Being 32

Well it official, I am 32 years old. The other day I was thinking that I am now closer to 40 than I am to 20 oiy!

So what did we do - Jeral took me out and got me my new Iphone 4. So excited for that. We aslo went out for dinner and saw a movie and the whole time I wondered how the babes were doing. I have never been gone from both of them for 7 hours so it was a stretch and yet it was nice to be on a date with the man I love and adore.

This past year of my life has been so full of so many experiences.

• I became a mother twice over through different ways, and both equally as beautiful as they were challenging. Kenzie and Jaris are my miracles. The ups and downs of sleep deprivation, just when you think the schedule is all worked out something changes.
• I got to be at the birth of my niece Madalyn - which was an amazing experience.
• I have gotten to see first hand how much joy both my babes bring to not only us, also to others around us.
• Jumped for joy when Kenzie rolled over, crawled, said Mama and new what she was saying, and walked for the first time. Oh and i better not forget all the times she has crawled up on my lap to read a book or just to give me kisses.
• Kenzie's Adoption was finalized, and she also had her first Birthday all in this past year of my life.
• Jaris - we had a big scare when we were not sure why he was so floppy, and then he turned it all around and we have gotten to watch him get stronger, and smile, and talk/babble - starting to crawl the way he does. Sitting up and playing.
• Lost a bunch of weight in one day thanks to giving birth :) Only to then over the next few month put a bunch of weight back on :( I will get it off in time!
• A relationship of approximately 4 years with one therapist ended and a new relationship with another one began.
• Enjoying a summer with babes and going swimming with them. They love to swim.
• Going to Soccer games with the big beast stroller and having everyone fall in love with our babes.
• Getting constantly asked if we have twins and finally coming to a place of just being able to say yes, instead of telling everyone the long, yet amazing story.
• Taking the kids out in the snow on a sled - I think we have years of that a head of us.
• Starting to do chores in the chicken barns again - not sure if I saw that one coming!

There are lots of other experiences that have been amazing and as I look back I think that there are only 2 big regrets.

• Regret number one - not listening to my inner feelings when I felt that we needed to stay home from a family function. Listening and staying home would have been the wise thing to do. I can tell you that will never happen again.
• Regret number 2 - being to afraid to tell someone I care about how much I was really hurt by certain things. Instead I pushed away and said I had said all I needed to say. Oh well such is life and the way it goes. Some things are easier to do than others. Maybe one day I will get to a point where I will be able to say everything or maybe one day I will get to the point where it does not really matter anymore.

So yeah it has been a full year. Mostly in part due to my amazing little babes. I am not sure if I really knew who life altering and busy I would be with two babes at once. However I would say that this last year for 31-32 has been one of the most challenging, heart breaking, and yet joyous and amazing years of my life. So with that I will say I am looking forward to the future!

LIfe as Of Late

Tuesday this past week both kids had dr.'s check ups and well my 9 month old son tipped the scales at 25lbs, 11 oz., and he is 31.5 inches long. Kenzie weighed in at 21 lbs and I do not remember how long she is. When Kenzie and Jaris stand next to each other Jaris is taller. Jaris also had physio yesterday and he started showing off for the ladies. At one point they were asking me if he was able to get up on all fours and start rocking back and forth, and I said nope not yet. Well no joke less than a minute after that Jaris was up on all fours and rocking and talking and showing off. I am so proud of both my babes.

I have started doing the chores on our farm which I am enjoying. Jeral has a really bad knee and some days can barely walk on it and since the barns are 350 feet in length and each barn is walked four times, there is no way his knee can hold out so I after about 4 years have gone back into the barns, and I liking it. The time to think is great. I may not give him back the barns after his knee feels better.

We are looking forward to a family trip in February when our birds have shipped. Once again the trip is to Abbotsford and Vancouver! We tend not to be too creative. Plus traveling to where family and friends are makes the trip great for the kids and we get that little bit of extra helping hands with them. As both of them get older it makes traveling harder, well the nights are more difficult however that is life! And give it a few years and life and traveling will be easier!

Life Lately

Kenzie has decided it is time to color, so I guess I need to order soy based crayons so that way when she decides to eat them I know that it is okay.

Showing off his skills for mama! Jaris was commando crawling and rolling all over the living room floor this afternoon.

A birthday present for a friends son. I have started making blankets again. I made a fuzzy one for Kenzie with flowers and decided I would try a teddy bear one for my friends son who also had his first birthday party recently.

Getting ready to go for a walk with Mommy and Auntie Karen!

Kenzie out like a light on our way to Kamloops on Christmas day! She was so adorable we took a picture!

Jaris and daddy on Christmas day before we went over to Mark and Jodi's for lunch! We had a great time hanging out with them and the Baylis family.

Our Christmas at home with the kids. I went crazy and got them lots this year! Kenzie loves sitting and relaxing in soft chairs so we got her a very soft chair to lounge in and she decided it was nicer to lounge this way than the way the chair is meant to be sat in! She is a smart cookie my daughter!

Jaris and one of his new toys!

Jaris pulling at the paper. Really we could have given them boxes and paper and they would have had a great Christmas!

I think I managed to find every Fisher Price Surprise Pop Up Block and by it for them

Christmas Eve and Jaris in his suit! Looking snazzy my son, looking snazzy!

Ready to go to Church for the Christmas Eve Service. This was the best shot I could get, before the kids rebelled . I love the dress we had for Kenzie I even had a head band thingy for her to wear however I had to settle for a clip because she kept taking the head band with a flower off!

So I know I have been not blogging as much lately. I have preferred to spend time snuggling with my babes. I guess I am saying that things are going to be slowing down from here on in. I know that my friends and family who read the blog enjoy seeing pictures of the kids and getting to watch them grow and develop, and yet I am feeling the need to spend less time on the computer and more time with my babes and husband (that is once the babes are in bed).

So what is new for us?

Jaris - we are so proud of him, he is such an amazing little boy. He is commando crawling these days. Basically when he wants something he pushes with his feet and uses his arms to drag himself. This was a goal that was set for him to meet in a 5 - 6 month time range and he did it in 2 months!!!!!!!! He is talking up a storm theses days. Not sure what he is saying however we know he is talking and trying to tell us stories. My favorite time of the day with him is right after he wakes up from his nap and he is making noise to let me know it is time to get him. When I walk into the room and say mama is here he stops whatever he is doing and pushes up on his arms to get himself as high as he can go to see me and gives me the best smile in the world. My heart melts and I am a mush ball! Jaris still is not sleeping through the night, however I can hardly complain about that since Jeral chooses to get up for Jaris 4:30 am feed and then snuggles with him until 7:30 am.

Kenzie - she is walking by herself these days. She still is faster at scootching, however she is taking more steps on her own every day. I know that once she is walking I will be running non-stop after her, however I think it will be fun most days. Plus I need to start running around. Kenzie has also started to crawl up to me just to snuggle for a second or two, give me a few kisses and then go right back to playing. I love that! Once again something in the day to melt my heart. Kenzie for the most part is sleeping through the night!!!!! Yeah for that, since I am the one who gets up with her normally, and yet I do not mind the odd night that I need to go snuggle and cuddle for a little while.

Jeral and I had our 4th anniversary. Wow 4 years where has the time gone? This year we chose to spend our anniversary with Jeral's sister and her family. They were in Oliver for a while so we went and joined them. Honestly it was the perfect way to spend it - with people we love plus the extra hands with the kids is always a bonus.

Jeral just bought a new to us farm truck. It is a 2007 Chev Silverado, with a full crew cab. Jeral knee has been giving him problems so it was time to retire the big standard diesel. I am looking forward to driving it too! Seriously in the past year we have bought Van, Jeral bought a motor cycle, and now a truck. Oiy an expensive year it has been.

Me, well what can I say I am going to be 32 soon. Wow that used to seem so old and now it just doesn't any more. My biceps get a good work out every day carrying both Kenzie and Jaris around. This afternoon after I got Jaris I was walking out of his room with him in my arms thinking man having one kid would be so easy, and yet I went straight to Kenzie's room and scooped her up in my other arm and then carried them both down stairs at the same time. Yeah that is an extra 50 pounds of weight, and i could not imagine life without either babe in my arms. In February I see a ENT Specialist to see if there is anything that can be done to help me breathe better.

MacKenzie First Birthday

It has been a while. Let me just say that teething has totally taken it's toll on this family. Both Babes are teething up a storm and I really mean that. We have gone from having a great schedule to nothing seems to work other than screaming at times. Oh well that is life, so here are the pictures from Mackenzie's first Birthday! What a Birthday it was and we are so blessed that a year ago she came into our lives, our home, and more importantly our hearts!

More interested in the bag than the gift! Gotta love this stage. This was take on her actually Birthday, the big party was the next day!
This is how she kisses these days she bites on the nose or anywhere she can. Both Jeral and I have experienced this type of kissing first had however it is cute when she is practicing on her teddy bear that Jaris gave her!

Pointing at mommy after having a great pancake breakfast on her birthday!

The day of the party, my mom (aka-Grandma J.) was here and she made Kenzie this butterfly cake! Thanks Grandma we all love you!

Kenzie's turn to blow out the candles, she was not sure what to do when everyone was singing to her at one point I thought she was going to cry!

The after math! After everyone got a piece we let Kenzie have at it with s chunk of cake! The I gave in and let her actually have some pop too!

Opening the birthday presents! Still not sure what to do with the wrapping paper so mommy got to open the gifts!

Playing with the new toy from Auntie Karen and Uncle Ray! Kenzie's friend came all the way from out east to be here so we were super happy that the two of them got to play and interact together.

And here is a family picture from earlier in the day!

So there you have it our amazing little girls first Birthday! We are so blessed to get to be her mommy and daddy and we will never take for granted the gift that she is! Happy Birthday little Kenzie you are so loved!!!!!!

Kenzie Got into our ceral cupboard despite the baby safety latch we have on it and this is how we found her with rice cakes going in the mouth.

Jaris sitting on the car/walking toy. Poor little boy totally fell head first just after I took this picture.

Kenzie after eating a very yummy snacke and refusing to let mommy wipe her face clean. Some days the battle to wipe the face is not worth the battle at all, so I trick her into thinking we are going to have fun in the bath tub, when really I just want to get her cleaned up!!!

My boys watching football. I think their team just scored and pulled ahead of my team and then Jaris made this silly face as if to say - huh mom your team is loosing!

I love his smile! Food and smiles for Jaris go hand in hand!

Jaris decided to babble away during the football game on Sunday and since I love listening to him talk I recorded it. I love how he is saying dada and mama these days and other little things. I know that he is not aware of the meaning yet, however I still love hearing those words come out of his mouth. Especially Mama!!!!!

Welcome Baby Madalyn

Proud Auntie with her niece Madalyn

Welcome to the world baby girl! It was a blessing and an honor to be at your birth and to watch you come into this world! You are very loved!!!

Well it has been a long yet wonderful day. I awoke to my cell phone ringing at 2 am this morning and it was my sister telling me that she had gone into labor and that she wanted me to come to the hospital in Kamloops. So I quickly brushed my teeth, got my clothes on, made sure my hair looked good and did a touch up on the make up I did not wash off before I went to bed and drove to Kamloops. I got to the hospital to be with my sister for the last 3 hours of labour and the birth of my niece Madalyn Mary McAvoy. My brother in law Chris is working up North and was stuck in the camp and unable to make it time. So I took pictures and video after she was born for him so he can see the first few moments of her life.

Watching the birth of my niece was amazing. I watched my son being born in a mirror and that was somehow different. Probably because I was in a huge amount of pain and not able to think clearly or focus on the wonder of my son coming into the world. So this time watching Madalyn I was in awe and wonder. And then the awe and wonder started all over again when I held her and realized how tiny she was and then I thought about my babes once being that small. Man time flies! Madalyn is perfect in every way and I had a bit of head envy as her head was perfectly round and tiny, not like Jaris' his was huge and ouch!!!!!!

Well now I am home with my babes and enjoying the gift of life that they are to us, and thankful that we are not once again entering into the no sleep stage of things. I will be praying for my sister and continue to be grateful for the night my babes sleep!

So welcome into the World Madalyn Mary McAvoy! We love you and are looking forward to many playdates and fun times ahead!

Picture Update

The decorating begins! I am so excited for this Christmas. It is Jaris' first Christmas and while it is technically Kenzie's second Christmas she was only 4 days old at the time, so this Christmas is going to be amazing and not the blur that last years was.

The Christmas tree that one sees when they come in the house! This is the most color I have ever put on a tree - black, silver, burgundy, and purple.

The small Christmas Tree in the sitting room. I was not sure if I was going to set up all 3 trees this year however in the end I decided to set them up! I wanted everything set up for the Family Christmas.

The Christmas Tree in the Family Room! There are more decorations all over the house however I have decided to move onto pictures of the kids which I know it really what everyone wants to see!

Look at that cute little boy! I think he is absolutely amazingly adorable!

Kenzie has the greatest laugh and smile in the world and see those teeth! She has been teething up a storm and now has 7 teeth with what looks like the 8th - 10th about to cut through any day now!

Kenzie some how got on the toy and then was not sure how to make it move or how to get off! She sometimes likes walking behind it, however here method of travel is skootching. She is faster than most kids can crawl or walk so why try to walk anymore! All in time I guess!

Jaris eating broccoli on his own! I love that he is eating some food on his own these days. I starting doing the happy dance when he started eating his own food on occasion this week.

Okay you gotta start them young right! No, however she loves the bottles and I took this picture with someone in mind. I many times got a lecture about drinking Coke-a-Cola from Kenzie's Name sake.

Jaris using the handles to hold his own bottle and drink from it. This was also worthy of the exciting happy dance in the kitchen. I love celebrating all the small things which turn into big things. There was a time when we were scared the small things would not ever happen so I now choose to celebrate ever amazing small step forward! My kids are amazing and I am so blessed to be their mommy. I know I say this a lot, and I mean it every time!

My teething son playing in the jump-a-roo. He is such a trooper when he is teething and normally we have no idea that he is teething, however lately the teeth have been coming fast a furious and the snot is dripping like crazy and he still smiles and to be honest I am enjoy all the extra cuddles these days! From both kids!

Kenzie has been enjoying Christmas oranges these days! We had our big family Christmas and there were lots of orange left here and wow - if I would have known that she would love them so much i would have given them to her months ago!

My sleeping babe!The cuddles and snuggles have been following around here the past few days and I am thrilled about that and will take all the snuggles I can get!

I love this look. I knew she was about to lunge for the camera with that look! oh the many faces of Kenzie!

8 Months

Wow Jaris was 8 months yesterday! And what a day it was for him. Jaris got to hang out with all the members of our extended family at the big family Christmas party. My little boy is growing up so fast. I love all the cuddles and snuggles that he gives. I love how excited he gets when he is in the jolly jumper. I love how he and Kenzie interact. He loves smiling at his sister! He loves his food. I am truly blessed that he is such a good eater. I never have to worry that he will not eat his food. I am stoked that we have a bunch of turkey left overs so I blend up some turkey and start putting it in his yam, spinach, carrots, and green bean mix. I also love listening to him talk to himself and giggle with glee in the middle of the night. The rare night now that he joins us in our bed are some of my favorite nights! I love listening to him as he lays between us and we are trying to fall asleep. I love the rolling over and snuggling in with me. I think it is so funny that while daddy is in bed too, both Jaris and Kenzie seem to know where mommy is and roll to snuggle in with mommy! Yep I am special, and I love being the snuggler with my babes!

A couple of weeks ago we had Jaris' development tested and his did so great. He used to be really below the rest of his age group and he has done a great job at catching up and now is in the middle of the pack. I am so proud if him for that, because the reality is that while we spend time doing physio (baby physio is really playing) with him, Jaris does all the work.

This week I started just laying the baby mum mums on his high chair tray and because they are big enough to grab he grabs then and then chomps down on them. I love that he is starting to eat some finger food. Small things are still hard to grab yet that is okay one small step at a time.

I will post pictures in a few days when I have more time and am not so tired! Until we hope everyone is enjoying life!