Life is a Treadmill

Well, if it isn't February 21st, and over four months since my last update! Why is it my life seems like a treadmill that just speeds up the more you run? I am sure I am not alone, but I think my time management skills could use an upgrade :)

I heard a saying recently, about parenting..." It feels like days go on forever, but years are gone before you know it." I am starting to truly know what that means!

I have a shiny new laptop ( thanks to a late Christmas and thoughtful family) and have started to upload many pictures that have been wasting away on CD for a few years. Yesterday as I was looking back at some pictures of the kids from a few years back, I got very misty eyed, and sentimental. I remember some days when Reece was in the terrible twos, and Chloe was in her first years at school, wishing for the day to just be over, as I was so tired, stressed, and definitely not thinking about how fast the stage would pass! It felt like some stages went on forever, and I wasn't always enjoying the moments. I feel sad for myself in a way, because I "got through" those days, but feel like I missed a bigger picture sometimes. My kids know how much they are loved, and have always been given lots in terms of cuddles, and treats, and things to do, but I wish I could go back & give them more of me, loving the imperfections of life's little moments.
In the pictures, I see little children that are a very distant memory now. My kids are full - fledged KIDS into all the busy activities, and computer games, and friends that they should be in to at this stage. It's only now that I am starting to soak them in and really hold on to this stage, as I know in a few more years, this is the stage I will long for. Chloe getting dressed in yellow & black to match her science project on bees....Reece needing to push the button to open every handicap door we see in public places, and me, the busy mom whose kids make me feel like the most important person in their little worlds.
I can't tell you how fast our kids grow up, because mine are still growing, and I am living in each moment, thankful for the wonderful journey they and I are on together.

AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL.........
It's been just over a month since I became a stay at home / work at home Mom, and as you can tell by the absence of posts, I have been busier than ever!!! ( But loving every minute...almost!)
Chloe has school, Reece and I have playgruop , and soon he has preschool, I have clients, and wife & mommy stuff, but I felt like something was missing...after school activities! ( Cause we Moms like to feel exhausted I have decided!)
Last week, Reece started learning to skate at the rec centre near our house...and the best part is his teacher.....DADDY! It is so great to see Reece develop a new skill...one that he has picked up rather quickly according to Matt. But I think the most special part of all is that Reece and Matt are bonding over a common love, HOCKEY. Which is why Matt started him in skating...he is simply grooming him to be the future hockey star he thinks he is!
So I was feeling happy, but a bit left out of the bonding. I had to find something that Chloe & I would both enjoy...not an easy task actuallly! She had asked since kindergarten about Girl Guides, and I'd always wanted to join when I was a young girl....so I looked into it, and the local Guides group had room for us ( I mean her ) ;) . She starts on Thursday by selling the cookies door to door. I can't think of a more perfect way to be inducted into this special club for young girls! I think it's so important for kids to have something they can feel connected to, and be a part of, and as a Mom, I couldn't be happier to see my kids get involved in things they love!

Back to School, Back to Blogging...

It has been a few weeks since the bittersweet sound of the school bell rang for the first time this year, and I want to blog about this year .... because September always signifies a new beginning to me. I am now a stay at home / work at home Mommy, which is a HUGE change from the get up and go to work / daycare life the kids and I had been living the past few years. I felt it was time to really take a close look at what was / wasn't working for the family, and LOTS of sleepless nights later, we came to what I think is the best decision we've made in recent months! With that, we moved to a cozy little house in East Abbotsford, so logistically it no longer worked for Chloe to go to school in Ft. Langley. It was the hardest pasrt of making the change, by far, as she has developed so many close friends at the school, and we never could say a bad thing about it, but it was just TOOOOO far to drive every day now. Chloe has always been VERY social, and easy to make friends, so I wasn't totally worried, I knew she would make new ones, but it doesn't make it any easier to leave the friends you already have. The first week, I REALLY felt the guilt of moving her school on a few occasions, because of course, girls ( and boys) in grade 4 can sometimes NOT be the sweetest! I wondered one day after school if we did the wrong thing, and if she would have been happier if everything had just stayed the same & I worked at the salon etc etc....but she is learning that somethimes things have to change for the whole of the family, and now that she is at a new school, she has the chance to make double the friends.
On mornings when getting ready for school isn't followed by a 1/2 hour drive,a morning spent against her will in daycare, and a nagging Mom who won't see her til 6:00 that evening, I KNOW this is wayaayayayay better for the kids in the long run.
One of the most simple changes this has brought in our life is NO MORE HURRYING! We live 5 mins from school , and after we drop Chloe off, Reece has asked every day..." Can we please play at the playground Mom?" Normally I would have had to say "No , honey Mommy has to get to work...I'm, going to be late!" But I LOVE more than anything, being able to say yes, seeing him play with a huge smile on his face, and not having to say "hurry up"......because we don't leave until HE is tired of playing!

We have lived in Abbotsford for almost 4 months now, and although the neighborhood is still growing on me, I have found a little slice of heaven in it...Our BACKYARD. Nearly every night we go outside & play kickball, tag, ride on the 4 wheeler, and inevitably end in a waterfight! I have some of my best childhood memories from playing outside, and I am glad that the kids are going to have some good old backyard memories too!

Well I was right in my last posting... I SUCK AT BLOGGING! Or maybe I suck at sticking with things. I have to commit to this blogging thing or not do it at all. So here goes!
Chloe is now in Grade two, and it's coming to a close. Last week she had a student appreciation assembly, and got an award for working hard & being kind. ( Each kid in the school gets one at some point in the year, but it's still special!) I was so proud sitting there watching her walk up & get it.. I always get teary eyed at these things, I am such a sap. So I had followed Tricia's great advice & bought Chloe a dozen red roses. MUST BE NICE EH? ANyways, after she got her award & was leaving the gym with her class, I went over & gave her the roses. Well, I didn't even consider this, but she was embarrased! By me! I guess being a young mom does not equal being a cool one in her books! She kind of made this OH GAWD face & took the roses & hid the under her arm. It wasn't exactly the you're the best mom ever reaction I had pictured!
I felt hurt, but just smiled & left for work. I thought about it at work all evening, and was sad that she is entering this stage already. I hoped that she would care less what her friends thought, but that goes with growing up as I remember well. So I decided not to bring it up to her at all & make a big deal about it.
That night after work I was tucking her into bed & had brought the flowers in a vase into her room. As I kissed her goodnight she said to me " Thank you so much for the roses Mom, I love them. That was really nice of you." I was speechless for a second. " I didn't think you liked it that I did that in front of your friends " I said. " No , " she said surprised. "Everyone in class was jealous"
So the moral of the stroy is, when your kids get to this stage, they might seem different on the outside, but they are still the same sweet kids that you love on the inside. Never stop doing special things for your kids because of what other people think.
I will never forget it & I hope she won't either

Wow I suck at blogging!
I have been totally neglecting my mommy blog for months now, concentrating all my energy on my msn space ( until now!) Lots has happenned since I last posted, but keeping with the original intent of my blog, I will just skim over the most important parts....the chillins!
Chloe is well into Grade one, and it is so amazing to see her develop the abilities to do math, print, spell and best of all read! She could read about 5o sight words at the beginning of school, and she is already into chapter books at bedtime! I am so happy for her that she has made a very fast transition & is reading at a grade 3 level already! We make reading a daily thing & almost always have, & I can honestly say it has paid off. So my #1 piece of parenting advice today is READ TO YOUR CHILDREN even if you are too tired or don't want to have to read goodnight moon for the 500th time. In a few years your kids will read YOU to sleep! It all comes back to you tenfold.
On the other end of the age gap is little Reecie...my smiley face boy who is much enjoying being the baby of the house....he has taken his official first steps...but is still quite content with being carries unless you force him to stand up! Ahh like mother like son! He is such a happy kid...I sincerely hope that the world doesn't jade him anytime soon cause he is happily ignorant right now! At our last Dr's appointment I addressed the issue of his undescended testicle ( hereon known as U.T) that the DR had diagnosed 3 months ago, so we have an appointment with a urologist in March. I am not getting too worried this early....I hope that is will correct itself, but want to take action asap if it won't because I think a surgery like that would be a lot more traumatic on a 3 year old than an 18 month old. Either way it won't be any less traumatic on me! But we will cross that bridge if it comes to that.
Otherwise things is mamaland are great...feeling very on top of things in my domestic life...and hey, isn't that about all we camn ask for as moms?
Here's to a new start on this blog & a happy healthy couple of kids!

"The Cough"


Chloe is missing school today cause she has "the cough" as she puts it. It sounds so ominous...she has a cold ( again) but she really is coughing a lot so I thought we might not cause a complete outbreak at school! So I have noooo idea what we are going to do today but I think I will get her to work on some of her reading & printing at home today. ( How did I become a mom of a first grader already!?! This almost seems surreal!) She is doing great at school already...she is sooo helpful & gets treats and rewards from the teacher all the time ( ahhh brings back memories !)
Last Friday Chloe got a SUPERKID award at school! Yayyy I am sooo glad because of the fiasco last year!
It was the night before the last day of school last year & Chloe says " I sure hope I get my superkid award tomorrow". We were told that every child gets one at some point oin the year & it donned on me that she never did get one! So I made a frantic call to the school & left a message on the answering machine basically pleading with them to give my kid an award so she isn't totally excluded & crushed...Well, they didn't, and I had the lovely task of reassuring her that they must have made some mistake...it was kind of a big deal to a 5 year old!
So she came to the car on Friday sooo elated that the principal came over the PA system & called Chloe Carnegie to the office to receive her SUPERKID award ! It may just be a box of smarties to us, but it's a huge deal to a kid & something that hopefully will erase the memory of being the only one to NOT get one last year. I am glad it's out of the way & I won't have to personally cause a scene in the office!!!