happy

I've been frustrated today. By the bus strike mostly, and trying to find a way for W to get to work. By hormones maybe, the realization that I've gained weight this winter, which is no big deal, but just adds to the weight that I'm feeling with the February blahs around the corner.

I do not like conflict. Not any conflict. I think that I like change but it makes me edgy too.

I was going to write about conflict and trust re the bus strike and in general, but that will just work me up again. Instead, here is a picture of Willow, looking happy. I might work those other ideas out another day, when I am not overwhelmed with feelings and can let logic prevail. For now, just look at Willow. Think of those mischievous eyes and chuberalla cheeks.

Happy.

32...

me, on my last day of being 32 - in my birthday shirts all happy that i found a big hat to cover my big hair.

Gram's visit!

We had a great visit with my mom, or "Gram" as she is now known. Willow really warmed to her again and even gave her a chin chomp of approval. This isn't as painful as it sounds - still no teeth!

Here we all are at the pool - Gram, Willow, me and Aunty Emily. Note that Emily did not swim. She thinks that water is useful only for sailing and drinking. Willow and I respectfully disagree.

Make baby stuff dot com

A friend of mine recommended this site - I was checking it out and it looks great - I'm off to buy silks to dye tomorrow

http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/

Willow on her first birthday - January 1st 2008, covered in beans.

Three short videos by Arrow

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=xMcwZFWNd1k

I can't seem to embed these properly so just copy and paste the link to see Arrow's brilliant film making - seriously!

Christmas pictures

Here we have some more pictures of the kids at Christmas - we just downloaded this bunch. You would think that with not having to actually develop the pictures, there would be no delay. I'm old fashioned I guess.

Here we have Tyren teaching Arrow to play chess on New Years Eve. He is such a patient and precise teacher, especially when the subject interests him. Later, Arrow put oven mitts on her feet to keep them warm, which has nothing to with Tyren's teaching ability, but it's a good example of her creative problem solving skills and was hilarious. I'll try and find a picture.

Below is Max, skipping along the chairs at the train station, looking happy and daredevilish. I think that his face says " Yay, travel!!!" . I'm projecting.

Auntie Jehnny

Is one amazing lady. I don't have pictures of her up here because they are frequently blurry - she never sits still. She's a surgical resident, a snowboarder, a surfer, a godmother, a daughter, a sister.. but the thing she does best of all in my estimation is be an aunt.

She is fun - full of energy and able to play. She is reliable and comes over when she says she will even though she works sometimes more than eighty hours a week. She is loving and inspirational, often ready with a pick me up speech for me or for Wes, or kind advice when we need it. She loves all of the kids with all of her heart.

When Willow was born the most astounding thing that I saw was my whirling dervish, busy planning, boarding, dancing, operating and inspiring sister sitting still. Sitting still to watch my daughter sleep.

I love my sister so much and am so happy that we are close. We are very different people. She was on students council in high school, captain of the well - every team! I hung out with the misfits under the stairs and named the environment club. She is a daredevil, I'm a homebody. She's a surgeon in the making - I had a midwife at my daughter's birth.

I'm so glad that the kids will benefit from this difference. Jehn can fill in the blanks. Take the kids snow boardiing, show them the other side of the argument. They can run away to her house when they're mad at me.

I love you auntie Jehnny!

Bug pictures

I still can't figure out how to move pictures anymore and am a little hyper these days and not willing to sit still and read about how this works. Here we see the Willow bug happy as can be at the train station and then crashed out Christmas morning in her poufiest of poufy dresses. I just love the crashed out, so completely face down sprawled out way she naps.
I project that she feels comfortable and trusting enough to just crash unselfconsciously.

coffee grounds

I've been doing a lot of decluttering and re - organizing lately - with Wes and Emily's help of course, trying to make this place work for our family's changing needs. It's something I do whenever the kids leave. I get antsy.

Anyway, decluttering has been creating a lot of garbage and I started thinking about our garbage today ( ugh ) and for some reason, the coffee grounds we are throwing out were driving me crazy! So I found this cool website with alternative uses for coffee grounds. I don't think I'll be making a homemade tattoo with them any time soon - but a skin mask maybe.. or unclogging my drains. My drains are always clogged.

Check it out here : http://cocoajava.com/java_feature_coffee_grounds.html

I'll post pictures of the home improvements soon - and Arrow, we did change your room but it's awesome - there's much more usable space and nothing was thrown out or given away!

Edited to add: I've used the grounds on the drains and without knowing my new nit, Wes used them to age a map he made last night. I think not having TV, money or transportation ( what with the bus strike) makes us do odd, fun things!

a full house

Willow has a friend over right now - on this freezing day we picked her up early from after school care; it's minus 40 with wind chill here today. On a side note, my mom says I can't feel too sorry for myself - It's minus 50 with windchill in Winnipeg today - and she went to yoga anyway. Trooper.

The thing is, it's so much easier with two. I love Willow and she's not a challenging kid. She can amuse herself reading or playing with recycling for ages. She's curious but not destructive and only occasionally tries to swallow something bigger than her wind pipe. But it's still warmer and more natural with another child to play and move about the house. Without even trying, kids engage each other seem to learn from one another. Willow, after all, learned to walk almost as soon as her sister and brothers came home.

So far today they've done a puppet show, played kazoo, watched eachother play .. and I've relaxed and had tea, gotten a few toys out, answered lots of questions and watched a puppet show for babies. Good times.

So now I'm not sure how to move pictures around in blogger -- eek! First we have a picture of Nicole and Willow - all prettied up for Christmas at Nanna and Puppa's, which is funny because she is usually dressed like a boy who frequents the " Husky" section. she kept eating the skirt of the dress.


Next, I think, are Arrow and Max busy on the train. Arrow LOVED the new camera that Santa got her and kept taking pictures like a pro. Her pictures are always great because everyone looks relaxed and happy. I think it is because looking at her take makes us feel that way. Max has his sketch board. All pirates being sketched all the time.

Which brings us to the third picture - my two littlest pirates. I love the look on Max's face here. He's a pirate with an eye patch. Yargh!

and somewhere here is the Herbert family photo - a rarity, all of them in one place at one time so stop and admire the sheer tallness while you can. We took several pictures trying to get everyone looking pleased and at the camera. In this one Max is trying to escape captivity. It was still the best of the bunch though.

pictures

I am going to try and get some pictures up of Christmas with the kidlets. Willows nap was condensed so bear with me. Ever since she figured out walking, she has little interest in lying down. Fair enough -

This is Tyren and Willow on the train. He looks so comfortable and she so happy.

found a cool blog today

http://aspergerteen.com/

it's sweet, funny and educational - I can relate to some of it ( WOW as a motivator for getting out of bed anyone?) You might want to check it out.

Resolutions

Today is New years day. Willow's first birthday and and a time for resolutions and new beginnings. All day I've been looking at my little girl and wondering where this first year has gone - it seems to have gone by so fast just like everyone told me it would. And no, I didn't believe them. I actually called my mom the day we brought her home, crying " Mom, I wish she were a month old - she just seems so fragile right now."

What a sturdy little chubba she is now, not lying on my breast sleeping most of the day away but walking around, carrying her "phone" with her tongue sticking out of her smile. So fast.

When I look back though, we've both learned so much. She ate, I fed, she crawled, I chased. She chewed, I learned the heimleich. Every day she teaches me to be a mom.

Her sister and brothers have been home this week and they are giving me advance lessons - fairness is big, sharing too, and finding constant creative solutions to the big questions of who gets the sword when. They are teaching me the value of imaginative play, the need for patience and the joy occasional peace and quiet.

I love all of the kids and so my resolution for the year is this:
Be a good mom.
Be fair
Be fun
Be kind
Be patient
Be creative

Forgive myself when I don't succeed
Forgive others and move forward in the best interests of all.

Happy new year!