Love Does NOT Conquer All...

A dear friend of mine and my parents broke down in front of us today. It hit me so incredibly hard, and instilled so much fear in me. It also instilled faith and confidence in me. Our friend announced to us, through tears, that she is leaving her husband. Her husband of 7+ years. The father of her 2 children. The one she thought she would love forever. The one who is not showing any emotion. The one who refuses counselling and a fresh start. This had been a long time coming, of course, and I am completely supportive of her decision. But watching her almost crumble in front of us destroyed me. Her children are the sweetest, and very young. She will moving out of province to start over, get back on her feet while staying with her parents. He is not going with her and the kids.

The one statement she made is stuck in my mind though..."Love does not conquer all". In her case, it is true. She loves him as much as she possibly can, and has stood by his side through thick and thin. She also loves him enough to know that she needs to leave, to get a fresh start, and do what is best for her kids. Her kids are amazing, and I will miss them dearly. So many times I have gone to visit my parents, and I get the little boy babbling away to me. I went to their birthday party. I've helped her rescue a cat. I've spent many times talking over the fence with her. I knew that the situation between them was not good, and I understand her decision. It will be better for her, for her children, and in the long run, for him. He was not ready...

Love does conquer all at times. But that bond must be strong and indefinite before a situation arises. Love can stand the tests of time, but sometimes these tests are hard to overcome and the love suffers.

Today, a woman made a difficult and life changing decision. Some women will not leave relationships that they are not happy with. She definitely made me realize that love is something you both need to work on. She gave everything until she couldn't give anymore. Love is not to be taken for granted. It needs to be nurtured, enjoyed and cherished. It is a life long journey. It is life altering. Love is what you make of it, and what you put into it.

I try my best to give as much as I can. We feed off of each other, we support each other, we know each other, we challenge each other, and we strengthen each other. We need each other, sometimes more than either one of us realize. Sure, we have our moments, but they are always resolved quickly before they can escalate. Things have not been easy, but we have experienced more than alot of couples have in longer periods of time. We are stronger now than ever, and we share a very strong bond. I don't take love for granted, after all, it could end sooner than we would want it to.

So I may complain at times, but I know that deep down everything is alright. We have our bad days, but there's always going to be a tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow....it's my birthday! Yep, onto a happier subject. Shopping with mom and dad in the morning, a visit with Andy's parents in the afternoon, then for dinner with Grams, then for cake with my parents. Should be a good day, nice and simple! And we have decided on Heritage Park for monday. Can't wait!

Should try to get some sleep... my back is really flaring up, so we shall see... Cheers!

Sleep is calling my name...

It was a rough day. And a rough night last night. I did my shot last night, which hit me harder than usual. A common side effect of the shot is headaches--I definitely had those. They were off and on all day, making my eyes extremely sensitive to light. Liam was up quite a bit during the night, and his naps were off today, so it was frustrating. I was dragging my sorry butt around all day, and I think it drove Liam nuts that we weren't going anywhere. We did end up going for coffee tonight with my parents and Grandma, was good to get him out. Am feeling alot better now, which is a relief. The side effects only last 24 hours, so it's not too bad.

I hung up the phone on someone tonight. I do not regret it, nor do I feel badly about it. It was just, simply put, time to end the conversation, or I would say something I would truly regret. Frustration had started to build, probably for some time now, and it just struck a nerve with me. So, my phone calls will be limited the next few days, as I am trying to avoid as much stress as possible.

Tomorrow we are going grocery shopping. Really, Liam and I have a blast while doing it. Sure, alot of produce suffers to make him laugh, cans of french's fried onions get converted to powder to maintain constant giggles, and pickled beets must be found... Then tomorrow night it's off to Sears to pick up the clothes I ordered for Andy, and to return that pair of shorts finally.

Saturday is my birthday. Will be shopping for my pressie with mom and Liam, then for dinner with Grams, and cake with my parents. Simple stuff. I like it that way. Are still debating what to do on Monday. It's down to the zoo and butterfield acres. Would love to go to heritage park though! Maybe we'll do that, all depends on how we are in the morning. I've been wiped lately, Liam's been teething and Andy has been working his butt off. So, we will see...

Have to move Liam's check-up appointment to later tomorrow, wasn't thinking when I booked it, as it is Liam's naptime. Should run though, have laundry to switch and a bed that is calling my name louder and louder. Until next time, Cheers!

Congratulations Emily & Chris!

Our front flower garden---well, part of it...

Welcome to the world Kayden! Emily and Chris are now the proud parents of a beautiful healthy little boy, who surprised them by coming into the world 17 days early, on Monday, June 23, 2008. Congratulations to the proud parents! He is one lucky boy to have you as parents.

I met Emily a few weeks ago, I guess by fluke. I had posted some classified ad sites online for Liam's old stuff, and she responded to a few ads. I organized a bunch of clothing, toys, and other things for her, and she and Chris came over to sort through them. Needless to say, almost 2 hours later, they had almost filled their car, and we had hit it off. She is going to be an excellent Mommy and Chris will make an excellent daddy! Andy and I have alot in common with them, which is a good thing. Am supposed to get together with her hopefully tomorrow, to drop off more clothes, and then more drop-offs on the weekend. I know they appreciate the help, and I am more than glad to do anything for them. He was unable to get time off of work to help Em, which will be hard on her, but I know she's up for it.

When we first found out I was pregnant with Liam, we panicked at first. I get very anxious and anal about things--anyone can attest to that. I had so many fears-they ranged from if I could be a good mom, could we financially handle it, could my health handle it...those were the major things. These worries and fears continually got worse and worse as I got closer to my due date--I remember crying to my parents alot, panicking that I didn't have everything ready. Then after Liam was born, those fears became trivial. You will never be totally prepared or ready to be a parent. It is a life altering experience, plainly put. It is not something to be taken for granted. The first three months of Liam's life, sadly, I wish I could forget. The hospital visits, the sleepless nights, more hospital visits and admissions, my own post-partum recovery, and fearing more and more everyday that I could easily lose him. I remember being afraid to go to sleep, as I thought something awful would happen to him. Remembering the IV's, the spinal taps, the bloodwork, the ultrasounds on him, the list goes on, breaks my heart to think of what he went through. I would not wish that on anyone. The first few months of a child's life are meant to be remembered, not wished to be forgotten. Unfortunately, I feel the latter. I cherish every day with that little boy, no matter how difficult it is. He amazes me more and more every day. He gives me strength and courage, and has taught me more about myself than anyone can. He has tested me in ways I didn't think possible, changed my life for the better, and matured me more than I could ever imagine. Being a mother means so much more to me now--and makes me appreciate my own that much more. He is what keeps me going and has even made me forget about my MS at most times, and by having him, has improved my health greatly.

Onward...made my yummy lasagna tonight. I usually make it at least 3 times a month, and then there are always left overs for Andy for work. Very yum-o. Mom and dad were over last night, and brought over the air conditioner that they bought for us--thank you! And they came over tonight to play with Liam and to take him for a walk. It gave me time to unload and reload the dishwasher, and tidy up. Still have a few things to do tonight--litterboxes, a load of laundry, and random tidying...

Liam is doing okay today, he was tricky to get down last night, as apparently the lentils and split peas that they hide in baby food, do NOT agree with him. So today, we went shopping, and bought yummy organic baby food with no crap in it, and he was fine. And--he loved eating it. He had peaches, pears and oatmeal for breakfast, chicken, sweet taters and carrots for lunch, and chicken, apricots, sweet taters, corn and peas for dinner. I even did some homemade baby food to put in the freezer.

Tomorrow will be a lazy day. Need to go to Sears, back to the store for more organics, and for a couple walks. Will try to get to the farmers market over the weekend to get some veggies for Liam, as they have an organic market. Yep, apparently we're going organic baby!

Friday is grocery shopping day, and we have doctors appointments in the afternoon. And Saturday is my birthday, so will be going shopping for my present--grins--and then to dinner with Grams, and for cake with my parents after that.

Should go, these blogs are getting longer and longer! Cheers!

Exhausted...

Exhausted...lack of sleep is definitely catching up with me now. Liam was alot better today; enjoyed his solids alot more--he even tried some new things, like pasta and green beans. And there was lentils and split peas in his chicken dinner--he was a little bloated tonight, and needed extra cuddling, but he went down just before 8:30... He has woken up once since then, and he needed cuddles, a bit more bottle and ovol... Am going to go to bed earlier tonight... my to-do list is still up there, but I am not concerned about it...

I'll use Liam as my excuse for not getting things done. Granted I do get alot done, sometimes I amaze myself. I put away 5 baskets of laundry the other day while he played on my bed. I made an awesome dinner tonight--we had Mu Shu pork wraps with asian veggie salad. Soooo yum-o!

Took Liam for a walk around the neighbourhood this morning after we watered all the plants and flowers. He really enjoyed the nice weather, and he loves the trees! He's an outdoor boy for sure.

Just had a nice hot shower. That is my weakness, well that, and sleep... I'm a girl who loves her sleep... I desperately wanted to have a hot bubble bath with my Lush products, but I know that he would wake up as soon as I got all comfy... sigh... It was still good... Just frustrating when I am tied down to Liam non-stop with not alot of relief... He is a mama's boy lately, that's for sure, but help would be great! Usually I am counting down until he goes to sleep, so I can have some "me-time", where I can sit and relax, or get my never-ending to-do list started on...

As for tomorrow, going to Sears to return a pair of shorts that I bought. They fit great when I stand up and walk, but as soon as I sit down, they rise up. So that will mean a nice mall-walk. And water the plants in the morning, then do a little walk around the block with Liam. Mom and dad are coming over tomorrow night, to cut the lawn and to bring the air conditioner that they bought for us. Thank goodness, that will definitely help this summer. The heat doesn't bug me too much, but I worry for Liam more than anything.

I found an old old old friend today on Facebook. I had lost touch with her over the years--she used to live across the alley from my parents house, and we spent alot of time together. This was back when I was in elementary school, definitely a long time ago! It's great to have found her again--I remember going to the circus with her and her parents, and going for brunch in the mountains... fun times! We will definitely be talking lots now...

Other than that, am getting ready to go to bed... will do some stuff around the house, and a run to the mall tomorrow, but otherwise will be home most of the day. Will hopefully be going to see my cousin Jennifer, with her new babes, on Sunday--she's been having a rough time with the kids, so maybe we can give her a bit of a break! Then we can give Ty his baby gift (it's more for Jen) and a gift for Amanda, so she doesn't feel left out...

Should try to make a break for my bed. Until next time, Cheers!

Is the day over yet?

What a day! Liam is in full blown teething mode. His appetite is off, his naps are off, his diapers are off (to put it nicely), his mood is off, and in general, he is just "off". I feel badly for the little guy; he chews on his fingers non-stop, gags and throws up when he eats certain solids, and he's extra cuddly (I love that part). It was a long stressful day, full of tears (almost for both of us), vomit, and attempts at poops. Whoever says teething is easy for their children, can they explain what medication they were taking at the time? My goodness! I have been using camilia, the homeopathic medicine, on him, which has great results. I usually do not put faith in natural treatment, but I am definitely reconsidering usage of it.

Picked up my prescription at Safeway today for my injections. Knock on wood, they are working. I may be battling the start of another bladder infection, but otherwise, I have been feeling amazing. I do contribute part of this, of course, to healthier eating, walking, and nice weather. The weather definitely has played a huge part with my MS; mostly with my moods, which indirectly, but almost directly affect my MS. It is such a strange and frustrating disease. I have been doing alot of research, and there are various new treatments that have been approved, and that will be approved in the future. I definitely know that a healthy diet and exercise are definitely beneficial, as it is an auto-immune disease. A healthy lifestyle is also necessary when on the injections that I take. The major side effect of the injection is a reduced immune system; something that makes me a little worried, but I do my best to stay well. And ever since I have had Liam, it seems to have improved. My last MRI showed no change in a 4 year period, which is exceptional. It did show, however, that I have a herniated disc in my upper spine--not related to MS, but it does explain the issues I have on a regular basis with my back.

The way that I tend to look at it--everything happens for a reason. It has given me inner strength, helped me learn alot about myself and what I can do, and that this is a learning experience. It feels like a test, and lately, I have been definitely passing with flying colors. It has been a very rough road, with alot of detours and bumps, but I have made it... When they first diagnosed me, I was young, naive and devastated. I have grown as an individual greatly since then, and have gained such strength and knowledge through all of this. I have definitely had alot of support along the way, especially my parents. My mom can probably remember emergency room trips, watching me cry out in pain and feeling helpless, and being there every step of the way. It takes alot of understanding and emotional strength for someone to be around someone with MS. Thank you mom, dad, and Andy. Always grateful...

And back to now...I am exhausted. I have a to-do list a mile long, which I am avoiding for tonight. I am drained. I need to book Liam's 9-month check-up tomorrow, for sometime this week. I love our family doctor, I make her job very simple. If I have a problem, I go in, tell her what it is, what meds I need, and she confirms it. She is very thorough, definitely glad mom found her for me.

We are postponing Heritage Park until Andy's holidays in July. Are debating getting passes for there and the zoo, not too sure what we will do. Will definitely go walking tomorrow and hit a park for Liam--he's our little outdoor boy...

Mr. Bob headed back to Toronto today for his radiation treatments. My thoughts are with him through all of this.

Should run, this is turning into a novel! Cheers and good night!

It's Late And I Can't Sleep

Ordered my glasses today. Thank you Mommy! They will be ready in 2 weeks--yay! For my regular glasses, I got a pair of Ray-Bans--I can see why they are so popular, they are super comfy. And got a pair of sunglasses, all Jackie-O style... Can't wait for them to be ready. Again, thank you mom, for my early birthday present.

Grandma is taking us to Red Lobster for my birthday--seems to have become sort of a tradition. I love the food there, and especially with our diet, it will definitely be a well deserved treat. Yum-O!

Liam and I spent lots of time outside today. It wiped him out so much, that he didn't even fight going down tonight, thank goodness. Tomorrow, we're going to be outside first thing, to water the plants and have a nice morning walk. Andy's parents are coming in tomorrow--thank you for the sugar snap peas again! mmm... Maybe in the afternoon we will go to the park before we go to see my parents (am determined to clean out the car). Need to go to Safeway to pick up another round of my needles too.

Went to 2 yard sales today. Picked up a huge collage frame, and 2 small frames, as well as a copy of one of Diana Gabaldon's books--I absolutely adore her writing style. She does historical/time travel/romance type novels. Can't wait to get into it.

Our place definitely got warm today... mom and dad are going air conditioner shopping tomorrow--thank you! Our room is pretty cool, but I am still feeling it.

Andy is off tomorrow and Monday night, then back on Tuesday--his schedule got messed up a wee bit... sigh... Have to get to Sears this week too, to pick up the 2 shirts and pair of shorts that I ordered him for Father's Day. With all the weight he lost, I figured he needed something to compliment his "new figure". Way to go Andy!

With all that being said, should try to get some sleep... cheers!

Still awake...sigh

Liam has been stirring on and off for the past 20 minutes, so it is debateable whether I should go to bed or wait a few minutes more... hmm...

Am going to a big yard sale in our area tomorrow. They are supposed to have some really funky things and lots of baby gear, so will definitely have to check it out. See what I can find for Liam, maybe not toys, wouldn't want him to be spoiled or anything lol... Will look for you Emily as well, see if I can find anything... And hopefully we'll do the zoo before your little one comes and get together. We have way too much in common---lol... the babbling shall continue tomorrow!

My birthday is in 8 days! Will be doing dinner with Andy & Grandma, probably at Red Lobster--seems to be tradition.

Should head to bed, he seems to have settled for now... Cheers!

Untitled... I've got nothin' people

Liam is sleeping peacefully, was tricky to get him down, as his teeth are bugging him... He manages to turn on his aquariam while he sleeps, it's hilarious.

Didn't do alot today, other than a bit of grocery shopping. Went to visit mom and dad tonight, and Liam played outside quite a bit today.

We're planning a trip to Heritage Park on Monday, hopefully. It'll be good to get out for the day, and take Liam on the train and the boat. I'm sure he'll like it, as it's outdoors. Definitely have to get a few sausage rolls, not diet friendly, but the only time we get them is there... So good with mustard... *wipes pool of drool off of keyboard*

Emily and Chris, just remember, the baby will come when it is ready. Chris, don't stress! We're here for you! And our cats look identical--too creepy!

And Mr. Bob--I'll be thinking of you. Here's to a speedy recovery--there will be huckleberry treats when you get back! Much love to you and Mrs. Bob... xoxo

Should run and finish laundry. Until next time all...Cheers!

My tongue is naked

It is official. My tongue is no longer adorned with jewellery. And it is numb and tingly without it. I will admit, it has ruined the back of my teeth, and the labret (lower lip stud), which I removed over a month ago, has left scar tissue on the inside of my lip, ruined the front of my teeth, and caused my lower gum line to recede. I will not admit that anyone was right, but, alot of damage has been done by both. I have a dental visit in July, so will have to see what can or cannot be fixed. My teeth have become very thin too...

Did my injection last night, no problem. Wasn't achy today, just had a wicked headache. Every shot, it gets better, and they are working!

Went with Liam and saw Grandma, Mom & Dad tonight. He's found his streak of independence, and uses it at any chance he can get. He prefers to have his own seat, instead of sitting on a lap. It has all started since we have been putting him in the playpen with his toys. Our little boy is growing up. We think he is working on some more bottom teeth, hard to tell, as he seems to get lock jaw when we go to look in his mouth.

Thought I would do a quick update, need to go make bottles, and flip through the flyers, see if there is anything interesting on sale. I'll admit it, I'm a sales flyer junkie! Cheers and good night!

I'm not blind

Went to the eye doctor today for a new prescription. My vision and astigmatism in my right eye is worse, but my eyes are healthy, which is good. Am going glasses shopping on Saturday with Mom and Liam, something I have needed to do for quite awhile. Should be fun, new glasses and sunglasses--going to look for a bigger pair of sunglasses that are a dark tint.

Liam had a great sleep last night, to the point of, we almost missed my appointment this morning, as he overslept... He needed it! He is down for his second nap right now; he plays so hard during the day, and wears himself right out.

Made yummy bbq pulled beef in the slow-cooker tonight. Yum-O! Put pepsi in the sauce, along with a ton of other things. Had coleslaw and homefries with it, and a salad. Very tasty!

Should run, need to get dinner stuff put away and dishes soaking. Plus, he's starting to stir... Cheers!

Lions, Tiggers, and Bears--Oh My!

The hippo's were enjoying the sunshine too!
What a gorgeous day! We spent over 3 hours today at the zoo... Our zoo trip started off a little rough, as my new 4 gig memory card for my camera didn't work, so Andy left the zoo, drove home, and got my old one. Then came back and used another pass to get in. It was insanely busy there, as apparently on Tuesdays, admission is half price. Add in various school field trips, and it gets very hectic. We had a blast though! Liam had a nap when we first got there, but then woke up, we had lunch, then wandered. He was sooo incredibly different with his reactions to the animals this go-round. He especially loves the monkeys and the fish, and giggles when he sees them. And the weather was beautiful... except I look like a lobster now... sigh... We bought Liam an adorable hat too! It's a camoflauge bucket hat with the Calgary Zoo logo on the front. He looked like such a little man!

We bbq'd tonight for dinner... I made yummy italian burgers, with lean ground beef, fresh cilantro, basil and oregano, pasta sauce, onions, mushrooms, garlic, bread crumbs and egg. We bbq'd them, melted mozza on em, and topped them with garlicky mayo and pasta sauce. Sooooo good, oh my! Yum-O!

Going to do a bit of shopping tonight, once Liam gets up from his nap--we wore the poor little guy out. Need to return that memory card to Future Shop and get our money back, then find a new one that will work on my camera...

Shall run... Until next time, Cheers and enjoy the summery weather!

The Skinny Girl Wants Out!

Today was weigh-in day, and we continued on our way! Andy lost 7.5 pounds, so is now down by 59.8 pounds! Way to go Andy! He amazes me! I lost 0.8 pounds this weigh-in, bringing me to a total loss of 24.6 pounds! I really enjoy the program and the clinic--they are amazingly supportive, and makes it easy to follow. Plus I love to cook, so that definitely helps Andy out--I try to be as creative as possible.

We also went to 2 garden centres today--bought another S-hook to hang the planter basket that Grandma bought us, and a walla-walla onion starter plant, which went in the dirt patch next to my flower garden. All of our plants are in and the garden is decorated and finished. I will definitely take pictures tomorrow and post them on my next entry. I say that now, but we shall see...

Will have lots of pics to post tomorrow, as we are going to the zoo! I can't wait, it'll be great to be outside, and show Liam all the "aminals" and plants...

Liam went for a huge walk with my parents tonight, which tired him out. He went down really easily, which is great...gives me time to get things done. Managed to get some cleaning done today, including the upstairs bathroom, and got rid of all the garbage. I made healthy cookies tonight, which are full of protein and fiber--a good thing to pack for the zoo with apples. Yum-O!

Other than that, Liam is still working away on his teeth. It seems like his fingers are permanently stuck in his mouth...

I should run, need to get the laundry in the dryer, and get Liam's things ready for tomorrow... Cheers!

Happy Father's Day!

Hope all the dads out there had a great father's day! I know I definitely enjoyed it! Got up this morning with Liam, and gave Andy his sappy cards and presents, and he loved them! Then went with Liam to my parents place to see Dad, and he really liked his light house that we got him. And we're glad you liked the hot sauce and BBQ stuff Dad! Got to see Kathy and Darren (my cousins) and their 2 girls. They're so adorable; Kathy: I'm sure she'll forget that she was lost at the zoo... no long term therapy any way! We will definitely come and see you when Liam is ready for a weekend away. And thank you Aislin, for spinning the windmill non-stop for Liam--you sure had him laughing.

Went to the garden centres to get a few more things--I over bought on plants, of course. Visited with Andy's parents this afternoon--I think they just came to watch tv. Just kidding! Gave his dad, his pressies--let me know how Ferrari smells Mr. H!

All in all, it was a busy day. Managed to get most of my plants in, fertilized and watered them, weeded the beds, and decorated with Andy's new turtle ornament--thanks again Mom. And the 2 bamboo windchimes are amazing! Dad came and did the lawn, and put in wood chips along the walkway--it's looking great--pics are still to follow of course, once it is totally finished. Thank you Mom, for the irises and lilies, can't wait until they come out! Poor Liam played so hard when they were here tonight, that he fell asleep at 7:15, got up at 9:45, then was back asleep on Andy a few minutes later on the couch. Took him downstairs, gave him a bottle and he's been out ever since. His poor little teeth are bugging him, we think he's working on his top ones... sigh...

Should run though, I'm exhausted... OH! Pork roast is excellent when slow cooked and smoked on the BBQ. Sorry about the scalloped taters Andy---should have cooked em longer... Tomorrow is weigh-in day, will update tomorrow. Until then, Cheers!

Father's Day Shopping Is Done...

It's been a busy day today. Did our big Wal-Mart trip today, Andy got his hair cut (looks great!), finished off card and gift shopping for Father's Day--now have to sign and wrap everything--sigh... Did a bit of grocery shopping today, have a bit more to do tomorrow. Fun stuff! Got Liam a couple of new toys to add to his growing collection too. Also got reprints done of all of his portraits, and tons of prints from the camera of him. Even framed all the 5X7's, just need to get them hung up.

Went last night and got him a talking Elmo playset that he can use standing up--we're not quite there yet, but close! And also a V-Tech walker, that has a steering wheel, lots of lights and music. He seems interested in both, so we shall see. Also went to the garden centre, so Liam was in heaven with that.

My cousins, Kathy and Darren are in town this weekend, so will definitely have to make plans to get together--haven't seen them in ages! And we're planning on a visit with my other cousin and her new baby, probably on Monday or Tuesday afternoon, whenever works for her. Ty is such an adorable little man, and his big sis seems to enjoy her new role!

Will try to do a trip downtown on Sunday hopefully; need to get another family pic in the gardens! Need to hit superstore tomorrow to finish our shopping, nothing too exciting.

Liam is still stuffed up, and he got pretty tired today. Hopefully he sleeps good again tonight, I know I'm feeling pretty wiped, but my cold seems to be easing up a bit, which is a good thing.

Should run, will try to get a few things done before I go to bed. Cheers! And Manda, we need to get together, could try to do the zoo or something... Let me know girlie!

He's A Little Trooper...

So Liam is still battling his cold, poor little guy. He was a trooper today, and was running on 1 nap--which was only 45 minutes. Tonight is the first night in a long time that he has stayed down for longer than 20 minutes. He stirred a few times, but nothing major. Meaning mommy got alot of stuff done... My last load of laundry is in the wash, the livingroom is vacuumed and half cleaned/organized, dishes are all done, bottles are made, litterboxes are cleaned, and the counters and stoves have been done. Not to mention half the garbage has been taken out; it started to rain before my second run, so I gave up.

We spent most of the day with Mom today, went to the mall and had lunch, and played. Got Andy's father's day present ordered, sadly it won't arrive until June 25th, but nonetheless. It was a last minute discovery, and I know he'll love it! I still have a couple of things to finish up for his big day, but I'm close!

Not sure what we'll do tomorrow, would like to stay in, try to get us over our colds. If the weather is decent, maybe try for a walk. And Andy is off for 6 days now, so we will definitely try to make it to the zoo, or something...

Have to do my shot after this, then try to get some sleep. My nose is driving me nuts, it keeps itching and burning, so it's not the easiest to sleep... sigh...

Well, I'm off... Cheers all!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Happy Birthday Mom! Hope we made the rainy day a little brighter for you!

Liam and I spent the day with mom today, to celebrate her birthday. I even baked her a cake--low fat, low cal carrot cake--will have to write down the recipe finally. I'm glad she enjoyed it, it was amazing, not to toot my own horn! And we're glad she liked her pressies---she's easy to shop for, anything I like, she likes!

Liam has come down with a wicked cold, the poor little guy. And he's working on more teeth, so he's been definitely out of sorts. Thank you to Rod though, for the suggestion of the homeopathic teething meds, they work like a charm. I can hear him through the monitor, slightly resembles Darth Vader. And he has now turned on his aquarium, so it is going now, dang it... Hopefully he will sleep through it... sigh...

Managed to have a nice long nap this afternoon---thank you mommy! I'm just starting to get the cold, so hopefully it won't amount to much. Really zaps your appetite. Arg...

We are going to try and get out tomorrow if Liam is feeling a little better, and if the weather isn't so crappy. Probably hit the garden center or something.

Got to see my pictures of my cousin Jennifer's new baby. Ty is absolutely gorgeous Jen, such a little man! We will definitely come to visit when we are all over our colds---that would be the last thing you need!

Am going father's day shopping on Friday, should be fun...

Should run, my nose is running, and I seriously can't keep up with it. Cheers!

I am glad I am not Kate...

I feel true sympathy for Kate of Jon & Kate Plus 8. If you have ever watched the popular series, you will understand. The show is highly addictive, probably due to viewers curiosity and feeling blessed. Jon and Kate have 8 children, 1 set of twins and 1 set of sextuplets. The twins are 7 years old, and the sextuplets are 4 years old. Enough said. There is a simple reason as to why I am writing about them, and that, in some ways, I am glad I am not Kate. I shall explain....

It is another rough night with Liam. I am listening to him stir and settle over and over again. My comfy rocking chair needs to be properly cleaned tomorrow, as does my floor. And my laundry load has grown. He had finally gone down at about 10:15, but was crying and awake every 15-20 minutes. Note to everyone: I do not need a gym. I am up and down the stairs 10-20 times in a night minimum. There was various reasons as to his awakenings; he had gone the wrong way in his crib and bumped his head, his soother was under his head, his soother was under his ear, the soother was in his hand (haven't quite figured out what his problem was with that, other than it not being in his mouth). He peed on me... not just a little, I was soaked and so was he, then he cried and cried. Then after midnight, I tried and tried to calm him down, and nothing was working. Then the back arched, he screamed, and out it all came. My chair, me, him, the floor. Truly, my aim is getting better. I have learned to at least aim him away from our beds. So, nonetheless, got him settled down again after cleaning up, and I am back upstairs. I'm tired, I can still smell baby puke, and Jon and Kate is on... very soothing actually.

Kate definitely proves that the impossible can be possible. She is a full time stay at home mom, with 8 children. I stay at home with one. Yes my days, correct that, my nights may be horrible at times, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am thankful for having him in my life more and more every day. He is full of surprises, and throws huge curveballs, but I am up for the challenge. Plus, I can't complain too much, for awhile there, he slept through the night for sooooo many nights... I am hoping this is teething, but could it also be that he had beef again today? He seems to have an aversion to cows apparently, maybe we'll just stick to chicken... might be safer, and alot less messy...

On a happier note... We went to my parents neighbours kids birthday party. It was a great party, and Liam enjoyed being around the other children. And the weather held out for it. I can't wait to do Liam's birthday party weekend, it should be a blast! And my creative/big kid side can run wild!

Tomorrow, I am going to try to get more cleaning and organizing done. I'm falling behind, mostly due to exhaustion. Thank goodness for coffee. Will try and get Liam out tomorrow for some fresh air, maybe hit a garden centre or something. I know in the evening, that we will be going out with my parents, probably for a mall walk.

Enough babble, it's bedtime for me, I hope. Cheers!

Rain rain go away...

So with all this rain, Liam hasn't been able to enjoy the great outdoors, leading to lack of sleep. Don't get me wrong, he had a couple naps today, but nothing like he would if he had been playing outdoors. The fresh air exhausts him, which is good, as he definitely sleeps alot better. It was a fight to get him down tonight, but finally he exhausted himself trying to fight sleep off... Poor little guy!

Can't really report anything exciting today...didn't really do alot, other than a run to Wal-Mart and Safeway. Ordered a copy of the Biggest Loser Cookbook from the Chapters website. The author has also written 2 other cookbooks, and she has created some amazing recipes. Her first book, Fast Food Fix, has recipe makeovers for tons of favorite fast food items. Definitely worth a peek if anyone is interested.

Well Liam has already been up once, so we shall see how the night goes, as it is close to midnight now. I should possibly go get a few things done before I head to bed, need to make bottles and do a little tidying up. And we have a birthday party to go to for my parents neighbours kids. Should be fun, maybe the rain will go away... sigh...

Until next time, Cheers!


Liam was being cuddly today...and a baby in a sleeper is still the sweetest thing ever!

What a night...

So either Liam is preparing for another tooth, or something was not in agreement with his tummy tonight. Nonetheless, bedtime went from 10pm to midnight, he threw up heavily twice, and then wanted to play. He's sleeping now, probably not for long, as what should be in his stomach is on my floor, my sheets, and himself. Poor little guy... I'm hoping it's just another tooth, or it was too many solids today, or not enough formula tonight, or well, I don't know... I finally managed to eat dinner at 12:15am... homemade lasagna... yum-o!

But the earlier part of the evening was great. Went to visit Mr. & Mrs. Bob, as Liam and I hadn't seen them in over a month. I have been sooo worried about them, and with them being in Toronto for his treatments, I have felt helpless. So, tonight I made them a baked pasta for their dinner tomorrow night with caesar salad. We had a great visit, and got caught up on everything. We will definitely try to do a few more visits with them before they have to head back for more treatments. He is such a strong man, I know everything will be okay. He will definitely be in our thoughts!

Not sure what we are up to tomorrow... All depends on the weather, I guess. Should try to head to bed, I have alot more laundry to do tomorrow.... sigh...Until next time, Cheers!

P.S. Thank you mom and dad for the mattress protector for my bed... definitely worth every penny!

Quickie

Thank you Mr. & Mrs. H for the huge bag of sugar snap peas--it made my day! Yes, this sounds strange, but when I get hooked on a vegetable, look out. I get excited over vegetables... and it is 2 pounds of peas! Yum-O! And we went through half of the huge bag of broccoli that they gave us tonight...

Got my beautiful pale yellow peony planted tonight. Watered all the flowers and baskets, did some tidying up. Still have to plant my snapdragons, million bells, dusty miller (that decorative silver stuff), mini carnations and a huge double white impatien. It will look gorgeous when everything is done. Our bleeding heart clipping from mom looks a little wilty, but with some TLC it should bounce back. Will definitely post pictures on here.

And Liam's 2nd tooth popped through, so he is definitely a happier little boy. He has been outside alot today, which he loves! Have to figure out something to keep him busy tomorrow, should be able to figure out something.

Will hopefully get to see Mr. & Mrs. Bob over the next few days, and bring him the treats mom and dad brought him back from the states...

While Liam is napping, I should try to accomplish something. On load 1 of 5 of our laundry, Andy got the kitchen and most of the dishes done, and I should try to tackle the shelves for the entertainment center so we can get our movies and games put away. So, on that note, I'm off and running to tackle it all... cheers!

Slightly easier than Ikea... I said "slightly"

So, the entertainment unit is finally assembled. Unfortunately, I will not take full credit for it, as Andy did ALOT of the work... We stayed up until 2:30am last night, and went back at it this morning. The tv is set up and absolutely gorgeous. We still need to put the storage shelves in, and organize our movies and games, but it is mostly done... And tonight to take out all the packaging... But it is up and still standing... thank you Sauder brand stuff... wow...

Liam had a rough day yesterday; sleep was not on his agenda, and he is a little boy that needs his sleep. He was okay by the afternoon, and decided to expell the contents of his stomach before bed last night on mommy, himself, mommy's chair and her blanket. So, we have learned that beef baby food is not something that agrees with him... why do they put spices and lemon juice into something designed as a starter food? Take beef, and add that to squash, yellow wax beans and tomato paste onto his list of "upset tummy foods". And he still hasn't taken to fruit, except pears when mixed with his veggies... sigh... His cuteness helps him get away with it though, as you can tell below...

Such a sweetheart!

Other than that, did my MS injection last night, this being the third week, and the side effects are definitely less each time. And it seems to be starting to work, so we shall see as time goes on.

Am hopefully going to finish putting my plants in the front garden over Andy's days off, and get some other yardwork done. Also have what seems like a million loads of laundry to do... okay, I am over exaggerating, there are 5-6 loads. Sigh.

Was hoping to BBQ tonight, but the wind is picking up, and the rain is starting... we will wait and see... Otherwise, I will use my handy dandy grill pan indoors to grill my drumsticks and do my potato packets in the oven... Hopefully it clears up. I can't resist BBQ!

Until next time my faithful readers... Cheers! And Mr. & Mrs. Bob, I am soooo glad you are home! I have missed you, and felt very helpless not being able to be there for you guys! *muah* Will definitely visit soon!

The skinny on our weigh-in

Went to our bi-weekly weigh in today! I lost 4.6 pounds, for a total of 23 ish pounds, and Andy is down by 6.5 pounds, for a total of 52 pounds. He is doing so amazingly well---thank goodness I love to cook! I have been coming up with some creative dinners for us--like turkey stuffin' muffins--soooo good! And we love the Eat, Shrink & Be Merry Ladies-- we tend to revamp their recipes to make them even healthier! And thank you to everyone for your support--it definitely gives us the boost we need!

Liam is battling with his 2nd tooth on the front bottom. There is a tiny bit poking through, but it's still working its way in. He doesn't seem too affected by it, it affects his sleep a bit, but other than that, he's a happy boy! He is still refusing to crawl, but we figure he'll probably skip crawling and just start walking! He's such an active little boy!

Picked up his portraits today-they are gorgeous! Such a handsome little boy, who is growing sooo incredibly fast! Also bought our entertainment center for our TV (thank you Mr. & Mrs. H, and mom and dad for hauling it all in)- it will definitely free up some much needed space here!

Not sure what we will do tomorrow, Andy is going TV shopping with his parents in the afternoon, and then we have to assemble the entertainment unit tomorrow night...ahh, the fun...at least it's not Ikea product, so we can actually understand the instructions...

Should get running though... the pictures below are the portraits that Liam had done... sorry about the flash spots on them... I did them the cheater way, and just took pictures of them.

Cheers and enjoy!

First Post....Early Bedtime Tonight

I figured a general blog was in the cards for me. I have one started just for Liam, but I found it hard to write on there. So, this blog will cover everything... well, almost everything... anything that I can possibly come up with, while Liam dreams sweet dreams. After the bottles are made, the messes are tidied, my emails are caught up, and phone calls are made, I will try to sit down and blog as much as possible. It may not be exciting, it may not leave anyone completely riveted, but it is what it is. So here goes... the start to something...

Andy is at work tonight, and Liam went down over an hour early tonight, as he didn't have his usual evening nap. For an 8 month old that is teething like crazy, he is amazingly and surprisingly happy. My parents came over tonight to give me a bit of a break, I needed to tackle the ten-plus baskets of clean laundry and at least try to make some sense of them. Got a few baskets put away, and surprisingly got alot done. Thanks mom and dad, it's always appreciated.

Took Liam to his favorite place today--the garden centre. He gets so excited and almost hysterical when he sees trees and plants. It's absolutely adorable. Ended up picking up a few more plants for the front flower garden that I started. Will definitely post some pictures on here to show off my increasingly green thumb. I absolutely love gardening, gives me a release. Am planning on adding some more to our front, not quite sure of the exact plans...

Tomorrow we are off to pick up the portraits we had done of Liam. I can't wait--he photographs so beautifully and has such an adorable smile. Also need to look at TV benches for the new TV we are getting, kind of glad the other one died. It put in its time, that's for sure. The new one will definitely save on space.

And tomorrow is also weigh-in day. So far, I am down by 19.2 pounds (63 total, if you count my weight loss after having Liam) and Andy is down by 45.5 pounds. I am so proud of him, and will stand behind him through this whole process. And it gives me the opportunity to cook up a storm and test out all of my creations on him. I am so glad, Mom, that you referred us there, it has turned into a huge success---pardon the pun. Only downfall is, I'm running out of clothes that fit--so much fun when your pants fall down...

Am looking forward to when Mr. & Mrs. Bob come home. I have been so worried and concerned for them, and have felt completely helpless not being able to do anything. You guys are always in my thoughts! *muah*

This has turned into a babble session, so I shall end it here... take care all!