Waiting for Christmas

We've been pretty busy in the last little while. November saw us having to go to Moncton to have a tooth out. It was pretty quick and painless and now he has a cute little gappy smile. We went a couple of days early to spend time at my brother's. We saw the Santa Claus parade there and also a giant gingerbread house. Brady came and spent one night with us. On our way home the weather got pretty windy and they cancelled the ferry crossing that night. The tooth fairy had to come to a hotel in Saint John instead of home.

 

 

We also went to the library to participate in the gingerbread house decorating night. It's been a few years since I've been there and done that. We had a great time. He worked so carefully on his house that we were the last ones to leave.

 

 

 

 

 

On December 1st we found a new Christmas book (The Polar Express), a chocolate advent calendar and Elf on the Shelf waiting for us on the counter when we got up. The countdown was on...

 

 

 

 

December 5 - 7 Brady came home for the first annual "Danielle Park Memorial Basketball Tournament". Organizers sold the 250 shirts they had made up, plus they've had to order more. Dani's dad Michael spoke about her as a person and her love for basketball. The 8 teams attending the tournament all lined up while her jersey was raised and hung on the gym wall. The gym was packed with people. It was a lovely and highly emotional tribute to an absolutely wonderful girl.

 

We trimmed our tree that Saturday night. The boys each got their new ornament - hockey skates. We watched a movie, had tons of food and tried to make a little bit of normal out of a very emotional weekend.

 

 

 

The next weekend was the Santa Claus parade. He was invited to be on two floats - the Boys and Girls Club one and the church one. We gave him the choice and he wanted to go with all his daycare friends. He had lots of fun. When we were going over what was involved in being on a float, he told me he planned on waving and then when it was over we could pick him up and hold hands and skip :)

 

 

 

Next came the church concert. He chose to be a donkey. He said he doesn't really like lambs and cows much. He did a good job with the actions to the songs and there was cake after so it was all good.

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve meant opening new jammies and eating our gingerbread boys and leaving one out for Santa. Unfortunately our boy wasn't feeling great and he couldn't eat his supper or his cookie, and he fell asleep at 5:30. He was up a lot between 9 - 12:00 coughing. We actually thought we might have to make a trip to the hospital for a mask but things settled down eventually and we got a few hours of sleep in. Christmas Day he felt a lot better but had a really long nap.

He was very happy with Christmas, not crazy excited really, but just happy. He enjoyed every minute of it. We took our time and even stopped for a big breakfast in the middle of things and then went back at it later. He loved the whole season and everything he was a part of. He loved the tree and the lights and making cookies and watching Christmas specials and learning songs and making crafts. He just really enjoyed his whole Christmas and it was special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa came through and brought everything on his list - a digger, a real toolbox and lego. He also got new hockey socks, jacket and stick, plus train bedding for his bunkbeds and some special construction books he wanted. Lots of other people knew he loved construction equipment because he has enough now to open his own company and he couldn't be happier. He got some Jake and the Neverland Pirates things which he loved too, as well as other fun things to play with and some cute clothes. I've had to rearrange and thin out to make room for everything. 

Tomorrow night we go my grandmother's for an Italian-themed supper and our annual "string game", which ends in another gift. All the kids (ages 19 - 3) look forward to that.

Thank-you to everyone who sent gifts! He/we really appreciate them. We hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and wish you all the best for 2015. God Bless.



HALLOWEEN

Halloween was fun. We carved our pumpkin a few nights before so we could light it up and watch it glow.

 

 

 

We made sugar cookies and cut them out - pumpkins, witches and owls. There were two parties to go to, so that was fun. He was pretty tired after the second party and he fell asleep on our way home from daycare (about a 4 minute drive), so he was good-to-go for trick-or-treating. This little dino went out with a roar - literally! When I put him to bed that night he said, "Dat was fun. Wets do it gain amorrow."

 

 

 

 

Big success today! We had our EYE-DA (kindergarten) testing today and even though they don't tell you the results right away, we got to see two of our old intervention workers. It was nice to have a little visit with them both. Then it was off to hockey. And... he took a couple of steps on his skates without the skate-buddy. YAY! He fell down, then he got himself up on his skates and tried again!!! Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. Lay on the ice for a while. Make snow angels. Roll around. Sit on bum and talk to a friend. Lay back down for another rest. Then up again. Repeat entire sequence. He did end up with a skate-buddy after a bit but he stayed on the ice for the entire hour-long practice and was very pleased with himself. Keely's dad Chris let him blow the whistle to end the practice. We were all so proud of him. It was a great day of accomplishments!

 

Brady's coming home tomorrow until next Tuesday. He has three days off from school. Someone here misses his brudder and doesn't want him in the "Mirchi" so it will be good to have him home for a few days. He will help Sherman set the first load of traps Tuesday morning and then head back. 

The two of us will go down the wharf at 6:30 and watch them go out. We're already talking about it because he remembers doing it last year and he loved it. I won't have to go to work right after we get back home this year. It means we won't have to rush around and that will be nice.

HOCKEY

WE STARTED HOCKEY ON OCTOBER 1st...

 

JUST GETTING THE HANG OF IT

 

KEELY OFFERING SOME MORAL SUPPORT

 

TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO GET UP

 

The IP hockey program started and guess who's in it :) He was soooo excited. He's number 9, the same number Danielle was in basketball. However the first thing he said when he saw his jerseys was, "My jerseys say 'donits' on em". HUGE HIT! Then when we were driving home afterward he said, "I call my brudder and say, 'Bady, I pay hockey wike you.'"

That first day, I cried watching him hang over the skatebuddy and start to move his little feet on the ice. I was so proud of him. I was afraid it might be kind of a big deal that I couldn't go out on the ice with him; he kept saying he wanted me to go with him. But he was ok with it since Chris (Keely's dad) was one of the coaches.

A lot of the 4-year olds started with skatebuddies. They have to be able to stand up and move on the ice before they can use a stick, of course. Today we were one of two still using the buddy, but he's doing much better. He's sturdier on his skates now and can turn the buddy to get where he wants to go.

We usually last about 20 -30 minutes out of the hour-long session. Last week, if he was done and was on the other side of the rink, he'd drop and actually roll across the ice to the door and lay there and holler for me. Now he can push himself to the door with the buddy. He also couldn't get himself up at all after he'd fall. Now he can roll over, sit up and sometimes pull himself up using the buddy to get to a standing position. We're making great gains! And all of his coaches are awesome!

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of gains, he's also started pooping in the flush. Believe me, there were some pretty good prizes for that - a stuffed seahorse, construction dinky trunks, a Buzz and Woody T-shirt, a couple of new books and now we're down to a few Smarties each time. It's wonderful to see how proud he is of himself.

Tomorrow we're off to the dentist, then to Public Health to get a flu shot and his 4-year needle. I'll need to come up with a pretty good prize for all of that, too.

I registered him for Kindergarten last week. I still can't believe it. We've got some open-houses to go to and some testing to be done for that. Kindergarten. Wow. And he's growing so fast lately. I've had to completely outfit him again - everything from socks and undies (I found digger undies!!!), to pants, shirts, shoes, pjs, jacket and next will be ski pants and boots. It seems like we can watch him getting taller every day.

Brady had his wisdom teeth out the Friday before Thanksgiving. It made for a blucky couple of days, but he recovered pretty quickly. He was a bit sleepy though. Kellan had a cold, so the boys settled down on our bed since they weren't feeling great. I snapped pictures of them.

 

 

One thing he loves to do now is help with the wood. He asks Sherman every day if they can put in wood. Sherman splits his wood at my dad's shore. So, they go in the truck and load it up and bring it home, then pile it in our basement. He's actually a big help. He throws the wood from the back of the truck to the tailgate where Sherman can get it. He's got these little work gloves like Sherman's that he wears. The problem is, the wood's all in and it's like his most favorite thing to do now. Honestly though, if there's work to be done, this boy wants to be in the middle of it. I bet it won't be too many years before he's begging to go set traps. Heaven help me.

 

 

 

Halloween's coming right up. I'll try to post something as soon after as I can. We've had his costume for about a month and a half now. He's pretty excited to wear it. We're going to make cookies for his party at Preschool. More to follow...

Fall 2014

We made a little trip with Keely, Keyaunnah, Kim and Terry to the Huntsman Marine Center and the St. Andrew's playground before school started back up. We had a fun day together. We've also had some good days at the beach with friends. Summer was a blur of sadness so these were nice little bright spots for us.

 

A GOOD DAY AT THE BEACH

 

SANDY FUN

 

ENJOYED LOOKING IN THE TOUCH TANK

 

NOT TOO SURE ABOUT THAT LOBSTER...

 

PROBABLY HIS FAVORITE PART

 

 A STUFFED TURTLE FOR A SOUVENIR

 

S.A. PLAYGROUND IS THE BEST!

 

My brother and his family came for a visit before school started and that was great. Mum did lots of cooking. The weather was beautiful and the kids had so much fun outside in Pa's hammock. We all went minigolfing and that was fun.

 

INTERESTING TECHNIQUE

 

SERIOUS STUFF

 

BRADY, THEY HAVE LONGER PUTTERS

 

DRIVING MISS BRYNN-Y

 

GLAD WE HELD ON TO THE LITTLE TRACTOR

 

We've been back at school/daycare for about a month now. We moved Brady's stuff to the Miramichi on Labour Day weekend, and he's doing well up there. He loves his course and he's made lots of friends.

ALL LOADED UP

 

AND THEN THE UNLOADING

 

FINALLY GETTING SETTLED

 

 

Kellan started preschool in addition to daycare and he loves it. He said he raises his hand to talk to the teacher. He has lots of little friends and is making lots of art and projects for our fridge (thanks Kim!).

This boy's quite the little worker. He actually asks Sherman if they can put in wood. He's got little work gloves and he wears his boots. He's such a good helper! Whatever Sherman's building or working at, he's ready and willing to lend a hand.

 

READY TO HELP

 

 Because he works and plays so hard, he sleeps really well. He's not much for sleeping-in though, anything between 5:00 - 6:00 is normal, no matter what time he goes to bed. I'm glad I don't mind getting up early, at least most of the time :) Regular bedtime is between 7 - 7:30, but I sometimes find him trying to sleep after we get home from school while I'm getting supper ready.

 

WAITING FOR SUPPER...

 

JUST ONE SHOW BEFORE WE GO READ - DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT

 

UNDRESSED HIMSELF AFTER CHURCH, CRAWLED UP ON HIS BED WITH COOPER AND HAD A SNOOZE

 

SLEEPING EXCLUSIVELY IN HIS BIG BED NOW, A DOUBLE BED ON THE BOTTOM OF HIS BUNK BEDS