Home!

We just got from an absolutely FANTASTIC vacation at a cottage on Waupoos Island with James' family.  I was going to write a big long blog post about it and add all kinds of lovely pictures.  Except, sorting through all those pictures takes time, and I wanna go to bed.

So, instead, here's a peak at my boy, just in case you forgot how cute my kid is.

In the wrap on one of our many early morning walks so that everyone else could sleep.

Examining some grass.

Um, seriously?  Does it get much better?

Thankful Thursdays

There's a reason I refer to my husband as 

"St." James

My man minutes before our wedding.

Ok, really, many reasons.

Thanks for helping me through school - and letting me finish first!

James is WAY better at organizing birthdays and making DELICIOUS cakes.
That look nice.
My attempts at a cake for him this year looked like a grade two science project.
(PS - it looks like that says "29" on there...let me assure you, it does not)

He still looks more like me, even though you're both bald.

This guy is the best husband and father to us we could dream off.  As I think about going back to work in the fall, and think about what the days will look like, coming home after being at work, nursing, having dinner together, making bedtime happen, trying to figure out how to include an evening or two out during the week to go to a Bible study or volunteer at church, and I'm exhausted already.  This guy's been doing that for almost eight months (minus the nursing).  He's up just as often as I am at night, he tries to make sure I have as much time for myself as possible, he does MORE than his fair share around the house.  

He's a Saint.

James, thanks for being you!  Thanks for being an incredible friend and partner as we do life together.  Thanks for the way you care for me, and the way you care for our son.  Thanks for the way you enable me to be a good mom, and the way you give SO much of yourself without complaining.

I will try to be as supportive of you as you take on school and being the at-home parent.  I won't do as good job as you do, I know it.  But I'll try.

I love you!

The Anti-Sleep

I haven't complained about sleep yet this week.

I have requested a couple of books from the library.

(Haydon is currently finger painting with a puddle of puke he just produced.  Gross.)

That kid just won't nap!  Which would be ok, if he would let us sleep at night, but I NEED some sleep at some point!  And to make it worse it's not like he appears to be tired.  He's ridiculously happy. It's like he's taunting me as he giggles away in his crib. He doesn't have melt downs.  He doesn't fuss.  I on the other hand, do fuss, and have melt downs.

Last night he was up constantly.  His tummy bothers him.  We go pick him up, and as soon as he's upright, he burps (or pukes on me) , and is ready to go back to sleep.  Except for the times he's not ready to go back to sleep and takes an hour to go back to sleep.  I think I'm gonna make a doctor's appointment, 'cause I think if his tummy wasn't bugging him he'd sleep better.  Or at least that's what I like to tell myself.

Today he hasn't napped at all, except for about 20 minutes in the stroller.  And not for lack of trying.

He's developing sleep-related nick names.  Like The Anti-Sleep.  Mr. No-Nap.

But enough of that.

I've just come up with a delicious gourmet Kraft Dinner recipe.

No, this is not one of those mommy-blogs where you will find wonderful and nutritious organic meals to feed your children who sleep well while mama spends time doing meaningful things like read or pray.  Here, you will find one sleep deprived mama who doesn't always do a very good job of caring for herself (or her home lately) and loves KD.

But, I realize that lately I've been eating a lot of carbs and not much veggies or protein.

So, I've added to my KD chopped up wieners and broccoli.  Yum.

Maybe that's how I should make my fortunes.  A Gourmet Kraft Dinner Recipes blog.

Hey, Mom

Came across this great breastfeeding site today, and figured I'd share it since it's World Breastfeeding Week, after all.

http://www.breastmilkcounts.com/

My favourite part is the song that plays - it's a cute little ditty, touting all the benefits of nursing.  Give it a listen.

Cute

I was just thinking that I should clean this up and send it back to it's rightful owner since my little man isn't into jumping much anymore.  

And then I get up and see this.

Apparently we've found new ways of enjoying it. 

Treat Her Right

This

is

HILARIOUS!

:-)

Life feels good again.

FINALLY!

I just spent a few days with my family (of origin) in Prince Edward County, and it was lovely.  My parents had their RV parked near Picton for the week, and my sister and I drove up on Wednesday to join them for a bit, and that was a good thing!  It was just good to be with more people to spread out the baby-care load, and it was good to be away from the chores of home, and it was good to spend some time looking at some of the beautiful art Prince Edward County has to offer.

My favourite studio was Armstrong Glassworks, and there was some BEAUTIFUL blown glass there.  I lovedLOVED his coloured pears.

And I want one...in every colour.

I'm also just really excited about life in general right now.  Being away gave me some time to think about what's important to me, and what I want to happen in life, and I have enjoyed thinking about those things, and how I'll make them happen.  I had a bunch of things that were in my head as "someday I'd like to..." and just realized that if I don't actually name them and make a plan for them to happen, they won't.

And so, in the next five years, and before we have our next baby, we will...

- go away for a weekend to celebrate our 5th anniversary (this October)
- pay off all of our school debt
- redo our kitchen
- go to Europe

I'm excited.  I've got the kitchen all planned out in my head.  And that excitement will fuel my fiscal responsibility, so that the school debt actually gets all paid off, and we can save up to make this beautiful dream kitchen a reality.

Finally, if you're a pray-er, I'm sitting down tomorrow to polish up my resume and write some cover letters.  The plan is that I will be our breadwinner starting in September.  Since I've started praying about and looking for jobs, I've come across three opportunities, all of which are really good fits in various ways.  Pray that my resumes will be well received, that I will get interview opportunities, and that the right doors are opened (and shut) to have me in the job that will be best for me, and for us, in September.