It's raining. Again. I know I shouldn't be surprised, and I am very glad it isn't the white fluffy stuff that (apparently) we had much more of this year than usual. (Funny side note: every place we move to has a bad winter at least for the first one we're there for. First winter in Saskatoon they had the worst blizzard in 50 years, first winter in Spruce Grove had the coldest, highest snowfall in years, and now here. If weather hadn't been off all around the country, I'd think we are jinxed!)
We've made it through the week. And I think we've even made progress! Every time we went to go out Girlie would throw a fit. Yelling and screaming that she doesn't want to leave the house. Just wants to stay home. I totally get that, but she's my little social butterfly normally and having her yell and scream and sometimes try to hit me (NOT tolerated in this house!) was very trying at times. But we went on a playdate after school Thursday and she was fine (as long as we remembered to bring banana muffins to share). We went for a walk in the beautiful sunshine, found salamanders, worms, little sleeping frogs, wood peckers, heard mourning doves, the Sea Kings flew really close by a few times, and puddles were splashed in. Then when I dropped the girls off at casual care so I could attend the coffee group, there was no fuss from either of them! They walked in, took boots off, coats off, shoes on, kisses goodbye, and left! I was in shock!!
This week has been a busy one. I had to put myself on a novel reading time out, since things just weren't getting done and in this house with these children, that isn't a good thing. Things don't just add up, they grow exponentially! The laundry, the toys, the books, the dishes, food really should be planned and cooked, otherwise that balanced (or mostly balanced) diet just doesn't happen. So after we had that big rain on Tuesday where I did read all day, the novels have been put away and I've been doing really well! Stayed on top of tidying (after playing catch up), actually made meals instead of thinking that canned soup would work. Again. Nothing wrong with the soup, though...
We have had palydates after school twice, so I planned the meals so that they would either be ready when we got home (LOVE crockpot meals!) or for pick up. Yesterday we just got some hot and ready pizzas from Little Caesar's. And then I got to go out last night for a board games evening with friends. So I got a sitter and got to play Clue for the first time in what seems like forever. I remember playing with Hubby when we bought the game back in Calgary (wow, was that really 5 years ago!) but before that, the last time I had played was with my sisters years ans years ago. I can remember laying on our parents' water bed, playing the game, fighting over who got to be Ms Scarlet...
Hubby had the chance to call us yesterday. Maybe that's why I'm in such a good mood despite the rain. It was wonderful to hear his voice instead of only emailing, but even the emailing has been nice. They are in Charleston, two days off, then more work again. 13 more sleeps until he's here! Wish it would be for longer, but at least we'll have those couple of days.
My children are a bunch of turkeys! Regular goof balls. And I love it! They try to sneak attack (they aren't very good at it yet), tickle fights, and just being silly. It's great.
Monkey actually sort of has a few words! I am so excited about that. You can tell that she wants to be understood better and is sorta kinda trying harder. But she still makes herself understood without words. Very well.
Smarty and Sergeant are taking their role of boys of the house very seriously. Every morning they are in my room with me, making sure I'm not lonely, and Smarty has offered on more than one occasion to stay up later with me for the same reason. And as long as it doesn't interfere with what they are already doing (they have the same reading addiction I have. So does Hubby for that matter, although he can usually put the book down...) they will accomplish the tasks I ask them to with minimal fuss.
But I should probably start the day. We've already breakfasted (tasty pancakes!) and my coffee is almost done, so I should likely shower and get moving. Need some groceries, would love to go for a walk but I don't think that'll happen in the rain right now... I don't mind it, but I don't like hearing the complaints. We'll have to see what the afternoon will bring. I may brave it yet. And hopefully we'll get a chance to Skype with Daddy. That would be beyond awesome :)
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Monday, April 7, 2014
One week down!
One full week in! Yay!! I've had a few emails from Hubby since he's left, they are doing well, everything is on schedule as far as I know. And they are keeping really, really busy, so that's good.
For us, it's been up and down. Girlie has been having a rough go of it, adjusting to Daddy being gone. A lot more tantrums, even more volatile emotions, but I can see progress being made. All the kids have been ending up in my room with me by 6am every day so far, and I've noticed a correlation between the amount of time the girls spend in my bed and their grumpiness during the day. I'm working even harder to get them to stay in their own room as much as possible during the night. The boys (Smarty in particular) likes to bring his pillow and blanket and stay on the floor beside the bed to keep me company so I don't get lonely. Sergeant will do that too if the bed is occupied by the girls. This morning he came in before Girlie, so got to snuggle with me. Everyone misses Daddy, but we're doing well, I think. Overall better adjusted than the last time he was away this long. It helps that we get to see him for a day or two in the middle before he heads off to Borden for courses. Another benefit this time is that we've started making more connections with the people here, and so are getting more and more support.
Yesterday, while we were driving, Girlie started talking about dinosaurs. Not that uncommon a topic in our family, but she was saying how the largest dinosaur was/is the Nautilus and it has super long sharp teeth! "Do you know how big they are, Mommy? 100 meteors! Almost as big as my pinky!" Now for those who know what a Nautilus is, you know that they are not huge, they are a cephalopod that has been around since the dinosaurs (at least that's what I remember. You can read about them here). She is such a funny girl!
Girlie and Monkey have been playing puppy a lot this week, with Monkey being the puppy. I keep hearing "Come on, Jemimia! You're such a cutie!" (we have friends who's dog is named Jemima) So Monkey goes around on her hands and knees, licking everything! I really wish she would understand when I tell her that her tongue shouldn't be licking what she's licking! Building her immune system, right?
I am so excited about the boys' reading! Sergeant has been starting to pick up chapter books, and I love watching them sit, learn, and explore other worlds, other realities. We've done painting (kept Girlie's attention better than anyone else's!) and posters have been drawn and coloured.
I've been getting the boys to do more around the house too. Dishes, sweeping, putting laundry away, giving them a task and just letting them do it is so satisfying, especially when they do a great job at it! We had a super lazy week last week, I couldn't seem to get my nose out of a book or three, so we had to catch up on Saturday. When I let them know what was going to happen and the time frame it needed to happen in, they were more than competent at getting it all done. With minimal fighting too!
We have another rain fall warning on for tomorrow, so today we're going to prepare. New boots for some, new splash pants for others, another umbrella or two. Our stereo died Saturday so I'll be finding a replacement for it today too. I'm so old fashioned, I'm still using CD's and I know it's going to be more and more difficult to find one that plays them. I'm up for the challenge, though!
For us, it's been up and down. Girlie has been having a rough go of it, adjusting to Daddy being gone. A lot more tantrums, even more volatile emotions, but I can see progress being made. All the kids have been ending up in my room with me by 6am every day so far, and I've noticed a correlation between the amount of time the girls spend in my bed and their grumpiness during the day. I'm working even harder to get them to stay in their own room as much as possible during the night. The boys (Smarty in particular) likes to bring his pillow and blanket and stay on the floor beside the bed to keep me company so I don't get lonely. Sergeant will do that too if the bed is occupied by the girls. This morning he came in before Girlie, so got to snuggle with me. Everyone misses Daddy, but we're doing well, I think. Overall better adjusted than the last time he was away this long. It helps that we get to see him for a day or two in the middle before he heads off to Borden for courses. Another benefit this time is that we've started making more connections with the people here, and so are getting more and more support.
Yesterday, while we were driving, Girlie started talking about dinosaurs. Not that uncommon a topic in our family, but she was saying how the largest dinosaur was/is the Nautilus and it has super long sharp teeth! "Do you know how big they are, Mommy? 100 meteors! Almost as big as my pinky!" Now for those who know what a Nautilus is, you know that they are not huge, they are a cephalopod that has been around since the dinosaurs (at least that's what I remember. You can read about them here). She is such a funny girl!
Girlie and Monkey have been playing puppy a lot this week, with Monkey being the puppy. I keep hearing "Come on, Jemimia! You're such a cutie!" (we have friends who's dog is named Jemima) So Monkey goes around on her hands and knees, licking everything! I really wish she would understand when I tell her that her tongue shouldn't be licking what she's licking! Building her immune system, right?
I am so excited about the boys' reading! Sergeant has been starting to pick up chapter books, and I love watching them sit, learn, and explore other worlds, other realities. We've done painting (kept Girlie's attention better than anyone else's!) and posters have been drawn and coloured.
I've been getting the boys to do more around the house too. Dishes, sweeping, putting laundry away, giving them a task and just letting them do it is so satisfying, especially when they do a great job at it! We had a super lazy week last week, I couldn't seem to get my nose out of a book or three, so we had to catch up on Saturday. When I let them know what was going to happen and the time frame it needed to happen in, they were more than competent at getting it all done. With minimal fighting too!
We have another rain fall warning on for tomorrow, so today we're going to prepare. New boots for some, new splash pants for others, another umbrella or two. Our stereo died Saturday so I'll be finding a replacement for it today too. I'm so old fashioned, I'm still using CD's and I know it's going to be more and more difficult to find one that plays them. I'm up for the challenge, though!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Puttering along
Two days in on this sail, and things are about as on par as I thought. There were a few casualties Monday, a paper airplane thrown by Sergeant knocked down a figurine and smashed it. Smarty broke a glass while washing dishes (at least he was cleaning, right?). Monkey hollered and hollered until I started singing one of the hymns Daddy always sings to the girls at bedtime. He may not be her "preferred" parent, but she is certainly fairly attached to him in her own way.
Last night was an easier bedtime, fewer stalling tactics from the boys, Monkey fell asleep in my arms during story time, Smarty cried a bit because he wishes Daddy didn't have to be away for so long, but it didn't last long. The girls didn't sleep well, as a result I didn't sleep well. But I can nap and go to bed early if I want. So that's something.
Yesterday was a very lazy day. Spent it reading and cuddling. This storm that blew through was not what I needed. Especially after the last one that was only a couple days earlier! Lots of shoveling and salt (since it's all ice under the snow). But today I think I'm going to be back on track. Keeping busy, baking, cleaning, that's what I want to have today. I'll feel better if I do anyway, and it's always nice to have even a little bit to show for your work at the end of the day. Plus I want to start a couple of projects and some tidying needs to be done before I do that.
I'll write more anecdote stuff either later tonight or tomorrow, but for now I wanted to let everyone know that we're doing alright, planning ahead, and looking forward to Hubby coming home on the 25th. 23 more sleeps!
Last night was an easier bedtime, fewer stalling tactics from the boys, Monkey fell asleep in my arms during story time, Smarty cried a bit because he wishes Daddy didn't have to be away for so long, but it didn't last long. The girls didn't sleep well, as a result I didn't sleep well. But I can nap and go to bed early if I want. So that's something.
Yesterday was a very lazy day. Spent it reading and cuddling. This storm that blew through was not what I needed. Especially after the last one that was only a couple days earlier! Lots of shoveling and salt (since it's all ice under the snow). But today I think I'm going to be back on track. Keeping busy, baking, cleaning, that's what I want to have today. I'll feel better if I do anyway, and it's always nice to have even a little bit to show for your work at the end of the day. Plus I want to start a couple of projects and some tidying needs to be done before I do that.
I'll write more anecdote stuff either later tonight or tomorrow, but for now I wanted to let everyone know that we're doing alright, planning ahead, and looking forward to Hubby coming home on the 25th. 23 more sleeps!
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