Avery - 5 Weeks

I heard that mommy knows how to bake these and they are very tasty......

Awww......couldn't quite reach it. Maybe next year!

Bailey 2001 - 2012

We will miss you sweet girl.....forever in our hearts

Happy Belated Birthday Claire Bear

Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 - Movie Launch Party

The table was a hit with the girls with lots of Twilight movie memorabilia

A few days after we celebrated with family - dinner out, a few presents and some yummy cake

It was a bit of a challenge.........offering to host a Twilight Breaking Dawn Movie Launch Party (with a sleepover ) for 4 girls.......only 3 days after giving birth to Avery.  I think in hind sight though it was probably a good idea as I was running on adrenaline and excited from the delivery.  The party was actually really fun to organize.  I included lots of colours from the movie in red/black/and white.  The table was decorated with chess pieces, white roses, treat bags filled with red/black candy, little white lights (that also served as a good night light for the girls sleeping on the livingroom floor) and yummy food.
Even though I missed seeing the actual movie (thanks Adam for taking the girls) they seemed excited when they returned!  Make your own sundaes, twilight cupcakes, and charm bracelet making rounded out the evening before the girls collapsed with "teen" magazines onto the air mattresses for some late night giggles and fun.
Happy Birthday Claire!  I can't believe my little girl is 9!!  You are the BEST and we love you very very much.

The BEST big sister

Claire and Avery spending a little "sister" time together

Avery Lynn Sit November 12, 2012

Born November 12, 2012  7lbs 10 oz  Southlake Regional Health Centre

2 Days Old ~ Settling in nicely at home

So cute!

4 Days Old

6 Days Old

I thought I'd start off with the pictures because that's what everyone really wants to see anyways. :)  I'm a little late with posting the arrival of Avery, not because it was a difficult or tiring birth.  Quite the opposite, labour and delivery was easy, peaceful and a wonderful end to my baby making years. I'm late with posting because I'm finding it very hard to not spend my every waking moment just holding her, looking into her eyes, and stroking that sweet head of brown hair.  She is truly the most amazing little baby...hahaha....I'm sure every new mom says that!  I'm not sure if it's because she is my 4th, or if it's because I am older and have a different perspective or because I know that it's the last time I'll ever snuggle one of children when they are this little.  Either way, I'm enjoying every single second I get to spend with her....yes, even the middle of the night ones!  I just know that they grow up so fast and before you know it she'll be asking for the keys to the car!
Avery has settled perfectly into the family, is loved to death by all members (even the biggest one who declared that he "loves her sooo much.").  We have shown her off to family and friends and tomorrow she will officially start preschool as I head back to work.  It's not an easy transition tomorrow either as I'm looking at a 12 hour day.  But, somehow I know we'll get through it.....hopefully with our senses of humour in tact.
So stayed tuned........I promise I'll do better with the updates.  We celebrated Claire's 9th birthday on Friday night with a "Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2" Party and Sleepover.  I'll be posting those pics very soon!
Now excuse me.....I'm off to snuggle a little someone.

Some Belated Pictures While We Wait

An afternoon at the pumpkin patch

The colours, the air, the view......all breathtaking!

Even the kids were feeling the mood and happy to cooperate

Just loving the colour!!

And we managed to find a couple of contenders for Halloween!

Speaking of Halloween............I must confess that I've been horrible this season.  Fall is usually my favourite time of year for taking photos of the kids.  Thanksgiving flew by and not one picture to document the day.  Halloween snuck up on me and NOTHING!  Claire looked so beautiful in her Renaissance dress..........and I have not one picture to show for it.  It really does make me feel sad, or maybe just inadequate, or overwhelmed.  Not sure the right word!
There is so much going on right now with the birth of Avery just a few days away (more on that in a minute), the adoption which is surprisingly moving forward, albeit slowly, but still forward, renovations that are not going to be done before the baby joins us (so not ideal!) and the challenges of raising the three we have.  Throw into the mix that Adam essentially works 2 full-time jobs, I have been working 11 hours a day up until yesterday, juggling almost daily doctors appointments and trying to clean before my parents arrive to help while I'm in the hospital.  Everyone says I'm "Super-Woman" and it's true that some days I feel like that.  Then there are those other days (like this morning) when I lose my cool with a daughter that wants to wear short leggings under her skirt when it's -4 degrees, a little boy who simply refuses to go to school and is throwing a tantrum akin to a 2 year old and a teenage son that is testing his parents in areas I never thought I'd have to worry about.  It's these days that I just collapse, wonder what the heck where we thinking?  Doubt manages to creep in as I worry about how I will juggle another "little life" amidst all we have going on.  Just the additional money I need to put into the children's RESP every month has me concerned.  But somehow, I know we will manage.  Why?  Because we always do!  Some months may be tighter than others, we may have to say "no" a bit more often than we used to and the Christmas list will need to be scaled back a bit this year too.  But in the end, family trumps all of the materialistic junk we THINK we need.  In fact I would go further to say that the more you say no to your children, the harder things become, can only lead to a closer bond with our kids.  Kids don't need us to be their best friend.........they need us to parent them..........lead them...........and help them mature into adults that are productive, moral and responsible in the world.  And in that regard, I think Adam and I are on the right track.  There may be a few bumps in the track but together it's our adventure!

Now, for those of you waiting eagerly for some Baby Avery pics; you won't have to wait much longer!  Originally I was scheduled to be induced yesterday........but..........the doctor convinced me to bake her a few more days as all looks well and she is tolerating staying in a bit longer.  My new scheduled induction date is Sunday night.  I'll be at the hospital for 7pm where the doctor will assess me.  If I require Cervadil, to soften the cervix, I will be admitted and staying overnight.  If I've progressed on my own then I will be released and return early Monday morning to begin with the Pitocin and the induction.  So it looks like Monday November 12th will be Avery's birthday!  Stay tuned and I'll update the blog when we are home from the hospital.  Thanks to all my friends who have been keeping tabs on me, calling, emailing etc.  You definitely help the wait to go faster. :)

Welcome October

No cute pics in this post today.  More than anything I just wanted to document the last few weeks leading up to the arrival of Baby Avery.  I know that someday I'll look back and this special time will all be a blur as life is busy now and I can only imagine will become busier.
I'd be lying if I said the last few weeks have been a breeze.  There has been issues with the rate at which blood flows through the umbilical cord, bringing nutrients to the baby and removing waste.  The concern resulted in ultraounds and non-stress tests every 48 hours for just over 2 weeks.  There was some "talk" of bedrest or early delivery.  Thankfully, the situation seemed to correct itself and my OB has given me the "all clear" and says the umbilical cord has now become a non-issue for concern.  I still can't help but feeling like this little monkey may arrive ahead of schedule though. This is strange because my other 3 all had to be induced because they found it a bit too comfy in there!  I guess it'll be interesting to see if my mommy-intuition is correct!
The up-side of having a multitude of ultrasounds is that I already feel so connected to Baby A.  I've seen her suck her fingers, play with the umbilical cord, and try to insert two fists into her mouth at once....lol.  I've seen her toes and fingers wiggle and her little legs kick.  Not many moms get so many opportunities to watch over their little one during pregnancy and for that I feel grateful.
Baby "A's" nursery is almost complete and I will post some pics once the final few details are added.  Oddly enough it's some of the practical things I'm missing.   Diapers, wipes, cream top the list of things we still need.  I had no idea that the cost of diapers was so high.....alot has changed in the 7 years since I last went diaper shopping.   And while, Avery's bag is packed for the hospital I still have not packed mine or even shopped for nursing bras and the other less-glamerous items one needs to give birth. :)  I just hope we can pull off everything before she arrives.  We are just beginning to realize the financial magnitude of adding a 4th child to the family.  Added to the fact, that we had given away EVERYTHING but the crib and are essentially starting over from scratch.  I am thankful though that I am a much wiser mama this time around and realize that I only a 1/10 of what I thought I needed when I had Alec almost 16 years ago.  It's true that with age does come wisdom!
So today I am beginning week 34 of this journey and although it's getting harder to juggle sleepness night, leg cramps, and heart burn while running my business and managing to be super-mom to my other 3 kids I wouldn't trade this experience for the world.
See you in 6 short weeks my little jelly bean!

It Always Starts Like This......

"Mom, can I just put my fingers in the water?"

"Mom, can I just pull up my leggings and go in a little bit?"

"Mom, my leggings got wet, Can I just take off my skirt and sweater and jump off the dock?"

And just in case you think Evan was an innoccent by-stander.....he wasn't!  I just wasn't quick enough to take the pictures!  It didn't matter to them that it was a chilly day in mid-September. It didn't matter to them that no one else seemed to be swimming and the beach was basically empty. And it certainly didn't matter to them that we didn't have bathingsuits or towels.....apparently Daddy's coat works as a towel just fine!!

 

A Much Needed Mini Getaway

We had booked this vacation weekend to Great Wolf Lodge several months ago. We were actually scheduled to go the last weekend before school started when we all (our family plus the daycare) came down with a horrible 12 hour stomach bug.  I won't get into the details but lets just say it was not pleasant in the least!

In hind sight it was actually a great decision that we postponed the trip.  The hotel was much quieter than usual and the weather was still warm enough that the kids were able to swim in the outdoor pool and enjoy a few rounds of mini golf.

I enjoyed the lounge chair by the pool, a great book, and glimpsing the smiles of my children as they headed off for the next activity.

Enjoy the pics.............

Daddy and Evan on the Lazy River

Claire just finished racing her friend down the slide!

Friends (and some new stuffies)

Wolf girl Claire!

Evan takes his mini golf very seriously

Claire....not so serious :)

First Day of School

The dreary weather didn't deter me from trying to capture the kids "first day of school" photos.  Everyone, even the oldest who normally isn't too thrilled about rising this early, seemed excited.  Claire and Evan's school which is normally a Kindergarten to Grade 3  has been changed to a Kindergarten to Grade 8 school while the new school (that is scheduled to open September 2013) is being built.  It was a tad chaotic there this morning as the student population had more than tripled and everyone tried to figure out where they were going.  Thankfully Claire was able to take Evan into the school (as the front entrance was completely jamed and there was no way I could fit in with the daycare kids and a stroller), find his classroom and make sure he was settled.  Such a fantastic help for this mama!!!
Enjoy the pics.......................

All ready for Grade 11

A little Brother/Sister love

Lookin' beautiful and excited to see her friends

First one up at the crack of dawn and ready to go!

Level 2......Take 2

Back for another try at Level 2 - and very determined!!

Deep water!

Fearless this time.....must've been from his experience cliff jumping at Grandma's this summer

Got the back float mastered this time around too

I have a VERY good feeling that Evan will be earning his Level 2 badge this time.  Way to go Evan!!  You are working so hard.....and it shows!!

Pregnancy Update

Well, I had my last appointment with my family doctor yesterday.  On the 16th of the month I'll be switching over to an OBGYN who is in Newmarket, which should make life a little more convenient.  I showed my mysterious itchy foot (and sometimes entire leg) rash to my doctor who didn't feel too concerned that it was anything more than a pregnancy related rash (quite possibly PUPP).  There is a more serious condition where a rash can be a result of the mothers liver not functioning 100% and not removing her bile and the babies bile efficiently enough.  This is quite a serious condition with some pretty scary consequences if left undetected.  But, she didn't feel like I needed to be concerned so I will follow up with my new doctor just to put my mind at ease.

I did find out though that at the moment I have Partial Placenta Previa.....which is a condition that results in the cervix being partially blocked by the placenta making natural delivery not an option.  There is also an increased risk of hemmoraging and premature birth.  In many cases the issue will resolve itself as the uterus expands and pushes the placenta out of the way.  It does mean that I'll be going back in for additional ultrasounds to closely monitor the situation.  Many women are placed on pelvic rest and quite often complete bed rest once they are diagnosed.  My doctor didn't mention anything specifically but I think I'll take it easy for the next few weeks until a full diagnosis comes in.  Don't want to do anything to risk the health of my little jelly bean!!
So aside from that drama I actually feel pretty good.........actually better than I figured I would when we first embarked on this adventure.  I'm having fun shopping for little Avery and creating a cozy nest for her to come home to!!  We can't wait!!!

On a slightly different note, we received our Ontario Social Services Homestudy Update a few days ago.  Basically it means we are approved to stay in the "adoption line" for China for 2 more years. 

I can't imagine how much grey hair I'll have by then.....lol

Just Some Sentences..........And Alot of Pictures

I totally realized that I'm doing a rotten job keeping my blog updated this summer.  In my defense it could have something to do with being a 6 month pregnant mama with 3 other kids to care for.......or maybe I'm just lazy. You choose.............

Everything is going well with the pregnancy, although I think I may have developed a pregnancy rash called PUPP.  For the last 3 days I've had an intensely itchy red rash that began on my feet and ankles but is quickly spreading. Last night I had itchy red spots all the way up past my knees.  I've been googling (since my next doctors appointment is not until August 1st) and it is definitely not poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac....and since we have really not been anywhere where I could've contracted either of those I am ruling them from the equation.  I'm hoping to get some confirmation once I speak to my OB GYN...........and hopefully some relief!

Aside from that the pregnancy has been relatively uneventful.  Baby Avery is a busy little girl...........loves to wake up around 3 pm and kick me until 3 am..............hmmmm.............gonna have to work on changing THAT schedule after she arrives.

In other news..........a certain little guy turned 7 on July 16th.  My parents treated us to a wonderful "Pirate Boat Cruise" on the Wennonah 2...........a steamship that cruises Lake Muskoka.  It was a total hit with the kids!!  So much fun!!  Evan also enjoyed a few birthday gifts as well as an "Angry Bird Arcade Birthday Party" with his friends a couple of weeks earlier.  The cake was awesome and Evan was super excited to play video games with all his best buddies!

Getting ready to cruise on the Wennonah 2

Waiting for the pirate fun to begin......totally gonna dress up next time!!

Pirate Captain Corbin!

At one point the ship is boarded by pirates riding jet skies........a mighty battles ensues and the intruders are tossed over the side of the ship............Evan's favourite part of the show!

Local tourists get into the action.....all I could think was that they have too much money and too much time on their hands.....lol

Another group of Pirate Tourists following the ship

This was the view of the boats that followed us on the cruise....wow

Taking in all the excitement!

Meeting Captain Corbin!

A birthday is never complete without a few presents!

Evan's Angry Bird cake from his "school" party with his friends a few weeks ago. Cute, eh?

Meet Avery Lynn Sit

WE THINK SHE IS PRETTY CUTE ALREADY!!!

Oh yes, it was.............

The ultimate Grade 3 class party ......aka: Claire's Backyard Bash

Where the kids bounced....ate popsicles....and hamburgers....hung out with their teachers this year

And embraced their "sillies"

It was so much fun!!  The weather couldn't have been better....if anything it was a tad too warm.  We kept everyone cool by occassional "mistings" compliments of the water hose!!  By the end of the night the girls were wet, happy, stuffed with yummy food (thanks for taking over the grill Adam!), and ready to kick of summer vacation!!

Today marks the first day of summer holidays and while I'll still be running a daycare summer camp over the summer we plan to still fir in lots of fun, swimming, picnics and outings.....in fact we are off to the park for a picnic right now.............BYE!

IT'S A....................

                                   GIRL!!!!!!!

We had a fantastic ultrasound tonight.  Baby looked great and the technician was very sweet and showed the kids her heart, stomach, brain, little fingers and toes.  The whole time Claire kept asking....."is it a girl?"  The tech kept everyone in suspense though until the very end when she "showed" us very definite girlie parts.  So it's another for the pink team...............and we couldn't be happier.  
We can't wait to meet you Avery Lynn Sit 

Oastler Lake 2012

With the car packed to the roof tops, and kids loaded in (and dog) we headed 1.5 hours north to Oastler Lake Provincial Park for a weekend of camping where we:

Perfected the perfect belly flop

Caught a few fish

Climbed a 10 story fire tower....while mommy took pictures

Overcame a fear of jumping into the lake

Enjoyed nature....made friends with a chipmunk....and had a close encounter with a racoon

And asked many times when we can come back again.......................