Im SO sick

There hasn't been much blogging from me lately because about a week and a half ago my brood and I came down with a bad cold/flu. Im not sure who gave it to us but im pretty sure that person can go burn in hell (and hopefully while experiencing the dark, fiery, pits of hell they have an annoying cough that they just cant seem to shake, with a fever and runny nose!). I'm not sure who infected us but I think we caught it from tumble time...stupid parents bringing their sick kids so they can infect everyone! Use your heads people. Sick kids = ISOLATION. Lets not spread the wealth...Well unless you're me and you drag your kids to a family reunion because they dont happen every week like tumble time, and its your son's birthday and you want him surrounded by family, and... OKay, maybe im a hypocrite, but Gabe taught me a lesson I wont soon forget!

After watching Gabe throw tantrum after tantrum I have decided NEVER to travel with sick kids again. Gabe was so tired, and so sick that everything pissed him off or made him cry...I'm sure by the end of the weekend everyone (including Scott and I) was pretty tired of Gabe's antics, even understanding the cause! Truthfully theres only so many tantrums any parent can take before horrible thoughts of bathtub drownings or side of the road drop offs start to creep into your imagination. Thankfully we all made it out of that weekend alive, but due to Gabe's cold and having to share his birthday with my mom and grandpa, his party was a dud and kinda lame. My moms present to her dad kind of stole his thunder so Scott and I are giving him a proper birthday tonight, with a few more gifts, a cake, a song, and lots of attention and picture taking. Poor Gabey the baby, luckily you dont quite understand what a birthday is yet or im sure if would have resulted in one more tantrum meltdown.

Hope everyone's weekend was better than mine...and FYI...Two year olds with colds...does equal the terribleness of Mussolini.

Dear Broder

Dear Broder.

Mum said you were turnen two soon and I shood wish you a happy birfday. First I wood like to rekwest that you do a few things. One, pleese stop biteing my toes..it hurts...and im not yet strong enuf to kick you in the face and reelly make you cry, but when I am...well cunsidr this your warneen. second, I wood apreesheate it if you wood stop tradeing me toys every 2 minits...I like the wun I have...I dont want yers so you can play with mine. third, I wood like you to stop makeing mom crazy, shes scarie when shes jumping up and down, pacing,and muddereen like an eskaped insane assylum pristner. Finallie, stop pushing me over. I know Im not balinsed as well as you, and in yer ohpinyon its hillAIReus to watch me fall over, but I dont enjoey my head bounceing off the floor like the bals you love to chase.

All so there are a few things I wood love to ask you to continyou to do. One, scream until yer horse in order to make me laff! Two, hug me and call me baby when im sad! And lastlie, please continyou to give me your food behind mommy's back...a specially yer juise!

Luv yer baby sister

Happy Birfday

Eden.

Eden Marie Milestones

My teeny tiny is growing up and she isn't so teeny tiny anymore. She was born at 6lbs 10 ounces and was 20 inches long. She recently went in for her 6 month shots (at 8 months old..its takes forever for an appointment down here) and she now weighs 21 lbs and is 29 inches long! I just can't believe that in 8 months she has grown that much!! She is in the 97th percentile for weight and height! She's an amazon! Go ME! my breast milk rocks the shiznit (yeah, yeah, Im sure genetics is a contributing factor too). She will be outgrowing Gabe in no time flat, they already wear the same size diapers! Lets just say that shes got some junk in her trunk.

My little Edie has also started to crawl. She can get anywhere she wants by pushing herself around and or rolling, but today she was consistently getting on all fours rocking back and forth and trying to propel herself forward! Pretty soon I will have two children running around, yelling for me, yelling at me, yelling just for the sake of yelling...

Speaking of which, she has become quite the little babbler! Im pretty sure she copied me the other day when I was reading to Gabe. He's obsessed with saying "dog" so his favourite books are ones with dogs in them! He loves this fireman book at the moment, despite the fact that it only has one dog. But he did like having to search it out on the page and kept saying "DOG" whenever he found it. Soon he was calling everything he saw "dog". So I said "well this is a dog, but this ones a man, and heres a man, man, man, man" then Edie started to babble "man, man, man, man, man" which of course Gabe responded with "dog". Ah well...at least one of them listens to me!

Overall Edie is doing exceptionally. It's nice having a perfectly "healthy" baby. There was so much worry with Gabe and his development that I kind of missed out on his baby days. I'm just glad that i'm enjoying things much more the second time around, and am relaxing a little with some of the worries I still have over Gabriel.

Ultimately, I couldnt have asked for a better life than this. I am so blessed and I know I dont always show it, but I really do LOVE that I get to be a stay at home mom and watch all their milestones. It's bitter sweet, watching your kids grow up! I get to watch all of my hard work and sacrifice pay off but its sad that I also get to see them surpass all the traits that made them innocent little souls.

And you know what I really miss. That wonderful baby smell! Maybe I will have to make another one later this year...but for right now, I think I'll enjoy having just two!

HOCKEY

Gold! YES. Sid the Kid. LOOOOUUUUU. Our Game, Our Pride, We brought it home!


I LOVE CANADA!

Terrible twos...

Well the terrible twos aren't so Terrible that I could compare it to the reign of Mussolini, but it is terrible enough for me to occasionally want to scream (some days I do!)Gabe has gone from rambunctious but sweet, curious but careful, a little rough around the edges but always loving... to down right demonic. There's no other word for it. He's evil. He now find it hilarious to hit, bite, slap, and kick, and laughs through all time outs. He hates to nap, fights bedtime, and gets into all sorts of things he knows hes not allowed to touch. I have put all my knives and pointy objects up high to prevent sister stabbings and highly plausible self mutilations. He can now climb the cupboards successfully to grab cookies, he opens the fridge to rearrange its contents, and grabs my mop...no longer in an attempt to clean with it... but uses it instead to grab things out of reach!

Thank the Gods Edie has started waking only twice a night to feed! Otherwise im sure I would be rocking back and forth in a corner somewhere (eyes blank, lips forming unheard words, a little dribble of drool falling from my chin) only to be interrupted by Gabriel jumping on my back screaming like a wild banshee, biting my neck, pulling my hair, stealing my glasses...while Edie laughs hysterically in the background. Nope..not even a nervous break down would stop my torture at the little hands of my children.

I'm at my wits end, and the only thing that gets me through the day is knowing Scott will be home soon! Plus Gabe still has moments of angelic behaviour. His violence has increased ten fold but so has his compassion and loving acts. He does whatever silly face, game, or shout he can to get Edie to laugh hysterically. He hugs and kisses much more regularly, and today I told Gabe I was sad because he was growing up and he hugged my while murmuring some indecipherable consoling words. It's days like today where the roller coaster of emotions really emphasize Gabe's dual natured personality...my little Pisces. And my poor little Edie, you LOVE Gabe while simultaneously hating him. But one day soon Edie, it will be him who has to move out of your way (my 97th percentile amazon). Already I can tell that you two will be the best of friends and the most bitter enemies.

so...

Just call me ref. I think it will be easier to hear then MMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM...

Mom

My mom's birthday is coming up and I'm thinking of getting her something special. Then I decided against that and felt a blog entry would suffice.

March 5th, 1962..63...

March 5th, year unknown. Mother Dalrie, Father Bob. They welcomed you and your twin brother without a c-section...ouch...and you have been part of their sarcasm loving tribe ever since ( four siblings in total).

During the formative years not much is known... You went to Catholic School which made you anything but a firm believer and as with most teen years...the rest can be forgotten...at least one can hope...

Twenty years or so into your life you married Kevin Middleton..which produced...one good thing...(your daughter Carrie), and two mediocre things...(Greg and Jared). In the late 80's you and Kevin divorced and you went on to a few more dating=FAILS before you met Jefferson...

July...August...2003...04...

Summer, year unknown. You married said Jefferson and inherited two more boy children..Dan and Cole. Thankfully your daughter Carrie is still around and so life is interesting.

Then March 14th, 2008 your first grandchild is born, followed by another (June 30th, 2009), and another (January 20th, 2010)...neither quite as momentous as the first...but still important...like the Greg and Jared things.

Which brings us to today. You are now in your 40 something year, with more kids than you can count, a number of grand children...and Jeff. I guess it wasn't all bad (namely me...and my kids).

Well...I love you.

Happy Birthday, hope its better than the last!

Dear Gabriel (my favourite...son.)

You will be two in less than a month and I can't believe how much you have changed. I look at your face and am confused by it's boyish features. I don't know how the days move so fast.

Wasn't it yesterday that your tiny body was enveloped in my arms, snuggled against my chest, barely containing enough strength to eat? Today I have a hard time holding you, your weight which was once a non issue (4 lbs 12 oz) is now too much for me to lift without back spasms, and muscle shakes. There's also those squirmy, spaghetti arms and legs that go limp without warning when your done with your snuggles as you're no longer content to sit still for longer than a nanosecond at a time.

Wasn't it yesterday you stared at me with such big, bright eyes and gave me that first smile, the smile which warmed and melted my tired mommy veneer? Today your smile takes on a hint of mischief and I often find myself wondering...what has he done now...my new veneer being one of seasoned detective.

Wasn't it yesterday that you were sleeping in my bed, snuggled up close, snoring ever so softly, too small to roll over, and content to lay deathly still (so much so I barely slept, my hand on your chest, reassuring myself all was alright)? Today you sleep in your own room, but on that rare occasion you share my bed, your kicks, slaps, whines, and head butts reassure me that your sleep, although apparently violent, is safe and deep.

Wasn't it yesterday you spoke your first word "mama" and I squealed with delight? BOOYEAH Daddy! Today... "dada" and "ball" are your favorite words, "mama" is all but forgotten...

Wasn't it yesterday I brought your sister home and you insisted on holding her? You sat so patiently on the couch while I laid her small frame into your arms. You were so gentle, and loving, awed by everything she was. Today you shove, drag, spank, and hit her when she gets on your nerves. Although, your violent expressions end just as quick with a tear from your sister's eye; hugs and kisses replacing the shoves, and hits.

Wasn't it yesterday you fell and hit your head and your father and I rushed you to the emergency room, only to be told after four hours of waiting that you were perfectly alright? Today you fall routinely, over objects high and low, over toys, rugs, sisters, and your own feet and the emergency room is bypassed for a magic mommy kiss and occasional cookie.

Wasn't it yesterday that my biggest worry was the size, shape, and color of your diaper contents. Today I try and encourage your diaper contents to land in your potty first. A battle which is still ongoing, as for once you aren't quite ready nor eager to grow up.

Wasn't it yesterday that everything you did amazed me. Yes it was, and today my amazement was only overshadowed by my pride. I wonder, what will tomorrow hold?

I love you Gabriel, my baby...my big boy...I love you.

Sincerely,

Mommy.