Our house is too hot...

Or so I say - but Wes on the other hand has figured out that it isn't the house - its me. He figures that I have a medical condition that causes me too exude to much body heat and so it doesn't take much for me to overheat. Wow - glad he cleared that up for me.

Three nights in a row

Bronwyn has slept through the night three nights in a row. I think it may have something to do with the massive fan we have on in their room! Yeah for sleep.

We just keep going

Wow! This summer has been so busy. We have just been on the go. Today is a sit at home and watch movies and veg. day.

Friday we were at Carissa & Robbie's fourth birthday party. If you want to see chaos watch twins open gifts - ha! The boys all got pirate loot bags and the girls got Tinkerbell stuff. Here's an idea - get a whole bunch of 4 year old boys together and give them all swords! Makes me wonder why pirate themed parties are so popular. Actually, the party was really nice.

Saturday we cleaned the house a bit and then headed out to Kanaskis. It was our church's family camp weekend. We weren't up for camping but we headed out to have supper and enjoy a bit of outdoor time. We didn't get as much visiting time as I had hoped as we got lost. We drove all over K-country looking for the campground. The kids were good considering the situation. We even saw some big-horned sheep. It would have been a lovely, family drive in the mountains had mommy not been so cranky about it.

I thought about it after and realized that many people in the world would love to take an afternoon drive in the mountains and take in the pure majesty. If only my attitude had been better eh?

We finally got there and we had a great time. Gavin loves playing with other kids.

Yesterday, was lunch at Mom and Dad's along with the Watts family.

So you see - we need a break.

Dancing Boy

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My son loves to dance. This is a bit of a long video but I couldn't figure out which part to edit out.

You will also notice that my daughter has already started to adopt her mother's study habits. If you just rub the book on your head you absorb all the knowledge within. What a clever girl!

Before you all comment on the underwear - he wears it only under duress these days. Gavin is very pro-diaper and very anti-underwear at the moment.

You learn a few lessons on the way

So there are moments as a parent where you think - oh, I should have seen that coming. But, you realized that you didn't see it until it happened, so lesson learned and you move on. That happened to us tonight.

We went out as a family to the grocery store, this is usually a pleasant outing but Gavin was just a bit wound up tonight and he and his Dad had to exit the store before we were finished. Bronwyn and Mom brought the groceries out to the car to find Gavin sitting in the passenger seat beside Daddy. He was just playing about waiting for us. I put Bronwyn in her chair and opened the hatch and started to put groceries in the back. Wes got out to help me.

It is at this point that a wise parent would have decided to either remove the child in the front seat or to at least role the window down. Both adults are out of the vehicle and there is a two year old loose - what could go wrong. Well, I'll tell you - he locked the doors.

Wes banged on the window and pointed to the button and yelled - unlock the door Gavin. I tried yelling from the open hatch but he had also turned the music up. Other shoppers walking by were staring at us! I felt like saying - Yes we are sloppy parents!

Wes found it totally funny - while I was a triffle less amused.

Finally Gavin realized what we were asking and he unlocked the door. Mommy then removed him and strapped him in safely to his car seat.

So you see - lesson learned!

Our weekend

One of the gals from our prenatal classes lives near a lake and often invites the rest of us to join them. We met Friday morning and had some fun splashing about and digging in the sand. The kids had fun too. Ha ha - just kidding. Bronwyn is not much of a beach girl at this point. She was not overly impressed with the sand - although she did seem to think it tasted pretty nice.

Yesterday the kids and I went for a walk with my friend Katherine in Fish Creek Park - it was too hot. Then we went to help celebrate Cadence's first birthday.

Sleeping continues to be an issue in our house. Mommy is just getting more and more tired. I seem to be on strike as the dishes aren't done, neither is the laundry or the floors or the groceries. Wow - what have I been doing with my time! Certainly not house cleaning.

But miracles of miracles Bronwyn slept through the night last night - that was the longest she has slept since before her second surgery! Of course it still wasn't a breeze as I woke up at one point with Gavin 2 inches from my face with a pillow lifted over my head! AHHHH! He was coming to sleep with us - not kill his Mommy - I was quite relieved.

Today we went to Auntie Jon's house (that just kills me - seriously) after church and Gavin played like a maniac with his cousins. Then we drove over to Mom and Dad's house where Tom and Pam and kids were visiting and he again played with his big cousins like a maniac. So we brought home one very tired little boy this evening.

Happenings

It is amazing how something little can completely change your life. Well - this may be overstating it but really it can feel that way.

We got a new stroller. It is a double stroller and fits both kids. It is super! A good friend of mine, Andrea, had tried about 4 different double strollers and finally ended up getting this brand. So I just trusted her judgement and got the same kind. It is super and we are more mobile now. Wes and I took the kids for a long walk on Saturday. In fact today is the first day since we got it last week that I haven't used it. I didn't use it today only because I didn't want the crazy wind sweeping my daughter away.

Speaking of daughters - lately (and I have to admit I have no clue where this comes from but...) when Gavin is doing something naughty and gets caught he runs away mumbling in a gruff voice - Fodder daudders. Translation - father daughters! What the hey? Who knows what the heck that is about.

OK - so one more Gavin story for today. Today Bronwyn was eating and I was getting something in the kitchen, Gavin who was finished was wandering about (menacing I call it). Bronwyn suddenly started to cry so I came flying in the room. Gavin ran from the scene in a guilty way. I asked what he did he said in a very sweet voice- I hit de Bronwyn, but its OK I did it nizely.

Little missy has crawled over to me as I type. Her little personality is just blossoming.

This weekend and today were cooler than last week, which was a relief. Wes has dreams of getting a place in Mexico where we will go and spend big amounts of time. I hate to admit I am not very supportive of this dream - for two reasons. One I am cheap and two I don't like the heat.

Gavin's best friend is back

We were out to see Pops and Grandma yesterday. We didn't let the dust settle under their feet either. They got home late Tuesday night and we were on their doorstep early Wednesday morning! How nice of us eh?

We has a wonderful day as always. The highlight for me was as we drove away Gavin sighed and said with a contented expression - I love Pop.

Well there you have it!

Happy Canada Day

We didn't wave a single flag today. Sorry but it is true. In fact I barely knew it was Canada day. I guess for me the days just blend together into on big attempt to get more sleep!

We did, however, have a wonderful day. We went to church, went for lunch (the kids behaved - whoohoo), watered Mom and Dad's plants and went to a gardening centre. When we got home I cut more of the hedge down and weeded while Wes and Gavin made a bird house out of sticks. Bronwyn was napping during this time - a long nap - this is why she is in a mood to party now. Maybe she wants to make the most of her first Canada Day.

I even got to watch a show on TV that interested me - although it was a total bore to everyone else in the family. It was about the great lodges of the Rockies. I just have to admit I love all the grand lovely old hotels that are scattered about in the mountains. If I had more money I'd stay at one every other weekend! But alas we are just wealthy enough to squander all our money on home improvements!

Well I think I should try to get our youngest offspring to go to sleep.

Funny Bone

The best thing about being a parent of a two year old is the unexpected conversations that you have. There are things that my son says that just tickle me!

Last night we went to get Bronwyn's medicine and we had to wait so we walked down further to the Dairy Queen to get a cone. As we got close we noticed a couple sitting outside with a large greyhound. Gavin exclaimed - Mommy, look a camel!

This morning as I was surveying the unholy mess the kids have made in the living room. I said to Gavin it was a real mess. He said - Gavin make mess (quite proudly I might add). Then I asked if he would help me clean it up since he made the mess. - Nope!

Bronwyn is also making us laugh these days - it is harder to describe as she isn't talking - but she can be such a goofy little monkey.

For me a couple goofy kids is the best medicine any day!

Bleak House

Well, we knew it would happen but you are never really quite prepared. Grandma and Pop have abandoned us. They have gone to Saskatchewan for a week. Gavin is having a rather bleak weak as a result. I have been planning as many visiting opportunities as I can so he wont be too desperate.

We drove out to Mom and Dad's today to water their flowers. The whole way there I was telling him that Grandma and Pops won't be home - we are going to water the flowers - they are in Saskatchewan. He kept agreeing. When we got there he wandered around for a while then he said - Where Pops, Where Grandma??

Last Sunday we were at Mom and Dad's with the Watts family. The kids had a blast! As the pictures prove.

Updates

I wanted to give a quick update on our little heart buddy Quinn. He was relisted for a heart but that is now on hold. The biggest challenges have been getting him to adjust to food and getting him to gain some weight along with daily physio. I know Kim and Ben have their hands full and yet their reports are filled with wonderful stories about both Hannah and Quinn and the cute things they do. Quinn is, like Bronwyn, a wonderfully happy baby. I think Kim and I have both been blessed in this regard - I heard several times at the hospital that the heart babies tend to be cranky and miserable. Well - not our kiddos!

The other bit of news is about Steve and Shannon's nephew Braden Mole. He is an amazing teen who has been a patient at the Stollery off and on for years. He decided several years ago that he wanted to help even if it was in a small way. Well that small way seems to have caught fire and he does an annual fundraiser that this year pulled in over $150,000. Braden is also the spokesperson for the Stollery hospital for 2007. He is a great example of what can go right with our kids.

Check out these websites for more info - Stollery Hospital and Moles Miracles.

Prenatal Classes

We were at a barbecue on Saturday night with some of the couples that we met when we took prenatal classes before having Gavin. It is really nice to get together with these families as our kids are all so close in age. Most of them were born within days of each other. Not all the couples that have stayed in touch were able to come, but it was just wonderful to see everyone.

There are several additional children that have been added to the mix too.

We had a lovely time and the rain stopped long enough for a nice outdoor event. Speaking of rain today was the first day in a long time that it didn't rain - whoooo hooo.

Things I find cute

Just for fun - here are a couple of little things the kids are doing that we find fun.


Gavin says:

I want to bisit her - which means he wants to climb in Bronwyn's crib while she is in there.
Baby noses - he has a little baby Moses puzzle.
Daddy's in the classroom - the classroom is also known as the office.
He calls his first children's bible - the bible so (like the song - Jesus loves me)


Bronwyn crawls with one foot pushing - like Kellen Muirhead used to do. She also has started recognizing when we laugh at something she does and she seems to enjoy that. OH NO - two little performers. She is getting fussy about what she will and wont eat - well like mother like daughter!

The flu

Yet another member of the family has fallen ill. Our drier has decided to pack it in. Wes and Dad were trying to figure out how to fix it last night. I had a load of little tiny pink girl things in the wash. As a result we turned our living room into a close line. They still aren't quite dry. Gavin thinks it is GREAT!

Well why shouldn't the drier get sick - it probably did as much work this weekend as I did.

On the family front the kids and Wes are on the mend and I finally got a good nights sleep.

Shhhhh

The kids are both asleep! They were both asleep earlier and so I did yet another load of laundry and a couple other chores and tried to get a bit of a nap. I only dozed for about 1o minutes when the little lady started to yowl. She is now sleeping again though.

We are having weird weather today. By times it is dark with very scary looking clouds and next it is sunny. Right now it is windy!

The biggest event in my son's young life lately has been Pop's new truck. He is so enamoured with it. He talks about it all the time. The other day when he saw a baby on a commercial he said to me, "I'd like a baby." I replied, "You want us to get a new baby for you and Bronwyn to play with?" He responded, "Yeah," then thought for a while, "Truck, a new truck, like Pop's." So thanks very much Dad.

By the way did you know that the driver's seat in Dad's new Nissan can recline completely flat. My two year old figured that one out. Why would it be able to do that?

We made it

It is Monday evening and as of this moment all of the Davis family are feeling better. Gavin is not eating well yet but has his energy back. Bronwyn is back to her charming little self. Wes is also improved after a lot of sleep today. The one exception is Mommy - I am dog tired! I never want to do another load of laundry again!

So it continues

Now Wes has it...

Food goes away

I had, for the first time in a long time, planned to do something for myself today. I had signed up to take a course. It wasn't all day, but a chunk of the day. I was quite excited by the prospect of doing something that I am interested in - just me no one else.

But alas, Bronwyn started throwing up last night and had not stopped by this morning - so I had to call and cancel. Of course it was the only choice I could make but I was actually disappointed. That may sound selfish but I sort of felt that fate was conspiring against me. I had made plans to be away, organized Bronwyn's food, put Mom and Dad on stand by to help Wes if needed - everything was looked after. I was going to be wild and crazy and go out on my own. My one and only chance was smashed by a wee sick little girly. Trust me the emotions of worry for her and wanting to help her were far stronger than the pang of self pity!

We hadn't had a very good night and Bronwyn was a bit better through the day but still throwing up. Finally this evening she seemed to be finally better. My biggest relief is that she kept her medicine down. We were just breathing a bit sigh of relief when Gavin cried out from his room and he had thrown up in his bed.

I was holding him after he threw up the second time and was saying how nasty it is to be sick. He explained to me that "the food goes away." Well it indeed does that - doesn't it?

So we are for now tired and likely to be worse tomorrow...

Hospital visit

Bronwyn and I were at the hospital this morning. She is taking part in a study - a study that follows the development and growth of babies who have had intense and invasive therapies. The upside for us is that they are checking her hearing, motor skills and general health for a couple years.

Today she saw the hearing specialist, a physiotherapist and a pediatrician. All reports were great. She is right on target and is so far not showing any delays in development. This was really reassuring news. I suspected that she was doing good but you never know if this is just a mommy's perspective or if she really is doing the things she should.

It was a long appointment but I think it was worthwhile. Bronwyn has been in 3 or 4 studies up to this point. We are just so thankful for all the babies who have gone before Bronwyn and whose parents agreed to try risky and experimental surgeries. Without those children there wouldn't be a treatment for HLHS and Bronwyn wouldn't be here to participate in more studies. We are thrilled to participate in anything that will give them more information for the children that follow Bronwyn.