Talking

I live in a oil patch town, lots of people coming in and out so there really isn't a official total of people living here. I think last 'official' number was around 17,000 but it's more like 20-21000 when you consider the outskirts and all that.

And with that amount of people there isn't very many therapists. You know, the kind that say "And how do you feel about that?". And the ones that are in town? I just heard they have a 6 month wait list. What if you need help now?!

My friend needs help now. I think I need help soon. Before I have another child I would like to talk to some one. Because my son is 3 and I still cry when I talk about his first 6 weeks of life. When all I did was feed him and then hand him off to my husband and go back to bed. When I thought about giving him away so I could 'go back to normal'. It's sad to think that I wasted 6 weeks, that I hardly remember it. And it's maddening that I talked to TWO doctors, (male of course) and was told it was just the blues. It wasn't and it still haunts me.

So where is my next option. Going out of town for help I guess. Sad, really.

I have a two year old.

Of course, it's been awhile. Not that I have been so terribly busy that I couldn't post, but I enjoy being lazy. A bit too much ☺. Now to catch up....

I now have a two year old little boy. Who tonight gave himself a shiner, falling into the side of the bathtub because he thought I was chasing him. I was standing in the kitchen, trying to lure him out of the tub with Toopy and Binoo.

He got to open a couple of presents on his birthday but the one that I am looking forward to the most is a great big sandbox with a built in picnic table. All of his aunts and uncles, cousins and great grandparents went in on it and I hope it arrives soon! Although the snow and rain we've had this week makes it ok that it hasn't arrived yet, because it wouldn't have been used anyway!

A true boy, he loves being outside, in the mud and water puddles and balls. 

 

The beginning of April we went to a lot of parks during the day because I had a week off work. Colin likes the slides best. Swings have never been a big hit.

We have been busy with birthdays and growing up, playing outside and yard work. I have been busy with work, trying to read a couple books and my Stella & Dot business. And trying to get sleep too!

Life is what you make it and so far it's making out to be great.

 

25 years

My birthday was this past Sunday. I love my birthday, it's one of the best days of the year ☺. My husband and son took me out for supper and some friends joined us. I cheated on my clean eating and had a pizza sandwich, fries AND dessert haha. Sorry Jeni.

While my biggest birthday wish was for a new car (hey, big things are what wish lists are for!) I feel spoiled by all the wishes, flower and cards, some new Lululemon and money for more shopping ♥.

I'm not into blogging much more right now as I just painted my nails and it's slow typing while they dry! I'll be back!

Middle of the month Wednesday

Wednesdays must be a good day to post (mine following this great mommy runner  Sarah ). I'm home for the day with my boy who has pink eye and croup. I never really knew croup was a "modern day illness" as the only time I've ever heard of it was in Anne of Green Gables haha. But his eye seems to be better, no discharge so fingers crossed it was just a beginning case and we've washed the germs away. His croup makes sleep interrupted, his and ours so after he wakes up from his nap we're off to the natural health food store to see if there is something to calm the cough. 

Here my boy is earlier this month, healthy and diapering his Scentsy buddy "Puppy".  He is developing some great imaginary play ideas and will play with tractors and cars, as well as babies and colouring. In fact, he likes to colour himself as well.

This upcoming week, I'm holding my first Stella & Dot jewelry party! I'm excited to show off the items I have and get other people interested in the line. I love these earrings I have on, the Capri Chandelier Earrings.

Other then sickness and exercise, work and play, ViSalus and Stella & Dot I'm a bit busy. Life is good.


Disclaimer: I'm happy to have the time, money and support to be this busy with my new endeavors.

New Adventures!

I'm now a Stella & Dot Stylist!


I didn't really feel the need to take on more work, and when I hosted a jewelry party back in December I wasn't even interested in selling the product. But on January 31st, I was doing my lunch hour cardio and the thought came to me that I should sign up and sell the beautiful! pieces that they create and so that night I ordered my sample pieces and here I am!!




I am still waiting on my catalogues and pieces to arrive and then I can start showing them off to people by them (hopefully) hosting Trunk Shows! Who doesn't love free stuff? Check out all Stella & Dot has here.

Disclaimer: I promise I'll be back with more pictures :)

Back again.

See, I'm back already. I've got another day off work due to my son being miserable and snotty. Since I did a mass cleaning of my house yesterday, which is a accomplishment for me, I can catch up on my pleasure things guilt free (I would do it anyway but this way is guilt free).

Last year, in September, I started a 12 week weight loss challenge. This January I started another one. Here's me almost 30 lbs lighter and a bit red after a cardio workout. I will keep this habit up, and make this my new lifestyle!

 

This weekend I am going to a scrapbooking class to make a complete album for a years worth of pics. Well you make two layouts for each month and then just add your pictures. I'm not a patient scrapbooker so this type of thing is up my alley because I can just copy and get it done! While I have some creativity in me to create my own layouts I'd rather use someone else's to be truthful! This project is from Unforgettable Memories in my hometown.

I'm not sure if I touched on Christmas on my latest posts so just in case I'll do it now....it was great. Our Christmases are always filled with family, food, love and busyness. My family is large and we have a couple traditions that we follow every year. Dinner on Christmas Eve, breakfast on Christmas Day, dinner on Christmas night, dinner on Boxing Day. My son was spoiled to the nines, toys that he doesn't even remember yet since he received so many and became enthralled with the first couple he opened.  From Mommy and Daddy, his favorite was a Lego Barn with tractor and animals, from his aunt on mom's side, more farm animals and tractors and from his cousin and great aunt on his dad's side, the race track pictured above.

Now to get back to my little boy, who now doesn't seem sick at all. Oh well, everyone deserves a paid day off ;)

Disclaimer: See you next time, or in February, whichever comes first. 

Shoulda made!

I shoulda made a resolution to post more. But I didn't until now. So now, I plan to write a post at least once a month! Kinda like a monthly catch up.




Cheers.

Disclaimer: I'll post another for this month! I promise that.

The Family of 2011

We're about 2 hours, 12 minutes away from the official year of 2012. I'm home with one baby in bed, a niece on the couch and a husband out with friends. We're not really crazy partiers and since we both have very different friends and ideas of fun, it's not strange that we are not together to ring in the New Year. However, soon enough we'll be snuggled in bed together and I will be thinking of all our blessings, our son, our heath, our loving supporting family who keep a roof over our heads.

2011 saw Colin turn 1! Me return to work. Colin's first holiday, a visit to Nova Scotia. Sometimes it doesn't seem like we've accomplished much, we still don't own our own house or have any money in the bank ( oops ) but we have a happy child, a car that is fully paid off, money in a RESP for Colin's education as well as another college course under my belt. So while we ( I ) could have done better, we've done great! 

So while I don't really have a resolution, I just want to continue moving forward and learning and growing. And being healthy and blessed.

Happy New Year. Welcome 2012!

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas!

I love Christmas. I love our family traditions. It's time for bed so not much to say except to add a shot of our leaning-against-the-wall Christmas tree and warm wishes to you and yours. 

Disclaimer: Thank you God for all that I'm blessed with and my family!

Time Goes By.....

It's December 16th and I am free!

Free from work for two weeks.

Free from my prior learning assessment course towards my ECE diploma. 

And tomorrow is the last day of my weight loss challenge through a local gym and then I'll be free from that except I'm going to pretend I'm not so that I can keep up my work out routines and clean eating habits.

I feel like I need to talk about a lot of things and give a big update but because it's the first night of my vacation, I need to step away from my desk and onto my couch. And be lazy.

I will be back.

Ketchup

And again, it's been a couple weeks. I knew I would get like this, I'm a wonderful procrastinator. I also don't have very much to say as our daily routines become just that, routine.

But today, Colin and I are home sick. Well Colin is sick and I am trying everything to make him feel better, and get better so that I won't miss work again tomorrow. I am lucky in that I still get paid when I miss work (Yay,unions!) but I am definitely discouraged from staying home with my baby when he's sick.

The thing is, he can't go to daycare ill. And any of my family members who don't work have children and don't want him over to get their kids sick. So what is a parent to do? I can't imagine those who don't get sick or special leave through their workplaces or those who have a serious fear about losing their job because they need to stay home.

Anyway, since I am home now and have a bit of time, I thought I should 'ketchup' a bit.

Schools are back in session and the preschools at my work are no exception. I am excited about the children that I get to see this year. Sometimes people ask "How can you leave your children to take care of someone else's?" and it is hard. But I get to go home and love my baby. I appreciate him more and I miss him more. I am reminded at how blessed I am to have such a sweet, happy, wonderful baby who is disguised as a little boy.

I am also starting up school again. To finish my Early Childhood Education certificate courses. I am doing a prior learning assessment so I am hoping to complete the course early and get it over and done with.

Other then those things I don't feel like anything else is new, but because it's fairly routine, maybe there are more exciting things going on that I'm forgetting. Perhaps I will remember later and that will be cause for me to post again :)

Disclaimer: I have also been slacking on the picture taking. Sorry.

Nova Scotia!

Until I was 13 years old, my grandparents lived just up the hill from us. A 3 minute walk. Then they moved back to Nova Scotia, to where they were both born and where my mother and brother were born. In the past 11 years we have made trips there and they have come back here, sometimes for the winters.

This year my Grandad came out here to go ocean fishing with my dad and brother, stayed with my parents for a couple weeks and then Colin and I flew him back to Nova Scotia. Colin and I stayed in Nova Scotia for almost two weeks.

I love Nova Scotia,. I love the smell of the salty air when you leave the airport and the ocean and rocks of Peggy's Cove . I love that when Colin would go outside at my Grandparent's and see the Oak trees he would say WOW.

The weather was better then at home but still had some rainy days. I wish we could have gone to the beach more, taken advantage of the sand, sun and surf. I also wish Chad would have came with us. For a family vacation.

 Warm water, hot sunny day. Happy.

 Let's see what this tastes like.....

At The Big Ex

We did a lot of shopping. I got a lot of fall/winter clothes for Colin since stores like Old Navy and H&M are no where close to where we live (like 7 hours away). We went to the auction with Grandad and the exhibition in Bridgewater with Grandma and Grandad. Auntie Kim took us to the beach and Brittany took us shopping in the city.

I can't wait to go back, when Colin's older and will be excited about the zoos and water parks, beaches and waterfront.

Disclaimer: I want to go as a family next time. And go to PEI

I found my cord!!

Whew, I was about to give in, admit I lost it and go by another. But I finally found my camera cord and so I can do a proper vacation post.

However, it's 10 pm and I'm SO tired. I'm not sure why I'm so tired at the end of the day but I am so I'm bailing on the long post. Here are a couple recent photos though!

Disclaimer: I love my baby! He's growing fast.

Fast Forward

So, it's a Thursday night, yoga has been bailed on, baby boy is in bed and all is quiet. I planned on uploading more photos from our trip to Nova Scotia but I can't find my camera cord.....

So what has been happening for the past two months...

Starting in July I began working in our summer camp. That has been crazy, 7.5 hour days with 15+ children with varying diagnoses and no breaks. Some days I get home and I just want to melt into the couch and not move for hours. Other days I feel accomplished and want to continue to be productive. And some days I have a good cry. Working til after 4 pm and then rushing to pick up Colin from daycare gets me to 4:30 and then I have just enough time for errands before the dinner-bath-bed time routine starts.

July also brought the end of breastfeeding. I could have continued but Colin was too distracted and into breakfast food to do so. He would get down and play and fight me if I tried to get him to latch back on so we stopped cold turkey and never looked back. He hasn't shown the slightest notice of the change. He LOVES oatmeal, blueberries and cereals.

He's growing cognitively in leaps and bounds. He can sign 'more', 'eat', 'finished' and 'milk' although sometimes the context is off. He says 'up', 'gown' (for down), 'uh oh', 'oh wow', 'whoa' and 'puppup' (for puppy). He will lie down when asked for diaper changes and in the bath tub (it's amazing!) and brings things to you when he wants help with a toy etc. With this also came three teeth and some tantrums. But they are short lived and easy to manage at this age :)

Since I want to show our N.S trip with pictures I will wait until I find my cord and get back to you!

Disclaimer: I do love my job!

Where'd you go?

I'm sorry. I've been busy but not run off my feet, so busy that I can't catch my breath busy. Every time I had time to get on and blog, I just put it off. I'm a great procrastinator!

But I will come back. Maybe tomorrow. I have a lot of pictures to upload and a bit to say about work, vacationing and my adorable little boy who is growing so much. So I promise I will be back.

Disclaimer: Us at the beach!

My bad

So....it's been awhile.

I find that I just run out of time. I think of posting and then get doing something else and then I'm too tired. So I do what I do best and put it off, procrastinate for awhile longer.

Since it's already 11:30 pm on this Sunday night, this will be quick. We are doing great, work is good, Colin is growing so much in more ways then the physical aspect and summer is here. Praise the Creator :)

Disclaimer: I'll be back.

I am Mother, hear me roar.

While reading another blogger's recent post I came upon this line "Don't underestimate me ... I'm a mother." and while I'm sure people have heard the saying "mother bear protecting her cub" more then once, I think there are only some mothers that truly feel this (I'm assuming that mother's that purposely abandon and/or abuse their children don't feel this).

While I have not yet been in a situation where I feel like my son's life is in danger, but being that I have froze while sleeping on his bedroom floor, gone into debit for his RESP and got into fights with my husband about how to parent him I know I would have the same feelings regarding someone who was viciously calling down my baby.

Disclaimer: Edited to add this little bit :D

Lacking interesting thoughts

The time has come (the walrus said...) where I have begun to slow down on the posts. Due to tiredness, lack of time, lack of any thing good to say, many different things. But in my mind 35 posts is a pretty good number to have reached before slowing down.

I've been lazy lately. It's also been hot, making my house very hot so that after dinner I don't want to do anything but sit and watch TV. I wish there was a way to bottle up the warm air and keep it til winter (when the house is soo cold).

However today, June 3rd, it snowed. Yup, that's right, snow. In June. It's happened before. So on my lunch break I tided the living room, vacuumed and started on laundry. After work, I got takeout and then did dishes, folded laundry, swept and mopped. Now for me, sweeping and mopping is a huge accomplishment. I hate doing it. I can't even remember the last time I mopped my kitchen floor. I hate it so much I'm not even ashamed to say that I let my son crawl around on a dirt covered floor. It's not even that I have very much lino to wash, it's just.....boring, repetitive movement and too frequent. And don't even get me started on the bathroom.

Disclaimer: I didn't think this post needed pictures ;) and I plan on hiring a maid :)

Weekend Thoughts

So I like having plans for the weekends as it makes me feel like I'm making the most of my time away from work. But at the same time I feel like it makes the time go by more quickly, so that by Sunday night I feel like I'm out of time.

We had a garage sale Friday night and Saturday morning. Didn't sell everything of course but a few things. Will probably donate the rest of the items that are left.

Last night I went out with a friend from work. It was a lot of fun, just to dance and be silly. Got home very early in the morning but managed about four hours sleep.

During the night Colin was sick and throwing up. I am assuming that he is having a reaction to the 3% cow's milk that I switched him to so today we had to go out and get some formula. I hope that he will outgrow this milk sensitivity!

Here are a couple of pictures of Colin climbing on the coffee table!

Disclaimer: I don't let him behave like an animal, he uses his new chair to climb up there!

Relaxing!

Here is Colin in his new chair. It is so cute, I love it :D

Disclaimer: Yes this cutie is mine.