Merry Christmas Everyone!

It has definitely been a busy week getting ready for Christmas! We went shopping on Monday with my Auntie Colleen, who is such a huge help!! Colby absolutely adores her and she is so great with the kids! Thank you for coming, Auntie!! On Tuesday morning, we did a few errands and then went to my cousin, Leanne's house for a visit and little play date. Colby loves playing with Connor and misses him often. It was great to see their beautiful engagement and wedding photos while the boys played great together! On Wednesday, Jenna had her 3 month check-up! Crazy, I know!! I can't believe she's 3 months old already. I thought I was busy with just one child, but oh my, how things change with two!! I love it though! She is growing well... she now weighs 12 lbs. 2 oz. (25%ile) and is 21.6" long (not on charts yet!) with a head circumference of 38.5 cm (5%ile). So she's just a little girl! I love it, as she will hopefully stay smaller for longer?!? :) Gerry and I just can't believe it, since Colby was such a big baby and was always at the complete other end of the spectrum! Big differences between every child, hey?! While Jenna and I were at the doctor, Colby went to Auntie Colleen's bakery! Yes, she baked with him! I tell you, she has incredible patience and seems to love every minute of it!! Colby had a blast and came home with a decorated rice krispie snowman, rice krispie cookies, and chocolate-covered-decorated pretzels! Yum!! Thank you again, Auntie!

We are looking forward to a beautiful Christmas with family this year. While it's difficult to see all of our family at Christmas because we are so spread out, we are going to Grande Prairie at New Year's. The weather is supposed to be better in the next little while, so hopefully the roads improve too. Even though we don't go too often, we think it's important for our kids to know and see the other side of our extended family too. So hopefully, we can visit Gerry's grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins while up there too. Tonight (Christmas Eve), it is tradition in my family to go to church for the Children's Christmas Concert Play and then we're headed back to my parents' house with her side of the family. Tomorrow morning, I am looking forward to opening our gifts (as a family of four this year!) at home on Christmas morning. It is a special day for Jenna, as we celebrate her first Christmas! Then we are hosting brunch for some of my family here. We will then head back over to my parents' house to celebrate with my dad's side of the family. It's going to be a busy house... especially with all of the kids around now (and more mobile and busy than last year!)

Merry Christmas Everyone!! Wishing you love, joy, and laughter this holiday with family and friends! We look forward to enjoying our family traditions and making many new memories too!

xoxo Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Jenna

YES!!!

As you can tell from the title of this blog, I'm pretty excited! I met my first running goal after having Jenna three months ago! I ran 5 km tonight! It has been pretty challenging to stick with my running plans developed by my best friend, Jen (who is my personal trainer!), but I'm doing my best. I typically begin my runs after the kids are in bed, which makes for later nights! But it's worth it! I feel great after having my c-section only 3 months ago and running 5 km now! I know it doesn't seem like much to a lot of people, but it's the beginning of further goals. Next up... 10km! :) Wish me luck!!

Happy 3 Month Birthday Jenna!

I can't believe it, but my baby girl is 3 months old already today! I honestly feel like she shouldn't be this old yet and wish I could slow time down a bit. Perhaps it was my slower recovery this time in the first few weeks, but it just seems like she should be younger still. But with growing up, comes more fun, interaction, and watching her develop. Jenna goes for her 3 month check-up on Wednesday, so I will find out then how much she weighs and how long she is. I will keep you posted on that... But I think she must be over 12 lbs. now. She sure has been putting on weight quickly! In the last month, I have really noticed that she is getting some chubby cheeks and is looking more like Mommy everyday! I'm glad one of our kids looks like me! Like they say, "A chubby baby is a healthy baby" right?! Jenna is interacting more and more with her environment and is "talking" quite a bit! I love it! We have little conversations and she coos and talks in between my phrases, comments, and questions. So cute!! You know that she gets really excited when her legs and arms get going at the same time! While she is a rather serious baby (just like Colby was), she is beginning to show off some more of her smiles. I wouldn't call her a "smiley baby" just yet, but that will come too, I'm sure. She still enjoys tummy time and is doing quite well with holding her head up. Occasionally, when she goes on her tummy, she rolls to her back though and needs to be returned to her tummy! She still doesn't have much hair, which doesn't surprise me all that much, as Colby didn't have much either until he was over 1 year old. I wonder if it will take that long for her to grow some hair too?? She is sleeping really well and we are very lucky! Jenna has definitely set more of a routine for herself and eats/sleeps about the same times everyday. It's amazing how babies just know to do this (in conjunction with some sleep training too, I suppose!) At night time, she is sleeping about 8 hours, up for a bottle, and then back down for another 3 hours or so. Aah, now if only Colby would sleep in too! LOL! Colby is doing so well with her! He wants to hold her (and does quite well!), give her toys, help with her, give her her "soo-doo" when she's crying, and read stories to her. I love when he reads one of his favorites to her "Go Maisy Go". We are very lucky he is so good with her.

Jenna had her first sleepover with Colby last weekend! The kids went to my parents' house overnight when Gerry and I went to his work Christmas party. Both kids slept pretty well, but it took Jenna a while to settle down for bedtime. I wonder if Grandma and Grandpa were a bit tired the next day! We are so thankful they live so close and are so involved in our lives! We've had a great week getting ready for Christmas! I am so excited to see Colby on Christmas Eve and morning. I truly believe that we see more of the magic of the holidays with little kids around! I think it's going to be a very fun (and busy!) Christmas this year! I'm glad it had warmed up a bit last week... we were able to head out for some walks and play at the playground in the snow, which Colby LOVES!!! Last year, he was just 1 year old, so didn't enjoy the snow too much. We were curious how he would like it this year and he is having a lot of fun in it!! Hopefully we can take him sledding a couple of times when Gerry is home over Christmas.

Anyway, I better get going. Have a wonderful beginning of the week and enjoy the few days left before Christmas!

xoxo The Cameron's

Jenna... finally giving smiles

I guess the title of this blog is a bit deceiving... Jenna began smiling several weeks ago, but is quite a serious little girl, just like her brother was. She has been giving a few more smiles as the weeks go on, but today was the beginning of some "big smiles"! And to top it all off, I was able to capture a few of them on camera! She loves to lie on a blanket on the floor and kick away. We have quite the conversations during this time! LOL! I love it... her coos and many sounds are so great! Today, I think I even heard a little laugh during one of her big, toothless grins! She is growing up so quickly and I can't believe my little girl is going to be 3 months old next week. Honestly, where does the time go?! It feels like she just arrived!!

This week has been a bit "quieter" in the sense of staying at home and not having a lot of plans, but definitely not "quiet" in the sense of noise level in our house! Colby has decided not to nap anymore. A sad day for Mommy... no truly, the transition to a non-napping 2 year old is not going well. He has been very irritable and tired beyond belief. Things are okay until mid-late afternoon and then things really fall apart until a very early bedtime. Thankfully, he had a nap today during "quiet time", so it was a much more pleasant afternoon. We still have "quiet time" in the afternoons where he is allowed to read books and play quietly in his room and occasionally he is still falling asleep during this time. It's very frustrating because we know he still needs it, but he's fighting it. Hmm, seems like I was writing this about him when he was a newborn too!! Anyway, we'll get through it, just like everything else!

The warmer weather makes December 16th feel like spring! While it was still a bit chilly, it was so nice outside today compared to our recent deep freeze!! After Colby's nap today, we headed out for a walk and then stopped at the park for a few minutes. It was great to get some fresh air finally!!

We are getting very excited for Christmas and think the holidays are even more special and magical with our children!! Colby and our nephew, Landon, decorated a gingerbread train this morning, which was a lot of fun. Both boys are completely in love with choo-choos, so I thought it would be fun to have a train to decorate in addition to the house they did at Kristy's house last week. I love hearing Colby having conversations with the Santas on the Christmas cards we receive. It's so cute! He often reminds Santa what he wants for Christmas this year... a kitchen! He isn't quite understanding that every present isn't for him though. I'm trying to do some wrapping after dinner and he wants to "help" but really just wants to play or tear apart the paper. I think it's going to be a very fun Christmas morning!!

We are going to the Christmas concert at my school tomorrow night. Luckily, I was able to pull some strings and one of my friends is going to reserve a couple of seats for us at the front. I hope Colby enjoys it! I'm looking forward to seeing the staff members and seeing this year's production!

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!
xoxo The Cameron's

Happy 2nd Birthday Colby!

Wow, I can't believe our little boy is 2 years old already! Time is sure flying by, especially now that we have two beautiful children! We had a great weekend! We spent most of Friday night and Saturday getting ready for the big party on Saturday afternoon/evening. On Saturday morning, Colby was excited to head downstairs to see what Mommy and Daddy bought him for a present. He and Daddy spent most of the morning putting together his new train table!! He LOVES trains, so has been in heaven since his new train set has been together! It makes sounds and lights up... I think it will be great in the cold winter months ahead! We had 25 adults and 11 children here for the big celebration! We had a yummy dinner and enjoyed time with and friends. It was a fun "Thomas" party with Thomas decorations and a cake. Sadly, my attempt of a cake was a disaster this year and after decorating for a few hours, I was so unhappy with it that I threw it in the trash at 1:00 am on Saturday morning!! Not a good night! Thank goodness IGA came to our rescue and made him a great Thomas cupcake cake! It looked fantastic and was very yummy. Colby enjoyed the singing (and even joined in for a bit of "Happy Birthday") but wasn't such a fan of the sparklers. The DQ ice cream cake was also a yummy treat, despite the very cold weather! Thank you to everyone who came to help Colby celebrate, not to mention spoil him with gifts! We're so fortunate to have such great family and friends close by!! :)

Yesterday, my sister, Kristy, and I took the babies to the Butterdome Craft Sale. It was very busy there, but I did manage to get a couple of Christmas gifts and a new baby sling for carrying Jenna. I tried it while I was there and she loved it. It was great to have both of my hands free. I have been pretty skeptical and wasn't sure how they worked (or were comfortable), but she really seemed to enjoy it... even had a good nap in it! Kyle was on call and in this very cold weather, was very busy with service calls. So Gerry stayed home with Colby and Landon for most of the day. They had a great time together with "just the boys"! We set up the Christmas tree last night, which Colby really seemed to enjoy. Now we have the daunting task of keeping him away from it and not touching or pulling ornaments off. I hope it's a bit better than last year... he had just turned 1 when we put it up and during the month of December and sadly, our tree toppled over a couple of times. He loves having it on and wants it turned on first thing in the morning. :) It's great that he's understanding Christmas and is excited about "Santa, Chiss-iss trees, deca-a-tions and lights." It has been a lot of fun so far just getting ready for the holidays.

Today, on Colby's actual birthday, he had his 2 year check-up at the doctor. He weighs 30 lbs. (75 %ile) and is 36.6 inches tall (95 %ile). Wow! He's going to be a tall boy! According to Dr. Currie and the "double their height at two for their adult height" theory, he should be about 6'3"! He's doing fantastic developmentally and she was quite impressed with his advanced vocabulary and gross-motor abilities. Although she did warn me that some kids like this can be more difficult to potty-train because they're very "in control". Hmm, wonder where he gets that from?!? LOL! He is already wanting to do a lot of things "by myself" or "Colby do it". Independence has definitely set in. We are also going to try giving up his afternoon nap. It has been taking him a VERY long time to fall asleep at naptime and bedtime, making bedtime very late lately. So with eliminating the nap, he will most likely be ready for bed much earlier. We'll see how it goes... today was great and he was very happy throughout the day. We met Gerry at the TLC after work and went swimming as a family. Colby loves swimming, so we thought it would be a great way to spend some family time on his birthday. It was Jenna's first time swimming!! She loved it! She was content the entire time, except for getting out and being cold! We'll definitely have to do it again soon. Then we headed for pizza for supper and then home for a cupcake and bedtime. Whew! What a great day! :)

I had a great "conversation" with Jenna tonight. She is sure beginning to "talk", which is so adorable. One of her favorite sounds is "ah-goo". I quite enjoy our evenings together and spending some quiet one-on-one time with her, since our days are so busy with Colby up too. She's beginning to smile a bit more now (although is quite a serious little girl still), which always melts my heart! Just can't seem to snuggle her enough! :)

Hope everyone is staying warm in this cold snap! I don't mind the snow, but I certainly could do without the -30 degree weather. Take care and stay warm!

Lesley xoxo

Here comes the snow!

We were very lucky in November and had a beautiful fall, so I guess it only makes sense that we pay for it now at the beginning of December. This is very similar to two years ago when I had Colby... it was VERY cold and windy the day we came home from the hospital. It's looking like a deep freeze is ahead for us for the next couple of weeks! Eeek! It sure makes it more difficult to get out regularly when it's that cold!!

We've had a great week... on Tuesday we had a play date visit from friends Tara and her girls, Logan and Kenedy. I love that our kids are so close in age. Colby is about 6 weeks younger than Logan and Jenna is 15 days older than Kenedy. We always have a great time (and chat) when we're together! On Wednesday, Colby went to Becky's (our new dayhome) for the day. He was there from 9:30-3:30 and had a nap there for the first time. Everything was fine, once we actually got there. He cried and cried, "No Becky's house", which completely broke my heart!! However, when we got there, he was fine and had a great day there! He even went to sleep in about 5 minutes at nap time. Hmm... not quite like that at home!! Yesterday, we packed up nice and early and headed into WEM for a day of Christmas shopping with Kristy and her boys, along with my Auntie Colleen. It was a great day (and even a bit productive with the shopping list)! It was so nice having Auntie Colleen with us... she's so great with the kids and it was great to have another pair of hands to help with the big boys or the babies! Thanks for coming, Auntie!! The snow began this morning, so we haven't left the house yet today. It has been really nice having a quiet day at home just playing, coloring, playing with play dough, reading, and cuddling. :) We've been trying to get ready for Colby's birthday party tomorrow night, so that has occupied quite a bit of our time this week. Looking forward to having friends and family over! I can't believe he's going to be 2 years old already. Where does the time go?!?

Colby will go for his 2 year check up on Monday and I'm interested to see how much he has grown. They say that you can estimate a child's adult height by doubling their height at age 2. Right now, I think he's about 36 inches tall, so he should be close to 6 feet?! We'll have to see... He is such a character! I don't know where he comes up with the things he says, but I love it! He loves his trains and can be occupied with building train tracks and playing "choo choos" for hours at a time. Also topping his list of favorites are cars and trucks (with trailers, of course!). He has been great with Jenna and is starting to interact with her more now than ever before. He still isn't such a fan of holding her, although he enjoys it when she sits beside him on the couch. He will bring her toys and talk with her regularly, which is really cute!!

Jenna is doing well... sleeping great, which is nice! Okay, let me re-phrase that... she's sleeping great at night, not so much during the day. Last night, she slept for 7 hours! Yippee!! I was pleasantly surprised! She is having troubles napping though. She falls asleep no problem in my arms, but then as soon as I lay her down, she's awake. Occasionally she can put herself back to sleep, but not every time. She really likes motion and quite enjoys her swing now, which is a change from when she was first born. She loves sitting and snuggling with everyone and loves to face outward and look around at everything. The world is a big place and she wants to take it in, I guess! I enjoy seeing her bat at toys on her playmat and enjoy tummy time, too. She likes to lay and kick, while talking to her toys. Her little "coos" melt my heart! :) Sadly, she isn't a fan of her car seat, so she cries quite a bit in the car. While shopping at WEM yesterday, I laid her down in the back of the double stroller and she did so much better!! I think that will be the plan for a while now whenever in the stroller for a while! I really do with time would slow down... every day, week, and month seem to pass by way too quickly. I just try to remind myself to stop and enjoy every moment, especially because they grow so quickly when they're this small. I have found one big bonus for having a baby on the smaller end of the spectrum... maybe she'll stay smaller for longer?! :) That's what I keep telling myself!

I am enjoying running again and working out. I have been running three times a week and am aiming for a short-term goal of 5km again. At first I was doing some short intervals of running and walking, but now I'm able to do stretches of just running again, which is very motivating. Thanks to my "trainer" Jen who creates my running programs for me! :) I am also attending a Step Class at the TLC on Thursday nights. Man, is it ever a work out!! I was pretty tired after 15 minutes of the first class! I do like to change things up and try different types of workouts too. I'm glad I have such an amazing and supportive husband who takes care of the kids in the evenings and does bath time a couple times a week so I can attend these things. :)

Anyway, nap time should be nearly over... Yes, both of the kids are sleeping at the same time!! Woo hoo! I consider that a big accomplishment! LOL! I'll keep you posted on the big birthday party! Have a great weekend everyone!

Lesley
xoxo

2 months old... already?!

I honestly don't know where the time goes, but our little girl is now 2 months old (was last Saturday). She had her first immunizations yesterday morning and did really well. She cried as soon as the pokes went in, but was easily distracted and calmed down quickly with the ringing of a bell. What a trooper... two needles in the left leg and one in the right. I really hate hearing that pain cry... it's very different from any other cry!! She is growing quickly, well weight wise anyway. She is now 10 lbs. 5 oz. (25th-50th percentile) but is only 21 1/4" long (10th percentile). Hmm, I wonder when a big growth spurt will hit and she'll grow a bit longer!! Colby was always on the high end of the scale... I guess it's one more reminder how every child is so different and truly an individual. Jenna is similar to Colby, but different in many ways too. The major similarity is their fussiness in the evenings. Jenna gets most of her napping in throughout the day and is quite fussy in the evenings, just as Colby was. Good thing Gerry is home to help at nights! She is quite a serious little girl, just like Colby was a serious little boy. While she is smiling a bit more often now, it takes a lot to get a little grin. So needless to say, I treasure whenever I see them!! Hopefully they'll come more readily soon! She absolutely hates going into her car seat, which Colby didn't mind. While she usually falls asleep after a few minutes, she makes it very known that it's not her favorite place to be!! Jenna is becoming quite a strong little girl and does very well holding her head up and still enjoys tummy time. She's lifting her head up on her tummy as well. Most of all, she looks adorable in pink! Mommy is really enjoying all of the pink in her wardrobe! :)

This morning was the registration at the Tri Leisure Centre for the Winter and Spring sessions. I knew it would be busy, so we got there a bit early and walked up to a very long line-up waiting for registration to begin. The line up did move pretty quickly once it got going and Colby did really well in the stroller. He is registered for "I'm Big Enough For Preschool" every Tuesday morning beginning in January. It's a one-hour per week program for 2-3 year olds. I hope he'll enjoy it! He is also registered for swimming lessons every Friday night beginning in January. Gerry and I will alternate taking him, but I think he's going to enjoy the lessons again. He really likes going swimming, but it has been a while since his last set of lessons. After the wait, we went to the playgym at the Tri for Colby to run and play with the toys. He loves going to the "paygym" and asks to go there regularly. :)

I am trying to get things organized for Colby's birthday party next weekend. I can't believe our little baby is going to be 2 already!! We're having family and friends over for dinner on Saturday night. It should be a fun (and busy) time with all of the kids coming! :)

Hope you're having a great week!
Lesley

Road trip!

I know, I know, I often start off my blog expressing my "sorryness" (is that a word?!) for the long delays between posts! I'm really trying to work on this, just need to find some more time in my day... hmm, maybe this should be one of my New Year's Resolutions this year?! :) I really do love having a blog and intend on printing them all out as a record for the kids on their lives and my little "letters" about them.

We have had a busy couple of weeks. Last week it seemed like there was always something to do during the day, which keeps us busy. The staff at school threw me a baby shower, which was so fabulous! It was great to see everyone and visit with adults for a while! Jenna got lots of snuggles and received many beautiful gifts, which we are very grateful for. What a great staff I work with!! I really do miss them... I just don't miss all of the work!! :) Colby has gone to a new dayhome twice now (just for a few hours each time). I have been wanting him to play with other children and socialize with others besides Mommy. He is beginning to adjust, but has been quite clingy lately, so was a bit upset when I left both times. I'm sure it will get better as he gets to know Becky better... she's a parent of a child at my school and is a great lady! :) Since I've been home for about five months now, it's going to take him a little while to get used to being away from me for a few hours a week. He has been quite a resilient little boy, so I'm not concerned at all and am sure he will adapt in no time.

Sadly, we attended a funeral for my Uncle Ronnie on Thursday, November 19. He passed away suddenly... two months after being diagnosed with stomach cancer... so it was a difficult day. He was such a kind and friendly man who will be greatly missed. Friday was the beginning of a very busy and tiring weekend. Gerry and Colby both got haircuts on Friday morning and then we checked out the Festival of Trees at the TLC. It was a lot of fun to do the "centre" activities with Colby. He's learning more about Christmas this year and is of course, understanding more of it being a year older now. We headed home and packed up the truck to make the trek to Grande Prairie! It was Jenna's first road trip up there. It took about 4 1/2 hours this time (with stopping to feed Jenna, change diapers, etc.) so I was happy we left about 1:00 and were able to drive in daylight. We stayed with Gerry's sister, Carmen, and her family and it was really nice to catch up and visit with them and the kids. We saw several other members of Gerry's family too, as we celebrated our twin nieces' birthdays on Saturday. Jenna met her Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Alstad, along with more aunts, uncles, and cousins! Kerri and Kailey turned 3 and their Dad also celebrated his 31st birthday! It was a very busy house with most of the family and their kids around!! :) During the day, Gerry and Colby went with Darren and Dylan to Dawson Creek, BC to watch Dylan's hockey game. Colby loved it and now wants to play hockey "just like Dylan"! So cute!! This morning (Sunday) we watched another game of Dylan's in town. They won both games too! Congrats boys! After the game, Colby ran up to Dylan when he came out of the dressing room and gave him a big hug along with a high five, saying "Good game Dylan!" Again, too cute!! :) We headed home about 1:30 this afternoon and had a rough drive home. Colby has a bad diaper rash and some diarrhea, so he cried on and off from Grande Prairie to Fox Creek. I think it might be his 2 year molars bothering him because it hit him really fast and he is fine otherwise (with the exception of really rosy cheeks!) He slept about 30 minutes the entire drive home. From Fox Creek home, he talked... the entire time!! I love it! The things he comes up with are priceless!! It was a great weekend, but very busy. I think we're all going to sleep really well tonight, especially Colby. With two late nights and waking up crying about 4:00 am both nights, he's one tired little boy. Is it bedtime yet?!?

Before we left on Friday, we went to the hospital and weighed Jenna at Public Health since she was 2 months old on Saturday. She weighs 10 lbs. and is 21 1/4" inches. Colby weighed 10 lbs. 4 oz. at 1 month old!! Oh, the differences between every baby, right?! Jenna has her first immunizations on Tuesday morning, so we'll see what their scales say. She's doing well and is becoming quite strong with holding her head up. She is sleeping well at night (usually between 5 and 6 hours, up to eat, and then back down for 2-3 more hours). We certainly can't complain!! It's nice to be getting a bit more sleep now! She has rolled over from her tummy to back a few times while she has tummy time. It's exciting to see her grow and progress, but I can't believe she's 2 months old already. The time is going way too fast!! I'm loving every minute of being at home with our two wonderful children!! Just can't get enough of them!!

When we left for Grande Prairie, there was no snow. When we came home, it's snowy and icy! :( I guess it's time and have to admit that we have been quite spoiled this fall. In GP today, it was very cold (I was not at all prepared!) with a wind chill of -17! Yuck!! Have a great week everyone and stay warm as we adjust to our 'average' fall temperatures again!!

xoxo
Lesley

Colby's talk and Jenna's firsts!

Colby continues to amaze us with his talking lately! He is quite a character. Gerry and I went for our H1N1 flu vaccines today because we fit into the category of parents or caregivers with a child under 6 months of age. Gerry really doesn't like needles and he asked Colby if he thought Daddy was going to cry. Colby responded with "No Daddy, I kiss it better." LOL! It was so cute!! He is forming sentences of four or five words, so it's great to be able to communicate so well with him! He is often mistaken for a child much older than him for a few reasons... one being his size! He's still kind of a giant for his age (and always has been at the top of the percentile scales!) and second, for his talking! He's a pretty smart cookie! He picks up on things so quickly and remembers things that are said to him distinctively. He has picked up on counting really quickly and can now say numbers 1-6 in sequence! :) I wonder which side of the family those brains came from... LOL!! :) He is talking to Jenna a lot these days and wanting to "share" his toys with her. I use "share" loosely because he'll often toss a toy or book onto her, perhaps expecting her to pick it up instantly! Then he'll grab it back and say, "No Jenna, too little!" Silly kid! :) It's hard to believe my little man is going to be 2 years old soon... in less than a month! Two year olds definitely have their phases I think... Colby has always been a pretty social child and hasn't ever really played strange or was shy with others. However, lately, he has been sticking pretty close to me and calling for Mommy when there are new people around... hmmm..... I'm sure it will pass soon!

Jenna has had a couple of firsts, which are so exciting! She smiled for the first time on Monday evening for us! It was a little grin, but a smile nonetheless. I can't wait to see more of them and see them get bigger as she grows too! I love big and wide, toothless baby smiles!! She is also now sleeping through the night!! Woo hoo!!! She slept through the night for the first time at 7 weeks old (on Sunday night) and has for the past three nights. Mom and Dad are happy to be getting a bit more sleep now! Although when bedtime for her is about 11 or 11:30 or so, 6:30 comes pretty early when Colby is up for the day. We love it anyway!! Jenna is becoming more vocal herself (and will have to continue to do so to be heard over her older brother!!). I love hearing her coos and sounds when we're "talking" with her. The interaction as she gets older is so fantastic!! While I really wish babies could stay newborn forever, I'm looking forward to continuing to see her grow and develop and interact with everything around her. I love seeing babies explore and discover things in their environment! She is eating really well and is doing much better with her cold. While I think she still has a bit of a cold, it has greatly improved! She isn't coughing as much lately and just has a bit of the sneezes and a runny nose. Hopefully it's on its way out!!

We are going to visit a new dayhome for Colby tomorrow morning. He is going to go just one morning a week or every two weeks. I really want him to play with other kids and give him some play time with others besides Mommy. The lady that he is going to see is actually a parent from my school and while she was full when I went back to work (I called her for childcare back when I got hired at Forest Green), she is now available to do some drop-ins with Colby. Hopefully everything goes well there!! I'll keep you posted!

I have begun exercising again, being 7 weeks post-partum now. I went for my first run this afternoon and it felt great!! I am beginning with some short intervals to build up some endurance again and taking it slow to prevent injuries. Here's hoping it continues to go well! Gerry continues to enjoy curling on Monday nights. While it could potentially be a bit crazy to do bedtime with both kids alone, I've been pretty lucky so far. Jenna is usually napping while I'm bathing Colby. Whew! Thank goodness! I'm sure that won't continue for much longer though... hopefully it continues to be this easy! :)

Have a great rest of the week everyone. I hope you're enjoying this "above seasonal" weather... I know we are!!

Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Jenna
xoxo

6 week check up!

I know, I can't believe it, but Jenna is 6 weeks old already! We both had our 6 week check ups yesterday (Monday) and we're both doing fine! Jenna is the complete opposite of her brother so far... very tiny for her age! Colby was always in the 90th - 95th percentile for height and weight, so it's much different this time around! Jenna now weighs 8 lbs. 7 oz. (10th %ile) and is only 20.1" (not even on the charts yet!) She's eating well and everything, just on the smaller side for now. I was a VERY large baby, so maybe she'll catch up?!? She is sounding much better each day, which is such a relief! It is hard to see your children sick, let alone her being only 6 weeks old. With everything going around right now, I was pretty worried! She has to go back to the Stony Plain Hospital on Monday for a repeat chest x-ray to follow-up. Hopefully it will show improvement in her lungs. Fingers crossed!! I'm excited to see her grow into her own little beautiful girl! She should start smiling in the next little while, so I can't wait for that! I love it when babies can finally begin to smile!! She is a pretty content little girl and we are loving having her as a new addition to our family!

Her big brother, Colby, is sure loving having her around too. When he gets up in the morning, he always looks for her first and wonders where she is if she's still sleeping. "Jenna go?" is his first question. I love hearing him say, "I wuv you Jenna"!! He's a great big brother and is doing much better every week. Now that we are settling into a routine, he doesn't have as many timeouts or frustrations, which is great too. He's quite the kid!! I am trying to capture some of his sayings and conversations on video, but it's too hard! He's pretty quick to move away (and camera shy) when the videocamera comes out! Yesterday, I asked him what he was doing and he replied, "Just hangin' out Mommy"!!! LOL!! I couldn't stop laughing, it was SO cute! Tonight Gerry asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up... he has big aspirations to be a COW!!! He loves animals and animal books, but cows are definitely his favorite. He'll tell you that cows eat hay bales and say moo!! What a character! I love that we're able to communicate so well with him and he can talk quite well for his age!!

We are enjoying some more nice days of fall and going for walks to the park, usually in the afternoons. Colby loves going to the park, swinging, sliding, and running in the field with a ball. He's usually pretty tuckered out and ready for bedtime when we come home!! It sounds like this nicer weather will stick around until the end of the week, for sure. Not sure after that...

On Thursday night, Tracy and I are going to Gerry's cousin, Amanda's concert at the Winspear. She plays at the University of Alberta, where she is currently attending school. Tracy said it was a great concert last year and I'm looking forward to it this year and seeing the family too! This weekend I have a bridal shower for my cousin, Leanne, who is getting married in Mexico this month and then out for our niece, Kendra's first birthday party! I can't believe she's one already... my how time flies! For the past few weeks, both of my sisters and I were all on maternity leave at the same time!! Crazy, hey?! Jody heads back to work tomorrow, so we all won't be off together anymore. It's so great to have our kids so close in age!! I love it!! Our parents' house is very busy when we are all there! Our family has sure grown quickly. In just over four years, there has been three weddings and five grandchildren!! Whew!! We went from a family of 5 to a family of 13!! Lucky Mom and Dad, I say! :)

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!
Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Jenna
xoxo

Jenna's Baptism!

Today, Sunday, November 1st (All Saints Day), was Jenna's baptism. It was a very special day, as she became a child of God and was baptized into the family of Christ. It was extra special to see our little girl wearing the same baptismal gown that my sisters and I all wore when we were baptized. It is quite an old gown (30 years old), but still looks beautiful!! We had about 40 friends and family back at our house for a delicious lunch after church. It was great to see and visit with everyone. The kids played really well downstairs, which sure helped on a "no nap day". Thank you to all who helped us celebrate Jenna's baptism!

It was a very busy week preparing for Halloween and Jenna's baptism. Thankfully we had a few nice days too, so we were able to get outside and play at the close neighbourhood park! All week, Colby was very excited about his costume and told everyone that he was going to be a cow and that cows say "moo"! Jenna dressed up as a caterpillar and was the cutest caterpillar in town!! We got the kids dressed up after dinner and Gerry took Colby out to a few neighbor's houses. Then I took him out to a few more houses before we headed to Auntie Colleen and Uncle Greg's house for a visit. Finally, we headed to my parents' house and met my sisters, brothers-in-law, and the kids there. It was great to see my niece and nephews in their costumes too... and we attempted to get a good picture of all 5 grandchildren at Halloween 2009. Easier said than done!! LOL! Anyway, they all looked absolutely adorable!!

This was a bit of a stressful week with Jenna fighting a virus of some sort. While she has been very "mucusy" since birth, I was beginning to become more concerned this week, as she was quite "rattly" in her chest and was breathing a bit quicker. Luckily, my doctor saw her right away and said there is definitely some congestion there. She sent us to the Stony Plain ER for an O2 saturation reading. Everything was fine there with about 99% O2 sat. The doctor wanted to do a few more tests just to make sure it was nothing more. He ordered a chest x-ray on her. Mommy cried a little bit seeing Jenna in this terrible-looking contraption to keep her still and sitting straight up for the x-rays. Thankfully it didn't take too long and she was out of it. The results indicated an abnormal chest x-ray and some "lung markings". The radiologist's report said there is some inflammation on one of Jenna's lungs. So the ER doctor recommended we start feeding her less formula at each feeding (down to 3 oz. and just more often if needed) as he things she is aspirating (some milk is going into her lungs). She had some ventilin at the hospital to try and clear her airways in hopes that it would help release and clear out some phlegm and stuff in there. Whew... 5 hours later, we were able to go home and get a prescription for a puffer (to clear airways at home too). Hopefully she'll be on the mend soon... I think she's already doing much better since Friday morning and hasn't been as "rattly" as she was a few days ago. It's always terrible to see your kids sick... although besides sounding terrible, she looked fine and was just a bit more irritable and fussy. No more hospital visits with my kids, please!!!

Tomorrow Jenna and I have our 6-week checkups! I can't believe my baby girl is 6 weeks old already. While she's growing like crazy and getting bigger, I can't believe how quickly the time is going. I suppose it goes pretty fast when I couldn't do much for the first while and was dependent on so many other people!! I'll keep you posted on how our checkups go tomorrow. Enjoy the week ahead, everyone!

Lesley
xoxo

Nicer weather welcomed!

I have really enjoyed this week much more than the past one... in terms of the weather, that is! I'm glad the snow has melted and we are back into some nice temperatures. We are doing a lot more walking now and have been to the park several times, which has been great... for both Colby and I. Last weekend, Gerry and Kyle hung the doors in the basement, so it's nice to see some progress there! They look great, but more importantly, are working well in keeping Colby out of the rooms! Great job, boys! Again, I think a construction business might be in their futures?!? :)

We had a very busy week that began with a new addition to our family on Monday, October 19th!! Our nephew, Jordan Lee Boe, was born on Monday afternoon at 3:36 pm (Kristy's due date!). He's a beautiful little man who looks just like his big brother, Landon! Congratulations to Kristy and Kyle on their beautiful addition to the family! I got to meet him shortly after he was born, as Auntie Corinne came and stayed home with Colby while Jenna and I went into the hospital. I know it wouldn't have been any fun for Colby to be there, so it was much better for him to be at home with "Auntie Keen". Now that makes 5 grandchildren in my immediate family! Whew... the past couple of years have seen a lot of weddings and babies in our family!!

Colby is such a social kid... he enjoys our outings and loves "going bye-byes". It doesn't seem to matter where we go, but any sort of outing is welcomed by him. He is enjoying Tick Tock Time on Friday mornings too. He sees cousins Hailey and Connor there, which is great for him. Okay, maybe it's more the time in the playgym that he enjoys over the structured singing songs, etc. at the program. Either way, it's a great social activity. I think we're going to be going to the playgym a lot in the winter months!! Colby continues to be a big help around the house. He enjoys "cooking" when I am, helping Mommy bake, and is great at pulling up his chair to the counter to see what's going on! He is really doing well with Jenna, which is such a relief! He wants to give her toys and says hi to her many times throughout the day, is concerned when she's crying, etc. I love having our conversations too... now that he can speak in small sentences, he cracks me up! The things he comes up with are pretty cute! The other day we were talking about our plans for the day and I asked him, "How's that, Colby?" And he responded, "Sounds good, Mommy!" :) He also talks to himself quite a bit, especially while playing choo choo's, cars, and trucks. I love listening to his commentary! I love cuddling up at naptime and bedtime, reading stories, or snuggling on the couch, watching Thomas first thing in the morning. Ahh, can't get enough snuggles! These days will soon be gone, I'm sure!! :( While he is a pretty good kid, he definitely has his moments! He's been a bit more defiant this week and is repeatedly responding to any requests with the word dreaded by most parents, "NO!" He's been slamming doors and turning off lights in rooms, etc., so that has been a bit frustrating. I suppose he is almost two... enough said?!? He definitely knows how to push some buttons....

Jenna is my little sweetheart! I just can't snuggle her enough! She turned one month old on Wednesday... I know, where has the time gone!? We weighed and measured her and she is now 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 20" long. So she's definitely growing and putting on weight!! She is filling out so much, especially in the face. It's hard to believe that she's pretty much the same size now that Colby was at birth!! Big differences between girls and boys I guess... this is only the beginning of the differences, I'm sure! When she is awake, she's very alert and lifting her head up more and more. She enjoys tummy time usually too, which is good! Her fussy time is in the evenings too, just like Colby's was. So we do a lot of moving and snuggling from about 8 pm on. She is now starting to fit into some 0-3 month clothes. She was in premie and newborn sleepers and clothes for several weeks. While they're still a bit big, the 0-3 month clothes are beginning to fit a bit better. I wish there were more hours in a day... more time for Gerry to spend with the kids and more time to get things done around the house and errands. It seems I'm going to bed later and later, trying to accomplish simple things like dishes and some laundry. Maybe once Jenna starts going to bed a bit earlier and sleeping for longer periods of time, things will start to settle down a bit more.

We are going to a 2nd birthday party for Logan tomorrow evening. Colby will be happy to play with Logan and Jenna's pretty excited to see Kenedy again (Kenedy was born 15 days after Jenna!). It's great to have great friends with kids so close in age! Can't get much closer than Kenedy and Jenna! We're also looking forward to some shopping (maybe starting some Christmas shopping?) and having some family time.

Have a great weekend everyone. I hope this warmer weather sticks around for a few more weeks before the snow flies!! Have fun getting ready for Halloween next weekend!!

Lesley

Busy house!

I don't know where the time goes, but I find myself exhausted at the end of every day, but looking forward to the next! I thought I was busy with only one child... things sure are a lot busier with two! Especially with a 22 month old and a newborn!! Things are going really well... Colby is beginning to settle into his new role as a big brother (and is hitting Jenna less frequently!), as well as sleeping much better at night. I discovered that all he needed was to keep his door open slightly at bedtime and we haven't had another night of crying since! He is really making me laugh these days with the kinds of things he comes up with... every time I head to the computer, he says, "Mommy check email?" LOL! He is beginning to want to "talk" on the phone more often now. He asks, "How are you?" and says, "Hi" a lot! We bought Colby a new train set on the weekend and it is all he plays with now! He absolutely loves Thomas and we watch him religiously. Time for a new DVD, I think!! If he has lost a train, he will call out, "Diesel 10, are you?" I love it!!!

Jenna is doing well... eating and sleeping well, in addition to growing quickly! I can't believe how quickly her cheeks are filling out! When she was first born, I really thought she looked like Colby, but by 2 weeks of age, she doesn't as much anymore. She really looks like a little girl and is so fine in her features. We are up usually once in the night (2-3 ish) and then early in the morning (about 6ish). So overall, we're getting a bit of sleep, which is great! :) She has been more awake during the day for longer periods of time too, which is fun. She has big, blue eyes, just like Colby!! I love staring right into them!!

We had a busy Thanksgiving weekend with some family shopping on Saturday morning, a visit from Gerry's parents, sister, and niece, a funeral on Sunday, and the burial on Thanksgiving Monday. One of Gerry's uncles, Glen Cameron, passed away suddenly at the end of September. He taught at a technical school in Qatar, so it took a while to get everything in order for a funeral service back at home. We didn't see them very often, but he was a very sweet, gentle-hearted man. It was nice to see everyone on the Cameron side, as we don't get together very often, but it's unfortunate that it takes an event such as this one to see everyone. He will be sadly missed. Gerry's older sister and her husband stayed at our place on Sunday evening, so we had a good time visiting with them. The kids and I didn't do much on Thanksgiving Monday during the day, but we all headed over to my parents' house for dinner. It was great! I love Thanksgiving!!

We haven't ventured out too far in the cold, snowy weather this week, but are looking forward to the weekend with some nice weather to come! Today, Jenna and I headed to my school so that she could meet my former students. It was so great to see them all and for them to meet Jenna. They were pretty amazed with how small she is!! :) It's always great to see the staff too... I miss everyone at Forest Green, but will be back in September! Colby had a playdate with Landon when we went to school... didn't think he would enjoy the visit there too much!! It has been so great having my sister, Kristy, on mat. leave too! Now we're all just anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Boe #2!!! She's due on Monday, but it's looking like another induction might happen the following Monday. Come on out baby, Auntie wants to meet you!!! :)

Have a great weekend everyone! Enjoy the warmer weather before the snow arrives to stay!
Lesley

First check-up

Jenna had her first check-up on Wednesday afternoon with Dr. Currie. At 9 days old, she weighed 6 lbs. 9 oz. She was almost at her birth weight (6 lbs. 11 oz.), but not quite. I now realize how inaccurate some measurements can be!! When she was born, they measured her at 19 3/4" long, but at the doctor's office, we got 18.9"!! My doctor said that the way they measure at the Mis. isn't exactly accurate, so I guess her birth length was more like 18 3/4" and not 19 3/4". Either way, now we know for sure, I guess!! Her height, weight and head circumference put her in the 25th percentile right now. Both Gerry and I were shocked... I think more than anything to hear less than the 80th-95th percentile like we're used to hearing with Colby!! LOL! Anyway, she's doing very well... eating much better, sleeping great, is enjoying tummy time once or twice a day, as well as lifting her head for a few moments at a time. She's a beautiful little girl (although I'm a little bit biased!!) and very loved!

Colby's looking more and more like a big boy now... with his first haircut this week!! He didn't have much hair for a very long time and I haven't wanted to cut off his cute blond curls, but decided it was finally time to get rid of the 'wings'! So we went to my hairdresser and had his first haircut on Tuesday, September 29th. He was reluctant at first, but did fine by the end. He's pretty proud that he got a big boy haircut!! I almost shed a tear while cutting away his curls... I guess that's why they say that first haircuts cut the baby away!! He sure doesn't look like a baby anymore!! We've been having some difficulties with Colby this past week. He's doing fairly well with Jenna and wanting to help out quite a bit, but needs to be reminded to be gentle. He wants to poke, push, or pull her, so we're working on that! His sleeping (or lackthereof) is driving us crazy lately! At bedtime and throughout the night, he has been crying, crying, crying, and yelling for Mommy and Daddy! Very uncharacteristic of him and frustrating for us! As soon as we walk in there, he stops, so I have been thinking he's doing it for attention. I'm grasping at straws and wondering what's the best way to deal with it. I've heard ignore it and don't go in, I've heard it's just a phase, I've heard it could be 2 year molars... I just hope it won't stay for long!!

I've had lots of help during the days, which I am so grateful for. Since I am unable to lift Colby or do much around the house (which makes me often feel useless!), my mom has been with me since Gerry has been back to work at the end of this week. Colby LOVES it when Grandma's here and it's great to have an extra pair of hands to help with both the kids. Next week I'm going to try to be on my own for a bit more of the time and have help most mornings. Again, I am so thankful for all of the offers of help and the generosity of friends and family... thank you for the help, prepared meals, baking..... :) Yum!!

As I mentioned, Gerry is back at work now. I sure wish he had one of those jobs with a ton of holidays so he could stay at home for longer. Unfortunately, he doesn't, so we cherish every minute that he's home in the evenings and on the weekends. Gerry starts curling on Monday night with the Mixed League made up of both my parents, one of my uncles, and Gerry. He really enjoys it and it quite a good curler too!! Hope their season gets off to a great start!

We had a fun morning today... a professional photo shoot at our house! We had newborn pictures done with Colby when he was two weeks old too, so I was excited to meet with our wedding photographer again for Jenna's newborn pictures, along with some family shots. She's wonderful and I can't wait to see them!! Colby isn't such a big fan of sitting for pictures (but then again, he's almost two!!) Hopefully we got a couple good ones of him too! This afternoon is our nephew Landon's 2nd birthday party! I can't believe he's 2 already!! It's going to be fun!! How quickly time goes by... sigh...

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
Lesley
xoxo

Jenna is finally here!

Well, I keep hearing from everyone... we now have the "million dollar family"!! A wonderful son, and now a beautiful daughter too! I am so excited that my baby girl is finally here!

This was a very different experience than having Colby... walking into the hospital with no labour pains or anything and being prepared for my scheduled cesarean section last Monday morning was very strange! I had fantastic care at the Misericordia Hospital - from the OR nurses, anesthetist (sp?), and postpartum nurses. Jenna Ann Cameron arrived at 9:39 am on Monday, September 21st weighing 6 lbs. 11 oz. and 19 3/4" long. She is absolutely beautiful! Jenna looks a lot like Colby did when he was born (although more feminine and a pound lighter)! Everything went fine with the c-section, but the recovery is going to be a long road!! Now that I've had both a natural delivery and a c-section delivery, I'm often asked which is better! At first, I couldn't decide, but I've definitely decided that I'd like a natural birth any day over the surgery. I cannot lift more than Jenna for 6 weeks, can't drive for 2 weeks, and it was greatly stressed for me to take it easy and not overdo it. For those of you who really know me, this is a bit difficult for me.....!!! I'm feeling a bit better everyday, but just wish I was more useful around the house!! Thank goodness for my wonderful husband and family members helping out!!

Colby is doing quite well with Jenna. He did very well with my mom! She had no problems with him at all, which made things much less stressful for us. I was worried about how he would do with the major changes and coming to visit Mommy in the hospital for a few days. He seemed to be really excited once he found out that Jenna and I were coming home on Wednesday (a day earlier than I should have been discharged... I just wanted to come home and not be in the hospital anymore!) He wants to hug and kiss her and he completely makes my heart melt when he says, "I love you, Jenna!" Awww..... :) I am the luckiest mom!!

As I mentioned, Jenna and I were discharged on Wednesday morning. The health nurse came on Thursday morning and mentioned that she looked quite jaundice. We had been quite concerned because we were having a really hard time waking her up to eat, she would sleep all the time, and wasn't interested in eating at all. They tested her bilirubin level (cause of jaundice) and it was over 300. Dr. Currie wanted her admitted to the Stony Plain Hospital for Photo Therapy to treat the jaundice and bring her levels down. It was pretty scary, but I knew it was f0r the best and would quickly help her become less jaundice, more alert, and interested in eating. I stayed at the hospital with her overnight and they tested it again in the morning. With a visit from Dr. Currie and a level of 197, everything was fine and we were able to come home (again!). She has been doing much better since then and has been eating like crazy to catch up! She's putting weight back on too, which is good, as she had lost quite a bit at first. When we left the Stony Plain Hospital, she weighed 6 lbs. 3 oz. We'll see how much she weighs at her 9 day check-up on Wednesday afternoon!

We are thrilled with our new addition and I'm loving being a mom of two beautiful children! Thank you to everyone for your well wishes, offers of help, and visits! We love having such great family and friends around!

Love,
Gerry, Lesley, Colby, and Jenna xoxo

Almost a family of four!

With the big day quickly approaching, I had my 38 week appointment with my obstetrician on Wednesday morning. Everything was still fine - strong heart beat (and getting faster each week) was at 148 bpm and I am still measuring 37 cm (same as last week). The next time I see Dr. Black will be in the operating room! She's really great and I quite like her! I have also heard that her surgeries are quick and often come with little scarring too! This morning (Friday), I had to go to the Misericordia Hospital for my pre-admission clinic for Monday's cesarean section. I found out that I am scheduled for the first surgery of the day... 9:30 am! So we need to be at the hospital at 7:30 for IV, monitoring, prep, etc. Colby is going to have a sleepover at Auntie Kristy's house on Sunday night since we need to leave the house earlier than he'll be awake! I really don't want to wake him up, so he's looking forward to a sleepover with "Annie"!

After a lot of talk with others who have had a c-section and the pre-admission clinic with lots of information about how things will go on Monday, I'm starting to feel much more at ease. I am a huge type-A personality (always have been) and don't really like the unknown and change. So because this is new, it has been a bit scary. I know that I'll be just fine and it's truly the best and safest way for our little girl to enter the world! Now if Monday would just get here!! :) I really am thankful for all of the help that has already been offered from our loving family and friends... my mom is watching Colby for a few days next week while Gerry works (the days I'm in the hospital). With such limited holidays (which is hugely frustrating), we need to maximize his time at home when I come home on Thursday.

Colby's getting excited to be a big brother too! He has been doing lots in her room, helping get last minute things set up and has been playing with Baby Jack quite a bit this week. He has put him to "nigh-night" in his bed with Tip Top and blankie, closed the door, and hushed as he's leaving. It's SO cute!!!

This past week has flown by! Between appointments and meeting friends, our week has gone by so quickly! Last weekend on Sunday morning, we headed to Dog Rump Creek (Rotary Park) in Stony Plain, where my sister, Kristy, took some maternity pictures of Gerry and I, along with a couple of family ones. They turned out really great!! Now... when will I have time to scrapbook them?! Maybe in a year or two?!? LOL! Gerry registered for curling again this year, so he'll be curling with my parents and one of my uncles. He really quite enjoys it and is quite a good curler! I met a few friends this week in the evenings for coffee to catch up before life gets even crazier next week, which was really nice. This weekend we are enjoying one more weekend as a family of three. We are taking Colby swimming and to the playgym tomorrow morning before lunch and naptime. Sunday is our niece's (Emerson) baptism, so we'll be spending the day with family celebrating. Some of Gerry's family is coming into town and staying with us, so it's going to be a very busy last weekend before Baby comes.

The warmer weather continued for a few days this week and to be honest, it was a bit too hot for me. Being 38+ weeks pregnant and 32 degrees outside in September was a bit much. Again, thank goodness for our basement and for my brother-in-law who is installing our air conditioning this weekend! It will be all ready for next summer!! :)

Have a great weekend everyone and my next blog post will have some baby news to share!!
Love,
Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Baby Cameron xoxo

The countdown is on...

Okay, okay, the countdown has been on for a couple of weeks already, but now I only have to wait 11 more days to meet my little girl! After meeting with my obstetrician yesterday in the city (who is great!), I found out that the baby is in the footling breech position, so there's no option for a natural breech delivery. So... scheduled c-section it is! She would have liked to do it next week (me too!), but she said pediatricians don't often like elective sections done before 39 weeks. So I am booked for a c-section on Monday, September 21st at 39 weeks and 1 day.

It feels very strange knowing that I'll just walk into the hospital on that day and have a baby... no labor, no contractions, no pushing... just plain strange! I'm really quite nervous about the whole surgery and the am quite worried about the recovery time, but I know I have lots of help around, which is calming my nerves slightly. Gerry is going to take the first week off for sure (when I'm in the hospital) and then some time the following week. He has very few days of vacation left, so sadly, most of it will be unpaid time. My mom and sisters are also around, which will be very helpful. We pretty much have the nursery all ready to go... we didn't change very much, kept the paint and some of the crib things the same from Colby. We added a few pink items to 'girl up' the decor a bit, which I'm quite happy with. Decorating a girl's room has sure been fun!!

Colby is doing well with the baby prep... he has been working on putting diapers on Baby Jack and Tip Top. It's so cute!! He likes to put Baby Jack and Tip Top to bed for nigh-night and even covers them up with a blankie. We'll see how he is when his little sister comes home... I'm a little worried about not being able to pick up my little man for 6 weeks!! Yikes! I am taking in every moment I can with him in the next 11 days... it's weird knowing that in just over a week I'm going to be a mommy to two little angels, not just one! :)

We had a good September long weekend away last weekend. It was a quadding trip, so Colby and I hung out at the trailer/park/going for walks, etc. during the day while the boys (and a few wives) played on the quads in the mud. He did great playing with me and by himself, as there were no other little kids around, as there usually is when we go camping. Besides the terrible mosquitos and wasps, we had a great time outside. Colby usually sleeps really well when we're camping (so much fresh air!), which is nice. He enjoys running around and exploring... especially in the trees surrounding the campsite!! He sure keeps Mommy on her toes!

I'll be sure to keep everyone posted on the next couple of weeks. Enjoy a beautiful September weekend ahead!
Love,
Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Baby

36 weeks and counting!

Today I had my 36 week regular prenatal appointment. Whew... what an overwhelming morning!! We knew that the baby has not turned into the head-down position at my last appointment, but my doctor was hoping she would by this week. Perhaps she's showing her stubborn side already (I think she might get that from her mommy???) but she still is breech. I had a quick ultrasound scan to confirm it and a lot of information and options of where we go from here. My doctor wanted me to have an urgent ultrasound to confirm the type of breech position and get an estimated fetal weight. From there, there are three options that we'll discuss with the obstetrician that I will now be seeing.
1) Attempt at external version = manipulate baby from outside to move down. Apparently very painful and success rate is low.
2) Elect c-section
3) Breech delivery

Apparently they are now doing more and more breech deliveries (if in the correct breech position) these days. There are some positions that are an automatic c-section, but others that can be delivered naturally. Ouch! Anyway, I go for the ultrasound tomorrow and then will hopefully know a bit more. From there, I see the OB next Wednesday where I hope to gain a bit more insight into options and a plan of action. Dr. Gail Black is her name and I hear she's fantastic!!! So that was great to hear! I will keep you posted on the events and any decisions made.

I'm feeling alright still... just more uncomfortable by the week and very hot this week in this crazy heat!! I'm not loving the 29-30 degree weather the past few days. It will be over soon though and I'm going to be cursing the snow before we know it, I think!

Colby is really doing great with the baby thing... he loves reading "Little Critter - The New Baby"!! He wants to do more with Baby Jack and loves to show off the baby's room to any visitors. :) I hope things continue to go well... I think he's going to make a pretty great big brother! :) Thank goodness my sister, Jody, is so flexible in watching Colby. The ultrasound and OB appt. are right during nap time, which makes things difficult to go anywhere with him. So she's going to be watching him for me, which is so helpful!!

I'll let you know how the ultrasound goes tomorrow!
Lesley

"Bolby"

I don't know where the days go, but it seems like lately, the weeks are flying by! Last week, we had a playdate on Monday morning with Irene and her little girl, Evangeline. We haven't seen them in quite a while, so it was nice for the two kids to have some play time again. Evangeline is about 2 months younger than Colby, so it's great to have a playmate so close in age! On Tuesday I had my 34 week prenatal check-up. On the drive there, I was telling Colby that Mommy has to go to the doctor for a baby check up. So when Dr. Currie came in, he greeted her with "Hi Docker... baby cheek-up?" It was great! I think he's starting to understand that a baby will be coming home soon and is helping with all kinds of things in the baby's room. I am crossing my fingers that this little one decides to turn one of these days! She is not head-down yet and most babies are by this point. I go next week for my 36 week appt. and Dr. Currie will do an ultrasound if she's not certain that she's moved yet. Not sure yet if she'll try to move her manually too or not... ouch!! Will keep you posted!

My cousin, Leanne, and her son, Connor, came over on Wednesday morning for a while. Leanne is starting her first year of teaching this fall, so we chatted about a few things and of course, Colby and Connor played great together! Colby sure misses seeing Connor all the time!! Tracy and the kids came for a visit on Friday morning, which was great! It's always great for Blake and Colby to play together... and Tracy and I to visit! :) We headed out to Jody and Mike's house on Saturday afternoon for a birthday BBQ! There were lots of other kids there and being on an acreage, they had lots of room to run! Colby especially LOVED the cows!! We spent a lot of time looking at the cows and talking to them!! We had a very lazy day on Sunday around the house! While we have many projects that should've been getting done, it was really nice having some quiet family time together. Yesterday, we went to the city with Kristy and Landon. We did a bit of baby shopping (2 stores plus lunch). I don't know how I'm going to venture out with 2 kids soon!! Colby doesn't really enjoy being in his stroller too long and always wants to walk (more like run!), so that was a bit challenging. Anyway, always fun when we get together with them!! Whew... busy week!

Now to the title of this blog... Colby has learned a new word... his name!! While it's not exactly his name, it's pretty close! He calls himself "Bolby". Not quite sure why he can't say the "C" at the beginning, as he can say "cow" and "car", but still says "Bolby". Must be the combination of letters or something. Anyway, it's pretty cute! He's using it as in "Bolby coming too" or "Bolby sticker? Uh huh". "Uh huh" is his "yes" and we hear it a lot!! LOL! Anyway, we love hearing him talk and are amazed with how much he is stringing together and remembering! What a great age this is!!

I'm beginning to become more uncomfortable with each passing week. I have just over a month to go (Sept. 27th is my due date) and it seems like I'm out of breath more and more! I don't think my belly is as big as it was with Colby, but am carrying differently, so it just feels differently. I'm enjoying being able to nap with Colby when I want to since sleeping through the night doesn't happen anymore (for me, not Colby!) Just can't wait to meet our new little angel very soon!! We're working on getting her room all organized and I'm really enjoying buying pink!!! Trying not to buy too much, but it's all just so darn cute!! LOL!

Take care everyone and have a great rest of the week!
Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Baby!

"I wuv you!"

Colby has picked up a new line... that absolutely melts my heart whenever he says it! We have two books, "I Love Mommy" and "I Love Daddy". He loves reading these stories and now is saying, "I wuv you Mommy" or "I wuv you Daddy". Aah, one of the best things in the world!!

I have said before how much I love bedtime (and not just because it's quiet in the house then!) but after story time, I always sing a few lullabies to Colby. He ensures that we have singing time by reminding me with "Mommy sing, Mommy sing"! Apparently he enjoys them because he'll say "one more" several times before it's time to climb into bed. Sometimes he'll say it while I'm in the middle of a song too! LOL!

We have now been soother free for over a week!! Yippee!! Both Gerry and I have been pleasantly surprised with how much easier it has been than anticipated. He doesn't even ask for it anymore at all, so I think it's done! While it does take him longer to settle into naptime and bedtime, I think it's worth it. "Baby Jack" has a soother and he has really been helping us with baby stuff lately, so I'm hoping that he's now realizing that he's too big! He has been doing quite well in his new bedroom and new room, plus being soother free! I guess he's a pretty resilient kid already! He has been through a lot this past year, so I guess everything has made him stronger!

We had a busy week last week with going out a few mornings and lots of play time before and after naptime. With the weather being a bit cooler last week, we did some walking and played outside in the afternoon. Colby loves playing with Parker, one of our neighbor's sons. He just turned 3, but Colby and Parker get along really well! It's nice having them live right across the road! I often hear, "Mommy go Parker house? I go Parker house?" He especially loves his water table!!! Great for a nice hot afternoon!! On Thursday morning, we met Tracy, Blake, and Emerson for a bit of shopping and lunch at WEM. Colby did fine while shopping (with Blake there to keep each other entertained!) but was a bit of a monkey at lunch time!! He hasn't had much of an appetite at all lately and hasn't eaten very much throughout the day. To top it off, he slept in, he was in the carseat and stroller, and then had to sit for lunch. So, I guess it's expected he had some energy to burn!!

We went to my cousin's wedding yesterday in Sherwood Park. It was a great afternoon and fun reception (with very little sleep on Colby's part!) He only slept for 25 minutes on the way there and then wouldn't nap after the mid-afternoon ceremony. He did really well actually, considering he hadn't really napped and was definitely ready for bed at 9:30. He and Landon both went to sleep in playpens in my parents' trailer without a sound! Again, a bit of a surprise!! :)

Everything was fine at my doctor's appointment last week. I am now 34 weeks and go again on Tuesday. I'm measuring right on with my weeks, so that's good. Not too big, not too small! Only 6 more weeks to go now! She still likes to be most active at night when I lie down in bed, so some nights it can take quite a while to get comfortable enough to fall asleep! Only in time to sleep a couple of hours and get up to go to the washroom! LOL!

Have a great week, everyone!
Gerry, Lesley, Colby, and Baby

Crazy summer storm!!

Luckily, we weren't home last weekend when one crazy summer storm hit Stony Plain! We were camping at Ol'MacDonald's Resort and found out through voicemails and cell phone conversations what had hit the town and our neighbourhood! Westerra was hit the hardest with rain, hail, and strong winds... enough to uproot many trees and damage siding on houses, put many dents in eavestroughs and downspouts, and dent vehicles!! Everything came from the west/northwest, so we are very lucky that our house is still looking pretty good. We have about 4 or 5 holes and a few more cracks in the siding, lots of dents in tin and trim, and quite a few dents to both vehicles that were outside at the time. I cannot believe some of the other houses!! Entire sides of houses will need to be re-sided due to this crazy summer storm!! The clean-up was on all week in the area...

Colby and I had another great week. I sure am loving my time alone at home with him!! We are playing lots and doing lots too! I was supposed to have a doctor appointment this week on Wednesday, but my doctor had to deliver a baby in the city, so I am going on Monday instead. We've done some shopping for his room and the baby's room too! It's both fun and stressful decorating rooms... since I'm not anything close to an interior decorator!!! Oh well, they'll look cute, I'm sure!

I cannot believe the vocabulary and memory of our little man! Today I had to convince Colby to take a nap because we were going to play at Parker's house when he woke up. He ended up having a great nap, as usual, and surprised me when I opened the door. He said, "Hi Mommy... Parker house?" Crazy! I am amazed at their little minds and what he remembers and makes connections with! I have a feeling we're going to continue to see more of this now! It's so cute how everything is being mimicked these days... we continue to watch what we say around him, that's for sure!! LOL! Tonight at bedtime, I cut off the end of Colby's soother. He is completely attached to it and would have it 24 hours a day if we would let him. I really wanted to get rid of it by age 2 and before the baby comes in case she ends up having one too. I thought it would be easier now than when she has one as well. Not too bad for the first night... he didn't quite realize that it was 'broken', which tells me he doesn't need it for the sucking and just 'likes it'. But eventually, he said 'broken' after me and he threw it in the garbage. He cried for a few minutes, but then was off to sleep after a while. Hopefully the next few days go alright... could make for some very long nights, but I'm still crossing my fingers for the best!!

According to the baby counter on the left hand side, I now have 51 days until Baby #2 is due! Yikes! I've started to wash up some clothes and we are trying to decorate her room, too. I'm sure the next 7 weeks will go by quickly too, just as the entire pregnancy has!! I love being pregnant and enjoy it because I feel well most days. Although, I'm waking up a lot at night and am finding it more difficult to nap during the day, so I think she's trying to prepare me for the lack of sleep ahead! I can't wait to meet our new little baby girl!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!
Love,
Lesley, Gerry, and Colby

Summer Fun!

I know it's been a while since my last post... I really thought I could keep up a little more without working full-time!! I'm working on it! :) We haven't been up to a whole lot these days... just little things here and there that make the days and weeks seem to fly by! I can't believe it's already the beginning of August! We've had several play dates with friends, going on lots of walks, and bouncy house fun to keep things entertaining!


Gerry and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on July 30th! Again, it doesn't feel like we've been married for 4 years already! Since it was a Thursday and company was coming to our house, we went out on Saturday, July 25th for a little date night! It was great to get out!! Colby had a sleepover at my parents' house (in a nice air-conditioned house!!) and Gerry and I went to dinner and a movie. Just to add to the lateness of the evening, we came home and worked on finishing up Colby's new bedroom. Gerry is an amazing husband and a wonderful father... I am very lucky to spend my life with such a terrific man!


Some of Gerry's family arrived on Thursday, July 30th before a big camping weekend out at Ol'MacDonald's Resort near Stettler. It was a great time!! It was nice having our basement relatively developed, as there was plenty of playing room for all of the kids and room for everyone to sleep too. On Friday morning, we set out for the campground for the long weekend. It is such a fantastic campground for families and we really enjoy going there. The beach and lake are great, our sites were really nice, and overall, I think everyone had a great time! Colby didn't nap very well in the trailer this time out. Not sure why, but I think because he can get out of his toddler bed now, he has figured out how to climb out of his bunk bed in the trailer with no problem! It was also quite hot at the beginning of the weekend and it took a long time to get him to nap. We would go in the trailer to check on him, only to find him playing with toys, reading books, or up on the couch peeking out the blinds, greeting us with a lovely "Hi..."!! LOL! Too cute, but quite frustrating at times! Not sure where next year will take us with the Cameron crew...

Speaking of toddler beds, Colby is doing fairly well with his. We've only had a few nights where we've had to go in more than once or twice and put him back in bed. He enjoys playing in his closet or lying next to the fan, etc.! It is going MUCH better than I anticipated, so I've been happy with that! He has definitely adjusted to his new bedroom and loves playing in the new space! Without the glider rocking chair and book case, there is definitely more room in his new bedroom, which he loves to run and play in!! So far, so great!!

I'm now 32 weeks pregnant and still doing fine. I've heard quite a bit lately how small I am, which is kind of nice!! :) I'm carrying quite a bit differently with her than I did with Colby, so that makes a difference too, I think. I was supposed to have another check-up today, but my doctor had to do another delivery. That has happened several times now with re-scheduling. Oh well... could be me in about 8 weeks or so causing others to re-schedule!! We are working on getting her room set up and making it a bit more "girly". While it's very gender-neutral with the bedding and paint color, I'd like to add some pink in there, just because we can! :)

We are home this weekend and are looking forward to doing some work in the basement (doors up, etc.) and maybe working on setting up the kids' rooms a bit more. Colby has no decor up or anything yet, so that still needs some time!

I'm enjoying this nice break from the crazy hot weather we had near the end of July! Take care everyone!
Lesley, Gerry, Colby, and Baby!
xoxo

Keeping busy...

Where has the time gone? I can't believe it's already July 20th! Good thing I'm not heading back to school in the fall... usually I take July off and then start thinking about school again in August! Colby and I have been keeping quite busy during the days while Daddy's at work. Usually our outings are in the mornings (before lunch and naptime in the afternoon). Colby (and Mommy!) need to stick to a regular napping routine! LOL! On Wednesday morning, we went swimming at the Tri with friends Tara and Logan. Colby is a HUGE fan of the water (or should I say "otter") and doesn't like to be held or hold Mommy's hand in the water. We stopped in at the playgym for a while afterwards and then headed home for lunch. On Thursday morning, we took in the Capital Ex parade! It was fun with my cousin Leanne and her son, Connor, Tara, Logan, Tanya (Tara's sister), and her two kids, Madalyn and Justin. It was crazy driving downtown, but well worth it, as the kids had fun!! On Friday, Colby and I went to the new Play Park in Spruce Grove and the playgym for a bit with "Atty Kisty" (Auntie Kristy) and "Annie" (Landon). The huge new Play Park is a bit too 'old' for the boys yet. Soon it will be better for them. We got ready to go camping in the afternoon and finished packing the trailer for another weekend away!

We headed down to Jarvis Bay Provincial Park (near Sylvan Lake) for the weekend and met our great friends, Mark and Corinne Koppel, for the weekend. They live in Strathmore and we met in 2003 when I first moved down there. It was great for Colby to play with their boys, Matthew (5) and Cameron (3). We went to the waterslides on Saturday on a very hot and busy day and then to the beach on Sunday morning before packing up and heading home. I've decided weekends are much too short!! It's a beautiful campground with large sites, so we'll definitely head back there soon!!

We are continuing to work on Colby's new "big boy room"... slowly, but surely. His new bedding and matching decor wall hangings arrived from the States, which is so exciting!! Now we can work on putting it altogether. I need to get some curtains and the blind has been ordered, so hopefully soon!! He gets excited when new things go in there, so hopefully the transition will go as smoothly as possible! He's such a funny kid... he loves to play cars, trucks, choo choos... it doesn't matter! He always seems to be driving something on the floor! It's pretty cute! I really enjoy hearing the sounds he makes and the little chatter he does when he's playing!

On the baby front, I'm feeling very large these days!! I think all of my June stress eating and staff room snacking at school has caught up to me in the past two weeks!!! Ah well, right?! Sure, we'll go with that! The baby continues to be very active in the evenings when I go to bed. It has been very fun knowing that she is a girl, as I've been watching for sales and have already picked up a few things here and there (mainly sleepers for when she first arrives)! Gerry's quite nervous that having another girl in the family (combined with my shopping habits) is going to seriously affect his wallet!! LOL!

Hope everyone is enjoying this heat wave... looks like it's going to stick around for a while! I'm thankful for our cooler basement on the really hot days when it's a nice 26 degrees or more upstairs! Ugh...
Talk soon.
Love,
Gerry, Lesley, and Colby

Dr. appt.

I had my 28 week check up yesterday morning and everything is still fine with the newest baby Cameron. My weight gain has slowed down slightly (thank goodness!) and I'm measuring only 1 cm bigger than I am in weeks, so my doctor said that's fine. The heartbeat is holding steady each time and was 142 bpm yesterday. She had a difficult time finding it at first because the doppler kept picking up both mine and the baby's heartbeat. Once it was distinguished, then it was fine. My next appt. isn't until August 5th and then I start going in every two weeks. Colby and I met friends Tara and Logan at the playgym after the doctor appt. and the kids had a great time there! Colby loves the different toys and always has fun. He actually gets pretty upset when it's time to leave. We're hoping to take the kids swimming one day next week, so that will be fun!

This morning Colby and I had some company... we had a playdate with cousins Kendra (Jody), Connor (Leanne), Hailey and Kayden (Mandy). Colby was SO excited to see Connor today and they played great together! He sure has missed his Connor since he doesn't go to Leanne's house everyday now! We'll have to make more playdates throughout the summer before Leanne goes back to work in the fall. He made sure to give everyone a "Mah" (what he says when he gives a kiss!) when they were leaving! Super cute! When Colby gets up from his nap, we are going in to Gerry's work for a quick visit and then off to Toys R Us. They have an outdoor adventure climber on sale this week that we want to look at for the backyard. It's always fun to go to Toys R Us!! :) We're hoping to have a productive weekend around the house and do some major organizing of the basement rooms and cleaning out of Colby's new room. Hopefully all goes according to plan!!

Have a great weekend everyone!
Lesley

Camping fun!

Well the school year has officially ended again! And now I'm out of school for 14 months!! Teachers really plan these kinds of things, you know... off for the summer, then mat leave starts end of August, baby in September, off for another year! :) Life is great! My summer has been off to a great start! We began our camping trip on Tuesday night after Gerry got home from work on Tuesday, June 30th. We headed down to Gull Lake... gorgeous pull-through sites, wonderful campground!! Gerry stayed Tuesday night and Wednesday and headed back for work on Thursday and Friday. Colby and I stayed with my mom, sisters, niece, nephew, aunt, cousin, and her friend. So Colby and Landon were surrounded by girls! :) We had a great time... Colby absolutely LOVES being outside and playing in the dirt, pushing toys, and staying up too late! LOL! Gerry was back on the weekend with the rest of the guys and we had a wonderful weekend! The weather was good and everyone had a great time!

It has been so great spending time with just Colby this week! I LOVE being at home!! The basement is coming in very handy already with lots of space to run and lots of toys to play with! We have a great routine (which includes some sleeping in... finally... after many months of 6am wakings!) and I'm loving my time with him. I know the summer will fly by and soon we will be greeting our little girl, so we're soaking up the family time as much as we can! We are working on emptying Colby's new room into the basement (moving the office into the scrapbooking/craft room downstairs). It's quite a job!! His bedding is finally ordered and en route to Canada, which is a relief! That has not been much fun!! I'm excited for it to arrive and to start decorating his new big boy room. We have his toddler bed set up in here right now for him to get used to it, so that's going fine. Hopefully the transition will be relatively smooth! Fingers crossed!

He is such a character and makes us laugh! He is quite the chatterbox and is imitating everything we say... we really need to be careful what we say around him! One of my new favourite things is when I go into his room in the morning when he first wakes up, he says, "Morning" in the cutest little voice!! So cute!! He doesn't say "yes" yet, but instead, it's always "Mmm hmm" or "Uh huh"! Pretty funny! At least there's a break from "no" sometimes lately! :) He can point to many body parts and is putting together two and three word phrases. It's crazy how much he remembers!! He's growing up too fast... especially when I think about him being an older brother in less than 3 months!! But it's going to be great to see him in that role, too!

I'm feeling pretty good these days... into my 3rd trimester and am 28 weeks now. I'm not sleeping very well at night lately, so that's rather frustrating and makes for some tiring days, but all in all, feeling good. Back to walking more often (with more time these days!) and I just began a prenatal aquafit class again tonight. I go back to the doctor on Thursday for another checkup. Almost time to start going every two weeks!! It's unreal how quickly this pregnancy has gone!!

Tomorrow we're going to meet Tracy, Blake, and Emerson at e-children and a lunch date! Looking forward to that! We don't live very far apart, but it seems like it's so long in between visits! :( Hopefully they'll be more regular now with us both off! Then tomorrow night we are going to celebrate my grandma's 92nd birthday at the home. She is still doing well - can't believe she's 92!! She has certainly lived a great life! I know we really need the rain, but it's putting a damper on our outside playing time! Hopefully we can balance a bit of both in the days to come! Hope everyone's July is off to a good start!

Lesley

It's a.................

GIRL!!! Yes, we are going to have a new little girl to add to our Cameron family!! We were excited to go to UC Baby last Saturday and see what this little one looks like! Turns out, of course, my lack of willpower made me give in and I "needed" to know what it was! I was very surprised (along with everyone else!) when she said it was a GIRL! I really did think that it was a boy again, despite the fact of how I'm carrying a bit differently. But everything else has been the same as my pregnancy with Colby. No morning sickness, gaining weight, heartbeat... and the list goes on. So I cried quite a bit lying on the bed when I found out it was a girl, both out of shock, surprise, and sheer excitement!!! She looks SO similar to Colby, it's crazy!! The ultrasound tech said she looks like Mommy, but she definitely has Gerry's little mouth, Colby's chubby cheeks, little button nose, and dimple above her top lip. I absolutely loved the opportunity to see our little girl in ultrasound before she arrives!! What a great moment and day!! This pregnancy has gone by SO incredibly quickly and I can't believe there's only 3 more months until my due date!! With summer here, I'm sure it will go by very quickly too!!

Last Saturday, we also purchased Colby's toddler bed and mattress. The "office" is not ready for him to move in yet, but slowly, we will get there. Everything is coming out of the office and we will move Colby to his new "big boy" bedroom with his new "big boy" bed. He has been very curious and enjoys his new bed already, so hopefully all will go well with the transition! Colby had a great week with Auntie Jody and Auntie Mandy. He plays so well with Kendra and Hailey that I'm not concerned to leave him at all. Thank goodness! :) After a difficult time with Katie and Auntie Kathy at our house on Sunday night, I was pretty scared of how he'd do with the other girls this week.

It has been a crazy week at school, as the end of June always is. Long days, late nights, and little sleep make for one tired, pregnant Mrs. Cameron!!! We did a lot of walking, little field trips, swimming at the pool, and stuff to keep busy after report cards are all done and teaching is finished. So now I have one more day at school on Monday (staff meeting, class list creation, and of course, lunch!) and then I'm off until September 2010!! Seems so far away, but sadly, I know my year off will go so quickly! I can't wait to spend some quality time with my little man before the baby arrives and then of course, have my two beautiful children at home for the year!! Such a great job I have, being a Mommy!!!

Gerry and I are going to finish bringing home my classroom boxes and begin to get ready to go camping next week. We're leaving on Tuesday night through Sunday to Gull Lake, which will be a lot of fun! Have a great weekend everyone and take care!
Lesley

Too long...

I know, I say this every time, but I cannot believe my last blog post was three weeks ago!! :( I really wish I had more time to do things like this! I can't believe how quickly the month of June has gone. I haven't been doing much lately besides marking final assessment, writing report cards, more report cards, and IPP reviews. So I'm really looking forward to my last 5 days with students next week and my one last staff meeting day on June 29th. Then it's outta there for 14 months for me!! Aaaahhhh, can't wait! :)

I'm 26 weeks now and feeling pretty well (besides large!), but just very tired. Lots of late nights of working on school stuff and trying to somewhat keep up with housework has been quite draining. The baby has been moving around a ton lately and I love it! Definitely one of my favorite things of being pregnant is feeling the baby move. Just a few days ago, I saw some baby moving action while laying in bed. It's a pretty active baby, just like Colby was, so it's neat to see some somersaults and kicks happening!

It seems like we have a 2 year old these days and not an 18 month old! Colby is a going concern all day long! He's a very active kid who is curious about everything and into absolutely everything! What I love most about this age is how fun it is to play! He is talking a lot these days and can say about 30 single words. He is also beginning to put some short two word phrases together, which is really neat to see. At his 18 month check up and immunizations, he was 34" long (90th percentile) and 29 lbs. (80th percentile), so he's still a big boy as he always has been! Today was Colby's last day with Auntie Leanne during the day. He's really going to miss her and Connor! Already tonight, he's been yelling Connor's name looking for him. Next week when I'm still working, my sister, Jody, and cousin, Mandy, are going to take a few days each to watch him. Then it's home with Mommy all day! :) I'm really excited to be home with him... this year has been so busy, crazy, and tiring! Since I went back to work early in my new position when Colby was 8 1/2 months old, I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my little man before the new addition arrives! We're going to have a fun 3 months at home together!!

We've been very busy every weekend and we're excited to have some family time this weekend. We've had a camping weekend with the Schram family out at Wabamun (which was cold, rainy, but lots of fun!), and a family wedding last weekend (which was hot, but fun!). This weekend, we are shopping for a toddler bed for Colby and going to UC Baby (3-D ultrasound place in Edmonton). We're excited to see how the pictures of this baby compare to Colby's. I'll keep you posted!

Enjoy the weekend everyone!! Summer is almost here!!
Lesley

Whew... what a weekend!

As you can see from the title, this past weekend was no different than any other. It was a little busier, but still, the time flew by so quickly. And before I know it, it's Sunday night and we're trying to get ready for the work week ahead!

We did have a great weekend... Saturday morning we went to the Farmer's Days Parade in Stony Plain. We met up with some family and friends on the route and it was so great to see the kids enjoying it! At last year's parade, Colby was just 6 months old, so this year was quite a different experience. He sat contently through the entire thing just watching everything pass by. He sure enjoyed seeing the "wee ooh wee ooh" (aka fire truck)!! After the parade, we headed to the fair grounds for some kiddie fun! They had a kids zone there with a petting zoo, face painting, tractors, and toys. Colby liked the goats, but wasn't such a huge fan of the other animals! He also enjoyed the slide and digging in the big bucket of oats for toys! We came home for a very overdue nap mid-afternoon. While he napped, we got ready for our evening out at Kathryn and Santiago's wedding reception. This was the wedding we didn't attend in Colombia, so we were excited to go to the reception. It was absolutely gorgeous... beautiful location, they looked great, and the video of the wedding ceremony in Medellin was beautiful. Colby enjoyed a sleepover at Auntie Kristy and Uncle Kyle's house and behaved very well, by the sounds of things! As he usually does, he slept in for them this morning... until 8:20 am!!! Hmmm, we can't get him to sleep past 7:15 most weekend mornings... :) Today (Sunday) included attending a baby shower for my cousin's wife and son, heading to school for a very productive 1 1/2 hours, and then home for dinner and a quick visit to my parents' house before bathtime and bedtime.

I really actually enjoy bathtime with Colby... he is such a kid of routine that he knows exactly what's coming and is usually very well behaved at bedtime. Often, he'll pick out a book, lay down on his back for his diaper, jammies, lotion, etc., and then climb into the rocker for a story or two. It's definitely some great cuddly time with Mommy or Daddy!!

We brought out Colby's potty this morning! I know he's only 18 months (well, not quite), but as his vocabulary is growing, he has been saying "Poopy bum", getting cranky, and holding his diaper right after he poops. So we set it up in the bathroom for him to explore and get used to. I'm not going to pursue anything until I'm home this summer, so in about a month or so. I really don't think it'd be good to try anything while he's still going to the dayhome. He has definitely been showing signs of readiness, so we'll see what the near future brings!!

Speaking of his vocabulary, our little man continues to bring smiles, laughter and joy to our lives every minute. He is talking like crazy (I think my list was about 25 words long) and it's SO adorable! While he still really likes the word "no", he is defintely saying more than just no these days. I love how excited he gets to see Mommy and Daddy and I love watching him play and interact! He continues to do so well at the dayhome, which brings me peace when going to work. I'm really looking forward to being home in a month (20 teaching days to be exact!) with him before the baby comes. He has grown so much and quickly in the past few months that I just want to hang out, read, play, bake, clean, and the list goes on... together! He loves to clean and it's really quite cute how much he loves the vacuum cleaner. Colby needed to do most of the vacuuming in his room today (without Daddy's help!) so of course, I quickly snapped a few photos! Good scrapbooking topic, right?!

Anyway, I better go get organized for tomorrow... we are loving the warmer weather lately and now, would just like for the wind to go away!! Enjoy your week, everyone!
Lesley