Just realized I haven't posted about any of her latest milestones. She now has two teeth on the bottom. If she gets top ones anytime soon we may have to end our nursing relationship, as she tends to bite down and tug and that hurts enough with just bottom teeth. She's also crawling, and man can she go! Baby gates will need to go up soon.
In related news, well, there isn't much. Sammie continues to amaze me with her reading. Hailey's speech is getting clearer, which sadly means some of her cute babyish talk is disappearing. I've realized I may have to finally correct one of Sammie's last remaining mispronunciations. She came home with a story she'd written at school about swimming in Opa's pool and about the "babing soot" she was wearing. I can't bring myself to teach her to say baTHing suit.
And a personal milestone...our nephew is staying with us this week, and tonight I had the pleasure of getting all four kids to bed on my own, as Ryan was at a ball game (I'm out with an injury, which is why I stayed home with the kids). Wouldn't you know it, the boy pooped right before bed, so I had to change my first poopy boy diaper - I'd only changed wet ones before, and only a few of those. I had to call my mom for advice on applying diaper cream because he had a rash and I didn't know where you could put the stuff on a boy! (No, I don't have any brothers, but my mom had brothers who were much younger than her, so she changed their diapers) Anyway, it seems to be okay now - fingers crossed.
So...what did YOU do today?
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
10 Things I Love (and 5 I wish I did)
I got this idea from Daph, who used it on her blog. Let's just assume that it's a given that I love my family and friends and go from there, okay?
10 Things I Love (in no particular order)
1. Facebook - I forgot to mention this in my last post about why I haven't posted in a while - any computer time seems to be spent on Facebook. I've gotten back in touch with so many old friends this way! It's completely addictive.
2. The A-Ha moment - any teacher reading this knows what I mean - the moment that comes after you've spend countless hours going over and over something and all of a sudden a student says, "OH! I get it!"
3. Baking - even better now that my kids (well, two of them) are old enough to help. We have a lot of fun with this, and then get to have a treat at the end. The clean up? Not so much fun, but worth it.
4. Trivial Pursuit - I've been hooked since I was a kid and played the original one with my mom. I was too young to answer any of the entertainment questions (I still don't know who Tyrone Power is) but I could get a lot of the other ones. I now own several versions of this game.
5. Travelling - love it. Preferably with a favourite travel companion (Daph and Ryan are the best I've found so far). Preferably far away.
6. Diving - I was scared at first, but there is nothing like it. Being in that silent, still world under the water, gliding along, seeing things most humans don't...it's pretty darn cool.
7. Reading - preferably in the bathtub. With a cup of tea. And some chocolate. That's my ultimate fantasy right now.
8. Sleeping - don't do near enough of this anymore. As I've said before, it takes forever to get all the kids to bed, then I have to do school work and want to do things like check email, check Facebook, read, watch TV, hang out with Ryan...if I'm low on my own priority list, sleep is even lower.
9. Biking - I should do this more often. Hopefully I will now that the weather is staying nice. I was going to bike to work today but I hurt my ankle yesterday so I couldn't.
10. Sun - I know we have to be careful what with the holes in the ozone layer and whatnot, but I challenge you to spend a year in northern Finland and not come out of it with a renewed appreciation for sunlight.
5 Things I Wish I Loved (or think I should)
1. Breastfeeding - I hear so many women talk about how they love it. I have to admit, I don't. I do it because it's what's best for my babies, and it's easier than mixing a bottle, and more economical, but I don't really like doing it. I don't dislike it, but I sure don't miss it when I stop.
2. Crafts - I WANT to be a crafty-type person. I do. I have scrapbooking stuff and cross-stitching and a sewing machine and I always swear that when I get some free time I'm going to make use of them, but then I get some free time and I'd rather read, or watch a movie, or something else. I'm working on it.
3. Being active - again, I WANT to be an active, on-the-go, walking and biking everywhere person. But I usually manage to find a reason not to be. I'm working on this one, too.
4. Vegetables - it would be easier to convince my kids to eat them if I actually liked them too! I do eat them, and even enjoy some of them, but would like to be eating more.
5. My body - just as it is, belly and all. I'm REALLY working on this one.
10 Things I Love (in no particular order)
1. Facebook - I forgot to mention this in my last post about why I haven't posted in a while - any computer time seems to be spent on Facebook. I've gotten back in touch with so many old friends this way! It's completely addictive.
2. The A-Ha moment - any teacher reading this knows what I mean - the moment that comes after you've spend countless hours going over and over something and all of a sudden a student says, "OH! I get it!"
3. Baking - even better now that my kids (well, two of them) are old enough to help. We have a lot of fun with this, and then get to have a treat at the end. The clean up? Not so much fun, but worth it.
4. Trivial Pursuit - I've been hooked since I was a kid and played the original one with my mom. I was too young to answer any of the entertainment questions (I still don't know who Tyrone Power is) but I could get a lot of the other ones. I now own several versions of this game.
5. Travelling - love it. Preferably with a favourite travel companion (Daph and Ryan are the best I've found so far). Preferably far away.
6. Diving - I was scared at first, but there is nothing like it. Being in that silent, still world under the water, gliding along, seeing things most humans don't...it's pretty darn cool.
7. Reading - preferably in the bathtub. With a cup of tea. And some chocolate. That's my ultimate fantasy right now.
8. Sleeping - don't do near enough of this anymore. As I've said before, it takes forever to get all the kids to bed, then I have to do school work and want to do things like check email, check Facebook, read, watch TV, hang out with Ryan...if I'm low on my own priority list, sleep is even lower.
9. Biking - I should do this more often. Hopefully I will now that the weather is staying nice. I was going to bike to work today but I hurt my ankle yesterday so I couldn't.
10. Sun - I know we have to be careful what with the holes in the ozone layer and whatnot, but I challenge you to spend a year in northern Finland and not come out of it with a renewed appreciation for sunlight.
5 Things I Wish I Loved (or think I should)
1. Breastfeeding - I hear so many women talk about how they love it. I have to admit, I don't. I do it because it's what's best for my babies, and it's easier than mixing a bottle, and more economical, but I don't really like doing it. I don't dislike it, but I sure don't miss it when I stop.
2. Crafts - I WANT to be a crafty-type person. I do. I have scrapbooking stuff and cross-stitching and a sewing machine and I always swear that when I get some free time I'm going to make use of them, but then I get some free time and I'd rather read, or watch a movie, or something else. I'm working on it.
3. Being active - again, I WANT to be an active, on-the-go, walking and biking everywhere person. But I usually manage to find a reason not to be. I'm working on this one, too.
4. Vegetables - it would be easier to convince my kids to eat them if I actually liked them too! I do eat them, and even enjoy some of them, but would like to be eating more.
5. My body - just as it is, belly and all. I'm REALLY working on this one.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Where does the time go when it's not around here?
Whoops! I have no idea how that much time passed without a post. Well, actually, I do. Life happened.
Rylee started taking longer to get to sleep in the evenings. It's either 8 or 9 pm, or she goes down at 7 pm for an hour, then is up for 2 or 3. Aaargh! Not sleeping so well through the night, either.
Work got VERY busy, especially once report card time rolled around. Thankfully, they're done now, although if any of my students have happened across this blog, your marks can still be changed at any time up to the moment the report is in your hot little hands!!!
Ball season started. Our team has never been a contender, until this year. We've actually got some wins! More than one! And of course, this is supposed to be the last season for the league, since the land where our diamonds are has been sold. Figures.
And then the bad news.
My grandmother finally succumbed to non-Hodgkins lymphoma in May. She was on a respirator and it was doing all the breathing for her, so my mom and her siblings made the very difficult decision to have it turned off, which was according to my Mim's wishes. She passed away with her kids near her, very peacefully. The doctors told our family she would likely not last long after the respirator was turned off, but she fought for a few more hours. What a wonderful, brave, special woman. I miss her so much already.
When my grandfather died in July 2005 I went to Windsor with my sister and stayed at my cousin Ami's house, with my sister and another cousin, Christine, who lives in BC. We actually had a great time hanging out and shopping when we weren't doing funeral-related stuff. This time, I thought it would be different since Ami has a daughter now, I was going to have Rylee with me (the girls stayed with my in-laws last time)...turns out, Ami's daughter went to daycare and my sister-in-law said she would help my mother-in-law take care of all three of my kids. So after the first visitation, five of us cousins went to a drug store, went out for ice cream, and went back to Ami's to do facials and toenails. The next night, almost all the cousins who were in town and over the age of 12 went to Ami's again, where we ordered pizza and had a talk. See, some of my Mim's kids are squabbling amongst themselves for reasons we don't really understand. My cousin Matt wanted everyone to get together and agree that just because our parents aren't getting along, there's no reason we shouldn't. It was a great get-together, and hopefully the next time we do it, it won't be in honour of a dead relative.
I was asked to do a eulogy for both of my grandparents at their funerals. I barely got through this one. I had back-up ready to come take the speech and finish it for me if I couldn't. I managed, however. I was going to post my speech here, but it's pretty long. Anyone who's really interested can ask - probably anyone who's interested either already heard it, or lives in town and can see my copy.
Last bit of news (because Hailey just wandered into the hallway saying she can't sleep, so I need to go put her back to bed) - my niece Tatiana is still in hospital, now the veteran of several surgeries (and she's just 2 months old tomorrow). Her omphalocele has been put back in, she looks normal except for the stitches on her little belly that make her look like a football, and the many tubes and things coming out of her. She's far from being out of the woods yet, so keep praying to whatever higher power you believe in, please.
I will try not to let so much time pass before my next post!
Rylee started taking longer to get to sleep in the evenings. It's either 8 or 9 pm, or she goes down at 7 pm for an hour, then is up for 2 or 3. Aaargh! Not sleeping so well through the night, either.
Work got VERY busy, especially once report card time rolled around. Thankfully, they're done now, although if any of my students have happened across this blog, your marks can still be changed at any time up to the moment the report is in your hot little hands!!!
Ball season started. Our team has never been a contender, until this year. We've actually got some wins! More than one! And of course, this is supposed to be the last season for the league, since the land where our diamonds are has been sold. Figures.
And then the bad news.
My grandmother finally succumbed to non-Hodgkins lymphoma in May. She was on a respirator and it was doing all the breathing for her, so my mom and her siblings made the very difficult decision to have it turned off, which was according to my Mim's wishes. She passed away with her kids near her, very peacefully. The doctors told our family she would likely not last long after the respirator was turned off, but she fought for a few more hours. What a wonderful, brave, special woman. I miss her so much already.
When my grandfather died in July 2005 I went to Windsor with my sister and stayed at my cousin Ami's house, with my sister and another cousin, Christine, who lives in BC. We actually had a great time hanging out and shopping when we weren't doing funeral-related stuff. This time, I thought it would be different since Ami has a daughter now, I was going to have Rylee with me (the girls stayed with my in-laws last time)...turns out, Ami's daughter went to daycare and my sister-in-law said she would help my mother-in-law take care of all three of my kids. So after the first visitation, five of us cousins went to a drug store, went out for ice cream, and went back to Ami's to do facials and toenails. The next night, almost all the cousins who were in town and over the age of 12 went to Ami's again, where we ordered pizza and had a talk. See, some of my Mim's kids are squabbling amongst themselves for reasons we don't really understand. My cousin Matt wanted everyone to get together and agree that just because our parents aren't getting along, there's no reason we shouldn't. It was a great get-together, and hopefully the next time we do it, it won't be in honour of a dead relative.
I was asked to do a eulogy for both of my grandparents at their funerals. I barely got through this one. I had back-up ready to come take the speech and finish it for me if I couldn't. I managed, however. I was going to post my speech here, but it's pretty long. Anyone who's really interested can ask - probably anyone who's interested either already heard it, or lives in town and can see my copy.
Last bit of news (because Hailey just wandered into the hallway saying she can't sleep, so I need to go put her back to bed) - my niece Tatiana is still in hospital, now the veteran of several surgeries (and she's just 2 months old tomorrow). Her omphalocele has been put back in, she looks normal except for the stitches on her little belly that make her look like a football, and the many tubes and things coming out of her. She's far from being out of the woods yet, so keep praying to whatever higher power you believe in, please.
I will try not to let so much time pass before my next post!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Workin' 9 to 5...
Well, more like 8:15 to 4:15, plus some work at home, but you get the idea. I've been back to work for a couple of weeks now and am feeling right back in the swing of things. I had forgotten how much I really do love my job, and have been reminded these last couple of weeks. Ryan has been home with the girls and they're all still alive and the house is still standing, and they're even smiling most days, so all is well in that area too. I also hadn't really realized how drained I was when I was pregnant. I just can't believe how much more energy I have at work than I did a year ago when I was just starting my 2nd trimester. It's amazing! And that's even with all the waking up at night thanks to the monster. I don't know what it is, lately she's back to eating every few hours around the clock. I have this theory that the reason she's hungry is that she doesn't get enough at any one feeding from me, so I keep nursing her when she wakes up to try to increase the milk supply, but all that seems to happen is she wakes up again in a few hours and I'm exhausted when I finally get up in the morning.
And I'm really tired of looking pregnant! I know, it took 9 months to gain the weight, so why shouldn't it take more than 6 to lose it, but it's not about the number on the scale. It's about the fact that I don't look fat, I look pregnant. I don't know why. I don't know if it's because I had c-sections and the abdominal muscles aren't healed, or because I only gained weight in my belly so that's the only place I need to lose it, or what. I'm almost back into the clothes I was wearing the summer before I got pregnant with Rylee (after the 12-week challenge) but I still look like I'm pregnant and I hate it. I know I should just focus on being healthy and not worry about my appearance, but there it is. I look like I'm pregnant and I'm not and I hate it.
Update on Tatiana - she did not have a very good weekend, but Carianne's was okay. She did go home and got to be with her boys, which helped her spirits. Some of the fluid had to be drained from the prosthesis in Tatiana's abdomen because she was just in too much pain, and apparently there's been some swelling, but Carianne was allowed to hold her again today. I'm hoping that's a good sign. I've passed on all the good wishes people have sent to me and ask that you continue to keep them in your thoughts/prayers.
And I'm really tired of looking pregnant! I know, it took 9 months to gain the weight, so why shouldn't it take more than 6 to lose it, but it's not about the number on the scale. It's about the fact that I don't look fat, I look pregnant. I don't know why. I don't know if it's because I had c-sections and the abdominal muscles aren't healed, or because I only gained weight in my belly so that's the only place I need to lose it, or what. I'm almost back into the clothes I was wearing the summer before I got pregnant with Rylee (after the 12-week challenge) but I still look like I'm pregnant and I hate it. I know I should just focus on being healthy and not worry about my appearance, but there it is. I look like I'm pregnant and I'm not and I hate it.
Update on Tatiana - she did not have a very good weekend, but Carianne's was okay. She did go home and got to be with her boys, which helped her spirits. Some of the fluid had to be drained from the prosthesis in Tatiana's abdomen because she was just in too much pain, and apparently there's been some swelling, but Carianne was allowed to hold her again today. I'm hoping that's a good sign. I've passed on all the good wishes people have sent to me and ask that you continue to keep them in your thoughts/prayers.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The latest on Tatiana
Copied from the most recent email from Carianne:
Tatiana was transferred to a different hospital on april 18. She left the neonatal unit and is now in the pediatric critical care unit (PCCU). The doctor requested she be moved since she works out of the new location, can check on her frequently, rather than stopping in before or after her work day. I was okay with the move, like I had any choice anyways! The Victoria hospital is newer, larger, more spacious and the parking lot is right across from her room. Nice!
Since she has been on her antibiotics the past couple days she has been doing really well. Hopefully the infection is gone. This morning I sat with her for a few hours, enjoying the cuddle and watching her peacefully sleep in my arms. And the chair was a nice soft lazy boy lounger, not too hard to relax in.
We were told there would possibly be surgery today, april 19. But only if they could book some time in the operating room. 12:30. Call comes in and her time in the OR will be 1:00. Surgery shouldn’t take any more than 2 hours. We wait. Mom, rosalie and collin are with me. Finally at 4:00 the doc tells us all went well. The balloon type thing was inserted into her lower abdomen, they filled it with 80mls of liquid. A tube comes out of her so the doctor can keep filling the balloon till her abdomen is large enough that the omphalocele will fit into it. Not sure how long this will take. Maybe 20 days, or that is what the 2 other medical papers have stated that have tried this procedure. It’s a new way to try to fix this abnormality so I’m hoping it works well.
Me again. Carianne was going to go home this weekend to be with her husband and son, since there's not much she can do with or for Tatiana right now anyway. I will be passing on all the good wishes you've been sending to me. I know it will mean a lot to her.
Tatiana was transferred to a different hospital on april 18. She left the neonatal unit and is now in the pediatric critical care unit (PCCU). The doctor requested she be moved since she works out of the new location, can check on her frequently, rather than stopping in before or after her work day. I was okay with the move, like I had any choice anyways! The Victoria hospital is newer, larger, more spacious and the parking lot is right across from her room. Nice!
Since she has been on her antibiotics the past couple days she has been doing really well. Hopefully the infection is gone. This morning I sat with her for a few hours, enjoying the cuddle and watching her peacefully sleep in my arms. And the chair was a nice soft lazy boy lounger, not too hard to relax in.
We were told there would possibly be surgery today, april 19. But only if they could book some time in the operating room. 12:30. Call comes in and her time in the OR will be 1:00. Surgery shouldn’t take any more than 2 hours. We wait. Mom, rosalie and collin are with me. Finally at 4:00 the doc tells us all went well. The balloon type thing was inserted into her lower abdomen, they filled it with 80mls of liquid. A tube comes out of her so the doctor can keep filling the balloon till her abdomen is large enough that the omphalocele will fit into it. Not sure how long this will take. Maybe 20 days, or that is what the 2 other medical papers have stated that have tried this procedure. It’s a new way to try to fix this abnormality so I’m hoping it works well.
Me again. Carianne was going to go home this weekend to be with her husband and son, since there's not much she can do with or for Tatiana right now anyway. I will be passing on all the good wishes you've been sending to me. I know it will mean a lot to her.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
More news on Tatiana
For those who were wondering about Tatiana, here is an update I copied from Carianne's last email:
The game plan: surgery 1: they will insert a prosthetic (balloon) into her lower abdomen. Over time they will pump this balloon up, hoping to increase her skin tissue and also her abdominal cavity. Once the cavity is large enough …
Surgery 2: they will remove the prosthetic, drop the omphalocele (her liver, stomach and bowel that is now on the outside of her body) into the abdominal cavity and hope that the skin stretches enough over the opening. Also over the opening they will use a board type thing to help keep the omphalocele where it is supposed to be, keeping her tummy a normal shape, so it doesn’t pop out.
Surgery 3 + ?: the next surgery or more will be to remove the board and keep stretching the skin till it covers over the opening. It will depend on how fast her skin grows to be able to cover the opening whether it will be 1 or more surgeries.
We went to see her on the weekend. I got to look at her in her little incubator in the NICU, and you'd never guess there was anything wrong. She's adorable, her colour looked good to me, she was wrapped in a blanket so you couldn't see the omphalocele, she was just a little smaller than most babies I've seen (but we tend to have babies the size of toddlers around here!) Carianne was allowed to hold her on the weekend, and was even starting to try to nurse, but that's been stopped now.
My mother in law called tonight to say that Tatiana was supposed to go for surgery today but it had to be cancelled as she is running a fever due to an infection. She is being moved to the hospital in London where her surgeon is, so that she can be wheeled into surgery at a moment's notice if need be. I'm not sure if they know where the infection is.
It seems Carianne was told that the doctor has seen this maybe 10 times in her career, and that anything they've done before hasn't worked too well, so they're trying something different. Understandably, Carianne is having a very rough go. She's staying in London to be near Tatiana, away from her husband, her son and most of her immediate family (although her brother is in London, and some extended family). Please keep praying for Tatiana, or thinking good thoughts, or whatever works for you. She still needs it.
The game plan: surgery 1: they will insert a prosthetic (balloon) into her lower abdomen. Over time they will pump this balloon up, hoping to increase her skin tissue and also her abdominal cavity. Once the cavity is large enough …
Surgery 2: they will remove the prosthetic, drop the omphalocele (her liver, stomach and bowel that is now on the outside of her body) into the abdominal cavity and hope that the skin stretches enough over the opening. Also over the opening they will use a board type thing to help keep the omphalocele where it is supposed to be, keeping her tummy a normal shape, so it doesn’t pop out.
Surgery 3 + ?: the next surgery or more will be to remove the board and keep stretching the skin till it covers over the opening. It will depend on how fast her skin grows to be able to cover the opening whether it will be 1 or more surgeries.
We went to see her on the weekend. I got to look at her in her little incubator in the NICU, and you'd never guess there was anything wrong. She's adorable, her colour looked good to me, she was wrapped in a blanket so you couldn't see the omphalocele, she was just a little smaller than most babies I've seen (but we tend to have babies the size of toddlers around here!) Carianne was allowed to hold her on the weekend, and was even starting to try to nurse, but that's been stopped now.
My mother in law called tonight to say that Tatiana was supposed to go for surgery today but it had to be cancelled as she is running a fever due to an infection. She is being moved to the hospital in London where her surgeon is, so that she can be wheeled into surgery at a moment's notice if need be. I'm not sure if they know where the infection is.
It seems Carianne was told that the doctor has seen this maybe 10 times in her career, and that anything they've done before hasn't worked too well, so they're trying something different. Understandably, Carianne is having a very rough go. She's staying in London to be near Tatiana, away from her husband, her son and most of her immediate family (although her brother is in London, and some extended family). Please keep praying for Tatiana, or thinking good thoughts, or whatever works for you. She still needs it.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Thank heaven for little girls
Tatiana Jayne Brophy arrived today, on her mommy's birthday. Happily, it seems that she is even healthier than expected. She needs surgery because she was born with her liver, intestines and stomach outside of her body, but the good news is that the doctors seem to think that's the only thing wrong. The surgery was supposed to be on Friday but now it might be earlier because the doctors think she can handle it, and has no other issues they need to worry about. Thank you to anyone who sent prayers and wishes to Carianne. Ryan and I are Tatiana's godparents, so Ryan went to London today to see her and be there for the baptism.
Welcome baby girl!
Welcome baby girl!
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