2008 Sick Kids

We made it through Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick since we left yesterday morning. Sarah has been a great traveller so far. In fact, we might try to 12 hour trip straight into Toronto tomorrow because she has been doing so well. Cross your fingers! Dale's been a welcome traveling companion. Sarah's is even calling him by his first name and tonight she put her arms up for him to put her on his lap. Very cute :)

We got across Newfoundland before it was dark with some smattering of rain but not much. We stopped in Gander, Deer Lake and Corner Brook. The ferry was loading when we arrived (early) so we literally got on, got our cabin and Sarah fell asleep curled into the crook of my arm on a bunk bed almost instantly. We didn't wake up until 20 mins before we drove off. Perfect timing :)

Dale and I giggled as we passed "Lick a Stick" and "Lick a Chick" fast food restaurants. We nabbed some Tim's and were off again. Lunch was in Moncton at Swiss Chalet and dinner in Edmunston's Boston Pizza (yum). Now I'm updating you all then heading to bed.

The cold Sarah got Saturday sounds like it has settled on her chest but she isn't showing any signs of infection so I'll see how she does in the next few days.

Right now she is snoring in the playpen at the foot of my bed. Night all :)

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What a fun New Year. Everyone had a cold from November until the beginning of February. Between Sarah and Samantha there have been four ear infections. Samantha woke up Wednesday night with the stomach flu (and the mess on her and the bed to prove it) which escalated to diahrrea, fever, cramping and loss of appetite. Things just got better from there. Joe was diagnosed with strep throat and as he got back to normal, fell to the stomach flu Friday evening. Sarah woke up throwing up later that same night. Even Jen caught it (sorry Jen).  I was supposed to play in a volleyball tournament with work on Saturday...well stand on the court and watch other people play around me but obviously I was chasing kids around with a bucket, clean PJs and Javex :)

As I say too often, it could be worse. I'm still recovering from surgery and so far I have not shown signs of this tummy issue and neither has Alex. Joe bounded back to normal after a day and a half, Samantha has finally come around and Sarah might be. We made it through with only two visits to the hospital with Samantha, and one with Sarah but neither had to stay there. The team had enough players to play volleyball without me (I think) and Joe and I didn't get sick at the same time. Joe and Alex got to go skating - twice!

I understand that this stuff gets easier as they get older and since we made it through this week, then I think rest will work just fine :)

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2008 Christmas

Click on the picture to the left for the photo's I've uploaded of our Christmas.

This main photo is of Sarah Christmas morning before my family showed up. She likes to hang out in the kitchen and demand food while someone is cooking. This time she took the stool, brought it to the counter and trying to take what I was preparing. So I put a few Cheerios on the counter to reward her quick thinking! :)

She looks so sweet in her Christmas PJ's and hat!

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Joe has a bad back, the kids all have a cold and this whole week has been difficult. Coming from a mother of 3 small toddlers, that means far more than the average "difficult"!

In the midst of this, December 5th marked the two year anniversary of that fateful ultrasound that told us "twins" along with the bad news that eventually led to Sarah's diagnosis. I find this time of year hard which is flat out silly. I mean lets face it - we have the best possible outcome.

I don't have many pictures of the pregnancy, I didn't want to deal with seeing them if I'd lost the girls. Now I wish I did :)

I had joined a support forum for parents going through what were were, and one of the members had suggested writing poems about our girls or situation. To mark this special occasion, I'll post mine here. At the time, we had thought the girls were going to finally make it but then Sarah went into possible failure and we were told we might face loosing at least her, possibly Samantha too. If Sarah could make it about 2 more weeks, her chances would significantly increase and I wrote this late on the 6th night of that two weeks.

Yet again I am reminded that we are a very lucky family.

Tue Jan 31, 2006  11:36 pm
8 days, 50 mins and counting
Thats how much we have to bear
Not so long when you consider
The road that got us here

8 days 49 mins and counting
I hope you realize
that if you can hold on
your mom and dad can't wait
to look into your eyes

8 days 48 mins and counting
Right now you are too young
If you can't reach that date
instead of two babies
we might have only one

8 days 47 mins and counting
The time can't pass fast enough
I wish there was something I could do
to help you both make it through
the next
8 days 46 mins and counting

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A very excited Natasha contacted me at work because she got a call saying Sarah's glasses were in early! As soon as we got off, Natasha and I took Sarah to get them and here are a few pictures of Sarah getting fitted by David. Her glasses came in a cute little princess purse carrying case which you can see in her hand in one pic.

We can already see a difference in the way she interacts and looks at things. You can see her eyes following details and now when they come off, she wants them back on. I think they are a bit tight right now, but hopefully that will loosen into something more comfortable later.

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She looks adorable. As Great Uncle Ken or Aunt Sharyn said, she looks like a little professor :)

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Glasses

The long awaited and much sought after eye appointment for Sarah was this morning. She is very impared in both eyes but the good news is that glasses will most likely do the trick. If they do, she won't require surgery. She actually enjoys the eye exams but by the end of the second visit, she was getting tired and uncooperative. It was perfect timing, because it emphasised her reaction when the Dr put the lens in front of her eyes that emulate her prescription. She just stopped moving completely and studied my face in total wonder. Then Joe walked in the door after washing her pacifier and the doctor said "let her look at her pacifier" but she only had eyes for Joe. It was incredible. The doctor explained that some parents get very upset when they find out their child has a serious vision issue but we are just so impressed with that little fighter. She can walk, talk, eat, watches TV, loves stories... her development is on par with her age and yet she achieved it all with THAT vision? Imagine what she'll do when she can see! Besides, we picked out the cutest pink Disney glasses and they are going to look just adorable on her.

I picked up Natasha, Alex and Samantha at the park after Sarah's appointment. A quick trip to McDonald's and Subway then we took off downtown. While Natasha ran an errand, we drove by the waterfront and Alex got to see a submarine. After some MooMoos, we walked to the submarine to see if up close and lucked into seeing it leaving the harbor. We got poured on at the harbor but Natasha got Samantha to say Sarah's name a bunch of times while playing with them and it was so cute!

After supper and a bath, Sarah was running around upstairs and Alex asked "mommy what is on Sarah's pjs? Before I could answer he read the letters "B U M"... bbuu... BUM! Mommy that says BUM!" Sarah was wearing a BUM Equipment sleeper - Alex was totally right. He is actually starting to read... and that just blows my mind.

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Weeks ago I showed Alex how to blow on a dandilion and make a wish. So today, while waiting in the yard with me for Joe, he picked one... blew on it and as the seeds flew around said "I wish I could fly a kite".... it was adorable.

After everyone's naps (about 11:00), we coated the kids in sunscreen, packed the family into bike trailers and left Dan's house. We stopped at the top of the street to figure out a destination.

First Dominion: no kite.

Next Zellers :  Finding Nemo Kite - $5

We scooted down to Bowring Park and camped out on the hill behind the swimming pool to eat lunch and fly Alex's kite. He learned real quick and soon needed no help from us unless it hit the ground. Samantha chased him (or us) and Sarah ate. You should have seen the size of a chicken breast she decided she to eat!

We played until everyone started to look sleepy then packed them all back into the trailers and followed the old railway bed to downtown. After a drive by the waterfront and a quick jump into the bike stores, we follow the railway bed back to bowring park and up to McDonalds! By the time we finally got back to Dan's, it was 7:00pm. I wish I had some photos of this perfect day, but I forgot the camera :( You'll have to settle for this one that Natasha took of Alex with paint on his fingers. 

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2007 Little Gym Graduation

Alex graduated from his class at the Little Gym this week. We were encouraged to bring along anyone who'd like to see him show all the progress he'd made and cheer while he got his ribbon. Joe, the twins, Jen and I all went. Alex was over tired and didn't get much out of it that night, but Sarah and Samantha loved it. I don't want to put any of them in a program this summer because it will add more chaos to our schedule and I'd like to spend that time out with the kids but I think in September, I may have to enroll them all!

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2007 Gulliver Cabin

Over the last few weekends I've managed to get the kids to my folks place at least twice. The first time was just a visit for the day but the second time was for the Lobster Boil and we stayed overnight... thats right - while other people (mom and dad) were there. I've been holding off on that because we were up so often it just wasn't fair to the people who'd be up all night with us.

There are some awesome pictures here. The twins when mom put them to sleep by rocking them in a rocking chair together, Alex and dad playing at "putting out fires" with a garden hose and Dad trying to ge tthe kids to say "TOUCH DOWN" and raise their arms at the breakfast table.

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I thought Alex would really enjoy a trip to Salmonier Nature Park so we piled ourselves into the van and drove there for the day.

He wasn't nearly as interested as we thought he'd be and in fact spent most of the walk in the stroller! Sarah and Samantha however, got very frustrated at being confined to the stroller and we eventually let them out leaving Alex with the whole thing to himself.

 Sarah spend most of the walk in my arms with a look of total amazment on her face. Samantha held my forefinger and walked - literally- 1/3 of the park.

We were supposed to have dinner with Jen and Don, but were a little late getting there. After supper, we all spend some time in the garden. Jen and Don have a lawn tractor that Alex got to drive. Sarah and Samantha got pulled along in a trailer Jen just got and they got a real charge out of that. There are some cute shots here of the kids and Alex and Don on the tractor.

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