MARCH BREAK happenins

Well, it’s the last day of March Break!  Dave has had some marking to do each day, but we have tried to do something little and fun and inexpensive and out of the norm each day to make it feel like a special week.   

MONDAY

On Monday, we rented a movie to watch as a family with popcorn.  We decided on this low key activity because we needed to hang around the house to potty train Janna.  Janna has been asking to go on the potty and telling us she needs to pee for months now.  I wasn’t ready to tackle it, and really didn’t think she was ready aside from the wanting to!   I’m a firm believer that if a child is truly ready it should not take long at all.  So, we decided we would tackle it hard core for 2 days, and if it didn’t take, leave it until the summer.   We did the boot-camp method with Jesse. No pants or undies, lots of juice, and potties everywhere with extreme dancing and chocolate for every hit.  Jesse pretty much got it in 2 days.  Janna was SO excited on Monday and spent all day on or near the potty.

 Aside from 2 dribble accidents, she had 8 hits, and even a poo on the potty.  That night, I told Dave I wondered if she would get bored with the newness of the potty, and just quit.  Well, the next morning, she decided she wanted NOTHING to do with the potty.  She didn’t want on it, or near it, and ran around all day holding in her pee and poo.  When the dribbles started, she would get SO upset about the mess, but FREAK if we put her on the potty.  She needed to poo, and pee, and waddled around all day stiff and uncomfortable.

 I had read an article by a pediatrician, about a month ago, that really encouraged leaving potty training until 30 months.  That a child learning to potty train so young (which just means holding it in- as many kids who are so young don’t just GO when they need to, but hold it in until put on the potty or bursting) , can often result in UTI’s and constipation.  This pediatrician strongly encouraged waiting until a child was at better age of understanding to tackle this for a variety of reasons, that being one of them.

So, with Janna, after day 2 of HOLD IT IN as long as possible and freak outs near the pot, we decided to leave it.  We’ll try again in july and see if she’s ready then.  I’m really in no rush.  I was just feeling bad that she was asking so much for it, and I wasn’t willing to give her a shot with it.

 TUESDAY

Jesse cracked into his piggy bank, and sponsored a trip to the mall for dollar rides and a visit to a great pet store right across from the rides.  We went to Carling wood mall, which is Right beside our old apartment, and has fond memories.  Jesse ADORED the rides, and Janna was freaked out by their “noises.” Here they are...

Jesse, on the other hand, went through the pet store with his ears covered as the sound of the birds freaked him out.  Janna, however, LOVED all the crazy squawking birds and was beaming and in heaven.  Those 2 are so funny.  Robyn and I enjoyed both watching the rides, and the animals.  She, also, loved gnawing on her snugli.

WEDNESDAY

Jesse had his first concert on Wednesday night! The Veggie Tales Live Show came to Ottawa.  We debated taking him, but 20 bucks a ticket was just a little too steep for us.  However, his Aunt Katie knew that the radio station CHRI was giving away tickets to those who would call in at a certain time and sing in a veggie tales voice one of their songs.  Well, on her way home from work, she was listening and called in.  She was driving and so she had to pull over on the road (4 way flashers on) which was ironically in front of a police station to sing her melody.  She was going to take him to the concert, but had an important appointment come up, and so Dave had the honors!  Here they are about to leave:

Now, I was hoping he would get some pictures at the concert, but no camera’s were allowed.  Dave said he LOVED it!  And he came home looking drunk off the experience.  Dave is sitting beside me, and I will dictate his words of the experience, “Jesse had a great time. At first he was a little bit nervous and covered his ears, and then he was very quiet.  But then, he couldn’t stop jumping around and clapping his hands.  And then he started to wildly look at me and break into grins and laughter in the middle of the songs, commenting on how silly the songs actually were.  Then he told me, with a wistful look in his eyes, “I WANT TO HUG LARRY."  I explained to him the impossibility of that situation.  He listened to me very quietly and respectfully, and then repeated, “I want to Hug Larry."  He continued to say this intermittently throughout the evening. ”

THURSDAY

Thursday was FRIENDS and JUNK FOOD DAY.  We went out for a playdate in the morning, had some older friends in to hang out after naps, and delighted in Pizza for supper with cookies for dessert.  It’s the little things that make kids happy! 

FRIDAY

Perhaps we shouldn’t have eaten the junk food... Both of the kids have runny noses and are out of sorts today.  Jesse has a cough that had him up a bit through the night, and they both look sort of drawn and spacey.   I had to get out to do a ton of errands and shopping this morning, and felt guilty leaving Dave with the munchkins.   But, he told me to beat it, and get some time out.  What a guy. 

Well, I had a very specific list of things to get a ton of groceries and randoms from 6 different stores.  I decided I had to get this done in 2 hours.  I figured the travel from place to place would take almost an hour of that, so I had about 10 minutes to get in and out of each place.  It was hard!  I hit up 3 grocery stores, walmart, the bulk barn, and LOWES.  I needed several things at each place and was just whippin' around those places!  I made it home with 4 minutes to spare, and felt fairly wiped.  I entered into the house with pounds of bags to a crying baby, Janna grabbing at my legs asking to snuggle while shrieking that she wanted a banana, and Jesse asking me to help him with something every 30 seconds.  Dave needed to disappear to mark, and I needed to get groceries away and lunch made, and laundry in, and Jesse’s reading tackled for the day.  It was stressful. We survived.  Dave sensed my despair and took the older kids outta the house after their naps to get some fresh air, so I could resume my housework and tackle dinner in peace.  Well, Robyn stayed in with me, but she continues to be peaceful and so I just pop her in her swing or chair near where I am working and we just chit-chat back and forth.  She is SO CUTE!  I just want TO EAT HER FACE!!! nom nom nom...

Anyways, tonight Dave and I are having an in-house date.  I should be on my way. Just wanted to let everyone know we’re doing well. Happy middle of march! Thanks for reading. I’m out.

SPRING, SNOW and SHRED

It’s March! When the heck did that happen?!

I have not posted in a while.  I have been busy getting a head start on spring cleanin’ in my spare time.   I figure maybe this will encourage spring to come to early?   Also, the weather has been warm enough over the past few weeks for the kids to actually enjoy the outdoors.  So, we’ve been spending good chunks of time out in the front yard.  Janna is into scooping snow and throwing it into puddles.  Like she will try and “fill up” a puddle for 20 minutes straight.  She also likes to pull her sled up to the highest little snow peaks in the yard and trudge across deep snow with it.

Actually... there is that saying about March.  In like a lion and out like a lamb.  And the last day of February we had a good ol’ snow storm.  One of the better ones for Ottawa.  Sometimes I find people this way over react to the weather conditions and call anything over 5 cm a storm.   Growing up on the East coast, and then spending my university years in Moncton right near the ocean... storms were STORMY!  20cm plus would be called a storm, and only if there were high winds, ice, and white-out conditions involved.   And then you still would try and drive around in it!  My dad owned a construction company while I grew up in Hartland.  And he did a lot of plowing over the years.  I remember being in his truck with him on the highway (which of course was a twisty and bendy 2 way traffic lane riddled with pot holes in the middle of blowing potato fields) and not being able to see a thing!  There were a few times I was quite sure I was going to meet Jesus any second...but my pa was some good on them ol’ roads!  Oooo...the Carleton county is comin’ out in me!

Ottawa does, indeed, have WAY WAY colder and drier days that NB.  It took me a few winters to adjust to this after moving here, but not so many stormy days.  Or at least what I grew up calling a storm.  The last day of February we got some blowing and heavy snow that came quite quickly.  School buses were not cancelled as things didn’t get going until noonish.  So, Dave had to drive home in the van in a good 20 cm of snow.  He was fairly late getting in, and when he stepped in the door I almost burst into laughter.  He was soaked and his glasses fogged up, and his hair matted down and he was sweating. 

I guess that EVERYONE was just stuck in the snow EVERYWHERE!  To the point, that people just got out of their cars and would push whoever’s vehicle was first in line out of the snow, and then onto the next person.  Dave had a shovel in the back of the car, and so this proved most useful in digging out wells so the cars could get some grip and go.  I guess Dave also got stuck 3 times and bailed out by pushing strangers 3 times.  Then he got into our parking lot.  We have a large shared parking lot with tons of people from the surrounding townhouses.  The plows don’t get to these until last..which could be a day or 2 later.  So, everyone was stuck!   Dave ended up pushing people into their spots, and then someone helped him into our spot.  The poor man was wiped.  He got changed and was just about to sink into a chair to eat a hot supper when the phone rang.  Katie was on her way home from work and was also stuck in the parking lot!  Dave suited up and helped her get parked...and then helped a ton of other people push their vehicles into their lots.  What a great man I have!

It was kind of nice.  I actually sort of wished I was out there pushing vehicles.  It was like community!  People were depending and helping each other, and the stories made my heart happy.   No more of this don’t look or talk to anyone!  The next day, I had to dig the van out of the spot to get the kids out for a play date.  It wasn’t too bad, and aside from having to gun it over a few part of unplowed road we made it to my friend Kim’s and back without any issues.  When I got home, I let Jesse and Janna trudge around in the snow in the front yard.  Robyn was half asleep bundled in her car seat, and I decided I would be awesome and shovel as many spots as possible while the kids were happy.  The plow seems to hit up our lots WAY after the snow fall, and one hadn’t been by.  All of the snow was packed down and it was easy to get stuck or spin out.   I felt like I missed out on this snow experience, and grabbed my shovel all set to shovel until I was sweating and aching! I envision clearing atleast half of this lot.  Well... Pathetic. I got through only one and a half spots before Robyn started SCREAMING!   We went inside.  Fail.  Someday.

Anyhoo, not too much new going on.  I’ve been starting to exercise again.  It’s time to rid myself of these pesky- 5- floppy- post- baby- pounds.  Sometimes I think I should just wait until I’m totally done having kids to tackle the baby belly...as it’s just gonna come around again with Baby Vance 4.  But, that’s a silly thought.  I just forgot how great it makes ya feel and that excess energy it infuses me with is wonderful.  So, that’s been fun.  Right now I’m just doing the Gillian Michaels shred.  I do it at 7 usually when Janna is awake for the last half hour of the day and when the other kids are in bed.  The first work-out I did with Janna in the room was so funny.  She was mesmerized and tried in her 2 year old fashion to do the moves.  Except when it came to cardio (instead of skipping in place or whatever)  she would just start running wildly in circles and happily shrieking.  And when I did pushups she would squat in front of me and put her nose on my head and ask for a hug??  And, of course, with sit ups, she wanted to sit right on my abs.  I don’t think she hindered my work out at all... she just added some extra weight and laughs.   Adorable.  I wish I had some of it on camera. 

Wella wella.  Kids won’t be napping for much longer, and so I should be on my way.  Just wanted to touch base. Happy march y’all JThanks for reading. I’m out. 

Ok...Jesse has joined me just as I'm finishing this post.  For those of you who miss my beautiful and expressive face, here are a few goodies for ya! And don't say Jesse is a mini Dave...here is proof that there is some of me in him