Its a heat wave

It is -19c today. Wow! A heat wave. It has been too cold to do any outdoor play. We are also all recovering from a nasty cold - yeah we ALL got it.

The kids are doing well. I am attaching a fairly long little video of Gavin reading to Bronwyn. I grabbed my little camera as it was close and it ran out of memory just before the ending. It is still pretty cute. This little clip reminds me so much of my nephew Jared. I remember recording video of him reading the same book aloud at about the same age. Precious memories!

Speaking of precious moments - Gavin is at this moment trying to lift and put his sister in a little cardboard airplane that I made him this morning. It is just a long cardboard box with a hole through it. I had a feeling when I made it that it might be used for the forces of evil! Oh well -what are ya going to do?

Winter fun week

We have had a lot of outdoor winter fun this week. We had fresh snow and fairly mild temperatures so we made the best of it. Gavin also got to play with several of his little buddies through the week: Max, Norah and Madeline (well and Pops - lets not forget Pops).

Both kids seem to have bad coughs and runny noses right now. Wes and I are resigned to the fact that we likely won't get a very good sleep tonight. Oh well, who needs a good sleep after a long week anyhow?

We had planned to do some family activities tomorrow but I think Mommy is going to make everyone stay home and just get better - and FAST!

Gavin said something pretty cute today but I have to admit I have no idea what he meant. Usually children say stuff that is amazingly perceptive and/or creative. I have a feeling this was both but truly it was over my head.

We were driving out to Mom and Dad's and he had been coughing. After a bit he sneezed. I said - bless you. He replied - all the bless yous are in my throat.

Cute - but...

I best get off to bed and see what little sleep we can squeeze out tonight. Knowing us by early morning the whole family will be in our bed wrestling for space.

Both sides of the same coin

These pictures say it all, really.

Serious reflections

Wow - I feel very serious at the moment. I received an email from my old boss (I mean old as in past not that he is old!) with some info about a coworker. This was a coworker who I didn't really know. She started when I was on my first maternity leave and I didn't get many opportunities to visit with her. But she was sweet. She passed away from cancer a month ago.

I knew she was sick but I had not heard of the outcome. I went through my old emails and found a link to her blog and I spent sometime reading. One post she said how she looked forward to being a real mom again. How when she was healed she would chase her daughter in the park and enjoy her.

This came as a bit of a wake up call for me today. Gavin has decided he gets up early and he kept waking me up in the night - Mommy, come here... you know the drill. So I have been feeling a bit cranky and sorry for myself.

Then I read these reflections and I realize that this coworker would have loved to be woken up in the night to go lay beside her baby!

I was impressed with her faith and dignity. Maybe it doesn't hurt to be reminded to be thankful for our blessings. After all perhaps our problems and blessings are the same thing just a difference in our attitude.

Kid's books that I like

There are so many great books for children. I thought I’d just share some of my current favourites. Be advised these are very much preschool and pre-reader books.

Russell The Sheep – by Rob Scotton
Hi! Fly Guy – by Tedd Arnold
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! – by Mo Willems
I’m Sick of It! A Fishy Melodrama – by Vincent Bourgeau
On the Moon – Anna Milbourne and Benji Davies (Usborne)
Scaredy Squirrel – Melanie Watt
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs – Jon Sciezka

There are lots of other fun picture books that both of my kids enjoy. These are just a few of the ones that I really like. After all I read them I should get to pick now and again.

Just for fun – please make a comment if you know of a fun book for kids that I might enjoy too.

The birthright of all Canadians

My mom and I took Gavin skating for the first time today. It was pretty cute. It was also pretty darn hard on my back. You know it is totally crazy. You spend 15 minutes getting all the gear on and lacing up skates so you can hit the ice and hold your child upright for 5 minutes before he decides to quit. Sheesh!

Bronwyn walked around with Grandma while I propped her very unsteady brother up.

They have been really growing. Oh my goodness Bronwyn can eat. We had lunch at Mom's but Dad was out, so when he got home he ate. Bronwyn sat on his lap and ate half his lunch too. Maybe she is going to have a growth spurt.

I had a conversation with Gavin on the way home from Mom and Dad's that I found pretty amusing. It went like this -

Gavin - look Mommy a plane.

Me - oh, yes I see it.

Gavin - its a plane, no a heditopter, no a rocket.

Me - oh, a rocket (OK fine I was driving so I wasn't particularly engaged in the conversation at first).

Gavin - that rocket he's mad, he going to ...(I didn't catch where he was going), he likes old people.

Me - (huge laugh followed by) he likes old people eh?

Gavin - ya.

Me - Who is old? Am I old?

Gavin - no.

Me - Is Pops old?

Gavin - no.

Me - Who is old?

Gavin - I am, I'm free (three). That rocket he likes me cause I'm old.

Well - I best get my tired little body to bed.

Bits and pieces

We are just plugging along. Getting settled into 2008. I had to write the date on a form today - that felt a bit weird.

We took the kids swimming a while back and stuck their toques on as we were leaving. We took them out to get a quick bite and Gavin pulled his hat off. Very cool hairdo eh?

Bronwyn had her RSV shot this morning and they weighed her. I was so encouraged. I suspected she was pushing 19lbs if I was lucky. She is actually just under 20lbs. Whoohoo. In the past I have guess her weight and she has almost always weighed in less than I hoped. To have her almost a pound heavier than my hopeful guess was a real treat.

I have a really bad pain in the neck today (and no its not Wes - ha ha - OK not funny). I am walking around with my head forward and turned to the side - nice!!

I best go get supper on.

Doing good

It can feel very helpless, trying to be a force for good in this world. A world where this kind of thing is happening. My few little efforts are little but a drop in the bucket of a world driven by greed and evil. But I do believe that good does have a way of compounding.

I normally don't write about this stuff because I have family at risk and there is a good chance that their email, phone and internet use is monitored.

I have to work at putting my anger about the rot in the world aside and focusing on the things I do have control over. It isn't earth changing but frankly it is all I can do.

Things I love

It is the start of the new Year. We were all awake at midnight to welcome in the New Year. Thanks to teething girls and persistent little boys. I saw in the New Year the way I see in almost every New Year. Doing a jigsaw puzzle (family tradition). Crazy eh?

I decided I'd share some of the thing I love these days. So here it goes.

I love...

... how Gavin makes up names for himself and his sister - trotty and potty are his current favourites.
... how Bronwyn walks around with her arms clasped behind her back.
... how Gavin thanks me for various small things such as driving him to the store.
... how Bronwyn sings along when you start to sing any song and points up in the sky (from twinkle little star).
... watching my parents play with the kids - that is pure joy.
... how hard my hubby works to keep us all happy (not always easy with a cranky wife).
... how Bronwyn wrinkles her nose when she smiles.
... how Gavin says "all aboard" - onaford.
... how generous and loving our friends are.
... that winter is almost over (OK so that one is optimistic at best).
... how my son growls when he is frustrated (where did he learn that?).
... when Gavin said he wanted to meet Jesus and shake his hand and hug him.
... how Bronwyn moans along with her brother when he cries.

Well, this was self indulgent, I know but you do just forget these things and it is the little moments in life that make it worth living.

I must assure you all that in addition to the list above we love so many of you who read this blog. Our family and friends mean so much to us. We wish you all great joy in the new Year.