The other day Edward was listening to an audio message given by one of the brothers on the life-study of Exodus. The word exodus was obviously used a lot in this message and Josh (who is 4) was running around the living room half listening to the message too while Edward was taking notes. Eventually, he decided to ask some questions about what he was listening to:
J: Exodus?
E: That's right Josh, Exodus.
J: What's exodus?
E: Well, it is a word in the Bible that means to 'go out' or 'go forth'.
J: Ok. Let's Exodus to the park!
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Sunday, 22 May 2011
PND
Its been awhile. I'm sorry. But things have been crazy and I feel happy about explaining why...so I'm going to. Samuel will be turning 1 this Thursday (crazy huh!?!) and I have to say I think it has gone so fast because I really don't remember too much of what was going on the first 9 months of his life. Bless him.
Anyway, I had a really hard time when he was born. You can say it was the third kid, or the fact that I have started school again (more about that later) but in reality, I just wasn't coping at all. I was denying it and hiding it but the truth was I didn't really want to be with my little family most of the time and had thoughts about abandoning my children more than once. (Note...I never would...just thought about it a lot...there is a difference!) It didn't help that poor Sammy had a lot of colic and reflux and finally at 7m we realised he was lactose intolerant to a degree. So a change of his formula helped...but he still never slept through the night until he was about 11m so that also took its toll. There was a lot of crying on my part, a lot of sitting around doing nothing and a lot of running away at every possible moment to get some space. I even went to sleep in a hotel a few times. And started having panic attacks. It finally dawned on me one morning in February, when the kids were off school for a week(which so didn't help!), that what I was feeling wasn't normal. I immediately called the doctor's office and made an appointment for that afternoon.
A friend was able to watch M&J for me so I just had to take Sam. I thought I would just be fine and ask for something for the extra anxiety I seemed to be having. When I found myself in tears, sobbing at the doctor and recounting some of the more harrowing moments she calmly explained I had Post-Natal Depression. I was shocked and relieved all at the same time. Shocked that with Sammy at 9m old I could have it and relieved that it wasn't going to be a life-long illness to suffer with. It then dawned on me I clearly had it ever since Sammy was born and just lost all my coping mechinisms that I seemed to have developed to deal with it for that long. She prescribed anti-depressents and I felt like someone handed me a life-line.
Three months in I feel like a different woman. I feel like I am seeing my kids for the first time ever and they are funny, warm, gentle, sweet, crazy boys. I have enjoyed being with them and don't freak out about a family trip to the park and can even take all three into town with me which used to be a huge hurdle. Those are the plus points.
Yet, with hindsight...I realise I have had this at least ever since Matthew was born. I just ignored it or always was able to get somewhat past it. But the bigger hurdles are things like taking my kids away on holiday somewhere...the idea of taking all three on a plane somewhere makes my head want to explode. Even yesterday I was supposed to go on a day trip with the rest of the family but just couldn't figure out all the logistics and eventually stayed home. Yes, I had to study as my exams start in 2 weeks! But Edward was able to take all three kids for the whole day to a city 2 hours away and not bat an eyelid and that is hard to not feel inadequate about. Anyway. I'm getting there. I'm only three months in and already I'm seeing great effects.
So...I don't want to sound all preachy or whatever...but the main reason I felt to reach out for help in the first place was because of my best friend. She had just had a baby and realised what she was feeling wasn't normal and she sought help and has been enjoying her little guy from a month old whereas I felt like I was a zombie until Sam was 9m old! My point in sharing all this...is if you are out there and feel like any of what I'm saying is ringing bells...go get an appointment and get help. You wouldn't bat an eyelid if your doctor told you to go on blood-pressure pills...antidepressents just reset the chemicals in your brain so you can cope later without them. There is no shame in them and no shame in getting help.
There. I'm done. :)
Anyway, I had a really hard time when he was born. You can say it was the third kid, or the fact that I have started school again (more about that later) but in reality, I just wasn't coping at all. I was denying it and hiding it but the truth was I didn't really want to be with my little family most of the time and had thoughts about abandoning my children more than once. (Note...I never would...just thought about it a lot...there is a difference!) It didn't help that poor Sammy had a lot of colic and reflux and finally at 7m we realised he was lactose intolerant to a degree. So a change of his formula helped...but he still never slept through the night until he was about 11m so that also took its toll. There was a lot of crying on my part, a lot of sitting around doing nothing and a lot of running away at every possible moment to get some space. I even went to sleep in a hotel a few times. And started having panic attacks. It finally dawned on me one morning in February, when the kids were off school for a week(which so didn't help!), that what I was feeling wasn't normal. I immediately called the doctor's office and made an appointment for that afternoon.
A friend was able to watch M&J for me so I just had to take Sam. I thought I would just be fine and ask for something for the extra anxiety I seemed to be having. When I found myself in tears, sobbing at the doctor and recounting some of the more harrowing moments she calmly explained I had Post-Natal Depression. I was shocked and relieved all at the same time. Shocked that with Sammy at 9m old I could have it and relieved that it wasn't going to be a life-long illness to suffer with. It then dawned on me I clearly had it ever since Sammy was born and just lost all my coping mechinisms that I seemed to have developed to deal with it for that long. She prescribed anti-depressents and I felt like someone handed me a life-line.
Three months in I feel like a different woman. I feel like I am seeing my kids for the first time ever and they are funny, warm, gentle, sweet, crazy boys. I have enjoyed being with them and don't freak out about a family trip to the park and can even take all three into town with me which used to be a huge hurdle. Those are the plus points.
Yet, with hindsight...I realise I have had this at least ever since Matthew was born. I just ignored it or always was able to get somewhat past it. But the bigger hurdles are things like taking my kids away on holiday somewhere...the idea of taking all three on a plane somewhere makes my head want to explode. Even yesterday I was supposed to go on a day trip with the rest of the family but just couldn't figure out all the logistics and eventually stayed home. Yes, I had to study as my exams start in 2 weeks! But Edward was able to take all three kids for the whole day to a city 2 hours away and not bat an eyelid and that is hard to not feel inadequate about. Anyway. I'm getting there. I'm only three months in and already I'm seeing great effects.
So...I don't want to sound all preachy or whatever...but the main reason I felt to reach out for help in the first place was because of my best friend. She had just had a baby and realised what she was feeling wasn't normal and she sought help and has been enjoying her little guy from a month old whereas I felt like I was a zombie until Sam was 9m old! My point in sharing all this...is if you are out there and feel like any of what I'm saying is ringing bells...go get an appointment and get help. You wouldn't bat an eyelid if your doctor told you to go on blood-pressure pills...antidepressents just reset the chemicals in your brain so you can cope later without them. There is no shame in them and no shame in getting help.
There. I'm done. :)
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Darn that Chicken...Part Deux
Exactly 14 days later on Jan 2nd...Josh had three spots and Sammy had one or two. Then they both exploded. Josh definitely had a milder case than Matthew and Sam though...
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Sammy
Our little chicken is growing up. He is rolling EVERYWHERE, laughs at his brothers the most, still doesn't sleep through the night, has reflux, eats three solid meals a day, loves our crazy made up songs, has FINALLY decided he likes baths now that he can sit up, and we love him LOTS and LOTS. At 7 months he is 18lbs 10oz where Matthew was 16lbs and Josh was 22lbs! So he is right in the middle. He loves to fake cough 'ah, ah, ah, ah' and laughs when you do it right back. He especially likes anything to do with chickens...'bawk, bawk' like a chicken and the kid keels over with laughter - bounce him up and down like a chicken (complete with chicken sounds) and he does the same thing. He must be a Diggines. :) We love you Sam. You have made us complete.
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| Snuggling with Auntie Lucy |
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| Serious Face |
Friday, 24 December 2010
Darn that Chicken!
Monday morning I really didn't want to take the boys to school...there was still too much snow on the ground and it was only a three day week due to the holidays. Anyway...while Matthew was snuggling up next to me in bed (while I was trying to get up the energy to get dressed) I noticed a spot just behind his ear...and then one on his neck...and then when I lifted up his shirt...yup you guessed it...the chicken had gotten to him. The little dude was covered in chickenpox. I was quite happy about it really! I was desperate for the kids to get it over and done with - and for years was disappointed when friends' kids would get it and we didn't. Anyway it was perfect...the kids would all get it over the holidays and it would be fine. But as the days past it was clear that Matthew was the only one with it for awhile. Everyone told me that usually the second kid got it exactly 14 days after the first one...so it was just a waiting game...but in the meantime...here's a couple of pictures of my spotty baby:
Friday, 17 December 2010
Christmas Concerts
Well...this year saw Joshua as a shephard and Matthew as a narrator with one line! Ohhhh!
Joshua's Nursery concert was hilarious. He was on the back row with a teacher sitting directly behind him, whispering to him throughout. We were pretty convinced he was 'public enemy number one'...but found out later that day it was just that extra teachers were needed since they never know how the youngest ones will react when they see their parents - and sure enough Josh was sobbing as we left. Bless him. During the concert it was funny because his 'headdress' kept falling off and the teacher kept having to put it back on. He was so different from Matthew at that age. Matthew was singing his heart out and Josh was pretty much daydreaming the whole time except for two songs. But he was still the cutest darn shephard there ever was!
Matthew's line was 'Joseph and Mary searched everywhere!' And he was soooo funny when he sat down, he looked right at us and gave us a HUGE thumbs up! Hilarious!
Joshua's Nursery concert was hilarious. He was on the back row with a teacher sitting directly behind him, whispering to him throughout. We were pretty convinced he was 'public enemy number one'...but found out later that day it was just that extra teachers were needed since they never know how the youngest ones will react when they see their parents - and sure enough Josh was sobbing as we left. Bless him. During the concert it was funny because his 'headdress' kept falling off and the teacher kept having to put it back on. He was so different from Matthew at that age. Matthew was singing his heart out and Josh was pretty much daydreaming the whole time except for two songs. But he was still the cutest darn shephard there ever was!
Matthew's line was 'Joseph and Mary searched everywhere!' And he was soooo funny when he sat down, he looked right at us and gave us a HUGE thumbs up! Hilarious!
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| Cutie boy: but out of focus...the angels in front were all the camera wanted to focus on! |
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| 'Mary and Joseph searched everywhere!' |
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| happy he said his line well! |
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Thirty, Flirty (obviously only with my husband) and Thriving!
I turned thirty and I'm okay with it. I think I'll freak out more at forty...but thirty was fine. And I had a fantastic week and a half long celebration to boot! We went to Edinburgh the weekend before, that next week was Thanksgiving, I had my birthday on the weekend and then the next Wednesday Edward suprised me with another treat...tickets to see Wicked! What a spoilt girl old woman was I!
And to top it all off...my Mom got me a sewing machine. I was a little doubtful at first. I can hardly sew on a button afterall...but then I thought...dude you are THIRTY! it is time you learned a few basic things. And so I went for it. After searching for awhile I found an awesome fabric store that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and I just went for it. I had a few trials and errors but I figured out how to make a cushion! Ha...so basically every kid is now going to get a cushion for their birthdays so watch out. Matthew & Josh LOVE theirs. Thankfully they don't see the many, many flaws. But here are a few I did for a couple of kids last week. I can improve...but they aren't half bad for my 3rd and 4th tries. :) Wow...I must say I'm learning so many new skills in 2010.
And to top it all off...my Mom got me a sewing machine. I was a little doubtful at first. I can hardly sew on a button afterall...but then I thought...dude you are THIRTY! it is time you learned a few basic things. And so I went for it. After searching for awhile I found an awesome fabric store that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and I just went for it. I had a few trials and errors but I figured out how to make a cushion! Ha...so basically every kid is now going to get a cushion for their birthdays so watch out. Matthew & Josh LOVE theirs. Thankfully they don't see the many, many flaws. But here are a few I did for a couple of kids last week. I can improve...but they aren't half bad for my 3rd and 4th tries. :) Wow...I must say I'm learning so many new skills in 2010.
Monday, 22 November 2010
Edinburgh
The weekend before my 30th birthday we got to get away to Edinburgh, Scotland on our own! My Mom had the kids while we went to Costas & Claire's wedding. Edward was in med school with Costas and it was great to catch up with them again. We had a fabulous time and loved the R&R, got to see the castle and would have easily moved there if it wasn't so far north and flipping cold! :)
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| Edinburgh Castle behind me |
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| View from the castle |
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| All dolled up for the wedding |
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| In full technicolour |
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| Edward & Costas |
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| Bride & Groom |
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| Etching into door of castle: when Americans were held hostage during the American Revolution |
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Miracle of Miracles
Thanks to Mandy...a miracle happened today. We got a few family pictures without having to use the self timer! There were a few tears and tantrums during our photoshoot but hey-ho that's life eh? Anyway...we are pleased...especially since we could use Bower House as a backdrop and the whole thing was free! Thanks again Mandy...it was fun. x
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