Wow...almost 2014.  Its so hard to believe.  This last month has just flown by..with all the business and excitement of the season its bound to happen.  We have had an amazing Christmas season.   We decided early on to go with the idea of  "less is more" and it worked out beautifully.   The girls knew from the get go that we weren't going overboard.  For once we didn't have the dilemma of where we were going to put the excess of toys and "stuff" they received.  It was perfect.   We snuggled and watched movies or read books about Christmas time and just ignored the madness outside.  Benjamin had a blast this year.  Just watching him get so excited about Santa,decorating, wrapping presents was amazing.  Watching him experience it all was just fascinating.   I stepped back a number of times just to watch him..what a blessing.  

We're planning on having a low key New Years eve at home with the kids and close friends.  I'm really looking forward to that.  Its going to be great.  I am just so content with life right now.  I feel so overwhelmed by the blessings.  I know that 2014 is going to bring about great things for my family.   I'm just looking forward to every minute of it.  It also comes with big changes as Benjamin is old enough to start kindergarten in September.  That is a crazy thought....Hopefully it doesn't come to fast :) .

I can't believe that we're already into November.  Its shocking to me....and a little sad to see the warm weather turn cold.  But things have been great here.   Busy as usual, but so good.   We had a fabulous Thanksgiving and Halloween.  The kids had so much fun...and we spent a lot of good quality time together.   This past weekend we spent in Toronto at the Royal Winter fair.  We had a blast.   We have never been and it was a great experience.   I definitely recommend it if you haven't been.  Benjamin is at the age now where its easier to do these things.  He was such a good boy.  Just having a nice family weekend away was great.  I am so thankful for that.

Not to much new is happening around here now...We're gearing up for Christmas.  We're taking a much more humble approach to Christmas this year.  One or two small gifts and focusing more on what we can do as family building memories that the kids will have forever.  I think about my childhood and the things that really stand out.  I don't remember any of the gifts I got...I remember the traditions we had.  When I was a little girl we would go to church on Christmas Eve and then go to Victoria park and see the lights.  I loved that.  I also remember my grandma's perfect table setting, that she had us help her with...and Christmas crackers.  We always had sausage rolls and pineapple juice in little wine glasses.  I love those memories and really want my kids to have similar ones.  Our focus is on family...and Jesus.  I feel so excited about this Christmas and the blessings that are going to come from it.

Anyways here are a few pics from the last month or so around here.

Well September is in full swing and we're getting into a pretty good groove.  Things are super busy but running smoothly so far.  The girls are off to great start and Benjamin has started a home daycare two mornings a week.  The process of finding home daycare was interesting.  Besides being super overprotective of Benjamin I was a little shocked  at some of the daycares.  I thought it would be an easy process, but at one point I was ready to give up.  Luckily we found an amazing girl who Benjamin adores.  The transition was super easy.  He went without tears the first day, I did not, but he was a star.  Everyday he goes he is eager and willing and he has been excellent while there.  Its been a fantastic experience.   We are so thankful for her.

Benjamin also started swimming lessons.  This is the first time on his own, without one of us in the pool with him.  The first class was a train wreck.  I didn't have huge expectations, but he didn't listen and kept wondering off.  The following classes have been better and he's done well...well for a 3 year old. :)

Tomorrow is a big day for Benjamin.  We have an appointment at the Developmental Follow-up clinic.  This is a clinic that follows premature babies.  They've been monitoring Benjamin since discharge.  He'll see a special doctor, nurse, and probably an occupational therapist and maybe a physical therapist.  They'll watch him and assess his development.  We had to fill out of ton of questionnaires for this appointment...they're looking at every aspect of his development.  Fingers crossed, this will be our last visit there.  I'll update after our appointment.

Other then that life is good.  We're chugging along happily just enjoying every day as it comes.

I feel bad for not posting sooner, but as you know summer is so busy. We have been having a fantastic summer.  We've done a lot as a family and I have loved every minute.  The second week in July we went camping with my cousins.  I have a very large family and as cousins we are all still fairly close.  So 10 of us and our families managed to get together with our kids and spend a few days camping.  This is the 3rd year in a row we have done it and its becoming a favorite summer activity.   We also spent a couple days in Toronto.  We went to the zoo and spent the night in a hotel and then spent the second day at the science centre.  That was a blast.  All the kids loved every minute of the science centre.  So much to do for all of them.  We've also done a few day trips to some local attractions which is fun.    We still have one more week of camping planned.  Its amazing how fast time flies.  

Benjamin has been great.  Growing by leaps and bounds.   He hasn't seen many doctors lately.  We saw the asthma doctor in June and he thinks that Benjamin has "viral" asthma that is brought on by colds.  He figured he would outgrow it and we didn't need to see him again unless we have major issues over the winter.  He also saw his eye doctor, but nothing has changed with his eyes which is a good thing as well.  Now we're just waiting for the appointment for his last developmental follow-up clinic with the NICU.  I assume we'll be done with them in September as well.  We'll see.

We started the hunt for home daycare for Benjamin over the summer as well.  I have been working a lot more and I think socially it would be good for him as well.  It has been an interesting process, but we think we found a perfect place for him.  He starts the second week of September, just 2 mornings a week.  I am anxious about the adjustment, but he already seems excited just from meeting her and her kids once.

I think that covers it all.   Life is fantastic and I have trying to just soak up and enjoy every minute with all of my babes.  I feel so richly blessed.

Happy 3rd Birthday

3 years ago...  at 9:28pm be exact my sweet boy arrived into the world.  What a ride it has been. Its crazy to think that he is 3 already...it makes me a little sad, but so exciting to watch him grow.   We had a fantastic day.  Benjamin was so thrilled with his decorations, gifts, cake... We went to storybook gardens and had family over for dinner.  It was a great day.   What an amazing little boy I have.  Everyday I am so thankful for all that he is, all that he has taught me and the blessing he is to our family.  It just blows my mind...I can't imagine life without him.  I am so blessed and so incredibly thankful.

So things have been a little more exciting around here in the last few weeks, but not really in a good way.  We've made 3 trips to emerge in less then 3 weeks with Benjamin.  I'm hoping since they say things come in 3 that we are done.  First he was sitting on his bike on the grass, not even riding it, and it tipped over and he hit his head on some patio stones along the side of our driveway.  He had a huge purple goose egg on the back of his head.  It got really big really fast so we took him to emerge to be safe.  It was nothing and they sent us home.  The Friday after that Benjamin got sick..super sick.  Not sure what it was..some sort of GI bug, maybe rotavirus?  Anyways he started throwing up Friday night and was sick all the way until Wed.  He had horrible diarrhea and lots of tummy pain so Sunday night we took him back in.  He hadn't peed in 9 hours and we were concerned about dehydration.   I was also a little worried that it was more then a tummy bug but something like a blockage or narrowing.  The symptoms are all the same really.   Luckily while we were waiting Benjamin's surgeon walked by.  I flagged her down and she had a peak at him as well and was pretty confident that it was viral and not something major going on inside.  That made us feel so much better. The nurses ended up giving him a super strong anti nausea medication and he was able to keep a little down, at least for 12 hrs.  We were told from the beginning that any GI bug could really take its toll and this one did.  Luckily Avery is the only one who caught it in the house and she only lasted a couple days and was on the mend again.   Our last trip to emerge was for stitches.  Benjamin was playing in the yard with his sisters and cousins and he tried to run under the patio table to get a ball and he hit his head right on the corner.  He ended up with 4 stitches on his forehead.  Ugh, what a crazy few weeks.  

Benjamin has a few appointments coming up, but nothing major really.  He has the asthma doctor, dentist and I think we'll have one more visit with developmental follow-up around his 3rd birthday.  Its so hard to believe that in a little over a month he will 3.  It's just crazy.  I think 3 is going to be a difficult year as Benjamin is already starting to assert himself more and become independent.  I love watching him learn and grow, but I also still wish he was a quiet nursing baby.

Anyways, he, as well as the rest of us are doing good now. The weather has been great.  Its been so nice to get out and just play outside.  Its good for everyone.   We've been waiting so long for this weather.  We've been loving every minute.  So glad spring is here and summer is coming.

It has been quite a while since my last post, but I really don't have much to share.  Things have been going so well.  Winter has been dragging on so there hasn't been to much going on around here at all.  I think the warmer weather is finally on its way and we'll be able to be a little more active again.  Benjamin is doing fantastic.  He has been super healthy.  No major bumps since his stomach flu before Christmas.  Fingers crossed that we are out of the winter risk zone.   We actually did a lot more the later part of this winter then we have before.  Benjamin has become a part of our church nursery and has really started to like that interaction with other kids.  He's seems to have a good time.  We also have been swimming 2-3 days a week at the YMCA and doing some lessons.  He has been doing so great at that...

Benjamin has a new specialist.  His pediatric allergist/asthma specialist moved away so we were referred to a pulmonoligst who is dealing with his asthma now.  We really didn't think he had any allergies and his issues are more lung related.  So we're happy with this.   We'll have another appointment at the hospital soon with the developmental follow-up clinic.  This will be for his 3 year check-up.  I can't believe that he will be 3 in 2 short months.  This is insane.  He's such a big boy now.  I don't anticipate anything coming of this appointment.  His speech is amazing now, I haven't noticed any issues with his fine or gross motor skills at all..  We really have no concerns.

Another big development is toilet training.  In only a few short weeks Benjamin pretty much mastered training and has been a superstar.  We do occasionally have issues with number 2 since he has trouble going anyways...getting this done in the toilet sometimes doesn't happen.  But I'd say we're about 95% there.  I was prepared for it to be a long issue...everyone told me boys are harder to train, but our little smarty just got it.  We're so proud.

Lastly I finally weaned him.. We're about a week into it now.  Its been going pretty good.  He still tries, but with some encouragement I have managed to keep him off me. It has definitely been bittersweet.  I want him to be my baby still...he's my last baby so that makes me sad.  The thought of him growing up makes me sad. It was definitely a way to keep him close.  But it was time.  It was 34.5 mths and I gave him all I could.  I attribute his amazing health to breastfeeding for that long.  He's also been sleeping better and so have I. That's helpful for everyone.

Anyways, that's all for now. :)

I feel so bad that I haven't updated in so long.  To tell you the truth there really isn't  much to tell you.  Things have been great. Benjamin has been doing amazingly well and growing in leaps and bounds by the day.   This winter has been a remarkably healthy one for all of us, besides the stomach bug just before Christmas.  We have been swimming and participating in parent and tot arts in crafts.  The interaction has been so good for Benjamin.  He also now happily goes into the nursery at church on Sunday mornings.  Such a relief and a wonderful hour for us to just be quiet.  His speech has just exploded in the last few weeks.  He's been putting sentences together like "I am cold" and "I am hungry"  or "don't tickle me"  :)  which is fantastic.   We also started potty training.  We started 4 days ago and it has been remarkable.  I really had no expectations for this process as he is not even 3...has had major issues and is a boy.  But so far so good.  I think getting him too poop on the toilet will be our biggest issue as he already has trouble in this area.  But the progress we have made so far has been awesome.

Everyone else in the family is doing well.  The girls are doing fantastic in school. I am so proud of my smarty pants.  They amaze me daily.  The are so fluent in french now, that I can hardly keep up with them. Its such a joy to watch them grow and develop.  They are awesome little people.

Anyways, that's all I have to tell you right now....we are anxiously awaiting spring and all the fun that comes with that.