Valentine's Presents from Nana and Papa

There were cards in the mail yesterday - well who knows how long they'd been there, we only check the mail once or twice a week!  Nana and Papa sent the girls Valentine cards and inside was some money, so we went to the mall last night.  We picked out these cute little sesame street character cars and I thought I'd do a little post to show Nana and say thank you!  We took these pictures this morning.  Thank you Nana and Papa for the Valentine cards!

I feel like the pictures need explanation... the first picture, I turned the flash off so it's a little blurry.

Then I used the flash and the silliness started.

I couldn't even get Alice to look at me.

Then when they do look at me they kind of close their eyes - again because of the flash - and they look out of it.

I tell them to open their eyes and like good obedient children they close them tight.

Not ready to give up yet I get all enthusiastic and say open your eyes big and wide... and this is what I get!  

I could NEVER be a children's photographer... EVER!

Alice is TWO!

It's funny the remembering.  She was born at 5:15 am so by dinner time we'd already had a full day of Alice.  It fits her lively personality that she was born first thing in the morning.  I love too that she was born on Family Day - although this is not a good tool for remembering the date as Family Day changes every year.

Alice is two.  She is such an independent lady.  She does ask for help when she needs it but she would do everything herself if she could.  Her most recent interesting new behaviour is not wanting to wear her diaper.  We pulled the froggy potty out of the crawl space and Alice LOVES it.  She even peed in it - once.  She was very proud of herself.  She understands that everyone else in the house goes pee pee in the potty but she doesn't yet know when she's going to pee.  Perhaps this summer we'll tackle toilet training!  Enough about that though... what else.

She loves her family very much.  She loves books.  She loves dolls.  She loves to be involved in whatever Mommy and Daddy are doing.  She loves to sit on the counter while we're cleaning up or cooking.  We love our little Alice!  Oh and one last thing.  "Lala" is evolving.  She's still calling herself Lala, but she's also calling herself Ala.  We'll see how much longer Lala lasts!

Alice's 2nd Birthday Party

When Kate turned two I was going to organize a party for her, but I was pregnant and tired and I just never got around to it... and a tradition is born!  No child in our family will have a 2nd birthday party, a family party yes, but not a friend party to-do.  It wasn't snowing so Grandma and Grandpa ventured from Thornhill up to Tottenham and we celebrated Alice!

Alice loved her presents, she loved her dinner and she loved her cupcake.  She was so happy.  She just bounced around the house enjoying every minute.  She was given some books, an ariel mermaid cup, some wooden fruit that has velcro in the middle and comes with a knife to slice the fruit apart and a doodle board.  Grandma and Grandpa gave her a princess wagon and a little mini-suitcase looking thing that is clear, on wheels and filled with playdough and playdough accessories.  I think the cutest is her singing Happy Birthday to herself.  I need to get this on video. 

Alice's Lunch Time Party

I can't say enough about how amazing Antoinette is, or how grateful I am for the love she showers on my girls.  I just can't imagine anyone else looking after Kate and Alice.  Alice had an awesome birthday.  She was so happy all day.  Here are the pictures of her lunch time party at Antoinette's house.

One down, now how many more to go?

I swear the little monkey is smiling at me.  It was a mad dash back to school after the ultrasound appointment.  An appointment which was made three times longer because of the student doing the first two thirds... EEK!  It wasn't an issue until I thought, oh no, we're going to run out of time.  Neither here nor there really.  What was awesome was being told that everything looks great.  That's what I want to keep hearing.  That everything looks great.  That and the antibodies are gone from your blood.  That's really what I want to be told.

When we were in Seneca Falls this weekend Ken and Todd (my sweet friend Heidi's husband) gave me a blessing.  I was blessed that my body would be strong, the antibodies would go away and that the baby would be healthy and bring me great joy.  Who could ask for anything more?  I feel at peace and am just so thankful for the priesthood and modern medicine.

Family Day Weekend

Friday was a P.A. Day, I got a ride to school, Ken picked up the girls and then came to get me and we were off.  We enjoyed an interesting detour through the Hamilton area. (Ken's never been good at having a conversation and navigating...) There was a bit of a wait at the border.  We made a stop at the Walden Galleria Mall for subs and cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and then it was on to our final destination - the Country Inn and Suites in Rochester.

Saturday morning we woke up early and had breakfast and went swimming.  We all love staying in hotels!  After our swim everyone had baths/showers and we packed up and made our way to the Children's Museum.  It was busy.  In fact we'd never been there when it was so busy.  We enjoyed ourselves despite the crowds and after we had our fill of play we had lunch and continued on the road to Seneca Falls.

Ken didn't think we needed to bring the SLR in since we've taken pictures so many times, but I said no and vowed to carry it around with me the whole time, and I did!

One of the very fun things about having a friend with older kiddies is that you have babysitters built in!  The four of us adults went out for dinner on Saturday night in Seneca Falls and it was SO nice.  The food was so good and the conversation, it was just lovely.

Sunday we went to church.  Sam was ordained to the office of a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood.  It was cool because the tradition in the ward is that all the young men (and I assume the young women who are set apart) are ordained in the "cabin".  Heidi and Todd have church at one of the historic sites.  The Peter Whitmer farm is the site of the church's organization in 1830 and the building they meet in is beside the reconstructed cabin.  It was rebuilt on the original foundation and is a replica of the original log home.  After church we had lunch and then a quiet afternoon.  Four sister missionaries came for dinner so you can imagine it was a busy dinner!  After dinner Ken and Todd gave me a blessing.  More about that in a separate post.

Before we talk about Monday a few words about a few things.  The camera stayed in the van for the rest of the trip.  I meant to take pictures of all the cute kids playing and hanging out but I didn't.  I wanted to take pictures of the kids playing with the animals, but I didn't.  (I don't think I mentioned they have six pets - two rabbits, two cats and two dogs.  And of course there are the five kids.)  Alice and Kate both enjoyed the animals.  Alice enjoyed playing.  Kate and Ruthie played together and for the most part got along.  They did have some difficulties.  What is it about strong willed ladies?!  Oh and one last side note - on Saturday before arriving at the Egans we stopped at the Carter's Outlet and I might have bought boyish type clothing for a new baby even though I have had no confirmation that it is a boyish baby!  I am not going to buy anything else newborn (I really do have enough for starting) and if it isn't a boy, I will have to find someone to give the cute stuff I bought!

Monday we got up, ate, hung out, packed.  Ken set up the Egan's Raspberry Pi.  It's a teeny-tiny little computer and I think the cost is about $30 for the computer.  It is meant to run a Linux operating system and well I'm not sure what to say beyond that.  After saying our goodbyes we drove away, only to realize we'd left the diaper bag.  We hadn't gotten very far when Heidi phoned and they came and met us and we said goodbye again.  We drove back to the children's museum and we thought it was busy on Saturday!  EEK!  It was madness crazy house on Monday.  If it wasn't so far away I think we might not have gone.  Oh well, who knew that it was Spring Break in New York - not us!  We had a fun time until we lost Kate.  That's right, we lost Kate.  Aren't we awesome parents.  It was perhaps the worst 15-20 minutes of my life.  The staff were awesome - and there are lots of them.  I worried that Kate would be frantic, but hey she's four and she didn't even know she was lost.  How's that!  Ken and I reflected about conversations we should be having with Kate.  The what do you do if you need help - who do you talk to conversation. 

After we were all reunited we had lunch and then walked to the van that was parked a block away to start the return home.  We made another pit stop at the Walden Galleria Mall for cheesecake (so so so good).  We went through Niagara Falls to go over the border.  We stopped at the "Gateway Niagara" for dinner and then it was home.  We had an action packed family fun weekend.  I love our fun adventures!

My Little Valentines and Yours Too!

Kate and Alice wore their cute Valentine Dresses on Sunday and I took their picture.  My goal was to make cards for the Grandparents and maybe the cousins.  That never happened.  So instead here is your blog card...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!  

Here's hoping that your heart and your home are filled with love. 
We love you!

Negative and Positive

I'm feeling a little rattled.  I'm Rh Negative and Ken is Rh Positive.  What does that have to do with anything you ask?  Let me tell you.  I can't remember exactly when I learned about being negative and Ken being positive but at some point I did and I also learned about the possible complications.  If the baby's positive blood somehow entered my system I could develop antibodies which could then possibly harm the baby.  It isn't usually an issue during a first pregnancy but can be an issue in subsequent pregnancies. 

With both Kate and Alice I had a Rh_o(D) Immune Globulin (or rhogam) shot at 28 weeks and then again after they were born.  This was supposed to prevent the "sensitization of the maternal immune system to Rh D antigens, which can cause rhesus disease in the current or in subsequent pregnancies".  I'm not sure how, but I have antibodies in my blood.  The blood work was done twice. 

What now?  Now I go for an ultrasound every two weeks.  The ultrasound technician will look for signs of fetal anemia - enlarged organs and fluid in the abdomen.  At my 18 week anatomy ultrasound the technician said that everything looked great he even used the words healthy baby. 

So back to that rattled feeling.  I want to believe the feeling that I have that everything is going to be okay.  I want baby 3 to be healthy and get here safely.  This baby is very much wanted and needed.

Now that you've read this, I have a favour to ask, will you keep our little baby 3 in your prayers?  Will you pray that his or her little body will be strong and healthy?  Please and thank you.

Tobogganing!

Friday was the day of snow.  Buses were cancelled.  I drove to school even though I could have driven 10 minutes (or probably 20-25 give the conditions) to the nearest school in Schomberg.  No one could understand why I came in.  I'll tell you why.  I wanted to count yearbook money.  I wanted to be in my own classroom and I hoped that perhaps I'd be sent home early.  I have two preps on a Friday afternoon and only one class to teach.  My principal did in fact send me home early.  So you know what it wasn't so bad after all!

Saturday the roads were mostly okay - the major ones anyway and we decided to go up to Alliston, have lunch, buy a toboggan and go play.  And that was what we did.  I would love to report that both the girls are now addicted to tobogganing but that is not the case.  Poor Alice got snow in her face on our first ride down the hill and that was it for her.  Kate and I went two or three more times and while Kate did enjoy it she had her fill on only a few trips down the hill.