Friday, June 11, 2010

Brotherly Love

Yes, blogging on a Friday. Only half as many people read blogs on the weekend but oh well! Should be a good weekend ahead as I've got the second round of football playoffs, a couple photo shots and then family bbq. We might also attempt camping in there too...just a one night trial to see how Koen does.
Caught this super cute moment of the boys reading together!! Kai read him his favourite book twice, what a good big brother!
Koen is starting to say so many new words per day and it's adorable! He loves saying `no' which is actually so helpful because then I know what he does or doesn't want. His new word on Tuesday may have been `boo-tee' while he shook it:)
How cute...just getting along!!!
I put Koen on the toilet before his bedtime diaper and so far he's peed on the toilet almost every time. He loves feeling like a big boy:) Would be awesome to have him out of diapers when we have our third. I never know how to say that part...`get our third' `adopt our next child' `when our baby comes'? We have our three day adoption seminar next week! Also, I've started thinking about baby names (if we have a newborn). Would love a name with K in the middle to keep the flow with the other boys. You know, like Micah or Luka or McKinley or something. If you think of something, let me know! The middle name would likely be in relation to the birth mom or she could choose it.
This was the slinky incident. Snapped in half and cut up Koen's face.
Great berry cupcakes. I made them with blueberries instead of blackberries because that is what I had in the freezer. Yummy but maybe a bit too sweet!
A terrible picture of pesto but I really think that if you like pesto you should make it. Follow any recipe, it is so super duper easy and versatile! I make mine with less oil than Gary would like and sometimes I use walnuts instead of pine nuts but really, you can do whatever you want. Basil and sun dried tomatoes....lovely combo!!
And now to show what the boys are really like together...



Have a great weekend everyone! By the way, GC Photography now has a new domain to make it a bit simpler: www.gc-photography.net. The old one will take you there but hopefully this shorter one will be easier to remember and look a little more professional. New logo and a bit fresher look coming soon, I'm excited!
Be safe.
Love, Louise

Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Blessing of a Great Parent

Last night we attended the memorial of our friend's dad. It was a great service for remembering him, if you can call those kind of things `great'. One thing that stuck out to me was how similar our childhoods were. My friend and I both had parents that took us all over North America (driving and camping), boating, and just loving the outdoors. Both of us are now science teachers who love the outdoors and family time. Another thing that was mentioned was how supportive her dad was. Just being there. My mom was busy, with 5 kids and working part time, but she was there for us. There were times that I wished that she had attended some of my cross country meets or soccer games but she was working and I understood it. Also, when she asked if she should come, I would say, `Oh, it's okay, don't worry about it'. I think in my heart I was saying, `Please come!'. I think if my boys say that it doesn't matter, I'll go. I hope I do!! Our home was very loving and supportive but we didn't say `I love you' often enough. I knew I was loved but emotions weren't shared regularly (boy, my teenage years must have thrown them for a loop!! Super emotional!!!). Well, when my mom got sick, then we shared our thoughts and emotions a whole lot more. And here...some pictures of my mom. A truly great mother and wife.

You know how pictures just take you back? My mom was often found hemming or sewing some of our clothes but she always had time to involve us (that's Jan) in it.
My nap time with mom.
Playing outside at our old house. I did not inherit my mom's skinny genes. My sister Jackie fell out of the kitchen window. Five kids later and she was still 125lbs.
Camping and exploring. Lovely clothes, I know. Did people even care about clothes back then?
Welcoming baby girl #5!!! Like my mullet?
Mom always let me do her hair, even while breastfeeding a baby. As a kid I always wanted to be a teacher or a hairdresser. Just a note that she cloth diapered and breastfed us all. Thanks mom!
She didn't play with us but she read stories, biked, walked etc with us and was just present with us.
Who takes 5 kids camping?! Thumbs up to my mullet!
Celebrating 15 years of marriage in her Michelle Duggar type dress:)
Reading to my sister Jan...just good memories in that old house!! My dad made those beds and my nieces have them now:)
This picture above was on her memorial bulletin. It just captures that she loved life.
Getting ready for Christmas dinner. Mom busy in the kitchen, dad complaining that he has to cut up the turkey:)
Mom and dad...last fall together.

I feel so blessed to be a parent. I know what a huge job it is and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. I hope and pray that I will always be close to my boys. I hope that they are able to look back on their lives and say that they had a wonderful childhood (I realize I can't control and protect them from everything) and that they had pretty great parents too:)

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Happiness

The boys are just so super duper cute so I intentionally went out with them today to take some photos. Koen didn't really smile until we got home and had a freezie but that's my Kokies! I just want to say that for the first time, in probably 5 years, I feel like I'm approaching a 9.5/10 in happiness. It doesn't mean that I'm always happy, it just means that I'm super content and I can reach those moments of pure joy and happiness. For the last 5 years, there had just been this cloud of some suckiness happening (dad heart attack, dad cancer, mom cancer, mom dying, dad dating and marrying-don't worry Joanne, we love you, it was just an adjustment!, C-section recoveries, Graves' disease with a super wild thyroid). This cloud meant that my happy factor could maybe reach a 7/10. Not bad, just not what it once was. So, to share some photos of the reason why I take them....here are a few of my beautiful boys!

(Please note Koen's forehead. There was a slinky incident. The boys used to each pull on an end and go as far apart as they could. This last time, it snapped in half. Oops)



(I'm going to edit this one above later on because I really like it....)





Have a great day!!
Love, Louise

Thursday, June 03, 2010

17 Months And Stuff

I first want to say that my friend (colleague and fellow football player) lost her dad to cancer today. He was diagnosed just one month ago. I wish I could fast forward this part for her but I know that in all the funeral planning, remembering, and grieving, there is healing. It just sucks. I feel bad going on with a blog about my every day life but I just find that it's healthy for me to focus on the little joys in my life. There is no great segue, so excuse the big jump.

My little baby is 17 months old now. What a joy (like I said, no segue). While Kai makes me laugh and roll my eyes, Koen makes me smile. He's such a mischievous, brave, lovable little monkey.
(Koen with auntie Trish)
He loves playing hockey (hot-tee) with his big brother and can handle a stick quite decently! He also loves baths, swings and slides, going in the Ergo (when I ask him if he wants to go in the carrier, he runs at me with so much force, he loves it!), food (he is a little pickier than his older brother in regards to fruits and veggies), and animals (especially birdies).
At Kai's party day, Koen walked right up to the line were the kids were. It was so precious as he made sure that his feet were behind the line.
Everyone who sees him says he looks like an old man. I think it's because his hair is just like my dad's...all fluffy on top! He brings smiles to everyone wherever he goes. I feel a bit bad for Kai because once your kid turns 3, people aren't so interested in them anymore.
(Yummy taco salad in a tortilla bowl...just brush some oil and cumin and salt on the tortilla and put it in a muffin tin and bake for 8 min at 350F! We ate our salad with our hands last night:))

Koen is working on a bunch of teeth but still just has the 8. He (dare I say it???) has been sleeping from 7 pm-8:30am for a while now but whenever I say that he starts waking up at night again. I love that Gary gets Kai ready in the morning and then I can stay in bed until 8am! When Gary was gone, I was so tired (Koen was waking up 3X a night) so I told Kai to just stay in bed as long as he could. The next morning I went into his room and he had taken his breakfast into bed and was watching a DVD. His breakfast? A bowl of cereal, piece of toast, a pepperoni stick, and a cookie. I have big eaters and the big one can apparently reach every cupboard in our house!
I love watching these two play together. Kai usually tackles or wrestles him but unless Koen complains, I kind of let it go now as Koen is big enough and `durable'. They love to play outside together, ride bikes, play with chalk, colour, read, and help in the kitchen. The one thing they do not do together is have a bath. Kai has refused to bathe with Koen since day one.
I'm so thankful that I can be with my boys during the day and work at night. These past two weeks I have been working 40 hour weeks (with photography). I have no idea how momma's work full time as there has been zero time for myself (except for football!!). Things are starting to slow down a bit and I'd like to get back to the 10 hour work week.
Koen isn't super interested in trying new words but does have his few words that he uses over and over and over. The most common are; daddy, birdie, uppee (up please), me! me! me!. Kokies, we love you!!! You are such a little monkey and are just so loveable!!!
Oh and Kai Bear. Today he made a good point. We always talk about being gentle and caring for living things (like the garden and snails etc). Today I was pulling out weeds and he said, `Mommy! You need to stop, those are living things!' Hmmm....so true. They weren't really harming anything, they just didn't look nice. What could I say?!

And Kai with Bubi. I can't believe how old Kai is. When I look at him, I see a 7 year old. He totally does not seem 3.5 years old to me. He's just a mini adult. He is such a wonderful boy who shows love for others by being inclusive and sharing with them. He has his crazy moments but they are def. showing up less often. He is so eager and enthusiastic. His little voice gets so high pitched when he's excited, it's awesome. He loves school for the socializing and learning and honestly, he loves the cleaning up part. The teachers always comment about that. I hope I haven't caused him to have OCD with wanting a clean house all the time:) Oh yes, one new thing; he has started lying. Mostly it's things like saying he's washed his hands when he hasn't. We are working on him understanding that I won't get mad but he has to tell the truth. Today he said that he had used the bathroom at preschool (he's been afraid to do that for the past month) and I asked if that was the truth. He said, `No mommy, I'm sorry. I lied.'. So, at least he's admitting it now.

I am so blessed. An awesome husband. A funny almost 4 year old. An adorable 17 month old. An almost healthy thyroid. A job that works so perfectly with my health and our desires for our family.

Have a wonderful Thursday evening.
Love, Louise

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Simon Says

Kai and Koen like to play `Simon Says' when it's time to eat. Do you know why I don't like it?
Because all Kai does is get Koen to rub all his food in his hair. Every. Single. Day.
We had a wonderfully full weekend of football, birthday parties, engagement shoot and a baptism. I love my football team. We have played together for 10 seasons and we are just so supportive and encouraging of each other. I say this because the team we played this weekend was noticeably different. We're tough but nice:)
(My sister Maria's 26(?) week belly)
We went out to Mission to witness baby Sami's baptism. Man, that little girl is the easiest baby in the entire world. Her cry lasts about 2 seconds. That's it. So chill. Fine with anyone and everyone. Wow.
Then we went to Jan and Doug's for a bbq. The kids just ran around wildly (they have a great yard) and we ate some yummy food.
(I will do my hair one day....)
And, all the Dekens' grandkids below

The boys are doing super well. Kai has decided in the past couple of weeks that he loves puzzles. This is awesome although all of our tables are now covered in puzzles. He has also been biking everywhere and I just carry Koen in the ergo or push him on the toddler bike with the extended handle. The boys love each other and also wrestling. When you add a third kid, does that fighting get a lot worse?

We got a call from our social worker yesterday. We are probably going to be done everything a month earlier than I thought (by August)! The one disappointing thing was that she said, `Are you sure you want to go domestic? There are a whole lot of people who are currently waiting for a domestic adoption.'. A little disappointing but there is no wait list, you get chosen by the birth mom. I still feel tons of peace about it but check in with me again if we're still waiting 2 years from now!

Time to get the Kokies. Hope you have a lovely Tuesday!
Love, Louise