Little blessings

I'm happy to share the news that my niece arrived safely...and she's SO cute!
She's the first of my nieces/nephews that I was able to meet right fresh in the hospital.

Congratulations to Luke, Pam, Amy, Claire and Evan.

Spring news.

I know I haven't written in a long while. I have been pretty miserable actually, suffering through a head cold (among other things). I had high hopes for spring break, but between myself, Riley and now Shea getting sick, we haven't been able to do practically anything. I am resisting the urge to spread our germs madly around the McDonald's playplace or the shopping carts. Yes, you're welcome. But it does scare me a little to realize that as most moms, it DOES sometimes happen that I have to take my child out with a fever or a deadly cough, because heck, Salmon Arm closes down by supper time, and WHO else is going to drive down and pick up my prescription for me?! I do try to avoid it if at all possible, but one still has to live and can truly not be cooped in a house for two weeks straight.
We were really hoping to go visit our friends out by Calgary while Greg is there for work, but I'm just sending Riley and him to make sure that Shea can get rid of his fever/cold.
My sister in law has NOT had her baby. Today is the official due date and we are all going bonkers waiting for it to happen. I know she must be going crazy herself, as I have hit my due date twice and thought the world was going to END if I did NOT get the baby out in the next HOUR! I hated that last week. No sleep, no comfortable position at any time, and just NO FUN! So send out some prayers for her and some labor vibes while you're at it.
In happier news though, the snow is melting!! My sister is in town and helped me clean off my side huge deck of all the snow, so the kids have somewhere to finally storm around on their plasma car and scooters. I am SO thrilled about spring.

St. Patty's!

My grandparents came walking through our door last night wearing these huge shamrock hats and green shamrock necklaces...too cute!!
We had a big pizza party here last night with them, my mom, my 3 cousins, my nanny, 3 aunts, one uncle and Luke with his family. In 2 days, my sister is back for a visit. Unfortunately the boys and I are fighting colds, or we'd be up for hosting even more parties as it seems to be the time for PARTIES!

More party pics

Well I won't throw all the pictures onto the blog as they are mostly on Facebook. I was just realizing as I looked through the photos that this year was the first time EVER that there were kids only at his party. No adults stayed around to hang out, which was completely fine with us (they did ask). Also, last year we had 5 of his cousins and 2 friends as guests. This year we had 5 kids from preschool and 2 from church! A completely different bunch! We only had to break up one fight between two preschool boys! and no one was hit by the pinata bat!
Today is my hubby's birthday now, but I'm completely beat! It was the first day of Spring Break, and so the boys were home ALL DAY. It was long and painful. The van wouldn't start, so I couldn't even go downtown. We ended up walking way down the hill to go sledding at our friends house which involved a long process of whining by a certain child who hates to walk for more than two feet. Akk. I hope it gets better after today, or I'll be completely gray by the end of the two weeks.

PARTY!

Well the parties came and went...
I've got way too much clean-up to do, but I'll leave you with these pics for now!

Liam Shliam

Our Liam boy is 5 tomorrow. We have waited forever for him to turn 5. When you have a big brother who has already turned 5, TWO years ago...the wait seems eternal!
So he wanted an ice cream party. Ice cream it is. I am making those cupcakes baked right into cones and we will be making our own sundaes with all the toppings any kid could dream to put on. Yumm. I have the streamers and balloons up, and my homemade ice cream cone cut-outs (as you can't find "ice cream" theme things in SA stores). Pinata too...should be chaotic. I mean FUN.
I will take lots of pictures to share later.
Happy Birthday to the boy who....
Has the most gorgeous eyes and lashes ever,
Has this "skinny" which is a ratty old blanket he's slept with for years and won't part with,
I have to limit the smooches he gives me as he could keep it up for an hour,
Has to pick out his "own" clothes,
Has always talked a blue streak,
Likes girls best,
Is truly a bull in a china shop,
Would eat noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner,
Has two favorite songs, "Jacqueline" by Franz Ferdinand and "Shake everything you got!" by Maceo Parker (not exactly "kid" songs),
Needs to sit on you,
Is FUNNY,
Is loud and encouraging,
and has learned to say "chicken" properly.

I hope what he said tonight will truly happen for him...he says..."Mom, I'm really going to have a great time being 5."

Photo BOOTH

So many funny faces...lately Shea begs for us to do pictures. Usually he grins away, or we'll tell him to give us the "angry eyes". He does them well.

My BIG fat mouth

Ok, so I got in trouble this weekend. I heard news that one of our friends, the sister of our sister in law, had her baby! YAY! I happened to be on Facebook at the time, so I wrote in my status..."YAY! for new babies!!"
I also have to explain that I had just had a conversation previously with a friend saying how glad I was that my sister in law and her sister (and ladies all over our church) were having babies, as it made March more exciting in this LONG drawn out winter that we're having. A sign of new life, spring-ish...you get the idea.
Well...within minutes of putting that up on my status, people were congratulating me on my new niece/nephew, and calling around. Someone else had posted that Pam had a new nephew, not a new baby, but a nephew, but my great aunt was calling around to my nanny and eventually my mom, congratulating them on their new grandson. NO PEOPLE...do NOT jump TO CONCLUSIONS here! and PLEASE READ!!!
So anyway...I should have said nothing that said "baby" in it at all as I now know that people really are eager to spread news that isn't even news yet.
And I feel really bad about it. And therefore, you will NOT be hearing ANYTHING remotely hinting at the fact that my brother and his wife are having theirs or had theirs or anything til like a week after the fact.
I don't want to get into any more trouble.

Kids are taking over the web

It is surprising how many companies are targeting children with their online "worlds"! We went to McDonald's the other night, and with their happy meal toy, they discovered that there is McWorld with little codes you get for extra online "pets". So wild! And of course you've heard of Webkins, Poptropica, Club Penguin, Lego, Disney, nevermind the many T.V show sites such as TVO kids, PBS kids, CBC kids. They are all really cool and the kids love them!! But man, I am getting a little overwhelmed lately, and am fighting constantly for my computer back, or just to get them focused on "old fashioned" fun like reading, and gosh...playing with TOYS! What a concept. I also find that Liam has a hard time converting over from computer land to normal life. He expects constant stimulation, like a computer can give, and doesn't always answer back as when he is on the computer, he can just sit and watch the screen and while it talks to him, he just clicks the mouse and doesn't have to say anything. This disturbs me when people talk to him, saying "Hi Liam, how are you?" and he won't say a word in return. Or when I have something to do and Liam can not figure out how to create his own fun without me.
I have had to turn off any source of computer, TV, Wii, playstation games for three days of the week, just to help teach the kids that there is MORE TO LIFE! I know it is hard as they see dad and mom on their computers and they hear about all the newest games at school. I just wonder when it will quit. I get frustrated that there is never an end to all the technology advances! Call me ol' school. I just want them to PLAY and COMMUNICATE with real people!
I know it will help when this eternal winter will end and we can get outside. We will most likely turn off our satellite and I will limit screen time even more.
How is it going at your house and how do you control their "screen time"?