friends and started to enjoy going to his new school.  Once the Baby was born and I was off work he really started to relax. 

The Girl loved school from the first day, I am sure it was because she didn't have any emotional attachments to the kids in her JK class.  This made her transition easier and less stressful.

 

After school I picked up the kids.  The Girl came slowly out of the door and proclaimed that she was so tired from the long day.  It was her first day of all day school and she was exhausted from all the 'work'.  She later explained to me that it was tiring moving from the desk to the floor and back all day!  Ahhh...I wish that was all I had to do all day!!

September 3, 2012 - School Tomorrow

Today I was hungover from last nights binge.  I was feeling very rough this morning and the Husband and I managed to get the Baby to go back to sleep and he stayed asleep until about 11am.  I got up around 10 am and hung out with the older kids while they watched the Scooby-Do marathon.

My Sister stayed over and got up with the kids earlier and then headed back to bed after the kids made her breakfast.  She stayed until about noon and then she went home.  The kids love having her over, and I like being able to chat with her too.  Our lives are so different and busy that it is hard to find the time to get together.

Later we visited my Mother-in-Law and had lunch.  I wasn't very hungry, since I was still hungover I just ate a little and had a coffee.  We had a nice visit and left.  On the way home we thought that we would drive past the air show and see if we could catch a glimpse of some planes.  Unfortunately by the time we got to the lakeshore the air show was over.  Oh well, there is always next year!



When we got home, the kids organized their school bags and we enjoyed Little Ceasers for dinner.  I finally got my appetite back and really ate the pizza.  The kids were pretty excited at bedtime, but I think they were both tired enough to be asleep by about 9:15pm.  Hopefully, they wake up easier in the morning and we can get them off to school on time. 

September 2, 2012 - 11 Months and a day

Today (yesterday) marks the Baby's 11 month birthday.  I can't believe 11 months has passed already.  I feel like the time rushed by so quickly.  I distinctly remember still being pregnant with him, and working right up until my due date.  I also remember many sleepless nights when he was very little, and the days I didn't want to get up to take the kids to school (but of course I did anyway).  I remember the first smile, the first time he crawled (it was backwards), and his first laugh.  It is scary how much he has learned over this 11 months and how much more he will learn over the next year. 

Last month I predicted that the Baby would be walking by 11 months, and this didn't happen.  I am going back to work in a month and I am so scared that I won't be the one to see his first step.  I was the one who witnessed the first steps of the other two kids (they walked early), but this Baby is enjoying the ease of crawling and he likes to cruise around the furniture.  Not to mention the other two kids constantly pick him up and carry him all over the room, so he has an easy life!  I will probably cry if he takes his first steps at the day care centre and the caregivers get to be the ones to see it.  I won't have a photo of the steps and I will definately feel cheated.














This past month (on August 5) the Baby grew his second tooth (the first was July 27) and the two top teeth started to work their way out.  As of today there is just a small amount of skin left, they should pop out any day. 




Tonight we had a BBQ at our house to celebrate Labor Day.  We had lots of yummy food and wine.  I have to admit that my Sister and I did some damage to the box of wine.   I believe it was me who came up with the bright idea to finish the box (it was an 8 L box and there was about 2-3 L left at this point).  I hardly ever drink that much, it has probably been three years since I'd been drunk and this morning I remembered that it sucks to be hungover and I'll probably keep it to a minimum for a while.  It was a lot of fun at the time and it was nice to relax for a bit.  When you have three kids there isn't much time to let loose and I took full advantage of it.

September 1, 2012 - Really? September!!

Today is the first of September.  The kids go back to school on Tuesday.  We are having a BBQ on Sunday and my Baby is 11 months old.  He is so amazing and adorable and cuddly.  I think he understands quite a few words.  If I ask for a kiss he leans in to my face.  If I ask him for a hug he will put his head on my shoulder.  He is also learning that agua means water.  He nods his head when we talk to him and he points to things and people that he wants.  I am going to try and enjoy the last month and spend as much time as possible with all three kids.  I want to get them organized and settled in school and hopefully go back to work with my house in order.

August 31, 2012 - Last Month

Today starts the countdown of my last month of maternity leave, ever! The kids didn't want to do much. Actually for the lady few days they've just wanted to hang out at home.


My Mom and I picked up BBQ supplies for Sunday. The Husband went to work after dinner. Last night the Baby was extra special. Lately he's been waking up about two minutes after I turn out the light to go to sleep. Last night I waited for him and he wouldn't go back into his crib. I had to let him cry for about 12 minutes before he fell asleep. He slept until 6:30 though!