point form catch up thoughts

It's been a long week.
Like one long, spinning, whirl wind.

Girls were at Gramma and Grampa's last week.
Switched the girls' rooms.
No nurse on Tuesday night.
Finish painting Ry's room.
Change the floors in Ry's room.
Move in new furniture and set up Ry's room.
Pre-assessement with anaesthesiology for Caelan's bronch.
Nerves are set in motion.
Breakfast at Broadway with Girls, Gramma and Grampa.
Re-organize Darcy's room.
Flabbergasted over school supply lists.
Pig roast on Saturday night.
No nurse on Saturday night.
Wasted respite on Sunday afternoon.
Double sleepovers on Sunday night.
Mistake.
Girls gone wild.
Girls giggling long into the night morning.
Monday work: training is done!
Sigh of relief.
Exhausted.
Anxious for bronchoscopy.
Tummy is a mess.
This is fake surgery - no incisions.
Relax.
Still freaking over school supply lists.
Caelan fasting from midnight on.
Help make dill pickles.
Arrive for day surgery at 12:20.
Bronch scheduled for 2:30pm.
Everything is set for surgery next Thursday.
5 hour surgery
Plan for one week sedated + two weeks withdrawal
in hospital.
ugh.

That's the moment when I feel my brain officially turned to mush.
This is really happening.
One month from now all should be FABULOUS!!
Between now and then however, is going to be a lot like hell.

September Supplies

Isn't this a bit absurd?? 

Ry's Grade Five Supply List:

18 Duo tangs - 4 blue, 4 green, 2 yellow, 2 white, 2 red, 2 orange, 2 any colour
4 pocket folders/portfolios (like duotangs only with pockets)
1 pkg of plain white paper (not lined)
24 pencils (sharpened please)
1 pencil sharpener with container
2 blue pens
2 red pens
6 white erasers
1 set of 24 pre sharpened pencil crayons
1 set of markers
3 highlighters
2 protractors (1 for home, 1 for school)
1 calculator
1 30cm clear coloured rigid ruler
1 pair of metal blade scissors
4 large glue sticks
1 large ziploc type bag (to store school supplies at school)
1 pkg of pre cut tennis balls (for chair legs)
2 boxes facial tissues
1 set of headphones for the computer

Students are also engouraged to have
Pencil case
Indoor running shoes
French\English Dictionary
Bescherelle (original green French verb-only is best: Le nouveau Bescherelle 1. L'art de conjuguer dictionnaire de 12 000 verbes)

Darcy's Grade Three Supply List:

16 duotangs – 4 red, 4 blue, 4 green, 4 yellow
2 twin pocket folders (different colours)
24 HB good quality pencils pre-sharpened
2 red pens, 2 blue pens
1 set of pencil crayons pre-sharpened
1 set of 24 washable markers
3 highlighters
6 erasers – white, good quality
1 pencil sharpener with lid
2 plastic pencil case boxes
6 large white glue sticks (40 gm)
1 pair metal blade scissors
3 large Ziploc bags
2 boxes of Kleenex
1 30cm ruler
1 pair of gym / indoor shoes (no black sole)
4 tennis balls (pre-cut)
French/English dictionary (a very good one is Larousse Dictionnaire school Francais/Anglais Simple et Facile)


I think so...

There are some things that we have from last year and a few things I've picked up already but the majority of these lists will have to be purchased this week.  We've picked up new school bags and lunch bags because they certainly don't last more than a year - IF they make it through the year!  Oh, and back to school hair cuts will be needed too!  Luckily, grandparents took care of the back to school outfits!!  SO THANKFUL!

What do you think? 

I'm curious to know how this list compares to your child's.  So leave a comment and let me know!

Photo Challenge Friday (4)

Flower.

Pretty slim pickings for flowers around here.

Just me home this week...

Girls have been galavanting with Gramma and Grampa. 

Looking forward to seeing them tomorrow!



Dates clarified

Last week I rambled on in a post about finally having a surgery date.  I thought perhaps I should expand on it a little.

The surgery I'm referring to is the one that was first mentioned as a real possibility back in February 2011 in this post.  We're talking about having Caelan's vocal cords pinned open and his tracheostomy removed.  It's a pretty big surgery that will require him to be intubated and heavily sedated for one week after surgery.  Then we'll have to survive the drug withdrawals the following week.  I'm really hoping that Caelan has outgrown his love for drugs and has no problem kicking the habit this time around.  We can only keep our fingers crossed though.

First things first though, tomorrow Caelan has his pre-op assessement with anesthesiology.  That will be step one.  The appointment is made with the intention of reviewing his chart with us parents before surgery.  However because Caelan's chart is so big they often just ask us a few questions about his past surgery experiences.  They'll take his vitals and make sure he's good and healthy for undergoing surgery.

Second step is that Caelan will have day surgery on August 30th.  It's not really surgery but unfortunately that's the only way Caelan will tolerate a bronchoscopy.  Whenever ENT attempts a scope to look at Caelan's vocal cords it never goes well.  It usually involves me holding him in a bear hug, him holding his breath, him tunring blue, him having a mad poop and him passing out.  (Thought I should clarify those were all HIM!)  Hence, the day surgery.  Another day under anesthetic.  Well worth the peace of mind to confirm that those vocal cords are most definitely not working before we permanently pin them open.

Then it's the big one on September 8th.  The surgery that will change our lives.

We really are trying not to get to excited about it, but it's so hard not too!! 

Who am I kidding??  We are over the moon!!!

At least we now have a date, the worst that can happen is having that date be postponed and rescheduled.  And as brutal as that is, I'm not sure it's much worse than not having a date at all and having the possibility of a surgery looming over you with only a very vague timeline to work with.  You can check back with me on that in a couple weeks and I'm pretty sure that if we've been postponed I'll tell you that it's much, much worse... but the past 6 months of waiting for this much anticipated surgery haven't been a breeze either. 

Ah, thus is life, when you have such an intimate relationship with the halls of CHEO.

Good thing we like rollercoasters!

Nursing Number Crunching

Just to put it in perspective...

Caelan will be attending preschool for 8 hours a day.

These numbers don't cover the actual cost of preschool. 

Just the nursing.

While he has his tracheostomy he will require constant supervision by a nurse the entire time he's there.

Scenario One: 
A nurse through the Agency costs about $42/hour.
8 hours/day
5 days/week
$1680/week total
Based on 4 weeks that's $6720/month.

Scenario Two: 
If we hire a nurse privately, without going through an Agency, it costs about $25/hour.
8 hours/day
5 days/week
$1000/week total
Based on 4 weeks that's $4000/month.

Scenario Three: 
If we're able to get financial assistance to cover the cost of an Aid so that we only have to pay the difference in cost for a nurse, it works out to about $10/hour.
8 hours/day
5 days/week
$400/week total
Based on 4 weeks that's $1600/month.

These numbers help remind me to be thankful for the nursing coverage that we're provided with for 8 hours/night, every night so that we can sleep.  They also make me appreciate every cent of funding we receive.

It also makes me grateful for the wonderful team at CHEO who are planning on performing a miracle and removing our boy's trach so that we don't have to worry about these numbers anymore.

Top Ten Tuesday - busted summer

We knew that there would be no grand summer vacation of 2011 for us Piché's.  What with me having just returned to work and saving all my days for a surgery we weren't sure would ever come.  I tried to think of some fun things we could do on the weekends... but I don't know where our weekends went??  Where has the summer gone?  In the past couple weeks I've already noticed some trees changing colours!  That's almost depressing...

Here is my Top Ten list of things I had hoped to do with the family this summer to make it awesome.  Unfortunately we didn't do any of them... dare I say it? YET.

1.  go on a picnic, so many beautiful parks around
2.  Calypso or Mont Cascades water park
3.  Upper Canada Village
4.  Montreal Biodome
5.  Busker Festival
6.  Any fair - no expectations were set as to which one...
7.  Puppet shows in Almonte
8.  Saunders Farm
9.  strawberry picking
10. Sound and light show at Parliament


I'm hoping that next summer will be a little more exciting for all of us. 

The possibilities are endless. 

Maybe I should start my list now??

Mickey

Caelan is not one for stuffed animals.

Nothing like his big sister, Darcy, who loves them all. 

He tolerates them at the foot of his crib, most nights.  Although sometimes even that's too close and they get pitched out.  Other nights they each get a quick kiss before being booted to their place at the bottom of the crib.  He never played with them and never had any interest in any of his stuffies or his sister's most beloved possession (her stuffies).

Well, that was before he fell in love with Mickey.

It's funny because when we were in Florida and he met the Mouse, he was terrified and couldn't get away fast enough.  Now it's like he can't get enough of him.  He loves watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on television.  He even covers his trach to sing along at the beginning of every episode - Miska, Mouska, Mickey Mouse! You have to know what you're listening for though because it comes out more like ee-ha, ou-ha, ih-hee, ouh... Try pronouncing it without any consonants and obviously it would help if you knew the tune too!

Anyway, we're all about Mickey.  Not only do they go to bed together and wake up together, he asks for the Mouse regularly throughout the day and drags him about all the time.  He makes Mickey dance and he makes him sign.  They give each other High Fives and they watch cartoons.  Mickey goes for rides on Caelan's ice cream truck and gets crayons for colouring.  Mickey goes on errands and always has to wear a seatbelt when travelling in the car.  You've seen Mickey being fed and being read stories. 

Dancing "hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog!"

This was very hard for Darcy, because Mickey belongs to her and she loves him.  She wasn't sure she really wanted Caelan to love him that much.  She was willing to share on a short term basis but it wasn't long before this clearly was turning into a 'long term-24 hour a day-all day-everyday' kind of sharing and she wasn't too thrilled about that.  Now granted Darcy has tons, and I mean TONS of stuffed animals, surely she could let her brother have one, right?  But this particular one had been getting major playtime and beditme snuggle time on her part too... It was a tough situation.  It was difficult for her to relinquish Mickey to Caelan with no strings other than he had to play Mickey Mouse with her and the rest of her Mouse family every now and then.  I am very proud of her. 

I hear she's been putting the word out to Grandparents and anyone who'll listen that Caelan would like his own Mickey Mouse for his birthday.

rainy sunday

makes for a perfect day to curl up with a good book

Photo Challenge Friday (3)

Week three of our photo challenge Friday, inspired by debiehive.

3.  your breakfast

Really?  huh... not too exciting, but here they are...




Ry's Toast with butter and honey



Darcy's cheerios with honey

My toasted tomato sandwich

Damian wanted to join our Photo Challenge Fridays, but when he went to get the camera Caelan fed his breakfast to Mickey!!

we have a date

We have a surgery date...

September 8, 2011

I can't believe it.

I'm in shock.

I'm unbelievably emotional about this.

Not sure what to think.

I'm excited.

Trying not to be excited, knowing things happen.

I've cried.

Because those "what ifs" surface

Imagine the possibilities...

This will change everything

and that's scary but good.

Shaking

Smiling

Breathe

Just breathe

Top Ten Tuesday - movie songs


Ok, along the same lines as my recent Top Ten Tuesday posts about songs from specific scenes and dance scenes in movies... here is my list of ten songs that can't help but make me think of an entire movie, not just one scene they're so interconnected... Heck, some even share a name!  Oh and I should clarify that these are in no particular order - I have a hard enough time coming up with ten, let alone ranking them!!

1. I hear Pretty Woman and I automatically think of the movie with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
2. 9 to 5 I think of the movie staring Dolly Parton... hmm wonder if that's kind of a cheat when you sing the theme song and star in the movie too, because number three is
3. Tina Turner's We don't need another hero from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome starring Mel Gibson, in which Tina co-starred
4. Ghostbusters, obviously makes me think of the same named movie.
5. My heart will go on by Celine Dion makes me think of Titanic with Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio 
6. Everything I do, I do for You by Bryan Adams makes me think of Robin Hood with Kevin Costner
7. Men in Black may be another cheat, gosh I didn't realize there were so many until I started writing them out.  hmmm.. Will Smith sang and starred in this one.
8. Day-oh makes me think of Beetlejuice starring Michael Keaton
9. Wind Beneath my Wings by Bette Midler, from the movie that she starred in with Barbara Hershey, Beaches.  This movie probably wins the award for making me cry the most too!
10. Eye of the Tiger makes me think of Sylvester Stallone in Rocky.

Wow, I just realized that four out of my ten songs are songs where the artist starred in the movie... Which made me try and think of others and all I could think of was that awful song from The Bodyguard.  The movie that starred Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston and she sang I will always love you.  I do not like that song.  I think it was really overplayed.  Then I remember some country artist also sang it and I still didn't like it.  So, maybe it's just the song.
However, I digress.  All I wanted to point out was that in all likelihood if you're a singer and you sign on to act in a movie they're probably going to ask you to sing a song for it too!

Anyone able to add to my list??

Oh and I'm also curious to know if one of these songs in fact, don't make you think of this movie!?!

ok - I'm feeling guilty because of the "maybe cheats" so I'm adding a couple more...

Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio makes me think of the movie Dangerous Minds with Michelle Pfeiffer

Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi makes me think of the movie Young Guns with all those guys in it... Emilio Esteves, Charlie Sheen, Lou Diamond Phillips and Keifer Sutherland. 

Grass

What is it with kids and grass?



When the grass is green and healthy I love to walk around outside in my barefeet.  However when it's dry and brittle like ours is in the back yard I kind of have the same reaction as Caelan...





Crunchy grass is no fun! 

For Caelan it doesn't much matter, either way it's a definite 'no go'!  Up, up, up he signs frantically after just signing down, down, down before his feet touched the grass.  The big bottom lip comes out and the tears aren't far behind.

Actually, none of our kids enjoyed the pleasure of walking in grass at a young age.  Now's another story of course, you can barely get shoes on the girls in the summer!

I guess it would make sense that children's feet are more sensitive, and Caelan's maybe even more so...  He certainly hasn't hardened the skin on the bottom of his feet.  There are no calluses caused by constant friction or pressure.  They just haven't toughened up.  They're still young and tender, soft and new.

So with that in mind, maybe the grass is really picky for his little feet.  Maybe they do call them blades of grass for a reason??

THE ZUCCHINI ZONG

by Dan Crow

Chrous:
We have a garden
I beg your pardon
We have a garden and we grow our own food
We have a garden
I beg your pardon
I didn't mean to shout and be so rude

We have some carrots and zucchini
Some lettuce and zucchini
Tomatoes and zucchini and some peas
We have some cabbage and zucchini
Some onions and zucchini
Some pepper and zucchini and some beans
We have some parsley and zucchini
Some broccoli zucchini and some greens
Alfalfa and zucchini
Cauliflower and zucchini
Celery and zucchini and some beans

Chorus

We have some berries and zucchini
Melon and zucchini
Pumpkin and zucchini and some bugs
Spiders and zucchini
Snails and zucchini
Beetles and zucchini and some slugs
Popcorn and zucchini
Ice cream and zucchini
Pizza and zucchini and some kelp
Candy and zucchini
Chocolate and zucchini
Zucchini chini chini chini HELP!

Chorus

no nurse night

Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds. 
~JoJo Jensen, Dirt Farmer Wisdom, 2002
 Great--Two year olds looking after a two year old, eight year old and a ten year old!!  Actually, the girls probably didn't get enough sleep either, being that it's summer, so make that three two-year olds!!!

For those of you who aren't familiar with typical two year old behaviour, this is borrowed from the Planning Queen over at Planning with kids.  It seems to be an accurate description of the characteristics of any two and a half year old I know.

• 2 1/2 year olds are rigid and inflexible. They want exactly what they want, when they want it. They cannot adapt, give in, wait a little while. Everything has to be done just so. Everything has to be right in the place they consider proper. For any domestic routine, they set up a rigid sequence of events which must always follow each other always in exactly the same manner.
• They are extremely domineering and demanding. They must give orders. They must make the decisions. If they decide, “mummy do”, daddy cannot be accepted as substitute. If they decide, “Me do it myself”, then no one is allowed to help them, no matter how awkward or incapable they themselves may be.
• 2 1/2 is an age of violent emotions. There is little modulation to the emotional life of children this age.
• It is an age of opposite extremes. With no ability to choose between alternatives (it is almost impossible for 2 1/2′s to make a clear cut choice and stick to it). Children of this age shuttle back and forth endlessly between two extremes, seeming to be trying to include both in their decision. “I will – I won’t”, “I want – I don’t want it”, “Go out – stay in”. If someone doesn’t cut into this back and forth shuttling, it has been known to go on for upwards of an hour or more. The decision of what clothes to wear may ursurp a whole morning for a conflict-ridden 2 1/1 year old.
• Another characteristic of this is age is preservation – that is, the children want to go on and on with whatever they are doing. Not only right at the moment but from day to day. If you read four stories before bedtime yesterday, they want four stories – and the same ones, too – today. It is very difficult with many children this age to introduce new clothes, new pieces of furniture, new things to eat. They want things to go on just the way they have always been or at least hold on to the old as new things are added.

Should make for an interesting day, no?

I guess I should be grateful because it has been a while since we've had a no nurse night.  Actually, I do think that the agency has done better this summer covering vacations and sick days, better than last year anyway.  I'm hopeful that we won't need them next year...

Photo Challenge Friday (2)

So here we are at week two of our Photo Challenge Fridays, inspired by debiehive.

2. Favourite pair of shoes

Me:  Darcy, why are these your favourite shoes?

Darcy: They look cool!

Me:  Anything else?

Darcy:  Nope!

humph.

Does anyone else wish that all of life's decisions were that easy?

For me this was a much harder challenge. 
As my husband points out regularly we girls have 'way too many pairs of shoes'. 
Whatever!
Trying to choose just one fave was a bit tricky since there are so many categories.  There are my favourite heels, my favourite runners, my favourite sandals, my favourite boots, etc... Yet when it comes down to it, comfort goes a long way and in the summer time it's these crocs that I reach for the most often.
Probably just overthinking this like I do every other aspect of life. 


Note: I really thought Ry would be joining us on this challenge, but once again she's not home as we prepare this post on Thursday night.  Ryland, Damian and his parents are at the Capital Hoedown enjoying some Kenny Chesney Live!  So I may be putting in some edits and adding her photos tomorrow night - if we remember!!  Or maybe I think she has more interest in photography than she actually does?!?  Never know...

EDIT:

I could have guessed that Ry would pick her fuzzy lined-no laces-high tops with skulls design on the side -- that was a fabulous $5 on clearance find!!



lots of thinking today

For Logan, Heather and Graham

Remember this post:  NICU buddy Logan

And then this happened:  Logan's surgery

Well today was the day. 

Logan underwent surgery first thing this morning. 

After 7.5 hours in surgery he's now in the PICU already asking to go home.

That makes me smile.

Big hugs and kisses to all three of them.

I don't know how they do it.

Weigh-in Wednesday

Caelan's dietician went on leave months ago.  I wasn't too concerned as we had moved from weekly visits, to bi-weekly, to monthly and had started quarterly visits.  Then Caelan had that slight dip in weight before Christmas and we were back to regular visits again.  We had increased his diet to 5 cans and then that was the last we saw of him.

We did have one very brief visit from an uninterested temporary replacement.  She most obviously hadn't read Caelan's file and had no opinions or real advice.  Honestly I felt it was a waste of time because it was obvious that we were on our own until our usual dietician was back.  Nobody else was going to guide us on this.  So during that visit I decided we would reduce his diet to 4.5 cans because I was concerned that 5 was really too much and I felt that maybe we had acted too quickly about that tiny loss of weight.  She easily agreed and asked when we wanted her to come back.  I said that I didn't think we had any major concerns and that we'd wait for our usual dietician's return.

Well as the months and months passed we grew concerned for our dietician.  We knew he'd been hospitalized and wondered what was going on.  We didn't push the issue as really our initial concern with Caelan was growth and weight gain and it was quite clear to us that he was indeed gaining!

Then we found out that our dietician was no longer employed there.  We were quite surprised that nobody had called us, and then on the other hand we weren't.  All his files were probably split up and dropped on others who already had a full case load.  Who knew where Caelan's file might be?!  So we picked up the phone and called.

We were able to get a new dietician who is based out of OCTC.  She had received Caelan's file and they had their first visit on Monday when Caelan was already there for occupational therapy and speech language.

So how'd he do?

He weighed in around 34lbs. and measured about 84cm tall.

That puts him in the 75 percentlie for weight (sounds good right?) and only the 10th percentile for height (oh, maybe not so much).

Well weight gain is still a concern, but certainly not the lack of... it's that he's become a chunky monkey!! 

He's been reduced to 4 cans.  (We're not calling it a diet.)

Now the boy needs to grow taller!!

Stretch Caelan, STRETCH!!!

Top Ten Tuesday - specific movie scenes

Ok, I wanted to post this last Tuesday but we had computer issues so here it is this week.  Hope it was worth waiting for!!


This post is a follow up to this one from a couple weeks ago,  Movie Dance Scenes, where I talked about the idea that a song in a movie, if done well, should completely change the way you remember that song.  Sound familiar? 


My first list was specific to songs where the actors were in fact dancing.  I didn't feel these could be included in the 'specific scene' list because, well, they were dancing, so of course I was going to remember it!!  I love dance scenes!


For the same reasons Musicals can't be on the list... and I haven't made a decision yet as to where Disney movies fit in.  I may have to work on an animated list!  Oh my gosh, this topic could keep me going for weeks!!  Not that anyone commented on the last one so maybe I'm out on my own on this one.  Oh well.  I still thinks it cool.


Actually off on a total tangent - One of the movies in the list from a couple weeks ago was on this past Saturday morning when I got up.  What are the odds of that?  Of course it had to be the one that I had to search for the title of.  I'll never forget it now!


Ok back to this top ten.  This was the list that started it all.  It was while I was trying to make this list that I realized just how much of an influence music has in film.  At least for me anyway.  And Damian because he got dragged into this conversation on multiple occasions lately.  Doesn't matter where I hear these songs, it can be in a restaurant, a store, at a wedding or on the radio, the song reminds me of a specific scene in a movie.  I'm hoping you can relate... and maybe even share one of your own?

1. I Don't want to miss a thing by Aerosmith in the movie Armageddon.  The scene is with Liv Tyler and Ben Affleck's characters lying in a field at sunset.  (Note: Damian remembers this song for the one that was playing on the radio when I told him we were pregnant for Darcy)
2. Stuck in the middle with you by Stealers Wheel in the movie Reservoir Dogs.  I remember it as the torture scene when they cut off dude's ear.  Damian remembers the guy dancing his groovy little dance before he cut's the ear off.
3. What a wonderful world by Louis Armstrong in the movie Good Morning Vietnam.  Such a beautiful song.  It's unfortunate that now all I see are those bombs exploding and horrible images of war.
4. Don't you (forget about me) by Simple Minds in the movie The Breakfast Club.  It's the final scene as everyone leaves the school after serving their detention.  Apparently after all these years I still haven't forgotten.
5. Under the Boardwalk covered by Bette Midler in the movie Beaches.  It's right near the beginning of the movie; a flashback to when Hilary and CC first meet on the beach.  A young Hilary can't find her hotel and a young CC is hiding (smoking) under the boardwalk.
6. Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers in the movie Ghost.  I don't know how anyone could forget that romantic scene with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze and the pottery wheel...
7. You've lost that lovin' feeling by The Righteous Brothers in Top Gun.  Ok I have to admit that I had a really hard time picking just one song/scene from this film.  I could have easily gone with Take my breath away, Great Balls of Fire or Danger zone, but I went with Damian's pick.  It's in the bar when they first meet Kelly McGillis's character.  Apparently I watched this movie a lot.
8. Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood in the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day.  In this scene Arnold's character is walking out of a bar and gets on his motorcycle after being in a fight.
9. Cowboy by Kid Rock in the movie Shanghai Noon.  What a hiliarious team those two actors make!  Watching Owen Wilson's character teach Jackie Chan's character how to be a cowboy, when he ain't much of one himself is unforgetable.
10. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! in the movie Die Hard.  My husband relates most Christmas carols to various scenes in the Die Hard movies because we all know they're Christmas movies.  What?? You didn't know that??  humph.  The movies take place at Christmas time therefore making them Christmas movies.  They're shown on television every Christmas season, trust me, I know.

Well that's it.  What do you think?


  

good taste

We continue to work on Caelan's oral stimulation.

It can be so frustrating. 

It's all on his terms.

He'll put anything in his mouth. 

If he so chooses.

Anything, except food.

But never anything that you suggest.

However... the other night we had a special treat.  Maybe he knew just how special this was.  Or maybe the girls excitement was contagious.  Regardless, he's always adament that he have a plate and cutlery at the table and it is something that we've encouraged.  He gets a little of everything and can play with it as he chooses.  We're hopeful that something ends up near or in his mouth but we try not to push it.  We've tried encouraging, we've tried ignoring, either way you basically get the same results.

Until this night.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream with hot fudge sauce.

Yep that's right, that's MY boy going back for more!! 

He hasn't done it since though...  but we haven't had mint chocolate chip with hot fudge sauce since then either...

the 48+ hour playdate!

Ryland was off on her camping adventure this past weekend so we invited one of Darcy's BFF's over for a playdate/sleepover that we then extended to a double sleepover!  First one ever!!  The girls were pretty happy about it. 

You may remember this post, from way back when... These girls were fast friends when we first moved out here and they were on the same bus in kindergarten.  Unfortunately, back in Grade 1 their teacher felt it would be better if the girls got some distance so they spent Grade 2 in different classes.  At the same time, we ended up with a different bus route.  The girls were seperated and I wondered if the friendship would survive.  I should have known better since there was still recess after all!

I think this was their first playdate this summer, actually their first in quite a while, but you'd never know it.  It was like no time has passed at all.  They get along so well.  They just played and played and played and then played some more. They went through the Polly Pockets and dress up clothes, the Barbies and Pet Shops, and of course stuffies and swimming!!!

sweating hot

Look at my poor boy!  After being all lotioned up with sunscreen he starts sweating it all off the minute we're outside!! He sure doesn't handle heat very well, although much better than last year.  He's relatively happy to be outside it's just that beads of sweat appear instantly on his little nose and upper lip.  Last year he would begin crying as soon as we stepped outside on a hot sunny day.  This year he's learned to love the pool and is willing to tolerate a bit of heat to enjoy it.

Saturday Seedling Update

Remember these ...  saturday seedlings??

Hard to believe they've gone from that to this...

pumpkin with the lens cap from our camera

roma tomatoes waiting to go red

couple of red cherry tomatoes ready for my tummy!

I'm still looking for zucchini recipes, because they just keep coming and coming...  the problem is that it really is too hot for baking anything!!

Photo Challenge Friday

Darcy and I have decided to participate in a photo challenge that I stumbled across over at debiehive.  It wouldn't surprise me if Ryland joined us but she's left on a camping adventure for the weekend.  This photo challenge wasn't something I thought I was looking for but I will admit that since I've returned to work I haven't enjoyed taking pictures as much as I used to.  I'm hoping this will help me find new reasons to take pictures.  We have decided to alter the challenge slightly.  Instead of making this a daily challenge we've decided to make it a Friday challenge, so for the next 30 Fridays you'll get a photo! 

30 weeks,  30 pictures.

So without further delay... here is our first Photo Challenge picture

1.  Self Portrait

EDIT:



thoughtful thursday

doing it again

I'm obsessing.
Over a book.
Well it is the final one in a series of six.
Still I can't stop thinking about it.
That's how I am.
I enjoy reading that much.
I get completely engrossed and entranced.
Every spare moment is spent with those characters.
Every other moment is spent waiting and anticipating.
I love when a book captures me in this way.
At the same time I think it can't be healthy.
I need to focus, prioritize and be more productive.
But you know what?
There will be time for that when I'm done the book.

Wordless Wednesday - Basketball

Thank you!!

Check this out!!  Who doesn't love getting parcels in the mail?!?
My Dad's cousin... so my second cousin (?), Ursula, sent this for Caelan.  She came across this pattern and thought of Caelan and his love for Thomas the Tank Engine.  How thoughtful is that?!

He loves it!  He was so excited he wouldn't sit still for a picture.  He's "choo, choo"-ing across the floor!

Now I can't wait for some cooler temps so he can wear it!!

Sending huge thank you's across the pond to you! xoxo

hmm... I wonder

When faced with a decision.... Caelan always likes to take some time to consider his options carefully.  He takes his decision making very seriously.  Such a little thinker!

then and now... Sleeping Beauty

Or should I say Cinderella?? (For those of you who aren't up on your princesses, that's a Cinderella dress she's wearing)


Darcy - November 2005


Why did we even bother buying a bed??



Darcy - July 2011

Please note there is a perfectly good bed right beside her!  And no, she didn't fall out of bed.  She chose to sleep there, on the floor, surrounded by her stuffies!!