Back to blogging?

I'd like to start off and make a commitment to get back to blogging again :)  I discontinued writing in a journal early in marriage in exchange for blogging but the past 2 yrs I haven't done much of either.  I feel it is SO important to have some history of my life and my family so I should be back here again on a more regular basis (notice I'm not giving specific #'s ;).


(we don't know if it is a girl but I only have girly things :)

My last post, and now my Blog name reflects our most recent news of baby # 3 on the way.  I'm struggling now to be excited about this planned decision but the nausea has a way of making me very cranky!  I'm just about past the first trimester and am hopeful the rest of the year will be smooth sailing :)

I'm looking forward to a summer of fun outside at the playground, splash park and chillin' in our new backyard.  I'm super thrilled to be traveling to Switzerland to spend a few weeks with my sisters family :)

2 weeks from now will mark 1 YEAR in our new home!!!!  I won't post pictures because it still looks like we just moved in ;)  I have yet to decorate our walls but the plan is to spend this year making some big changes (which is why I didn't decorate in the past year).  I will blog the process along the way.

For now I am feeling optimistic about enjoying a summer with my girls and no job; for preparing my first baby to enter kindergarten in the fall and then all the fun of getting ready for a new baby that I hope will come before 2015.

Hailey's soccer team with Coach Daddy :)

Not much different here...

It appears we are dealing with the same sick little girl one month after my last post!  I am grateful, in the midst of more illness, that it seems to just be Quinn now who is getting 'knocked out' with infections.  Hailey is almost 4 now and her symptoms are generally pretty mild, or doesn't get the illness at all.  For that I am very grateful.

It is just the regular fever, cough, runny nose.  We are coping at a fairly normal level with a few more snuggles, more broken sleeping, less eating and quieter play.  By Friday though, I was pretty desperate to get out with some friends and had a great 'getaway' from the Isackson hospital for a few hours.


We couldn't be more thrilled that spring has arrived here.  It was +19 yesterday and we had a wonderful day playing outside and working a bit on the yard.  Our backyard is still too wet to rake so that will be a project for next week (or the week after - apparently it is supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow - geesh).

I am very excited for this summer!  For the nice weather, for our 2 week trip to BC, for more days at work and more days playing with the girls!  More than anything though I am excited that I have no babies under 2 yrs and am NOT pregnant.  I'm thinking it will be the best summer in 4 years :)

Will it EVER END?!?!?!?!

You may be thinking from the title that I am speaking about Spring.... I'm not, though that can't come soon enough.

I'm refering to the CONSTANT illness that has plagued our home since the snow fell last year.  It has been a good 6 months of never ending colds mixed in with 3 rounds of the stomach flu!!!  Seriously, WHAT IS GOING ON?  I'm going to step out on a limb and say THIS IS THE WORST WINTER EVER!!!!!

Okay, the excessive drama is over... but really, why are my kids sick all the time?  I know the obvious culprits are the fact that I take them to childcare and group play places for children on a regular basis.  Also, I'm sure the lack of outside time plays a big role, but with the weather so cold and now the snow being higher than their heads, there aren't a lot of outside options.

If I knew I wouldn't loose my mind within a week I would quit working, stay home and never let my kids near other children.  Then they would be healthy.  But that isn't going to happen.

I am really hoping that when spring does finally come and we get outside to play that the illness will be over and maybe we can have 4 months of health before the snow flies again.

How depressing!

An AMAZING Man

 

A couple months ago I was really missing my sister, who I hadn't seen in over a year.  She was about to have a baby (my first nephew) and I was sad I couldn't be there.  This wonderful man offered, of his own accord, to take care of our family while I traveled to Switzerland to see my sister!

It is the greatest gift (excluding our daughters) that Ian has ever given me!  I was very touched and very grateful for his understanding and sacrifice so I could be with my sister.

I have been here in Switzerland for 5 days soaking up some wonderful sister-talk and baby love!

My poor Ian on the other hand has been dealing with endless puke!!!!  Just days after leaving all three of them got the flu.  He has had late nights, lots of laundry, baths and lost sleep.  He has been sick himself and doing the best he can to take care of the kids.

I am SO thankful for Ian and love him to bits.  I miss my family SO much and was ready to jump back on a plan to come home early and help.

I love you Hailey and Quinn and can't wait to see you in 4 more days!!!

My nieces and nephew

I'm here in beautiful Switzerland.... seriously beautiful!  The weather is an amazing 10 degrees outside and I have been having a great time playing with the twins, cuddling my nephew and chatting with my sister (and brother-in-law).

It wasn't the greatest trip... with delays from Edmonton that made me miss my connection in Toronto, which meant an extra flight to London and then to Zurich!  It was a LONG day (literally 24 hrs).  With all the discomforts of flying long distances I was still grateful that I hadn't had to bring my small children along with me (phew).  While in the Toronto airport I met a woman alone with a 10 month old son.  She was flying home to Australia (which meant a 12 hr flight and another 10 hr flight)  UHG!  I hope her flight was as short as it possibly could be.... I can't imagine holding a mobile infant for that long in a confined space!  She is amazing!

I am here now, trying to adjust to the large time difference (actually writing this at 11 pm without a hint of tiredness).

here are some pictures of Switzerland and my sweet Sister's kids...

 (au de Swiss)

 Hello Alps!  This makes me want to sing "Edelweiss" and "The Hills are Alive" (yes I know the sound of music was in Austria)

 The wild one

 Little man

The less wild one

I miss my girls and their snuggles and Ian has been a superstar with both girls getting the flu just days after I left.  I definitely owe him for this one!!!!!  He is already talking about 'his trip' to Madagascar!

So eternally tired....

I want my body back..... oh please..... I don't know if I can make it 7 more weeks.

This little girl seems to be trying to claw her way out of my uterus!  I thought Hailey was an active baby but this one is 10 times crazier.  Of course her favourite time to move around is when I am trying to sleep.  This, accompanied with a sick toddler, husband... and now myself equals very little sleep.  It has caught up to me big time and I am about to crash.  At this point I am very ready to be up with a new baby - feeding, burping and changing... as long as the sleep I do get is comfortable and deep.

I am so grateful for my family and for these precious girls who are now a part of our lives.  The miracle of life is such a gift.  I will always be grateful for it... but I will also always DISLIKE being pregnant!

Baby.... it's okay if you want to come early,

love Mommy

A week at home

Hailey and I came down with a nasty cold on the weekend.  We have been recuperating and relaxing at home ever since.  I realized today that I only left the house once to get more formula from the store AND I don't think I have put on any real clothes and have spent more than 1 day bra-less.  I think we have watched Toy Story 3 at least 5 times, had naps together (but not together because Hailey has never slept in our bed - just same time ;), I have made 1 dinner, cleaned 3 bathrooms and built Hailey's new dresser.  We are feeling better now but still sound pretty aweful with 'man-voice' and lots of coughing/sneezing.  I am starting to get bored now and am contemplating getting Hailey's big girl room all set up and ready so that I can get the babies room ready.  Is it too soon?  Next week marks the official entry into the 3rd trimester... so 3 months is fairly soon right?  I better be prepared ;)

Here are some pictures of her new bed/dresser

We ended up getting the toddler bed instead of a twin this time.  We figure the kids will keep bumping up from toddler to twin and I feel safer with Hailey in a smaller/lower bed.  The next room also won't fit 2 twins but will hold a twin and a toddler bed once the girls are sharing.  With the toddler bed means special sized bedding and I wasn't sold on the bright, crazy colours ikea was offering.  I am thinking I will make my own sheet/comforter sets and then plan the room decor around that.  So far all we have is white (a blank slate).  I am super excited.  So many options!  We will still probably use the crib until after the baby comes so we will move it into the next room and use a bassinet for baby 2. 

Considering the -40 temps outside I wouldn't say it wasn't such a bad week :)