So I guess Gavin is also a hack

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I don't usually get lucky and catch such cute moments on video.

We are doing fine. I am sick - yuck! Bronwyn had an appointment today with the thrombosis team (blot clots). All is well there. Gavin had Grandma and Pops for a visit while I went to the hospital with the girl.

I have been feeling for the first time in almost a year that life is starting to get more normal and settle into a pattern. Part of me doesn't want to totally relax fearing what might pop up if I do. But the rational side of me is just so grateful to have some normalcy. Really normal is a privilege, a privilege I used to take for granted.

Grandma is the boss

Apparently Mommy is not quite the top boss. I discovered this the other day when having a "discussion" (argument) with my son. We had been outside and he came in reluctantly and started to make demands once indoors. Here is how it went.

me - Do you want water?

Gavin - I want izecream.

me - no.

Gavin - izecream.

me - no not now, maybe later when Dad gets home. You can have frozen yogurt now.

Gavin - (by now eating his frozen yogurt) izecream too.

me - not now.

Gavin - go freezer izecream.

me - no (still remarkable calm - as you can imagine)

Gavin - izecream NOW!

me - no. And you do not talk to your mom like that.

Gavin - Lemme talk to Gamma!

What are you going to do!

A big cheer for moms

The other day I received a complement from a friend who reads my blog. I don't want to embarrass her so I wont tell you that it was Shannon Lappin - oops! Shannon (well the cats out of the bag anyhow), said that reading my blog makes her feel normal. I understood that she meant that my life sounded like hers, not that her life sounded normal in comparison to mine.

I found this truly flattering. I guess this was so meaningful to me for two reasons. Number one - Shannon is one of the mom's I admire most and because I have a secret agenda in life (not just the blog). I think as mothers we spend to much time trying to live up to standards that are unachievable and unrealistic. I feel like we are fine until we have kids and then we expect ourselves to be perfect all the time.

Now I do understand that when it comes to raising children the stakes are high and that our children deserve the best parents possible. But do we really achieve this by being hard on ourselves or expecting perfection!

We all struggle with something. Some of us have children who always seem to be two steps ahead of us. (That is likely, as my mother likes to point out, because her grandchildren are much smarter than her kids were). Some of us gained huge amounts of weight after we had our babies. Some of us had a two year old who still had a bottle. Some of us have kids who watch way to much TV. Some mom's have a really hard time nursing their babies. Some of our kids are small or even worse talk late. All of these issues are things that can make us feel inadequate.

When you think of it though, most of these problems do not become serious issues. I don't think my parents were perfect and yet I seemed to turn out OK (alright enough of the backtalk). I think we need to all give ourselves a collective break. The important thing is that our kids learn values and that they learn to be people that give more to the world than they take.

If this blog has given me the chance to share my life with others and share my imperfections and struggles, and this is helpful to others, well - that is a good thing in my books.

So Hurray for Mom's everywhere - perfect or not!

Mozart was a hack...

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compared to my little musician. Ha just kidding. I'm not that delusional.

We are doing well - still working at getting the girl to sleep in her crib. Gavin and I took a break on the toilet training thing. Anyone who is willing to toilet train while a kid is on antibiotics is way braver than me.

I do wish it would stop snowing!

Something hit me

I was watching TV and saw yearbook photos of the students that were killed in Virginia. I then thought about the pictures I just posted. The families of the victims likely have albums full of the kind of pictures I just posted. What a tragedy!

I guess it shows us we need to love our children and our families while we can.

Some time outside

I am sooooo happy it is spring. I know we are getting bad weather tomorrow but it won't last! It is just so great to take the kids out and not have to bundle them so they can't move!

Don't you just start to have more energy and feel better when it is spring?

Just a quick note

I wanted to let everyone know that we are doing well. Bronwyn has been coughing tonight and sounds pretty congested. I am just hoping she doesn't get what her brother had. Cross our fingers. Other than that we are doing great.

The weather is finally improving and I had the kids outside for quite a while this afternoon. Yeah for spring.

I wanted to sit down and write a very thought provoking blog because I have so many ideas that are just swimming in my mind. There has been so much happen to us and to those we love in the last week or so and it has caused me to do a great deal of soul searching. But when it comes down to it I am not sure I can bottle my thoughts.

I just want to let our friends out there who may be struggling with sorrow, unfulfilled promises and setbacks in life to just know that we love you all.

Finally, I'd like to ask for special prayers for Quinn. I know God loves this little man and his family.

Wow what a week

It has been quite a busy week for us. Gavin wasn't feeling very well last Thursday and Friday - but then he seemed to perk up Saturday. So Mom and I started out with the kids for Estevan. We stopped in Swift Current and Gavin had a bad night again - bad fever and a lot of whining and complaining.

We carried on and on Sunday when we arrived in Estevan I called to see if there was a clinic at the hospital as I saw spots at the back of his throat. They directed me to the emergency room at 8 pm when a doctor was scheduled. He looked at Gavin and said is was just a cold.

That night Gavin was no better - high fever and much complaining. The next day (the day of Grandpa's funeral) he did OK, but he definitely wasn't himself. Monday night same drill. We decided Tuesday morning to travel with Dad, Jon and Shibu and see how far we could get. We got all the way to Langdon - the kids did great, but the last hour was a nightmare! Jon drove my car for me - don't think he'll be doing that again soon.

I got Gavin into see his doctor on Wednesday afternoon and he has strep throat and the makings of an ear infection. Poor little guy! POOR MOMMY!

The funeral was lovely. I felt it was a lovely tribute to a man that I saw as invincible. He was a man of faith to the end and it showed in the lives of his children and grandchildren.

Sheena arrived yesterday, as she had a book signing and launch in Calgary. It was great to spend time with her here in Alberta - she loves Alberta it brings out the best in her.

So the agenda for now is catch up on sleep and get the kids healthy.

Time for reflection

I was in the middle of writing a post describing my trip with Bronwyn to visit my Grandpa Bailey when I got a call that he had passed away.

So for now lets just say - I loved him as many of you who read this blog also did.

God Bless and God speed Grandpa!