Intro to summer!

The holiday long weekend is usually a lot of fun. When I was younger it usually involved camping, lots of rain and drinking. As we got older if I wasn't working we were cottaging. Once we had our kids the may long weekend turned into our first family long weekend. Even if I was working I'd try to find a way up for at least one day.

It marks a turning point, from the cold winter and the dreary spring, to that first hint of summer, sandals, shorts and swimming. Before the AC gets started and when you want to be in the sun and not looking for some elusive shade.

The May long weekend (our Victoria Day weekend) is a glimpse into the summer to come. We've been doing the same thing for the last couple of years. We head for the cottage. Which sits on a beautiful, shallow, sandy lake, and where we are surrounded by extended family.


The first year we had Katheryn, she was about 8 weeks old. We were sooo cold, we had to pull out hats and sweaters. But we still weathered through.

The next may long weekend was when Katheryn took her first steps. And there was lots of family who got to share this experience.

Last May long weekend we had Nick. I remember it was our first trip away from home (but still 2hrs away from Sick Kids). And an opportunity to show off Nick to family - while collecting donations and spreading what spina bifida looks like. That was also a nice weekend where we got to go in the lake. Sit in the sun, try new foods (solids!!) And freak out about our constipation issues. wow has it only been a year?!

This year the lake continued to call for us. The first day I let Nick put his feet in, but thought it was still too cool to actually go in.

But we did make it completely in the lake. Nick LOVED it! He would have lived in there if he could. He kicked and he splashed and he sat up.

He also had fun with the big kid toys. The rocking horse thing, the slide, the swing.

And he got to explore the cottage. He was able to get into drawers, and the fridge! He could open doors and splash in dog dishes. Nick was able to get underfoot!!!
It was great!

And I love that I got to see the prequel for the summer to come!!!

Hoppy Easter!

 We enjoyed our Easter weekend with some bunny sightings and egg collection. And of course lots of family and more family time!
It was great!

Golf Weekend and Canada Day

It was the annual golf weekend. Pretty much where we have fun, hitting some balls and hope they get within a fair distance of the hole. We (our team) is not there for the glory of the game. We are there to have fun with the cart, drink alcohol (well the other girls did) and an excuse to just have fun! We succeeded - we got 7 over!!! Kyle and his team won, with 3 under. So Nickolas got to wear the trophy hat! We have a picture of Katheryn and Kyle doing the exact same thing. - Kyle is a much better golfer than I am.

So Nickolas the flirt was in fine form. He was the centre of attention and LOVED IT! Being surrounded and adored by a bunch of blondes (yes I still think of Laura as a blonde even though she's a red head now). But batting those huge blue eyes at all the girls! And he knows he has it too!

We stayed at the cottage for 4 days, and it got nice and sunny and hot while we were packing the car! But it's nice being at the cottage, fresh air, family. And the kids just eat it up! They still enjoyed the water even if it was a little cold for the adults. We had a bit of a rough first night - mostly because Katheryn rolled off her bed (which is on the floor) and got stuck under our bed. Nothing like being woken up at 3am with a screaming toddler, and you are scrambling around in the dark and all you can feel is kicking feet sticking out from under the bed!!! Once I got her all calmed down, Nickolas woke up. BUT other than all of that, the weekend was nice and relaxing.

Here are some pictures of them just playing together. It is so nice that Nickolas can sit around, either in his bumbo or corner seat and then Katheryn is so much closer to him, he can be part of the action and the action - in the form of Katheryn - is not very far away from him.

Because I'm so late posting - I might as well include Canada Day as well - it seems all the days go by so fast that if I don't keep on top of my blogging I just need to squish everything together.

Happy Canada Day everyone. I took some days off to deal with some kiddies that were a bit tired and grumpy. We missed fireworks because Katheryn was a bit under the weather. But she's still young. We'll just have to have some fireworks for the August long weekend! Nickolas didn't really care either way. I don't have any Canada Day pics of Katheryn, but here is Nickolas wearing his red!

Happy New Year!

Nickolas was giving out new years kisses at midnight!


We've been doing great, having a nice and relaxing holiday and getting into a routine. Nickolas is still eating great, a very healthy appetite (to say the least). Still moving great, and peeing so well I'm only cathing him once a day, and not getting much at all. I hope that on the 14th when we see the urologist we'll have some good news.

Today we are officially dressing free! His back is (finally) all healed! While he does have a very large scar (from side to side) it looks great (in comparison to what it did look like). We've finally been able to put him on his back in the swing, in chairs ect. We try to put him on his back to sleep but he hates it, and I want some sleep so he still sleeps on his belly.

We put him in the swing in the kitchen and Katheryn loved how he was at her level. She gave him her juice (he didn't like it) and she gives him his soother when he cries. Then she takes it away and gives it back. When he cries she goes running to his soother and runs it over to him, no matter where he is.

We have such great kids!

Merry Christmas!

A perfect Christmas with our perfect family. Life is complete with Nickolas with us, its hard to believe and remember what it was like without him. Its only been 6 weeks but he has changed everything. Corny I know, but true. What can I say, its Christmas.

We passed the halfway point - he's been home longer than in the hospital! His back is healing great and his shunt it working well. This is a great relief, we don't have to be so vigilant keeping him on his stomach and off his back. He still sleeps on his belly, but his neck is so strong he lifts it and looks around.

We went for a CT and saw neurosurgery this week and got the all clear. He is peeing great and I cath him twice a day but get minimal amounts, I'm hoping when we see urology in January we can stop. He pees really well. They were also really impressed with his movement in his feet.

Nickolas aka Mr. Piggy has grown so much. 6 weeks and he was 12 lbs!! (at 1 month he was 10 lbs). He has nice huge chubby thighs and looks like a cute little chubby baby. I think he looks like Kyle, but different from how Katheryn looks like Kyle! Kyle has nicknamed him turtle and it seems to have stuck. So now we have our monkey and our turtle.

Katheryn is never very far from him. First thing in the morning and last thing at night she wants to see and kiss her Ni. She wants to hold him or touch him and likes patting his head and back.

Life is just where it is supposed to be. I can't imagine being anywhere else.
I have a new motto that I stole from a bracelet I bought at Sick Kids.

Love, Faith and Hope.

Have a miraculous holiday season and keep your family near you.
Love, Amanda, Kyle, Katheryn and Nickolas