Dear Crew,

We can hardly believe its been a whole year since you were born into our family.  Time is just flying by! You are growing into such a nice boy.  You are so happy and just love to spend time with us.  You are very strong; you started cruising around furniture since you were 6 months old! You are really busy running around the house. At least 3 times a day you empty the tupperware cupboard and spread your things all over . You love to talk and if someone will just join the conversation, you become so animated especially when they really understand you.  We're still trying to get rid of your last night feed, but you've been so easy to train that I feel bad by the time 5am comes and you've been sleeping since 6pm! So we have a quick feed and a cuddle and you go back to sleep for a bit. You love music and whenever you hear it you start to shake your little diapered booty! You also try to sing whenever mommy sings! Its always a bonus when you're still awake to have supper with us.  You just laugh and laugh and make sure we all know that you are the life of the party!  I hope that it's a reflection of what you are seeing at dinner time. I've had many flash backs to when Carson and Chloe were little.  You can look so much like them-especially Chloe! Even your little bodies are the same.

   

Chloe at 1  year.

You are most like Carson physically.  You are so strong and determined. You both have this ability to try something and just succeed.  You are climbing and hanging and testing your limits.  Just the other day I found you standing on this rocking chair! 

You desperately want to jump but just haven't figured it out.  You think that if you throw your head back it will happen.  So you do it harder and harder until you fall down!  Luckily you are tough too.  It takes a lot to make you cry.  Yesterday's goose egg is proof.  You only cried for about 1 minute!!!

Sometimes the older kids are gone all day at school and I think back to the short time I had to myself before they came.  Yes some things were easier, but it all seems so lonely now.  I love to have you with me all day.  You sit in your high-chair and sample new foods while I make supper and you love sweeping so much that I had to get you your own broom. I cherish the moments when you stop what you are doing to come get a hug and kiss, or when you get me to chase you around the island! Your birthday was just small with some of the family and Auntie Lisa and Uncle Darren.  You got your first piece of cake and you were so cautious and neat about it all. 

I took your shirt off because my  experience was that it was best to just save the mess:         

Both 1yr old

Crew we just love you so much!  We're so glad you finally came to be with us.   We can't wait until you teach us all the interesting and special things about yourself.  

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

trick or treat

HALLOWEEN came quickly this year! I had all these great plans to do themed family costumes but October hasn't been kind! So I'm grateful for children who were easily convinced to come up with fast second options. Chloe was happy to redo Carson's pirate from two years ago. Hair and make-up started right after school.She made such a pretty little swash- buckler! 

Carson was determined to be scary this year.  I guess he's reached that age.  I was just barely trusted to come up with a costume without him.  He really wanted a"real mask" (I guess mommy's make-up job isn't legit). A few days before we went to a party at the church and I made him skip the mask- he was not happy! The paint was stinging and itching and it only fueled the fire when he made kids cry! Poor guy felt like he had to hang out in the halls! Now when Halloween came he quickly realized that I was right. The mask came off and 5 minutes before they left I started painting his face! Why is Mom so smart?

Crew didn't really know what was happening. He wouldn't let Carson get too close. The voice and the face just didn't jive! He was most happy when the kids came to the door and he could try to get his own candy. He was a hit with all the trick-or-treaters.  It didn't take long though for him to realize this party was going to go past 6:30.  As soon as the costume started coming off I knew a meltdown was nearing. So we left some candy on the doorstep and Mickey went to bed.

The haul this year was disgusting.  I guess there were very few children so people were handing out candy by  the handful! ........I'm the only one complaining.

corn maze

Rachel Asher Lexi Hunter Evie Me Carson Chloe Crew Christy Carter Linken Cohen Zana Tommy

This summer we arrived home from the cabin to some bad news. Our friends the Masons were moving to Texas and they were leaving in 2 weeks!  This was really sad for the whole family since we had grown to really love hanging out with them. Rachel and I served in the primary presidency together and had become good friends. Many times I had been the recipient of her unconditional service (truly her gift) and so had easily grown to love and appreciate her.  Each of the children had a buddy and so did Dave (Evie!). Chloe especially found the move hard since she and Lexi had grown very close. They are so much alike-they even look alike! She had finally found a GIRL friend that she could relate to.  SO....when they came home for thanksgiving we were so excited to spend some time together.

Since the weather was relatively nice we decided to head to the Calgary Corn Maze.  This was wise since it was 3 moms vs. 12 kids! The bouncy thing, the bikes and the corn were the favorites of the day. 

                                       
It was a really such a great day to soak up some sun and some time with our "long" lost friends!

Daddy Come Home

October 2011 has not been easy!  Honestly I'm wishing it would just hurry up and end.  Not because I have any wonderful Halloween plans, but because even on paper it doesn't look good!  Dave's travel schedule has been brutal there hasn't been a single week where he has been home for more than 3 days and there won't be until December.  

Dave is gone on blue highlighted days, he also went to the cabin with Carson on the yellow days!                And he was gone the last 2 weeks in September!

It all started with his travel getting busy in September.  Then Carson and Chloe had a tonne of dental work that needed to be done ($$$$$).  I felt like I lived there!  About 2 weeks after Carson's fillings were completed he started to complain about one of them hurting. Then like I feared he had to have a pulpotomy (baby root canal).  About an hour later he started to complain a fair bit and I suspected that he should be on antibiotics.  A few hours after that Granda delivered the medicine, gave Carson a blessing and we sent him to bed!  At midnight he woke up crying and in pain and I noticed that his swelling had doubled in size! 

So I gave him an extra dose of meds and hoped he would make it to morning.  Well when he got up it was no better so I arranged for Mom to come and stay with Crew and get Chloe to school while I went to the Urgent Care Clinic.  MISTAKE!  The DR. there told me he was fine and that 'antibiotics do not work over night' and that I was in the wrong place. I should see a dentist since that was HIS area of expertise!  I told him that my concern was how quickly this infection was spreading and that I wondered if he needed IV and wasn't that within his expertise?  Nope!

 Fine? this all happened in a matter of hours!

                                       

So we ended up at the dentist where poor Carson had to have the abscess drained with basically no freezing since it doesn't really take when there is that much infection.  If only I could have traded places with him- it was horrible!  He was sweating and shaking with fear and pain.  He went through every emotion.  He was angry-we were NOT to touch him! He went through a period of self-loathing ("I hate myself- why didn't I brush better?") and even wished he would die at one point!  It was really sad!  We went from there to the children's hospital where they very quickly had him hooked up to IV antibiotics. 

At the hospital.

This is after the dentist drained a fair amount of fluid.  The picture doesn't do it

 justice the swelling was up over his nose and now affecting his left eye too!

He had to have several doses, which meant back and forth across the city every few hours. Carson looked so much better just a few doses in. The next morning I was told there in the infectious diseases clinic that oral antibiotics will not overcome these kinds of infections fast enough and that I had come to the right place.  Phewww!

Day 2 of antibiotics

                                                                                                                       

I've learned once again how hard it is to watch your children suffer. I've learned that it's time to be more confident in my mother's intuition and not to let doctors make me question it.  I've learned that everything goes wrong when Dave is away (which is really frustrating for BOTH of us)  but that I'm surrounded by such amazing family who all want to help ease my burdens!  I was so grateful for their help so that I could be with Carson.     

 Last day of IV. Still doesn't look like my Carson!

By Friday afternoon he was finally done with the IV and he was told he'd have 7 more days of meds but that he'd have a huge pill to swallow (literally) something he'd never done! But at least we were done with the hospital.  A huge relief!  However it all goes on for me! At 5:30 that night Jenn and Bruce had come to bring dinner and some relief - little did they know what they were walking in to! There was nail polish on the carpet, the toilet was seriously plugged and I was crying! Luckily for me Bruce is the kind of man that he is and against my protests unplugged the toilet!  It was no small feat. There were diaper wipes, flossers and 'such' involved -let's just say it was a thing of nightmares!

We were all so happy a few days later when Dave came home even if it was short lived. He managed to come home in time for Thanksgiving dinner and leave again. One Day!!!  The next day Crew and I got a cold so sleep is still evading me. Sick kids, no Dave and a whole lot to do -myself!  It has continued that way since and there is no end in sight.  Not until December when the travel will slow down....or so I'm told. 


I don't think I've ever said this in the Fall, but HURRY UP DECEMBER!  I can't take too much more!

Cinq/Cinco/Fem/Funf...Five!

I'm always amazed when I look at photos like this, with all 5 of us.  I almost can't imagine life before Crew!  We always had fun, just the four of us, but we also seemed to be waiting for him...and we waited-almost since Chloe was born!  It was even hard for the kids to wait.  I remember a time when I was driving Carson to school  he was about 5 years old and out of the blue he asked if I was remembering to pray to Heavenly Father for a baby.  He made sure that I knew he was doing his part! 

                                                                                                     July 2011


While the road was difficult at times I think both Dave and I can look back and be grateful for all of the experiences we had.  We learned so much about Heavenly Father's love for us; that He knows us personally and  that there really is a plan that is specific to each of us.  We learned to trust in that and on days when we wondered if we would ever hold a baby again we remembered.  We remembered that he had answered our prayers and that we WOULD  be blessed, we just didn't know when.

                                                                one week old

The whole time I was pregnant there was a feeling of magic around our house.  First it was because we had a special family secret. The kids couldn't wait until they could tell people,  then they couldn't wait to feel the baby move.  I spent many a 'family-movie-night' trying to hear over shouts of  'he moved!' and  'he kicked-did you feel that!'  We even heard Auntie Lise complain a few times that it was her turn to feel the baby! It really was an exciting time for everyone.  I often wondered if this little person knew how much he was already loved.

                                                        November 6, 2010 -about 1 hour old

It's been difficult at times to go back to the 'baby stage' because life had become so easy.  I'm forced now to slow down and let things 'go' (ughhh!).  I even sometimes feel torn between all that is required as a mom of busy school-aged children, and what I think is best for a hungry, wet and tired baby!  But all in all it has been a joy.  I remember saying when Chloe was a baby that I wished I could go back to having my first baby and know then all that I had since learned. I felt confident being a second-time mom, but was busy with a toddler on top of it all.  Well now I feel like that's kind of what I'm doing.  I  have experience and time (when the other two are in school) to really love raising Crew.  Okay not a lot of time,  but I'm wise enough to enjoy it when I do!

                                                                                                January 2011


I have two little live in nannies who usually love to help.  Carson rarely complains when asked to help.  He's great when Crew is tired and I'm trying to get dinner ready or in the morning when Chloe is getting ready for school.  The two of them stay and eat breakfast and watch cartoons together while I walk Chloe to the bus stop.  Carson is revelling in his role as big brother. He loves to put him on his shoulders and make him laugh or push him in the stroller.  Carson likes to tell me that when Crew is his age he'll be going on his mission!

                                                                                                October 2011

Chloe loves to cuddle and smother Crew with love!  She plays house with him in her room while I sneak in a few chores.  She's often asked to be a little quieter when she's with him because everything he does makes her laugh uncontrollably!  She often tells me how lucky we are that Crew came to our house.  Whenever she goes out to play with a friend she insists that they come and say hi to him first. She's so proud.

                                                               May 2011                                                                          March 2011


The love is totally reciprocated.  Crew lights up when the kids come in the room and when they leave the bonus room he hangs on the gate crying until they run back up the stairs for one more laugh and hug.  I have a  memory of Andrew when he was probably a toddler and he was sitting on the stairs while I goofed around trying to get him to cheer up and laugh. I remember thinking that Mom asked me because I was the only one who could truly make him happy.  Now I think maybe I was right!  There's a kind of laughter and happiness that only a big brother or sister can bring.  This is true in my house (I try not to be jealous!).

                                                                  -July 2011

It's been a special experience for Dave too.  While all of the kids love and adore him,  I don't know if he's ever had the experience of a nursing baby choosing him over Mommy!  If I bring him into bed in the morning the first thing he does is crawl over to look for Dave.  If he gets no response (I never do) he hits him on the head and says something that sounds suspiciously like DADA!  I have loved watching the two of them together.  Dave never leaves Crew crying at the stairs when he leaves for work he always stops for one more lingering cuddle.  He has also really learned to stop and soak in the moment.

                                                                                                             Silverwood August 2011


I  often think and wonder about what Crew had to learn and prepare for before coming to our home.  Why did he take so long?  When I think about how hard it was to wait I imagine him sitting at his Father's feet and gleaning all that he possibly could; maybe getting one more hug so that he would feel ready.  Then time suddenly doesn't feel so long.  I'm just glad he came.   I'm grateful for God's wisdom in sending us to live in families.  I feel so very blessed.

He's Gonna Be A....Dancer?

Each time I was pregnant and my babies started to kick Dave would say, 'he's gonna be a soccer player'.
He's even been known to stick out his own belly and announce the same. 

                                                                                                     Dave and Jenn - 2000

So last week when Crew walked I had to laugh because this kept running through my head-only it was 'dancer'. I had taken Chloe for her first Irish dancing class (she's finally deemed it worthy) and since it was the first class we got to stay and 'watch'.  Though I am not sure if quietly hiding in the back room with 6 or 8 other parents all trying to peer through the crack in the blinds counts as watching.  

Anyway, I was there with Lara reminiscing over the good old days of pink sponge rollers and blistered feet when Crew did it.  He walked!  He just picked up a little girl's pump and took off.  I guess the Irish flows through his veins too.  He heard the music and just couldn't help it...he just had to get up and dance!

I'm pretty sure that Dave would prefer that he become a professional water-skier so I'm fairly certain there will be some discussion if Crew decides he'd like a kilt rather than a wetsuit.  It would make sense though if your mother was a dancer and your Granda is a penny whistle-blowing-bodhran-bangin-bagpiper.

Crew squeaks and squeals and waves his arms and just has so much fun when he walks!  I guess this makes up for our sadness at how quickly he is growing up. 

Carson, Chloe, Crew and the Not-So-Bummer-Summer!

We can hardly believe its over!  We had so much fun that it all feels like a dream somehow.  We started off trying to get in a little cabin time and since it was Crew's first year of training (for THE DRIVE!) we were a little worried. Crew really only sleeps well in his crib in the dark with a noisy old humidifier plus he was starting training a little late- the ripe old age of 11 months.  Carson started at 3 weeks, and Chloe at 2 months. Crew's first car nap lasted 2 hours!  I was so relieved! Was this too good to be true?  YES.  Let's just say he's improving.  When we do get lucky enough to take a quick break I always try to quickly nurse Crew because he's hungry and upset.  But as soon as he is free from the bonds of the baby-torture-chair he goes straight for the front of the van to the steering wheel.  Who needs a playground?!?

                                                                                                        August 2011

He's going to be just like Carson who has loved cars and boats and driving them since day one!

                                                                          Carson driving Grandpa's boat ~August 2002

The other kids are really grateful for DVD players with headphones! It helps when patience is running thin.  As usual Carson and Chloe are great travellers.  There's hardly a complaint from the two of them.  They have even learned to limit unscheduled bathroom stops.  Dave really hates to break stride!  He really only 'brakes' for the RCMP!

Cabin time was great.  Carson fell right back into skiing and wake-boarding- this time with even more confidence.  Last year he got really strong on one ski and this year he just picked up right where he left off. We were out one day and he fell now normally this is the frustrating part- going back for the other ski and trying to remember where he drops it next,  but this day he just decided to try and do a deep-water start.  He managed to do it on his first try!  We could hear him screaming and yelling... he was so proud.  So was Dave (there may have been tears!). Then the next time he fell it took another 3 tries. That was a great lesson for him.  He's so used to sports coming easily for him that it was a bit frustrating.  In the past this would be where things would end in a fight and his refusal to try again but Dave managed a really good talk on why it's better to have to work for things and Carson seemed to have listened.  He really had a great attitude this year.  Wake-boarding is going well too.   Carson is working on jumping the wake and seeing how high he can get!

                                                                                          

Chloe is still trying to get over her fears.  She waterskiied a few times first when she was 3, then sproadically until last year.  We had finally convinced her to try again when she fell and didn't let go!  So now she refuses! She's also mourning the loss of the skip saucer.  That was a nice alternative for her but it met it's demise under the stairs on top of the heater!  So sad!

                                                             Chloe on saucer 2006

So now she is perfecting the art of snorkeling, being a good spotter and swimming without a lifejacket (only under supervision!).  She also needs to be reminded to spend some time with us, and to give the Cardiff's a break!  

 

                                                                           August 2011

She's got quite a sense of humour; Dave and I don't always get it (since its meant for silly seven year-olds) but it's fun to watch her doubled over laughing.  Her favorite "joke" this summer was to jump off the dock with Dave and Carson but when they came up for air they would discover she really hadn't jumped in!  Hilarious!  They "fell" for it every time!

                                         1, 2, ...3!                                      BAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Every time!

We really tried to spend a lot of time in the water together,  it's where we all love to be and everyone can do it except  Crew who still spends a lot of time napping.  The kids spent so much time with their snorkel masks on that they both had cracked and peeling faces!  There were a lot of tears and aloe at night!  Crew was introduced to the lake.  He didn't mind too much, but definitely preferred the warm kiddie pool....when there was room.

                                                                                                                                                                      July 2011

When there is down time the kids usually hunt. This year's yield was great!  There were several frogs, two salamanders, one snake and hundreds of fish (most of which met their demise fighting for oxygen in a giant pickle jar or the palm of a little girl who loves them soooo much). The kids love to hang from the stairs, fly down the stairs and just learn to become true friends.  They're also constantly attempting to break their previous records of 'time spent at the Cardiff's cabin before getting kicked out'!

                                  Always need a spotter!                                                  Story time

We also went hiking and Geo-caching with the cousins and Nanny and Granda.  I love how the kids need a little time for complaining and then they just become too exhausted to even bother!  I love to tire them out because there are days I wonder if its possible! It makes me feel good to see them passed out in the van on the way home. We also went camping one weekend with Lara and family.  The weather was cold but the kids didn't even seem to notice.  They spent most of the time tearing around the camp site on their bikes or parked in front of the fire making roasted apples and poopy-diapers (chocolate-filled marshmallows!).   On the Saturday we were making breakfast when we heard shouting, our neighbour was telling us to gather up our children because a bear was coming!  I looked up and there he was right in the camp site in front of us!!! so we all jumped in the van and waited for it to be chased away. So exciting!  We didn't let them wander off so far after that!

In August we went to Coeur D'Alene with Lara and Greg.  We really had a lot of fun.  We shopped with crying babies, the kids went to the pool every night, and we spent a good part of most days at the beach.  We also spent one day at Silverwood and Boulder Beach.  It was soooo fun!  We probably could have spent several days there. 

                                                                                          Coeur D'Alene 2011

We love warm weather and water and boating but we really cherish being together. Looking forward to this time is the only thing that keeps us sane by the time the 7th month of winter blows in. We don't even mind cold camping days, being stiff all of July and August, sun burns or driving for hours on end. The only real bummer is that summer ends!