03.03.2014

Wyatt and I have been working on a little project for his room. I'm not sure who had more fun setting up the scenes - I do know that I have several photos with Paige's hands reaching into the frame though. The kids have been getting more and more into Lego. He had received 2 sets when he was 4 (a fire truck and concrete mixer) and after we put them together for him, they drove him insane. He'd try to play with them like toys and pieces were falling off or it was just too difficult to manipulate. We put them away for a year and bought him Duplo instead, and now he is a Lego pro. I bought him a Lego Creator set (one set, three different configurations) and he did all three (mostly) on his own. I'm having a hard time not buying 100 sets all at once, not because I don't want them having Lego, but I don't want to spoil them with any sort of toy. We just started with allowances, and I'm trying to teach Wyatt the concept of earning money and having to save for things he wants (and right now it's all LEGO).

Paige, on the other had, watches us build her sets (I've just been buying her small sets like a bunny hutch and a dog with a dog house), and then takes everything apart. Which I understand is the idea behind Lego but it still drives me nuts. :P

2.26.14

Nothing new going on here! The kids have gotten more into Lego (especially after seeing the Lego movie), so there's been a lot of that lately.

02.09.14

 

 

St. Malo last summer

I am looking at pictures from the summer to remind myself that, from time to time in Manitoba, we do have warm weather.  On record, this winter has literally been one of the coldest EVER.  Windchill warning after windchill warning, school cancellations - it all adds up to everyone feeling like caged animals.  People who don't live in this climate comment casually, "Just dress warmly and let the kids out!"  No.  If you've been outside when it's -35 with the windchill, you know there's no way to be comfortable out there. -15, -20?  Sure.  But this recent weather is just ridiculous, and if they say skin can freeze in 10 minutes, I'm not taking the chance to send my kids out just so we don't all feel like poking each other in the eye.
Every winter I seem to get the "winter blues". Last year it went far past blues and I was up to my eyeballs in depression.  I had no desire to get out of bed, to be with people (even my family), to go to work, to get dressed, to shower...I think you get the point.  I didn't want to do anything. I tried a total of 5 different anti-depressants during a 6(ish) month period.  None of them were great.  If I was feeling better, then I started to get terrible side effects that weren't going away (uncontrollable muscle twitches, anyone?).  I finally weaned myself off and resigned myself to dealing with depression - but by that point the weather was improving and so was my overall mood. After speaking a little more in depth with my doctor, it was determined that I'm actually sensitive to serotonin and that makes me especially vulnerable to the side effects. 
This winter I was determined to not let things get as bad as last year (as if somehow I could control my mental health if I just focused enough).  Whether or not it had anything to do with me, things actually didn't seem too bad until I realized that my depression is just presenting itself in different ways - mostly being really irritable.  Sure, the kids and Josh probably see the most of it, but I have noticed that I'm not being as careful with what I say at work or around other people.  I don't like being grouchy and miserable. I'm sure a warm getaway would help a bit, and when they start giving those trips away I will be first in line. Otherwise, I will just power through and promise not to take spring, summer and fall for granted this year (but uh...realistically speaking I will still complain about the weather when it is almost 45 degrees with the humidex. There really is no pleasing me).

1.30.14

Big News!
Wyatt lost his first tooth on Sunday.  He had a dental appointment on the 13th and they told me his front two bottom teeth were loose.  I scoffed in disbelief, because I had been routinely checking them.  Turns out I was wiggling them "wrong". Go figure.  The process of getting his tooth out was quite lengthy, as Josh initially volunteered to do it (and he didn't want to cause Wyatt any pain).  After an hour of gently wiggling, I had to step in. I may or may not have had to headlock my own 5 year old, but the tooth literally popped right out and on to the floor once I got a hold of it.  He got a toonie from the tooth fairy, plus 2 freezies and a Blizzard from us...and Josh's grandma showed up yesterday with a toonie as well!  This losing teeth business seems lucrative.  How much do adult teeth go for?
Not much going on otherwise. We've discovered that both kids have a love of music, but watching Paige react to it is hilarious.  She sings along to "Wrecking Ball" and "I Like to Move It" (both songs would never have made it onto my iPhone at any point, but thanks to Wyatt's daycare's questionable taste in music, there they are. He requests them regularly.), and dances too.  I've tried to catch it on video but she stops immediately and I get reprimanded. "Mommy. NO. Phone away."  I'll catch it yet.  She'll appreciate it on her 16th birthday when I send it to all of her friends.
One truly unpleasant thing I've been dealing with is a serious increase in migraines.  Ever since the end of November they have been out of control.  I miss at least 1 day a month from work, never mind the ones that hit on weekends. I had one a month ago that was so terrible I honestly had the "well, this is it" thoughts running through my head. It took 3 prescription migraine pills and 3 T3s to make it manageable.  Not gone. Just manageable.  And for the last 2 days I've felt like I'm on the verge of one, which is torture.  I'm making a conscious effort to clean up my eating, but it most cases my migraines are triggered by hormones - which means I have zero control over it. I'm thinking a week of warm weather, no kids, no work, no family stress would really do the trick.  Too bad I keep picking the losing 649 numbers!

01.15.14

We finally had some nice weather this weekend, so I hauled the kids outside Sunday morning.  I started digging a tunnel for them, and thank goodness Josh took over.  I am a terrible Canadian - I don't own a toque (I was wearing Josh's), my mitts are fleece (super useless when fort building or snowball throwing) and I don't have ski pants.  I finally bought a pair of boots last year.  I guess my plan was to pretend winter wasn't happening. ;)  I still often wear flats (barefoot) to work.  I'm sure that's a skill that will come in handy at some point.
Not much is going on here.  Christmas was busy, we were all sufficiently spoiled.  We're still struggling with some of Wyatt's outbursts at home (a new favorite is using his fingers as guns to point at us when he's mad. I assure you he did not learn that at home, or from anyone I would ever invite into my home). We're at a loss as to how to handle his behaviour, we've read books on filling theoretical buckets, we've tried time outs, time ins, quiet time, no TV, early bedtime, no treats, positive reinforcement ("I really appreciate how you are making hissing sounds instead of hitting your sister like I know you want to!"), taking away toys, blah blah blah.  Next step is more TV, later bedtime, more treats, more toys and lots of sarcasm.
But seriously. I'm considering developing a drinking problem just to deal with this.  "Terrible Twos" seem like a walk in the park compared to, "If you tell me to clean up again I'm going to punch you in the face." Because when Paige is having a tantrum, I can pick her up and give her kisses and snuggles until she starts laughing, or stick her in her crib.  When Wyatt is having a tantrum, I grind my teeth to the root while evenly saying, "You cannot speak to me like that. You need to go to your room." When in my head I want to flip tables upside down Real Housewives-style.*
Children. Are. A. Blessing. (repeat as necessary)


*no need to fear for my well being. I've never watched Real Housewives, only seen the table-flipping scene on commercials. It's all good.

12.25.13

Merry Christmas! 
The kids (and Josh and I too!) got sufficiently spoiled  - and we still have one more gathering to go!  Unfortunately, because of either being sick with a stomach bug or head cold over the last 2 weeks, I have zero ambition and energy.  I hope 2014 brings lots of good health for this household!

12.18.13

Aaahhhhhhhhh!