Family pictures

We had some family pictures done a few weeks ago and they are now up on the photographers website...They are only up for 7 days, go have a peek there are some pretty cute ones!

http://www.jodirenee.com/

Go to client section...Password is Slone

Alyssa's Big Week!

Eek this post is long over due...It was a busy week of colds, Alyssa's big week and a visit from Erv and Joyce...

We started the week with us 3 girls sick with colds...Little Leah was the first with runny yucky nose and a barky cough, thankfully she was still in a great mood and not too cranky...Poor Alyssa was pretty sick, she always gets a really croupy cough and we even had a midnight car ride with the windows down so she could catch her breath....I was also pretty sick and miserable all week...Thank goodness the boys didn't get sick...as much as we love our boys,  I'm not sure I could have handled them both being sick when I was sick as well....we are pretty much better now, still some lingering coughs and Kirk is feeling a bit off but not too horrible...

Last Monday was suppose to have been Alyssa's first day of Ballet class, but she was so sick poor kid didn't even want to go...I felt bad for her because I know how excited she was...

Wednesday was Alyssa's very first day of preschool...This day has been talked about for some time...other than being with her grandparents or Aunties/Uncles she has never been been left with anyone else, or left in a place without me...She did great, she had a bit of a lip quiver and came back out for a second but she just wanted her little school bag and then she went back in without looking back. She had a great time and has since been back 2 more times and we've had no problems at all...she loves it! I will admit, its probably been harder on me to know she's that big and now independent without me :( I did shed a tear leaving her at the school the first day... Its good for her though, she needs the stimulation and interaction with the other kids... 

  Yes, I'm that creepy mom taking pictures through the window!

 Thursday was Alyssa's first skating class...we couldn't get into the Saturday class with her cousin Sophie, so Papa Murray said he would love to take her to the Thursday class right before dinner...Not only was this her first class, it was her first time on the ice!!! She did amazing!! She was very eager and excited and Papa was great with her....She had a great surprise when her Momma Joyce and Papa Erv, along with Daddy stopped by to watch her...She had another class today and she did even better, skating all on her own (ok inching along at a snails pace!)..She was excited to proclaim to Papa "Papa, I'm doing it all by myself!"

Thursday night we had Momma and Papa back to our house for dinner and they spent the weekend with us...It was great to have them, it seemed like it had been a really long time since they were here...

Saturday we went to a carnival put on by Generations of Hope, which is the fertilty assistance fund that I volunteer for...I was so happy to show off my beautiful kids to my friends and the dr's who helped us create our dreams come true...We had so much fun, despite the freezing cold day!

Sunday we had dinner at Auntie Ronda's and the cousins all played nicely...We can't wait for the new baby in 3 months! Next year there will be 6 little ones...how fun will that be!

This Monday Alyssa was finally able to go to her ballet class...She was so stinking proud it, not to mention she looked adorable! She was a little apprehensive to stay by herself but she did go, and I was once again that annoying mom snapping pictures...I was the only one who stayed and creeped through the window...OMG it was so adorable, I almost wet my pants when I looked through the window and all the little 3 year olds were doing "The sprinkler" to some serious hip hop music that was blaring...so freaking cute! She came out and said she "LOVED IT"...She's been practising every day since...

All in all this was a monumental week for her in her little life (also for me to admit she's growing up!) and she rocked it! I am SO proud of her for not only trying all these new things for the first time, but for doing it with so much excitement and enthusiasm...Mommy loves you little girl!!

Busy, Busy, Busy...

Well we are now definitely feeling like winter is around the corner, there is just something about fall that kicks everything into high gear and just feels different...

Alyssa has a big week this week, she is starting the first of many childhood activities and we are beginning a new chapter of our lives running around taking her to all these things...Mondays are ballet class, Wednesdays and Fridays she in Preschool, Thursdays she is taking skating lessons...She has never been left on her own before, only with Momma's and Papa's and Auntie and Uncle...she does have some seperation anxieties so I hope she can make it through this week without too many tears...

Kirk is starting his hockey season this week...I am on the Images of Hope volunteer committee again this year and we had our first meeting last week...Plus we have seasons tickets with my dad again for The Calgary Flames...So busy busy busy we will be!!

We had a lovely visit last week with Auntie Liz, Uncle Dennis, cousins Amanda and Greg and little Anna..This was the only picture we got, but it was great to see everyone! Of course Auntie Liz was happy to baby snuggle!

Last week I found a frog in the backyard while I was mowing the lawn..I made the mistake of showing Alyssa and brought him inside...This little guy is now a permanent member of the family and resides in an old fish bowl in the kitchen window..he's super cute, I'd really love to let him go back outside, but Alyssa has declared that she "Loves him" so Daddy said she could keep him...funny though I'm pretty sure I'm going to be the one taking care of him!

I was hoping all summer to take the babies to the zoo, so we finally made it before it got too cold...Everyone was well behaved and it was a fun family day

Leah even fell asleep in daddy's arms...

This picture is for Momma Joyce..Blake eating and loving his first Perogy!!

Little Leah just relaxing getting her back scratched...she would have stayed there all day!

Our little fashion diva..Loves to try on clothes and often declares "That doesn't go together" or insists on wearing her favorite clothes often..We went on a 3 hour shopping spree to get clothes for the fall and she had to try them all and was very particular with what she bought...

Leah and her Papa, looking awfully cute in her new headband..

Little Dolly...

Alyssa practising her moves for ballet class...

Daddy took her this weekend for some new hockey skates, he loved taking his first kid shopping for skates, they had fun walking around the house trying them out..Papa Murray is going to be taking her to skating classes on Thursdays during the day...

What better outfit to wear trying on skates than a pink dress!!! To match the skate guards of course!

The weather has been so yucky last night we went far a walk in our winter coats...

and the babies wore toques...Yuck!

Inspired...

If I had my child to raise all over again

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes of the watch, and watch with my eyes.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields, and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

~Diane Loomans~

I came across this quote today, and felt inspired...to be a better mom and live a better more fulfilled life...The truth is, at the end of our lives we will indeed wish we loved more, worked less, worried less and enjoyed these moment with our family more...

Fall is here!

Crazy, the weather has turned and it definately feels like fall...I think thats why it took me so long to post, I have been in denial that summer is over and that time is going by so fast...Truthfully it has been...gahhh I'm going to be 80 before you know it...

The past few weeks have somehow been super busy...I think we were trying to squeeze the last bit out of summer...The babies have been napping horribly during the day and this past week up at crazy hours of the night...I am exhausted!

Babies have been changing and growing like crazy...The finally got weighed, still tiny little guys..Leah was 15 pounds 5oz and Blake was 16 pounds 2oz  and both around 25" long...Well below the averages even for their corrected age, but they are perfectly preportioned and are given til age 3 to catch up...developmentally they are right on the mark so there aren't any concerns...They look like nice healthy babies...

Our little monkies are sooooo different than Alyssa was as far as their eating...They eat anything and everything we give them and are well beyond where Alyssa was at this age..They eat a lot of finger foods themselves but I always follow that with some good hardy baby cereal mixed with Fruit and veggies, its loaded with the proper vitamins and most importantly the Iron...so we will continue that for some time...

Look at Blakes Mohawk...haha...I have since snipped it off and he now has a daper looking little man hairdo instead

They have been really liking their milk/formula cold in a cup...

They do pretty good getting most of what we give them in their mouths..and the floor but Oscars not complaining!

My most FAVORITE thing they have learned the past few weeks is holding their own bottles...Alyssa never took a bottle so this is new to us but HOLY SMOKES is that ever a nice treat!!

Blake even shows off now and holds his with one hands...We never graduated to big bottles, they've never eaten more than 5 oz so its pretty easy to hold these little bottles...

HAHA one more cute one of Blakes Mowhawk...

Great Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit...

Babies have had a lot of stranger anxieties lately but they loved G&G...

It was both of our dad's birthday on August 20...We got to celebrate with my dad, and hopefully we'll see Erv soon enough and can have a belated party for him too!!

We had dinner at Mom and Dad's, the girls of course were right in on the action...

What a nice picture of Dad and his Momma

There is getting to be so many of us the girls had their own kids table...

Grandma is still always anxious to get her hands on a baby!!

Kirk and I haven't been in a picture together for ages, so I had to add this one in...

Cousin Gabe loves his baby cousins...in particular Leah...He always kisses her and she kisses him right back..haha

The babies eating their dinner at Grandma's and making a huge mess...

The happiest little guy...I swear he smiles when he see the camera...

Daddy and his lovies...Don't they look huge now!

We tried to enjoy some of the last of the nice weather...The babies have really been enjoying their stoller and going to the park...

Alyssa always loves the park...

Playtime in the backyard...it ended as soon as Blake had a huge spider on his head and I screamed...

Then we moved up to the deck

We had Kris and and Jane and kids over for dinner and a Fire, it was such a gorgeous night..

The girls roasted Marshmellows for the first time

and had their first smores..Mmm

Blakey tried on daddy's hat one day and he loved it...he left it on for quite awhile...how cute is he!!

Can't resist a picture of a naked baby!

Thats it for now...the next few weeks should be equally as busy as we get ready for Ballet classes and Preschool starting soon...Kirks hockey season has begun with 2 ice times already this week...Feels like fall thats for sure!