Category Archives: Parenting

Boys, Jesus Christ, Parenting

Be Up All Night (Almost)

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I am at a loss for words as I sit and write this.  I will let me emails to Sexy Neck (my husband) take you through last night.  He was away on work, but my emails to him helped me stay in the moment.  I have never had a night like this with my boys. Enjoy the ride.  Off to nap.

Strap yourselves in, here we go:

 

Tues, Feb 19 at 11:18pm

Subject: I am managing

CC is now throwing up.  He is all cleaned up, laundry is on and I am heading back to bed.  Please pray for us.  I am okay.  It is truly amazing that God never gives us more than we can handle.  Rest well. We are okay. 
Tues, Feb 19 at 11:48pmSubject: Vomit #2

CC again – poor guy.  But he is resting now.  I hope everything is out.  All is clean again.  We are sleeping with windows open tonight. 

Tacos are now off the menu for awhile as well as Salmon.  You are going to have to start cooking as that is 2 meals off my rotation!

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 12:16am

Subject: The Troops are…

Restless tonight!  Baby OC has made a few noises tonight.  He also had the worst poo I have EVER changed today – it was all the way up his back!  Wow! 

JC seems to be okay, but we should know more by the weekend. 

I pray you are having one of the best sleeps every and that you wake up feeling rested.  You have alot going on.  I appreciate that. 

One day/one moment/one person/one problem at a time.

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 12:57am

Subject: Vomit #3

You would be so proud of me!  If I don’t get sick, it is a miracle.  CC is resting again. Another load of laundry in.  I am going to try and rest.  *Note I NEVER clean up vomit when Sexy Neck is home, that is a blue job in our house!

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 1:46am

Subject: Vomit #4

This time you would have been proud of CC he got everything in the bowl!

We are hanging in there.  CC is so sweet even when he is sick! 

Love you.  Rest up.  Stay healthy!

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 2:20am

Subject: Baby OC now up…

Just woke up in pain.  Gave him Tylenol.  Just sitting with him and waiting for him to ho back to sleep.

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 2:35am

Subject: Please

Hopefully the boys sleep in.., finally hitting the hay!

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 2:48am

Subject: Baby OC is awake again!!!!

Dude!

Ok now I am going to try and sleep.  Don’t ask me any skill testing questions tomorrow(later today I mean).

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 3:01am

Subject: CC again

Another vomit session right after I pressed send on the last email.  Baby OC is awake and yelling “cookie” over and over – this is comical.  Seriously.

I hope you can laugh about all this!  What a night! What a week!  What a month!

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 3:14am

Subject: It is a Party

Every boy is now awake.  JC now vomiting

 

 

Wed, Feb 20 at 3:21am

Subject: Power Puke

There is now puke all over the toilet, walls, floor.  Thank God JC got up to pee first.

Breastfeeding Baby OC now and trying to get him calmed.  Waiting for the next round…..

Try not to worry about us.  I will rest with the boys today.  I have a feeling that everyone will be sleeping in.

I will phone you when we wake up.

——————————————————————————————-

–Sexy Neck has been woken up by all my pings on his email! Here is his first response, of many, but the only one I will post. 

Wed, Feb 20 at 3:21am

Subject: Come home?

 Do you want me to come home?

——————————————————————————————–

My final responses:

No,but if you could come home on the early side tomorrow that would be fabulous!!

It is comforting knowing you are awake too!

Wed, Feb 20 at 3:26am
Subject: Just trying
To get OC to sleep – he is a sensitive soul… Then off to clean the taco dinner off the wall.  I hope it doesn’t stain!  I am only as strong as I allow god to help me.  Gotta run – here jackakung noises and must get OC back into crib!
Wed, Feb 20 at 3:39am
Subject: re: Come home? 
CC again!  Poor child.  If this hits us we will be out for a month.  Please pray for strength for our bodies.
Wed, Feb 20 at 3:52am
Subject: Signing off
Both boys still awake in our bed.  Towels all around – only one more left so hopefully the next round makes it into the bowls. Rest well.  I am signing out. Joanna
Boys, health & fitness, Parenting

Be Where You Are

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I have returned to “The Gym”, something I swore I would never do after ten years of competitive sport and countless hours in “The Gym”.

I am loving working out again!  It is fantastic to be active with a group of women who are so inspiring.  I love lining up in a row on your bike/treadmill/stepper chatting away and sweating.

My boys reminded me that I need to stick at my own level.

It is easy to get next to my friend, Penny, who does spin classes two to three times per week and cranks out rpms on the bike that would make Lance Armstrong, without drugs, sweat.   I need to learn to be okay where I am.

Today, my boys pulled out a few crafts from the cupboard behind out kitchen table.  Our five year old, JC, pulled out some paper and a pencil and began writing a story about nighttime animals.  Baby OC, pulled out the playdough and started pounding away. Our three year old, CC, got out a pirate colouring book and went back and forth and back and forth with his favourite blue felt.

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Whether I want to write a new story, pound away or just go back and forth, back and forth, the most important thing when it come to my mental and physical health is for me to be okay with where I am, in this moment, in this day, even at “The Gym”.

Note to self: I also need to continue to allow my children to be where they are.

Boys, Jesus Christ, Parenting

Be Enough My Son

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A crib with blocks under one end, how curious!

A crib with blocks under one end, how incredible!  Absolutely, amazing.  Lie on the floor, cry your eyes out marvelous.  This crib has shown me the mind blowing influence that we have over our children.  They are truly watching everything we do!

Two nights ago, our little baby boy didn’t want to eat his dinner.  As you know in previous posts, he is a voracious eater.   After dinner, he was sitting on daddy’s lap (thank you Jesus!) and proceeded to vomit across the table, down onto daddy lap and all over his favourite fire truck book.  (Sorry OC, we threw it out.)

While we were cleaning up the mess, our oldest child immediately ran out of the dining room, into his bedroom then back out again.  I didn’t think anything of it.

UNTIL, I walked into the boys room to get a change of clothes for our little vomit-er and what did I see, but a crib with blocks under one end!

Before Christmas, Baby OC had a cough so we had raised up the end of the crib using the boys blocks.

TWO MONTHS LATER, our son immediately responded to his brother’s sickness by again raising up the end of his crib with blocks.  ALL BY HIMSELF!

Baby OC is 100% again, but we have left the blocks.  Thanks to my five year old son, for showing me how to BE ENOUGH in every moment!  You are a sweet, thoughtful soul!

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Parenting

Be A Pumper

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Sexy Neck and I spent fifteen hours (one night) away from our three boys. They were playing, watching tv, and hanging out with Nana and Papa.

We were having one of the most relaxing times of our lives at a beautiful European style hotel with a ginormous bathtub in the room and sauna, steam rooms and pools just two floors down.

Here’s the lowdown via photos:

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The one thing about “going away” when you are a breast feeding mom is that when the baby is not available the milk still needs to come out. I chose to hand express, but “Be A Pumper” was a catchier title.

Here we are on checkout enjoying the view one last time. I am carrying my “liquid gold”, as our midwife liked to call it!

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Parenting

Be a Pet Person

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I grew up with a cat, that would terrorize people. At our house you didn’t want to leave a toe hanging out of the end of your covers.

I married a dog guy. We have a dog. We used to have two. KT we “put down” about a year ago. She was an awesome, old, arthritic dog. Summer is an energetic, loving seven year old.

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Summer and KT

I am not a huge fan of cats anymore. Unless you live on a farm, I don’t really see the point of having a hairy, furniture scratching, kitchen counter walking, kitty litter pooping animal in your house.

I love our Summer dog, but as spring begins to return (I hope), the amount of hair falling off this fairly large animal is copious. Copious could also be used to describe the size of her poop. Today, I am contemplating my fondness of all animals hairy.

UNTIL I saw this! Our youngest son, OC, loves our dog. I mean he LOVES our dog. If she is lying on the floor, OC is next to her. If Summer’s tail is wagging, OC is trying to grab at it.

This is what I found on my kitchen floor today:

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Yup, I guess I am a dog lover! I think everyone that has children should have a pet, at least for a period of time. Even if it is babysitting a friend’s cat/dog or buying a fish in a tank. I think the value of having a pet and being responsible for its food, cleaning and tender love and care creates within everyone a little bit more compassion, patience and pure joy.

Boys, Parenting, Uncategorized

Be A Labour Lover

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I wish there was a way to harness the power of a woman in labour!

ImagePersonally labour, has been the most powerful, awesome, life changing experiences of my life.  Yes, there is pain, there are bodily fluids, there is an incredible feeling of losing control… but there is life!  New life created and a new beginning.

I have been in labour three times and given birth to three beautiful boys.  Our first was born at home at night, half in the water and half on the floor beside our dishwasher.   Our second was born at home in the mid morning, in the water. Our last was born in the evening, at the hospital on all fours with a crowd awaiting his safe arrival.

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I am not in labour right now, but I am feeling pain.  A body experiencing numbness and tingling for no apparent reason.  A mind that just won’t settle down.  An inability to just enjoy the little moments.  Our family getting ready to move to a new city.  An extended family strained by one person’s choices. Change is in the air.  BREATHE JOANNA BREATHE.

I was reminded by very wise Ann Voskamp of the importance of breathing through the pains.

 http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/01/how-to-breathe-through-the-hard-times/

Today as I ponder labour, I realized my love of labour involves more than labour itself but the feeling of complete support of the people around me.  Our beautiful midwife, Sylvia, had educated us and guided us through the previous nine month.  My wonderful husband, Sexy Neck, had been present not only all the appointments, but all the changes that pregnancy and parenthood brings.  My parents and sister, helped with the older boys.  And lastly, my group of women who supported me by coming to my “Labour Party”, lit a candle as I went through labour and have stuck through me through the pains of motherhood.

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My labour party for baby OC! 

Right now as I “Labour through life”, I need to: embrace the pain (knowing it is just for this time), rely on those people who support me, and get help from some trusted professionals.

Goals, Jesus Christ, Parenting, Uncategorized

Be Enough 2012

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“Enough” according to Webster’s:

“occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations”.

I was enough this year, for my family, for my friends, for my community.  There were some bumps in the road and some bumps that continue to move me to new places, but I was enough.

I learned not to be so judgmental, sometimes things just are.  They are neither good nor bad, but they just are.   I learned that I don’t have to be EVERYTHING to EVERYONE in my life.   I can just be enough!  I learned that sometimes my expectations hold me back.  I learned to let go and let God.   He can move mountains.  He is alive.

My children are happy and healthy, my house is still standing (and somewhat clean), my husband and I are best friends/in love and I counted one thousand gifts this year. (Thank you Ann Voskamp)

Thank you Jesus.