Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Separation Anxiety
I'm leaving this weekend.. for a whole night.
It will be my first time away from the littlest one since he was born, and Daddy Dearest's first time with all three, ever.
I am a wee bit nervous, to say the least.
I'm certain that all will be well, but leaving is always hard. Especially the first time.
I guess I'll let you know how it all turns out.
It will be my first time away from the littlest one since he was born, and Daddy Dearest's first time with all three, ever.
I am a wee bit nervous, to say the least.
I'm certain that all will be well, but leaving is always hard. Especially the first time.
I guess I'll let you know how it all turns out.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Home Sweet Home {Part One- Kitchen}
Welcome to part one of eight of our home tour.
Why am I doing a tour of our home? Well, for a few reasons.
First, I am proud of our home. It is the first house that Rob and I bought, and unless our life takes some kind of unexpected turn, I think we will spend many years in this house, raising our family and creating memories. This house was a hot damn mess when we bought it. Run down, dirty, infested with mice, just to name a few turn offs. It had gone unloved and uncared for, probably for twenty years and we had to work our butts off to get it to a place where we felt comfortable.. and three years later, we are just getting there. We haven't spent mass-amounts of money updating and renovating, nor have we thrown our money at contracters to have them breathe life into the house, but instead we have taken our time and used our own skills and resources to make this house our own. We have learned alot along the way, and most things we did together.
Our home is not the newest (in fact it is over 130 years old..) it doesn't have the latest or the best countertops or floors and it is as crooked as can be, but it is ours.
Secondly, I like peeking into other people's lives.. so here's a little peek into mine.
Part One- Kitchen
The kitchen is the gathering place in our home. Not only is it the first thing you see when you walk in beyond the mud room, it is the largest room in the house (with the most seating). When we were shopping for houses, we had a very small wishlist. One of my hopes for my new kitchen would be at least one window that faced the backyard, so that I could watch the kids play while I did my houeswifely duties (har har). Obviously, this wouldn't make or break the deal for me, but it sure would have been nice. Well, when I walked into this house for the first time, a wall of windows with a walkout patio door right into the backyard stared right back at me. Perfect.This room is always busy. directly off of it are two main entrances, a bathroom and a playroom, and it's also the only way to the rest of the house from the entrance. (Unless you used the front door but who does that?)
Why am I doing a tour of our home? Well, for a few reasons.
First, I am proud of our home. It is the first house that Rob and I bought, and unless our life takes some kind of unexpected turn, I think we will spend many years in this house, raising our family and creating memories. This house was a hot damn mess when we bought it. Run down, dirty, infested with mice, just to name a few turn offs. It had gone unloved and uncared for, probably for twenty years and we had to work our butts off to get it to a place where we felt comfortable.. and three years later, we are just getting there. We haven't spent mass-amounts of money updating and renovating, nor have we thrown our money at contracters to have them breathe life into the house, but instead we have taken our time and used our own skills and resources to make this house our own. We have learned alot along the way, and most things we did together.
Our home is not the newest (in fact it is over 130 years old..) it doesn't have the latest or the best countertops or floors and it is as crooked as can be, but it is ours.
Secondly, I like peeking into other people's lives.. so here's a little peek into mine.
Part One- Kitchen
The kitchen is the gathering place in our home. Not only is it the first thing you see when you walk in beyond the mud room, it is the largest room in the house (with the most seating). When we were shopping for houses, we had a very small wishlist. One of my hopes for my new kitchen would be at least one window that faced the backyard, so that I could watch the kids play while I did my houeswifely duties (har har). Obviously, this wouldn't make or break the deal for me, but it sure would have been nice. Well, when I walked into this house for the first time, a wall of windows with a walkout patio door right into the backyard stared right back at me. Perfect.This room is always busy. directly off of it are two main entrances, a bathroom and a playroom, and it's also the only way to the rest of the house from the entrance. (Unless you used the front door but who does that?)
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Happy Father's Day...
To my husband, my partner, my lover, my best friend.
I could not have dreamed of a better father for my children and I hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated, every day.
Thank you for being you.. Happy Father's Day.
I could not have dreamed of a better father for my children and I hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated, every day.
Thank you for being you.. Happy Father's Day.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Our Beautiful Boy {For your viewing pleasure}
Last weekend, we enjoyed a barbeque with some of Rob's co-workers. During the evening, our good friend Evan took some beautiful photos of the littlest one. Not only did he get some great shots, but he captured the very essence of our baby boy.
I've included some of my favourites to share.
Fortunately for us, Evan will be doing a shoot with us next weekend and I couldn't be more thrilled at the prospect of having a picture (or three!) of ALL FIVE OF US!! It's been 7 months since we've become a family of five and there is yet to be a family picture in existance.
Stay tuned!!
You can find Evan at Evan Holt Photography
I've included some of my favourites to share.
Fortunately for us, Evan will be doing a shoot with us next weekend and I couldn't be more thrilled at the prospect of having a picture (or three!) of ALL FIVE OF US!! It's been 7 months since we've become a family of five and there is yet to be a family picture in existance.
Stay tuned!!
You can find Evan at Evan Holt Photography
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Done & on to the next one {The little graduate}
My boy graduated from kindergarten yesterday. :(
I mean, it's awesome and all.. but Grade One has always been a really hard one for me to swallow. First day of school? No big deal! But starting grade one is REAL. So, come septemeber, it's just me and T, every day all day. Sadness.
However, Kaleb has done SO well in school. With his diagnosis and through all the difficulties and therapies and all that noise, he has soldiered on and left Rob and I standing there in awe of him. He is incredible, and every day gets better than the last.
Congratulations, baby boy, Mama is very very very proud of you.
I mean, it's awesome and all.. but Grade One has always been a really hard one for me to swallow. First day of school? No big deal! But starting grade one is REAL. So, come septemeber, it's just me and T, every day all day. Sadness.
However, Kaleb has done SO well in school. With his diagnosis and through all the difficulties and therapies and all that noise, he has soldiered on and left Rob and I standing there in awe of him. He is incredible, and every day gets better than the last.
Congratulations, baby boy, Mama is very very very proud of you.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Welcoming summer {A trip to the zoo}
On this particular friday, Kaleb and I had an already-scheduled speech therapy session in town, so all four of us headed out.
Generally, the kids are pretty well-behaved in situations such as this, but I used to opportunity of the whole day spent in town and the nice weather and the PA Day, to promise them a trip to the zoo after the appointment was over, should they be on their best behaviour during Kaleb's therapy session.
I didn't hear a peep!
After Kaleb was finished, I took them out for a special lunch and off to the zoo we went!
Have I mentioned how fantastic our local zoo is? Not only does it have a lovely splash pad for the kids to cool off in, equipped with bathrooms and changerooms and lots of shady places for mom and baby to sit, not only does it have a massive playground (one of the best I've seen) with things like rock climbing, and a huge slide that takes you down to the lower level of the park, but it has 48 species of animals! Now, it's not like a city zoo with elephants and polar bears, mind you.. our zoo is 100% outdoors, in a park-like setting with animals like camels and llamas and monkeys and otters.. but it's also entirely free, funded by the city and the city's electrical company and dependant on volunteers and donations.
The kids had a great time splashing in the water, cooling off in the hot sun while the littlest one and I watched from the sidelines. I put Trenton's feet in a few times but he wasn't a fan of the cold water on his warm skin and was instead quite content to watch the kids dance around from the comfor of his stroller, getting the occasional splash of cool water. When they were done, we walked for hours.. talking about the different animals and watching them. They asked lots of questions, as they always do, and Hailey read the signs to her brothers and did her best to read out the latin names.
Then we sat in the shade and had some ice cream before loading back up in the car and settling in for the drive home, where all three slept soundly in the backseat.
We tend to visit our zoo frequently during the year, especially during the hot summer months.. I'm looking forward to the trips like this.. I'm so grateful to have it at our fingetips.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Twelve Months of Trenton {Seven}
Seven months old.
No matter what I do, you won't stop growing. You grow and you grow and you grow and it's so bittersweet. I love seeing you learn and thrive and discover the world around you, but I want to keep you small and in my arms forever.
You're much more attached to me than your siblings were. Sure, they were snuggly and Mama-suckers in their own right, but you.. Oh, you... You *love* your Mama.. you make me feel so, so needed.. as if you know, somehow that you are the last baby and are telling me in your own way that, "Yes.. Mama.. I need you, and I always will."
With each passing month I feel your first birthday inching closer and closer. Summers fly by, love. They always do, and once summer is gone.. you'll be one. The thought just tears a hold right through my heart in a way that I couldn't ever even try to articulate.
You are amazing.
You are inches away from crawling and leaving me behind in the dust. You rock slowly, with uncertainty. That's new, this month. You can get up on your hands and your toes, but then you get stuck and upset. You can turn in a complete circle when you're on your belly. You love your bathtime and I never hear a peep from you when we are out for our daily walks. You love being worn in the sling but sometimes you like being in the stroller so you can be free to look around. You're eating and reaching for everything around you. You don't like it when I am out of your line of sight.. especially when there are new faces in the room. You are almost sitting unassisted, well you are, but you don't know yet to put out your hand to catch yourself when you start to lean. You still wake up at least twice a night to nurse but I don't mind one tiny little bit.
Weight/Length: You are almost 27 inches long and weigh 15lb, 8oz.
Size: You wear a size 2 diapers and are still in 3-6 month clothing. You wear 3 month onesies. You tiny thing. You're almost in a size 3 shoe!
You're beautiful, Baby.. & I love you so, so, so much.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Letting my weight get the best of me {A promise to myself}
This is really hard to type out and post somewhat publicly. I have a feeling that the "Publish Post" button is going to look alot more daunting than usual.
The truth is, as of late I have felt like a stranger trapped in my own body. Take some bad genes, a winter, a pregnancy, mild depression and a moderately sedentary lifestyle and you've got yourself an overweight an unhappy person.
Over the years, my weight has always been a struggle and a constant burden, if you will. It is always something that I have been self-conscious about, even when I was quite small, before having my first child, at around 105 pounds. I don't know why I have always been up and down.. I'll go from a healthy 130, up and down by 30 pounds or more within 6 months.
I need to stop allowing my weight to have control over my life. I know that I will never be the same shape or size I was before having children, and that's something that I'm okay with.. but it doesn't mean that I have to be overweight, or unhappy. I think that admitting the fact that it is real, and deciding to make the small changes that I need to make is the first step, and that's what I'm doing now. Why should I let something so trivial have such a huge effect on my happiness? I shouldn't.. and I won't.
I don't like the way I look, I don't like the way I feel. I don't like my lack of energy and whe way my clothes (don't) fit. I know that I'm limited.. I can't count calories and limit myswelf while my body is nourishing the baby.. but I'm going to do what I can.. something has got to give.
The truth is, as of late I have felt like a stranger trapped in my own body. Take some bad genes, a winter, a pregnancy, mild depression and a moderately sedentary lifestyle and you've got yourself an overweight an unhappy person.
Over the years, my weight has always been a struggle and a constant burden, if you will. It is always something that I have been self-conscious about, even when I was quite small, before having my first child, at around 105 pounds. I don't know why I have always been up and down.. I'll go from a healthy 130, up and down by 30 pounds or more within 6 months.
I need to stop allowing my weight to have control over my life. I know that I will never be the same shape or size I was before having children, and that's something that I'm okay with.. but it doesn't mean that I have to be overweight, or unhappy. I think that admitting the fact that it is real, and deciding to make the small changes that I need to make is the first step, and that's what I'm doing now. Why should I let something so trivial have such a huge effect on my happiness? I shouldn't.. and I won't.
I don't like the way I look, I don't like the way I feel. I don't like my lack of energy and whe way my clothes (don't) fit. I know that I'm limited.. I can't count calories and limit myswelf while my body is nourishing the baby.. but I'm going to do what I can.. something has got to give.
