Summer's Arrival

Funny how I always seem to post at a season change. The arrival of Summer is the best of all. My family seems to come to life in Summer. All Winter long the kids and I have talked and dreamed about being able to walk out the door with out piling on layers. Slipping on a pair of sandals, crocs, flip flops and running out to the sunshine. And now, those cold snowy days are behind us and we are in the midst of our reverie.

I am blessed to have this Summer with my children. I have had no luck on the teaching job search and have accepted it. There is no room for frustration, anxiety or manic job searching when looking after two kids who only want your attention. I am thrilled to spend the next two months playing in the sun with my non-stop son and my busy little girl. I am dedicating myself to them and our pursuit of daily Summer fun! Who wouldn't kill for an opportunity like this? I am a very lucky Mommy.

Maxwell has one more day left of JK. My baby boy is finished his first year of school and what an amazing year it has been for him. His report card (received today) begins with "Maxwell has had a very successful year in junior kindergarten" told by his teacher Mrs. Lemere. I couldn't agree more. A perfect report card (2 for 2) tells Daddy and I about what a social, well adjusted, smart little man we have. These are things that we do already know about Max but to hear them confirmed from someone else fills us with so much pride. Max is very popular amongst his classmates, confirmed when Audrey and I walk him up to the kindergarten gate and a group of kids are already calling his name asking him to play with them. It is his ability to be so well rounded is what keeps me in awe of him.

He is smart, friendly, athletic, caring, energetic, loving and most important of all, happy. Maxwell is everything I dreamed he would be and so much more. He's the cool kid who flies into the school yard on his scooter waving to the older kids he knows. Takes off his helmut puts on his under armor hat backwards, throws his lands end lacrosse back pack on his shoulders and then crouches down and kisses his baby sister on the lips, gives her a big hug and wishes her a good day. Then follows suit with his Mommy. I want to grab onto him and beg him to freeze and never grow up. I want him to know that I am so grateful God has given him to me and feel blessed every day to be "Max's Mommy". I want him to know that he is truly an amazing person and I can't believe his Daddy and I made something so precious.

The kids are very excited about this Summer and everything it is going to bring. We are going on a family camping trip in a few weeks to Turkey Point which we have been talking about and planning for months. We have company and family picnics on the calendar, visits to the Crosbie's trailer, Canada's Wonderland, the Science Centre, the zoo, the beach, Canada Day in Cobourg and lots of swims at Pappy and Papa's pool. It won't be just the big day trips that we will remember but the days at home playing with the kids on the street, licking at popsicles and they run down our arms, slathering them up in sunscreen (or as Audrey says kun-kreen), giggling as we run through the sprinkler, playing at the park, waiting for the ice cream truck, drawing with chalk on the driveway, riding bikes and scooters and generally just soaking up as much Summer as we can to get us through the long Winter months.

First day of Summer was yesterday. According to Phineas and Ferb there are 104 of Summer vacation. So, 103 days left of pure Summer fun with my family and I couldn't be more excited to spend all of them together.

Audrey's First Skate and Maxwell's First Hockey Game

Friday I took Audrey out to parent and tot skating at Rickard Arena to try Audrey on the ice for the first time. She was cute in her helmut (she calls it a headband) with Hello Kitty (pronounced Allo Kiddy) stickers on it. Audrey was very persistent and didn't get frustrated at all. She could even stand for a few seconds on her own, and with help march along. I think she'll be much more of a natural on the ice like her Daddy than her Mommy. 

Maxwell has been in the Frostbite Hockey program at The Ice Shed. Since September, every Sat morning he has had 30 minutes of power skating instruction from Cynthia and then 30 minutes of hockey skills with Jordan. But now, the kids are in big arenas, mostly the Legends Centre and are doing a bit of skills with Scott and then are playing a game. We are so thrilled with Max's enthusiasm about playing this year. Last year he lost interest and we took him out but this year he has initiated wanting to play and he is having so much fun. His skating has really improved and he is scoring goals and getting into it. It looks like we have a hockey player!

Parenting

It is the most difficult job in the world. One day everything is great, kids listen to you, are loving and go to sleep without issue. The next, you wonder what possessed you to think that you were going to get away with it that easy. This week, is the later.

The kids are both sick with colds (Steve and I are too) and they spent the weekend at the house of indulgence also known as Grammie and Grampy's. I want to say first that I am beyond appreciative that I have two awesome parents who are always so willing to watch Max and Audrey. They truly believe there are no two more special people in the world than their grandchildren. However Max has known this for some time and Audrey is quickly catching on. They know that their wish is G and G's command. So things like sleeping in bed with them, letting them stay up late and not making them eat what they should is standard when staying at G and G's.

I know that this is the role that many Grandparents play. They are supposed to fill them with sugar and love and then send them home to Mommy and Daddy. However, this week we are paying for this in a big bad way. Both kids have no intention of sleeping by themselves, doing what we ask them to or have a screaming fit if they are forced to. Needless to say, it's not been a great week.

However, I don't want to dwell on this as it's not in my nature. I want to move on and try to make things better. To start, the sun is shining and there is a hint that Spring may be waking up and will be joining us after all. It has been the longest, coldest and the snowyest (??) Winter that I can remeber. I have never been so looking forward to Spring before. Our kids are active outdoors types that need to run and play, so the fact that it's going to be 12 degrees this weekened gives me hope that this week is going to turn around yet.

With Max starting soccer and lacrosse in a few weeks and Audrey starting Salsa Tots I think my active little ones are going to get their outlets they so despretely need. And in turn their parents will too.

This parenting thing, it isn't the easiest but we're working on it.

Audrey - 18 Months

My beautiful baby girl,

This week you turned 18 months. A year and a half since you entered this world and made mine complete. I cannot imagine life without you in it. I've been thinking how just a year ago you were this tiny happy little girl with the puffy prednisone face who everyone fell in love with the minute they saw you. Somethings thankfully have changed, we no longer have to give you 9mls of steriods every day, your hemangioma is so much better, most people don't even know it's there. And somethings have not changed, you are still a tiny happy little girl and everyone is in love with Audrey!

The last few days you have had a bad flu which has slowed you down considerably. You haven't been climbing on tables, chairs, desks, stereos quite as much. Monday I took the day off to spend with you as we were up all through the night with you throwing up. As sad as it was to see you sick I have to admit I loved spending your 18 month birthday cuddled up with you on the couch. You are such a busy little thing these days that it was nice to have some quiet time just you and I. I love getting you ready for bed at night, giving you a bath, putting baby lotion on and your jammies. Getting your bottle ready and sitting in the glider in the dark feeding it to you and rocking you to sleep. By far a highlight of my day.

I just popped in at daycare to check on you to see how you're feeling. Overprotective Mom? Yes I am! You were sitting in the little chair eating soup and looking quite proud of yourself with veggie soup and crackers spilling down your chin. I am amazed at how you almost instantly adapted to going to daycare. You thive there. No tears or clinging to Mommy for you little girl. Nope, a kiss and a hug and off you go to play. A wave and you're ready for me to go. Have to admit quite a change from your big brother!

You are starting to have more words. Mama is now Mommy (so cute), Maxy, Daddy, at daycare you apparently have said bubbles, ball and Grandma said yesterday you said apple. You're still a girl who gets her point across through pointing and nodding, shaking your head no or simply throwing what you don't want away (usually food and always to Sydney). We have been working on animal sounds also - you have done a bark for Syd for a while, and you do elephant (with the trunk motion too), kitty and anything that growls (tiger, lion). I love watching you learn.

Audrey, you are our beautiful little sparkle in our family.
I love you bunny.

Mommy

Audrey - 5 Months

My dearest Audrey,

Today (12:45am) as I sat in the glider feeding you your middle of the night bottle, I looked at your gorgeous little face and thought about what a beautiful impact you have had on my life in just 5 months. Five months does not seem like a long time when I think about how much you have been through in your life already and that I feel like you have always been a part of my life. (maybe you have always been a part of me, like a dream come true)

Although your entrance to the world was a scheduled one (C-Section Sunday September 3, 2006 8:ooam Markham Stoufville Hospital) nothing about your life since has been predictable (except for the too many to count Dr's appointments) A few minutes before you were born I told your Daddy that you were a boy. I was certain that you were. Now I think I was trying to not set myself up for disappointment should you not have been the beautiful little baby girl I had always dreamed of. When they pulled your tiny breech body from mine and your Daddy told me you were a girl I cried shocked tears of joy. I was certain that you were a boy. I felt so elated to have my baby girl. I felt complete.

Your first night was a restless one with you crying most of the night. The next morning we would find out why. You were taken into the special care nursery (the same little bed your brother was in) with an infection. We would later find out this was early onset of a strep B infection. You spent 6 days in special care under the watch of some wonderful nurses. Claire who was Max's nurse was also one of yours. There were many parallels between yours and brothers first few days. You were finally released on Saturday and we brought you home to a very excited big brother anticipating your arrival. He had flowers and a cake and the biggest smile on his face when he finally got to hold his baby sister for the first time. A moment forever in my memory.

Audrey, you fit right in a home and we found our groove as a new family of four. Daddy was making frequent trips to Edmonton for work but when you were only 6 weeks old, a trip was the worst timed ever. Grammie was visiting to help me with you and your brother. I went in to check on you in the middle of the night and you were so hot to the touch I actually had to pull my hand back. I grabbed the thermometer and your temperature spiked at degrees. I called telehealth and they told me to take you to the ER right away. I called and woke up Uncle Chris and asked him to come stay with Max.

Grammie and I rushed you over to Bowmanville and we were the only ones there. We were taken in instantly and I could tell by the nurses reaction that this wasn't something simple. Dr. , a soft spoken gentle woman said that they were going to take blood and she had called Oshawa and we needed to take you there right away. The next few hours were a blur of being admitted, blood work, chest x-rays and IV lines. You even endured a spinal tap which is more than anyone should have to go through. I could not reach Daddy in Edmonton for several hours as his cell phone was off. Needless to say he never had it shut off agin. We would later find out from our favourite doctor ever, Dr. Sean Godfrey that you had a late onset Strep B infection. The only reason you are here today is because of the quick action that was taken by the wonderful Dr's and nurses at Lakeridge Health. God bless them!

You and I spent 11 days in that small room in paediatrics in Oshawa. I left you only a handfull of times for a quick hour to go and take a shower, and this was only done under protest. I have never been so scared, you were so little and yet so strong and brave. I believe what you fought through those couple of weeks will play a role in who you are the rest of your life. My sweet angel you are a fighter and this will serve you well in life.

Since December you have been fighting another ailment - a hemangioma on your right eyelid. You have been on large doses (9 ml's) of prednisone to try and shrink it so it doesn't not impair your vision. We have been in a out of sick kids every few weeks and you have had an MRI which you were sedated for to give Dr. Pope (dermatology) and Dr. (opthamology) a clearer picture of the growth. Your cute puffy face has won many hearts. Again you are a fighter and I am amazed at your strength. The hemangioma is beginning to shrink and there is at this point no indicators to show any vision effects.

You are a little ray of sunshine in our family. I can't even remember life without you in it. You are a miracle and gift straight from God.

Happy 5 month birthday Bunny!

Mommy loves you.