Nate The Builder

Nathaniel built this tower out of dominoes the other day and was so sad when he knocked it over by a mistake.

Whatever.

Iain built this tower and Nathaniel takes great glee out of destroying anything he can get his grubby mitts on. Iain taught him this trick when he was about 6 months old which means anything that looks like it might be more interesting smashed is fair game in his mind. Good thing we are not knick knacky people.

Oops, I see I put them in the wrong order. It's a puzzle, see if you can figure it out. Hahaha!

Mr. Fleecy Suit

I bought this last year on sale and it is great for the days that aren't too cold or putting over jammies when he falls asleep in the car after a late night out somewhere. He looks so funny in it, Iain and I kill ourselves laughing everytime he wears it.

Just for the record, we have successfully weaned Nathaniel from "noonie" as he affectionately calls his soother. He hasn't had it for a week and hardly misses it at all which is surprising since he had a pretty powerful addiction going on there for awhile. Next challenge is moving him into his new bedroom and hopefully making it through most nights in his own bed, not ours. Four will be a bit squishy in a couple of months.

Christmas Pics

Iain and I attempted to get a few nice shots of the boys the week before Christmas. Now I know why you pay people to do these things. There were a few better ones than these but I can't seem to find them. You get the point.

I also seem to have no pictures from Christmas Eve or Christmas Day-we apparently taped everything and I do not have the patience to edit and post it, so just use your imagination.

We had lots of fun - family over on Christmas Eve, opening of presents the next morning and out to Mom and Dad's for more prezzies and Christmas dinner. Nathaniel was suitably impressed by his Christmas swag but continues to enjoy his plastic hockey sticks from the Dollar Store more than anything else.

He opened his stocking upstairs in our bedroom and he was so impressed by his gifts that Iain and I felt bad because we tend to not buy him a lot of toys. He kept saying, "Wow!!" over his $3.99 trucks - I don't think one thing in there cost more than ten bucks. Maybe we should indulge him a bit more but he still loves simple things, so I figure we have plenty of expensive Christmases ahead so I better enjoy this while it lasts. One of the girls I work with said all her two little girls wanted for Christmas as their big present was a lollipop one year. Nice!

Nathaniel vs Boo

Poor Boo! She is so fat, lazy and sweet that it makes it difficult for her to escape Nathaniel's clutches. He alternates between giving her kisses and clubbing her with a piece of kindling. I wish she would just give him a little swipe to put him in his place. The other day she had her paws around his head and was gnawing at him but he just laughed hysterically. I don't know which one is the bigger freak.

El Klutzo

Today, being a snowy day and all, prompted me to add to the list of physical harm I have done to myself during this pregancy so far. I was at the hospital for my first appointment with my obsetrician, Dr. Samson, who I love by the way, and on the way out of the hospital, my first step on the snowy sidewalk resulted in me wiping out flat on my back. I was horrified and embarrassed. Iain was waiting for me in the car and said as I hobbled over, "Did I just see you wipe out back there?". Yes, my gallant knight in rusted armour, I did. Thanks for springing out of the car to make sure I was okay. Arsehole.

I am fine and from the activity down below, the little girl is doing fine also. I think I need a bubble suit for Christmas to protect me.

The Twilight Series

I have watched the girls that I teach read the Twilight series for the last year so out of curiousity I borrowed the first one and started reading. I am now on the 4th one and I absolutely love the series. It also scares the shit out of me and I could do without the vampire dreams but a very enjoyable experience so far. Iain had duty the other night so I wouldn't read it with him being gone. I am a big puss so it most likely wouldn't scare anyone else nor is it really suppose to be a horror series.

Buy them - the softcovers are cheap and definitely worth it.

Vomitus Maximus

To copy one of Julia's recent entries, we were mowed down by the stomach flu last weekend. Nathaniel started the whole process by puking in the car on the way home from daycare. It was so bad we had to strip him down to his diaper on the side of the road and scoop handfuls of it out of the car. He was sick all night until about midnight. Poor little thing. He didn't know what was going on and he was so sick.

I took the next day off anticipating he may not be well, but of course he was up and running full speed for the entire day - wouldn't even take a nap. I was zonked. Around midnight, I started throwing up. And throwing up. And throwing up. It was horrible. Around 4AM, as I scurried off to the washroom for the umpteenth time, I felt really light headed. I said to Iain, "I think I am going to faint." He told me to stop being foolish and throw up. Then I passed out, smashed my head off the baseboard heater, broke my glasses, cut my face and gave myself a big shiner.

We called for an ambulance because at this point Iain is starting to feel sick, I can't stop throwing up and we are obviously a bit concerned with me being pregnant. I puked the entire way to the hospital, they checked the baby and I out and made me stay until I could keep fluids down.

Mom and Dad met us at the hospital to take Nathaniel, Iain went home and I slept and puked until they let me go home. Mom picked me up and came to our house and doctored Iain and I and took Nathaniel to her house again for the night. I seriously doubt we could have taken care of him, we were both so sick, weak and tired. Lots of fun!!!

We are all fine and the baby is healthy as horse and kicks the living daylights out of me 24 hours a day. Three and a half months to go!!

Helping Daddy

Surprisingly, he has left the tree and the ornaments alone. He is quite delighted when I plug the lights in but enjoys just touching things softly, thankfully.

Winter Fun

Nathaniel is crazy over the snow. I am going crazy stuffing him into his snowsuit, boots, mittens, hat, etc. It took me 15 minutes the first time to get him all outfitted for the cold.

After our first snow during the night, I took him to the window to see and he squealed he was so excited. He runs around saying, "Snow, snow" everytime he is outside and loves stomping on patches of it.

Oranges

Climbing

Nathaniel is part monkey. As I type, he is sitting on an end table. He got up there by stacking a bunch of books together and climbing up. Can't wait to see him perched on top of the refrigerator.

It's A...

We went and had our 2nd ultrasound done today and sometime in early April we will be welcoming our little daughter into our family! Yay!!!!

Working Slump

I have been quarantined from work for over 2 weeks now - still no test results. My blood work has been sent to Halifax and we are still waiting to hear. I've kept Nathaniel home with me except for 2 mornings so I could get my report cards finished - I have a feeling the next time I drop him off at daycare we will be taking a step backwards, as in lots of tears and clinging. He has turned into a real Mommy's boy. I was so excited for him to learn to say Mommy but after the 8000th time you hear it in one morning, I am ready for a name change.

Tomorrow I have my second ultrasound and we find out the sex of the baby. I am saying a girl and Iain thinks it is a boy (surprise). I'm pretty sure one of us will be correct.

Wild Mushrooms + Nathaniel = Heart Attack For Mommy

After the pictures below were taken, I was trying to rig up a swing that we bought for Nathaniel last Spring. He was across the driveway playing on the rock then he saw what I was doing and started scurrying over. I had my backed turned then all of the sudden I remembered that when he was sitting on the stump, he was very interested in the mushrooms that were growing on it. I turn around and he is stuffing one in his mouth.

I screamed at him and started running for him, tripped and wiped out so hard on the driveway I seriously almost knocked myself out. I fell mostly on my side, thankfully. I hauled my bleeding and bruised self over to Nathaniel and dug what I hoped was all the mushroom out of his mouth. I think my scream and wipe-out momentarily distracted him.

I rushed him into the house, grabbed the phone and called poison control-he ran back outside, I picked him up and cranked his head off the doorknob, so he is screaming his head off and I feel like I am going to pass out I am hurting so bad while I talk to this woman on the phone.

He wasn't showing any immediate signs of distress besides crying so I figured he didn't eat one of the ones that kill you in a few minutes. We rushed him to the hospital and they checked him out and kept him for observation for awhile and then we headed home.

Of course, just the night before Iain and I were laying in bed playing with him and we had a 2 minute morbid conversation about what would we do if something ever happened to him. That is just not a conversation you can have as a parent.

Anyway, he is totally fine. My entire shin is a ugly purple bruise that still hurts like hell and the baby is fine also.

Very fun day.

I am still off work but after these dramatics, I would rather deal with the antics of other people's kids.

Rocks And Stumps

Playing In The Leaves

Let Freedom Ring

Every year that I have been a teacher, I have always done a unit on the Civil Rights Movement. It is something that has touched me deeply since I was old enough to understand it. The kids are always passionate about it and are so angry at how Black people have been and still are treated - it gives you hope for the future.

I went to bed too early to see the results of the American election last night but when the alarm went off this morning, I waited and hoped. The first words out of the announcers mouth about Barack Obama's SWEEPING victory brought real joy to me. I listened and tears poured down my face, which sounds rather trite but true. What a great day for the world.

It makes me think back to all I have learned about American History, all the shocking stories of the racism endured by Blacks as they broke through the colour barriers. The people that died - this is a country where people lynched other people based solely on the colour of their skin only 50 years ago. It is amazing to witness this piece of history. In a time when there doesn't seem to be much to cheer about, this can give us all some hope.

I was relieved to see that Americans voted with their brains this time. Maybe some of that will rub off on us Canadians in our next election.

I can't get down even 10% of how I feel today, but I just had to write something.

By the way, this would be a great time to read or re-read To Kill A Mockingbird - it is way better now than it was in grade 10 English...

Martin Luther King Jr must be smiling...

Flossing Freak

He watched Grammy floss the other day and now has an obsession with doing it at their house. In reality, he totally enjoys sucking the mint taste off the floss more than anything else.

Iain And The Scary Dinosaur

By the end of the night, Nathaniel was quite happy to be in Iain's arms sucking on his mask. When we got back to Kris and Alana's, his mask was soaked with spit and snot.

Lots Of Fun And Giggles

Some More Highlights

The Cousins

Lee, Erinn and Henry were down for Halloween so we all descended upon Kris and Alana for a little trick or treating. Coincidentally, all three of the boys were dinosaurs which made for a pretty cute trio trotting around the streets of Devon.

The Dragon With Vampire Fangs

Quick Preview Of Part Of The Costume For Tonight...

The Marker Incident

Bath Fun

Not Impressed With The Traditional Leaves Shot

Playing Outside In The Freezing Cold

The Towel Warrior

You Know You Are Tired When

Quarantined

So, I have been quarantined by my doctor to not go to work. As crazy as this sounds, it is true. There has been a case of Fifths Disease at school and although it is not usually a big deal, it is if you are pregnant.

I have to find out if I have immunity to the disease as it is apparently quite common (although I have never heard of it until this week) and if you have had it before, you have immunity and there is nothing to worry about. If I do not have immunity, then I cannot be at school for awhile. In the meantime, I cannot return to work until my blood work gets back.

It is a massive pain making up lessons for my supply but the nice thing is I have been able to spend two days so far with Nathaniel, which is pretty nice. Plus the fact that in a few more months I will have two babies pushing my current state of exhaustion to a new level is making me enjoy this bit of time and it is a great opportunity to recharge the batteries.

Warning - Your Eyes May Get Sore If You Read This

I have long had a hate on for stupid warnings that anyone with a teaspoon of common sense would know not to do. Example - on an infant bath tub, "Do not leave baby unattended". You think?!

I have especially noticed these warnings seem to rise exponentially as you buy more and more gear for your kids. I have always blamed these ridiculous warnings on Americans who gleefully sue over anything and everything.

But I have reached the breaking point.

I was pouring Nathaniel some organic (of course), straight from the earth, made by Amish people no name Cheerios the other day and on the top of the box it said, and I quote, "Should only be fed to young children who have the ability to chew solid foods while seated with supervision".

Good thing I read this. I was seriously considering not breastfeeding this next baby. I thought it would thrive if I shoved Cheerios down its throat while I left it unsupervised in its swing on the highest speed.

Is there any hope for us if we need this printed on cereal boxes?

I just had to get this off my chest.

Stinky

I had to take the afternoon off because I received a call from Nathaniel's daycare that he was sick. He had a bad case of diarrhoea and was not feeling so well. This morning on the way to work, we could smell something a bit nasty in the car so I fully expected a rank diaper to greet me but he was fine. I guess that was a bit of foreshadowing of events to come.

While he was at daycare, he had a terrible "episode"-I guess it was half way up his chest. One of the workers said she had to use gloves, it was so bad. It wasn't only the sheer quantity of it but I guess the smell was so bad that the workers in the room next door were checking the 2 year olds to see who shit themselves.

We are so proud!

I just had to put this old picture of him up to illustrate his day.