Play Day

A couple of weeks ago we had some of Jaxon's friends over on a Saturday afternoon for some craft play. A week or two before that we made a trip to the dollar store and got a bin full craft supplies for Jaxon for us to occupy him for the winter months. The kid's dad's were getting together that day to play, so we thought it would be a perfect opportunity for the kids to get together as well.
I spend the early afternoon making some homemade playdoe for them, and getting stuff set up for when the arrived. We had to make it later on in the afternoon so that they could all have their naps so they would not be cranky.
The table was set up, and all the supplies were out. We stripped them down to the bare necessities (i.e. diaper's) and let them go at it.
They seemed to really like the finger panting. All three of them created some masterpieces that us mom's were so proud of.After finger panting Jaxon's attention was off into the boy's room where they were playing the Wii. Jazlin and Hadleigh could have gone all day if we would have let them, but it did come time to have dinner, so we had to clear everything up off the table so we could eat.
The craft play day was a huge success, and all the kids really seemed to enjoy themselves. I think that this was maybe the first of many of these days to come in our lives!!!

Happy Birthday Cara

Cleaning OUT the Bugs

Since before Christmas Jaxon and I have just been not feeling ourselves and a little under the weather. During the first week of the new year I spent some time cleaning everything really good, washing our sheets, and trying to get rid of any bad bugs we had. Well, my efforts were swept under the mat a couple of weeks ago when we both got sick again. This time it was not a 'cold', or the flu, just a pesky cough and runny nose.
Finally after over a week of us having it I decided that we need to go to the doctors and see what was going on. For myself, nothing seemed to be prominent. It was just something that had to run its course. I was prescribed an inhaler to help with my wheezing at night, but other then that they could not do anything for me.
As for my little guy, it seemed that he had a double ear infection. How could I have missed that? What kind of a mother am I? I could not believe that I took him to the doctors with no incling that that is was it could be? Of course after the fact, my mom did let me know that on Wednesday he was pulling on his years quite a bit. I did know that he was not himself. Very cranky, and just not feeling up to par. He did not have a fever either.
Anyways, we got him some medicine and I have a totally different boy on my hands this week!!!
We all seem to be on the mend again, and I am hoping this week to get our bugs washed out again, in hopes that they will never return.

Happy New Year

New Year's Eve was spend this year as a kid friendly even at our friends Ryan and Nicole. We kind of left it late planning this year, so when we decided to just do a house party we all agreed that it might be a little difficult to get a babysitter for the kids with it being such late notice, and New Year's Eve to boot.
All the kids were ready for bed around their normal times, and just went down, but not my little monkey. Not only did he was to stay up late, but he wanted to ring in the new year. There was no incling that Jaxon was tired until we got him home (which was still around 1:30) and laid his head down on his pillow. As soon as that happened, he was out!!!

The evening was spend watching the Canada Junior game, as well as a fierce competition of guys -vs- girls of American Idol on the Wii. The girls of course kicked the guys buts with our singing capabilities.

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year, and all the best to you and yours in 2010!!!!

A VERY Busy December

Again, another holiday season has come and gone, and all are left are the wonderful memories of it all. December was a time spent with family and friends, and not having to work for the most part of it. I still had some holidays to use up before the end of the year, and since we did not get a new manager at our office until the end of November, I had to get them used up before the end of the year. I only had to work a whopping 9 days in total for the month of December, and it was blissful. Coming back this week has been a little hard though and Jaxon was non too pleased when I had to walk out the door on Monday morning. He has maybe grown a little attached to his mommy over the past month, and did not want to let me come back to work. I really did not want to come back to work either, but if we want to keep up with the Jones's, momma must put the bread on the table.

The first of our gathers was with the Omands on December 6th. Jaxon was able to play with all of his cousin's for the afternoon, and got his first taste of the present thing.

The next week was the beginning of my first stretch of holidays. I was off this Jaxon on the Thursday and the Friday of this week, and we got hit with our first taste of winter. I left work on Wednesday evening with no snow on the ground, and woke up to cancellations and road closures. These 2 days were spend in the house getting ready for Christmas with some baking, all though we did manage to get out and shovel the driveway for Curt before he made it home from work.

On the weekend we went to Kitchener with Sid and Lois so they could do some Christmas shopping for Curt. On his wish list this year was a new suite and a new hockey helmet. Jaxon had fun in the Hockey Life, and I got a taste of what my future might hold. Jaxon better start saving his pennies know if he things that some day he would like to play hockey. The equipment they have out there is ridiculous!!! and from the way his father is enthralled in sports....I am sure that there is doubt that we will have a little sports player on our hands.

We had a gathering with Curt's grandma's side of the family on the 12th of December as well. Santa Claus himself made an appearance at this gather, and Jaxon was non too pleased. As soon as the big guy in red showed up, Jaxon looked around for the most familiar face, which was his grandpa Sid's, and spend that time that he was there on grandpa's lap.

Curt and I were both on holidays for the next week and the time was spent preparing for the big day. There was holiday baking done, present wrapping, preparation for our friends gather, and a quick trip to the dentist. On the Tuesday morning Curt was having a shower and Jaxon was playing around in the bathroom and fell and hit his mouth off the bath tub. As a result the little man chipped his 2 front teeth, and we had to make our first trip to the dentist so we could make sure there was no damage done. We got a good report, and know we just have to live with the chipped teeth for the next 5-7 years until his permanent ones come in.

Although Jaxon was not a big fan of Santa Claus in person, he loved to look at pictures of him, watch him on tv, and whenever you would ask him what Santa Claus said he would promptly respond to you with a big HOHOHO!!!

On the Friday night before Christmas we had some our friends in for a gather. Santa must of heard about our party, and decided to make an appearance, and even brought some gifts for all of the kids. We had 2 kids there, Hadleigh (23 months), Jazlin (9 months), Remmi (5) and Jaxon.....so we had 3 screaming kids, and one that was just amazed!!! Jaxon did not sit on his lap, and certainly would not have anything to do with Santa, until he made his way to the floor to play with him and his new toy. After that, he did not mind him, but certainly they were not best friends. Maybe next year!!!

Curt and I both had to return to work for the 4 days before Christmas, so we kind of got back into the swing of things.

Christmas eve was spent at mom and dad's with us doing our Christmas the night before. My dad had to work on Christmas day, so we had dinner and did presents the night before. We all spend the night there, so my mom did not have to wake up alone on Christmas day, so Jaxon made sure to tell him that in his letter that he wrote to him. He got his milk and cookies let out for him as well.and when we woke up in the morning there were two bites of the cookie for Jaxon to finish up, and a note to thank him!!!After we read his note, and got everyone else up and ready to open presents we made our way down stairs to find that Jaxon must have been a very good boy for the year, because there was a very big pile awaiting him!!! Him and his aunty Cara managed to get them all opened, and he loved them all.After we got our gifts opened we had brunch and then had to make our way over to Curt's parents for our Christmas with them.

(Sorry, no pictures of this because as the day went on, the worse I started to feel. By the end of the day I was down and out. I ended up having a full blown sinus infection with one monstrosity of a head cold to go along with it!!!)

The next day we headed to Toronto to have our Strachan Christmas with my dad's side of the family. Jaxon is the only little one at these gathers, so he got a lot of attention, which was nice, because I still was not feeling very well, and did not have the patients to give him all my attention.

The last of our gathers was with my mom's family on the Sunday after Christmas. It seemed very low key this year as there was quite a few people that were not able to make it this year. Jaxon got to play with all of his cousin's, with the next one being 3. This was the even of the season that I realized just how much by baby was growing up. He is at the stage in life that he is just a little sponge. Everything that is said/done around him he totally picks up on. We really have to start watching was we say/do around this house of ours. With him being around his older cousins, they were playing hide-and-go-see, and the next thing we look over and Jaxon was hiding between a cabinet and the wall. It took me a minute to realize what he was doing, but then realized that he was trying to hide from the other kids. What a little whip. I keeps me hopping each and every day.

Curt and I were both off the the remainder of 2009 and it was so nice to have to time to unwind. The days that we had off before Christmas was so busy, and did not seem too much like a holiday. These days we slept in, lounged around home, and had not plans. It was nice to be able to do that to recoup from the holiday season.

Happening of November

Since I am not quite sure where the last couple month of the year have gone, I am going to have to try to tell the happenings of them in pictures.....

Jaxon wrote his letter to Santa this year.and he mailed it off to the big man in Red!!!We took in the annual Listowel Santa Claus parade...a huge disappointment this year!!!And we met Santa for the first time this year. Jaxon was not too sure about him, but did not cry. He sure would not sit on his knee though. We were lucky to have him on the side of me that Santa was on.

Who is this guy Mommy???

we were not too sure about the big guy in red this year!!!

Trick-Or-Treat

For Halloween this year, Jaxon was a monkey. Very appropriate, as I call him my little monkey all the time.

We got started on our trick-or-treating a little later then planned, as Curt was in a golf tournament that day, and it ran a little later then expected.

By the time the night was over, Jax had quite the little bag full of goodies. He was wired because every time he received anything he felt that he needed to have a little of the treat.

(good thing he brushed his teeth before we left(pictured above), with all that candy that he ate)

Our first house we met up with Jaxon's friends Jazlin and Hadleigh.

Hadleigh was a monkey just like Jaxon.

LOOK OUT, MONKEY BEHIND THE WHEEL!!!!

My Little Monster

Well, my little monster did not get a good report from the babysitter last week. On Thursday night when I got home from work Curt had to tell me that Jaxon was a bad boy at the sitters that day. He was pulling Leah (a new little girl that has just started full time last week) and he was biting Jan (the sitter). Well I guess him and his dad had a little talk on the way home from Jan's house and then I had to tell him how disappointed I was to hear that he was not being a good little boy.
I guess our words to him did not mean anything, because when I call on Friday to ask Jan something she told me that he had been spending a lot of time in time out for the day. He was still misbehaving on Friday, so she was trying a new tactic with him.
We tried to continue to do the time out (or something of the same nature for a 1 year old) with him through the weekend when something he did deserved him to have a time out. He only had to have it a few times, but it does not seem to be working. Friday night I spent almost an hour with him because he would not leave the dog dish alone. I would put him on time out for 2 min, and then we would discuss the situation. He would then proceed to get off my knee, look at me, and then go directly to the dog dish and play with the food.
I think we could have a long road a head of us with this little guy. He always knows that he is doing something that his not suppose to because either he will give you a kiss before he does it, or he looks to make sure that you see him and you are going to give him a reaction.
I ya ya...parenting is hard job!!!!

Happy Birthday Riley!!!

Yesterday we had a 1st Birthday party for Jaxon's friend Riley.

We had a wedding on Saturday, so yesterday was a little tough to go to party where there were about 15 kids running around yelling and playing. Thank god it was only for 2 hours, and we got through it.

It was a very nice party, with lots of friends and family there. The party was at Riley grandma and grandpa's house, and good thing they have a big house, because there must have been at least 40 people there.

Riley and her cousins are a little spoiled by their grandma and grandpa, and have some wonderful toys there to play with. Jaxon was lucky enough to take a ride in a little red Corvette. I hope he enjoyed it, because that is probably as close as he will ever get to driving one again!!!

Congratulations Curt & Jaycee

He took his first steps......

Some Happening of the Last Month

October 4th was Reed's 1st Birthday. I can not believe how fast the last year has gone by.
Clint and Trisha had a party for him out at their place, so the McLaughlin's and the Fischer's got together to celebrate.

Reed decided to mark the day with taking his first steps as well. Trisha said that they have been very few and far between since then, but what a day to do it on....way to go buddy!!!


The week before Thanksgiving I had to go in and have carpel tunnel surgery done on my wrists, so I had a couple of days off to spend with Jaxon. We had to go over to my mom and dads so they could help with out with things as I was pretty much incapable of doing anything for myself, but I did manage to get Jaxon to the library on the Friday morning so that we could go to the Early Year's program. The theme of the day was turkeys, and Jax got to make a Turkey hat. Well, that is not entirely true, mommy got to make that hat, and Jaxon got to play in the glue!!!

We had family gathers for Thanksgiving as well. On the Saturday night we went to my Grandma Strachan's place for my dad's family. Jaxon got spoiled with attention, as he is the only great grand child, and also got some special time with his GG Strachan playing Chinese Checkers.

Sunday was spend at my mom and dad's with my mom's side of the family and Monday with at Curt's mom and dad with his family.

What a Difference a Year Makes!!!

On the weekend we made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkins for Halloween. Last year we did this, and decided that is was going to be an annual even that our family was going to do.

The place that we go to has a lot of fun stuff for the kids to do like a corn maze, straw bail jumping, pumpkin launch and so on, but we are still a little too young to partake in those kind of activities at the pumpkin patch, so we stuck to the main reason that we went and come hope with 3 of the best looking pumpkins that we could find!!!

Baby Show

Saturday was the fall fair in Milverton, so I packed Jaxon up in the morning and headed over to the baby show. Since the Listowel fair is always on the weekend that Curt and his dad play in a ball tournament is Sauble Beach, we always miss it. Since Jaxon did not get to participate in the Listowel baby show, I thought I would bring him to the Milverton one. It was kind of special anyways, because I was in the Milverton one when I was in a baby, so it was a bit of nostalgia.
Anyways, there was I believe 7 in Jaxon's category (1-2 year old boys) and my little boy one for the biggest smile.
It was too bad that Curt could not come along with us, because there was a category for look-a-likes, and they would have won for sure!!!!

Time with Gampy

Jaxon and I spend the evening at mom and dad's on Friday night, so Jaxon go to spend some quality time with his Gampy. Mom and Cara where doing a wedding cake, so I was on supper detail and Jaxon and Gampy got to play, have a snake and watch t.v. together.

There is defiantly not any Strachan in the boy, but I do believe (and it is unfortunate) that he might have got his Gampy's ear's!!!!

New Normal

Well, or new normal has begun. I started back to work on September 8th, and we are now in our 3rd week of routine, and I think that we are staring to get the hang of things.
Jaxon loves his new sitter. Curt usually does the drop off and the pick up, but on Thursdays I don't go into work until later, so I do the drop off. My first Thursday to do it I took him in and he could not never stick around to say good-bye to me. Off to the toy room he was, and I got into the car with a little tear in my eye. Everyone said it was better to have him do that then to cling onto my leg not wanted to leave me, but I at least would have like to him to stick around to say give me a wave or something. Oh well, last week he did give me a kiss, and stuck around for a wave. I felt much better that day driving to work.
I am not sure this whole working full time thing is for me though. I am having one heck of a time keeping up with the laundry, the groceries shopping, making dinner, and trying to keep the house clean. Not to mention that I still do hair one night a week, so that takes away 4-5 hours out of the week as well. Curt has been spoiled for the last year and a little bit with not having to do the cleaning or laundry, but he has soon found out that is going to be joint team work from know on so we can keep up with everything.
Not only am I having a hard time keeping up to my wife duties, I am having a hard time keeping up to the mother duties as well. Curt is good at getting dinner on the table for when I get home, but I usually try to have it all planned out for him. I have tried quite a few new crock pot recipes that he will put on at lunch time, and will be ready for me when I get home from work. This still takes a lot to effort to get ready though. The night before I am usually preparing the next nights dinner just after we finish that nights. I only have a few short hours to spend with Jaxon before he is ready for bed, and it sucks when I have to spend it in the kitchen doing preps for the next day.
Oh boy, life has changed. If anyone out there has a job for me, where I can only work part time, but still make as much as I do know....let me know.
I have managed to re-arrange my hours at work though and I am home by 4:45 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays. Thursday it is not until 6:30-6:45 and Friday 5:45-6:00.
Anyways, I know that every family has to go through this, but you really do not know exactly what it is like until you have to experience yourself.
As I said on the 8th, it was the first day of the rest of our life with our 'new' normal!!!

9 months....really late

Dear Jaxon,
9 months old…where has the time gone? I cannot believe that in just another 3 months our lives will be turned upside down. You will be heading to the sitter every day, and I will be heading back to work. We have to take full advantage of the next 3 months together!!!
This month has been full of events. You are fully on the move now. We were able to pack some of your toys away that you do not like to play with anymore because they keep you confined. You are one busy little boy, and you keep mommy on her toes all day long.
You also cut your first tooth this month. I had been expecting it for a couple of weeks, as you were showing all the signs of teething, and then one week, when you had no signs of it at all it popped through. Gammie was actually the one to find it, as you bit on her chin!!!
We spent our first weekend apart this month too. I went shopping for the weekend with the girls, and you and daddy spent the weekend at your grandma and grandpa McLaughlin’s. You had a great time, but I think you missed me. You were all smiles when you saw me on the Sunday night and it melted my heart to know that you missed me. You really did not leave my side for a couple of days after I got home too!!!
You also had your first weekend at the cottage. We headed up on the Friday night and come home on the Monday of the Victoria Day long-weekend. Your friends Hadleigh and Jazlin also came up for the night on Saturday night, as grandpa is building a bunkhouse there, and the guys come up to help with it. It was a cold weekend, so we were not able to be out side too much, but we did manage to take you for a wagon ride down to the beach and you loved it. You loved to watch the water. I am sure that we will have lots of time spend up there this summer, and you will get to love it more and more each time we go. I am sure that you will be spending a lot of hours in the water this year, you and your dad.
Well mister monkey, you are growing up way too fast. When we went to the doctor for your 9-month check up you were 30 inches long and you weighed 20lbs. You like to keep mommy going all day long, which is good. You keep me on my toes. I love you with everything that I have and no matter what the day bring, I always know that you will bring a smile to my face.
Love,
Mommy

8 Months OLD

Dear Jaxon,
Well mister man, you are 8 months old. Where has the time gone? Last year at this time I was just starting to feel you move around in my tummy and know you are moving around all over the place in this world of ours. Almost everyday I have to ask myself where my baby went that snuggled up with me all day long. Now all you want to do is be on the move and there is no time for snuggling in your day.
For the past couple of weeks I have been thinking that you are getting a tooth, but one has yet to appear. You have had all the signs of teething, but all for nothing I guess. It will come with it comes, and there will be many more to follow that first one.
You still choose to be a picky eater. I think that it is the texture thing that you do not like. You seem to eat very well for your father, but other then breakfast you want nothing to do with eating with me.
You celebrated your first Paddyfest and also Easter this month. For Paddyfest you went to the parade, but that was pretty much all the celebrating that you did for that. When you turn 19 I am sure that it will be a different story. For Easter you got to play with all of your cousins on the Robinson and Omand sides of our family, and we also spent time with the Strachan’s as well.
We continue to go to our Baby Time and Parent Chat through the Early Year’s Center here in town. We have also started to get together with our Infant Program friends. We will hopefully be continuing that on a weekly basis. We have not been swimming for a long time, and will hopefully get back to it soon.
The nice weather is finally here, and we have been getting out for walks. You love to go out and about through the town, taking in every little thing. You are too nosy to fall asleep when we are out and about on our walks, but realize that when we are 2-3 blocks from home that there will be nothing more to see and fall asleep,
We have found your sitter for when mommy goes back to work, and we went and met with her this week. You really seem to like her, and took a real liking to her dog Spencer. You had great fun with him and found him really amusing. I am not sure what it was about him, because he did not do anything that Lexy doesn’t do, I guess just because you do have to see him everyday (yet) he was that much more fun to play with then your own dog.
Well monkey, your dad is almost done tax season and we will have him back in our lives. It will be nice to actually spend time as a family, and have him home for the evenings. Summer is just around the corner, and that means that our lives are about the get really busy. Mommy and Daddy will both be starting ball soon, and your dad will be out on the golf course as well. We will be spending time at the beach, and going on a very special family trip. We have so many fun things planned to do with you this summer, I can’t wait.
Love,
Mommy

Dear Jaxon,
Well little man, 7 months old…I cannot believe it.
You are becoming such a big boy and so independent. Daddy and I cannot take our eyes off of you for more then a second or else you are getting into something. You do not like us to do thing for you anymore, you would much rather do it on your own.
You love to talk too. You really do not have a wide range of vocabulary, but you love to say the words that you can say….dada….adad….nana. If anyone else is talking you have to make sure that you show them you have a voice too and overpower their words with yours.
You have started to sit all by yourself, with very little falls anymore. You love this position because you can keep your eyes on everything, but still play with your toys. You have also learned how to roll from your belly to your back, so you are a traveling machine. You will still only roll to your left side, but you still manage to cover a lot of ground just by rolling back and forth from your tummy to your back.
You have decided that you are going to become a picky eater. You will not eat baby food veggies or meat, but will eat it if it is real food ground up. You will only eat it though if you feed it to yourself…no taking it from a spoon for you, you are a BIG BOY!!!! You still will eat your cereal and fruit when I feed it to you, but that is about it. You love your baby cookies and mum mum’s and have started to drink from a sippy cup as well.
The nice weather has made a few appearances in the past couple of weeks and we are getting out for walks. You love them. You have to sit up and take it all in, no laying back for you. You are quite the nosy little parker that way, always needed to know what is going on. Even when we are out and about, you will not have your naps afraid that you might miss something.
You got a new playmate this month too. On March 9th your friend Jazlin Nicole Johnston was born. You went and met her the day after she was born and liked her from the moment that you laid your eyes on her. Finally someone that is smaller then you. You are one little stud muffin with all these little girls surrounding you.
We have continued our Wednesday afternoon baby groups, and the odd Tuesday morning parent talks with the Early Years Center here in town and we still manage to make it swimming the odd Thursday. You and your cousin Reed are really starting to enjoy the water.
Well monkey, before you know it the summer is going to be here and we will be spending our days on the beach at the cottage. I am sure that you will love it considering your love for the water. I cannot wait for you to be able to sit and play in the grass, and go to the beach and play in the sand. Your dad informed us the other night that it is only 8-9 weeks until we will be making our first trip to the cottage for the May 24 weekend.
Some days I often sit and watch you playing and wonder where my little baby has gone. I do love that you still like to cuddle with your mommy. We will sit and rock together cuddling a least a couple of times a day, and I love it. It shows me how much you love me, and my baby has not completely gown up, although I hope that you never loose that cuddliness!!!
Love,
Mommy