Halloween & first days of school

So school and Halloween are coming up. We have the girls costumes already but still have to get Rhys'.

As geeks we take costuming to a bit of an extreme. I acknowledge this.

Rhys has been a Ninja

Oct 2008

a Lion (it was the month we got married, I can be forgiven for falling short on this one)

Oct 2009

a pirate (and yes that is a parrot on his shoulder)

Oct 2010

he redid the pirate in 2011, which was upsetting to me. I was willing to make/buy a different costume but he refused. 

and Thor (with Avery as Wonder Woman & Gwen as Super Girl)

Oct 2012

the girls re wore it at the convention in April 2013

Rhys is asking for another Super Hero, not going to say who just because I know we can do it, it just is going to be way to cold! It is October in Newfoundland. So we will be going to the Halloween store in the next week to see what he will be. 

And he starts school in 6 days... oh my! 

I need to come up with a yearly first school day tradition between now and then. Suggestions?

There will definitely be pictures. Lots of pictures! 

My first day 1989

news

So a few posts back I mentioned that I might be guest blogging for someone. Well I am, and she posted it today! I opted to share my last 4 years post.

I'm excited because Lisa B has a great audience and I hope that even one person who reads it might find hope in our story. Lisa is a wonderful woman who has cheered on everyone in the TTC community and has shared her struggle through 6 years of trying for her own little one. Thankfully she recently had her beautiful son, and has now extended her blog to others who can share other stories of the many different sides of trying to conceive. Thanks for the opportunity Lisa!  

That is the main reason why I blog.



Also, I finally found out about Rhys' kindergarten times. He is all mornings until Feb and he won't start until the day after school starts for the older kids. The other thing we discovered is that his teacher that he had through kinderstart has moved to another school so he has a new teacher that we don't even know her name!

7 days until he starts.

We had a Menchie's date 

he might regret making that face later 

Dancing for frozen yogurt 

Just over a week

Until my little ninja goes to school.

Rhys - Oct 2008

This is the last time I can say that it isn't back to school, its going to school shopping/season for a good many years.


When did this happen?

Rhys - Aug 2013

Scrapbooks

I loved making a digital photo book (semi scrapbook) for the NICU on the girls first birthday as a visual reminder and resource for other parents.

Not every baby will have the same NICU experience, that I know for a fact from having two very different ones with the girls and hearing about Matthew and Angela.

I have been scrapbooking for years and have an opportunity to go to an all day even in late September where the proceeds are going to charity, something right up my ally. I have been putting off starting the girls books but now with such a great start I have been going through pics getting Gwen's ready. I hope that if I get everything ready, pick out layouts pics and paper that I might get through at least her leaving the NICU.

But due to trying to get them all organized I am cursing the software I have to make multiple small pics in one sheet of 4x6. I haven't used it since I was still pregnant with the girls and cluing up Rhys' first year book.

example of Rhys' visits 

See I am a scrapbook procrastinator! Rhys was 4 before I finished his book, wait... I haven't done the last page yet oops.

But I do well in organized events with everyone scrapbooking around me. The last retreat I went to, I ended up finishing Rhys' book doing 15 double pages in one weekend. So giving myself 13 hours to try to get through over 4 months and 4 holidays I think I might just do it, if I prep.

So back to prepping. Wish me luck.

Clarification... maybe

So I don't think I fully got across what I wanted to in my last post on denial, I can't and wont fully forget our NICU experience. But some facts are now a little muddled in my head.

Maybe its a coping mechanism that I couldn't remember exactly how long it had been before I held the girls.

Maybe I am forgetting and I don't want to. That wouldn't be fair for the girls.

Maybe its just because I have 3 very active kids.

I don't know.

But I am also getting facts of Rhys' childhood muddled too. If it isn't written down, I don't always remember dates of his firsts.

Also, it doesn't hurt to talk about it. I just find that it can turn into a very long conversation, and then they look differently at the girls. I think it would be better sometimes to let people get to know them before they find out how early they were.

Avery- Jan 27, 2013

Rhys- Jan 27, 2013

Gwen - Jan 27, 2013

I know that I have a hard time writing posts because I have a learning disability and I try to write what I think, but that isn't always what comes out. It is what prevented me from posting for a long time.

I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings about what I post. Especially about such sensitive topics that come up in the blog. Know that I never never want to hurt anyone.

I hope this didn't muddle things up more.

Denial?

Lately in conversation with strangers when asked how old the girls are I always say "they are x months old, but they were a bit early"

My mother-in-law has heard me say this and each time I say it in her presence she corrects me saying "they were not a "bit" early they were 15 weeks early" And if she gets asked their age she always says "they are x months old but were 15 weeks early"

I can understand were she is coming from, the girls were more then a "bit" early. They have grown well and are doing awesome given what they have gone through and all they have overcome.

But...

I love sharing the info, I do. But part of me wants to try to, not forget it, but get past the NICU the premature delivery. Of course I will share my info with others, help people going through the same thing, phrase my girls for overcoming more in their short lives then most will in their lives.

At the same time I don't want to forget.

I can't.

But in trying to distance us from it to strangers am I doing the girls a disservice? Should I just say they were 15 weeks early to everyone who asks?

I realized that I had believed that it was only 14 days before held Gwen, and had be believing that for some time. That isn't true. I am getting pictures of the girls organized to start their scrapbook and have realized I held Avery at 15 days and Gwen was 23 days old.

15 & 23 days before I could hold them.

Avery- Jan 5, 2012

Gwen - Jan 13, 2012

broken record and some possible interesting news

I know I know, I'm busy.

Matthew had a week off so we fled to the southern shore to stay at his nanny's house after the girls cardio appointment.

So first the cardio appointment. It went really well, Gwen's pressures were fine so she got discharged.

Avery's blood pressure is perfect again so... she is off of meds officially and discharged from cardio too!!!!!

look how serene I am now that I have low/normal blood pressure 

Now she has a follow-up with Nephrology in September and her Nephrologist has the last say over her blood presser but it makes me hopeful. 

After their late (holy molly 3pm appointment that didn't start until 3:30pm) we headed off to Matthew's nanny's house. Rhys and the mother-in-law headed up with Matthew's aunt & nanny. While Matthew, the girls and I headed up in our rig. We got there after 7 so we tried to get set up to get the girls to bed. 

All three loved spending most of their time outside, Matthew loved spending time with the kids where he has some of his most favorite childhood memories. 

Matthew took these playing with the kids 

Rhys up a tree that Matthew climbed many times 

the girls playing hid and seek 

Avery enjoying the yard 

Gwen running around 

I loved spending more time with Matthew's family. Most of his aunts showed up for short visits during our time there due to the community one over having their come home year that week. It was also during Lady Day and they are from a good Irish Roman Catholic community with its own grotto so a big influx of visitors during our stay. 

grotto

Rhys running around before the service 

the girls waiting for it to start

Because of how devout some of Matthew's relatives are there were week long candles lit for the girls for at least as long as they were in the hospital (I know they were longer then that, but I can't remember how long) and so a bunch of the people there stopped me telling me that they prayed for the girls and how happy they were to see them now. 

Loved spending time with the family, and getting out of the city. 

So now we have a break until sometime mid September before there is another doctors appointment, and I'm glad for the break. 

Rhys starts up school in only a few weeks, were did the time go??? Still waiting to hear about what session he is in be it mornings or afternoons. But regardless he is all ready, all the school supplies are bought and ready to go! 

Also, I wanted to let you guys know that I might be doing a guest blog for someone that I have been following for a few years during her TTC journey. I will let you know more when I hear it but it is exciting to think about. I will keep you posted! 

Vacations, Walking, Appointments, Regatta oh my!

Life has been busy.

What, really, you ask? Life is busy with three kids?

I feel like this is how I'm starting lots of blog posts recently.

Since I last posted the girls had their 18/19 month assessment at the PPP on July 25th.  And they got assessed at 18/19 so we don't have to go back until they are 3 year olds!!!! You won't believe how excited I was to finally get the "they are behaving like their actual age, not their adjusted age"

After the appointment we went on a mini vacation with my parents and in-laws. The kids loved it and so did we! On the second day Gwen decided that all she needed to walk was an empty 4L bottle of water in her hand and all the family to see her. Since then she hasn't stopped!

While on vacation Matthew and I marked our 10 year dating anniversary on the 27th. We didn't do too much because we were running around enjoying our vacation so yesterday we went to lunch with the girls to acknowledge it.

three little monkeys on the top bunk 

Also during the vacation we were able to spend some alone with Rhys and drive to the Aviation museum and swing by the silent witness memorial. Rhys loved the special attention and being the big boy doing big boy things, but he also insisted that we buy somethings for the girls while we were there.

Captain calling 

flight simulator 

Look how big the gun is dad!

Looking at the different planes and "all the mechanical pieces"

plane going though the museum 

silent witness

Daddy and Rhys taking in the memorial 

We also went to the touch tank in Terra Nova Park. Avery tried to climb into it she loved it that much

Avery is excited!

Trying to get into the tank!!!!

Touching it all 

Mom look what I did!!!!

After the vacation there have been a bunch of appointments. Avery doesn't have to see ENT for 9 months. Gwen's AVT is happy with her word count. They will be getting their speech therapy appointments in the next few months and next week we get the big cardio appointment to see if Avery is to stay off her meds and to see if the pressures in Gwen's heart have lowered like expected.

This past week we also got to go down to the Royal St. John's Regatta. The kids loved it and this is the girls second one (third if we count their time in-utero)

Regatta 2013 (Avery & Gwen) 

Regatta 2012 (Gwen & Avery) 

I know there is more I want to talk about but I have two baby girls who are climbing all over me! Back to life