Vay-Cay!

4:15 pm | No Comments » |

It was an unplanned adventure that just kind of happened. Nana (babysitter) was going away for a few days and deserved the break so I had booked 3 days off without clients. That made 5 days of no work all together…. I cannot remember the last time this has happened. So it suddenly occurred to me that we should leave town. There is family property in PEI with all the luxuries of home calling our names. Grandma was out of town so it would be empty too – perfect!
We set out Sunday afternoon when Papa’s Sunday duties were over. I had packed everything before he arrived so we were ready to go. We went with the ferry route because it lands about 15 minutes from the cottage. It was a lovely summer rain kind of day. We arrived and loaded onto the ferry without incident. Snacks in hand we went up to the passenger level and it was stinking hot and stuffy inside… not the way I want to spend family time so outside we went. Rain does not make us melt. We stayed on deck the entire trip and it’s a good thing we were only going to PEI because it was wet! Kids loved it though.
Trey and Dija are not terribly demanding about what we do as long as we are hanging out together so there was no urgency to go anywhere or do anything. Monday afternoon we decided to play in King’s Castle Park. It was great taking pictures of the kids climbing on very creative play equipment and just running around with them. Then it happened… the main event that high jacked moments of our vacation and turned it into a typical family trip for us (since Justin wasn’t there to have an emergency). Dija was bit. Just one tiny mosquito but he bit hard. Her right eye began swelling before we made it back to the cottage in the middle of nowhere without a Benadryl carrying drug store for miles. Thankfully the gardening lady stopped by and happened to have some at home so she made a return trip for us and delivered the goods. Morning came and it looked nasty. By Tuesday evening I knew it was time… off to ER in Charlottetown.
I have had great service at our local hospital during our rare visits and I’ve never had cause to complain about our waits but this visit was amazing. It was clear that I had brought in the princess… or they thought she was very sick. They whisked her in ahead of everyone and checked on that poor little eye with the puss running down her cheek. She was a trooper and tolerated the poking very well. On the way out with a prescription in hand she questioned, “Why da doctor not pix my eye?” The infection cleared in a few days and the swelling went down enough to open the eye in another few… at least she managed to see half of the island!
The following morning was like a dream come true for Trey. He loves to save the day. I’m not sure when this started but it’s important for him to save the day now and then. When we realized we had locked ourselves out of the house I was thankful that I had left the kitchen window open. A ladder, some jiggling and a skinny four year old could be the solution. Once he was inside, Trey had to jump down off the kitchen counter (he fought past the fear) and unlock the door. Then he simply ran over and jumped back in his car seat as he yelled, “I saved the day!”
The Drive home included ice-cream for breakfast and more rain! We drove over the huge bridge and about two thirds of the way over Trey decided it was enough and asked if we could just get off the bridge now.
We’ve decided that we will do more mini vacations this year and take the kids out on adventures. They are really well behaved and pretty easy to entertain and you never know when you can save the day.
Next adventure – pack Benadryl, lots of snacks and a big bubble to keep Dija in.

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July 11, 2010

Story Time at the Happy House

8:54 am | No Comments » |

The Happy House is what the kids call home… Neenee and Papa’s Happy House. Story time here is always good because Papa is really great at reading a book and is very creative about how the story unfolds. I prefer to hang out close enough to listen but don’t bother getting me to read to the kids because I just can’t compete with Papa’s storification!
Recently we’ve been watching the interest in books grow and we often find Dija sitting reading to her kitty or her doll. Then there are the moments when the two kids are caught sitting on the sofa together with a stack of books and they will “read” to each other. I listened as Trey read the race car book to his sister and he carefully explained how two people can be in the red car together. They know that the red car always wins at the end of the book and they imagine themselves in the driver’s seat as Papa reads it rather dramatically. Well tonight Trey was in charge of the story and he did a fine job of solving the problem. “Two people can be in the red car. Trey and Dija. Tonight we can both win Dija!” I was thrilled that they were sitting together with books but with that little explanation I felt like that moment was more valuable than loving books.
This “big brother love” characteristic of Trey’s is something that provides tear-in-the-eye moments for me all the time. He can be soooo sweet with her. (He does the normal brother stuff too!) Dija had a run in with some splinters. Her one hand and both feet looked like she had a run in with a porcupine. Between Uncle Justin and Papa taking turns they all came out but it was a process. The final stages were post bath and Dija laying face down (prone, in case Justin reads this) on dining room table with a needle and tweezers and lots of screaming. The screaming was more fear than pain but she had our attention for sure. Brother Trey stood right in front of her face and, as if he had training, he spoke to her very calmly telling her to hang on it’ll be ok. He was the calm for her storm at that moment and it was so adorable I can’t even remember what he was saying because it was more about his approach. Sensitive boy with visible love.
Remind me to come back and read this entry when his 4 year old sauciness is coming out!

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May 26, 2010

Dr. Neenee

7:49 pm | 3 Comments » |

I have been careful to not use my blog to promote my work but I’m going to cross the line today. If this bothers you go read another blog!
Recently there has been a transition time for me and it’s been overwhelming and exhausting. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I can see it getting closer now. I’ll be offering spa treatments and skin care products (Aveda) in my new location. My new partner in business is Justin Pickens, RMT who owns and operates Active Edge Therapeutics, the new massage therapy clinic in town. We’ve chosen the location above King Street Shoes in Suite 201 and we will officially open next week. Come check it out!
The reason I’m telling you all this is to explain why I have a lovely white chair in my living room that is the reason this story came about. The past month has been nuts with renovations, painting, decision making, going in circles some days…. and the entire month the contents of my office are in my house. I’ve brought one chair up to the living room to look after the emergency waxing situations that arise. The kids have seen some of these events take place and have learned to take it in stride. Trey is quite friendly and asks people questions and chats with them about the procedure they are visiting for.
This evening I warned him that someone was coming to have eyebrows taken care of. “OK Neenee, I’ll be good.” Pretty cute but it didn’t end there… the soliloquy went like this…
“Neenee, you’re a great doctor. You take good care of people in that white chair. You make them feel good and you do good work. You make people pretty Neenee. You do a good job Neenee, you’re a good doctor. I love you Neenee cuz you’re the best.”
So right about now I’m feeling very good about the work I do and just can’t break the news that I’m not a doctor. I do fix things. I do make people feel better most of the time. I have patients! Now I’m ready to set up the new studio and get to work keeping in mind that my little guy thinks I’m pretty amazing.
(I really didn’t make this up – he is just that adorable!)

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May 18, 2010

Please Pass the Jam!

7:22 pm | 1 Comment » |

I’ve done it…. I’ve created a monster but I’m going to blame Uncle Jeff! Peanut butter has always been a favourite of Trey’s but recently he has become more civilized about his consumption habits. You see when he was a wee little guy he’d dig his hand in the jar and eat it like there was no tomorrow. I’ve managed to break that habit and seriously cut down on the intake of the stuff. Now, I do love PB as well but it is not a food group of it’s own!
Last week I was having an early morning chat with my brother who is in Kansas (that means 2 hours earlier for him – ugh!) I told Jeff how Trey had just had his spoonful of PB just like he does… his response was “I just did that too!” I thought it was worth sharing with Trey so I called him in and showed him Jeff’s picture and told him that Uncle Jeff was eating his peanut butter just like he did. He thought that was so interesting but his comment was even better… “Uncle Jeff is funny sitting inside with his sun glasses on!” The child is used to using Skype and seeing people in real time so there is Jeff’s profile picture with his sunglasses on. Silly man. This little interaction has left an impression on Trey. He remembers Uncle Jeff from his visit last summer and thinks he’s pretty cool because he hangs out with Auntie Lisa. Now they share a culinary delight that seems off limits because it’s not the traditional recipe. Since that day Trey asks for his spoon filled as if it’s perfectly normal because he knows Jeff does it. How do I argue? I can’t.
This evening I was busy for a minute changing Dija into her jammies and Trey was oddly silent and I’m so tired I was oblivious (tired is another story… I’ll tell you soon). I walked into the kitchen to see Trey proudly holding a spoon heaped, and I mean HEAPED with the gooey stuff. Not only did it overflow the spoon part but half the handle as well. He was so pleased I had no reaction. I bet it was about a ½ cup of peanut butter! “Please put the jar back Neenee… thank you.” I remained serious but nonreactive even though a kid digging in a food jar really drives me nuts because I may have wanted to eat some of the contents later but now… ew! So he now has his own jar and I’ll buy new stock for the rest of us and until then I’ll eat jam.

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May 9, 2010

Happy Mother’s Day and Bittersweet Thoughts

12:10 pm | 5 Comments » |

I will have a happy Mother’s Day but it doesn’t come without the other thoughts that will go through my mind. I often think about the women who would love to be mothers and the pain they experience from that missing element in their lives and how this day just elevates those feelings for them. I think about the years I held my breath waiting to hear if other family members were expecting the little one they so desired while I was able to pop the babies out like a pez candy dispenser… didn’t seem fair to me. Then there are the moms who have lost a child or the children who have lost mothers far too soon.
So now here we are at another one of these days…
I’m a mother all over again. Willingly, yes, but unexpected. These little ones are aware that it’s Mother’s Day but seem to think it means all weekend (I’ll accept that!). Trey and Dija have been telling me they love me and saying Happy Mother’s Day since Friday when Trey brought home the flower from Nursery School and the note about why he loves me – “because she tucks me in my bed”. He’s not your average almost 4 year old and he does love his bed. Dija follows his lead and is happy to give me cuddles and loves as well.
So with the bright spot of these adorable kids (I can say this easily right now because it’s nap time) comes the shadow of why I have them. This is not the order of things in most families. These children did not ask to be raised by grandparents. Sadness does creep in periodically but fortunately I don’t have too long to dwell there. I do not feel sorry for myself concerning the change of direction in my life but my heart breaks for such young lives to have lost so much already. I know someday they will want to know the story but for now they are simply content to be with us.
For now I will celebrate being a mom again and I will celebrate having a great mom to help us with our new lifestyle…

5 Comments »

March 10, 2010

Cranky Cranky Cranky!

8:26 pm | 1 Comment » |

I’ve pretty much had it with sick people! I think the disruption of our routine has caused some cranky moods. Cranky moods make me…. well, cranky!
It began with Tre coughing and just not funtioning normally so we went to the clinic on Saturday – pneumonia and ear infection. With the help of some good medication and rest he was wondering why he couldn’t return to school on Wednesday.
The following Sunday I decided Dija had been sick long enough that she wasn’t just bouncing back so off to Emerg we went and we were home by lunchtime with prescription in hand and a dose in her belly. She seemed to be feeling much better by Tuesday. However, on Monday Papa went to the Dr and he was sent home to bed and I’ve become a frequent flyer at the pharmacy! He will likely return to work on Friday.
I’m healthy and not coughing but I’m sick of sickos!
Let me explain. When they are sick, they speak and I listen, I run and get, do, feed, water, change, bathe…whatever they demand or ask for. They get better and forget that I’m not a fulltime servant nurse. This morning I was trying to get ready for the day and it seemed that everytime I tried to do something I was asked to do something else at the same time. Nothing suited Tre. He asked for yogurt, picked it out even but when it hit the bowl it was all wrong. I wasn’t long deciding that he needed to go back to bed and begin again on a happier note. He returned about 15 minutes later with a hug and a better outlook on life. After three trips to the bathroom I managed to get naked and into the shower with only one interruption… of couse I was there briefly when a little person joined me because I clearly can not be left unsupervised!
Crankiness reigned this morning but there was a bright spot. Papa spoke to me a little too, ummmm, well… cranky, and was told by a 3 year old not to speak to Neenee that way and that he needed to say he was sorry. Lesson learned… they do hear everything! It’s also encouraging to know he’s learning some great lessons about communication and being well mannered.
Papa did apologize and we do still love each other. We did manage to get to soccer and work and school but oh my it was a rough start to the day. Tomorrow WILL be better.

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March 5, 2010

A Battle in Disguise

1:48 pm | No Comments » |

When a three year old boy stated rather emphatically from the back seat “We should go to the store and buy you a present!” I’d like to think it’s just a boy being totally sensative and thoughtful. That’s the kind of boy I like to raise… he’ll be a great man someday…. day dream moment.

It continued and the truth was evident. “We need to buy you a clock. A clock for your arm Neenee. Then you can tell that it isn’t naptime and I can go to my work now.”

Wow, the mind of a child can be so complex. I really did think for a moment that I was going to get a nice new watch, or um, clock for my arm. Since breaking my strap a few years ago I’ve been enjoying the freedom of no watch and aparently that didn’t go unnoticed. Driving along to pick up Dija from Nana’s haven to take the kids home for a torturous naptime, this lovely exchange occurred. He was so nicely disguising the battle of the wills – very clever!

Tre had been sick with pneumonia and missed some Nursery School and Soccer and cabin fever was setting in. With fever gone he became a little demanding because he just wasn’t sick enough to lay around anymore but not quite well enough to go out yet. I stuck to my guns and took both kids home for a lovely naptime. They didn’t even fight it.

Score: Tre – 1 (for making me laugh so hard)
Neenee – 2 (for getting 2 kids to nap without wearing a clock)

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February 25, 2010

Who Dresses Those Kids?

9:47 am | 2 Comments » |

Dressing the kids has been a fun adventure for me. I enjoy choosing clothes for them but they also enjoy getting dressed. They both like to look great. Tre calls his nice clothes “work clothes” and likes to wear them to his work (nursery school). Dija says she’s a “little princess” when she looks pretty. Ok she always looks pretty but if she wears pretty clothes she’s a princess – aparently I am too! Dija and I dressed alike the other day. When she saw that I had on jeans and purple shirt just like her she was excited, “Neenee, you a little princess too!” I thought you needed a dress to be a princess. So she thought it was special to dress alike… I think we’ll do that more.
Nana often takes one or both children to Sunday School (she’s the teacher) and I had some feedback from a daughter of someone who goes to her Church. “Lorraine always has those little ones dressed so cute!” Well I was flattered for a mere second when I realized that they think Nana dresses the kids. Do they think I get to sleep in on Sundays and she comes here to wake the kids up, feed them and get them ready? I really didn’t take offense but found it rather funny. Now, I will confess that there have been two mornings in the past year when I called Nana to the rescue so I’d make it to work on time…. this has been a huge adjustment for me… I had never been a working mom before so making me look good and getting kids dressed didn’t have to happen every morning. It’s not optional anymore. So when I knew the morning wasn’t going well I did call for back up. I’ve even taken kids to Nana’s without breakfast a time or two – why rush them when I’m the one who has to get to work?
So I would like to point out that I do usually dress these children on a daily basis and I do a pretty good job of it!
Dija went to church with Nana this week and I took Tre with me to “Justin’s” church. Tre wore a lovely navy paisley dress shirt and jeans. He’s a handsome little guy. With the exception of a slight wardrobe malfunction when his jeans became unsnapped at the front at the church it was a good morning.
Dija was ready when Nana arrived, wearing her blue dress with flowers and butterflies. She wore her matching “stockins” with flower and butterflies up the side of each leg. When she sat in church and greeted all her friends she also pointed out that she had a butterfly on her bum… “See!” and she turned and flipped her dress up.
I’m pretty sure this would never have happened under my watch. After all Princesses just don’t do that!

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February 9, 2010

Clean Up Time

8:48 pm | 2 Comments » |

Putting that train set back in the box…every piece… is worse than fitting tupperware in the kitchen cabinets! Alright, I’ll confess there’s still a box in the attic but this kitchen is so much smaller than the last… I’d use it all if I could. We had a slight battle with the toy mess in the livingroom for a short time today. It wasn’t much fun but we stuck to our guns. We just don’t allow throwing of blocks and toy cars – they hurt if they hit! So when toys started to fly it was simply clean up time. It took a long time. They’re usually so great at the clean up part but not tonight. The floor was finally visible again and so I let them have supper.
After a little more playing, off to the tub they went and I didn’t realize the train was still out on the coffee table. Papa was out for the evening so I had fewer eyes and they needed to be in the bathroom. So my job this evening after bath, pj’s and bed…train set. Papa and I both enjoy having all signs of children disappear at bedtime. Keeping it simple and giving them a place to put all toys really helps… although I’m thinking a larger train box would make some of it easier.

Dija was given a tea set on the weekend. It’s a 1600 piece tea set and she loves it – Thanks Auntie Tanya! This morning after Tre left with Nana for his valentine party at Cubbies the little Diva Dija began her performance. She was playing while I got ready for our shopping trip and I realized that she was standing on the sofa – I was ready to growl and get her down when I put all factors into context.
Hhhhmmmm tea set (yes all 1600 pieces) all over livingroom floor. Kid on sofa singing. Oh nice, she put her boots on first!
“Hey, who made this big mess? ME! I guess I better clean it up, it’s only fair.”
So she did. I let the boots on sofa slide just this once. No more Comfy Couch on her TV!

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February 3, 2010

Just Add Water and EW!

8:49 pm | No Comments » |

Today I believe an old ringer washer may have saved me some time and effort. Seriously. You see, if I had to run each individual piece of laundry through the machine I’m certain that I would have found the lost diaper that made it’s way into the washing machine. My poor washing machine. I do think it will recover now that I’ve cleaned it out and apologized for the abuse it experienced today. I’m not actually taking responsibility for this incident though. When I change a diaper I wrap it tightly inside itself and fasten it that way then fire it down the hallway towards to bathroom trash. Yes, every time… unless there is a flushable item in it then I carry it and dispose. So where this diaper came from is a bit of a mystery.
The little beady things inside the diaper are quite the incredible technology (I’m surprised there was any water left to clean the clothing!)… could they not come up with a technology that is a little more stable so it doesn’t go everywhere if it explodes? Perhaps a built in alarm if it lands in a hamper instead of the trash. You can get bed wetting alarms so why not diaper alarms?
The good news is that soon there will be no more diapers and it won’t happen again. Until then I guess I’ll do laundry a little slower and examine what gets tossed into the machine. Lesson learned. I’m sure some are wondering what my reaction was. I pretty much had none – today had enough reactionary content without adding a thing for this. Now I must go fold the children’s laundry and see if all those alien beady things came off in the dryer!