7 Months Old!!

Wow, Ikey turned 7 months old yesterday. I know everyone says this, but I must reiterate that time indeed goes by wickedly fast. My little munchkin is getting so big. We’re over half way done the baby stage, I hate that. I love where he is right now. He’s not quite crawling so my world hasn’t fallen apart yet. He’s happy to just mull about on the rug and chew on this and that. It’s wonderful. He’s so happy right now.

We have welcomed the arrival of two teeth. He slept for three days straight as they cut their way through his tender gums. Today he’s totally back to himself which I am thankful for. I can’t believe he cut two teeth at once like that, they came in exactly the same. I can’t wait until they grow in a bit and we can snap some photos of him smiling with two little teeth. I love that.

I gave him a Baby Mum Mum yesterday and he went to town. I wish I could find or make an organic version with no sugar in it but oh well. He really enjoys them and today it shut him up for a while as I was trying to get Silas his lunch. He is surprisingly good at eating them. Silas couldn’t figure them out, I wondered why they said you can give it to babies that just have started on solids. Silas would want the whole thing in his mouth (like he does with everything) and would end up coughing on the thing. Ikey takes dainty little bites and gets goopy globs of it all over himself. It’s really quite adorable to watch.

Ikey still isn’t too keen on solids, neither is his tummy. I really have to load him up with the flax seed meal, otherwise he’s constipated. He doesn’t look like a fella with a sensitive tummy because of his massive gurth, he looks like he just ate a burger and fries. Alas, he’s sensitive. I accidentally gave him some white rice cereal and that about killed him I’d think. He had an awful time with it. I don’t see why white rice cereal is given to babies, it’s not gentle…it’s like feeding them glue. I guess it’s just hypoallergenic…but perhaps dirt is as well…probably better for them anyway. He did enjoy some green beans this afternoon but hasn’t enjoyed anything like he does sweet potatoes. I hope he likes the ones I made him because there’s now loads of it in my freezer. How come some sweet potato is orange is some is yellow? Feels like without all that color, it’s not nearly as good for them.

Ikey has been working at crawling. I’m glad he’s slower at getting to it than Silas was. I’m not ready to be keeping a constant eye on Isaac. It’s a milestone that I will be proud of but not to keen on reaching. Right now he’s getting by with getting up on his hands and knees and flopping forward. It’s pretty cute. It only works, though, when he’s on the area rug. Once he finds his way off that, he just moves backwards.

He’s still not sleeping through the night but he’s not waking as much as before. I know, I know I need to crack down eventually, I’m not looking forward to it though. I’m so used to getting up in the night that it’s not a big deal anymore. I’ve been doing it for ages already. Plus I kind of like our night time nursing. I love feeling his warm little body against mine in bed and smooching him all the way back to his own bed when he’s done. Sleepy baby kisses are wonderful. It’s really nice to be home again because he goes right back to sleep after I nurse him. We had an awful time with that in MB. If he doesn’t go right back to sleep, I at least don’t hear him here.

Isaac is just wonderful right now. I love this stage so much, he’s just a big, fat ball of sunshine and drool. My FIL couldn’t believe how happy the little gaffer is and neither can I. He’s lovely. I keep trying to imagine him at Silas’ age and I can’t. He seems like he needs to be a baby forever and sometimes I wish it were so. Baby Silas seems such a distant memory in my mind that sometimes I wondered if it even happened. I’m really clinging to Baby Isaac and trying to memorize everything about him because I know I’ll miss it (as I miss Silas’) once he’s toddling around and beating on his big brother.

Christmas

Ikey hasn’t really stopped sleeping since we got home two days ago. He slept on and off the entire flight and has only woken up to eat since. He is a little less lethargic today but still sleepy sleepy sleepy. The poor little boy has been cutting BOTH bottom teeth at the same time. I can feel them now but they aren’t entirely cut yet. Poor puddin. I remember when Silas cut his second bottom one he had a high fever and slept on me all day. I’m glad Ikster doesn’t have much of a fever.

I felt so bad for him on the plane, he was sick with a cough (thankfully it never turned into croup…gotta love the benefits of nursing), he was cutting two teeth, he was very constipated, and he had some coffee spill on him which thankfully wasn’t smoking hot. It still hurt him though. We got some new cold air humidifiers which I don’t know HOW people live without when they have colds. We all sounded gross the morning we woke up and hadn’t slept with one. Now Ikey has a nice one running in his room…our other one pooped out and it wasn’t filtered or anything.

Silas has been very sleepy and needy since getting home. I think our trip exhausted him. Plus now he’s used to people paying attention to him all day long so he’s making the adjustment to being at home…slowly. He was very excited to be home, he ran about the house all giddy. It’s crazy how a trip like that can take so much out of little guys. He’s still tired from it I think.

Our Christmas was nice. I think the highlight for me was our oil fondu on Christmas evening. The FIL said he’d eat a mug of snow if we got it all ready by 9:30 so all of us rushed around and got everything ready to go and we were eating at 9:15…he didn’t eat the snow. I made pina coladas out of snow because the kids were sleeping and we couldn’t crush ice. I made little snowballs for garnish. Leanne was entirely grossed out (city girl) but most of us enjoyed them. We just all were laughing so hard. It was fun.

Another highlight for me was meeting a fellow blogger Joyce. Who we sat and chatted with for many hours. The conversation was lovely and meaning-full, there was laughter and tears. It’s great to meet another blogger, Leanne and I read her blog often. It was made possible because she just happens to be Roselle’s cousin. Ikey loved her too, I know this because she’s one of the few that he’ll just up and kiss right away. She has a photo on her blog of the three of us…me with my hair standing on end…and no one told me. Thanks guys

The food was always amazing. I’ve really taken a liking to Mennonite food and all of it’s glory. It’s simple food, a lot of meat and starch and it’s the best comfort food out there. The meat buns this year were incredible along with the glorious meat pie with mushroom gravy. The farmers sausage corn chowder also tantalized my taste buds. And not in Mennonite tradition but very wonderful as well was the copious amounts of alcohol. We made some really yummy drinks which were very enjoyable in the evenings. Brent made an important discovery…cream soda and vodka don’t go well together. Ha ha. I now have my little family on a diet consisting of many veggies…time to cleanse away all the junk food we ate!

I was very happy to go to the big family get together and see that they had made a major effort to keep it nut free. FIL and his mom were major advocates for Silas and it went off without a hitch or a hive. I think Lucas made it out without hives too even though everyone drank egg nog (the most amazing egg nog in the world…hola). So thank you family members who read this. I’m so thankful it was nut free for my boy. I find it really hard to ask that of people so I’m glad that FIL was demanding for me .

It’s weird going to a different family’s home for Christmas. I’m so used to my own family’s traditions and what not that it kinda doesn’t feel like Christmas in a way. I’m sure Brent feels the same way going to my house. It’s still Christmas, just very different. I’m still set on taking Christmas traditions from both families for our kids. I think it’s good to keep some of the Mennonite traditions going, it’s part of their heritage…a big part. So I’m embracing some things from that for them. I think I’ll get a recipe for that egg nog. It’s to die for.

Anyway, I’m sure you’re more interested in photos. I didn’t take many at all…most of them are Brent’s snappings…and blurry gotta love the effort though . Anyway…here ya go go.

nude with grandpa

Ikey…we were laughing hysterically at this.

With Grandma

Brent posing in the kitchen and you can see my shepherds pie in his hand!

Lucas in his Christmas sleeper on Christmas Eve.

Ikey looking pretty on Christmas morning

Evan with his gift from Brent. Like my wrapping job? he he he

Delighted to find booze in my present from Leanne

Sick boy enjoying some ribbons. Gosh he loves ribbons.

Silas and his cousin Isabelle enjoying the #1 hit toy of Christmas. A kids digital camera that Isabelle was so nice to share with her cousins. Silas spent most of his time on these steps because there was a ceiling fan above them.

Me and da boyz…smiling silly.

All 5 cousins. This is the best shot we could get…ha ha. Cute bunch hey?

Ikey loves kissing Leanne. Every once in a while he finds someone he loves kissing. Leanne is definitely one of them. She was sopping wet after this.

Lucas finally cuts in on the kissing fest…”that’s enough there Isaac”

A sick a sleepy baby finally at home.

 

 

Ready for Pre-School?

The world of color has now opened up to Silas.  Either this boy is a liiiitle extra extra or some parents don’t take the time to teach their kids colors.  Everything is now being named for it’s color.  We’ve gotten down blue, green, orange, purple, yellow, red and brown.  Today I taught him white so we’ll see if that one works too.  My favorite is when he says green “gweem”.  He’s so excited about color, like he finally has a name for some of his favorite things.  I’m sure he’s been noticing the plethora of colors out there, he just never knew a name for them!  Anyway, I’m excited for him.  We really have a good start on his colors, shapes, ABC’s and counting.  My sister tells me she knows pre-school kids who don’t know all of that, I wonder what their parents are doing….toys these days usually incorporate all those learning things.  I always feel bad for not playing with Silas enough but I guess I am if he’s getting all this stuff down.  *proud parent moment*.

He’s pretty cute with shapes as well.  We have a shape sorter with many different shapes so he’s saying things like “oval” and “crescent”.  Shape sorters have to be one of the best toys out there.

Silas’ counting is really adorable too.  He’s inherited the wacky trait that all of us kids in my family have….counting stairs.  He did it on his own.  He’s not actually COUNTING the stairs but he does count as he goes up.  When he randomly counts he just pokes randomly at things until he’s hit 10.  It’s really rather cute.

He’s doing great with ABC’s also.  He loves letters.  He’s been able to sing the abc’s for a while now and I’m slowly and casually working on letter recognition with him.  I don’t want to push it at all but I would like to teach him to read myself.  If he lets me.  I think casually bringing it into play will help him in the future.

Anyway, there’s my moment of bragging.  I kinda sound like an over-achieving mom but we just work all of this stuff into play time and he eats it up!   They retain information so easily at this age.  Reading books is really the kicker I think.

I will write about Christmas.  I think I’m still just recovering from all the junk food and alcohol and having a bunch of people around.  I do have some lovely photos to share and I will get to it.  But right now I’m off to unpack the mounds of fruits and veggies I’ve bought to cleanse me of all the starch and fat and msg I consumed last week.  I bought myself a mandolin (the veggie cutter kind) with Christmas money,  it’s something I’ve wanted realy badly so now I think I’m just going to go cut stuff up.  I have a million things going through my creative culinary mind right now.  I’m going to make some sweet potato fries tonight with it.  I hate those things but I want to see if Silas will eat it and if he will, so will I.  I can embrace sweet potatoes for my veggie-hating child.

Merry Christmas

Silas has croup, Ikey has a fever, I’m sick with something.  Ikey wont stop crying unless he’s sleeping.  I’ve spent two nights in bed with a toddler (which I actually enjoyed…mmmm cuddles).  I think Isaac was up like 15 times last night.  Yaaaay.

The good thing about this?? It’s Christmas and Silas can’t scream when he doesn’t have a voice.

Merry Christmas everyone.  I hope you’re sufficiently stuffed with turkey and booze and pie!

Burnin the Calories

So it’s official.  I can’t stay away.  Must blog.

I’ve realized that I’ve been doing more exercise than normal these days.  I’m sore from all the food I’ve been munching on.  My jaw is literally…sore.  I really don’t feel like I’ve been eating so much but I guess I have been.  I haven’t been over-stuffing myself at all though.  Perhaps just the constant crunching of Roselle’s home-made crunch and munch.

Eating kinda hurts now.  At least I know I’m burning a few calories doing it though

onstuvwx

“onstuvwx.

K, I writed.  and I think that’s it”.

That’s what Isabelle my neice wanted to say to everyone.  I was hoping she’d elaborate a bit more but that’s all she had to say.

Silas is getting sick so I wanted to give him some tylenol because he just didn’t want to do anything but cuddle.  All the MIL had was some Tylenol cold so we gave it to him.  1o minutes later he was running about like a maniac.  Gotta love pseudo-ephedrine.  Gosh, writing that made me sick to my tummy.  I hate giving him that stuff.  He does feel better though which is nice.

We’re singing at a candlelight service tonight.  We as in Me, Brent, Leanne and Colin.  Should be fun.  We’ve practiced a bit.  I’m excited to sing in front of people again.  I haven’t “performed” for a loooong time.  I really enjoyed practicing and everything.  Oh how I miss singing.

Anyway, that’s all for today.  Gotta visit visit visit and eat all the amazing food that they have for us here.

I’m Here

Here I am writing from Manitoba.  I don’t know if I’ll be a very good blogger for the next week because of my situation.  There’s a lot going on.

The flight yesterday was….well lets just say I’m glad it’s over.  Silas was terrified and screamed to high heaven.  I guess it helped him sleep well last night.

Anxiety isn’t gone completely, I guess there’s loads to be anxious about.  One of my nieces has croup which means that they might not be able to join us because it could be really hard on Lucas if he got it *sigh* this set of Grandchildren doesn’t come without problems.  Nut allergies, egg allergies, citrus allergies, peanut allergies, compromised immune systems and on and on and on.  At least all the kids are cute right???

Anyway, I really have nothing good to say.  So, I might see ya tomorrow and i might not.

I’ll Have That With a Side of Adavan Please.

Today is the last day at home before we take off for Christmas in Manitoba.  I’ve got gallons of anxiety surging through my blood along with some caffeine…they really don’t mix well at all.  I had hardly any sleep last night, once I finally fell asleep someone woke up and then I had to start all over again.

Today I have to finish packing and check everything off my packing list.  I have to go to Costco to pick up photos and buy Isaac some more sleepers.  Our 18 month sleepers have dissapeared and so I guess I’ll go buy some new ones.  I feel bad squishing Ikey into the tattered 12 month ones.  Silas pretty much ruined those as he was in them for a long time, he crawled and walked in those.  I think it’s time for some new ones.  It really stinks because Silas hardly was in the 18 month ones and they’re fairly new.  Alas they cannot be found so I guess it’s time to buy some more.

Yesterday I did some packing, wrapping, card-writing, cooking (to bring to MB with me) and running about, today is just as busy.  I was completely full of anxiety yesterday until I wrote a list…lists are good.

I actually just got back from the Vancouver airport.  I drove Jill there this morning.  The drive seemed shorter this time.  I actually ended up going a way I’ve never gone before…I was just following the little airplanes on the signs.

So, with all of that in mind, I’m going to hop to it.  I think a shower is needed and then I should pack.  I really just want to nap.  Oh how I want to nap.  I don’t think my mind would settle though.  Phooey.  This anxiety thing is really not me.  There’s just too much to be anxious about this Christmas.

Someone please pass the Adavan!

Stupid Balloons

I hate Michaels, no I love it…but these gosh darn balloons in the front have been there for an eternity, they’re fizzled and floppy.  I just about threw them in the garbage today.  Silas sees them every time we go in there and demands that he has them.  He screamed almost the entire time that we were there.  One lady looked over and mumbled “holy” and I said “don’t judge me” and walked away.  Jill was giggling after me.

It’s kind of funny how strangers think they can talk Silas out of his screaming.  Good luck there poncho, they just end up looking silly because Silas aint buying it.  This one Grandma tried and I think she just scared the lad.

Jill had Isaac in her cart and everyone thought HER baby was perfect, little did they know…he was mine too.

I put Ikey in the front of the cart in Superstore yesterday and I was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.  I think that’s why so many mothers go there…cheap food and two kids can fit in the front of the cart.  Perfect.

Silas was SO happy to have Isaac up there with him.  He said “Ikey” and wrapped his arms around Isaac for most of the time.  Isaac loved it too.  He looked so big sitting up there but so little in comparison to Silas.  Silas also let Isaac chew on his finger which both of them enjoy immensely.

Speaking of Ikey getting big, he’s moments away from crawling.  My silly early crawling boys.  Perhaps it’s cuz they’re so big, they get strong quickly.  I think Ikey will start crawling while were in MB for Christmas but I’m hoping he holds off for another month or so.  I’m used to Silas who never really got into anything and now Ikey will be into EVERYTHING, I know it.  I feel it in me bones.

Ike is also trying out his consonants  and is saying “ma ma ma ma” and “blah blah blah blah” all the time.  Him and Silas have such simmilar voices that I sometimes can’t tell who’s doing the talking…or screaming.  Especially in the night.

Anyway, I’m off to get the croc pot full of supper and then make my amazing shephards pie to freeze and take over to MB for supper one night.  I think I have too much beef so I might make two and keep one here for moi!

 

The boys havin a snug.

Christmas Party Time!

It almost feels like I’ve already had Christmas. This Saturday ALL of my family got together and we enjoyed a pre-Christmas Christmas party at my house. We all brought something for brunch and then opened presents. For us that will be away for Christmas, it was a nice time to enjoy some presents now from the people who gave them to us. My mom had me for Christmas and I got some beautiful running clothes. I needed something for running in the dark as I had nothing reflective. Now I do. I’m set to go. Now I need to run run run.

It was a really nice time to just share with my family. There’s five of us kids so getting us AND our husbands AND our kids together is a rare thing. It was nice to add Mom and Mark and Grandma and Grandpa to the bunch.
Although, I do wish my family were more outgoing, they really are quite the drab bunch. Just sitting around, sipping their tea. Sometimes I just yawn and yawn because of the boredom. I’m the only exciting one in the bunch! Seriously.  *note the sarcasm*

Later that evening we went to Jennie’s house and had the MOST amazing Greek food. There’s this place that just has the best food. It was nice to get take out and just eat in a casual setting. I’m sure the kids enjoyed it too. We all stuffed ourselves to the gills and I think I mentioned like 400 times how amazing the calamari was. It melts in your mouth…incredible.

I love getting together with my family. It was wonderful. I was surprised things didn’t get more rambunctuous. Sometimes we have an intense round of Around the World on the ping pong table. Usually someone is sent to the hospital because Terry’s amazing dedication to winning Spoons or Dutch Blitz. And we didn’t have our usual dance party where even Grandma and Grandpa join in. I think we were all just tired of all the stress of Christmas. Usually THOSE kind of parties happen AFTER Christmas, when we’re not so stressed out.

At any rate. I enjoyed having my family over at my house and just being able to see them all in one place. I love them all very much. My siblings are my best friends.

Now for some more respectable photographs of the event.

Jill and Isaac

The crazy men that married us…well…one isn’t married yet…but almost…hopefully there’ll be a wife in there one day for Andy.

Niall(Jill’s), Terry(Jennies), Brent(mine mine mine) and Jay (Juliet’s)

My beautiful mother who’s FINALLY let her hair go gray, I love it!

Grandma doing her favorite thing, holding a baby.

Mark enjoying his Grandson

hanging out

My beautiful Grandpa

Enjoying Ikey over at Jennies. I think they were thinking of stealing him.

and the precious family photo of everyone!