A DOZEN DATE with the THREE CLUB

Today, despite a lingering headache and feeling pooped, I got myself dressed and the kids all set for an outdoor outing (at a chilly 7 degrees)  For a few weeks, 2 of my best girls and their kids have had a park date planned for us and our 9 children!  That makes 12 in all!  I can't believe that 4 years ago, there were just 3 pregnant mamas.  Rebekah had her 3 kids in under 2.5 years.  Sarah and I had our 3 kids in under 3.5 years.  Hanging out with Rebekah and Sarah is fun. They understand the craziness and juggling act I go through each day, and probably understand what my day is like more than others.

Today at the park, we juggled our own kids, and took turns juggling each others.  With a newborn, a 6 month old, two 1 year olds, and 2 clingy 2 year olds, it actually did look like juggling at some points. Shuffling one baby to one arm to grab another, putting one down to scoop up another.  Thank goodness for those well behaved 3 year olds, who were just angels doing their own thing and playing nicely!

I feel like the more kids you have, the more you have to sort of LET GO of the control a little.  When Jesse was at the park, and it was just him, I was behind his every step and helping him and warning him of all the dangers.  He is a pretty cautious kid, and I think part of it is his nature, but it's been furthered by my nurture in those super early years.  I'm working on it.  Janna has had much less attention and warning as she has grown, and she is much more fearless and tackles things much quicker.  Now, with 3, I just can't always be watching every single move each one makes! And, being a person who struggles with wanting control, I think this has actually been good for me.   I fear it is my personality (that if I only had 1 or 2 kids) I would spend my whole life trying to plan their steps and organizing them to the point of exhaustion.  he he he...

Today at the park, there was a very sweet mom there with one older 3 year old boy. She was following each of his steps and interacting in all his interactions with other kids.  At one point, one of our 2 year olds wandered only a few meters outside of the park gate towards some bushes. I had an eye on him while I was holding a baby/looking for sand toys/ and rallying my troops to leave.  This 3 year old (with his mom close beside) ran out to grab his hand and make sure that he was staying near the park.  The mom laughed and said very loudly to another mom as if speaking for her son, "Well, your mommy sure isn't watching you, so I'll make sure I do!"  I'm sure the comment wasn't mean spirited, but it made me bristle a bit.  We're all doing our best here! We're trying.  It is crazy.  We do have our "hands-full" as every person mentions.  But it's worth it, and it is Good!

I'm so happy I have great friends like Sarah and Rebekah who understand the feeling of losing sight of your kids for a moment at the park because sometimes that is inevitable. I'm happy that my kids have this great network of awesome little pals to grow up with.  And I'm happy the sun was shining today. We had a great park-date the 12 of us, and here are some pictures:

mommas day 2013

Despite the head cold of ALL head colds, I feel pretty thankful, today!  I have a great mom, a great mom-in-law, and have been blessed beyond words by my crazy little ducklings: Jesse, Janna, and Robyn.  The things they have taught me by the shaping their lives have demanded, is something I couldn’t learn on my own.  ALSO! Today is Dave and I’s 6 year anniversary! What a great ride it’s been so far.  Bad days, good days, mundane days, special days, and moments that have been etched into my heart for all of time.   

Dave let me sleep in this morning, Yay for 7:30! and planned the entire day around me getting some rest.  He’s been in charge of the kids all day and has taken on the cooking and cleaning, and EVEN caught us up to date on the laundry.  I have just sat back and enjoyed some quiet moments to myself, and lots of snuggles with the kids.  Here we are!

Tonight, Dave and I will celebrate our big day with blizzards (I have freebie coupons) while Katie pops by to watch the kids for an hour. Last year we really did it up for our 5^th year anniversary with gifts, and a night out, and dinner and breakfast out, etc.  Probably the next 3 will be celebrated in a similar style, and maybe for number 10 we’ll do something out of the ordinary.  But, I am totally satisfied! Dave is a gift to me EVERY day!  His easy laughter, kind heart, and HARD work ethic blesses everyone who crosses his path.  And I get to experience this day in and out!  

Well, I wanted to write something special about my mom on here.  I have blogged about her a few times on mother day over the past several years that I Have been writing on Vance Palace Tales.   So, I thought that instead of rehashing all the reasons she is awesome, I would share a few of my favorite memories!

THE FURNITURE REARRANGING

One time, when I was around 11, we moved all the furniture around in our house.  My bedroom was going downstairs.  I had a HEAVY wooden framed box bed that needed to go downstairs.  My mom decided that this task was no problem for the 2 of us to conquer one day when it was just the 2 of us around.  We had steep, twisty, slippery hard word stairs, and I will NEVER forget thinking one of us was going to die as we moved all of the furniture around.  I remember her roaring, “We ARE WOMEN! We are strong.  We got this.”  And me being like, “ Mom! I’m going to cry.... I don’t like this....I'm gonna die”  And she found this hilarious and started laughing!  Like, pausing on the stairs as we are trying to hoist this thing around laughing.  My mom is strong!  I have only ever seen her cry twice, and she takes a lot on her plate without complaining.

CROSSING THE BORDER

So, growing up I lived near the US border.  WE traveled across it frequently to get gas/milk/hit up Walmart and sometimes for Chinese Buffet.  They often had Canadian money at par day! One day, I think I was probably 15 or 16, we were traveling over to Houlton Maine, and I was in the front with my mom.  My 2 brothers, Jesse and Jake were in the back, along with Jesse’s best friend, Josiah.  We were playing our new favorite car game where we’d make up a story with each person taking a turn adding one word to the narrative.  Around and around we go, and little Jake kept getting to end the sentences, with the most ridiculous endings.  I believe several of his endings were, “ FISH. ”  

Well, we were laughing so hard when it was our turn at border patrol.  My mom got it together and rolled down her window only to look into the eyes of the most serious young new trainee on the job.  “Hello ma’am.  Can you take off your sunglasses please.” As my mom reached up and pulled down her glasses, she erupted into spitting, shaking, uncontrollable laughter! My brothers and Josiah BURST into giggles in the back.  This man had NO idea what to do with this reaction and  so just sort of scowled and slowly started circling our car looking VERY serious.  I was SO SCARED!  Like, this guy could tear our car apart, strip-search us, send us AWAY without Chinese food.  I was telling my mom to get it together, and the more she tired taking deep breaths and trying to curb her laughter, the WORST it became.  Her head was hung down and she grabbed her stomach doubled over in laugher, and tears were STREAMING down her face.  She’d look up and take a deep breath and TRY, and then erupt into laughter again. “ Mom!  Stop! He’s coming back to the window” I was also trying not to laugh, but the fear in my heart was helping me.

  The man came back to the window and my mom sat up straight and looked into his eyes and seemed to have it together. “Ma’am! Where are you headed?”  She took a deep breath, and then BURST into laughter. AGAIN!  At this point, the man looked sort of mad.  My mom gasped in between snorts, “ Chris...sy...Tell...Him.... Tell.....him”  And she points her finger forward.  Right I thought.  This is helping.  I got out my best grown up voice and said, “ I’m really sorry. We were just telling funny stories. We are going over to Houlton for Chinese food.”  Then man looked at me, and paced  the car again, checked his computer for a while, and then when my mom had her laughing and "tears away"- he waved us on through.  I’m pretty sure he was quite perplexed.  I love this about my mom.  She laughs easily, and is fun to be around

THE SEWING ROOM

My mom spent many of her hours in her sewing room.  It was in the A frame part of the house...so a triangular and LONG room with a HUGE cutting table in the middle, and POUNDS of fabric and 5 or 6 different machines lining the walls.  Days after school when I didn’t have cheerleading or friends over, I would go and sit in the door way of this room.  My bum against one wall and feet against the other.  And I would just talk and talk and talk about my day.  My teachers, and friends, and what happened and what I was thinking.  My mom would sit at her machine and listen and laugh, and sometimes curse when her needle broke or she sewed her finger.  I wish I had pictures of this room.  I remember the general way it looked, and I remember the smell of it, and the warmth of if from the skylight.  My mom is a great listener, and I always felt heard and welcome in this doorway.

Anyways, those are just a FEW among many that popped into my head.  My baby is crying and so I must be on my way to feed the poor child.  Thanks for reading. Happy Mother’s Day one and all. I’m out. 

BIKES, SPRING and SOLIDS

Well... Today I am going to pack up all the winter stuff!  I think it could be a bit premature in that we DID still have snow and hail this past Saturday...but seriously!!!! It’s almost May!  This week has finally felt like spring!  It’s been sunny and in the teens and there are no traces of snow left J

I have been taking all 3 kids to the park over the week, and they are currently at GREAT ages for the park!  I find between 1 and 2 a tough age to put in days at the park.  The kids are crawling and putting sand in their mouths, and need constant supervision on all the equipment.  They aren’t content to just be in swings, but want to start climbing and doing all the park stuff. 

This spring and summer, Jesse and Janna are both good to go!  They can handle most stuff on their own, and I don’t need to be steps behind them.  At the same time, Robyn is young enough that she is totally happy just watching from her stroller or swing.   I can actually relax a bit!  Getting to the park with the 3 of them, is also not too bad.  The girls love the double stroller, and Jesse is super sufficient on his trike to get there on his own. He pedals along right beside the stroller, able to keep up no problem, and is on top of stopping and looking both ways before using the crosswalks. 

 We have a real bike for Jesse waiting in the basement.  But, I think I’m going to wait for Dave to tackle this with Jesse in the summer.  I don’t think I can manage a kid learning to ride a bike with both girls on my own without a lot of stress.  I also need to buy a helmet.  I stopped in at walmart last night to grab one, but ended up not sure what size to get.  Jesse has a big head.  I realized I probably should have him there to try it on. However, when Janna and I were looking around in the bike section, I found the greatest red trike for 1.5 – 3 year olds.  It is sturdy and the seat adjusts up/down/forward OR backward.  The problem with the other bikes we’ve been given is that her short little legs just can’t reach the pedals. Anyways, this one fit her beautifully, and so I tossed it in our cart.

  Janna immediately looked at it, and said, “ Jesse’s bike.”  I told her, “ no, Janna.  That is YOUR bike!”  She looked at me confused and repeated, “ Jesse’s Bike.”  I beamed at her and said, “ Janna, this is YOUR special bike. All for you.”  Her eyes lit up, and she beamed and squealed, “MINE bike!  Mine Special Bike!”  She spent the rest of our time reaching back and stroking the bike, and telling everyone she passed, “ MINE BIKE! Special bike.”  It was priceless.  This morning, we have it in the house getting her all set for later this morning, when we’ll take it on the road!  IF the rain holds off.....  I’m not sure, it’s not looking too promising.  Oh well, Jesse and Janna are BOTH having fun spinning this thing around inside, so it won’t be the end of the world if we can’t get outside.

Robyn has also really been enjoying the fresh air, and playtime outside.  She just loves to watch all the kids running around and doing their thing.  She had been getting a bit funny around meal times though.  I noticed at suppers(when sitting on Dave’s lap)  her eyes just following all the food, and her lips and mouth practicing the motion of chewing alot.  When holding her, and eating a snack, or something, she has started diving and trying to latch onto whatever food I had on the go.  So, while 6 months is a common  recommendation for starting solids, we decided to get her started last night a few weeks early.  I had some sweet potatoes all pureed and frozen in the freezer...so I popped out one of those, and we gave it a whirl at supper. 

She was SO cute!  She knew exactly what to do.   I brought the spoon close and she opened, and swallowed.  She was certainly interested in the eating process.  I don’t know if sweet potatos were her favorite, it looked like she found them a bit sweet.  But,  she had a few tablespoons, and then turned away  when she was full, and had fun playing with the spoon for the rest of our meal time!

I like the first month or so of starting babies on solids.  I love seeing the different reactions to food, and it’s not too much work, or too messy as they don’t eat a ton and maybe just once a day.  However, I REALLY don’t like the 4 or 5 months following when they are eating a lot more, and start fighting for control of the spoons and flick stuff EVERYWHERE!  I love when they hit one and can start eating little pieces of whatever the rest of us are eating.

Anyways, that is all for now! I will leave you with a picture of Jesse.  Can't forget about him.  He wanted me to take pictures of his war wounds.  We have a fading black eye from a collision with a chair, and a scratch from nobody knows where?! Thanks for reading. I’m out!

the BASEMENT Play room is complete (almost)

It’s the end of a VERy hectic week, and I’m happy I have some pictures to post of the nearly finished play/living room!  We have a few more minor things to do (such as filling our frames with pictures) and some sorting and organizing of bins, but the big stuff is done!

It has been tremendously hectic since Katie moved out last Saturday.  That was a huge day for me entertaining the kids while Dave helped Katie move all her things out, cleaning up the aftermath, and then moving IN all the new furniture and stuff for the basement.  I think I made close to a dozen trips to Ikea over the past few weeks, (and while I do love Ikea) I’m happy not to have to go back anytime soon! 

The days have been filled with watching the kids while trying to sort and organize, and the evenings assembling furniture and hanging up stuff on the wall which resulted in staying up way too late!  I’m definitely one of those people who likes to get a project DONE as soon as possible, and so to just slowly work away at it over a month or something, is just not an option.  I go crazy.  So, I just work work work until the job is done! And between 8-12pm is my only real good CHUNK of time  to get things done without the kids.  Janna had a rough week with not ONE good sleeping night, and so every night when I’d crawl into bed way past my bedtime, I would be kicking myself in the bum, when Janna would wake up an hour later, and then again, and then again, and then Robyn for her feed, and then Janna one more time.  Ugh.  And so to say I’m tired is an understatement!  Add in that Robyn had her shots this week, and so has been a bit more needy than normal, AND that I have been rather husbandless, I’m surprised I’m still sane!  Dave’s school play ran this Thursday/Friday/ and Saturday and he ended up having to pull in a ton of nights and weekend and extra school hours because of his involvement with the cappies and music and media arts stuff with the school.

Anyhoo. I’m excited for a more normal week this week!  And a chance to enjoy being in the (mostly finished) basement.  I did have fun trying to come up with an area that would be baby and kid friendly, but also enjoyable for Dave and I as a second sort of living area.  I also had to work around some interesting things like: super green walls that Katie had painted, low lights, yucky tile floor, etc.  I’m happy with the results, and we are all really enjoying it so far!

I took some pictures tonight after Jesse and Robyn went to bed.  Janna had fun photo bombing all these!  Hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading. I’m out!

COMING DOWN THE STAIRS

 ROLE PLAY AREA..I have different things I'll switch out every few weeks.  For now we have kitchen stuff and animals...in a few more I'll put in our tool bench and tools

 IN YOU GO

TOYS and COMFY RUG

THE BOOK NOOK! Kids have been loving this so far!

Fun curtains I still need to hem

the New FUTON!  A space for visiting guests to sleep

I love this picture.  Snagged this baby at Canadian Tire!?

Pictures and storage and files and Dave....

Our new side table that hides the remotes from the kids.  Shhhh... I still don't think they know this opens!

La television and more toy storage

Action SHOTS:

in the book corner

playing with some animals

loving that soft rug

Out into the hallway...

The basement, the kids, the stay-at-home-mom plan...

March was a rough one for blogging, I am noticing.  I really have been cutting back on user time in regards to computer and TV, and so the blog is suffering a bit, I see.  Also, the month was just sort of weird in it’s flow.  I had a week with Dave on his March break. A week of sick kids.  Two weeks with in-laws  here. Dave had a short mid-week trip to Toronto.   Anyways- just lots of stuff that has sort of thrown off the daily schedule. 

The next interesting thing happening (aside from an ice-storm today?!?!?) is that Aunt Katie is moving out this Saturday.  Only 10 minutes up the road into a house with some friends, but we just needed more space for the growing family!  

Dave and I had decided around Christmas this year, that I would open a home day care in September instead of going back to work.  With plans underway, however, we realized that what we really want (more than the ample extra income a daycare would provide) is for me to be able to invest primarily in my own kids as they are so young and I will be starting to home school Jesse in the fall. On days where my kids are happy and healthy, I feel like I could manage another 2 or 3.  However, most days, I feel stretched with the 3 of them all so young and needy.  I’m not ready to divide my attention quite yet. 

So, we decided to strip down the budget the bare necessities for the fall, and live a very non consumerist “YEAR OF FRUGAL” as we called it.  Upon realizing there would be STILL a deficit, we just started praying heavily for some sort of income or opportunity to make “stay at home mom” possible.  God is so good.  Not only were we given MANY random lump sums of money from people totally out of the blue, we also received a super income tax refund.  On top of that, we got an email from a co-worker of Dave’s.  His son’s daycare was closing down, and they were looking for someone part-time (just a few short days a week) to watch him come September. So!  I jumped on board.  It will be great to have another little one around a few days a week for the kids to interact with.  However, I still feel like I will have the time and energy to invest in all the kids well.  Not to mention, space in the van to go on all our regular outings.   On a totally selfish note, I will still have all holidays and full summers off!  I’m excited about it.      We’ve been able to balance the budget to include a few things we were sad to strip away,  afford to furnish the basement, and put a good chunk in savings.

Alors!  This Saturday after Katie moves out, I suspect a kind of crazy week with many ikea trips to set up another living, and (primarily) play space.   It will be wonderful to have a bigger open area for the kids to run around in (especially in the winter), and a hide-out for most of the toys!  I have spent the past week thinking up a million combinations of ways we can set things up, and trying to decide what to leave where, and it’s been fun!

I have also really been enjoying my kids these days.  (The nights have been another story with Janna’s unpredictable nightly screaming fits)  However during the day time, she has been much less clingy and grumpy since cutting back heavily on dairy in her diet.  She is also very quickly putting words together the past month.  “Butter and Ham wrap please”- she said to me yesterday.  “Daddy work,  gone.” As she looked out the window a few days ago.  She is also improving heavily with songs.  She sang along with “twinkle twinkle” in the car and got several of the words.  Very cool.  She continues to love dressing up, and having her nails painted.  The other day, she took a tantrum when she found a bottle of nail polish on the counter.  I was making a snack (her favorite activity of the day).  She saw the bottle and grabbed it and said, " Paink! Pease! Paink! Pease!" I suggested that we wait until after snack to paint her nails, and she went ballistic. " NO SNACK! THIS! NAILS! PAINK. NO SNACK"  What a nut 

Jesse is being SO cute with Robyn day in and out!  He has taken it upon himself as her protector.  If she cries he RUNS to her with a toy or song or to pat her head.  If it doesn’t work, he will shout, “ Mom! Robyn needs her milk!”  He also makes her chit chat and laugh like nobody else can!  Robyn continues to be the most awesome baby ever.  She is just so happy all the time, and easy going and fun.  Here Jesse is showing her the ropes of the jumper that we just pulled out this week for her to try out:

Well, that’s all for now. I just needed to post something and stay in the game.  Hoping to post some shots of the basement in a week when it’s all set up.  Happy weekend. Thanks for reading. I’m out.

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.