Toddler posting/Blogging Community

It appears my toddler thinks I have not been posting enough and took it upon himself to publish some nonsense for me *embarrassed* Not to worry I have since deleted his posts and I apologize to anyone that was inconvenienced by his over activity with the publish button! I have now learned not to leave the laptop open unsupervised.

It has been extremely hectic around here. Note a difference between busy and hectic. It doesn't feel like we've really done much in the last few weeks but with a new baby and chasing the toddler around, as you can see from the previous paragraph he is quite active and loves to get into absolutely everything, I feel as though I've been constantly on the go. The baby is now 5 weeks old and I am finally starting to feel like we might have a bit of a handle on things.

The toddler is an extremely busy little guy. Imagine a mini hurricane that moves through your house from room to room emptying drawers and clearing shelves leaving a trail of mass distruction in its wake. He loves to explore and discover the world. What will happen if I do this. What will happen if I climb that? What does this room look like from the top of that table? I wonder what that stuff in the dogs dish tastes like? Why can't I shower fully clothed? Oh I think my little brother needs a high five... right in the face! eeeek (yes that's happened). Like I said...... busy little guy! It is wonderful and tiring to experience all at the same time. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart let me tell ya! It is nice to know that I am not the only one out there going through this kind of thing.

I was so excited when Britt put together this mom page. I have been reading blogs for a number of years now and marveling at how women from all over create these mommy blogging communities full of friendship, support and encouragement. Women putting themselves out there sharing their thoughts, feelings and Families with each other and helping each other through the joys and disappointments of life. Reading the comments and posts of these blogs has made me want to become part of a blogging community and I am so thankful that Britt gave us a place to start. It has been tough to keep up with posting and commenting these past few weeks. Hell with a new baby it is tough to keep up with showering. But I am hoping now that the baby has settled in with our family and we have all had a chance to get used to each other that I will have more time to get to know you all a lot better. And who knows if I forget to close the laptop the toddler might take his opportunity to say hello too! Thanks for putting yourselves out there.

Day in the Park!!!

Well I have to say when we planned our day in the park we never really checked the weather. However it turned out to be a great day, the sun was shining and the kids had a ball. I meet up with my friend and her two kids. We packed a picnic and away we went. the kids played on the pirate ship and ran around and we just sat back and watched. We had a tea and chatted. Adult conversation was nice.
Lunch time so we set out a blanket and broke out the food. The kids ate, some more then others but they had to much to do. They played for a while longer then it was time to get out of the sun for bit....we hit some stores to check out some party supplies, my oldest has a birthday coming up.
After a little shopping we heading back to the house so the kids could play on the swings and we could get some supper, yum pizza....still hot out I took out some scissors and chopped off the boys pants...I forgot the shorts, it is still April.
All in all it was a great day and we had fun. The boys were very tired and I have a sun burn on my left arm but that will go away....can't wait to do it again...

My Heart broke a little this morning :(

It is so hard to see our little ones get hurt. I first should say that one of the biggest obstacles for my daughter with her autism is her social skills. I try really hard to explain what is okay and what isn't and try to help her but there is a lot to learn.

Today I dropped her off at school and the bell had not yet gone. I sort of stand near the van while she plays and until I can see she is in the school. She happily ran over to a group of her friends. They where running back and forth and dd joined them only to be told by one of them that "you can't play with us cause your not part of our group!". Dd stood there for a min. and then walked away with her head down and sat on the ground by a tree looking so dejected. I watched for a min. and then walked over to her to talk to her about it. I asked what was wrong and she almost in tears said that her friend said she couldn't play with them. At that point the friend heard me or saw me and came over to say that since dd wasn't there when they started their game that she couldn't join. Luckily one of the other friends who is probably a better friend to dd said she could join their group and then the bell rang. I did tell her that when people are playing a game some times you can't join the game even though I don't think it would have been a problem for this game. I headed back to the van and just started crying to see her so dejected and rejected.

I know this is something that goes on at playgrounds and schools all the time for "normal" kids. I shouldn't take it so personally but having been the teased fat kid, and not included it really hit a nerve. My daughter has her faults but she is a warm friendly girl who loves to be with people and she sees everyone as a friend or a potential friend.

It is hard cause if she was "normal" I think she would be accepted better or even if her issues where more noticeable ( not that I wish that) people would have a better understanding and acceptance. I don't want to baby her I just wish I could do something more to help her integrate. Oh well she has probably already put it behind her while I sit here dwelling on it.

My Name is Autism!

I found this on the web...and having two children with autism...it brought tears to my eyes and I just wanted to share it with everyone!

My Name is Autism
Written By: Omri Fiman/Marty Murphy

Hello. Allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is
autism. Perhaps you know me or know of me. I am a
condition, a "disorder" that affects many people. I
strike at will, when and where I want. Unlike Downs
Syndrome or other birth "defects", I leave no marks on
those I strike. In fact, I pride myself on the ability
to infiltrate a child's life, while leaving him or her
strikingly handsome. Many people may not even know I
am there. They blame the child for what I cause him
or her to do. I am autism and I do as I please.

I am autism. I strike boys and girls. infants and
toddlers. I find my best victims to be boys around the
age of 2, but any child will do. I like children and
they are always the true victims, though I take
hostage the others in the child's family as well. It
is a bit like getting 2 for the price of one. I affect
one child and "infect" the entire family.
I am autism. I strike rich and poor alike. The rich
combat me with education and therapy. The poor shut
their children away and cannot afford to fight me. I
am able to win in the lives of poor children more than
I am those of the wealthy, but I will try to take root
anywhere.

I am autism. I am an equal opportunity disorder. I
strike whites, blacks, Mexicans, Ukrainians, Russians,
Poles, Slavs, Japanese, Koreans and Fins. In fact, I
strike everywhere on Earth. I know no geographical
bounds.

I am autism. I do not discriminate based upon religion
either. I strike Jews and Christians, Muslims and
Buddhists, Atheists and Agnostics. I do not care what
religion a person is or what beliefs he may hold. When
I strike, there will be little time for any of
that anyway. When they find me, they will question
everything they believe in, so why would I strike only
one group? I have affected followers of every religion
on the planet.

I am autism and I am strong and getting stronger every
year, every month, every day, every minute and every
second. I am concerned that money might be allotted to
combat me and my takeover of children, but so far, I
have little to fear. Some countries like Kuwait, are
spending quite a bit of money to assist those who I
have targeted and some, like the United States, would
rather spend money on such ludicrous things as
discovering the number of American Indians who
practice Voodoo, as opposed to combating me. In an
atmosphere such as that, I can flourish and wreck
havoc at will. In places such as that, I rub my hands
with glee at the problems I can cause to children,
their families and to the society at large.
I am autism. When I come, I come to stay. I take the
dreams and hopes of families and trample them with
delight. I see the fear and confusion in the eyes of
my victims and the see the formation of wrinkles, the
worries and pain on the face of their parents. I see
the embarrassment their child causes because of me and
the parents unsuccessful attempt to hide their child,
and me. I see tears the parents cry and feel the tears
of their child. I am autism. I leave sorrow in my
wake.

I am autism. I taketh away and give nothing but
bewilderment and loathing in return. I take speech and
learning. I take socialization and understanding. I
take away "common sense" and, if I am allowed to
flourish, I take away all but their physical life.
What I leave behind, is almost worse than death.

I am autism. I fear nothing except courage, which I
thankfully see little of. I fear those who take a
stand against me and attempt to fight me and bring
others into the fight as well. I fear those who try to
make it safe and easier for my victims in the
community, and their families. I fear those who push
ahead, despite the fact that I am in tow. I fear the
day I will be eradicated from the planet. Yet, I do
not fear too much right now. There is no need.

I am autism and I bet you know me or know of me. If
you don't, you probably will soon. I am marching
forward faster than I ever have before. I am looking
for new children all the time. I am looking for new
children to consume and new lives to destroy. I dread
the day I will be looked upon with pity or worse yet,
understanding, for that day, is the day I will begin
to die.

But in the mean time I am safe, free to prowl onward.
Free to cause the pain and suffering that I do so
well. I am on a mission and have much work to do and
thankfully no one is stopping me yet.

Hello. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is
autism. Perhaps you know me of know of me, if not
don't worry, you will meet me soon....


Dear Sir or Madam,
My name is Omri Lior Hodiya Fiman. I am called, for
the most part, Mouse. I am 25 years old and I have
autism. I am able to hold down a job and able to work
a computer. I can also write rather well. One thing I
cannot do is speak well. With all but a few
exceptions, the words get stuck in my head and won't
come out. I have meltdowns frequently and often have
to wear a helmet to protect my head. I have 2
advocates that help me but there is much they cannot
do for me. There is so much I know that I need and yet
I have no idea where to start. What I do know is that
1 out of every 166 children has autism spectrum
disorder (statistics recently updated by the CDC).
If one out of every 166 children were born with
defected limbs or mental retardation, something would
be done. If one out of every 166 calves born in Texas
were born with defects, something would be done. If
one out of 166 people were dying from poison, the
product would be yanked from the market with great
fanfare. But, nothing is done about autism. I will
never live the kind of life other people will. I am
able to do some things other autistics cannot do. I am
not able to do some things others can. Unlike diabetes
or asthma (both also unseen to the naked eye), autism
effects each person very differently, but affect us
all it does. Autism has robbed me of many things I
wish I had. How much of the future of our society
has to be stolen before people will take autism
seriously. Those of us with autism would like an
answer. 5 years ago, one in 500 children had autism. 2
years ago it was 1 in 250. Today it is 1 in 166. The
clock is ticking. What statistic is the magic one?
What number will bring the world to its senses? What
number will bring about research funds and funds for
therapy and insurance reform regarding autism? Can
anyone give me the answer or do we have to wait for
hundreds of thousands of our future children, to be
born into a life of autism? We are all waiting for our
answer.
Sincerely,
Omri H L Fiman

Why Can't All Weekends Be So Good!!!

After weekends like this one i stop and wonder why all of them can not be so good! I had the kids this weekend and on the most part they were great and didn't fight a whole lot. We were very busy, mostly to do with my daughters soccer team just getting their outdoor season started! We were supposed to have our first practice last Wednesday but due to the snow and the horrible weather we had to postpone to having our first practice yesterday. Got them out for an hour and a half....a team of 15 and many of them new to the game which is tough when you are at a competitive level. But today was our first game and they truly amazed me!!! We won our first game 6-1!!! It is such an amazing feeling to be the coach and be so proud of 15 girls when only 1 of them is your own. Let alone the fact that my daughter, Lindsay scored 4 of our 6 goals!! So proud of her too! If it is any indication of how are season is going to go i can't wait....it will be AMAZING!!!
All during soccer my little guy got in lots of park time and just enjoyed being outside. Not a big watcher of the game but loves the outdoors!!! But we just walked in the door not to long ago and as i speak they are finishing up dinner. Time to get bathtime going and get them off to bed in just over an hour!!!

Why does life have to be so nuts???

Things around here have been insain.... and they are only going to get worse. We are starting to get into our busy season at the store with the fishing camps opening in a couple of weeks and I am just going nuts! I love being busy but sometimes it is over whelming. Never mind the kids and dealing with them. My daughter is a big handful. Thank goodness she goes to daycare monday to friday because holy man I would be sent to a rubber room. She is sooo independent and that adds to the complications that is for sure. My son is somewhat passive but he is a handful in his own way. I love my kids dearly but somedays they are just to much. But I guess that is what they call life.

Packing Up the Baby Stuff

Every time that John grows out of something or grows too big to play with a toy I've been packing them up and storing it in the basement. Without really knowing why, I was very hesitant to instantly give it away, sell it or donate it. I didn't want to say that I was done having kids. And now that Jane Doe, my receptionist, (she has a VERY distinctive name and I'd rather not talk about someone else w/out their permission) is pregnant, I've been considering giving her some of my stuff. I'm 38 years old and I know that I would like to try and have another baby, I'm just not sure. Today Steven and I were making a list for "Jane" about what to take to the hospital (she asked me for this), we started discussing that maybe we should give her some of our old stuff. He brought up the infant car seat/stroller because it's in really good condition and only a year old. I mentioned that I'd like to keep it for our next one and he didn't even hesitate and he said okay. Then he went on to list other things that we could give her instead.

Interesting. Apparently we are on the same page. We've gone from thinking about maybe, possibly, one day having another child. To okay, we'll have another one. Maybe not until we sell our house and find another one but most likely within the next year. It gives me a happy feeling.

New Outlook On Life

Well over the past few weeks, if you have not read my previous post, alot has been going on in my life. During that time it was really tough and part of me wished i had that significant other to help me out and go through it with me. But then I had this really great conversation with my mom the other night. My Mom split up with my real Dad when i was two years old. So for awhile it was just her raising my older brother, my older sister and I. And then just over a year later she met my step Dad and was with him for 27 years....they split up just over a year ago. Usually she gives me a hard time and tells me i am to picky and i should settle down with someone. But this time she actually listened and understood where i was coming from. And then she told me how much she enjoyed it when she was single with us....even though it was tough at times.
I think it was this conversation that really made me realize i am not ready to give up my independence yet....or have to answer to someone. I don't know how many other single women are reading this and who may understand but again its just my thoughts and not meant to offend anyone. I have been through two horrible relationships (to say the least), I feel like my children especially my 9 year old daughter have been through enough, and i just need to continue to focus on the three of us. My daughter has an alcoholic for a father and she seen my son's dad hit me. Thats alot to take in as a child.
I have been single now for almost 3 1/2 years and on the most part i am really content with our lives. My son's Dad, although his many issues with me, is a pretty good Dad to both of my children. Many may wonder, but he would never raise a hand to either one of them, it was control thing for him with me. So although i have the children Monday to Friday and every second weekend, I did try the dating thing on the weekends i didn't have them. But i always seemed to find a reason to get serious with anyone.
I kept telling myself i was ready to move on and find someone but then the more i have thought about it the more i realized i am still just not ready. When the time is right it will happen for me and i will find that someone who can handle my independence and 'my ways'....and until then i am just going to keep being happy being me and striving to be the amazing mother i know i can be!!!

China Syndrome

Yesterday my husband left for China on a 2 week business trip. Once again, I am in survival mode. Singlehandedly juggling three kids and their sports, school and other appointments has become more familiar to me than I would like. I joke to my friends that I have become a "work widow" again, but it's not as funny to me as I pretend.

I resent the company that steals my husband from me and our children. I envy my husband's oppportunity to see parts of the world I can only imagine. Worst of all, I carry huge guilt over the heartache my son expresses. Last night, as I snuggled up with my son and the book he and his dad have been reading together, my heart was breaking. My son sobbed about missing his dad and how long two weeks without him will be. I did my best to comfort him, but at the same time, I felt like sobbing too.

Things will go on as they always do; soccer games and lacrosse practices will be attended, bedtime stories will be read, days will pass. All the while, we will be counting the sleeps until Daddy comes home.

Me Time

I always seem to write when I'm cross or generally fed up which is unfortunate because most of the time I have lots of fun with my family.

This evening I am supposed to be going to my exercise class but my husband has decided to work late. I don't think he realizes that this 1 hour a week that I get to go out in the car by myself is very precious or that there is no point joining an exercise class if you never get to exercise.

I clearly need to go for a run around the living room as I'm definitely getting a little more grrrrrrrrr as each moment passes.

Walking

I can't believe how stubborn my daughter is. She is almost 13 months old and refuses to walk by herself. If she couldn't walk that would be a different story but she can walk. She has this little walker that she pushes around and if she gets stuck or wants to turn around she lifts the walker with her hands so it isn't on the ground. She will turn herself and then put the walker down to continue on in the new direction. We try to get her to make even one step on her own but she won't. Oh well. She will let go of the walker when she is ready. I just go nuts because I know she CAN!!!

Rain Rain Go Away!!!

First we have snow for 8 months straight, now we're having constant rain. Yes, I'm happy that I don't have to shovel it!! BUT I want to be able to go outside and sit while the kids play. I want a sun tan....I want to wear flip flops and shorts and tank tops!!

I'm totally at a loss now about what to do with the kids when it's raining. Can't keep driving them around with gas prices like this!

Someone please please tell me that summer will be here soon. And while you're telling me that...tell me that summer is gonna last longer then 6 weeks!

Here's to all the mama's...may we all get some sun...and SOON!

Catt

Love at First Bite

I have a new love- the Calgary Farmer's Market. I first discovered the Farmer's Market last summer. Since, I have visited weekly and have developed insatiable cravings for several of my favorite foods and items sold there. Browsing the aisles, picking up a few groceries, grabbing lunch or a coffee and people-watching has become a weekly ritual for our family.

While some of the prices may seem a bit higher than at your average chain supermarket, the quality cannot be beat, most everything is locally grown and made and you get to meet the growers, cooks, bakers and artists themselves. Adding a personal touch to the apples you buy, the hot dinner you pick up for your family or the knit wool hat for your child is something that no chain store can imitate. It may sound cliche, but it is almost as if you know your food or item was grown/made with tender loving care.

Here are a few of my personal favorites if you do happen to visit the Market:

1. Nature Babies- For organic and eco-minded mommas, this little shop sells a wonderful assortment of children and baby clothes, blankets, accessories, cloth diapers and other items made with organic cotton and natural fibers. They also sell Swaddlebees, one of the best one-size pocket diapers for cloth diapering mommas looking to add to their stash. These items are certainly not cheap but they have some beautiful, unique items that are sure to last for years to come.

2. Buttercream Bake Shoppe- These cupcakes are delish. While not light in calories or price, they are a great treat, a great hostess gift or a unique and tasty idea for birthdays or other special occasions. Personally, I like them a lot better than the Crave cupcakes and they are very similar in price. My personal favorite is the French Vanilla but the Chocolate Peanut Butter is a close second. Mmmm!

3. Dora Pomodora- This little booth located on the back wall of the market has been my salvation during pregnancy. Though there are many times when nothing else sounds good, their chicken and wild mushroom wraps are sure to please. If you're vegetarian or if mushrooms aren't your thing, worry not, they also have salmon salad, beef, regular chicken, falafel, breakfast and a whole other assortment of delicious wraps. The wraps are filled with a generous helping of the wonderful, tasty ingredients . Placed in the panini press and grilled to perfection, they seem like a small piece of heaven. Yes, they are $7.25 per wrap, but eating something (reasonably) healthy while satisfying a craving is priceless.

4. Pearson's Berry Farm- First, this little booth has the BEST samples of any of the vendors in the Market. Need a bite of muffin or a mini fruit tart? Just stop by for a free sample. Of course, as delicious as the baked goods are, it is almost a certainty that you will end up making a purchase. The homemade muffins are big, most and make a great and filling breakfast. At only $8 for 6 muffins, they are also one of the best deals at the Market. My favorite is the Mixed Muffins, which contain 3 Pumpkin Saskatoon Berry Muffins and 3 Morning Glory muffins. The apple pie is also amazing and, with their reasonable prices, you can buy an entire homemade pie for about the same price as what you would pay for a mass-produced supermarket pie.

5. Stock and Sauce Company- For your homemade soup or stock needs, this is the place to go. With everything from vegan chili to wonderful, creamy broccoli cheese soup (the best I've ever had), their soups are a dinnertime staple at our house. Add the fact that they have a program where you get a free soup after you buy a certain number and it makes it an even more appealing dinner choice!

6. 2 Greek Gals- Being married to a Greek, I have developed a love for Greek food, along with an appreciation for how difficult it is to prepare from scratch. The solution- 2 Greek Gals! Their home cooking is better than anything I could make (and probably better than anything most true Greek cooks could make!), the prices are reasonable and, to top it off, the Gals are SO nice! Their pita bread is soft and delicious, the tzatziki (Greek yogurt sauce) is perfect and the prepared lunches and dishes are fantastic. It definitely gets an A+ from this wife and also from my Greek husband!

7. Phil and Sebastian Coffee Company- It might not be as quick as Starbucks and you might not have quite as many choices on the menu but the flavor of their brews is second to none! Grabbing a coffee during your Farmer's Market experience can add the perfect touch to finish off your day!

So, if you're looking for a good place to spend a few hours (and a few dollars), the Calgary Farmer's Market may be the place for you! However, be forewarned, once you visit, you might be back a time or two!

Its been a crazy month or more!

Well it has been a long while since i made it to blog and i was beginning to feel just a bit guilty about it. But it truly has been a very difficult month around here. My daughter got hand, foot and mouth disease and was home from school for a week, which meant i was off work for a week. Then the following week a get really sick...tried going to work but just couldn't so there's another week off.
Then my son had his dental surgery...that was probably one of the hardest things i have had to go through and hope that is the worst thing he ever has to go through. We go in originally for him to have local anesthetic and get some fillings done and possible root canal is what they told me. (My son is 5) Well he goes in with out much fuss but when he comes out all i could do was cry. His lips are swollen so big, his nose is bleeding from the breathing tube they had to put it and he has medical tape all over his face and chest from all the monitoring sensors. It ends up they had to do 5 solid silver crowns on his molars and pull one of his molars. He is freaking out because he is in pain and he just grabs my head and won't let me go....I just broke down. (Not to much can make me cry but this was horrible) But once they got more tylenol into him and we had some cuddle time he seemed to recover quite quickly from the anesthetic and we were able to go home....only 9 hours in the hospital beginning to end....could have been much worse if he had gotten sick afterwards, which is quite common.
The biggest problems once we got home was that he was starving, he had been 21 hours without eating but everything tasted funny and he could only eat soft foods. But we managed! Since then things have healed up quite nicely and just have to get fitted for a spacer as the tooth pulled will not be growing in for another 10 years.
After we made it through that my son again, breaks out in a full body rash....what from? No idea, i sat at the children's hospital for 8 hours one night because they insisted i take him in just for a doctor to tell me they really were not sure what caused it. Hope it goes away in another week or bring him back. Luckily it went away!
Me on the other hand...I am still sick but did go back to work with only the one week off. On the most part its not so bad but my throat is sore all the time and never lets up, which leads to tons of coughing. Could be worse!!!
It worked out in four weeks i worked a total of 8 days....boy am i glad my work was understanding. But i am paying the price now as i am totally behind and very busy. I am working 9 hour days and usually working again after the kids go to bed during the week and on weekends just to try and get caught up.
On a good note...my daughters outdoor soccer team that i coach is ready to start our outdoor season. Sure it means more to do but something we both really enjoy doing! And the three of us are planning on joining a martial arts class, my sons choice, one day a week as well!
So really, hard to believe i am sure but that is the short version of some of the craziness in my life since i posted last. Finally though i think we are back to normal! I have enjoyed catching up on some of the latest postings of things going on in everyone's lives!!!
Until next time....

Dinner Time

Every day I dread dinner time. Firstly I have to think of what to give the kids that is healthy, make sure it is agreeable to all parties, then ensure it is cooked, on the table and ready to eat. All this must be done before any-one falls asleep, starts really moaning or fills themselves up on snacks and refuses to eat a proper meal.

Dinner time also co-insides with whinging hour which in my household goes from 4pm - 6pm.

Does any-one else have this and if so do you have any ideas how to make it better?

I'd like to introduce myself...

I'm very excited to have finally gotten around to posting for the first time on momspage.ca!!

It's awesome to be part of such a big circle of moms!

My name is Catt. I have four children: Cody (2002), Ethan (2003), Mia (2004) and Sydney (2007). Ethan and Sydney are both autistic (PDD-NOS) so I'm busy all the time with either appointments or therapy or something!

I also have a very small work at home business to occupy my time with.

I'm a Newfie...and if I ever had to tell someone what my best trait is, it's just that...being a Newfie.

I look forward to blogging with all you wonderful ladies!!


Catt

Crazy life... trying to deal

Things have been nuts around here. I am working something like 80 hours a week. Its just nuts and its only going to get crazyier. But something was brought to my attention and I am just wondering how other mom's feel about this.

How clean is your house? My house isn't to bad... yeah it needs to be vaccumed and the bathrooms needs some tlc... there is a large pile of laundry on the laundry room floor. The kids rooms and my room need some attention but other then that its not to bad. I have a sister who states that if you house isn't clean then your a bad mother... I personally don't think having a clean house factors in to that but she thinks that it does. I in not so poliet words told her where to go and how to get there. Because she would rather have a house you could eat off the floors then spend time with her children. So how do other mom's do it??? Do you have help at home with the basic stuff?

Tanya

Dress the Part, You Pirates You!

While I can't say that I would relish the opportunity to meet modern, real life pirates, I do have to say that I would feel shortchanged if I did run into them only to discover that they looked like the Somali "pirates" we see on the news. Honestly, if you are going to frighten and terrorize sailors, can't you at least make the effort to get a parrot, wear an eye patch or talk like a pirate? I think I would feel cheated by my experience if I met one of these ocean bullies and they didn't give me at least one good "Arrrr, matey!" or carry a sword.

If we go to the doctor, we expect to be seen by someone who is either wearing scrubs, a white coat or a nice set of slacks. If our doctor walked in wearing pajamas or a jogging suit, we might be a little concerned. Likewise, when we eat at a restaurant, we expect the wait staff to either have some sort of a uniform, apron, or to be dressed according to our stereotypical expectations. If our waiter/waitress arrived at our table wearing cut off shorts, flip flop sandals and an old, tattered shirt, we might feel like we didn't get the full dining experience.

Maybe my stereotypical image of pirates is inaccurate but somehow I still choose to think that pirates look like the Pirates of the Caribbean and not like shirtless militia men. If only they would dress the part, if for no other reason than to humor me.

Sleep Study- not much fun.

We have tested our daughter a couple of times overnight with an oxygen monitor in home and while the last one was pretty good after she had her adenoids removed they felt we should do an overnight study to make sure she was okay. There is a 1-2 year wait. So Monday I got a call for a cancellation on Tuesday. Great we book it. We have to be there for 8:15 pm so i am thinking we will get her to sleep right away. I thought they would put a few sensors on the head and chest and that I would be pretty easy. Well no. About 30 wires plus some belts and nose tube and some other thing wow it took well over an hour to hook her up. They used nail glue (for artificial nails)in her hair to make them stay. That was awful cause the smell made her gag and then they use a blower thing to dry it and it blew the fumes into her face, and again this morning they poured acetone to removed them and that made her gag. She had sensors in her 10 sensors in her hair8 on her face 4 on her legs and about 8 on her chest. She was wire for sound. They wanted to put a mask on for awhile but she freaked out when she saw it, and then she woke up for an hour in the night so they skipped it thank heavens. She was so uncomfortable I am not sure how she even slept. The nurse came in a number of times and did stuff with her wires and such my daughter slept through it but I woke at every little sound so I barely got any sleep. I had been thinking about the testing and hadn't thought about the "cure" and now I am just praying that she doesn't need anything. I don't want to have a nightly battle about a mask or anything like that. That was my fun filled sleep test.

I made up Justin's mind today!

I have been trying to potty train Justin for awhile now. He is great if he is nude. He will run right to the potty if he needs to go. But the undies thing is a bit of a challenge. He has accidents and I have been procrastinating. Waiting for him to tell me some how that he is ready to say "bye bye to diapers".
Well, I have finally come to the conclusion today that if I waited for him then he would still be in diapers the day he gets married. Lol.
So I have decided that from tomorrow on anytime he is home he will be in his undies. Unless we go out or if he is in bed.
I do think he will be able to master this pretty quickly.
I want him to go to preschool in September and he has to be potty trained. This puts a lot of pressure and stress on me!
He is a very smart boy and I do think he will get this down pat. I, as his Mommy just need to stick to my guns and do this too!
Stay tuned for updates on our progress! :)

Nurturing Your Soul

I remember a time when life in it's entire existence, was all about ME. It was my single days, my pre-motherhood days. My biggest worries were what could I do next that I would enjoy, that would be good for me! I didn't hesitate to spend money on myself or spend my time doing something that I wanted to do.

But when I said the words "I do" and VERY shortly thereafter discovered the + on that pee-stick, I lost myself. Everything became about what was important for my child and my husband. I have put my sons needs first and I have tried very hard to put my husband's needs second after that. I don't ask for time for myself to leave the house and go do something I enjoy. I leave the house alone to go to medical appts; that's about it.

Well recently I started to feel the weight of this selflessness pressing down on me. I spent more days sad than happy; I cried all the time, I couldn't see the point to getting out of bed or off the couch; I snapped at my son and husband all the time and I counted the minutes til he went to bed each night to just enjoy the silence. I was turning into a bad mother and a bad wife.

I had to take a step back and realize that to be the best mother I could be for my child and the best loving and thoughtful wife for my husband, I had to nurture myself. I had been going along thinking that it was selfish to take time for myself when I am home all day with my son when my husband has to drag himself out of bed early, fight rush hour traffic, and sit at a boring desk all day; how could I then abandon him with a tantrum throwing toddler and rush out the door to do something fun. Well I have to, on occasion, or the banshee he comes home to is probably scarier than the few hours alone with his sometimes difficult toddler.

I have to find something that has nothing to do with being a wife or mother; it's just about me and my interests. Something fun that nurtures my soul so I can return home with a smile and take better care of my family.

Today I DID IT!!! I enrolled in 2 photography classes at a local college that start in May. I have always wanted to learn more about photography and take some cool scenery/wildlife shots as well as capture my family moments clearer/more creatively. Now I am going to do it! I am so excited and I hope this recharges my batteries and gives me a sense of happiness again to drown out the hopelessness!

Long weekend is right!!

Wow I can not wait for school to be back in tomorrow!! What a long 4 days off it has been!
It started Thursday after school I had 2 extra boys, one I had all week while his parents were on vacation, then another while his mom was at an appt. No biggie, but throw my dad in the picture who stopped in on his way through the area (long haul truck driver) and a brand new puppy we got in the afternoon!! WOW talk about busy household! So I am trying to control 3 6yr olds and a 3 yr old from picking up and man handling the new puppy, make a good decent dinner for my dad, and try not to walk into all the presents our new family member is leaving for me!!
On top of all this I was battling a upset tummy, and a sinus infection. Oh well got through the night with no melt downs (me or the kids!), I was impressed.
Friday was good spent a lot of time outside and got all the stuff out of the garage. Chad played bike mechanic while he got everything set for the kids this year. All in all a good day. Saturday was good as well, Chad went target shooting at a friends family farm, and then the melt downs started at bed time. It was not a good night. Add whinny puppy who for some reason will not leave me alone!!
Sunday was uneventful and I wish today was but there was fighting with the kids, which resulted in a dent in my 6yr olds drywall... from my 3yr olds head (they were jumping around and Logan fell or so they said!) He was alright not even real tears, then a few hours later Ethan is screaming he fell off his bike and has a black eye......man, can this weekend just end so we can start a new week, hopefully less eventful!!

Weightloss and Reality.

So, after several weeks of doing great, I ended up in N. Ireland with great cooks, and many opportunities to dine out and hang with family. While didn't pig out, I decided to just "go with the flow", enjoy the food set before me, and focus more on conversation than calories.

I've therefore, come back from Ireland having re-discovered some of the pounds I'd lost. I feel OK about that. I don't want my diet to dictate my life.

Once back in Canada I began immediately to watch what I'm eating,

Read more here: www.PraiseWalker.com

Well things still aren't smooth.

Wow we are coming up on 1 month since dd decided she was a big girl and could sleep on her own. She is doing great for the most part.

However she wakes in the night needing some hugs and cuddles from mom. At first we did soothing music (dolphin songs) and that helped her go back to sleep. Then she decide to watch shows and moves we had on the iPod and was awake for sometime in the night and then a bear in the morning. So now she has nothing in the night and it is harder. She is waking usually at least 2 times in the night is taking it's toll on me and my energy and I need to figure this out. I mentioned to dd's behavioural coach the issues and she has suggested I give dd melatonin before sleep to help her break the habit of waking. This sounds great but after 4 nights it hasn't helped much. On the positive side she is not asking me to sleep with her and even though she is waking she is calm and just stumbles in for hugs but often wants me to go into her room and hug her before she can get back to sleep. She is very pleased with her self that she is a big girl so all in all we are doing pretty good I just need to get this waking thing under control.

Counting

I posted a longer, slightly altered version of this on my personal blog but I thought I would also share it here in honor of Easter and being grateful for all of our blessings:

Lately my husband and I have been thinking about how grateful we are for everything that we have been blessed with in our lives. While it is easy to get caught up in the cycle of wanting more, thinking we need more and wishing certain aspects of our lives were different, we are making a conscious effort to focus on what we DO have and to surround ourselves with positive thoughts, emotions and other like-minded people who do the same. We have found that a day spent wishing, wanting, complaining, grumbling or being negative is a day wasted from enjoying the bounty that already sits here in front of us.
I was once told by a very wise person that you cannot accept or make room for anything new in your life until you fully appreciate and are at peace with what you already have and the life that you already live. This has proven to be very true indeed.

Before I met my husband, I was content with every aspect of my life. Yes, I knew that someday I might want to get married and have children but I loved my job, I was proud of my house, I already had a great, supportive, close-knit family and I was content with my singleness. Then, my future husband came into my life and I was able to fully accept and welcome the changes that came along with finding the love of my life because I was so content with the life that I already had. Now, four years later, it still amazes me that I have found my best friend and the man who I will spend the rest of my life with and I stand in awe of him every day.

When we were trying to get pregnant with our first child, we knew full well that not everyone who wants a baby is blessed with a pregnancy. Though we were definitely ready for a baby and while we both dreamed of being parents, we were also very content with the life that we had already built as a couple. We had been married for a year and we were able to travel together, go out on the town, spend time with our other couple friends and we enjoyed our single, childless lifestyle. Since we fully accepted and appreciated the life we were already living, there was no room for anything but complete and utter amazement and joy when we found out that a baby would soon be joining us.

Similarly, before this new baby, we were already content with our wonderful family of three. Though we both pictured ourselves having a large family, we never felt it was our "right" to have more children and we didn't feel discontent with the family that we already had. When we found out that baby #2 was on the way, we were once again taken aback by how richly our family has been blessed and how we have been given so much more than we ever expected.
As I sit here and think of everything that I am fortunate for in my life, it suddenly puts everything else into perspective. No longer do I think about moving to a larger home, buying more clothes, going on a nice vacation or other small, petty details. I look at my husband- my best friend, the most amazing husband and father a woman could ever hope for. I watch my sweet, smart, precious daughter and I look around at our warm, inviting home. I feel Little Boy Blue kick playfully inside of me. I share a great chat with my mom and dad, two of the most genuine, supportive and loving people in the world, two of my best friends and two of the biggest fans of my husband, daughter, unborn baby and me. I spend an afternoon catching up with old girlfriends or I spend a few hours laughing with newer girlfriends who have become my support and lifeline since moving to Calgary. I chat with our neighbors and watch their children play, these sweet, fun children who will someday be playmates and classmates with our children. We stop by my husband's office for a chat with his coworkers who will undoubtedly provide us with a good laugh, hugs for our daughter and who love our family like we are part of their own. I kiss our loving, silly Golden Retriever, the puppy who was not supposed to live to adulthood and who will turn five years old this summer. I laugh at our crazy and peppy Pomeranian, the puppy who was brought to me limp and lifeless and who hasn't slowed down or skipped a beat since. I chuckle as I look at my daughter using our cat as a pillow. I realize that I am living the dream. No, it might not be everyone's dream and certainly we face struggles and bumps in the road just like everyone else. However, it is my dream and it is wonderful. Please excuse me if I have seemed a bit distracted lately- I've been too busy counting. Counting my blessings.

Walking in Northern Ireland

Well, I'm back after a 10 day visit to Ireland to see my husband's family. My mother-in-law recently broke her hip, and we wanted to check in and see how she's doing.

Visiting family in Northern Ireland is not the best way to keep up with weight loss plans! We stayed with my husband's sister who's a fabulous cook. Thankfully, she's also a healthy cook - lots of greens, farm-fresh food, and a good variety. We also ended up eating out a lot with various combinations of family members, and were not always so lucky with the food selections (though all were delicious!). We both came back with a couple of extra pounds, but we chose to enjoy our time with the family, and put that ahead of keeping trim.

We did, however, keep up with walking. Ireland is a beautiful place to walk! Rolling green hills, lots of birds, fresh, moist air (compared to the near-desert air of Calgary) and restful scenes. I loved walking there!

I posted my walks on Facebook, and I'm putting the links here in case you want to check them out. Some great pictures there!

Check out the pics here: www.PraiseWalker.com

Easter Plans????

So what does everyone have planned for the Easter holidays?

We are heading down to Banff tomorrow, to join my FIL , who arrived there from England yesterday for a ski vacation. We will be away for 2 nights (3 days), me, hubby, Rhiannon (3) & Ethan (16 months)....we've never been away to a hotel with the kids before & I am going crazy trying to think of every thing we may need to keep everyone happy & entertained!! It's gonna be special though...Grandpa Mike has never met Ethan, & last saw Rhiannon when she was 10 months old - good times!!!!

Happy Easter everyone!!

Working Mom vs Stay At Home Dad

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one out there that is living the reverse situation.

We made a difficult decision when we had John, in that I would be the one to return to work and my husband, Steven, would be the one to stay home and be a stay at home dad. There were many factors involved in this decision; it started with the decision that we didn't want to put John in daycare and then we discovered that even if we wanted daycare that it was quite difficult to find a quality home. So finally we sat down and did the math, we realized that while my salary is less than my husband's, I had the potential to make more money with the profit share structure at my job.

I was off on mat leave for 9 months and then my husband took the remainder. It's hard not to feel like I'm missing so many important (and not so important) things throughout the day. I miss going to playdates. I miss waking up and be able to hear John laughing to himself in his crib. I miss going for a morning walk with John. I miss so many things.

It's hard to still be doing the bulk of the household work, working full-time outside the home, and becoming the main caregiver the minute I walk through the door. It's hard knowing that the financial burden rests on my shoulders.

On the flip side, every time I see Steven with John my heart melts a little bit. I also know that he's got a much more laid back parenting style and John benefits from both. I also know that we are fortunate to be able to have one parent stay at home regardless which parent that is. And I know it makes me much more appreciative of my time with John, after work, on weekends or the days I take off to go to storytime.

But you know what burns my ass every single time? When someone comments on how great it is that Steven stays home. Like having a father stay at home is so much more incredible than having a mother. No-one ever congratulated me when I was at home. Why is that?

Spirit of Poverty - Final Lesson!

Well, here we are at the final lesson on the Spirit of Poverty. I hope you've been able to keep up, and that this has changed the way you view your life, and your current circumstances!

Today we're going to look at how to get out of the bondage of this spirit. Here are Bill's words:

How to Overcome the SPIRIT of POVERTY

The Bible teaches about poverty and its effects on people. To write or speak about a spirit of poverty does not fall into the arena of prosperity teaching. A spirit of poverty has nothing to do with how much anyone owns what they eat or wear. A spirit of poverty can oppress, and not infrequently does, wealthy people. Many people below the "poverty level" are not oppressed by this spirit. It has nothing to do with wealth or lack of it. It is related to greed and fear of loss.

A spirit of poverty can be defined as a demonic spirit empowered by iniquity and sin in the areas of giving and receiving. It operates generationally through iniquity; therefore it is a familiar (or family-line) spirit. This spirit is related to Belial, the destroyer, described in Psalm 18:4 and 2 Corinthians 6:15. A spirit of poverty is a condition in a person, a people, and / or a land.

WHAT EMPOWERS A SPIRIT OF POVERTY:

Read more here: www.PraiseWalker.com

The Amber Alert in Sherwood Park

I was driving home at around 4:30 today from going on a trip to the fabric store to get some Hawaiian type fabric for a baby shoes order i had when all the radio stations went blank because of an Amber Alert. A baby boy who was only 5 1/2 months old had been taken near Edmonton! I broke down, and started cyring (crying while driving is never good, but i think i'm a pro now...too many sad songs while pregnant) I could not imagine why someone would want to take someone's baby??? And all i was thinking was what would i do if my son was taken from me? I would do anything i could to get him back! I had such a strong feeling to get back home to see my son, who was sleeping when i left and my husband was watching TV that even though it would only be 5 minutes till i go to our house i just couldn't take it, i had to hold my son, and i had to calm myself down to be able to drive, so i prayed for the little boy and his family! When i got home i gave my son, Logan a huge hug, and prayed for the little boy who was taken again! I am so thankful he is safe now!

Cake Balls!

I recently tried a new recipe for cake balls. While they sound like something R-rated that you might find on South Park, they are actually quite G-rated but sinfully delicious. They are bits of cake mixed with frosting and dipped in chocolate. This time I used a spice cake mixed with cream cheese frosting and dipped in white chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon but you can use any combo of cake flavor, frosting flavor and type of outer chocolate coating.

Here is a photo of the finished product:


And here they are on the inside. Yes, that is a bite out of it, taken by yours truly!

These are great for packing in lunches (although admittedly not the most healthy dessert!), taking to play group or sharing at a luncheon or dinner party. I love to bake and am considering starting a baking blog of my favorite recipes. In the meantime, if anyone would like this recipe, just let me know and I'd be happy to share!

Timing is everything

From September I am going to have tricky school year. I will have a 5 year old in Kindergarten, a 3.5 year old in pre-school somewhere else and a 2 year old who is dragged along whereever we go.
I know that I am not alone in this and most parents will have at least a year of this sort of to-ing and fro-ing but I am surprised that the school system hasn’t been changed to make things easier for parents.
I have just about recovered from the shock that my daughter will be 6.5 years before she has any full time education in Calgary. In the the UK you start school full-time in the school year that you are 5. This means some children are as young as 4 years old if they have summer birthdays. In China your child can start school full time at 2 years old.
I know some people think 3 and 4 is too young to start school but surely the earlier they start learning the alphabet and numbers, listening to instructions from some-one other than a parent and interacting with other children is actually a good thing.
I hate to say that next to Europeans, Canadians don’t rate that highly in the education stakes.

Newsworthy

A friend forwarded me this peice of news today and asked if I agreed with it.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2009/04/03/cgy-pools-breastfeeding-calgary.html

It's about some women who are protesting because they were told not to breastfeed their children while in the pool. Because mothers should be able to breastfeed anywhere, right? Yes...but...

Now, I am all for breastfeeding. I still nurse my 18 month old toddler and hope to nurse him till he is at least two or maybe more. It's a very nice experience and there are several benefits..yada yada yada. We all know.

And so something like this should be good right? Maybe, but in a pool? Is it really that necessary to nurse the kid while being inside the pool? And if they were fighting for the rights of an infant, it would make more sense. I suppose in the bigger picture they are, but the immediate struggles refer to a 2 year old and a 3 year old. Surely you didn't really need to nurse a 2 or 3 year old on demand!

And of course the commentors are having a gala! They are spewing venom against breastfeeding, against women who breastfeed beyond a year, against anything and everything. And why wouldn't they? They just got more ammo!

There have been struggles such as being able to breastfeed on a plane, or in other public places that may be awkward but necessary. And there are struggles like these. Maybe this is just as legit as the others but I am not so sure of that. Must we really fight each and every battle? If we pick some and let some go, don't we have a better chance at winning?

Will things ever mellow?

Sorry I have not been around. Things around here have been nuts to say the least. I don't deal well with getting up early in the mornings and this whole week I have had to get up at 5. So because of it I have been in bed by 8. I hope to catch everyone up on my nuts o life soon.

Fit For Faith

Last week I told you about Praise Moves - a great Christian Alternative to Yoga.

Today I want to tell you about another great fitness program that also incorporates faith (isn't it wonderful how many people have figured out how to work faith into fitness? Very cool!)

This program is called "Fit for Faith" by Kimberley J. Payne. I've had the pleasure of a couple of conversations with Kimberley, and I really like her humble, down to earth style. Great lady.


Read more here: www.PraiseWalker.com

I am back

Phew! What a whirl wind the last few weeks have been. The baby finally made its appearance
on March 24th and life has been a blur since. I am totally exhausted! It has taken my toddler (18 months) a bit to adjust to his whole world being toppled on its head. No longer is mommy at his full distosal 24/7. I find the hardest time when I sit down to nurse the baby. The toddler generally chooses this time to climb the entertainment centre or to try and tip over the tv. We have had a few rough days trying to figure out how to keep the baby safe in the presence of the toddler. We thought a playpen would be a good bet but it has been a challenge to keep the toddler from trying to crawl in it and from shaking it while the baby is inside. I will admit the first few days were very nightmareish. I wondered if I would ever have any peace or if I would forever be removing my toddler from various dangerous situations. In just a short time my toddler has learned to say "no no no". I have been home from the hospital now for a week and I think today is the first real good day we've had. We've had good mornings or good afternoons but today was a full good day (if we can just get through bath and bedtime).

I am noticing many many differences between bringing home the toddler when he was a baby and bringing home this baby. When I brought my first son home I had all the time in the world to snuggle and nurse and enjoy his sweet babyness. I napped when he napped and the nights were not as long because I was able to get a few hours of shut eye in the day. This time I am lucky if this little one gets fed between all the chaos that the toddler creates. Don't worry I am actually taking the time to feed the baby but it is far from the relaxing times I spent sitting in the rocking chair with my feet up staring into my first son's eyes wondering who he would become dreaming of his future and reflecting on life. Now the nursing sessions consist of me sitting down in whatever room the toddler happens to be in and nursing while constantly barking out "no," "danger," "get off the coffee table", sigh. But even with all this I couldn't be happier. (Perhaps I am just delierious from lack of sleep). The toddler is starting to get it. He is listening a little bit more each day. It is interesting to watch his little personality come out even more in response to this new addition to our family. Hopefully we have more of these good days.

I'm taking the handmade pledge! Logan is 11 months!

I've decided to try and buy handmade whenever i can!

I love etsy.com and love everything on it (my shop is www.littlejumpingbeans.etsy.com) I hope i can keep the promise to myself as much as possible, i just purchased some ground lye soap, to make my own laundry soap and dishwasher soap, and i can not wait for it to arrive. It feels so good to support other stay at home moms and have amazing unique things. I've bought some amazing 1st birthday cards for my son as well! I love knowing something is coming to me in the mail, each day checking the mailbox is exciting! I encourage everyone to check out etsy and just have a look around! It's really fun. Tons of cool gifts (i already have girls for my siser, and 2 siser-in-laws for this summer!)

Logan is all better form having 5th disease, and is going to be 11 months next week! He is sooo close to walking, he walks always everywhere, but sometimes he still crawls, i think he hasn't realized walking is faser!

Jaimie

Spirit of Poverty - Part 7

Happy April Fool's Day!

As you read this, I am in Northern Ireland visiting family. So much easier to do my walking here! No snow!

We have the second to last installment of the "Spirit of Poverty" series by Bill Axtell today. Basically it's a continuation of last week's post on the Words of our Mouths. Great stuff to remind ourselves about!

Faith is not a feeling. Feelings are a result of what happens to us, whereas faith is a matter of our will! We need to speak or confess that which we believe.

Also notice, in Matthew 12, that Jesus said, "Therefore I say"
Jesus spoke and lived faith! He taught what words meant and cost us. We are either justified or condemned by our words.

Matthew 15:11, 18-- "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.'' But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man."

Read more here: www.PraiseWalker.com