11/24/2017 0 Comments datesReuben has been taking the kids on dates, giving them each one on one time. And apparently Shiloh likes them.
"I just love dates so much!" "Dates are so much fun! I can't wait to go on one again!" "I love going on a date and going some place to eat and then having fun!" "It makes me so sad when I'm not on a date. I'd love to go on one forever!" "Ugh... I just love dates." Her father has just ensured that whoever that girl ends up with is going to have to work VERY hard.
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11/24/2017 0 Comments back to workAnd I'm back.
It's been a wonderfully perfect and insane year off with the kids. We've had adventures, blow outs, tantrums, laughing fits, break downs and moments of pure insanity but it was perfect in so many ways. And now I'm at the end of my first week back at work. I have oh about 1000 emotions - serious mom guilt about leaving my kids (especially my girls screaming at me, Harper ripping out handfuls of my hair in a desperate attempt to climb on my lap so not to leave her, at drop off) and not being with them every second and then serious mom guilt about actually enjoying work just a little bit and not pining for my crazies. But man the bliss of going in an out of vehicles without taking coats, hats, mitts and apparently every other item of clothing off only to loose them all in the short drive and then lose my mind trying to find them when we arrive. And no bloody car seats!! But I'm leaving my kids... Ugh and the morning madness!! Getting up at an unbelievable hour to be greeted with blinding white bums needing wiping and bellies that are ''soooooooooo hungry'', trying to wrangle all three into clothes, myself ready, teeth and hair brushed, decent breakfasts, backpacks stocked and ready to go and every stinking piece of cold weather gear in the van by 7:40. That's AM. And we are usually ready at about 7:20 when someone inevitably poops, looses multiple articles of clothing, spills something, or let's a perfect right hook go into a sibling's face. Drop offs at multiple locations with every emotion displayed leaving me feeling like the world's worst mother. But then blissful silence on my 20 minute commute. Silence. And to compensate for the poorly whipped together meals that come with long(ish) days at work, we've spent lots of time as a family. Reading ninja lego books and the Jurassic Park book on repeat, building creations that often include weapons much to my dismay, out of lego, dressing up as every princess imaginable that even Jackson participated in!, cookie baking, game playing and just your general kid nonsense. And just when I think my kids and I have missed each other soooo much and are so glad to see each other, Shiloh tells me she can't wait until she's big enough to drive and get fries in her car (okay yes, we use the drive thru... maybe too often). And just when I think her cuteness can't get any bigger and I ask if she will take me for fries, she tells me with a very confident ''no. I'm taking my dog.'' It's been a good week and I've learned to shut out everyone else's opinions about how much I'm working. We all do the best we can and do what's best for our own family right? Our family has gone through a lot of change the last couple months and I personally (and maybe with a little bit of bias) think my kids have been rockstars managing it all. 11/16/2017 0 Comments Christmas nostalgiaI normally tell everyone Reuben is the softy, the nostalgic one. And then I realized the older I get the more pathetic I'm getting too. Ah we are the worst.
I love Christmas and all it brings, especially the cozy Christmas feels. My favourite childhood memories involve going to my grandparents for Christmas, running around like mad people with my cousins, opening presents, and eat a ton of food. But the best part was loading up the laundry basket with our haul, loading into the van and drifting in and out of sleep in a wonderful, satisfying Christmas haze. I don't remember a lot of the gifts I got as a kid, but the feelings that came with it all. And of course you can't forget Christmas movies, the cheesier the better! So after a long couple days, we decided on a movie in bed night. I curled up with all the kids on Shiloh's bed (a bottom bunk), cozy with their stuffed animals and blankets and we watched the Polar Express. Kids curled up everywhere on me and each other. And it was perfect. And then I cried. I cried it was so perfect. Me in all my pathetic-ness! Of course when Jackson noticed me sniffling he told me the movie is not sad and I have no reason to cry and he couldn't hear. One day my boy you will cry too out of the perfection of family moments and I will laugh at you. And the probably cry too. 11/16/2017 0 Comments harper is one!Where on earth has the year gone?! How is my baby ONE?!
Over a year has passed since I've had a baby in my belly (a real one, not a food one). It's been a year since Harper was born, knotted cord around her neck , dangerous neck position and us being close to losing her. It's been a year since I've sat in the NICU staring at my baby, ignoring the nurse telling me to go back to my room for some sleep. Almost a year since I was readmitted with dangerous blood pressure, with the emerge team fighting to control it. A year since I sent my brand new baby home with my mom because my risk of stroke and seizure was too high. A year. Now I have a beaming 1 year old, with two adorably dorky teeth in an enormous gummy smile walking towards me. We've gone from a nutty family of four, to absolute craziness being outnumbered by our monsters. And this year has flown by faster than any other year. Am I the only mom who forgot all the milestones even though Shiloh was just 2 when Harper was born? I was still stupidly asking when her shots were due, what she should be doing at what stage, etc. Although this time I've been trying to balance the other two little crazies too. Good thing Harper has been chill, easy going and almost always happy. She adores her siblings, her dog and pretty much everyone else. And holy is this kid trouble. You think, oh third time is a charm, I've got this nonsense, bring it on baby. I have had to baby proof my house in ways I couldn't imagine. She's eaten a roll of toilet paper, grabbed her sister's poop out of the toilet and loves to stick her hands in Jackson's pee as he pees (which of course he does nothing to discourage). She empties all my cupboards and gets stuck way down in the back. She's choked on more food and objects then my other two combined. She throws herself out of the van, licks the pavement and hoards rocks in her mouth. And then she smiles at you and you can't help but smile back. It's been a year of change. Expanding our family. Buying and selling a house. Moving to a new community. Jackson started school. And we've changed churches. Next week I go back to work. It's been hectic, chaotic and stressful. But it's also been challenging, exciting and.. new. And little Harper took all the change like a champ. She's the perfect addition to our family and we couldn't love her more. My internet is being ridiculous so I'll add her pictures later :) 11/11/2017 0 Comments remembrance dayWe've been having a lot of conversations the last couple days about Remembrance Day, especially now with Jackson in school. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to find ways to explain 'war' in an age appropriate manner to my 3 and 4 year old. Conversations of ''other'' don't really exist. How do I explain a man's hatred of an ethnic race to a kid who sees other as a boy in a blue coat instead of black as his other. A lot of stumbling conversations let me tell you!
But over the past year I've learned more about my Grandmother's history, especially her family's involvement in the War. And I am so proud of the family I came from! Given that my kids love their Nana and love adventure I thought I could make it work this year. I carefully tried to explain how Nana's family did something very very brave by hiding people in a secret room. That they followed God over the leading authorities of the day and stood up for what was right even though it was terrifying. That war is terrifying and horrible and people were willing to go to scary places to fight in order to keep us safe. And the take away was... Jackson recently discovered Captain America's origins, thanks to the Haldimand County Library, and proudly told everyone at school that his Nana had a secret room where she would become Captain America and helped saved a whole bunch of people in the war. Gah..... 11/8/2017 0 Comments early christmasGuys, Christmas came early to our house!!!
My in laws currently have ALL 3 kids so I can take a shower. ALONE!! There is no one banging on the door asking what I'm doing in there. No one asking if I'm making it really stinky. No one coming in while I'm in the shower to pee and then flushing giving me a wonderful ice stream. No one is trying to climb in the shower with me as I do my best to shove them out without slipping and crashing my head open. No one is having a tantrum on the bathroom floor because I won't let them in or won't let them watch. I can shave BOTH legs because I don't have to get out to stop world war 3 before I finish. I can shower without fear of some monster hand coming in to turn the tap. I can sing at the top of my lungs without someone telling me they can't hear their tv show so could I please be quiet. I know my clothes will stay exactly where I left them, instead of magically disappearing sparking a frantic towel run. I can take a 20 minute blissful shower, uninterrupted. I can blow dry AND straighten my hair and get transported to a whole different universe, a temporary child free existence which is basically beyond comprehension some days. And then the silence will overwhelm me and I will miss my three little crazies. Sigh. The never ending struggle of mother hood. But this only lasts a few minutes because I remember this is a small small amount of time that silence will reign. Merry Christmas to me!!!! 11/3/2017 0 Comments It's Friday!It's finally Friday! Thank goodness!
It's been a week that's for sure and today was the icing on the cake. I went to Wal-mart without a list and so naturally came home with a cart full of stuff not on the list and almost nothing that I actually needed. I also allowed myself to be swindled into buying Shiloh a snowman cookie (seriously, a snowman cookie already?!) at Starbucks. Rookie mom move let me tell you. I sliced my finger open on my garden grasses I was cutting back. And I sliced my finger cutting open a bagel. Not deep enough to require medical attention but deep enough that I'm a whiney baby. Shiloh cried the whole 15 minutes we were waiting to pick up Jackson because I didn't take the road she wanted to get to the school. We literally turn twice. We can't pass it. There aren't a whole lot of options but apparently she knew of a secret road that went through someone's backyard and across a field to get to the school that I wouldn't take. And I couldn't get Harper to stop licking the pavement. And then I really felt like the world was ending when I had to bribe my 4 year old not to go to bed at 4:30 because it was just a little too early. Took 5 Halloween candies and two episodes of Arthur to keep him up until 5 at which he marched into his room, put himself to bed and was gone 30 seconds later. And my wonderful husband is enjoying box seats at a Ti-cats game with free food courtsey of his boss. While my little bosses are going to be gracious enough to allow me to help myself to their Halloween candy when they are sleeping because they love me so much too. Tomorrow's Saturday!!! |
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