Christmas Surprise

So, talk about a christmas present... Daddy was taken into a meeting yesterday at work to be informed that he was being laid off. So much for loyalty...
I'm so mad about the whole situation that I'm not even sure how much I want to go over it again. Apparently all that matters to the shop anymore is the money. They laid off one tech, one front-end, and one apprentice. They chose Daddy - who has the best work ethic and was thier first employee - Darcy - who was also thier first hire for front end and the most customer friendly - and Liam - over the other apprentice who just got his license suspended! So they have to send a front end guy out with him on every test drive! Where is thier logic?? Where is their employer-employee relations when they won't even honor loyalty and hard work? It just blows me away.
I have no idea what we're going to do now. Trev's going to start shopping around for a new job as soon as the shops open on monday. Even if this layoff didn't last long he refuses to go back to work for them now. And I don't blame him. Who would want a job where he's received absolutely nothing for everything he's done?
We're considering throwing everything to the wind and going back to Quesnel. It could be the worst decision ever but at least we'd have our family around. I guess we're going to see what Prince has to offer first though, I think the move makes Daddy nervous.
So, like I said, so much for Christmas. That ruins all our plans, and we were struggling enough as it was.

Back to the grindstone

Finally back to routine today, which basically means I don't have much to write about. I forgot to mention yesterday that LF gave me his first good laugh. I'm still not sure what he finds funny though as I was tickling him when he laughed, so that doesn't really count! He seems to be a bit of a thrill seeker already though because he gets pretty excited about being tossed around and lifted in the air. Daddy also said he got giggly over having his shirt taken off once too though he hasn't gotten that excited about it since. But he still finds it amusing... crazy kid.

They're both making up for lost time though, they're eating like horses lately! We got LF weighed at 'power play' yesterday morning and he weighed in at 13lbs even, which I'm pretty sure is about the same as the last time we had him weighed a few weeks ago, which isn't all that great but probably typical with him being sick. But he's definately going to catch up! I'm interested to see how much he'll weigh by next week, we're definately going back to get him weighed again!

Daddy got his phone stolen last night. Somebody broke into the hockey arena's change rooms and swiped everyone's phones and cash. The only thing we have to be thankful for is that the phone is all they took. They left everyone's credit cards and such so at least we don't have to cancel and re-issue everything. But GRR anyway. Now Daddy's got a cheap crappy phone because we're still on contract with Bell and their phones are so expensive without signing up for a contract. And they told me it would cost us over $700.00 to get out of the contract!

So anyway, on to exams in school...kinda didn't realize I only have a week left until the first one and then the second one is only 4 days after the first. So not a whole lot of study time left, and these are pretty big exams, so I'd best get my arse in gear. Ugh... there goes every second of my free time once again.

Swimming

So we took LF swimming for the first time today! He was pretty indifferent to the water, didn't get all excited about it, nor did he freak out about it. He just looked around and took everything in. Such a curious baby! LH was the one who had a rough time! Apparently we haven't been taking her swimming often enough any more, or it's just one of those phases. But she really doesn't like the idea of the pool, which is so crazy because she absolutely loves her baths. She liked the hot tub though, so I'm wondering if maybe she gets too cold in the regular pool water?

I tried to go shopping today, hoping to get the rest of my Christmas stuff done, but I also needed a white shirt for the pics on Sunday. So, of course, I spent more time than I wanted to shopping and all I managed to do was find the white shirt. And I'm not even sure how much I really like it, but it'll serve its purpose I suppose. I have no idea what I'm going to get for the last two people on my Christmas list though, or when I'm going to manage to get away to do it. They're the kind of gifts I'd like to have the time to wander around and browse for. Meaning: no kids!

So tomorrow I'm finally back to 'work'. I'm so totally messed up as to what day it is, especially because Daddy has his splits this week and had today off too.

Christmas Prep!

So we had a fun day, LF had his

first experience in the jolly jumper, much to his amusement. LH also found it amusing because it was her hyper time before Daddy gets home and LF is usually fussy then. So the jolly jumper entertained LF while LH and I played together.

Not to mention she found the jolly- jumper amusing as well.

I forgot to mention we put up our tree and christmas decorations on Sunday, LH actually helped this year, though I still don't think she understands anything of what is going on! She kept bugging me about opening the presents, but she didn't push the issue too much and she's left the tree and presents alone so far, so hopefully we'll get through Christmas without the tree falling over on someone or presents being unwrapped prematurely!And last, but not least, Mommy got her hair done finally! I'm pretty sure it's been close to 9 months or more! I can't remember getting it done while pregnant, so I'm thinking it was before I got preggo with LF, but that just seems like too long! Can't trust my mind anymore though. But anyway, here's the finished product. I love it so far, but we'll see how well I can style it on my own tomorrow! It adds a ton of volume with all the layers without having to go too short, which is awesome. Because I was so tired of the flat lifeless post-pregnancy hair and thought my only option would be to lose length to gain volume, but I'm not big on how I look with short hair. Not to mention I miss my long, long hair! Let's hope I figure out what I'm going to do with it before family pics on Sunday!!

School

I am SO looking forward to this being DONE!! I have 2 more classes left! (Oh, and then exams) I hate not being home to put the babes to sleep, it makes me so sad. I think it's good for us all around though. Good for the kids to be with just Daddy, good for Daddy because he's got to fend for himself, and good for me because I remember to appreciate the time I have with them.

LF had a wickedly cranky day today. He must be getting over that cold and getting back into the routine because he made his feedings and naps on schedule but was not pleasant about it. I had to work to get him to stay sleeping for his afternoon nap, and his morning one too, now that I think about it. No wonder the poor guy seemed tired this afternoon. But if getting over this cold is what's got Lexi so hungry today then he's probably cranky cuz he's hungry too. Every time I turned around today Lexi was saying 'I hungry'!

We had our first real sibling jealousy issue today though. I coddled LF a bit today because he was so cranky and I think LH was getting tired of all the baby in her play time! I was sitting with LF on the floor and she was over in the corner 'reading', so I asked her if she wanted to bring the book over to me and I would read it for her. But she said "NO!! You holdin LF!" I hardly knew what to say to her because she hasn't ever done anything like that before! I managed to convince her that we could all read the stories though and she didn't make much more of it than that, so I don't think it's going to turn into any sort of issue. I think we got really lucky with her that way! She really seems to like LF more than feel threatened by him.

My daycare child, Andrew, has been so sick this past week that I haven't worked in a full week as of tomorrow! I'm getting so BORED!!

Family Day

I love Sundays. I have adult company, help with the kids, time to get things done I've been trying to get done for a while, and one on one with the kids while Daddy takes the other. But, after spending yet another Sunday downtown after the routine coffee date with R and H, we shopped for this, that and the other thing. I wouldn't be surprised if 'family day' for the kids is sheer torture. LF is out of his familiar element, though he doesn't seem to mind it too much, but poor LH gets stuck in a cart most of the day. We let her run around a bit but most of the time that ends in a melt down in the cart because she's wandering around the store collecting breakables and running into people. I'm not looking forward to that day she wanders too far off too, so I'd rather keep her close.

We tried taking her to the Festival of Trees today, thinking she'd like looking at all the christmas stuff, trees and lights... that seemed to end up more about us and reigning in a bored kid again.

She's catching on to the falling-asleep-in-the-car-transfer-to-her-bed-routine though. As soon as I try to pick her up and she stirs at all she's fighting to wake up. She was insisting to Daddy today, who was following behind us, that she wasn't tired, right Daddy? Instead she got to watch a movie... what can I say, we're suckers. It's a good thing the drive home is 20minutes, it's enough to get her through at least.

Anyway, I'd better go get the Christmas stuff out of the shed. I wouldn't mind putting up some of it this weekend, though I'll probably keep the tree for next weekend. I'm not sure though because Daddy's work is doing their shop decorating party thing next weekend, and I definately wanted it up by then. We also have family photos that day and Daddy has a hockey game in the evening, so I just don't see it getting done next sunday! Man, I better really get going, put that way my time is running out! Not to mention it's getting dark outside...

Tough Kids

So LF is recuperating pretty quick from this cold already. Or, at least, he hasn't slept all day today! I actually had to wake him up this morning at 8am to feed him because it had been over 12hrs without food! And he didn't even eat that well last night when we put him to bed. Oh, and that's another thing, he's drinking the odd full bottle again, so I'm thinking we're definately on our way back to normal. It seems to be hanging on a little harder to LH though, poor girl. She always looks so glassy eyed and wiped-out lately.
So I'm down to two people left for Christmas presents. Seems weird to have gone out only one day for shopping and narrowed it down to two people. But they're the hardest, all the rest were kids! But we've also tried to limit who we're buying for this year, and it sounds like our gifts to eachother are going to be better off liquidated and added to the visa...sigh. Oh, I guess we still have Daddy's bosses gifts too, but we already know what we're doing for those so it's just a matter of picking them up.
So seeing as the kids naps were so long today I took the opportunity to sit at the computer (surprise surprise) but at least this time I was trying to be productive. I was looking for and evening job. Yuck. But if I could find something that was evenings or nights, a few days a week I probably wouldn't hate it too much and we'd really appreciate the extra $$. Thing is, there's nothing out there. Never mind something I'd even remotely be qualified for.
So we're back to needing education... but I'm not going there again for a while...
Well, I guess dinner's not going to make itself.

Babies

One of the Christmas gifts I bought this year required me to go back through old pictures of the last few years. A year ago my little girl still looked like a wobbly little baby just trying out her new-found walking talent. It makes me sad to realize I don't remember her like that quite as clearly as I'd like. I guess that's what photos are for. But I also realize that LF's growth already feels so much faster than LH's, so are his memories going to be that much more blurry as well?
You know, I always wanted to be done having kids in my 20's. Well, here I am at 25, done having kids. But that wasn't exactly what I meant. I wanted a big family, 4 kids is always what came to mind. I never thought I'd stop, or be happy, with 2. And there will be a part of me that always hurts at the idea that I will never again feel someone kick in my tummy, experience the wonder of brith, or hold my own little newborn. I won't get to see the wonder of yet another mix of features in yet another surprise.
But I love being able to afford to stay home with the kids, to be able to have quality time with them so often, to have enough room on my lap for both of them (though that may have something to do with the size of my lap...).
It's all so bittersweet isn't it?
But God blessed us with one of each, so I think that at least is a good sign.
It just makes me feel weird somehow, like the next 5 years are empty somehow. I don't know what to do with them, and I feel like I should be doing something. I mean, I realize I'll be raising my kids and that will be enough to fill my days. But...

But...

Intro

Okay...bear with the rookie here, okay?

I have Amanda to blame... this is probably not something I really want to start and waste more time at the computer doing. But I'm going to try to make it productive at least. Key word: try.

So this is about my kids. I should have started it when my Little Helper (LH) was a baby, but hey, what can I say, I was even more ignorant then. I've managed to advance in my ways a little since then. A little.

What a day to start though. Both kids are sick. LH was positioned before countless movies all day yesterday, and the only thing that alleviated any of my guilt was the fact that she looked about ready to pass out on the couch all day and the fact that she really didn't move from the couch all day. It's a rare day when she'll actually sit through a full movie, never mind half a dozen. So I think it was warranted.
She's a bit better today, though still stuffy and croaky, but she's back to insisting on her independence (let's just hope she gets those jammies off before she wets them...).

My Little Fire (LF) is sleeping, he's been sleeping for almost three days now. Basically the most he's been up for is a diaper change and about half the food he normally eats, then he's out again. Poor little guy. He was much brighter eyed this morning, however, and managed to stay awake (and happy!) for about an hour.
He is officially 3 months old now. I can't believe how much faster than LH's babyhood this all feels.

Well, LH is bugging me to watch a movie, her reasoning being that 'I tired, I sleep on the couch.' but she's also insisting that 'you sleep with me'. So I better quit ignoring my kids and go have a snuggle.