Weekend Round Up

Well another busy weekend for people who have a new born. We started off on Friday, with the new term fun day Fridays. On fun day fridays we have to do something fun, no chores, no sitting around at home. Something fun. So on Friday we headed off to Heritage Park, which is a fun Calgary historical village. Beth if you ever come to Calgary, there is an old steam train there that rides around the park. It's Lucas's favorite thing. So we rode the train a bunch, also went for a boat ride and did the merry go round. After all that adventure we headed over for a treat at the old fashioned candy store and then home. Lucas feel asleep in the car, so I had a couple of hours to myself on Friday afternoon. Yeah!!

Saturday, we planned to head out to the mountains to visit friends of ours, but plans changed when one of neighbors (the crazy ones) wanted to put up a fence. So Darryl helped while I was a mother again. Although Lucas was quite entertained by the neighboors bobcat he got from work. Amazing they did all of their landscaping in about 2 days and did most of the fence building. I guess I really shouldn't call them crazy anymore. Then we headed to my parents house for dinner.

Thank god for my parents. Darryl has been sick this week, so he's been going to bed early and I've been with the kids a lot. My parents have been incredible about coming over and helping. I don't think I've given Lucas a bath or read him books in the last 5 days. It is amazing to have them around and I thank god everyday.



Sunday we went to a new fun Calgary find. Had a delicious breakfast and then looked around at the store, flowers, Daisy the pig and the family of roosters. Afterwards my sister and http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifI went shopping and got some good deals. It's funny how the first day of summer all summer stuff seems to go on sale.




As I sit here writing this it is raining, thank god! It has been hot here and with no air conditioning the boys have not been sleeping well. Cool off a little. I don't like 30 degrees!

Hope you all had a fun weekend.

Till Tomorrow...... Jenn

Terrible Two and A Halfs

I've heard many people say that kids the age of three are worse then the age of two. Although they do call it the terrible twos. I think what we are going through with Lucas is currently the start of a long phase of the terrible threes. You can see him wanting to exert his independence and test limits and boundaries. He has been doing things in the last couple of days that he shouldn't be doing. Now its not that we have ever told him not to do that thing, so it's not like he knows it from being in trouble previously, but I assumed he'd have better judgment.

Here are some examples:

Putting his fingers in his milk and flicking them at the dinner table.
Spilling his milk on purpose
Trying to get in his brothers baby tub with all his clothes on

Like I said stuff he has never tried before but I thought he would know better then to try it. Darryl and I have to keep reminding ourselves that he is only two and for have only living for almost 3 short years we have to be cautious of our expectations, but at the same time continuing to reinforce good behavior. I know this is just a beginining of what may be to come of a phase, but I'm hoping it won't be horrendous, as he is usually a good kid and a good listener.

For those experienced parents, was 3 worse then 2?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Cool New Things

Following Jenna's lead I have found some new great things that I wanted to share with the world. My things are now quite as great as Jenna's list, but I thought they were cool.

The first thing is Kirtsy , a website that is geared towards women. It is a site similar to Digg, if any of you (or your husband's use it) where people vote on good articles. So far I have found lots of good things to read on it. I know we are all busy, but if you are surfing the web and looking for new things to check out, this is a great site.

I also thought this video was quite funny. Especially if you are a you tube fan. Weezer video

Fruit Shakes. Not that this is new or exicting, but now we are getting into berry season it's a great thing to do when the berries start looking a little old.

Any new and cool things you've come across? Anyone tried Fit Flops?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Exploding with Love

When I look at my kids my heart fills up with love. Here they are both in one picture . I may just explode.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Thinking Outside the Green Box

On the weekend someone came to the door, while Darryl and I were working outside.

Girl : We are doing a trial of a free newspaper in your cul de sac. Did we want the Hearld or the Post?

Darryl: We get all of our news online, could we opt out?
Jenn: Plus it's better for the enviroment.
Girl: But all the paper is made out of recycled paper.
Darryl: Well it still takes energy to make the paper.
Jenn: And gas to deliver it
Darryl: And more ink to print it
Jenn: So if we could opt out, that would be great.
Girl: Sure, and walks away

Just becuase it's made with recycled paper, if you don't need it, it's still waste.

Think Green

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Monthly Newsletter- Month Thirty Four

Dear Lucas,

Whenever I write you a monthly newsletter I always go and read the month before to see what I mentioned and where the pictures end off. Luckily this newsletter will be much more positive then last month. Things have definitely improved for both of us. Your little brother is having longer naps in his crib and you and I are able to spend some more quality time together. Plus I think we are both getting use to a new normal. Things won't be like they were before Nathan was here, but there will be a new normal. Not to say I still don't feel like I'm neglecting you, but I've learned to get you some activity or snack before feeding Nathan.



One of the activies we have really been enjoying together is coloring. Your fine motor skills are really co,img along. You are getting much better at staying in the lines and coloring things, rather then just scribbling all over the page. You also are using your fingers with counting. You can hold up two fingers when asked how ld you are and three fingers when asked how old you'll be on your birthday. You are also fond of the dance move from the movie Pulp Fiction



You still have a really great imagination. I set up the tent and tunnel in your room that you got from Grandma and Pop on your first birthday and it has provided for quite alot of adventures. It has been our Puma home and a duck pond. We also had little "rests" in the tent.



Naps are few and far between, much to my sadness. But it does mean that bed time has been moved up, which works out, we just don't get a break in the day. Other then the week of solid rain we have been spending lots of time outside. We both love the new grass and love to be outside. It will be nice when we can put some bigger things on the yard (like the new pool), but we are both enjoying the spring and start of summer.



You continue to be a kid that everyone loves and you love everyone too. You love to spend time with a variety of people. One of your friends has been over a couple of times this week and it's great to watch you play with him and the things you tell him. It's also good because he is a little bit older and so sometimes we do things that are a bit more challenging. Like today we played the opposite game. You are still crazy about your brother and are happy that he is able to grab onto your hand more often and love it when he talks. You also totally enjoyed spending time with Grandma and Pop and Auntie Karen and Auntie Lexie.





But your favorite person is still your father. Things are evening out a bit between your want for him or I, but hands down you love the weekends when you have free access to him. He is such an amazing father to you. For example the other day you had pink eye. We had to put drops in your eyes. I was all ready to hold you down and pry your eye open, while Daddy squirted it in. His approach was all together different. He had me put the eye drops in his eyes first to show you it didn't hurt, then you were fine to do it. He made it into a game. What a great dad!



You continue to be a kid I'm proud to say is mine.



i love you Lucas

mommy

The Best of the UnSafe Conditions...

Today Nathan and I headed up to our dealship to get an oil change on the CRV. On the way home I heard a klump and then the tire flump, flump, flump as I drove. Damn a flat tire. This started the next set of descions I had to make where I didn't really know what to do. We are on the big highway that goes through the city on a bridge. So there was no where really to pull over. But how long can I drive on a minimal tire. So once we were off the brdige there was a bit of a shoulder so I pulled off there. But then what?? My cell phone had no batteries so I sat there for about 5 minutes wondering what to do. No one was stopping, there was nothing around expect a water treatment plant. Also is it safe for me to be sitting in my car with the baby on a busy highway, what if some one hits us, is it safe to get out of the car... So I decided to grab Nathan is his bucket seat and walk to see if I could find a phone to get a tow truck. Luckily after about 20 steps someone pulls over. Again here I am making a bunch of descions on what is safe.... The guy who pulls up is a man with a cube van. He offers to drive Nathan and I home. But is that really the best descion, to get in a car with someone I don't know. That being said, who else is going to pull over. No point in waiting for a woman and her kids to stop because that's never going to happen. But I ask this gentleman if I can use his phone to call Darryl. So I call Darryl and he suggests we can change the tire with the full size spare on the back. So I head back to the car, thanking the gentleman, to wait for Darryl. Again trying to decide to I stay in the car or on the side of the road... I chose to wait in the car where it was not so windy (although was informed later it would have been better to wait far from the highway.

As I'm sitting there with Nathan up comes the police, I guess someone called in that a crazy lady was walking up the Deerfoot with her baby. =) And the highway patrol, Carmacks. Both of those nice gentleman help me to change the tire, which the spare also had a whole in it and we could barely get the cover off ( so wash your covers). At this time Darryl shows up, and the police call city wide towing to come and get the CRV We move Nathans car seat into our other car and head off to the car repair shop.

So some oberservations from this adventure:

Thank god I breastfeed, or what would we have done for food.
Get a car charger for my cell phone
If you are ever at the side of the highway, people will come, you just have to wait
The safest place is 40 feet away from the highway.

Hope your week has been less eventful....

A great compliment and monthly newsletter coming soon


Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Real World

Today Lucas and I were playing at a park. There were a bunch of kids there probably 5 and under and they ran into the field, Lucas wanted to run with them. I didn't have a problem with him making new friends and running with new kids. So off they ran. I was standing back so I didn't see all of the next events, but the kids were playing with some sticks. At one point Lucas ran over to grab one of the sticks and one of the older kids was running towards it as well. Lucas got there first and bent down to grab it. The older kid then went to kick the stick and instead kicked Lucas in the side of the head. The kid then grabs the stick and runs away. Of course Lucas screamed and sobbed. I ran over and consoled Lucas. Poor kid, generally he is probably quite sheltered that way and if we are ever somewhere and there are a lot of kids he'll shy away from the situation. I felt so lost in what to do in the situation. Part of me wants to strangle the older kid for kicking my son, even if it was an accident stop and apologize. Part of me wants to strangle the kids mother, where is she to teach her child to not be a bully.

What is the right thing to do in the situation? Do you yell at the kid, cause that was my instinct. Would the mother get mad? It's not really my responsiblity to disipline other children, but where is the mother to do her job? I felt so protective over my son, Mama Bear wanted to roar. As Lucas gets older I find this happening more often. Am I being to over protective becasue this is my first time going through this? (As we were driving home after this incident, I did think, could I home school my children)

Luckily I got to spend the evening pondering all these questions while looking into these eyes.



Till Tomorrow.

Jenn

Happy Fathers Day Part 2

Most days I don't think I could have gotten any more lucky in my life. Darryl and I married when we were fairly young, but I always knew he was a good person and that we had good communication skills and loved to have fun together. Knowing those things I knew we could make it through anything and live a long and happy life together. But of the two of us I was the one who really wanted kids. I've always known I would have children, but for Darryl he could have swayed either way. But now that I've seen Darryl parent Lucas and Nathan it would be a sin for kids not to benefit from Darryl.

Darryl has become a way better parent then I would have ever imagined. I knew he would be good, but not this good. I often come up with the philosphies that we are going to do with our children, but Darryl excels with them. For example reading. I've always known it's important to read to your children and especially at a young age. When I first suggested it to Darryl he was not enthused. He did not like reading outloud. But now he is so good at it, I want to stay and listen to him read. He loves to play with Lucas and is so good at it. He is an amazing teacher and finds those "teachable moments" in life. Just tonight he was teaching Lucas the difference between a scab and a scar. Like I said he really excels at being a parent. He is fun and fatherly at the same time. Although I'm not overly religious, I do think one of the reasons I had boys is because of the great influence they'll have from there father. I really hope both my boys turn out like their father.






Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Happy Fathers Day

My dad is not one to hand out free " I love yous". I think it is common for Darryl and I to tell Lucas and Nathan we love them all the time. Although I think it is good for their self esteem, they don't have those times that stick out when your father blesses you with I love yous. THere is one time that really sticks out. My dad and I have not always got along. There was a time (when I was a hormonal teenager) that we did not see eye to eye on things. I was stubborn and wanted my way and I was his little girl who was growing up. It was a hard time for both of us. When my father was 19 he came out west and spent the week skiing. When he took the bus back from Banff, he cried. He knew this was his home, but responsiblity of work and home and family took him back to Ontario. Luckily he did married mom, inherited me, had Alexis and gave all of us a great life. Then I turned 19 and decided to move out west, Dad's dream when he was my age. About a week before I was about to leave Dad was in our rec room and I went over to give him a hug. He stood up and squeezed me tight, not letting go. He told me he loved me and he was going to miss me. He also said he was sorry for all of the bad things that had happened. We held that hug for a long time.

Once I moved out here we talked more then when I lived at home. E-mail was our favorite form of communication. A couple of years after I moved out, Mom and Dad came too. It's amazing how life works out. Dad upset and not wanting to go back to Ontario, but eventually coming out with the family he had in Ontario.



I love you too Dad, Happy Fathers Day

Jenn

Communication

One of the greatest and most frustrating thing about babies is how you communicate with them. As I was telling Lucas as he asked today " Why does Nathan cry so much?" There are only a couple of ways Nathan can communicate with us, crying or cooing and smiles. The crying part is bad, but the cooing and smiles are the best. I can't remember the last time I spent hours staring into someones eyes. He smiles and I smile, I smile and he smiles. Even Darryl and Lucas love it.




Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Unbelievable

Someday when you think you can't take one more minute of your child crying or one more stupid person at work. Read this blog Bring the Rain. I'm going up to check on my beautiful baby now.

Jenn

Fine Motor Skills

I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but in the last couple of weeks Lucas has really been working on his fine motor skills. We bought him so Lego and he is quite enjoying it (although he still enjoys having Darryl build it for him). The other thing that he has perfected is saying he is two years old and putting up two fingers while holding the rest of the down. His coloring is also improving quite a bit. He's no Picasso, but is getting better at staying in the general area of the lines. It is cool to see my little boy growing up. =)



His imagination is also growing. Today we pretended we were Pumas, frogs and front end loaders.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Nathan's Monthly Newsletter: Month Two

Dear Nathan,

Well this weekend you turned 2 months old and I am looking forward to the rest of your life. Not that the first two months are not something to look forward to, but they are defintly not my favorite stage. In the last couple of weeks you have started to do some things that have rewards for the rest of your family.



The first one is smiling. I can't believe how much you smile. Before eating (as long as you are not crying from being so hungry) and especially after eating. Even if you are tired and trying to go to sleep you will still give smiles to anyone who smiles at you. This is such a great thing to watch. It's so nice to see you interacting with people.





The other thing that I have really noticed this month is how you are starting to get to know the voices of your immediate family. When Lucas comes into the room you turn and look for him. It is cool this time to have the extra person for you to recognize. Also with your dad working from home you hear his voice lots too. Like I said, it's cool to see you recongizing the voices and faces of your family.



Sleep is going well, you sleep in the night, take naps in the day. We don't have you on a perfect schedule yet, but for the most part when it gets dark you are sleeping and when it's light you like to be awake and nap. At night time you will go every 3 to 4 hours with eating (although last night you went for 51/2 hours) and during the day every 2 1/2 to 3 hours with eating. Took you to the doctor today and you weight 12 pounds 9 onces. Still the the 75% for weight and 90% for height.

Those smiles are really the best thing in the world. It is amazing how I can be so in love with someone.



love mommy.

Soon We Can Play in Our Yard

Spent this weekend laying sod. Although the fence posts are not in, I am dying to play outside with the kids, so we put grass in the middle and left the sides for the bobcat to dig holes. But in a week or so we'll be able to play outside.





For the rest of the week it is suppose to rain, which is bad for our moods, but good for my sod. =). Here is a picture of the sky this evening. Raining for a bit, but hopefully sun to come.



Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Honesty or Complaing?

Today we took Emma to the veterinarian and I really like this woman. I think we would probably be friends if we had time to get to know each other. One of the things that made her so endearing to me today was the conversation we had on motherhood. She said the first year of having two kids was one of the hardest of her life. This may sound sadistic, but I love it when mothers talk about how hard motherhood is. Maybe that's not totally true, but it's always nice to know that someone has been in the same boat as you or also finds the thing you are going through to be hard. It's always nice to know you are not the only one.

I am generally pretty honest when it comes to motherhood. Although I think it is the greatest job in the world I also think it's the hardest. When I talk to people I am honest about what I go through, both the good and the bad. I think it's important when talking to other mothers to let them know what a challenge motherhood can be. I don't sensor myself dependant on who I am talking to, whether it's my neighboor who I have just met or someone I've known for a while. I seem to have lots of experiences with this lately as I interact with lots of mothers and being a mother is my main job right now. Now some may call it commiserating or complaining, but I call it being honest.

I think it's also my sensitivity to not make people feel bad. It's always hard to hear when someone has the whole parenting gig down pat when you were up 3 times in the night with your little one. The other factor is maybe people do love babies and the baby stage, but I find it hard. A couple of weekends ago I was at a baby shower, not for me, although I did bring my baby, but for a bunch of my old students who now work as x-ray technologists. I attempt to start a conversation about the challenges of motherhood. Were they feeling lonely with the change from working to being at home? No, not at all. Were they tired from the late nights? No they were use to it. Guess I was knocking at the wrong doors to discuss the challenges. But I wanted to let these first time moms know that motherhood can be hard and if they were finding it hard that was normal. Maybe some people do everything right and don't have any challenges, maybe there kids sleep through the night and never cry. But I doubt it..... why not talk about it, or maybe I'm just not the right person to talk about it with?

I met with my mommies group today and we have all gone through 2 children together. We are all pretty honest on how it's going. How we are much more relaxed with our second babies, but are all having challenges with our older ones. It's nice to know that other people are going through the same things as Lucas and I. Therefore I guess I don't feel like I am really complaining about motherhood, just being honest.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Selfish

I love that both my kids have taken a soother. I like that I have some help when they need to be soothed, especially in a restaurant or other public place. Since I breastfeed I'm glad for them to have some sucking time that does not include me.

So tonight Nathan was falling asleep in his bed and he was having trouble. We were using the soother to help him. He would be falling into a deep sleep and the soother would fall out of his mouth when his lips relaxed. Then he would go to suck it again and it would be gone, causing him to wake and cry. So I would go up and put it back in. One of those times he got a good look at me and gave me a big smile. Rather then trying to duck so I wouldn't distract him I gave him a big smile back. We spent the next couple of minutes just smiling at each other rather then trying to get him back to sleep, even though sleeping was probably the best thing for him.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Wordless Wednesday

Hanging out with my boy on Mommy and Nathan days.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Pain Reliver for Smiling

This weekend we went to a party at my best friend Tammy house. While we were outside sitting around the fire chatting with a bunch of other women the Barenaked Ladies song, Pollywog in a Bog, came on. She ran over and turn it up and we both sang the words with huge smiles on our faces. Partly because we love the song, partly because we love each other and partly because we enjoy it more with each other around. Add all those parts together and my cheeks hurt from the large smile plaster on my face for the two minute song.

The problem is next winter Tammy and I are going on a cruise with the Barenaked Ladies. That's right, 5 days on a boat with our favorite band and each other. Our faces are going to hurt SO much from all the smiling. We are going to need a vacation from our vacation of smiling.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

The Second Time Around

Tonight as I was rocking Nathan into sleepiness I was thinking about how much easier motherhood has been the second time around. I amazed at how going through it once makes it so much easier to do again. I would like to think of myself as a person who is pretty good at going with the flow, there are a few things that upset me, but generally I'm pretty even keeled. Whatever happens we'll deal with it. But when parenting Lucas I am much more concerned about doing the right thing, I research, seek advice and then make my decisions from there. Even if I know we are in a stage that will pass I still want to know everything about the stage and what I can do to benefit myself and Lucas the most in that stage. I know in my head that all things we go through with Lucas will pass, but in my heart I don't know when it will be done.

With Nathan I know that it will come to an end and approximately when and so I try to enjoy each thing rather then get frustrated if it is not going according to plan. For example rocking him to sleep. I remember with Lucas feeling like I was at the end of my rope, or will this ever end or I am going to be doing this forever. Where with Nathan I know that it will come to an end, probably sooner rather then later and in less then a year he will be going to sleep all on his own, with no help from anyone and in 2 years I won't be able to rock him to sleep. And with Lucas a year seemed so long, but it's really not. When I think about it all the things that have been challenging with the past 7 weeks are mostly things to do with Lucas not Nathan.

I'm sure this is why birth order has a lot to do with personality....

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Parenting Mixed in with a Bit of Luck

Lucas is such a great kid. I know I am biased when I say this, but this weekend I was so proud of my boy and everyone who has helped to raise Lucas.

On Saturday he went to Heritage Park with Grandma and Pop and they raved about what a good boy he was. Said he listened, held hands when he was suppose to, ate well, knew his limits of rides he could go on and most importantly made them laugh. That evening we went to a birthday party and he continued to listen, played with the kids, took off his shoes when he went inside, had great manners. He went to bed well that night.






Today we went and helped Darryl at the old house rebuild the deck and put sod down where the old deck was and Lucas really "helped". I thought I would have to entertain him but he raked and shoveled with me. He watched Darryl put screws in with his drill and Lucas tried to bang nails in with his toy hammer. He helped Darryl to measure and wore a tool belt just like his daddy. Even tonight and Grandma and Pop had to go home, he was said, but didn't throw a fit.

So all of you who helped with Lucas, give yourself a pat on the back, I'm giving myself one too. (hopefully I haven't jinxed myself for the week =)

Till Tomorrow

Jenn