Our little family ritual

Every Saturday morning we all take Nikyla to dance class, then after class we make our outting. Clothes shopping, grocery shopping, whatever comes up, a little family trip. Last weekend we had a half decent trip to the shopping center and then on Sunday we went to the Wave Pool. The girls just loved it.
This weekend is the Kids Learning and Growing Fair, presenting Bob the Builder. The fun just never stops...

Princess in Training

I know that there are many parents out there that have difficulties giving their children medicine. Luckily to this point both kids have liked medicine. Nikyla has had a bit of a sore throat and a cough lately and a low grade fever. Tonight I was giving her something for her cough, the conversation went something like this...
"Oh I like that flavor, what is it mom?" Nikyla asked
"I don't know" I replied
"I think it's fruit punch. Mom, if I get the chicken pops can I have a bandaid?" she asked
"Sure" I said "but you might need a bit more than a bandaid hon"
Nikyla loves to visit the Doctors, get checked out and doted on.
Speaking of doted on .... Today was a special day for her, she went skating on our outdoor rink for the first time and did well. Then she decided she wanted to invite our neighbours daughter who is 10. So our neighbours daughter came out, she is really great with Nikyla, and skated for a bit on the rink. Then they jumped on the trampoline, drew a bit on the pavement and then Nikyla dictated that they should now go inside. When this happens usually I will invite our neighbour over for coffee while her and my daughter play about. However today she was busy but her daughter still came over. Nikyla tells her what to do the whole time and the sweet girl just plays along to make sure that Nikyla is always happy. I went for a nap and when I woke I had expected our neighbour girl to be gone, but she was still here playing and I heard from Nikyla "run for your life" as they were playing run away from Jersey monster.

Go Sens Go

We had went to our first Senators game yesterday with another family. Nikyla was so great sitting watching, cheering and asking about it, it was so cute. Jersey stayed home with the IL's. We saw Spartacat and she liked trying to find him every once in a while in the stands. We are planning on doing this once more before the season is over and I can't wait!
On another note, Nikyla is doing famously about me leaving ever since the Christmas break. She hasn't been crying and carrying on, knock on wood this is wonderful!! Jersey still cries for a second, until I am outta sight. And speaking of little miss Jersey. She now loves to bite her sisters back, fingers, toes, anything she can sink her little teeth into LITERALLY! I can't wait for that last eye tooth to come in, she is so grouchy. I was also informed today that when she gets mad she finds the closest person and tries to shove them down, she is usually surrounded by 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 yr olds.

2006's fondest memories

I was just surfing around to see what some of the headlines were for 2006 and I came across this little article about getting the epidural and nursing. I personally had no issues with it, I hate pain and loved the drugs for it. So reading that article, lead me to this article, Woman kicked off plane for breast-feeding baby. Interesting what will be remembered of 2006. For me, it will always be the best Summer, to-date, being off with both the kids and having lots of fun together. What is your fondest memory of '06?

Resolutions

The break and time with the whole family and friends has been great! Now I really don't want to go back to work. When do I ge to win the lottory???
Christmas was fantastic this year. Nikyla's expressions and comments were just so cute. "Santa was sneakin' mom" and "Do you hear that?" with her hand up to her ear, "I think I hear Dasher on the roof". We had been singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer before she went to bed. Jersey had fun ripping the wrapping paper and playing with everything. Ah, until next year.
Speaking of next year, we ring in the New Year soon. No sitters the night of, so we will be low key but that will be ok. Nice and relaxing just before back to work...ugh. My next years resolution is to start a better workout routine. Anyone else have any resolutions??

Holiday cheer

Nikyla has been asking for her friends, the sitters kids and other kids at the sitters, to be able to come over to her house for awhile now. So the other day I thought, why not throw a Christmas party for her and her friends. Jersey would love it too. So we have a Christmas party planned this Saturday morning. Just some hot cocoa, cookie decorating, nametag making and Christmas crackers. Enough to keep them busy for a bit and hopfully some of us mom's can chat, have a coffee and relax.
I never watch Smallville, but I did tonight and man, I am missing a show with some real hotties in it! Might have to make it part of my regular weekly watching.

How much have you done?

I am, say 90% done my Christmas shopping. I know things I want to get, well most, but it's the time to get out and get them! I am trying to teach Nikyla a couple of things this Christmas. First, I try to explain to her this is Jesus' birthday but we all celebrate it. I would like to take our family to the Church Christmas Service this Sunday, and make that a yearly tradition. Second I am trying to explain that it is great to give gifts and how it makes her feel by receiving them, so by her giving gifts makes others feel that way, that great feeling. I am not sure she gets it but she is very excited to head out, just the 2 of us and go Christmas shopping together. She is going to go and get some special gifts for friends and family. We did have the Christmas shoppe, she only shopped for 2 family members. I really wanted to take her out, to see her train of thought on choosing a gift. I would like to see her choose a gift and put it in Toy Mountain for children that don't have a Christmas gift. I am not sure she will understand but I would like to make it a tradition. Are there any traditions you are going to pass down or start with your family?

Happy Birthday to You

Let's do the time warp again... Dan was just a young lad turning the good ol' age of 27. I decide to throw him a surprise birthday party at the Keg Manor. The night comes, he doesn't want to go. I have 'friends' (we will use this term lightly) at the apartment with us not backing me to go. Dan wants to stay at home watching the hockey game. He complains enough to bring me to tears, I don't want to ruin the surprise but he is NOT budging from the couch with beer in hand. I have about 25 people waiting there. Finally he says fine let's go, and then some choice words at the end of it. So we go, he complains the whole way there, why there, who cares, I can't watch the game there... the complaints go on and on. We get there and we are brought to the party room there, he realizes it is full of his friends. He looks at me and says I am so sorry. I said no worries, I will never, ever, ever, EVER throw you a surprise party again as long as I know you. I will stick by those words for the rest of my life.
This leads me to my next blurb.
Earlier in the month I asked Dan if he would like a birthday party November 25th since his birthday is the 29th. He says no I don't think so. Then he changes his mind and wants to have it December 2nd. Now he does know that Light Up the Night is on the Friday night, Saturday I work the nursery school Christmas Shoppe (I did my time working the wrapping table), party that night then Sunday run my butt off all day for a Christmas Tea at my work AND is the town's Santa Clause Parade. Ok so I will do my best, worked out not too bad, except both kids got sick that night. Jersey had the grossest, smelliest runs and Nikyla had a sore tummy that kept her up from about 11:45pm and finally threw up at 2 am-ish. If it wasn't Nikyla up, it was Jersey up, all night. How I managed to get through the Sunday without dropping sometime in the day, is beyond me! Dan and his crew finally wrapped it up around 3am after I reminded him that he did have the kids all the next day to himself and had to wake up early. Clark, his friend that stayed over and is a batchlor, stayed around most of Sunday with Dan and the girls. Sometimes I wish I was a fly on the wall to watch these 2 in action with the kids.

Double checking is a good thing

Since, at least, last week we have been so busy I barely have time to sleep. And I LOVE sleep.
Let's go back in time .... say last Thursday. The sitter called me at work and her kids are sick and throwing up. I should go and get Jersey, as Nikyla was in school. I asked her if she could watch Jersey just another half hour, for me to clean up at work and then pick up Nikyla on the way, save me from packing up Jersey twice. Sure she says. Great! I get ready at work by bringing some of it home to work on, pack it all up and I planned out the rest of my time. Run my errands for work with the kids, will take longer but needs to be done. So I get to the nursery school, I am running now, as I am late... as usual. Then I remember, I forgot money for her field trip, head back to the Blazer and grab it. Run in, sign a made permission form since I lost my 'official' form, give the money, grab her art work while she is explaining her day to me then head out the door. Grab for the keys to unlock the door and they aren't there... ok they must be in the school, I must have put them down when I signed my handmade form. Let's run back in, we have no time to lose, we were suppose to be at the sitters now 15 minutes ago. I look around, not there... you gotta be joking me right??!! RIGHT??!!! I have often panicked that I locked my keys in the truck but it has never actually happened. I take Nikyla by the hand and run out to the truck and peer in the window, yep there they are in my purse. Lovely. Dan is in Ottawa and taken off days last week... Ok let's call my trusty neighbour, thankgoodness for neighbours! She packs up her 3 kids and comes to pick us up. By this time I am over another half hour late. I am sure everyone knows by now, we are rarely on time. To sum up, I called Dan asked him to come home early or right after work, he is off at 4pm daily. Needless to say we walked in our door at 5:30pm. Better late then never right???

Coughing, coffee & buns

Since it has been a while I guess I should write something. Ok a few updates... Jersey has had a cough since September, we have tried many things, finally it has seemed that puffers have worked for her. She still coughs until she throws up but not as often as it was.
Yesterday morning I was driving Nikyla to nursery school and usually I can make a quick stop at Tim's before. I got there and the line was so long it was going to take too long. Dan was just leaving Tim's and had already got his coffee so I couldn't even ask him to pick me one up. Oh well, no biggie. I head to the school and I realize that we forgot Nikyla's backpack at home. Race home to get it and then head back to the school and drop off Nikyla. She only cried a bit, so that was good. I head out the doors from the school and there is Dan with coffee and Cinnamon bun, my fav, in hand. That's my man!!

Weekends

On the weekends I like to 'do' things. We usually get up and all watch Nikyla dance, then we head somewhere after for a little family shopping. This weekend though I don't know if we will. We were suppose to go to Hershey's with our neighbor and her daughter, however I am sure you have all heard by now it is closed down. SO, either we post-pone and go another time OR I might suggest to go see a movie. Either Happy Feet or The Santa Clause 3... OR go to the Children's Museum (this website needs major work) on Sunday and then after watch the Imax Ocean movie. Decisions, decisions....

Do you believe the hype

Maybe I hyped up or looked forward to this day a little too much. Jersey slept from 12am - 6am then gave her a bottle and continued to sleep until 8am. Nikyla, on the other hand she woke up at 1-1:30am, she couldn't stop coughing, then up for the day at 7am, as usual. Nikyla almost NEVER sleeps in, a very rare occasion if she does. So I get up with Nikyla and Dan gets up with Jersey, we get the kids ready I take them off to the sitters, go to work for about 5 minutes to check on something then head to Tim's and go home. While I was doing that Dan was at home taking a shower and was ready to roll once I got home. We went into town to do some shopping and see our friends new baby. I asked Dan where he would like to go shopping he said, "it's a secret", jokingly. I said let's go to Bayshore, he said he didn't want to. I was in a pretty easy going mood and I said "wherever is good for me". BIG MISTAKE right there. So his surprise was that he wanted to visit Home Depot, The Brick, Futureshop, and Best Buy... yippee do, can you hear the excitement?? What did I just agree to, I really wish he had of told me that so he could have dropped me off at Bayshore and we both would have been happier. So around 12:15 we headed to Ikea, where I had asked to go to but it was a zoo, so I changed my mind. I called our friend, that had the baby and she said it wasn't a good day, granted I know what that is like but I revolved my day around us going to see her. It was too bad, I was looking forward to seeing their wee one but hopefully we'll be able to try again some time. Dan heard my disappointment and offered to head to Bayshore or Wal-Mart, but I wasn't in the mood anymore. I had wanted to sleep in during the day or take a nap, so I said just head home. Dan set up his stereo system and speakers while I napped. Then I went to go and get the kids, that's it. No nothing for me, I had planned on buying a bra and cute little scarf for me and my new jacket I had. Oh well I did have a great day off with Dan nonetheless.

Anticipation

For the first time since Nikyla has been born, Dan and I will have the house to ourselves on Monday!! I never thought I would see this day so soon... Dan and I both have a stat day on Monday and the kids are going to go to the sitters. Our selfish day, I can't WAIT!! We have planned to sleep the morning away and in the afternoon go in town to visit our friend who just had their first baby and go shopping. Shopping, just Dan and I, that's it, no wee ones. First I said we need to stay home and clean up the house, then after a second I said screw it we are doing whatever we want. I asked my MIL the other day if she would take our kids for an afternoon while we cleaned the house, we'll do it then... probably :)

"Can you tell me how to get, how to get to...

I think we, the have hit a great milestone, knock on wood with Nikyla. She has started to, thank the Lord, not mind going to the sitters. Tomorrow might be different but the past couple times have been half decent, I hope it keeps up.
That being said, I picked up Nikyla after work today and
she said to me "Where are we going to now?"
I said "Home".
Nikyla said "I don't want to go home."
I replied "Where would you like to go?"
She replied "Sesame Street".
Now how cute is that!!

Movie Review

We have been having a bit of an internet connection issue. So as to my 2 previous posts that are lost in cyberspace this week, here goes another try.
I am a bit hot and bothered tonight. You see my neighbour called me and she, another friend and I went to go and see a movie, Departed. The yummy/drool factor in this movie is over the top. Leonardo DiCaprio is H-O-T!! I am not a big Leo fan, I mean I like his movies but not ooh ahh I have to go see Leo type girl. Women run out and watch this amazing movie. Leo drooling aside, which is hard to do, it is an awesome movie. I give it 5/5 stars, loved it. My heart was racing the whole movie. Jack is phenomenal in it, as usual.

649 here I come

Life is busy, and sometimes as busy as we make it. Last weekend was awesome, we went to a birthday party at Cosmic Adventures, which I highly recommend. For the packages and prices you can choose from as well as the age range. Jersey had just a blast there, Nikyla came up and said she was ready to go but Jersey was not. She was VERY upset when we went to leave, even though we had been there 3 1/2 hours.
Nikyla is going through a funny stage. She doesn't want to go to the sitters she just wants to go home. I think that she remembers me being home all the time and misses it. The sitter and I have tried to find out what she might like more at the sitters and she said nothing. Jersey on the other hand likes it there and has seemed to adjust well still. Maybe it is the mixture of the kids being Nikyla's age which she prefers being with older kids. Maybe she just hasn't connected with anyone else there. I don't know, I am out of ideas... It's stressful, along with my job and housework and I am finding that I am clenching my teeth at night and waking with brutal headaches. If I work longer hours to get caught up, it's at the cost of not seeing our kids, and I hate cutting into our time. I only see Jersey for about a half hour in the morning if I am lucky and about 2 1/2 hours at night and most of that time is spent cooking and cleaning.
I need to win the lottery, I guess in order to do that I should start playing :)

Thanksmas

Ok so I am waaaaaaay behind on blogging, but Jersey has had this wicked cold and I have been so tired. Plus last Thursday we went to the disappointing hockey game, if you can call that a game. Anyway, another couple and us went to the game, it had been a while since the 4 of us have been out without the kids. So we had a GREAT time, and drank a wee bit too much. Jaime was really feeling it on Friday, so ever since then I have been trying to catch up on my sleep.
We drove to my parents, about 3 hours from here on Friday night. What a mess. I thought it would be better to drive down at night and have the kids sleep... wroooong. Jersey would cough and make herself puke because of the phlem caught in her throat. So we got there with one smelly kid. Nikyla was great, except she was doing the 'are we there yet' every so often, made me laugh. Saturday we got some great professional family pictures done, I can't wait to get the CD. We had them taken outside at a park in the trees. Then we had Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas all in one. My parents are gearing up to leave for Mexico, so this was the last time we were all going to be together before they head out. They'll come up here one more time before they go for 6 months to the nice, sunny, warm Mexico. I am not too jealous.
Just FYI, the drive back was much less eventful, cross your fingers she is getting better. Although now Nikyla and Dan are coughing with runny noses.

And all that jazz

For weeks now, all Nikyla has been talking about is Dance school. She would be going to Dance school soon, she has said this to anyone who listened to her. Well today was finally the day for her to go. The same school as her friends Meghan and Erin, who are older, whom she looks up to and she just adores (my friend Chantal's kids). This class was totally dominated by little adorable blonde kids, the brunettes were adorable too just 90% of the kids in that class happened to be blonde. Nikyla loved it as I knew she would. However saying that I am not overly impressed with the class today for a couple of reasons. First, I understand kids not sitting and listening but I thought that is why the kids were suppose to be 3 and older, kids running around in this class. Nikyla seems to be the oldest, I am going to ask the age range next time. Second, there was a kid who kept going up to the stereo and playing with it and all the parents around me were laughing and saying awe... I think I was the only one there thinking wtf, this isn't cute and we only have 30 minutes here and they are having to chase some of these kids around. I know all kids don't listen but really we are paying too much for only a half hour, in my eyes. Last, the class ended 5 minutes early, they weren't even in there a full half hour! I guess my first and second point are the same but really am I just being too anal again saying that they are there 30 minutes and to have to chase kids around and end early is not something I really am impressed with. They are dancing for about 15 minutes in total. My mom has paid for half of the School for Nikyla's Christmas present, she loves it, there is no way out of this I just wish it was at least 45 minutes or even an hour. When she took gymnastics it was an hour, she did very well at that too. She has super upper arm strength. I hope next week goes better.

Hey Hey Hey Goodbye

Today I have decided to officially give it up. I know no more really nice and hot sunny days, now it's cool and crisp, still nice but no Summer. Summer is my favorite season. The only solice that I have is in the Fall Season Premiere's. I just watched the Gilmore Girls Season Premiere, another one of my fav's.

Dirty Laundry

Tonight is an exciting night, the season premiere of Desperate Housewives. I love this show, great dirty gossip, what I really like. So my neighbour is coming over with Chocolate Martini's, celebrated just the way it should be! So if you were on the show who would you be? This quiz says I am most like Lynette, I think it's not too far off :)