THE FAM JAM

Whoa. It’s the end of August. Who knew?? The summer has flown by, and with a lot of routine out the window, I have failed to blog as consistently as I would have liked to. I find when Dave is around to help me with the kids, and with vacation and what not, I get in the summer groove of laziness. I hope with Back to School around the corner I will get better at this blogging thing. At this point, I feel overwhelmed with everything that’s happened over the summer and am not sure what to write about. I think Point Form will have to do.

DAVE
Has been awesome over the summer! He has been taking care of the kids first thing in the morning and getting them breakfast and ready for the day while I take my grand old time getting ready in a very leisurely fashion. He’s also been taking care of most of the dishes and keeping the kitchen clean all summer, which has just been a tremendously beautiful and much needed break for myself. It’s been great to see him having some quality time with the kids. The other day they were both crawling on him on the couch, and I walked into the room with the camera. He said to me, “This is my dream..to be covered with my children” Implying a few more could actually cover him totally. Dave has also put on 10 pounds...and after our vacation out East and dessert everynight... he’s got a bit of love going on around the mid-section. It’s pretty awesome. He is quite proud of this ability to finally pack on a bit of weight. I imagine it will all come off with the busyness and stress of a new school year.

JESSE
Is potty trained! Well.. sort of. He is 100% good in our house during the day, but is still wearing a diaper at naps and through the night. He has also had no accidents during the trips we’ve taken outside, and in the car. They have only been 1-2 hour long segments, though. He is talking up a storm and can repeat just about anything you ask him to say. He also is coming up with good questions to ask us. He ran into the kitchen this morning and asked, “where daddy is?” He is putting so much of the world all together, and I am just loving this stage! Janna was yelling today and whining a bit, and Jesse looked at me and said, “Janna screaming. Janna have nap. Have Sleep. ” I think that 18-24 months was harder as far as discipline and terrible 2’s go. I might just be blinded, though, by all the help I had all summer with the kids. Anyways, the little guy still melts my heart with his cute little ways, and sensitive soul. We had a date on the couch after Janna went to bed. I put on his favourite show and let him have a pogo for the first time, and told him we were having a “pogo date.” And that only Jesse and Mommy could have pogo dates because daddy was allergic and Janna was too little. He was pretty excited about it. “Jesse. Mommy has Pogo Date. No daddy. No Janna.”

JANNA
Speaking of the Miss. She can YELL!!! Yowzers. I call her my 50% sweet 50% feisty girl. It’s so funny. She rarely cries or fusses. She is usually pretty content doing whatever, and just ADORES watching Jesse doing all his playing and silliness. But, when she wants something, or is not happy, she just YELLS! Her little fists ball up and she shakes with rage while she just hollers at the top of her lungs. It’s not a scream or a cry, just an angry wail. “AHHHHHHH” She does this when we don’t feed her fast enough, or she has decided she’s had enough in her jumper, or we take away something she shouldn’t be chewing on. The little one can get anywhere she wants now with a pretty fast army crawl, and I really need to do a bit of baby proofing. Jesse was not one to put anything in his mouth or explore sockets, and he couldn’t even crawl till he was like 13 months. So, I didn’t have too much to worry about. This little girl is gonna be a busy one. But, she’s happy. SO, I’m happy. We had her 6 month shots today, and she was a total champ. She is growing well, even though she is still JUST 14 pounds.

ME
Ahhh...I started back to work the start of July for just one very short shift on Saturday morning. It’s been refreshing to get out of the house and do something different. I really thrive on a strange combination of Routine AND planning new things and having short bursts of change in my life. I’m really excited for the fall. Summer was awesome. Especially our trip out East. We got to see both of our families and had a great visit in the fantastic Fredericton. BUT, I’m ready to get back to some structure. I have set some new goals for myself. One of which is a good work out routine and healthy eating plan. I read a great e-book earlier this summer called “the Diet Solution.” It’s not so much a diet as a lifestyle change with regards to nutrition. I’ve been incorporating this lifestyle slowly over the summer, and I’m feeling really great. Just sort of care free and happy and way less moody. It’s been good for everyone :)

Well, with that I’m off to eat! Thanks for reading. I’m out.

STARTING Solids

It’s crazy how different I find myself treating Janna, compared to Jesse when he was her age. With Jesse, I was so eager to have him hit all his milestones and try new things. Funny enough, Jesse was slow to do a lot of things...like sit, crawl, walk, feed himself, etc. With Janna, I am in zero rush for all these things! They are just more work, and life is so simple right now. It’s funny, because even though I don’t encourage her to learn things on her own (example- I pass her toys, and avoid belly time) she seems to be the opposite of Jesse and picks up on things too fast! She is now inching forward and pivoting all over the floor, and won’t stay off her stomach. Little munchkin. With Jesse, I was all pumped to start solids and at about 5 months started rice cereal. He sort of hated it, and it was a funny first experience. I wasn’t planning on starting Janna until 6 months, but lately she has been stalking our food with her eyes when we eat. Yesterday, she just about flopped out of her bumbo trying to mouth dive onto some food that was a on a plate close to her. So, after brushing up on the baby readiness signs and solids guidelines, we decided to start her on sweet potatoes today

She was so cute! She was very excited about the whole process of eating. She would open her mouth so wide and lean into the spoon, then look at us like “what the heck” as she swallowed down the orange mess. After a confused look, she would give us a huge grin and stick out her tongue for more. I don’t know if she loved the taste of the food, but it was like she loved eating. A definite Smith trait.

Here are a few pics of my angel baby.

Summer (Break) is (almost) Here!

Summer finally feels like it’s here! Not just because of the gorgeous weather we have been having the past few days, but things all of a sudden feel a bit slower and more exciting at the same time. Dave had his last day at school on Thursday, and while he is taking a course next week, he will be basically free in the evenings. Yay!

We had a fabulous long weekend. It kick started with my darling friend, Grace, and her husband, Tavis, visiting. We haven’t seen them for almost a year and were delighted they could make it for brunch, and then an afternoon at the park with the kids, then some catching up over games and food while the babes napped.

The first year we were in Ottawa for Canada day, we did the crazy downtown thing. The past few years, Dave has gone back to Parliament with friends, and I have stayed at home with friends. While I LOVE fireworks and parades, I’m totally claustrophobic around big buildings and crowds. So, the combination is a bit of a killer for me. Dave loves that atmosphere, so I always encourage him to do his thing. This year, I was thinking of putting the kids to bed, then waking them up right at 10 to take them to some fireworks a bit closer. However, it seems that lately, both of my kids are never happy at once. In fact, it seems that the happier one of them is, the more upset the other one is, and it’s made social occasions hard. Pulling Jesse away from the park when he is having a blast because Janna all of a sudden starts bawling.... or having to come home from a walk in the stroller that Janna is loving because Jesse is being a tool. Oh fun times...

Anyways, we ended up putting them to bed, and joining in a BBQ that our neighbours were having out front. The way our townhouses are arranged, all of our front doors sort of circle around this big patch of lawn woven with walkways. There are a handful of neighbours with kids, who will sit out there and watch the kids play and just chat and eat and enjoy the summer. It’s great because there is often someone around for Jesse to play with and we can step outside while Janna naps. There are a ton of bikes and toys, and even a little pool that are all considered communal. Anyways, we hung out with “the crew,” as I call them, for a good part of the evening, and somehow all the our kids ended up elsewhere...going to fireworks with other families, or playing with other kids a few houses down. So, it was just a bunch of grown-ups, which was a nice change. We ended the night with some sparklers and listening to some fireworks that were going off near by. Enough excitement for Me!

On Saturday I headed back to work. I am just going to be working a morning shift once a week until I head back part time in January. It was only 2 minutes being inside the building, and it felt like no time had passed. It was a quiet morning at the center and quite enjoyable. I have been working there for 3 years now, and know a lot of the families from the preschool program. A lot of the kids end up coming back on the weekends for parties or drop in play. I always end up seeing my little former preschoolers and it’s really nice to see how much the kids have grown and changed and catch up with the parents, too. My work shift was a nice change of pace in my week. I just adored getting up and getting ready all by myself while Dave dealt with early morning diapers and messy breakfast and a grumpy kid. It was the first time that Dave has really had to deal with both of them for more than an hour, and I think it gave him a little perspective on my days J I did a little shopping before coming home, climbed in bed for a nap (as the kids were down for their theirs), and felt totally refreshed and ready to go when they woke up and needed me. It’s amazing how half a day away from my kids, makes me feel like a better mom for a week! Anyways, after supper and bath time, Katie graciously offered to put the kids down and stay home so we could get out for a date. We took her up on her offer, and went out and saw Super 8. I really enjoyed it! It was so strange because it’s the kind of movie that really can’t be put into one genre. It’s like action and comedy and drama and sci-fi all in one. I recommend it!

So... the weekend was definitely a taste of summer break. Nice weather, special plans, help with the kids, back to the good old Gym Tale. This week will be the last with Dave gone through the day, and then the real deal begins. Also, Jesse has his minor surgery at the hospital tomorrow. He has to be put to sleep and have a scope and tissue samples taken in his upper stomach and intestines. He will have to stay for a while afterwards to be monitored for any complications, although the odds of any serious complications are very low. So, I’m a touch anxious to get this over with and put the celiac and stomach issues to rest. Wish me luck. Thanks for re

Nanna Roon Tine

There are some highlights in my day that are probably pretty standard for stay at home moms. Nap time is a great one to get some things done, or sometimes sleep if it’s been a rough night. I also love the 8:00 hour. The kids are in bed, the house is cleaned up, and I get a bit of time with Dave to relax. Also, for the past few weeks I have been getting up around 5:30ish to start my day with a hot cup of tea and bubble bath, followed by a devo before anyone needs me. It’s been a super refreshing start to the day and I don’t know if I will ever go back to sleeping until the kids do.

However, in regards to time with my kids, I have a favourite time of day too. It’s our pre- nap ritual after lunch time. We all head upstairs to Janna’s room for a little play time, and then Janna’s lunch. Janna’s room is pretty big and I have some of Jesse’s favourite toys and books in there, as well as his little play hut. For some reason, Jesse is usually totally happy at this point of the day . He sinks into his own little world to play, and briefly surfaces to say hi to Janna and give her a kiss, or hug my arm while I rock and feed her. It’s a great half-hour to just sit back (literally) and watch my little man grow and play. He is becoming so imaginative and has always been so expressive, and I get a chance to really appreciate it. I love having Miss Janna fall asleep in my arms and just rock her a while all snuggled into me. I love this calm time of day when everyone seems happy and relaxed.

I took my camera upstairs with me today and snuck a few shots of our “Nanna roon tine”(as Jesse calls it). Love my babies.

Wow! It’s been a busy and fun weekend! Father’s day and Jesse’s birthday all shoved into one. We had Jesse’s party on Saturday at A Gym Tale with 6 of his closest little buddies and their parents, who are all great friends of ours. The kids had a blast playing on the structure, and in the gymnastics area, and were pretty wiped after an hour. After some quick cake, present opening, and a group photo, everyone was on their way home for lunch and nap time! Dave, Jesse, Janna and I all napped for almost 3 hours!

Yesterday evening, we spent lots of time in Jesse’s new house- a joint gift from both sets of grand- parents, and ourselves. He woke up this morning, on his real birthday, asking if the house was still in the backyard. He was just tickled when he discovered it was still here, and then was over the moon when his aunt Katie surprised him with a trike after breakfast. Dave was away all morning and into the afternoon playing at both services in church today. We had another afternoon nap after church (YAY for the weekend) and celebrated Fathers Day/Jesse’s real birthday at supper time.

Growing up, my mom’s thing was that she always cooked us whatever we wanted on our birthdays/special occasions. I have continued this tradition with my family. Jesse had cheeseburgers, and Dave wanted Nacho Dip. We topped off a yummy supper with Gluten free cake, and opened a few more gifts sent from family. And oh yes, we got Dave a nice card and a fancy watch for Father’s Day. It will be fun when the kids can come up with their own ideas as to what Dave might like for Father’s day.

I’m thinking of my own dad today, also. My mom and 3 brothers and us all chipped in to purchase him a little BBQ, as he’s been missing having one since they moved, and I would have loved to be home to eat some steak and potatoes with him. My dad is pretty awesome. He is super kind, and understanding, and goes out of his way to help people with the smallest to the biggest of things. He has been an amazing example for me in many areas of life, and I am looking forward to seeing him and the rest of the family when we head home for summer vacation in a little over one month!

Weekend s like this weekend, full of memories and firsts (or seconds) for the kids, make me miss my family. They also make me feel very blessed with the friendships we have made in Ottawa. I am so thankful for such a great group of friends and kids we were able to celebrate Jesse’s 2 years in life with.

I can’t believe my little Jesse Bear is 2. It is so strange to watch back videos of him as a wee baby and even a one year old. Because he was essentially the same in personality and temperament, but he is learning and growing so fast! Tonight, when I put him to bed he stayed awake for an hour. Usually he chatters and sings, sometimes he whines, but I NEVER go into him once it’s bed time. He usually falls asleep in 30 minutes or so. Tonight though, I heard him calling, “mommy, mommy” over and over again..... which is strange, because he rarely does that at bed time. So, I went in to check on him. He gave me a big hug and just clung to me for a bit. Then he squeezed my face and smiled and asked to go downstairs. I decided since it was his birthday I would savour a bit of time with him. So, I fixed us some toast and we sat beside each other in the dim lit stair well munching and chatting away about his favourite things. Toast...Cooper...cars...bikes...Dora...houses...Daddy... And I felt so lucky to have this little boy in my life.

Here are a few pics from the weekend. Hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading, I’m out!

My FRUIT BOWL

The kids are asleep, Dave is at practice, Katie is at YA, and I am in a daze. The past 2 weeks have been a rollercoaster of really bad and really good days, and I can’t figure out if the weeks have been crawling or flying by. I’ve had some fantastic days and moments with my beautiful family and great friends over the past little bit, but also some horrible ones. On Monday I thought I was dying, and after seeing my doc, yesterday, it turns out I have both a sinus infection and mastitis. What is worse than the fever and chills, and localized pain, is the intense fatigue and constant body ache. If only I could just sleep....

Speaking of sleep, my darling Janna, who seemed to be settling into being up only once per night, has been getting up 3-4 times per night for the past few weeks. Last night, she did a bit better, but I was having a hard time sleeping with anxiety over the upcoming day.

You see, we had Jesse’s GI appointment on Tuesday. We have an endoscopy booked to look into Celiac and milk issues. But, in the meantime, we were advised to do a pico-salax bowel cleanse to clear out the child. A day on clear fluids only, and lots of poo.... So, I was sort of stressed out about how that was going to go. Every morning when I go into Jesse’s room to get him, he gives me a big hug and says “Hi Mommy. Toast?!” He likes to eat. I thought he would be 100% miserable all day. However, I was totally surprised with him. He was an angel all day! He had an hour of frequent bowel activity, but was otherwise sweet and happy and adorable. I’m not sure if he was on a sugar high from all the juice and freezies? Or maybe feeling lighter? Or maybe feeling better not having a potential allergen in him? Or maybe people were feeling bad for me and doing lots of praying?

Anyways, I’m grateful for that mercy today as my antibiotics are making me feel pretty junky, and I still feel rather exhausted. I took out my camera to snap a few pics of the kids, but ran out of steam after taking one picture of my supposed fruit bowl. I don’t know how, but EVERY TIME I clean this bowl out of it’s random contents, they pile back up. There are meds, and toothpicks, and gum, and our smoke detector, and a dishwand head... and of course fruit. Hmmm....that was off topic. Hoping my next entry will be a little more ...together. Thanks for reading. I’m out.

Some new goals

My baby girl is 4 months old! I can’t believe it. At a whopping 12 pounds (almost), she continues to be a delightful breeze. Because she is so easy going, I find myself going pretty slack when it comes to her schedule and napping and she just sort of goes with the flow. However, I know that routine is the best things for kids and babies. And when babies are happy, mama is happy. And when mama is happy, the house is happy. So I’ve come up with some new goals. With summer around the corner, I think it’s important to set some new goals for the family before I melt into a puddle of laziness with having Dave around to help. So, here are a few of the things I’ve been gearing up to put into action this week.

1. JANNA: I will wake her up at 7 everyday, and respect her napping hours 9-10ish and 12-3ish.

2. JESSE: When Janna goes down for her morning, nap I will get on his level and do some real quality fun play time before getting my other things done.

3. FAMILY: At 4:30 everyday is quiet time. Jesse and Janna can play quietly in their rooms, and Dave and I will breathe and relax for 15 minutes before getting the mad rush of supper, baths and bed on the go.

4. MARRIAGE: 9:30 is tea for two. Dave and I have set this time to bond through reading, talking, praying, laughing, whatever.

5. DAVE: I will make a loaf of gluten free bread everyweek, and try a gf dessert every other weekend

6. KATIE. I will cheer on in all her endeavors!

7. COOPER . I will cuddle him for at least 5 minutes everyday

8. ME. 3 days per week I will run after the kids go to bed. I will only allow myself to binge on chocolate or any other unhealthy thing one day per week. The other days I will take good care to put healthy and moderate amounts of food into my body J

I know I won’t be able to do all of these perfectly all the time. Exceptions are made for summer time, oh yeah.... But, here’s hoping. Keep me accountable, folks. Thanks for reading, I’m out.