Phew... Life is busy these days!

I can't believe I've left our blog this long before updating... it's been difficult to find a few minutes to blog lately! So here it is... very overdue!

Decisions as a parent are more difficult to make than decisions before kids! True? Some might agree with me, but in my mind, they definitely are! Everything affects the family and we put our family first. That's why making the decision about returning to work was more difficult this time than it was returning to work after having Colby. Long story short, after weighing all of the pros and cons with varying FTE's, I will be returning to work full-time at the end of August for the next school year. I'm happy with the decision now, but it wasn't easy. I am fully prepared for even more less 'me time' once I go back to work full-time. Hopefully we'll be able to balance everything well as a family. :)

We've been pretty busy lately with spring programs beginning recently. Colby is attending "I'm Big Enough for Preschool" again until the end of June every Tuesday morning at the TLC. He's doing really well and this past week, I actually didn't stay in the room with him and he did great the entire time!! The idea is for the kids to progress to not having a parent in the room and I'm happy we're getting there! Tick Tock Time also began last week, so we are going to that every Friday morning. It's a really great program with a fantastic facilitator! She knows how to captivate all of the kids' attention!! A definite must in these kinds of programs! Also, Colby began Gymnastics this morning. It's a Parent and Tot Program through Aerials Gymnastics and he enjoyed it! I look forward to going again next week. I think it's nice for him to have a one-on-one activity with Mom or Dad!

We had our niece, Kourtney, stay with us for four days last week. It was so wonderful having a 14 year old around! She's great with the kids and Colby loved having her here! I took her grad dress shopping on Saturday... without the kids!!! Wow, I had forgotten how nice it is to shop sometimes without any kids with you. Could be a factor in how much shopping I did for myself!?! A great day of shopping ended in a great night of scrapbooking at our house until the wee hours in the morning with 6 fabulous ladies! It was a lot of fun and I began Jenna's scrapbook... finally!! I only accomplished 6 pages, but it's a start! :)

Colby is such a funny kid and often leaves us wondering, "Where did he get that from?" He's definitely a backseat driver... yes, our 2 year old tells me to "Watch out, Mommy!" "Slow down, Mommy. You're going too fast." "If you fall off this bend, Mom, I'll pick you up." He often surprises us with words and phrases too. I love this age and it's so fun to have a full conversation with a toddler! He's loving the beautiful weather and wants to be outside all the time! Going for walks, playing in the backyard or at playgrounds, and driving his new Plasma car are some of his faves outside. He is so cute with Jenna... he likes to get her toys, tell her "It's okay, Jenna" when she's crying, and kiss and hug her good night. I love it! :)

Jenna is growing up too fast... she's almost 7 months old and is learning to do more and more things all the time. She is rolling like crazy. She rolled fairly early, but now this is her main mode of transportation around any given room! When put on her back, she instantly flips to her tummy and would rather play with toys on her tummy. She is sitting up and enjoying the world in a whole new way now! She's still not a great eater of solids, but we're working on it. The sleeping is getting better... still not a great napper and continues to wake up once a night crying. Eventually, we feed her, but know that we need to "Ferberize" her and get her back to her 11 or 12 hours a night that she was doing for months before she was sick. We'll get there one day... I hope!!

Congratulations to Gerry's sister, Kathy, and her boyfriend, Rob, who became parents to Grayson Micheal on Monday, April 12th. Haven't seen him yet, but Carmen says he's pretty cute!

Gerry and I are going to his Curling Banquet tonight, so I'm looking forward to visiting with some other adults and dressing up a bit! How sad is it that I'm looking forward to wearing some nice clothes!?! :) Thank you to Leanne and Ryan who will be babysitting... I know Leanne and Ryan will enjoy their Jenna time and Colby is so excited to play with Connor!

Have a great rest of the weekend... enjoy this BEAUTIFUL weather!!
xoxo Lesley

Our baby girl is 6 months old!

While I still can't believe it, yes... our baby girl is 6 months old already! I thought time flew by too quickly with only one child, but I often find myself wondering where the time actually goes! It seems to fly by much quicker with having a toddler and a baby! The days, weeks, and months seem to disappear right in front of our eyes. If nothing else, it is a good reminder that we need to live every day to its fullest and cherish every second because they truly do go by too fast!

Our little Jenna is doing really well. At her 6 month check-up last week, she weighed in at 15 lbs. and was 25.4" long. She's definitely growing! She was always on the shorter side of the spectrum and is now finally making her way up the growth chart... slowly, but surely. This puts her at the 50%ile for height and weight, so she's doing great. Up until this point, she was either not on the growth chart, at the 10%ile or the 25%ile for height, so she's steadily growing! Must be all of those healthy vegetables she's eating!!

Jenna is such a happy little girl. We don't really hear her cry unless she needs something... and then, you can hear her next door, I'm sure! She definitely has a good set of lungs on her! She has the biggest, toothless grin... I love it! She loves to giggle and has an adorable little laugh, especially when she's being tickled. She loves to cuddle, be held, and snuggle! Of course, this is one of my favorite times of the day... when it's just Jenna and Mommy, cuddling and reading stories, singing songs, or just talking! She is one observant little girl! One of her favorite things to do is sit and watch... everything! She loves to watch Colby play and just giggles when he tries to make her laugh. It's so cute to watch them interact! He is such a great brother and we are blessed he is so gentle and caring (usually). He enjoys getting her toys, helping me feed Jenna, reading stories to her, and playing with her on the floor. She is very close to sitting up independently, but isn't there quite yet. She will be soon though, I'm sure. She loves to roll over! As soon as she's put on her back, she instantly rolls onto her tummy. She enjoys being on her tummy too, so maybe she'll be crawling soon too?!? She loves to stand up and jump, too! She absolutely loves her Jumperoo! It's pretty cute to see her jumping like crazy in it! Jenna also enjoys being outside and going for walks in the stroller. She hasn't been a fan of her car seat since birth, but really enjoys sitting up in the stroller and looking around. We are very fortunate that she is a good sleeper, too! She usually naps three times a day and her early afternoon nap is slowly increasing in length, which is great. And she is still sleeping great at night, too. Jenna has been sleeping through the night since she was about 8 weeks old and she's still doing well at night. She usually sleeps for about 11-12 hours. She must know how much her mommy loves to sleep, right?!

We're working on the solids now... honestly, she's not a great eater of solid foods. She is not a huge fan of the cereals, but is doing much better with the vegetables, so that's good news. I hope it continues to get a bit better everyday. While I truly love newborns, I am really enjoying her being a bit older now and being more interactive. Although, I always say that every stage is my favorite stage! It's great to see her holding onto objects, chewing on absolutely everything!, playing with toys, discovering things (like finding her feet!) and learning so much about her environment everyday.

Sadly, Jenna has already been a patient of the Stollery Children's Hospital. Last Monday morning, I was concerned with her in-drawing and crackly chest as she breathed. Luckily, she had her regular check-up that morning. Long story short, our doctor sent us to the Stony Hospital where she was treated for shortness of breath and what we would eventually find out was RSV and Bronchialitis. She was treated with several medications, but her oxygen level wasn't staying up high enough without the support of oxygen. We were taken by ambulance to the Stollery where she was seen in the ER there. She was doing much better by this time and only required one more dose of Ventilin that night. She was admitted for observation overnight to monitor her oxygen level. Thankfully, she did great and was discharged the next day. Whew... now that both of our kids have been there, I hope we don't have to go back again! We are very fortunate to have such a fabulous facility in Edmonton. All of the nurses and doctors there are truly wonderful!

Being a mom is definitely the best job in the entire world. While it's also a difficult job, I wouldn't trade it for the world. We have amazing kids who we love to pieces! What would we do without children? I think we would all have a whole lot more time on our hands!! LOL!

Love,

Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Jenna

xoxo

Dear Grandma...

First off, let me say, I love you, Grandma.
May your days ahead be filled with love and
joy as you are re-united with Grandpa and other
loved ones again.

This is a very difficult blog, as it has been a rough week. On Sunday morning, we awoke to a phone call from my mom saying that my grandma has passed away overnight. It was completely unexpected and shocking, to say the least. She was such a gentle woman who was so proud of her family and life history. Even though we heard her stories (many) times due to Alzheimer's, they never got old. One of my favorite sayings of hers was when she'd look all around, seeing her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and say, "Just think... all of this because of me" or "I never imagined all of this." She kept her promise to come to Canada after her first husband was killed in World War II. As she and my Auntie Ann (who was 3 at the time) travelled west to Alberta, she met and married my Grandpa. And the rest is history... 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild was due in a few months.

As I sit here this evening, I am still finding it difficult to believe that she's gone. Even though it's been a week of planning, extended family arriving from out-of-town, I still feel like it's a dream. Tomorrow is Grandma's funeral and it's going to be a very long and tiring day. She was my last remaining grandparent and it's difficult to say good-bye, especially because it was so sudden. To quote a poem written by a friend of my sister's for her funeral tomorrow...

Dear Grandma,

Fond memories flood us
As we cry,
We were not ready
To say good-bye.
Though we knew
Your time would come,
You are our Grandma,
Friend and Mom.
We'll miss your smile,
Your selfless way,
We have so much
We'd like to say.
You walked this earth
With love and grace,
And in our hearts
You'll hold your place.
If you could have spoken
Before you died,
These are the words
You would have replied.
This life for me
Has truly passed,
I've loved you all
'Til the very last.
Weep not for me
But courage take,
And love one another
For my sake.

We love you, Grandma. I am proud to call you my Grandma. You lived an amazing 92 years and had a very successful life filled with loved ones, joy, laughter, and many memories. Rest in peace.

Love and hugs,
Gerry, Lesley, Colby and Jenna xoxo

Is it that time already?!

Yes, it is nearly April, which, in the education world, means it's "time to start thinking about next year's assignment" time! When I was granted my maternity leave, the paperwork indicated I had to let the school division know my intentions for next year by April 30th. Turns out, they're wanting to get a "jump start" on staffing, so they've been calling me wanting my letter. After putting off the decision and many, many discussions, we finally made a very tough decision... I will be returning to work full-time at the end of August for the coming school year. I was considering the option of working part-time, about 0.8 FTE or so, but financially, it didn't even make sense with the cost of full-time childcare. So, back to full-time work in too few of months!

I really do love being home with my kids and I can't believe how quickly life flies by, especially when you have two children. I do enjoy my job though (as much work as it is and the many extra hours I put in) and I'm confident everything will work out. Hopefully this year is much more positive on the childcare front... let's not go there!! LOL! It's all about finding a good balance for the family and yourself. I've always worked full-time in the past, so I am fully aware that it's going to be hard. Thank goodness I have an amazing husband who helps out and does so much around the house! If only the school day was shorter so I could be home earlier... hmmmm.... :)

We have had a difficult couple of weeks. Colby broke out with some sort of terribly itchy face, resulting in major scratching and marks on his face that wouldn't clear up with medication or ointments. Still not sure what it is... but now he is on oral antibiotics and it seems to be helping greatly. Very strange, but it has improved tremendously, so hopefully it's gone for good soon! He also came down with a pretty bad cold last weekend. He was running a fever, had a bad cough, runny nose, and wasn't able to get much rest due to the cough. Thank goodness he was napping in the afternoons and I think he is almost back to himself. The only problem now? Jenna has a cough and runny nose.... grrr!! When it's in the house, it's inevitable that both kids will get it, right?! So frustrating! Hopefully it is a mild one for her and she'll be back to normal quickly too. She's still her happy, content little self, just a stuffed up, coughing little girl now. :(

We are in between sessions of Preschool and Tick Tock Time now, so it has been great having a rather low-key week. Besides Colby being sick, it was truly really nice to not have plans everyday and running out every morning. It's great to stay home and just PLAY!! Tonight was Colby's last swimming lesson of this session and he passed the "Duck" level. Good job, buddy! :) He got a check mark for each one of the skills/activities and will go to "Sea Turtle" next when he turns 3. I registered him in gymnastics beginning the middle of April. It's a Parent and Tot class that we will attend on Saturday mornings. I think it will be a great outlet of energy for our very energetic little man!

We have a busy weekend ahead with Gerry playing in another bonspiel tomorrow afternoon. We also have Jenna's 6 month pictures on Sunday morning, followed by a date with some friends, Joe and Tara, at Jubilations Sunday evening. I hope Colby and Jenna will be good for their first "non-grandparent" babysitting night. Chantel will be great, I know it!

Have a great weekend everyone and Welcome Spring!!

The Cameron Family
xoxo

I LOVE Being a Mom!

A few things I love about being a mom:

- Hearing the word "Mommy", even if it is a million times a day
- Hearing "I wuv you, Mommy" everyday
- Hugs and kisses! (To and from the kids... can't get enough!!)
- Turning on Jenna's light in the morning, greeting her with "Good morning beautiful", and getting a huge smile in return
- Hearing Jenna "find her voice" with her squeals of all tones in one octave!
- Seeing Colby give Jenna kisses and hugs
- Hearing Colby explain toys to Jenna and playing with her
- Seeing their big, beautiful, blue eyes
- Snuggles on the couch
- Reading books, books, and more books to our kids
- Listening to Colby 'read' books to me
- Capturing a great moment with photos
- Scrapbooking my favorite photos of the kids
- Taking our kids different places to expose them to many wonderful things in our world
- Having quite sophisticated (and funny!) conversations with our 2 year old little man
- Laughing!
- wondering where Colby comes up with some of his sayings
- Playing! Playing cars, trucks, and trains with Colby before the sun is even up!
- Seeing them smile, cheer ("Yay!"), and clap!
- Seeing a great imagination at work
- Witnessing learning happening... connections being made, puzzles fitting together, etc.
- Baking! Decorating cookies is a lot of fun with a 2 year old helping.
- Seeing the excitement and magic of every holiday through the eyes of a child.
- Explaining the magic of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny
- Shopping for kids' clothes and dressing them in adorable outfits... kids' clothes are the cutest!!
- Hearing from others, "She really looks like you!"
- Having a living room and a basement full of toys for play, exploration, and discovery
- Going shopping and only buying things for the kids
- Looking at Colby and Jenna and knowing that my wonderful husband and I created these two beautiful children!

Colby and Jenna, you are more loved than you'll ever know!
xoxo Mommy

* I could keep going, but here are just a few of my favorite things!

5 months old already

Yes, she is! I can't believe Jenna is 5 months old already! The time is flying by so quickly, but we are sure enjoying her more interactive and fun personality as she grows older. We took her to be weighed and measured last weekend when she turned 5 months and she continues to do well. Jenna is 14 lbs. 6 oz. and is 24 1/2" long. I find it hard to get an exact measurement, but we think it's pretty close. This means she grew about 1 1/2" in one month! She's still pretty short for her age, but that's alright!! She's growing and doing well, so that's all that matters! She is now rolling over consistently from her back to her tummy. It's pretty funny that when we lie her down, she instantly is trying to get to roll over. At least she doesn't mind being on her tummy! I often wonder if she's going to be an early mover too... she likes to bring her legs up and then kick them back while on her tummy. It's pretty cute, since just her bum goes into the air and her chest stays on the floor. :) We gave her rice cereal last weekend for the first time and she now has cereal once per day at breakfast. She wasn't a huge fan and didn't really know what to do with it, but it's improving... slowly. This week, I introduced a sippy cup with her cereal too. She did really well with it! It's pretty cute how the sippy cup is so big compared to her face! But she held onto it right away and knew to put the spout in her mouth too! We are working on some sleep re-training with Jenna right now, since she has regressed from her fantastic sleep schedule the past few weeks. She had not been napping very well and was waking up in the middle of the night and eating an entire bottle... very strange for her! It seems to be improving... slowly. Last night she slept for 9.5 hours before waking up, which was good. Hopefully things continue to get better!

Jenna is completely in love with her big brother! She gives him the biggest grins and giggles when he's playing around her, talking to her, or kissing her! I love it! I really hope this continues and our kids remain friends as they grow older. I truly hope they appreciate family as much as I do and have a strong connection with each other as they age.

Gerry and Colby went to the Oil Kings game on Wednesday night. Colby had a nap on the way into the city, which was a blessing! We thought he might be ready to come home after one period, but it turns out he LOVED it!! They stayed and watched the entire game! He was pretty excited that Daddy bought him a new Oilers stick and when asked his favorite part of the game, he responded, "The red zamboni!" I'm glad they had such a great time together!!

Have a great week everyone! Enjoy the beautiful weather ahead!! We're loving these well-above-zero temperatures!!

xoxo The Cameron Family

On the mend...

Yes, we're all starting to feel a bit better. Colby is actually doing very well and only has two more days of his medication. He is hardly coughing at all anymore and I can tell he's pretty much back to himself because... he's not napping anymore! Yep, clear indication that the old Colby is back! When he was sick, he was so cuddly, wanted to snuggle with Mom all the time and napped great! Sadly, these moments are gone! But he's getting better, which is more important! :) Jenna has a bit of a cough occasionally still, but is doing much better. I hope her cold continues to improve and doesn't turn into anything else! My medication has been slow to kick in this time... I have a sinus infection (surprise, surprise!) and have not felt well in nearly two weeks. Today is the first day that I'm starting to feel like I'm on the mend. It's sure no fun being sick!

We had a great Valentine's Day weekend... low key, but great! On Sunday, Colby and I did quite a bit of baking! We made a giant heart chocolate chip cookie from a big heart cake pan. It was fun and delicious! Then we made heart-shaped sugar cookies and decorated them! He had fun working the cookie cutter and putting on the decorations and sprinkles. My, my, there were a lot of sprinkles to clean up! But the fun and enthusiasm he had was more than worth it! We had a fun weekend hanging out together and enjoyed Family Day together. It's nice to have Gerry home during the week on long weekends, as it doesn't happen very often.

This week was back to normal... we went to Preschool on Tuesday morning and had fun making Olympic and Canadian Flags for the craft. Colby is really enjoying the Olympics on TV and has been cheering "Go Canada Go" with his flags! It's pretty darn cute!! This morning we had Tick Tock Time, followed by some time at the playgym and then home for the afternoon. Colby and I baked banana bread and played in the afternoon while Jenna had a great nap. Swimming lessons were fun tonight... although very strange with only 2 children there, including Colby!! He's definitely improving in some areas. Last session and even at the beginning of this session, he wouldn't jump in on his own... he would need to hold hands. Now he is jumping in no problem! It's great to see improvement and his love for swimming!

I can't believe our baby girl is going to be 5 months old in a couple of days! We're going to get her weighed and measured this weekend... I know she has definitely put on weight and am hoping she has grown in length too! She hasn't been sleeping very well at night lately. This has been an adjustment, as she has been sleeping well through the night since a very young age. She is having a hard time putting herself back to sleep and is needing to eat in the middle of the night, which is very strange. I think we're going to start her on rice cereal soon. Hopefully her sleeping patterns improve quickly... it's tough getting up in the night again! LOL! She is doing great! Jenna's a pretty easy-going baby and likes to watch everything going on, especially everything Colby is up to! She has big smiles for him and likes "talking" with him too. Jenna is SO close to rolling over from her back to her tummy. She gets onto her side and then can't go the rest of the way. Soon, I'm sure... she likes tummy time, so hopefully it doesn't scare her too much once she finally does roll over! I love playing with her and helping her to interact with toys. She focuses on things very hard (just like Colby did) and you can see the concentration in her eyes! LOL! I'll keep you posted on her 5 month weigh-in this weekend!

We've been enjoying the warmer weather and have been outside quite a bit this week. Hopefully it continues... I can handle this kind of winter weather! :) The kids and I enjoy walks around the neighborhood and playing at the park nearby. Colby's a big fan of snow anywhere, so he's not too picky whether we play at the park or in our yard! But I am definitely looking forward to the arrival of spring! Fingers crossed!

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Cameron Family xoxo