Happy Birthday, Aves!

I remember at one point during labour, just about a year and 5 hours ago, I thought to myself, "How is it that I could have ever forgotten this pain enough to have another child?!". But the honest truth is that today, a year later, I remember that labour was the most excruciating pain I've ever experienced, but I cannot physically remember that pain! It's amazing how the human mind works!

Avery was born a year ago today. I can't believe she's 1 already! It was also my first day back at work today, so it was quite an eventful day. All I can say is that I can't believe that this year went by so quickly! It's been an amazing time.

Parenting the second time around has been a completely different experience than the first time. It's been much harder, but I've enjoyed it much more! Maybe because I don't have all that first-time parent anxiety. I'm not sure what it is, but I loved having the time to bond with my children.

I remember hearing friends talk being afraid that they couldn't love the second child as much as the first. I mean, the most love you've ever felt at that point in your life has been concentrated on that first child! Well, just as amazing as the human mind works, so does the human heart. I can't remember what love felt like before Avery (probably because I'm so exhausted most of the time! Just kidding...).

But, I really want to know where the year has gone! I still remember those first few nights at home when Brian, Avery and I slept in the living room and Avery spent most of the night sleeping on my chest. I remember thinking that I needed to stop that practice before she got too used to it, but really, I wanted to hold her like that forever.

Now, just in the last couple of days, she is standing on her own. I can feel her determination as she tries to take that first step! When I ask her for a kissy, kissy, she leans in to my face - sometimes she'll purse her lips and give me a proper kiss, but most times, I get grossed out by all the drool! She can wave bye-bye and she can say bye-bye too! And she definitely has no problem communicating when she wants something! It's usually quite screechy or squealy.

She is quickly becoming Daddy's little girl, too! Aves has no problem crying out her needs and Bri HATES to hear her cry. She still has trouble going to sleep on her own and Bri still has trouble leaving the room before she falls asleep! I remember that Bri was already throwing Josh in the air at 3 months old, claiming he was a tough boy. Well, he has barely carried Aves over his head, much less thrown her in the air yet! Right now, Aves still gravitates to me for comfort, but I'm sure she will be going more to Brian soon enough!

Watching Aves and Josh is always a treat, too! Most times, Josh's idea of "playing" with Avery consists of taking away every single toy she picks up. But in the rare moments where they are communicating with each other, Josh tries to make Aves laugh, she giggles and that makes him laugh, too. She laughs even more and it's so infectious that soon we're all laughing! I love it.

Happy 1st Birthday, Aves! We are so lucky to have you in our lives!

Playtime during Rhythm Kids

Aves playing ball with Natasha, the Rhythm Kids teacher

Hehehe...this is the finger that I have Daddy wrapped around!

My stretchy face

My scrunchy face

Quality family time on my birthday!

I love my Daddy

Joshie helps Aves open her presents

A Van Dop Easter and Birthday event

Auntie Renee and Aves share their birthday cake!

Mmmmm...spaghetti and meatballs is the best birthday dinner!

I stand corrected - cupcake is the best birthday dinner!

Enough cupcake for 2!

Joshie sings Happy Birthday to Aves

Does this cupcake make my face look messy?!

Mommy, I'm all done!

pre

Josh's first official day in pre-school was today. In a word, it went "well". I would say that with all the changes going on in our household right now, Josh is adapting amazingly well to all of it.

I am going back to work next week and Nanny Tess arrived last week. We've been going through transition for the last couple weeks and I think it's been extremely tough on all of us. Having said that, all the changes are for the better - it will just take time for my heart to catch up to my head.

It's kind of hard to verbalize how I feel right now. I think I'm just numb from the heartache of having to leave my kids each day. I know that this is the toughest part and it will get better as everyone gets adjusted. I'm trying to take everything in stride, including my spontaneous bursts of tears.

So, to focus on all the good things, Tess seems to be fitting in well with our family. I hope she is feeling as good about the fit as we do. Aves seems to have transitioned well and is quite familiar with Tess now. Josh was a bit more challenging, but I think he is coming around now.

Since we pulled Josh out of daycare, we decided to put him into pre-school so he could have continued socialization with kids his age. He is starting with 1 day a week and if it goes well, we will add a second day each week.

He said that he really liked "school" today, so I'm taking that as a good sign. It's a play-based pre-school, so it's not too far off from daycare anyway. Here is his first art project that he brought home. He's done lost of arts & crafts in the past, but since this is the first one from pre-school, I thought I would post it.

conehead

Poor Nikita had an accident last week. The short story is that she was at Bri's job site and they were working on a demo for a reno. Nikita jumped up to where she knew there was a floor, but there was a floor no more. She didn't fall too far, but on the way down, she got a bad cut on her inside thigh.

The worst part was that she didn't act injured, so we didn't notice until a few hours later, at home, when Bri noticed she was licking herself in an area that was not her "privates". Nikita's not a cat, so she doesn't really lick herself anywhere, except her privates, unless she's nursing something. So, Bri took a closer look and he saw the 3-inch gash in her inner thigh. My heart sank.

We went to the animal hospital immediately and they confirmed she needed stitches. So, they kept her for a few hours while they sewed her up and she came home to us that evening, groggy and likely sore. She was hopped up on antibiotics and painkillers for a few days, so she was very low-key. But she was finished with a painkillers a couple of days ago and she seems more like her usual, energetic self.

It's been a pain because she's a bit like a bull in a china shop with her conehead. When she first came home, she was very awkward getting around with the cone. Anytime she would hit something (which was alot of the time!), she would back off. Now, she's used to the cone so she just bulls her way through when she gets stuck. Avery has gotten hit by a cone so many times, she is terrified of Nikita. And I've heard many exasperated "Nikita!"s from Josh. It's all a bit comedic!

Needless to say, we can't wait for Nikita to get the sutures, and her cone, removed on Monday. I'm sure Nikita feels the same! Here are some shots of her the night we brought her home from the hospital:

Poor girl, she had such a hard time getting in the minivan and then getting on the couch!

I tried to get a shot of the sutures, but this doesn't do it justice. All you can really see is a bit of redness that surrounds the sutured gash.

This is our dog on drugs.

Huh?!