Hyperventilating.....breathe....hyperventilate....breathe....

Now that I have caught my breath I can tell you that I am going to back to work next week.  I had no clue??!  Well I did but I wasn't really keeping track of the dates and then all of a sudden it is here.  I go back next Friday morning just to get all my stuff back in order, passwords, on the computer, my blackberry hooked up again, and my name on the pay schedule.  Then on the following Tuesday I go with my boss for two nights, 3 days to Fort McMurray.  Jacob is going to stay with my mom and dad for these three days.  I opted to go right away on a road trip because this is really my only overnight place to go and if I get it done and over with right away I might not really have any overnights until January or February. 
I am excited to go back to work because I like what I do and I think I'm okay at it.  I'm very comfortable where Jacob will be going during the days so it seems to have all worked out.  The little girl that I watched all summer will actually be going there too so he will get to play with her all day again.  He's gone to the sitters' home now a couple of times and each time he doesn't really want to leave so lets just hope that that attitude  continues. 
I can't believe the 10 months has gone so fast.  He's changed so much!  From a little chubbier boy who didn't really talk or engage much to a taller, slender boy who talks my ear off.  You should hear him in the vehicle.  "Slow down, go fast, turn, turn, wait for me...." he's quite the backseat driver! 

February 1st, 2010

September 27, 2010

New blog

I've decided to start another blog.  It will focus more on my relationship with God.  I had originally started this blog to talk about Jacob and how our lives are growing so I wanted to keep that focus.  So from now on I'll try to keep on blog focused on Jacob and our life and the other on my relationship with Christ.
I have to of course tell you what the blog is though just in case you might be interested in what I have to say.  I called it "365 Miracles"  web address is http://www.oneadaymiracle.blogspot.com/
I came up with it today when I was driving my niece to the city to go to build a bear for her birthday.  How many of us have miracles happen every day and we don't realize it?  I'm going to attempt to write one miracle each and every day.  They happen everyday, you just have to look for them.  Come and see what each day holds for me if your interested!

I'm thinking this might be our photo to send in Christmas cards this year.  It is at Bellis Lake, which is where we spent a lot of time this summer and fall fishing.  My mom took the photo yesterday when the fall colors were so bright and showing their beautiful colors. 

Fishing

I love fishing.  I would do it everyday if I could.  I like going in a boat but I especially like fishing off the shore where you can just sit and enjoy it and not worry about how much room you have or hooking some one's life jacket, etc. 

Our family though I often wonder why we still like fishing.  We've had our fish stories let me tell you, usually nothing to do with the fish though.  We've had boat problems, we've had catching people in other boat problems, we have had the odd fish problem, but overall we seem to be like the Griswald's of fishing but still we love it, maybe its the stories we create, who knows.

So here's the latest story.  My dad, Jacob and I went fishing for trout.  I have a small aluminum boat that we took.  The lake that we went to you can only use non-power boats because its so small and an environmentally friendly lake.  So we took the boat out fishing for awhile then went to shore to eat lunch then went out in the boat a second time.  After a while we decided to head to shore.  Well this time, just like the previous time, I got out first.  Then when I was on shore I reached down to pull the boat to closer to shore to make it easier for my dad to get out, as I pulled and didn't look behind me, he didn't look at me and was standing up.  Well you can imagine what happened upside down he went in the boat.  Luckily not right out of the boat.  However he did fall so hard against the back of the boat that he bruised his ribs quite badly.  Not something good for someone who only a few months earlier broke 6 ribs!   Boy did I feel bad.  My dad though was good about it, there was no cursing and losing his temper, I think because he was in too much pain he could barely talk.  I had knocked the wind out of him.  Needless to say he is now on pain killers but still fishing.

Here's some pictures of us fishing last weekend, a few days after the rib incident.

Something's not right.

While we were on holidays Jacob started sleeping a lot.  He went from having a regular 1-1/2 hour nap to 3hrs+ and still was tired.  He would wake up in the morning after a long sleep and by 10am he was telling me he was tired.  Thinking back though it probably started on the Friday or Saturday just before we left for our trip.  The kid fell asleep at a rodeo for pete sakes!  I thought though it was an avoidance tactic, whenever I would ask him to do something, or he would get disciplined in the slightest he would say "Jake tired".  Well one day while we were with Chris and Marlene we were in Walmart and he kept saying it, well wouldn't you know he put his head on my chest with him sitting in the cart and did fall asleep!!  I thought it was just because he had missed his nap for that day though and we were travelling and just a bit of extra anxiety of the trip and not being in his own environment. 
So I didn't pay too much attention to this because he wasn't feverish, or throwing up or any other sick symptoms.  Then we got home.  After the 3rd day of 3 hour+ naps and 12 solid hours of sleep a night I made a doctors appointment.  This is not my normal little boy.  The other thing that had began to occur was that he complained that he hurt, he didn't say where, just "jake hurt" or "ow hurt".  I noticed too that he was stiff after his naps and bedtime.  He would look like he was physically sore in trying to bend down and pick up a toy.  He just wanted to sit and cuddle from nap time to bedtime.  Something definitely was not right. 
By Thursday night he was so sore that anytime I tried to touch him he cried.  The clincher was that he touched my cell phone with his finger and said "ow hurt".  Now your finger doesn't just hurt. 
So even though we had a doctor's appointment in the following 2 days I took him to emergency.  The doctor was concerned about one of 2 options that could be going on.  Very low iron, or diabetes. Oh I was hoping for low iron.  We went for blood work the very next morning.  HE was such a super kid for the needle and urine test.  I contribute the success to our own doctor book that I have read countless times and done all the motions of it.  Then yesterday morning we went for the follow up appointment.  His blood work showed nothing.  There was a bit of protein in his urine but nothing that couldn't be explained by diet.  So we're in the clear!   And of course he has now began to perk up, isn't complaining of being hurt and the naps are slowly getting shorter again.  So Doctor thinks it was a virus and that my little boy has such a good immune system that he didn't get the vomiting and diarrhea symptoms. 
Let me tell you though when I heard the "D" word my mind went racing.  Of course you aren't supposed to go to worst case scenario, but how do you not. 
I'm so thankful it was just a virus and Jacob is a tough little cookie, however boy do I feel bad for thinking he was just using the "Jake tired" as an avoidance tactic.  

Our Saskatchewan Trip

Our first stop was to Chris and Marlene's farm in SK. 

As soon as we arrived Jacob said "play tractor?"  He obviously remembered the toys that Chris and Marlene had!  We had an awesome few days with them. Chris insisted on taking Jacob to Peavey Mart to buy his very own tractor, a belated birthday gift.  Why was I not surprised that Jacob picked out a tractor and a trailer.  All vehicles that have a hitch need a trailer, don't you know?~  In my son's view they do anyways. 

After a few days we packed up and headed a bit south and saw Jen, Cory, and Mackenna.  Now how confusing is this.  My brother's name is Cory, his wife is Jen.  My best friend since elementary school is someone named Jen and her husband's name is Cory, now that's not all.  His sister's name is Jodi too!  We're surrounded! 

While visiting SK Jen and Cory, Jacob got to finally ride in a tractor.  He's been very hesitant to do this as of yet but Cory's new tractor is pretty quiet in the cab and its a nice shiny blue so Jacob went in with me and we went around the field once.  One evening he went with Cory to feed the cows out in the field too.  He's getting to the point now that he would like me to go on everything but if I'm not going and he still wants to do it he will.  Which is good, starting to get his independence and doesn't need mom for everything.  An aside though, it is nice to be wanted though. 

On our last full day with them we went to the swimming pool which was a phenomenal pool.  It has a water slide, wave pool, and this really cool little turn about that has a current going through it so it pushes you around and around.  There was also a little slide for Jacob to slide down which he did "again" and "again" and "again."  I would let him fall right into the water and pop back up on his own.  Still he wanted to do it again and again.  He's getting quite comfortable with water but doesn't push the limits and want to do everything on his own yet.

A kiss from mom.                                                  Now one from Mackenna!          

Then our last stop was in Lloydminster to stay a  night at my cousin's family's home.  Jacob really likes stopping here.  Tracie and James have 3 children ranging in ages from 6 to almost 2.  We had a great visit as always with Tracie's family.  Then on Saturday we made our way home.

What a great trip.  I did have to take a picture of these trains though advertising to visit Alberta, I thought it was humorous to see these in Saskatchewan while we are from Alberta.  There was one from the town we are from but I didn't snap the camera fast enough so I got Bonnyville instead, which is only 35 minutes away from us!

                                  

September long weekend

It really started Thursday night.  We went to the rodeo with both of my brothers and their families.  Jacob has really taken a liking to his uncle Casey, not that he doesn't like uncle Cory, but Casey is a big teddy bear sort of guy.  So that night I think would have been Jacob's first encounter with rodeo, he liked the junior bulls the best I think.  Unfortunately.

I had to include this picture of my oh so cute nephew.  Yes the buckle is almost bigger than him but it is one of his dad's so of course he had to wear it.  The funny thing about this little guy is that he suits this dress so well.  He has a little gruff and rough voice that is so deep I have no idea where it came from. 

So Saturday was parade day here in town.  We got to our spots early and watched the parade and got candy.  I was so proud of my little man.  He has really gotten the hang of sharing, so much so that when he tries to share and the little girl he's trying to share with doesn't want what he's sharing he gets a little forceful and shakes the toy and says "Share Share!".  I then have to explain that thank you for sharing she doesn't want what he's sharing and that's okay.  So to my story about the parade.  Candy was being thrown and there were two and Jacob picked up both little candies and immediately handed one to his cousin.  He didn't have to be prompted or told to, he just did it.  Yet another proud moment for a mom. 

After the parade we made our way to the rodeo.  It was kids day so they do more for the kids that day.  Well I thought Jacob would enjoy himself but..... he fell asleep on my lap before Oh Canada was even sang to begin the rodeo.  He slept for about 45 minutes, yes with the horns going off, crowd noises, being bumped all around and still he slept.  After his little nap he enjoyed watching.  I would like him to one day take an interest in the timed events, so team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling.  However he seems to have developed an interest at the other end of the arena.  Each time a junior steer rider went Jacob would say "I ride cow"  No Jacob, no, no, no.  Oh it already starts!
After the rodeo was all done it was on to the Kids Dummy roping.  My brother Cory and his wife Jen started this last year.  They get kids to rope a dummy and then win prizes.  This year my niece Madison won in her age category.  Jacob attempted to swing but he just goofed around but that was okay.  I hadn't entered him because he's a bit too little yet.  Maybe with lots of practise next year he'll enter.  I have to get him focused on doing something else either than riding steers!
After the dummy roping we headed out for our week long trip to Saskatchewan!!!