I'm still sticky

We had a wild time at Grandma's house yesterday, after church. We made gingerbread houses. There was icing everywhere, candy everywhere, crumbs everywhere - I am not 100% sure I got it all out of my hair.

After the festivities I took the kids and threw them in the big tub in Mom and Dad's bathroom. They had a blast doing that too.

I survived! Poor Mari got pretty sidelined during the activities and Mommy wasn't very good about taking care of her needs. As a result, she was pretty gassie and we had a horrible night.

It was a great deal of fun, even if Bronwyn ate WAY too much icing.

My perfect life

I have this image in my mind of my perfect moment as a parent. It starts with laying down our youngest in her bassinet and having her sleep soundly there. Then I proceed to the bedroom where our two older children are sleeping soundly - I gently kiss their foreheads and then quietly leave the room. My husband and I have a quiet few moments holding hands and then we go to bed. Everyone sleeps and all is peaceful.

Well, this perfect moment never seems to happen in our house. I couldn't count on one hand the number of nights that we haven't had a bed littered with children. Invariably someone has the sniffles or is sick or needs tending through the night. But, we have gotten used to this.

I decided yesterday that maybe my mental image needs to change to allow for many of the perfect moments that I do have in my day.

Perfect moment #1 - Hearing Gavin go and talk to his Daddy while Wes is digging for some important paperwork that we have to find. "Daddy," Gavin says in a plaintive and soft voice, "We don't have time for that - I'm sorry we just don't. We have to go wrestle right now."

Perfect moment #2 - Bronwyn finally falling asleep on the couch. Her cheeks flushed and her breathing heavy. I look at her and hope that sleep will help her get over whatever bug she has and I thank God that she is sitting there even if she is sick.

Perfect moment #3 - Mari just needing her mommy (and more importantly her boobs) way more often than I had ever imagined.

So - its not picture perfect but I wouldn't have it any other way. God has richly blessed us with three super kids. I just need a reminder now and then of how wonderful they are. I'll get sleep someday - but for now this will do nicely.

For Kennedy

So I heard through the family grape vine that Kennedy was cheesed that Jared got his picture posted and she didn't get hers.

I have a natural connection and sympathy with Kennedy - as I had two older brothers too. When I heard my nephews say "One, two, three ignore her," I was appalled - seriously! That was what my brothers used to say to taunt me - but it was way worse knowing that Tom had taught his own sons to do this to his daughter. But, then off course - Kennedy just chimed in and joined them - laughing - so it didn't matter to her. It was just the principle of the thing, ya know!

So here is a picture of Kennedy. And Josh too - although I didn't get to see Josh holding Mari as I was getting Bronwyn to take a nap.

Mari has been busy

It has been a pretty busy week for us. Mari has had a bunch of introductions to family.

First Aunt Mary and Uncle Bill (my side) came and met her. Then she got to meet Uncle Tom, Auntie Pam and Jared, Josh & Kennedy. She was particularly taken with Jared.

We then raced home and he got to meet hid Daddy's Auntie Sandra and his Cousin Lyle, Jaelyn and their new baby Kaden. Kaden is younger than Mari but bigger. He is very very cute.

So - lots of meet and greets this week.

Rememberance Day

I always think a lot about my Grandfathers on Remembrance Day.

My dad's dad was in the Welsh Guards before the war and was among the first recalled into service during the war. He spent several years in a German prison war camp and was released before the war was over. He left a wife with two very small children during that time.

Dad's dad, my Granddad Watts was a very tall man, with pure white hair, who had a lovely Welsh accent. I remember sitting in their garden in Africa as a teenager and listening to him tell me stories of his youth and the war. He would sit there slowly smoking a cigar (he had to smoke them outside as Grandma didn't approve of the habit) and in his soft musical voice he'd walk me through parts of his world. It was amazing. I felt so blessed to have spent that time with him. I learned later that he told me stories that even my dad didn't know. I guess age had lessened the pain of the memories and he could retell them with greater ease.

My mom's dad was on the other side of the spectrum. He was short, stout and had an almost gruff yet powerful voice. He didn't serve in the war. He was willing to serve in a non-combative role, as he was appalled by Hitler and his directives. It was his religious beliefs that kept him from enlisting as a soldier. This was not an easy choice. He was harassed for this choice and yet his convictions kept him strong.

I remember sitting at the dining room table with Grandpa Bailey as he told stories of his youth. He was an amazing story teller. He didn't care if there was mustard on his chin or bread crumbs on his tie. He was engrossed in the story and so was his audience. He had large chubby fingers that he would cross together on the table or gesture to aid in the story. I spent a lot of time with my Grandparents when I was in University so I heard many of his stories - several times!

Do I think that one of my Grandfathers made a wiser choice than the other? No. I wouldn't make that judgment. What I do know is that I was immensely proud of both of them. They were both men of conviction, honestly and honour. They did what they believed was right even when the cost was personally very high. They were like this always - not just during the war.

They are to me the standard of manhood. I feel honoured to say they are my Grandpas.

Granddad Watts and Grandpa Bailey - I miss you both!

All three kids are sleeping

WOW! I need to get Wes to pick up a lotto ticket!

Gavin would normally be on his way to preschool but he has actually been pretty sick since Wednesday afternoon. When I got him home from school on Wednesday I could tell he really wasn't himself. By Thursday morning he had a bad fever and it has only today started to subside.

Bronwyn is also sick, a bad chest cough. Which is always a bit off-putting as her colour goes a bit off when she has a cold. Makes sense, her oxygen levels decrease so her colour goes off. But, we just keep an eye on her.

Mari is fine (thankfully) - and well awake now - that was short lived! So I am off.

A minute or two of rest

The girls are both asleep and Gavin is at playschool. I have to rouse everyone in about 15 minutes to go pick Gavin up - but for now ahhh...

Mari is doing well. She hasn't gained weight as fast as I would have liked and that is why I think she isn't sleeping so well yet. I am sure once she gets a bit of pudge on her she'll be the sleeper we were hoping for. If she isn't? Well, she'll have to start sleeping at some point - they always do.

I have been a bit, dare I say, grumpy today. Not really, but the kids have all had head colds and it snowed (wet drippy snow), and Gavin didn't want to go to preschool and was dragging his feet, and they all fell asleep in the car, and the van got all muddy in the parking lot at the preschool, and ... well for now I am making the most of my down time to improve my attitude. Breath, one two three - isn't that how it goes.

Actually, I am surprise at how few rushed and upset times I have with the kids. We made a snowman this morning - I tried to help but Mari was in the snugly and would protest every time I bent over.

Bronwyn is talking more and more but she is economical in her word usage. She has certain words that have multiple meanings - you just have to figure out which meaning. For example, the other night she confounded her dad in the middle of the night. She had called out for him and when he went to check on her she asked for yogurt. He was confused and asked her what she wanted. She repeated - yogurt. He couldn't figure out why she wanted yogurt in the middle of the night. Just when it was about to become an issue I yelled from the other room - she wants water Wes. Yes, she calls water - yogurt, unless of course she actually wants yogurt - that is yogurt too. There are several words that are like this - confusing?? A bit.

Well, it is time now to go get the boy! Must run.

Halloween and birthday bashes

Wow - what a crazy couple of days. The kids are just in the bath now with Daddy (well the kids are in the bath - Daddy is just on the sidelines). Mari is sleeping - why not its early!

We had a preschool costume party for Gavin yesterday - and I brought cupcakes because it was his birthday too. In the evening, Wes and Matt took the kids out trick or treating. Wes had a hat on with a knife across the hat - but he had to run back and drop it off as it was upsetting Isaac. We didn't plan this at all but our two kids were dinosaurs and so was Max. Isaac was a lobster - trust me he was so cute.

Wes had to bring Bronwyn home early as she faded sooner than the boys. Little maniacs!

Today we had the big man's birthday party. Of course, we had to spend the morning cleaning our house - I tell ya, if we didn't occasionally have company my house would never get cleaned.

Needless to say I am seriously tired. But I did manage to get the house back in order pretty quickly and restore it to its post party glory. It is so funny, you clean like crazy before a birthday party then the kids play like crazy and it is usually worse than before you started cleaning. I wouldn't change it though, the kids had such a great time and they all played very well.