A slight correction

At three o'clock this morning when I was nursing Joshua I thought back to yesterday's post and realized that it was a really negative and whiny sounding post. Much more negative and whiny than I actually feel. So I decided to counteract my doom and gloom with a post of thankfulness.

I am thankful for my crazy, busy life as a mom of teeny babes, remembering that it will fly by before I'm ready.
I am thankful for my little girl, currently pretending to brush her magnetic Mr.Potato head's teeth.
I'm thankful for my little guy, warming my heart today with his big purple smile, mouth all stained with Gentian Violet (latest thrush cure).
I'm thankful for the sun streaming in my window.
I'm thankful I don't have to go out in the cold today.
That I got my dishes done!
That my husband has a job with excellent benefits so we don't have to worry about buying medication.
That I HAVE a husband! A wonderful, tenderhearted one.
That I have a God who gives me strength for each day, and joy in the chaos.
That I have LIFE.
There. Can I get an amen? :)

When it rains, it usually pours.

(Joshua sucking back his thrush medication.)

The good news at our house is that Ellie is back to her healthy and (mostly) sweet self. The not-so-great news is that Joshua now has her cold. Poor little guy...it doesn't seem fair for someone so tiny to get sick. His cry is pathetically hoarse and he wakes himself up coughing. But this is what happens in households with more than one child, I hear. Oh, and my throat hurts today too (not a huge surprise as Ellie coughed directly into my mouth about a week ago). But I think I'm the one who started off with a cold in the first place.
Sheesh.
I'm ready for summer now.

Joshua 2 Months Old

Another Little Moment

I know I've recently posted about the relationship between Ellie and Joshua, but they're the only two kids I have, so here's another one. I've noticed lately that with Ellie there are three distinct 'moods' she gets in around her brother:
1. Ignore him entirely, just too busy playing toys.
2. Experiment on him. Like the other day when she pulled out her doctor kit and tried to 'check' Joshua's reflexes (i.e. wack his leg really hard) and give him a needle...in his eye.

And then there's mood #3, when I can't help but pull out the camera...the affectionate times. They last about two minutes from start to finish, but they're the times that I'll treasure forever. Here was another one of those moments yesterday:Ellie just after a 3-hour nap, looking quite dazed.

She notices Joshua on the floor and in the sweetest voice whispers, "Hi, Doshua." and strokes his hair.

And then she asks to "Hode it" (hold it).

Immediately after this one she pushed him off her lap. That was enough lovin' for one day.

Hot Date

Today and Rob and I are going on a hot Valentine's date. What? You say Valentine's day was 2 weeks ago? We must have missed it while doing industrial-sized loads of puke-covered laundry, boiling thrush-covered soothers and droppers, or maybe while Ellie was coughing up huge disgusting phlegm wads everywhere. No matter. Tonight is DATE night and I'm stoked. Here's how you do date night on a budget - stay in Steinbach, for one, since gas is 113 cents a litre (that's insanity!). Get mom and dad to babysit (thanks mom and dad!). Go to Sawney Beans for the best chicken fingers ever (that's the only part that costs money). Then go to a play. Okay, so it's a high school play (Cinderella), and yeah, we got free tickets from my brother-in-law who teaches there, but HEY! Dinner and a play! Sounds awesome, doesn't it? I'm pretty excited. I hope to refrain from talking about my new yeast-reduced diet (to try to kick this thrush thing) or scheduling Joshua or what to do about Ellie's new, uh, personality traits, as she nears her 2-year birthday... and just enjoy my wonderful, fun, and loving husband. I am a truly blessed woman to have Rob as my husband and best friend. Bring on the chicken fingers!!

Rob regaling Joshua with his many faces.

Rob enjoying his favorite new pastime - tax prep. (I'm not joking, folks.)

Reading stories with Ellie. This man is seriously an awesome dad.

He "slept through the night"!

If you consider 5:30 a great time to start your day, that is (like Grandma Balfour :). I think Joshua is making up for his recent daytime restlessness (my latest theory is that his larger dose of thrush medication has begun upsetting his tummy, because I'm certainly not eating anything offensive! Wish I WAS, but I'm NOT) by giving Mom an unbroken night's rest. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful. He's back asleep and I decided to seize the day and what else? Blog! And take a loooong shower. Ahhh...today's already a great day.
oh. p.s. happy 8 weeks, Joshua!

Ellie Sings

Okay, so she probably doesn't have a future on Broadway, but it's pretty cute anyways.

Playdate with the Harders

Last week (before 'the caraaazy weekend' had started) my good friend Allison came over with her two cuties, Azelin and Kiley. Kiley is only 12 days younger than Joshua; Azelin is 4 months younger than Ellie. We had a blast! Allison brought over delicious, fattening muffins, Azelin and Ellie played like a dream, and the babies, for the most part, slept. Oh, and of course the cameras came out. :) I could do a playdate like that any day of the week.

Auntie Allison stealing a snuggle from Joshua

Big brown-eyed Azelin.

Sleeping sweetheart.

Joshua's stoked about the camera in his face. He probably thinks the camera is his mommy since it's all he ever sees.

Kiley thinks about waking up...

....and then thinks better of it.

Joshua decides he's done with pictures...

...and Kiley wholeheartedly agrees!

Update

The results are in: Ellie has her very first ear infection, and the thrush has returned to make Joshua cranky (thrush is incredibly difficult to get rid of). Things are still chaotic and slightly miserable, but it's that much easier when you know WHY. At least, it is for me. p.s. Joshua pooped big time today. Never thought that a big, yellow, gooey mess could look so good. That's motherhood for you!

Caraaaazy Weekend

Well, I'm not so convinced that Ellie's just teething anymore....seems more like a NASTY nasty cold. Joshua isn't all smiles, either...he hasn't pooped in the last 4 days (a trend that's begun to happen) and is having an incredibly difficult time falling asleep for his naps. So between the two of them, Rob and I definitely have our hands full. But it could be worse! They both slept almost all night, we have sun shining into our windows, and Rob and I are still healthy! And tomorrow we have a doctor's appointment. Hopefully today is the worst of it.

Here Ellie is just coming down with her cold and Joshua is choking on his thrush medicine. :)