Bye Bye Baby...

Today we celebrate the birth of my Lily Flower. She came into this world at 9:00 two years ago today. She was a much anticipated arrival. After being nearly three weeks past original due date, I was more than ready to meet her, and a little nervous of the pending induction. But, in true Ava fashion, she came in her own time. I remember the night before giving birth, I sat under the stars praying to God and talking to the sweet baby in my belly. I asked God for strength to handle whatever was to come, and I told the baby of all the people who loved her and wanted to meet him/her. I finally fell asleep at peace with whatever was to come around 1am. I woke around 5am with some cramping, thinking I was in false labour again. I had a bath, read a book, took a nap. Finally around 7am, the contraction were starting to be regular and about 4 minutes apart, I decided to treck to the hospital. Carleen came to watch Kynan. I didn't want to bother everyone, thinking I would be returning soon enough. Carleen took one look at me and said, "You are having this baby!" I assured I would be back within the hour. I was denial all the way to the hospital, checking in, getting evaluated, until finally my doctor told me I would be having the baby within the next hour. It was about 8am at that time and I didn't believe her. I mean, I was uncomfortable, but nothing in comparison to what I felt with Kynan's labour. Well, sure enough, the doctor was right and Ava came a short hour later. I loved her birth. I felt incredible during it and I still marvel at the fact that my body actually did what it was suppose to. And now, two years later, she is a vivacious and active little toddler... not even a baby.

Ava's first two years of life has been rather crazy with all the major moves and changes we have had. When she was first born, she was this incredibly docile little infant that slept through the night, nursed incredibly well, and was extremely laid back. Probably about 4 months later, things changed and this little fire cracker of a flower immersed. She started refusing to nurse, even insisting on holding her own bottle (yes, even at 4 months), she didn't like to be held for too long, she needed space and wouldn't sleep if there was ANY light or breathing body near her. She would scream at the dinner table until we finally gave up and let her try solids. She wanted to do EVERYTHING in her own time. And that really is how Ava is. She is incredibly sweet, funny, spunky, tender when she wants to be, a brute when she feels like, beautiful and incredibly unique little girl. She keeps me on my toes, and constantly makes me full belly laugh. She makes me want to pull my hair out, and then hug and kiss her all in the same moment. She is in an incredible blessing to our family and life would not be as rich without her. She is my joy, my Lily flower, my baby girl. Happy Birthday Baby!

A Sense of Relief

On Monday I had a doctor's appointment and was relieved and bewildered to hear the heart beat of our little bambino within. I was so relieved that the doctor said it was a strong heart beat and that I was growing and everything seemed to be tickity boo (my wording not his). When I got into my car to race to my friends for dinner (running late as most doctors are), I tried to imagine our life as a family of five, but simply couldn't. I know some may think that is a sign, I don't. It just amazed me that at 26 (well soon to be 26), I have a husband and two children with another on the way. Life is funny how it works out sometimes. So I breathe a sense of relief and cannot believe how fast this pregnancy is going. I am already 19 weeks. Almost half way. Well, not entirely, I usually carry late so a little less than half way.

In other news, Dana and I have had a busy week with brunches to plan, retreats to mc, painting, packing, and moving.... I am finding it hard to get the motivation to pack with two toddlers untow. No family to claim the kidlets to prevent them from "unpacking" behind me. So it has been a bit of challenge. But we have been overwhelmed by our friends here in the Queen City. We have had over 10 people come out and help us paint and we manage to paint our entire town house in two days. And our care group offered up their services tomorrow for a "moving party". And Friday, we have at least 5 coming out to help load and move all our furniture. Our goal is that we will have everything moved by 2:30 as that is when my mama is landing at the airport. She will be immediately be put to work unpacking. LOL.... just kidding. We'll give her about a half an hour to settle in. We are not cruel people.

I am so thankful for our family and friends. Without them, this move would have been incredibly stressful even over the short distance. With me being unable to pack heavy boxes, paint or really move anything, we need all the help we can muster. Al and Carleen made a huge gesture and have relieved a huge pressure this week. Mainly because I don't know what I am doing. So a HUGE thank you to them. My mom, who was planning a nice relaxing visit with her grandchildren, will be unpacking and helping us settle into our new home. SO I am sure I will be taking full advantage of her presence while she is here. Thanks mom. Seriously, thank you. And to our church family, what a wonderful group of people God has blessed us with. They are truly like an extended family who love us sacrificially. One gentlemen was at our house painting last night until midnight. NOw that's love. We seriously couldn't pull all this off without their love, And hands, And trucks. So another HUGE thank you to them.

What can I say, we are blessed. Next post to be made from our new abode.

Uploaded Finally....

A princess and her knight...






This was so cool. There was an Armed Forces Day out at the Moose Jaw base where they had all the planes and helicopters out, the snowbird simulator, and the snowbirds did a show. I didn't know this, but apparently Moose Jaw is the training base for the Snowbirds. It was so neat to see all the aircrafts, even those gigantic cargo planes. Kynan, of course, loved it. He even got to sit in an actual snowbird and talk to one of the pilots. It was pretty neat.











A surprize trip to North Dakota. An overnighter to Minot and we had a blast with the kids. Made me nervous for Edmonton this summer though, my feet were so sore by the end of the day. Do you think I could qualify for a wheel chair, lol?!?











While I was at the Woman's Retreat, Dana took the kids to the park. Our favorite park.






Me at my photography class... manual focus mode.




At the park on Mother's Day.







This is one Dana took, he was trying to be artsy. LOL. I actually really like it.

Kids Say the Darndest Things,,,

When we were buying our van on the weekend, Dana took it for the test drive. While he was out the kids and I waited in the driveway of the couple selling us the van talking to the nice lady. She actually looked alot like my Auntie Angie and talked like her too. Anyway, she asked Kynan, because it was such a nice day, if he was going to play in his backyard when he got home. Kynan politely said "I don't have a backyard." The lady pressed, "Oh, the front yard then?". Kynan said, "No, i don't have one of those either. I could go play by the train tracks by our house, but I don't think mom would let me." A little startled the woman asked where we live and Kynan replied, "We live in a big brick building with a bunch of other people with not very many windows." I couldn't believe it. I was laughing so hard that I didn't even really explain what he meant by all that. Needless to say, I can't wait to move.

On the Ava front, today at MOPS, we were getting ready to go when an older boy came up to tell me Ava had to go potty (which she says all the time). I told him she has a diaper on and its ok. Then I went to go grab Ava from the hallway and put her in the van. No diaper. I asked where it was, when she said "pee in potty". She led me to the bathroom, to the stall, where she had taken off her pull up and bloomers, then pointed to the potty and said "pee in potty". Of course there was no visible evidence of this act, but the fact she new where to go impressed me so much. She then closed the lid and flushed the toilet. DO you think she's ready? Now if I can only get her to do it at home.

When It Rains It Pours....

Most people use this expression with a negative conitation to it, but today I use it joyously. This weekend we have been blown away by the countless blessings that have been bestowed on us.

As many of you know, Dana and I have been looking tirelessly for a new, and bigger, place to live. However, we weren't having any luck, so we decided we were just going to buy something. We really can't afford the risk of that with our lot in Summerland unsold, but it would seem to solve all our problems. So we have looked a little bit, but most of what we saw wasn't that great. We were at the bank on Friday trying to get approved for a mortgage when we got the call from Argyle Park Co-Op. They told us they had a three bedroom townhouse available immediately if we want it. The amazing thing about this is that this is the first move out they have had this year, and we were 8th on the waiting list. Even the lady said we most have someone upstairs looking out for us because she never makes it all the way to the end of her list on these type of townhouses. We immediately went over and to scope the place out and it's beautiful. We have already picked out paint colours and designed the whole place in our heads. Our posession date it May 15, when we will start painting and then we will gradually be moving in over the next two weeks after that. My mom is in town during that time which is another huge blessing that we will have her help. I am SO excited.

Then the next day we got a call from a couple about our Mazda 5. We have only bought it a year ago, but we realized how small it is and it doesn't really meet our growing family needs. So we listed for sale a few weeks back and yesterday someone bought it!!! For full asking. Not only is this a huge blessing, but then we found a van (Chevy Uplander 2005) and bought it too. So tomorrow we will be sporting a new vehicle with extra change in our pockets.

Of course this weekend has been extremely overwhelming and I am bursting with excitement. It should go fast because we have a ton of stuff to do this month. Mother's Day, Spring Ladies Retreat, 3 Birthdays, 1 Wedding, 1 Anniversary, Moving and Painting. When it rains it pours, as is the way I like it when it's all positive.

God Bless you all this weekend too.