Wednesday, July 9, 2008

With the nice sunny weather we were having I didnt feel like sitting at the computer to post anything. Now with the rain, I guess it is time.

Thom the other day did something cute in the car as we were driving. Beth started to cry and Thom's ever ready response (which he must have learnt from his Dada) 'Beth's hungry Mama feed her'. Well I had just fed her and it was time for her to sleep, which she was fighting. Thom leaned over in his car seat and picked up her hand and as he did this he said 'your little hand in my big hand'. Well, I just thought that was the nicest thing, it makes me abit teary thinking about it.

Beth loves to roll over onto her stomach. Because she doesnt roll back on to her back easily I had been flipping her back onto her back. It is pretty commical because she rolls over, and I wait until she is in a deep sleep. Once I thinks she is sleeping soundly enough I flip her back onto her back. No more than 10 seconds go by and she flips back onto her stomach - she knows how she wants to sleep.

I was going to end this post with some 'pics' as Thommy say however blogger keeps giving an error so, until next time...

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Rolling over

Beth loves to turn herself over. If I put her down on her back and she is not sleeping, flip onto her stomach she goes. When she gets onto her stomach she lays there chewing/eating her hands making unusual noises. She still cannot roll front to back so once she gets there she is stuck - no run away rolling babies yet =)

Beth in her sleep when she gets hungery starts to look for me, before she would just wimper and flaile her arms then scoot over to whereever she felt me (if she didnt find me in a couple seconds, sometimes she would go back to sleep). Now she wimpers and rolls over then she gets very frusterated that there is no milk coming from her hands that she wakes up.

This has gone on for the last four nights, I wonder how long it will continue.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

It is so sunny yeah!

It has been so hard to come and post with this nice weather that has been sent to us! Even with the rain on the weekend it was still warm enough to go swimming at my nephew Jackson's 7th birthday party and plant more trees/shrubs on Sunday. The count is at 50 planted this year, 1 of these is a transplant from a different area of the yard and the 11 we planted last year brings us to 60 trees/shrubs minus 4 that didnt make it through the winter - that seems like a lot - yet there is not shade in our yard yet (thank goodness for the porch), I guess in a couple years though we will be looking for sun light!
The work week started beautifully, Cayman and Christy came by for a visit and we played out side, flew a kite and had the usual wonderful time with them over!
Tuesday, Jeff was working in Brandon, so we joined him for the ride and got dropped off at
Riverbank Discovery Centre and walked some of the 17 kms the non profit group has created since 1995 (Assiniboine River Corridor) and enjoyed the Eleanor Kidd Gardens. It was just beautiful a real shock to find that this wildlife areas and paths all begin right in the city. Anyone going through Brandon stop and enjoy this gem.
Wednsday, Jeff was working in the interlake so we got dropped off at my grandparents trailer at the stonewall quarries trailer/rv park and we enjoyed a lovely day, just relaxing, playing in Thom's kiddie pool and just wasting the day away - again a great day!
Thursday we have baby group so Jeff dropped us off at my parents, then we had breakfast with them, and just bummed around that day (thanks to my grampa lending me his truck every thurday). As we were driving to my parents from Healthy Baby, Thom was counting in the truck and he got all the way to 11! Amazing he cant count higher then 4 when I want him to perform for me but he obviously know. (He also says the alphabet ELLOMNRSTBCD and so it continues - he has letters just not the order, he also goes in the kitchen and asks for dello - which is jello too cute!) Then in the evening I got my minivan back whoo hoo :) Now I just have to get use to filling up a vehicle with gas again ouch! Ava and Ang came to my parents after work so the kids got to play. It was a great evening, Tim was home, my brother in law brad came with pizza and my mom was there, a good visit.
And yesterday we were outside for alot of the day just enjoying the yard. we of course had to water and with at almost 3 year old helper it probubly took about 1 hour extra and we were both wet, luckly Beth slept in her carrier even when she got a little wet. When we were watering the trees we count to 40 before he can move on to the next tree, which seldom works ;) but he got to 28 - good for him!!

On a side note, I barely had to wear Thom in the summer, he was born in late sept and by July he was walking and trying to run. Okay that was just background, what my point is, I am so hot! Everytime we go out side I start sweating, we walk to the store or where ever but I cant take her off when we get there as I have sweat marks! yuck! even the small of my back gets it. We went to visit another little boy in town and I carried her in my arms to prevent this. When we were in Belize, I switched from a front carrier and went around carrying her on the side in a sling however, now Beth does not like being carried on the side and prefers the front as she likes to look around.
Does anyone else like to wear there children as a large accessory to their outfit? (I relate Beth to a large broch as she rarley cries when she in in her carrier and she is very happy and people come up and comment about her (usually asking about him in the navy coloured item) Do anybaby wearers have a suggestions, Jill?

Monday, June 9, 2008

Another Day Goes By...

Beth,
So often I post about Thom and I feel like she might need a little more blog time. Seeing how she isnt terribly active, no chasing her around greenhouses yet, what to say it a bit more limited!
Amazing how with the first child, every first I would call people and tell them about it.
Lets me write about a couple new things for my beautiful, happy second child.
-Yesterday, I put Beth down directly on the grass, usually I place her on a blanket but I didnt bring one onto the lawn & I just put her down. So that was her first time with grass. She suprisingly did not fuss and just laid there contently while everyone was around her Omi, Thom, Jeff and me. (Thom was unsure about the first time he was on grass Apr, 06)
-I am pretty sure if I recorded the imatations she does as someone talks to her, you would believe she is talking as she repeats you stories. She is just fantastic at imitations, I believe she said 'I love you' the other day - or she at least wanted to I could see it in her eyes :) (Thom was not nearly as much of a talker, he was more of a fusser).
-Her eye lashes seem to be growing longer and thicker! It really showcases her lovely blue eyes (and makes her look more like a girl, as she is a very sturdy looking child)
-I have now packed away all the new born to 0-3mths clothing. It was very sad as Ava has so much clothing I dont think Beth wore 1/2 of it as she is growing so much quicker then her cousin. Also very different body shapes so the clothes look different on Beth then Ava, it is like it is a whole new wordrobe. I was very excited that yesterday, Beth fit a dress I bought for Ava when she was a year old (the dress is size 9mths)- so cute like a dress tennis players wear. Then I felt sad as my baby is almost four months and is growing and changing so fast. I will say she looked so cute with her little nike runners (an impulse buy, totally impractical) and the sporty dress!
-Next week she goes to the doctors for her 4mth checkup and shots. She would not take tylenol at 2 mths and spit it all out so I am interested to see how this time goes. as a side note she also will not take Oval or gripe water if gassy either. only milk from the source for her.



Okay now I will go onto another very exciting topic . . . I bought a new breast pump yesterday and some glass bottles. I had the Avent Isis pump and Avent bottles which I just did not feel comfortable using as they have been removed from the shelves due to BPA's. I still have the pump, as I dont feel right throwing it out but I dont want to use it. (I threw out all the plastic sippy cups and bottles earlier (with a couple exceptions for brands that are okay) Beth will still get BPA's from any store bought canned foods, store grade food wrapings, and who knows then other places she will get them. Although I do not have any other plastics to be worried about in my house she will go to friends and may eat a plastic single serve fruit cup which is a 7. So long story short, I just want to limit the kids exposure as much as 'I' can. Anyways, back to my excitment, I have been looking at a new pump since Beth has been born but havent been able to justify it, since I have one in my cupboard, but since I am not comfortable with it, I have only pumped by hand once and that was far to hard (worring about Thom bumping me or the milk I was expressing). So now if we ever desire, in the future once I have built up a supply and make sure Beth will take a bottle Jeff and I can go out without the kids! I know that Jeff and I did not leave Thom very often when he was a babe and only for very short times as he would not take a bottle. But Thom is very excited to try to feed Beth with Jeff and I think it would be nice if they could try that in the future - I dont know what I will do but I would love to get a pedicure and I would prefer not to bring Beth with all the chemicals in the air.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Yesterday

Yesterday, Beth sat unassisted for the very first time! yeep is it not much to soon for that first! I look at her and am so amazed by what she has learnt, smiling, laughing, engaging us in a conversation of coos and happy shrieks. She from her back even rolls up to 90 degrees then her arm get in the way and she stays in that position. I love that she is so interactive but at the same time I am sad because with every first, it means there will not be the antisapation of something happening and eventually she will be 5 going to school, 12 and babysitting, 16 driving a car and finishing school then moving away. I know this is abit early to be lamenting about her moving out but she is our last baby. I will never again have the first smile, when she first raised her arms to get picked up (side note the first person she did that for was my mom to her joy!) and those other amazing moments again. I know, I have hundreds of firsts still to come with Beth and Thom and it is amazing to see there diferences and I know they will continue to amaze me for the rest of my life - think positive glass half full.

Yesterday, was a big day for the girl. Usually people ask me about my 2 boys, however at Dollerama, a sales clerk asked me about my 2 girls (how someone could mistake Thom for a girl I have no idea but it was a nice change to have Beth's gender correct) Tim also said after Beth got out of the bath yesterday that she looked like a girl to him aswell. (Tim believes if you paint on a beard and give Beth an ugly shirt she could go a Jeff for Halloween)

Thom went into the sprinkler for the first time yesterday and loved it. he remembered the rule you dont go in the sprinkler with your clothes on so he went to my moms friend and asked her to undress him - he has only me her a couple times very briefly! He also told her to take of her clothes and come play in the sprinkler - however she declined. Very Funny!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Our Weekend

hard to tell due to the camo out fit but I would have to say it is Jeff playing crocket
Omi, with her only grandchildren Thom, Ava and Beth the
Thom and Beth
Thom on the swing in the yard - check out the grass 8)
Beth 14wks old
Beth 12 wks old - 1st trip to the lake
Ang and Ava at the ceremony
Thommy and Ava running
Leanne and Glen
Ava and Omi after the ceremony

So we went this weekend to my cousins wedding in Gimili - Thomas, Jeff, Beth and I. We put the dogs in the kennel, and drove up Friday. The location was lovely, and the weather took a break from the raining and was wonderful. It was an outdoor ceremony and an indoor reception.


I am going to recant the ceramony for you the way it occured for me:


We got there 20 min before the ceremony and quickly ran to mom and dads room and got dressed, My parents helped change the diapers, wash them and dress the kids. Then 4 min before the ceremony we left the room and took our seats. Right after my Aunt walk down to take her seat Thom informed me he peed his pant-which I felt in my hand as I was holding him up. So before Leanne and the bridesmaids walk down the isle, we ran back to the room where I changed Thommy into some jeans with his dress shirt. We ran back to the ceramony and arrived just after the bridal procession. A few minutes in my sister who was holding Beth a few rows up brought her back to me as she was hungry, some readings had just begun so I feed her (cant beat breast feeding in a place like that - no bottle to heat up). The pastor begain to tell a story about Paul and wives sumitting and what it ment. Maybe 10 min in Thom and Ava got bored, my Dad got up and brought them to the water (which was so beautiful and calm!). If you are wondering where Jeff was during this all he kept jumping up and taking pictures. And you need not feel bad for my Dad since Thom has been born he alway leaves the formal occations and takes care of the kids it is his 'out' and he loves them too much not to take it. Anyways, Beth is still eating the vows have begun and Thom goes and makes friends with a man that is drinking by the water and this guy is skipping rocks for Thommy as Thommy keeps handing more rocks to him. Leanne and Frank are pronouned man and wife and are about to kiss. Beth is done eating I sit her up and she lets out the noisest, loudest, longest poop! The row in front of us all bends over shaking with laughter! I leave again to change a diaper and return as the wedding process walk out. Thom has finished playing with the man and him and Ava are running around, Jeff is still taking pictures and Grampa takes Beth to go show her off. Tim (my brother) brings Thom back to the lake to play and skip rocks, and us girls chat until Jeff comes back to us. We all agree it is a perfect time for a family photo and all set up for it. After a couple takes Thom and Ava leave and I try to get Thom back for a pic of the 4 of us. We get one attempt but Thom was way to distracted by Ava playing and off they went to play in the newly soded lawn - picking it up runing, getting grass stains the usual fun times at an outdoor ceremony! So that was all I picked up from the ceremony - nothing I diddnt even see the kiss because I was laughing to hard I had tears in my eyes! Oh well I can see the pictures at another time.


The reception was nice and relaxed I think it was the most comfortable time I have had at a wedding since I before I had kids. We were far enough from the head table that the noise the kids made was not overwelming and each table had shakers so everyone was noisey at times.


Beth was held a lot, and eventually went to sleep in my lap and was transfer to her car seat around 10pm and slept the rest of the evening. Thom stayed up and partyed -even tryed to dance - and he and I went to bed around 1am a very late nite!


Once Jeff downloads his camera I will post some family pics.


In the morning Thom, Beth and I had almost the entire olympic size pool to ourselves. We stayed in for over 1 1/2 hours and it was the first time Beth enjoyed being in a pool! We rushed to pack up our room ate a late breakfast with my grandparents, parents, siblings, neice, kids, husband and Karli!

In the late afternoon we planted 38 small trees and bushes and Thom went to bed eary so Jeff and I set up he new weight bench - I can bench press 200 lbs!

Today we flew kites and have just been enjoying more family time.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

So, Beth had her first weekend at the lake and it was pretty uneventful. All four of us had a nice relaxing weekend, we did a couple opening up chores, played some games and ate too much. Thom stayed up way to late every night and enjoyed playing with his older cousin Jackson. And ofcourse Beth enjoyed being cuddled, and loved by the family (and I enjoyed the extra hands to help with the kids which increased my one on one time with Thom and Beth)

Now back in the village it is the same old routine. Pick up rocks, pick up more rocks, pick up lots more rocks, then explain to Thom why he cant go to my pile of rocks and move them back on the mud. Thom loves to go outside and is loving that we are trying to get the yard ready for grass. He has his back hoe, 2 dump trucks, a grader, and a bulldozer all set up to 'help' me. He even askes if it is time to go play in the mud. hmmmm I like to think that is a good thing.

Today we did break our routine. We took out the bike trailer for the first time because it was too windy in our yard-days like today the soil blows in our faces while picking at the rock yuck! So I figured it would be a perfect time to start training, I figure that by August I would be able to make it to Evelyn's house and back for a visit by bike- about 32kms round trip.... I am pretty sure I am wrong it will take years to train for that trek who am I trying to kid. It took about 1 hour to get set up then figuring out how to get the car seat with Beth and Thom crammed into the trailer. After we biked to the store because apparently the air disapeared from all of the wheels. Let me tell you I was sucking air to make the .7km to the store (in my defence I had a trailer with 60lbs of kids and kid stuff in it with four very flat tires and I am only 12 weeks post partum). The bike ride did get better after adding air to the wheels and all three of us did have a great time, especially the break that we took at the park :)

On a side note, I realize that my excuse of only 12 weeks post partum is pretty weak and I will continue to 'train' with the bike and trailer. However I am realistic and I think I will be driving to Evelyn's in the future then maybe biking to the park from there. And perhaps I will bike with Beth in the baby carrier on my front and only Thommy in the trailer. I am open to any sugestions people have on how to get my two kids comfortable for the bike riding I see in my near future.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Out of the mouth of babes

So it seems Beth is almost ready to talk lol!
Jeff swears she has said 'Dada', on the weekend my Mom and Dad both said she repeated 'Opi' and yesterday as I was talking to her she said 'baby Beth'! I gave birth to a wonder child ;)

Thomas last weekend while on the phone to my parents said that Beth was his 'best friend' (I don't know how he has any knowledge of a best friend, but it sure was a wonderful moment). On Friday night my parents brought over chinese food and Thommy's fortune said that he would be very sucessful in buisness. To this he replied 'I am going to take the school bus and go to school'. When I told Jeff the story we both found it amazing that he figured out that he needed to go to school to get an education for his sucess! Or perhaps he thinks it is sucessful to be in school, either way I was impressed!

It was very interesting going to the zoo with Thom this weekend, very different from our last visit. It took over 4hrs to see only about 1/2 or the zoo! Thomas was so interested in everything, asking questions, explaining things to me, running around, looking, watching, touching! Amazing the difference, when we were there over Sept long weekend, it was fun, but to see how much his little brain has grown filled me with awe. This little boy is growning not only physically but mentally and every question he asks and comment he makes displays that fact. (On a side note about 2 wks ago the word why became very predominant in his vocabulary!)Unc teaching Thom to skateboard
Thom telling me about the dragon
checking out a leaf in the conservatory
entrance to the tigers
the zoo keeper talking to us about what might be the oldest black and white lemer in captivity in the whole world. Our Zoo has many of the oldest animals in captivity and 2 of which are in the Guiness Book of world Record, they are currently looking into if the black and white is the oldest
Thom telling me about his very first horse ride
Dad Beth and me outside the Discovery Centre
Thom checking out the rabbits in the Barn at the Zoo

Friday, May 9, 2008

Tidying Up Thommy's room



Yesterday, my in-laws came over to set up a shelf they were giving us. It is a very large cube shelf which I thought we could use to store some of Thomas' toys and books. (what it really means was I hoped the shelf would help me take over the living room again lol). So while Jeff is away again (for 6 nights at a trade show in Tunder Bay) Thom and I tackled rearranging his room and organizing this shelving unit.

If I do say so myself it looks great - and I know it will never look the same again so I took pictures :) We organized his books by type for the different blocks put toys he loves lower down - I was having a great time! Thom rediscovered all sorts of books we hadden't read in a while and got in some good reading. Beth of course just watched.
Thom on his bed-if you notice the pool noodles, Thom moves so much while he is sleeping he gets brused all over from his custom race car bed so since my f-i-l made it the solution we came up with was to put the noodles over the areas he injures his face in.
The book shelf how it will never look again. In the living room it looked like he had so many books but now looking at this picture, it shows me for his birthday Thom 'needs/wants' more books.
Thomas helping me haha
Beth blowing bubbles before bed last night

Friday, May 2, 2008

More fun times with the Barrett's

We have had a great week!

We went to a new group on Tuesday and Thomas and I really enjoyed it. It is called Wiggles Giggles and Munch out of St Andrews C.C. It was a super time, and was so nice for Thommy because it was a time just for him to be crazy - there is free play, crafts, singing, snack and specified play- it is a jam packed hour! Afterwards, we went for lunch with a couple people and their kids from the group (for the second time) and really enjoyed ourselves. Thom is really excited about his new friends lulian (Julian) and Sam. - A big thanks to my new friend Leanne for the invite and letting us know about this super program.

Thom has started something new - he has gotten more clingy recently, and for the first time Thom wanted to leave his Saturday sleepover! He called me Saturday night after I left him at my parents wanting to come home. I with my parents help, convinced him to stay and I would see him the next morning for brunch (as I have Sunday brunch at my parents every weekend). Apparently he woke up during the night and tryed to convince my parent to take him to me again. Since then Thom has begun waking up at night again (2 or 3times) - he had gone 5 days in a row without waking up :(

Beth, is laughing more now - she laughed for the first time March 22 and has slowly begun doing this more. She had laughed first for me and then at my brother. Near the middle of April, Jeff got to hear it for the first time and then during bath time Apr 30 she was laughing at me repeatedly. So much that Jeff could hear it in his office from the bathroom!

Beth also is moving her feet tons! She is still sleeping in our bed, and when she wakes up for her feedings she always sticks her hand in her mouth and trys to get milk. She trys to get closer to her hand (to get the milk she thinks is in it) and wiggles and moves her feet. With her movement she can move quite a bit, she has gone up to 8inches before she has started to cry for milk, I am curious if she wasnt hungry or I didnt feed her how far she could go? However I am not going to find out, I figure I should feed her when she is wimpering for food :)

Beth also has a new group this week - Christy went back to the Healthy Baby site she ran while Thom was an infant! It was very nice almost like coming home, yet the dinamix changed, new women in the group of course but it was more then that I have changed. Before I just worried about me and Thom, this time- though he is in the child care area and (for the time he was in there) I was straining my ears to hear if he was laughing or if he sounded happy. Then when he was out I to watched him, held Beth and tryed to have conversations with other women. I am sure as the weeks go by it will change and we will both have our routine there. Thom did have lots of fun with the other kids, I had fun and well Beth ate and slept.

I am not going to be going to the Beausejour site as it conflicts with Wiggles Giggles and Munch and I would rather go where Christy is, it is a great situation I get to go to baby group and see my bf at the same time. It is so nice that each kid of mine has their own special group, I think I said that above but truly I cant say it enough!

Just one more thing to bring up about one of my children, one of them has begun to run away from me (again)! I thought that was cured however, the running has returned with a vengence!
On the plus side, it keeps me on my toes and may help me lose the rest of my baby weight, there alway must be a plus =)