Snow - and lots of it!

By the time I get home from work at 4pm, it is already getting dark outside. But, the kids need to get out, so I have been bundling them up and taking them out. It takes me about 15 minutes to get them dressed, and another 5 for me. At best, they last about 20-30 min outside before cold noses and fingers have them crying to go inside again. I discovered that I can pull both of them at once, in different sleds, because one has a really long rope.

I just completed a Trauma Nursing Core Skill course over the weekend. It was really interesting and I think I will find the skills applicable on almost a daily basis. There was a written and practical skill evaluation at the end. I was anxious about the skills, but I passed it! Yah!






We tried to make a snow man yesterday. The snow is too dry however, so it is more of a snow pile with jelly bean eyes and a touque and scarf and pencil arms. I am not sure what the purple jelly bean on the snowman's forehead is intended to be.

We had reached the 20 min mark by the time I took this picture. Evelyn is in a very cranky mood. She is crying at me "don't take a picture of the snowman!".




When we have not been outside, we have been baking muffins. Evelyn loves to help mix the batter and count the measurements with me. She is also in charge of putting the liners in the muffin tins. I also made muffins with my "little sister" at the school this week. It went really well. I think we may move into cooking and baking after we finish scrapbooking. We shared some of the muffins around to the staff (Ryan just went into the staff room and filched some while we were handing them out) and received many compliments.


This pic is posted mostly because I like it and because Evelyn is actually LOOKING at the camera! She is just starting to do this again. I am very excited.

If you are thinking to yourself "She looks a bit green between the eyes" you are not seeing things. She somehow managed to make the bridge of her nose contact the edge of the coffee table. She was leaning on it with her knees on the couch and elbows on the table, next I know, she has a big scrape and bruise. No bleeding, and no pain after a few minutes, nothing moves that shouldn't, so I'm sure it is not broken.

In this picture, she is enjoying a piece of Halloween candy. She loves the suckers the most. I have been impressed by how readily she shares her treats with us. As soon as Ryan or I finish our supper plates, Evelyn will pipe up and ask "Do you want a Halloween treat?" Then she will go and pick one out for us.



We all received a little package in the mail from Ryan's sister Dawne. She recently spent her birthday in Hawaii and sent us some treats. Ethan LOVED the necklace made of 'kookie nuts' that have a delightful hollow sound when they are knocked together. They were intended for Evelyn, but they will be shared ;-) You can see he is drooling quite a bit. I think he is working on his left upper front tooth. Evelyn had taken a liking to the Hawaiian flower style bib that was intended for Ethan. She has been wearing bibs again at her request to keep her shirts cleaner. I must say, "I'm cool with that!"

Ethan is crawling like a pro now and is very fast. We played catch with the nut necklace. He was really into the game because of the neat sound that the nuts made when they hit the floor.






He is determined to feed himself now. He refuses to let us feed him at all. This has resulted in some mess (obviously) but also in him actually eating less food. The only way he will accept a spoon from Ryan or me is if we pretend to be a train. An airplane will not do the trick. It must be a "Ch-ga, Ch-ga, Woo-Woo!" Works every time!

He has also started to give out hugs to Ryan and gets really excited to see him. He can stand on his own for about 2 seconds. And he is working on how to climb out of the playpen he is closer to success on that front than I am comfortable with.

He and Evelyn have started to play together for up to 20 or 30 minutes without any issues or screaming. Most of the time Evelyn does not want him near her, so she has taken to closing the door to her room and playing for a long time in there. We have decided to allow her to have that alone time and not force her to play with her little brother.

This conversation just happened about 5 minutes ago:

Me: It's lunch time and Ethan is still napping. Ella, would you like to go wake up Ethan?
Evelyn: Mmm Hmm! I love Ethan!
she pitter patters down to his room, opens the door and says "Good morning Ethan! Did you have a good sleep? It's lunch time now!" Then, speaking to me "Ethan had a good sleep." Then, speaking to Ethan, "I love you Ethan!"

Now, I have to go and feed them.....

These are some pics of the view from our back, front and side yards with a close up of an old dog house roof to show the snow accumulation.

Ethan's First Birthday

A year has past already! Wow, Does time go faster the more kids you have? This----->
Feels like yesterday!


























We had a small party for Ethan with a Rocket Ship cake, hats, blowers, horns, balloons, and signs. Evelyn is so into party stuff right now, we just had to go all out with the extras. After we had finished decorating the cake, she wanted to light the candles and sing for Ethan so badly, I just had to give in and let her do a practice run.

Ethan got excited about ripping the wrapping paper after he saw a few opened. He loved his cake.

He has given pretty equal attention to all his gifts today. Thank-you to everyone who sent him something. He is in Truck and Ball and singing Bear heaven!

This post has no subject. I just want to hear how cute my kids are ;-)

(The new look is a response to my frustrations over formatting changes from the draft to published versions of my posts. This layout shows up almost exactly the same as the way I laid it out.)

Ethan has taken a liking to the sock monkey that I made him. I think he specifically likes the monkeys ears... He giggles when I make it dance above him by jiggling it too. Really though, I just like the pictures.

The other day, Evelyn enjoyed a very leisurely bath while floating on her back. I Liked how her hair floated around her. She stayed in the water for almost 45 minutes. The picture of her wrinkly hands shows the results of her lengthy soak.
















I tried to get some Christmas pictures of the kids. Ethan co-operated a little bit, Evelyn not at all. These are the best of the bunch. You can look for them soon in your Christmas card!

Ethan is starting to walk along the walls while just touching his hands against the wall. He also crawls properly (on his knees instead of his belly) almost all the time now. He is basically weaned completely. He never asks to nurse, and seems to prefer the bottle to me! So, that was easy!



Evelyn has taken my return to work very easily. She bids me a cheerful goodbye in the morning and welcomes my return home with the question "Did you have a good day?" When our babysitter(s) leave, she wants to know when she can see them again. Ethan is usually asleep when I leave, but cries as soon as he hears my voice when I get home.

I have done 2 shifts on the floor and 1 orientation day. So far, it is going well!



Okay, so, this is the part where you leave a comment saying how adorable my kids look and how you just LOVE this one or another picture in particular... You know the drill. I want to hear it!

Trick or Treat!

I took the kids to the school for their annual Halloween Costume Parade. It was fun. Ethan got scared by Ryan. He had dressed in a 'Wookie' mask with crazy hair and Ethan got spooked. I was asked to judge the costume contest, and neither of the kids won ;-)

Ethan had to have a nap at around 4 pm, so he slept until almost 6 pm. I took Evelyn trick or treating without him. We went to about 6 or 7 houses. It took us almost an hour to do those! (We walked) We had fewer kids than last year. Probably around 40.

Evelyn was more excited about handing out candy than she was about getting it. When the cars pulled into the drive way, she would start yelling "The kids are here!" "Trick or Treat!" "Can I give out the candy?" We let her give out the candy a couple times, but she was so generous, we would have run out if she continued. She just dug both hands into the candy bowl and scooped a huge pile into the kids sack.

Ethan was SO cute dressed as the frog prince. When I got him dressed, I held him in front of the mirror. He started to giggle and waved his froggy hand at himself. He kept giggling in the car too because he could see his face in a little mirror on the seat back.

Evelyn was so excited to be "dora the explorer" she wanted me to help her do the dance Dora does, and she got dressed in her costume about 3 hrs early. She looked a bit odd as a blue eyed Dora though and did not get many "Oooh's" or "Aaaw's". (Ethan got lots though). I dressed as a clown. A very yellow clown. Evelyn had fun wearing some of my costume too.

I went to bed by 9:30 and slept until 12:15, when, I was woken by Evelyn telling me she wet the bed. So, I changed all that, got her settled, and tried to go back to sleep. I kept coughing and could not settle again, so I moved to the couch/ so I would not wake Ryan. By around 1:30 am, I had finally fell asleep again. Then, at 2 am, Evelyn gets up and wants to pee. I don't think she actually did, but I was up and getting her settled again regardless. I think I fell asleep again around 2:45 am (the coughing started again) and was woken around 4 am by Evelyn (again) she was just calling out and asking for hugs and stuff. At 5, 6, and 7, Ethan woke up and cried for a few minutes, then settled again. Yes, he settled, but I still woke up! Argh! It was a very long night.

I have an interview with the manager of the Boyle hospital today. I think it is more of a welcome meeting. They really need nurses. I think I will start orientation next week. There is a trauma nurse course at the end of the month that I want to attend. And there will be an ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) [I get to learn how to shock people] course offered soon too. FUN!

Ryan has been 'stealing' Evelyn's nose lately. This evening, after supper, he told her he could not give her nose back because he ate it. Evelyn promptly replied "You need to spit it up!"

Ethan has started to mimic us saying "Uh-Oh!" He has yet to initiate it and use it in context, but we are getting closer to talking!