{one}

March 19th. Spring?

We were siphoning water from our backyard rink around the 19th of April last year. Old Man Weather got our hopes up a bit with an early thaw and backyard draining in March.

{two}

April 6th. Winter?

Thankfully, this snow lasted just a day or two and we're back to semi-Spring weather. We're supposed to get some teen temperatures this week. Woo!

{three} 

I've been on a bread baking kick (or was when I started this post a few weeks ago - time to start a new batch!). Normally, I bake 4 loaves of whole wheat toast bread every week or so with my KitchenAid, but I wanted something additionally as a special bread. After a failed attempt at making my own sourdough starter and then finding out that Dan didn't really like sourdough flavour anyway, I read Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. Game changer! I make a big batch of dough that sits in the fridge. I can have bread or baguettes ready in an hour or so to add to a supper - and it's literally no work! The flavour improves as it sits in the fridge. It's so, so easy and pretty too!

{four}

We had Emma, the dog, visit four different times (John Paul kept record) during the month of March. We all love Emma so much and would keep her if we didn't live in town. But the kids just love her visiting! I think Emma likes us too.

{five}

Uh, baby bump picture, anyone? 21weeks! I'm feeling pretty big all over, but according to this pic (taken at 19 weeks) don't actually look as huge as I feel. I think it's deceiving... Baby is kicking like crazy and I've felt it for at least 7 weeks already, which is much earlier than I remember with any other pregnancy. I'm thinking it must be the soft belly after 3 kids already ;) The kids are super excited that "mommy's getting fatter!" and keep telling me I'm going to win lots of watermelon stickers for my belly this summer (i.e. they like to put the stickers off the watermelon on me when I look like a watermelon).

 

20 week ultrasound

{six}

My other "baby" is getting lots of big girl hair-dos of french braids and pony tails. She is definitely outgrowing her afternoon nap, but still sometimes takes one because mommy is tired and needs to take a nap. When she doesn't nap she'll sleep through the night in her "bunk bed" as she likes to call her crib, but when she does nap... she climbs into bed with mom sometime in the middle of the night. And sometimes, she falls asleep during supper or an afternoon/evening story...

{seven}

I celebrated my 33rd (!) birthday this month. We had great riblets care of Costco (seriously, so yummy!) and leftover birthday cupcakes frozen after John Paul's birthday. Yay!

                                   

{eight}

Funny kids enjoying the sun after a cold winter. I told them we have to work on smiles again :)

  

{nine}
"Blue Day." Brought to you by new Costco spring clothes and crazy kids with an excuse for nuttiness.

 

{ten}

We are limping? groaning? attempting? our way through Lent. Every year I feel like a failure and every year Dan reminds me that I felt that way the year before too. I guess if I felt like I was nailing Lent then I'd be getting proud and failing anyway. I have plans made for Holy Week and am hoping that we can grow in holiness just a little more during this holiest week of the year.

Almost there!

{eleven}

For your entertainment. 

Snippets: What a Year

Oh, goodness. I'm not sure if I even know how to blog anymore. So let's start with a grand ol' mish-mash to update you on this year. Yes, this year that we are mere weeks into.

{one}
Just before New Years I wounded up on the couch after throwing out my back. Not sure how. Maybe it was almost wiping out as I walked the icy path in skates to the rink one night with Emilie. A few days later and a couple great books and I was good to go.

{two}
Shortly after, Emilie became sick: coughing, rough nights, and constipated. Really constipated. Eventually, I took her to the doctor. She had an ear infection that might have gone away, but the doctor suggested antibiotics for a few days to clear it up and help with #2. It did. Very much so. But a week or so later, she got a rash. Apparently a side effect of the antibiotics. Eventually, it went away.

{three}
This seems wrong to put this as a bullet point on an otherwise insignificant list. Around this time, John Paul began getting a bloody nose turned rashy nose/mouth. Another weekend trip to ER got us ointment for impetigo. 24 hrs later we went back to ER because it become a rash on his face and core. The doctor decided to put him on an IV then and there, and arrange it so we would come in every 8hrs for antibiotics.

It was heartbreaking to see our 4 year old so sick. Less than 24 later, we went back for another dose and the doctor on ER was not happy (truthfully, neither were we). John Paul seemed to only be getting worse, not better. Blood work, calls to pediatricians and specialists in the province, and the quick decision to send John Paul to the Pediatrics unit in Prince Albert 1.5hr drive away blew our minds and our day.

And thus is happened that John Paul and I went by air ambulance to Pediatrics ICU late last Monday night. In the moment, you do all you can to just be there for your kid, to concentrate on what doctors are saying, but when I looked at him my heart was breaking. He was unrecognizable, he might nod or shake his head, answer "yes" and "no" sometimes to me, but barely talked. It all happened so quickly.

We spent 2 days in Pediatrics. Our local team was incredible to evaluate and get us there when we needed to go. All John Paul's blood work and skin cultures came back normal. They determined he had Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare and serious disorder of skin and mucous membranes. Despite our poor boy's symptoms, he was lucky to be a mild/med case. We had no way of knowing why it happened in his case. Thanks to heavy duty antibiotics, IV drip, and the good care of the Pediatricians, we were able to come home with a boy well on his way back to his normal craziness. To us, it looked like a miracle. He is recovering really well.

{four}
Emilie has reached a whole new level of constant talking. Can't keep a talker quiet. She asks questions all day, every day: "Why... you making food ...you doing laundry ...I need socks?" But often when you ask her a question, like say, "Why do you ask so many dumb questions?" she just answers, "I donno."

Her favourite things include food, helping mom make food, babies, and cuddling. You'd think she also likes whining, the amount she does it. We hear constantly, "More food please!" from when she gets up until when she goes to bed. Favourites include everything she should eat in moderation, like cheese, milk, ice cream, M&Ms, and cereal, but we have recently added roasted broccoli and peppers to her list. We have a few friends with newish babies, as well as a couple cousins under a year old. Emilie likes nothing better than pictures of babies and holding babies and talking about babies. If she sees a baby on TV (a commercial, perhaps) she wants to go back to the "baby show".

{five}
We are experiencing "extreme" cold conditions this week. -40 this morning and then add at least 10 degrees colder for wind. I've read stuff about this Danish/Norwegian word "hygge" meaning a "mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment" according to Wikipedia (ha). Actually, in some parts of the internet it's a crazy-popular notion that seems all the rage. However, if this is a lifestyle, it's currently us. Stay indoors, do lots of schoolwork around the kitchen table, read lots of books under cozy blankets, listen to music, drink tea, and eat lots of food (Emilie's currently asking for food... again.). Socialization is overrated. So long as it's -40 out.

{six}
John Paul is recovering... as I said. We're a week out from the hospital now and he's lost almost all his skin everywhere due to peeling, but is almost done the process. It's been frustrating and itchy for him, but he is an amazing trouper. We were told over and over what a tough and brave kid he was.

These days, John Paul is constantly colouring, cutting, taping, and generally creating. I had to make a rule that kids ask for more paper when they want it. John Paul's most frequent question for me: “Mom, can I have another piece of paper?” I opted to have the kids each have their own roll of tape back in the spring (so they would stop taking mine!) and John Paul has definitely been through more than his share of rolls. He also enjoys writing numbers, counting, and doing math work.

Although we do lots of school work all together at the kitchen table every morning, I can also count on John Paul to entertain and generally playing with Emilie for long amounts of time. Emilie goes around telling us, "John Paul my buddy!" Lego and Playmobile stories and re-enactments, morning culddles with mom, and breakfast indecision are biggies for John Paul these days.

{seven}
And Joseph. We are deep in the middle of hockey season. Twice a week practices, and weekend games or tournaments have Joseph (and any number of us) out at the rink watching Novice hockey. He's always been a good little skater, short, but very fast. He's enjoying trying out different positions this year and scoring goals for his little sister. At night, he and John Paul are usually hanging out in the basement playing mini-sticks, taking practice shots at specific basement stairs, or out on our little backyard rink.

Despite his frequent complaints, Joseph mostly enjoys school. He's definitely reached that "age of reason" where we know he knows exactly what's right and wrong. Hopefully, he'll receive his First Confession in the next month or so... we just have to do the "practice" confession at home! In his spare time, Joseph reads a crazy number of books, plays solitaire or Kings in the Corners with John Paul, listens to world history audio books, and entertains us with fireworks at night made with his snap circuit electrical set.

Snippets

School's Out

Joseph finished up Kingergarten and our first year of homeschooling at the end of May. We can't believe how far he has come over the last months. 

From a kid who was still struggling to remember 16 when counting to 20 the first week of school to adding, subtracting, skip counting, telling time (hour/half-hour), and so much more. Joseph is so excited to be reading stories and loves to try writing his own little notes by sounding out letters to form words. His favourite subject is science and we regularly hear around our house (equally from Joseph or John Paul), "Let's do this for a science experiment!" And everything could be termed a science experiment. 

We just sent in our year-end report to the school division and I'm so proud of all the fun and learning we were able to do this year!

Left: first day of school. Right: last day of school.

Swimming Lessons & Soccer

We finished school "early" because we were done, but also because we have a busy month of June with swimming and soccer. Both boys are taking lessons. They love it! But are a little cautious and nervous in the water. Hopefully a little practice with Mommy will get them over the hurdle.

The swimming pics didn't work so well, but this cutie was watching her big brothers.

Garden

We have a small garden in our backyard (Dan is weeding in the pic) where we are growing carrots, beans, peas, and tomatoes. We also have a little lettuce bed and some cucumbers yet to go in somewhere. Just a couple weeks ago, Grandpa Millette tilled up an area in the back of the Millette garden for us and we planted a ton of potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. We're pretty sure that in our excitement we might have bit off more than we can chew... I mean, weed. We can probably eat it all!

Gardening

Birds 

We have been watching our bird feeder closely and were delighted to see goldfinch again this spring. They seem to have moved on, either because our feed dwindled or they found other nesting spots. However, we have a pair of tree swallows nesting in our bird house that Dan received from a student. We were so excited to watch them building their nest and like to listen as they "talk" to each other on the wire or watch as they swap places on the nest. Unfortunately, they weren't peeking out when I took the pic.

Couldn't get it when the birds were peeking out

Reading

We have been avidly reading of late. Joseph is thoroughly enjoying an old Catholic reader. He asks, "Why do they call their Grandpa, Grandfather? Can I just say 'Grandpa'?" We just scored some great books at a library sale today. It always makes me a little sad when libraries get rid of good books I grew up on (although we are happy to have them in our own library). Even some Caldecott Medal Winners today. We will give them a good home. 

Reading baby books. We love Sandra Boynton.

She is so excited to get her hands on our treasures.

Outdoor Fun

With the beautiful weather, the boys have been spending hours and hours outside every day. They love their fort and have built a little table and log chairs inside. They cook food, spy on the neighbours, fight battles, and have secret pathways. 

On Sunday, Grandpa Millette surprised the boys with some kites. Joseph has been making his own kites for months and is slightly obsessed with them. He enlisted Grandpa's help a couple weeks back with another homemade one, but was ecstatic to have this one to build and test fly. Despite the mostly calm skies, Joseph managed to get some great height (of course, I missed the best of it). He says the kite almost made it to the sun.

A couple weeks ago, we looked out the window to see our neighbour across the street out in her yard walking ...a pig. Obviously, the boys had to run outside to check it out. This her pet. Her name is Lily... the pig, I mean.

Our boys are at their happiest out at Grandpa and Grandma's acreage, but they try to make our backyard suffice when we can't make it there. Even little trees become giants to scale.

Quotes

And although I don't have any great pictures of just John Paul at the moment, he sure is a funny guy...

Running full speed around the circle from the kitchen through the living room, he stopped for an apple chunk to eat: "Got my gas!"

Examining the bananas as he tried to choose one: "They have chocolate on them... brown spots all over. They are no good."

Snippets: May Goings-On

1. We did our own little crowning of Mary for May on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. I need to make more of a conscious effort to make a few more liturgical year celebrations traditions, because the boys just love it! They picked out a rose at the florist and made a little crown with flower stickers. We prayed a decade of the Rosary, sang Immaculate Mary while Dan played organ, and had a pompous crowning after they proudly carried Mary's crown on a pillow. Oh, and they presented Mary with a container of some carefully picked weed flowers and leaves from the backyard! We finished off the ceremonies with leftover ice cream cake and called it a rousing success.






2. Our boys, they seem to be growing so quickly these days. Joseph is a combination of mature little 4-year-old and trouble-causing pre-schooler. He is eager to help dry dishes or make me put my feet up while serving me water, yet also gets a little kick out of making his brother scream.

Dan put training-wheels on Joseph's bike a few weeks ago (the ones in the picture didn't work and have since been replaced) and he's in heaven. "When can I ride on the road??" he asks everyday. While I'm not a huge fan of training-wheels, I'm grateful that I can sit and watch his trips around the yard because there's no way I could be doing the holding up and "peddle, peddle" routine. Joseph is outside practicing everyday and looking forward to just cruising along beside his two younger siblings when we bust out the double stroller again.




3. It's official. We will not have John Paul reigned in or obedient (ha) before this baby comes out. (Wait, did I even remotely expect that?! No, but I've heard it's a good idea that your toddler knows you mean business before a new baby... Parenting fail? Oh well. Way too late now.) When he's called, he runs the opposite direction. When he's told he needs to get dressed, diaper changed, whatever - he screams. But somehow, he's a little angel when sitting quietly at the doctor's office or playing wordlessly with other little kids at Moms + Tots.




4. Time is slowly narrowing down the widow left between now and when our new baby will arrive. I have to keep reminding myself that it's still a long way off... so as not to start expecting a due-date baby. After all, we don't make those kinds of babies.

But, he/she will have to come out sometime in the next 5 weeks. Due date is 3.5 weeks away, fyi.

I have mixed feelings: it's getting pretty uncomfortable and I just want this baby out BUT it's going to be a lot harder, louder, and possibly more painful when the baby comes out and I really don't want to do what it takes to get the baby out. At some point, my discomfort will outweigh my lack of enthusiasm for labour and delivery... and if it doesn't, nature will run it's course and I will have no choice.

Meanwhile, the boys think our baby looks like a watermelon. They kindly retrieved a stick from a watermelon to adorn my belly this morning (not shown).

34 weeks

46 weeks

5. The other day, Joseph asked if it was okay for him to pee in the yard. Okay, sure, over behind that tree. I looked over to see that he'd cautiously pulled his shorts right down to the ankles, lifted his shirt way up, and was proudly letting forth a nice little stream. Boys take such pride in this art! Next time I look up, John Paul is standing in the pee zone, shirt lifted high, and proudly announcing, "I pee!"

"Oh, so he's picked his spot?" Dan questioned when I told him about the peeing. Yep, but they haven't figured out yet that your "spot" should be out of the way of sight and play... not next to the tree that's two steps from the sand box and in full view of both neighbours' windows.





6. John Paul slept through the night last night for the first time in his life. 10 hrs! There are some people who manage to sleep train their kids by 7 weeks or 7 months and (as far as I know) enjoy blissful full nights of sleep thereafter. We are obviously not those lucky parents. But we are ever so grateful when it does happen. Eventually. We are not, however, counting on this trend continuing beyond one night. We have learned a little in our years of parenting.

7. We went swimming in Melfort this weekend and had a blast. I brought the older, oft-broken camera because it's small and it failed me miserably. Joseph is a cautious "swimmer" not daring to put more than his little face in the water once and ride around on top of mats where he can still touch the floor. John Paul has no fear whatsoever (might come in a little handy) and will topple over, walk over his head, and jump off the wall anywhere. Both of them wear a perma-grin, though. (A few more pictures in lieu of swimming pics).

Snippets: April Recap

1. Until last week, I had no April folder for pictures because I just hadn't taken any pictures this month. What's the point of having a nice camera if you don't use it? Dan's thinking this as he reads it. 

2. I turned 30! Wow, crazy, unimaginable! Once upon a time, I thought that 30 was grown up and people who were 30 must have their lives all in order and everything figured out. Hmmm. By all appearances, maybe I/we are grown up: homeowners, parents to three, responsibilities and bills to pay. But seriously?! I don't feel that old. Like, as old as I once thought 30 was. 

2. I was 30 weeks pregnant the week I turned 30. And now I'm a whopping 33 weeks! The countdown is on, sort of. Feeling huge and knowing I'll be getting even bigger. I've been trying to stay off my feet a little bit to stave off a hip instability that's a pain, literally. This means trying not to be on my feet all day long. Varied success. I'm not a natural couch potato.

 

3. Dan is finishing up his last week of crazy-busy after school activities this week. With his catechism kids receiving their sacraments this weekend, we'll be in the clear for seeing Daddy a little bit earlier in the day and on weekends. Yay! Joseph and John Paul alternately say at various points throughout the day (or even seconds after Dan has left after lunch) "I miss Daddy!" or "I'm miss Daddy!" (John Paul's words). But, the countdown is on until the end of the school year and Dan still has lots to do before baby arrives sometime in June. 

4. We got to hang out with all the Millette side cousins last weekend for Grandma Millette's birthday. Joseph has decided that "Cousins are friends and friends are cousins." Also, that he wants to visit with all his cousins way more than we actually do. 

The "big" kids gathered swords, water guns, and sling shots to "hunt the wolf" (otherwise known as friendly Emma, the dog). This, after the boys tried capturing and attacking the girls. They were easily convinced that the girls needed protecting and could be allies. Emma was thrilled with all the attention. 

Meanwhile, the "little" kids sort of joined in on the fun and smiled awkwardly. Actually, John Paul loves, loves, loves all the attention he gets from his big girl cousins. He cried when he had to go home and leave Marie (10) and Claire (8) behind. We sure could use a big sister over here for a few months, just sayin'.

5. We've been having some great weather of late. In years past, we've been known to still have snow at this time of the month. But it's been gone for a while now and winter clothes packed away. We've had shorts out on a few occasions, but mostly still long-sleeves or a bunny-hug. We'll take a bit of global warming in this province. 

Joseph's new favourite activity is to use the old stroller as some kind of self-motorized vehicle and roll himself around. 

And John Paul runs and runs. I can't get him to hold still for a photo, never mind look at the camera and offer one of his beautiful smiles.

6. Joseph quotes:

Joseph: "Have you ever had a 5-year-old or a 10-year-old before, Mum?
Me: "Um, no..."
Joseph: "Well, you're going to have those kind of old year-olds soon!"

7. John Paul quotes:

John Paul: "Mommy, you not Dod... Daddy, you not Dod"
Me: "Who is God?"
John Paul: "Dod!"

Every time we're ready to pull out the driveway in the van: "Read roll, Mum? Ready rock, roll?"