S-T-I-C-K-Y sweet

Here I am at almost 2 am (when I was almost ready for bed!) channeling my inner Madonna in my 50 dollar concert t (may I also add this is the first concert t I have EVER purchased!)

Andrea, April and I in the nose bleeds (the stage is WAAAAAAY down behind us! )

I snagged this photo of my sister's blog! Thanks Ape!

[m]

Well, the concert is over, my feet hurt, I keep thinking about this poor gal a couple of rows in front of us that puked all over the rows in front of her, she had to be lifted out of her seat by the paramedics. What a waste of $$$ for her. 

We laughed, we waited, we were walking everywhere, only to be stalled and waiting to get into BC Place. We felt a bit like door mats at times. Each time a person or people or groups of people would cut in our line (read LONG line) I would say ding dong. We did a lot of ding donging LOL. But, we did see Fiona Forbes with her girlfriends waiting to get in. My guess she got in before us. We saw lots of Madonna 'costumes' last night. Battle of music between three local radio stations. The Beat, 95 Crave and even Jack FM. I think Crave did the best job. It was a city FULL of girls. Not many boys of that is for sure!

We smelled lots of smells, like cigarettes, pot, and inside the stadium...throw up (as explained above) and we even think we smelled candy, well that is what we thought when we were up in the nose bleeds.

Although the concert was not as good as what I hoped for, it still was a fun night out with my sister April, and my cousin Andrea. So, thank you both for a wonderful evening. And, I now have a great t-shirt to remember it all too! (50 dollars ;D )

You can read my sisters version here, and see some photos of us three there too.

One more sleep!

I cannot WAIT until tomorrow night...no feedings, no diapers, no bedtime routine. I am hanging with April, and my cousin Andrea. 

I am doing this instead! 

S-W-E-E-T!

Smiles of the Day

Got to love photobooth! It has been almost three weeks since Catie and her stitches, and this morning ALL of the stitches came out. Now, we move onto the vitamin E treatment for her. 

We are having a good day, well except for the whole bowl of infant cereal that 'somebody' spilled all across the dining room, and several outfits LOL. If you want the truth with a larger amount of kids, good luck! LOL.

I will never find out the truth, so whatever...

One year later

Well, the teeter totters are full up now with our six kids. We no longer have to wonder like we did last year this same weekend. Check out those old photos to compare...

(well OK there is one more teeter totter--room for two other cousins to join in on the fun!)

Courtney who is so close to being one year old...We no longer have to wonder who is in my belly (although we knew Courtney would be a girl :D)

We tried and tried for a cute shot of all six standing with their backs to us and walking. But, this is the best we got. There is always a two year old who will not go with the flow! We know next year Coco will do the same, and Caroline will listen!

Our six pack!

We love the fall! We cannot wait to go back next year! I cannot believe how much the kids and our family changed in one year!

How's she healing?!

Well, you can see for yourself! On Thursday we are two weeks past the jumping accident, that caused Catie to require 7 stitches in her forehead.

She is doing just fine and she continues to 'monkey around' like nothing ever happened. And for Cliff and I. Forever traumatized. LOL.

Month [Eleven]

Today is the 16th of October. And I looked again and thought to myself...wow. Courtney how did you become 11 months all of a sudden? I told you were not allowed to grow up, that you had to stay my 'forever baby girl' Coco.

And today, you are growing in three more teeth, still breastfeeding (so much for weaning hey Coco!) you are practically walking, you cruise, you climb up the stairs, and you have figured out how to get back down the stairs, you high five, you growl, you suck your fingers, you touch your ear (just like your big brother did when he was your age!) you have a family that adores you! You smile so big, and you show off your dimple (just like your Daddy!) you are growing HAIR?! that is different LOL. And you are also a great traveller! You adapt well! Must be because you almost have to being that you are number six.

You are a self-feeder, you love your sibs, and they love you up a storm! (maybe they could stop squeezing you so hard!!) Oh how they love you. Oh how we love you.

I am finding it hard to believe that next month on this same day we will all be singing happy birthday to you as we help you blow out your first birthday candle.

I love you more and more as the days pass, and the months of the calendar flip over. I am so madly in love with you. You bring me so much joy Courtney. You Miss Smiley, are a love.

Thankful

For the bright sunshine and the blue sky
For the dancing my kids do when they hear the Beach Boys
For all of the I love you's and hugs I receive everyday
For my healthy kids, and scars that will heal
For my legs that allow me to run
For my eyes that allow me to see the beauty all around me
For my husband who supports me, and loves me
For my family who loves me
For my friends who love me
For the 12 passenger van that is on a boat finding the way to Vancouver
For my health

I have so much to be thankful for today!

Catie in the ER

This is the last of this trip to the ER. Thank goodness for my new camera phone eh!

Catie in the ER II

Here is a bit of Catie in the ER on Thursday night.

In threes

They say bad things happen in threes. Well, I'd say this was a bit crazy for three things to happen within 20 minutes. On Thursday, we were having a good day. It is now 4:30 pm and Cliff is home in about a half an hour. Caroline had a diaper rash, and so I had to bathe her and I left her nudie to air out her parts. Fine. 

I start to unload the dishwasher and my little Coco is always climbing in and around the dishwasher and she likes to hold onto things...and so she held onto the dishwasher and slipped. And ripped that little flap of skin under her lip/upper gum. This isn't anything new...It has happened to almost all of our kids. So, I stop her bleeding, there is blood on her clothing which I WAS going to change. I give her a teething ring to help stop the bleeding. 

Then it happens. And very quickly I might add. All of these events happened in less than 20 minutes! 

And I hear in very loud SCARED voices of Claire and Carly that Catie is BLEEDING. Catie is BLEEDING! I put my Coco down on the floor.  And I walk into our living room aka the playroom. (we are talking steps away!) and it looks like a murder scene. Blood everywhere! Catie jumped like 'Super Catie' from the couch and hit her head on the corner of the sharp coffee table!! So, I grab her, I immediately cover my hand over her open bleeding wound and ask my girls to grab me a cloth. I walk with her to the kitchen to get the phone to see where Cliff was. He was at the local market getting veggies and fruits. Meanwhile I am totally covered in blood. It was very scary how much head wounds bleed. 

I told him GET HOME NOW!!! Catie is bleeding A LOT. I need you NOW!! Cliff knows I do not freak very easy. So, when he walked in he expected so much less of an 'owie!' but he said he turned white when he saw the living room.  So, thanks to my big girls I had cloth after cloth. And she was still bleeding. I then told Cliff to RUN and get our wonderful neighbour Dorothy to help us. She came in, and saw Catie bleeding, Caroline freaking and crying with no clothes or a diaper on. Blood EVERYWHERE. Kids crying and freaking. Two parents freaking! Oh my. Anyways we drove her immediately to the ER. Let all of the kids with poor Dorothy (love Dorothy in her late 70's and had 7 kids!) she was totally cool.

We got her in quickly...and waited for stitches. We could see down to her scull which was very disturbing. Cliff said when she moved her eyes etc. he could see her tendons working etc. YIKES.  7 stitches to be exact. And you know what, she was a trouper! She was so calm! So, it was a crazy busy day that I would NOT like to repeat. 

This is the first time in over nine years that we have had a  real emergency or stitches for that matter. Catie has been fine! The dissolving stitches are almost out today. And she is totally back to normal! Thank goodness. 

Waiting for almost 2 hours for stitches...which she didn't even cry...

Our feet...which are the same shape!

She had her magic apple juice here, and had numbing cream under the bandage waiting for her stitches. 

She was totally laughing at her hands...

What are the chances?

Of a wasp flying out of one of my folded white towels? 

Yes, this happened to me this morning! I opened up my fluffy towel to dry off and imagine seeing a big wasp sitting there! Freaked me out this morning! 

I opened my bathroom window up wide, and hopefully it will get out!! Scary!

Random Facts About ME!

I was tagged by Michelle! So here you go Michelle!

Here are the rules: Link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Write six random things about yourself. Tag six people at the end of your post. Let each person know he or she has been tagged. Let the tagger know when your entry is up. 

**Random Facts About Me**

1. I love to smell things, and I have a very good sense of smell

2. I don't drink caffeine at all

3. I cannot walk in high heels, but I really want to learn how to! 

4. I am left handed, but can use a can opener geared for righties. In fact, I have adapted to the right handed world. But, I am clumsy LOL

5. I often crash on my couch because I am too tired to crawl into bed

6. I love my glass of wine with my hubby on our front stoop at night when all of the kids are in bed!

I am tagging: Shawna, Sarah, April, Cynthia, Pam and Tammy

Think Pink on October 17th!

I am helping out a friend! I hope you can too! And guess what! It is really easy to do, and you probably have a tonne of pink in your closet! 

I know I will be putting my pink hoodie on the 17th of October, and also my 5 girls have lots of pink! You could do this too!! I hope you say YES!

Cathy

Here is the message:

Hi Everyone,

My name is Heidi Joshua and I am putting together the worlds easiest event. You don't need to show up or donate anything. All you do is wear PINK on Friday, October 17th to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. Simple as that. I have even started an event page on Facebook called THINK PINK FRIDAY. So, please dig through your closet of yours and wear some pink! Cancer knows no boudaries....wear pink. I started this day last year and I will continue. This yearly NON-ATTENDANCE required event that will happen on the third Friday of October. I am also working on a collage. So please send me a picture of you and who ever else you tell about it! What I want is a GLOBAL event and not just a local one. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I trust that you will get out there and THINK PINK FRIDAY and show the world your pink side!

Sincerely,

Heidi Joshua

heidijoshua@hotmail.com

PS Don't forget to tell your family, friends, co-workers, fellow facebookers. You can copy and paste this letter to make it easier!

V O M I T in a good way!

Well, another yearly trip to the BC Childrens Hospital for Caroline's duplex kidney check up. And, it looks like Caroline was a V O M I T victim. To explain ...Victim of Modern Imaging Technology. It is all very good really!

She had another ultrasound. Just like last year, and the year before. And the scan on her 3rd day of her life, and the multiple prenatal ultrasounds that stressed me to the max. I have lots of blog posts when I looked back regarding her left kidney trouble. Very traumatic for us all.

Today:

Caroline is a NORMAL healthy little girl, weighing 34.7 pounds. Her left kidney is growing normally and it grew from last year! Currently there is only 1 cyst (before there were atleast 4), the uretercele is gone in her bladder. She has 'outgrown' her original problems found in the original prenatal ultrasound. Even the radiologist came in to look (a second look!) after the tech did the scan. She said lots of people may have had this health problem, but with modern imaging more is 'found' including extra worrying prenatally. You can say THAT again! Whew! 

Anyways. We do not have to go back anymore to the BC Childrens Hospital with Caroline. No more yearly visits. She is healthy! We are so blessed! We have six healthy, beautiful children and Thank GOD!

We walked out of Dr. M's office and the three of us high fived each other! We got on the elevator, and sighed RELIEF! This is OVER! Caroline Mae! You are a marvel. I am also uber impressed at how well you stayed still for your ultrasound today. You had to lay there for at least 20 minutes while they checked your bladder, your left kidney and your right kidney. It must be all the practice you have had in your 2.5 years of life! 

I was holding your hand, and Daddy was rubbing your feet. I was listening to a newborn baby in the exam room having a scan done for her little kidneys. The baby was crying and it brought me back to when you had your first scan done at three days old. I hope that little baby girl will have the same blessings as you.  In another thought I hoped and prayed that the next scan you would have would be the one to tell you are carrying a healthy baby in your uterus, and that I would be a Granny! Oh yes! One day!

I love you Caroline. I am so glad you are healthy! I am so glad we don't have to sit in traffic for 1.5 hours one way with a five car pile up at the tunnel anymore! 

37

Today, I am 37 years old. Not that I am old or anything, but wow. 37! 

I am getting that much closer to my 40's which just seems unreal to me. Anyways! This year went really fast!

Happy Birthday to my Dad, and to my sister Amy! I love sharing with you both! 

Happy Birthday to us,

Happy Birthday to us.

Happy Birthday, 

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to us!

Dad, get rid of your cold, and Amy I hope Maui is beautiful.

Love you both!

Cathy xo

Yes...

I am still here. I am working on my list, but have had little time to expand on that! I promise, it is in the works. I am in the last week of training before I run my first half marathon on Sunday. I am mentally prepping for this undertaking.

I promise I will update soon! Happy Fall!