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

 

 

 

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY

It's hard to believe we've thrown this boy three birthday parties now. This one was a doozy - we had 11 kids besides the birthday boy. He wanted it at the church, there's a ballpit and climbing net there. It was quite a time.

This year we had a "struction cake", which the kids seemed to like. Then, after pizza that evening, we had another cake at home for whatever family stopped by. It was a great day for a very special boy.

 

LOVIN' THE CAKE

 

A NEW DUMP TRUCK FROM "BADE"

 

"PESENTS! FUN!"

 

IT WAS HARD TO GET ALL THE KIDS TOGETHER FOR PRESENTS OR FOOD - THEY JUST WANTED TO PLAY!

 

YAY, 'STRUCTION TRUCKS

 

A NEW "WOADER" FROM NEEN AND PA

 

HAPPINESS

 

CHECKING OUT HIS NEW WHEELS

 

SHOW ME HOW IT WORKS, BADE

 

MORE HAPPINESS

 

THERE'S ROOM FOR TWO, ISN'T THERE?

 

CRUSIN' WITH A LOAD OF WOOD IN THE DUMPER

 

We took a little hike out to Swallowtail lighthouse not too long ago with Keyaunnah and Sahara. Terry brought chocolate chip cookies so there was also a picnic of sorts. That was a beautiful day spent with friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unbelievably, we've suffered even more tragedy here on Grand Manan. In addition to the plane crash last weekend that killed our pilot and an EMT, Brady lost another friend Sunday night.

Nick also graduated with Brady. They laughed together, acted crazy together, played hockey together.

Tomorrow, Brady will be a pallbearer for a close friend and classmate for the second time in 5 weeks. They will all be wearing high-top sneakers and Moonrakers hockey jerseys to the funeral in honour of Nick. Nick's cousin Charles will wear Nick's jersey, which will then be retired. Brady has chosen to wear jersey #9, Danielle's basketball number.

So much sadness for so many kids. God be with them all.

 

NICHOLAS GASKILL HUGGARD

 Rest in Peace, Friend