October 19, 2012 - Friday! Sick! Party!

Today is picture day at the daycare.  I wasn't expecting this!  I know I can decide to not buy a package, but the will probably be adorable, so I will have to suck it up and avoid buying too many copies!  He looked charming this morning, and it was about the 6th day in a row where he didn't cry when I dropped him off.  In fact, this week he has smiled when he saw his teacher reach out for him.  It is a great relief to know that I am not leaving a crying baby and to know that he has fun all day long.

October 18, 2012 - Happy Birthday Great Granny!

Today marks 292 posts.  Wow! What an accomplishment for me!  Just 74 days until the end of the year! That is a scary thought, because that means that Christmas is less than 70 days away!!  Holy Crap!  I'd better get cracking!  Today would have been my Granny's birthday.  She would have been 86 today.  It is sad because we all miss her lots.  I am glad that the Boy and the Girl got to meet her, but I am sad for the Baby (who has her name as well as my husband's) because he never got to meet her. 

I think she knew I was going to have him even before I did.  I remember my Mom telling me that she asked if I was pregnant when she learned we were moving and buying a four bedroom house.  At the time I wasn't but she knew that it would happen soon!  I just wish she got to meet him. 

October 17, 2012 - Party Preparations

Today is my little sister's birthday.  Happy Birthday to you!!   This week we also started working on the preparations for the kids birthday extravaganza on Sunday.  For the last 6 years we have had a joint party for the Girl and the Boy, this is the first year that the party will be triple the fun.  It's always a lot of work planning a big family party and hosting it at our house.  The kids are not very helpful when it comes to cleaning and organizing.  I can't start too early because we still need to live in the house until then, and when you have kids messes happen...all the time...no matter how hard you try!  My goal is to do a little each week, working my way to the principle rooms in the house that we use regularly.  I will do the last couple of rooms on Sunday morning.  I can do it!

October 16, 2012 - Sick Mommy

There should be rule that Mommy's can't get sick.  When we are sick nothing stops. Life goes on.  There is still homework, cooking, dishes, laundry, work etc.  It doesn't pause until Mommy's get better.  When kids are sick, Mommy's are the one to baby them and try and help them feel better.  But when Mommy's are sick we still have to do the same things.  I have to admit that the Husband this week did the laundry on Wednesday, which was a big help.  He also helps alot with the bath and dinnertime of the Baby.  What's worse is that the Husband is also sick now too, so both of us not feeling well and the three kids are all feeling fine!   The Baby had a cold, but I think the worst has passed.  He's sleeping a little better and not as cranky during the day.  I am just waiting for the other two kids to catch it, and then hopefully it will leave our house for the rest of the winter.  Well a girl can hope can't she?

October 15, 2012 - Nighttime Rollarcoaster

It's starting to take a toll on me. Each night is different and unexpected. Last night was horrible. He come in the bed because he wakes up and then tosses and turns so nobody sleeps. Last night I put him back into his crib, he cried, but eventually went back to sleep for a few hours. The problem was I was wide awake and couldn't immediately go to sleep.

I was pretty tired this morning. I was also upset because the kuerig wasn't working, and I can't affoard to but coffee every morning!

October 14, 2012 - Good night

The Baby had a much better night last night. We actually woke him at 11:30pm to give him a bottle. Then he slept the rest of the night. We all needed the sleep.

This afternoon before going to my mother-in-laws we watched Felix Baumgartener free fall from space. It was very cool!

I realized I missed a Baby photo today. It was one of those crazy days.  At least I have a photo taken today!!

October 13, 2012 - Officially a sick Baby

My poor baby officially has his first cold. Today the Boy went to sell apples for Cubs and the Girl had a spark trip to Historic Bovaird House. We also drove to Georgetown to pick up the retrofit kit for the Bumbo (it was recalled in August).

I was a little concerned with his cough this evening and I called Telehealth and the nurse gave me some suggestions to treat it at home.

October 12, 2012 - No tears!

Today I dropped the Baby at daycare and he didn't cry for the first time. I actually left with with a smile on my face.

I had to take another photo of the Baby nursing, because I just never know how much longer we will be doing it.  I am finding that it is not satisfying him now, and he normally nurses and then gets a bottle after.

October 11, 2012 - Still Crying at Dropoff

In the morning it's just me and the Baby. I get 20 uninterrupted minutes to feed him breakfast, make him laugh and hug him before I put him in the car and drive him to daycare. He is happy, he smiles and laughs when I am taking him out of the car. Then I start talking about all the fun he's going to have spending the day with his friends. He is happy. I take him inside and remove his jacket. He's happy. He sees the care giver and he's happy until I hand him over and then he cries a horrible sad cry that makes the hair on my arms stick up and makes me feel empty in the pit of my stomach! I turn and leave, some days I can hear him cry until I walk out the door. Some days I wait until I hear him stop before I leave. But everyday, by the time I get to the parking lot he has stopped crying and is playing with the toys. Then I enjoy my Hal hour drive to work:)

October 10, 2012 - Everyone Out...early!

Today I dropped everyone off in the morning.  Normally I just take the Baby to daycare and then go to work, but the Husband had to work early so I needed to get all three of them up and out!  It's difficult because the Girl moves so slowly in the morning and the Baby will only stay sitting in his high chair for so long before he starts crying.  I made it to work just in time for the rain to start (while I was still in the car).  Fortunately it wasn't too hard because I don't have enough hands to carry my bags and an umbrella!


The Boy had his enrollment into Cubs tonight. They call it investiture. We had him practice the Cub promise and he had it memorized.

October 9, 2012 - Back to work!

Today was back to work and school for everyone.  It was a rough morning because no one ever wants to get up after a long weekend.  The Baby really cried when I dropped him off, and I felt pretty bad about it.  We went grocery shopping after dinner and then it was bedtime.  The 3 hours that I have with the kids after school rush by too fast! 

Last night when we got home from Thanksgiving dinner the Baby opened his birthday present from his godfather and his girlfriend.  It was a truck with small cars that fit inside. It makes noise and has three characters that you can play with.  The Baby loves vehicles.  I don't know if that is just ingrained in him as a boy or if it is just a preference.  At this early of an age, he loves to push things around that have wheels.  It is so neat to see.

I also have a small confession to make:  I didn't take a photo today!  It was a crazy evening and I was exhausted.  I just plain forgot!  So the photos in today's post are from yesterday evening (pretty darn close).

Honestly, in the nearly 10 months that I have done this blog, I have forgotten about 3 times!  I think that is pretty good when your life is as hectic as mine:)

October 8, 2012 - Thanksgiving Part 2!

Today we visited the Husband's side of the family for Thanksgiving dinner.  It was a lot of fun for the kids to play with their cousins.  The Boy was happy because the only other boy cousin was there.  I think they were bugging the Girls a little bit!  That's OK because they are completely out numbered!

The Boy has been drawing on his board (see the photo) and I have to admit his drawings have improved a lot.  They are very creative, interesting and detailed.  He still doesn't like to use colour (which is why he probably likes the board), but I admire his effort.  This morning he was plotting his 'Evil Plans'.  It was adorable and I couldn't resist taking a photo.  The finished product showed him robbing a bank using a large vaccume that he used to suck out all the money.  It is very innovative!

The food was delicious!  It was also the first time in a while that all the grandkids were together, so we took the opportunity to get a group photo.

October 7, 2012 - A day of rest...sort of!

Today we didn't have anywhere to be really, so we hung out at home.  I organized the boy clothes we have in the basement.  The Boy helped me.  We sorted the 10 bins of clothes by size and then stored them in labelled bins with other clothing of the same size.  It is going to be much easier to find clothes when the Baby needs to move up a size.  Then we had our own thanksgiving dinner.  I made chicken and potatos.  After dinner we watched Armageddon with the kids.   It was a nice day.  I wish more days were like this, where the Husband is home and we don't have anywhere to be.

October 6, 2012 - Thanksgiving Part 1

Today was Thanksgiving for my side of the family.  It was also the last day of the market.  We enjoyed our walk downtown although it was chilly and windy.

Late we went for dinner at my parents. It was a smaller group then my husbands will be in a couple of days, but it was comfortable.  The kids had fun playing with their cousin and pawning their wares to our family.  This time of year is the time of the fundraiser.  This year we are selling Girl Guide Cookies, chocolate bars and popcorn.  Everyone is very kind and helps where they can.

Dinner was delicious and semi-traditional.  We had the usual suspects for side dishes but the meat dish was most delicious.  My Mom makes the best meatloaf and the kids loved it!  Well not the Girl, but she doesn't count because she doesn't like any meat products unless they start with a 'Mc' and end with a 'nugget" or comes on a stick!

October 5, 2012 - TGIF!

Thank goodness!  I made it through my first week, tired but I survived.  Also good to know that Baby survived daycare.  It was tough leaving him there when he was crying but I know that he has fun during the day and they tell me he's not spending the entire day crying.  So that makes me happy.  It puts a smile on my face when he gets so excited to see the Boy and the Girl when we pick him up.  I am glad the day ends off on a positve note!


The Boy had a birthday party tonight at McDonald's.  He had lots of fun with his friends but the rest of us were so tired that we couldn't wait to get home! 

The Baby brought his first art home from day care today, I was so excited to see it.  I am not sure how much he did and how much the ladies 'helped' him but it is adorable and I am proud of him.

October 4, 2012 - Spelling Tests

So the kids have spelling each week.  Last year I drilled the Boy everynight on his ten words, and he did alright on his tests, 7-10 out of 10 for the entire year.  This year I am having a hard time finding time to test him nightly, plus the Girl also has spelling this year so I also need to give her a test.  Additonally the teachers expect the kids to read for 15 minutes every night, and I need to keep track of what they read.  So much work for me.  There isn't enough time in the day!  On Monday and Wednesdays I can barely get dinner done before we have to take one of the kids to their activities, let alone get the spelling words practiced.

This is the view from my office.  While I would rather be home with the kids; I feel a little better when I look out the window and see this beautiful campus.  I am on the lookout for deer roaming the grounds, I haven't seen one yet!

October 3, 2012 - First Steps

Last night he took his first wobbly step. I was so glad that it happened at home and I was able to witness it.

Today he had his first year check up. His weight is still a little low and he has a heart murmer. The doctor is going to follow up on both his weight and the heart murmer at his 15 month check up in January. Hopefully both turn out to be nothing important and he is fine!

October 2, 2012 - 276 Posts!!

Only 90 posts to go and then the entire year has been blogged.  What a fun project!  I am very proud of myself for keeping this up and more importantly I will always treasure the record of the year.  I am going to put some thought into my 2013 project.  While I don't think it will be as time consuming as this project I would definately like to do something.

October 1, 2012 - Happy Birthday to You!

I can't believe my baby is one already.  This year seemed to fly by, and he is now a toddler.  He started daycare and I don't think he cried...I admit I shed a few tears in the car on my way to WORK!    When I picked him up, he cried, mostly because I think he realized that I left him there all day.  He was pretty happy all evening and was tired by about 7:30pm.

I got to work and things were different but the same.  I remembered nothing and remembered everything all at once.  It is very overwhelming and easy at the same time.  What a strange feeling to be back, and an ever weirder notion that I will now be working almost every day fof the next 30 years (give or take) until I retire.  That's a lot of packed lunches and drives to work.  That's a lot of emails and student requests.

So I wonder what I am going to have for the next 7,500 lunches???  I think I need some ideas.  LOL!

September 30, 2012 - Teary

Today was a sad day for everyone in the house.  The Girl cried and the Boy hugged me tighter tonight.  They knew this day was coming and we'd been talking about it daily over the last month, but they still hoped that it wouldn't happen and I would just decide to stay home and not work. 

On the way to my Mother-In-Law's house we stopped at Tim Horton's.  The Baby got to enjoy some yummy timbits, and as you can see from the photo he loves them!!

September 29, 2012 - Birthday Party

Tonight we had a party for the Baby.  His actual birthday is on Monday, but since I am back to work, the Husband is working and the kids have school, I decided to have the party a couple days early.  My parents came over after dinner and we sang happy birthday, watched the Baby eat cupcakes (and make a lovely mess), then we opened presents.  It was a very nice evening and the Baby seemed to like his presents.  Although the older kids wanted to play with his toys, and often took them away from him.  I know they are just trying to get attention, and the day was all about the Baby.  But they really need to learn to let him play with his toys on his own!  He also liked to play in the box that his toy came in.  He crawled inside the box all by himself.  The older kids were trying to put his present together, it was cute.  They tried but when the instructions say: adult assembly required, they really mean it!!

September 28, 2012 - Last weekday of my leave

Today I dropped the kids off at school for the last time. It is a really hard day for me. I knew that this day was coming but I am still really upset about it. If we could afford one of us to stay home we would do that, but it's not possible.

I am also worried because the Baby isn't sleeping through the night, he sleep is very restless and it is taking a toll on me and the Husband. I worry that I won't be able to function well at work because I'll be so tired, or that I will sleep in and be late for work.

How will it be possible for me to get everything done in the day when I'll only be home for a few hours?  The kids have activities and they need help with their homework every night. Not to mention the attention that the Baby will want and need after spending the day at daycare away from us.  I love picking up the kids, it is my favourite time of the day.  I love it when they run out of the door and have so much to tell me, I am really going to miss that!

I have basically been crying most of this week.  I have been feeling horrible all week.  Everything is frustrating me and I feel like I am going to lose it, if it is possible to lose it more than I already have.  It has been emotional to say the least, the Baby is turning one, starting day care and still not sleeping.  The to top it off the kids have their birthday bash coming up and I need to figure out what to make by way of food and what to do for loot bags.  All I really want to do is crawl back into bed and sleep until January.