Well we are back from our 5 day adventure, weary, laundry burdened and thoroughly cranky but home! As it has been way too busy to share all at once it is going to take multiple updates before I catch up… perhaps some 2 post days? PHOTO heavy 2 post days I do believe. BUT time to get on with it, and with that I start at the beginning = THURSDAY…

In order to accommodate Ken working some Thursday AND gaming at night AND getting to Grandma’s BEFORE the wedding frenzy began we left for our 1 1/2 hour away destination (AKA the SHORT DRIVE of the almost full week away) earlier in the day. Well AFTER meeting with a Kijiji ad buyer and feeding everyone, cleaning the house and ensuring that the backyard was relatively clutter free (we DID run out of time before we could mow but no one is perfect and the lawn was not that bad). Of course there was time for a photo on the front lawn of the VERY excited children.

Ready to get in the van and get going... Emanuel is holding his picture for Grandma

Grandma had one last day of work before the wedding so we stopped by there to say hi (I ran in solo) and then headed ahead to her house. I figured that I needed some time out bonding with my new stroller so opted to walk BACK to her work which is a decent walk from the house. Of course with the stroller came Echo and with that excitement came Trinity and Emanuel who just HAD TO come along. After all we WERE going to find Grandma! How exciting! We had one turn back when silly Mommy realized that we had left WITHOUT diaper bag, sunglasses and a spare pull up… BAD Mommy! But after that we were ready to go. 

Ready to walk

We had to stop and admire the piggies on one of the nearby yards. Mom thinks they may have been pig farmers but are now retired. Trinity thought they were the cutest thing EVER and demanding pictures be taken. 

Piggies

After a victorious trek over the train tracks and down to Grandma’s work where toys were played with and much chatting and cooing over Echo done we headed to the nearest gas station to buy a treat for the hard working walkers and those we left behind. Of course, after opening the orange pop and using a straw we HAD TO stop multiple times to drink it down to a level where it would stop splashing my hand every time we had to go up a curb or cross a street (seriously STICKY!). 

Time to share

It was a perfect day for our walk with lots of shade to jump through and pretty yards to check out. And by the time we got home we were more than ready for our snack. Grandma beat us home even though she left way after us but she cheated and had her vehicle with her! Of course that meant the evening was GRANDMA and GRANDPA MIKE TIME! It has been quite some time since we have been to their house and the kids soaked up every minute.

Playing a boardgame with Grandma

Add to that a tent in the backyard (there was absolutely NO left over room the next two nights at the house) for the twins and they were in heaven. Emanuel TRIED to sleep out there but apparently the big boys just are way too noisy!!! 

Trinity asleep in the middle of our bed - I was amazed neither of us woke up with black eyes!

Thankfully I was able to sort us out MacLean style – everyone’s things were bagged up according to where they would dress – girls at mom’s, boys at the Chris and Chris hotel room… Petite Sheepette went to bed already dressed for the day, the wedding gown was peeked at, as was Mae’s bridesmaid’s gown so I had an idea of what we may need to do to ensure absolutely ZERO dress calamities (or at least attempt to ensure…). I am glad I did as there was some alterations that ended up needing to be done – but that is information for the NEXT post… It was nice to get in some quiet visit time at my mom’s… to enjoy the tidiness that is her home… and of course the entertainment that is grandparents with the grandkids leaving the parents free to sit back and chuckle. Mom worked hard to get Echo to relax with her and while she refused to pass out she did do some awesome snuggle time and pave the way to a much easier Saturday. 

Getting to know Grandma's house all over again

I have to admit I was very pleased to have a calm and energy burning Thursday though I swear mom and Mike moved the house further from her work while I have been done… I was not aware of the length of walk we would have to take with the little legs just a trundling to get there and back… BUT the new stroller and I have bonded and are now thoroughly happy with the relationship… the things has SHOCKS! and Echo FITS! So worth the $40.00.

Baby legs... the visor down to save eyes from the sunlight

I shall be kind and start with today’s adventure… The long awaited and much talked about GENETIC TEST appointment. Thankfully NOT at the crack of dawn so not nearly the rush Echo’s cardiology session was, as well as not as long of an appointment of itself. 

We got off in good time and headed to the city. The parking wasn’t too difficult but certainly NOT cheap and we did get a little lost walking to the correct building. After all this is all part and parcel of the university so there are lots of buildings and some construction going on. We even got a little misdirected by someone who was confused as to where we were trying to get to. BUT we made it right at 11:30. 

The office was TINY but the wait non existent. They basically took our info and in the time it took to change Echo we were shown into the examination room. There we talked with the nurse, and she took Echo and myself to weigh and measure. I don’t have the numbers but Echo did rather well with it all and didn’t try too hard to dive off of the scale.

Waiting for the doctor

We returned to our little room, gave permission for the intern to come in with the doctor and there they were! Talk about quick! There was lots of talking, sharing history of ourselves, family and kids… tracking how many siblings my mom has… where the cleft lip and palate came from… all old hat for us. The geneticist was an older gentleman who had 4 kids himself and the intern a lovely young lady who Echo allowed total access to! She lay quite still through it all and even gave her a little smile. They measured her feet to compare the two… her arm length… and it all came back – fine. As we have been told all along she is in perfect proportion… for a MUCH younger baby! 

They had nothing to add to the blood work the doctor gave us as a last set and have only added one procedure – a bone growth x-ray. What they do is x-ray the bones in the hand and check where they are growth wise. Apparently (and I need to do more research on this) your skeleton can be younger than your actual age. His answer to things if this is something that has occurred – puberty… so…. 

Basically she is a petite child. Apparently the geneticist is able to find out the why on petite children a whopping 5% of the time! Though he did figure that once Echo’s PDA is dealt with we should see some growth increasing but again the cardiologist said do not expect massive change. Basically we are back to what we said when we started – she is JUST PETITE!!!!! BAH!

The other kiddos

So, Sunday… Well we kept ourselves busy in the heat to be sure! It all started with a pancake breakfast. And then all 5 kids dressed in their Sunday best (as pictured YESTERDAY), the boys with matching shirts (thanks to Nana). This was our first service at what is to become our new home church.

Service was a lovely hour long, though we decided NOT to risk corralling the herd and going up for communion this time round. We did meet the minister before service started… a lovely older man. And after service we met the lady who was in charge of snacks for VBS who remember the boys fondly AND the secretary for the church office who is going to contact our old church (Trinity Lutheran… I know I know) for membership change. It is time to put down some permanent roots in our new community. After all, Sunday School starts on the 11th of September! Where has the time gone? Another lovely thing about our new church – well, apparently there are other homeschooling families AND the family we met in passing who had a boy/girl set of twins (older) were very receptive when they asked our boys where they went to school and were told by Zander that the boys DON’T, they HOMESCHOOL. How proud was mom that they knew the right answer to share! And so proudly he said it!

Sitting pretty

After some time at home and Karyn taking me out with her on her errands (we took advantage of the Michaels’ buy one get one for 1 cent sale on card stock) it was time to pack up and head out to the splash rock and fire pits that are a lovely park here in the city.

On the menu… hotdogs (no brainer), fruit, carrots, and SMORES! But first we had to head over to the splash… rock… and well… splash. For some reason though the weather was absolutely HOT the water was FREEZING. Echo did NOT approve, actually neither did Mommy. It was fun to watch the big kids make new friends and splash away. 

Splash Rock

Brrr

Aunty Karyn spent some time splashing it up with Trinity while Kristen and I found some shade.

Splashing with Aunty Karyn

And shade we found, on the hill. There WAS a bench free, but for GOOD reason – ANTS. Echo enjoyed the shade on the hill and Aunty Karyn’s keychain. 

KEYS

After getting our fill of splashing and rocks we moved back over to where Fydo had held down the fort and kept the fire burning.

Fire

The smores were quite impressive… Kristen had biscuits with chocolate already on them and then you add MORE chocolate… makes my mouth water even now.

Smores

After sitting around while the kids played until Echo was done in we all headed to our respective homes… what a great way to spend a VERY sunny Sunday afternoon. We hope to go again in September. 

Smiling in the shade

Oh I didn’t mention the kicker for today – we pulled out my stroller for Echo only to find out that the wheel had melted or warped enough to make it bounce funny. I think the heat shining through the back window of the van while it was pressed against it did it or something like that. BUT it did last over 5 years and through 3 kids… so back onto Kijiji to find another. I have message TWO ads today and have high hopes that something will come through. 40.00 is my limit as I don’t want to dip too far into funds set aside for other items. 

We stopped in at H&W to pick up some much needed (and amazingly priced) produce… the best deal? Bananas at 29 cents a lb. I bought over 11 lbs of bananas for 3.25! And a stop off at Bulk Barn for a few spices and snacks. We have to head back to the city for Alexander den Otter’s birthday beginning of September so I plan on making GOOD lists for those two stores so we are able to take advantage of being there. 

Bananas

Two days in a row that definitely wore out the kids. One with fun the other with travel and excessive amounts of having to sit and be quiet (which they didn’t do very well though other people were tricked into thinking they WERE – thus they ALL got stickers). A stop at the grocery store to get sandwich fixings and then fruit when we got home and at least their tummies were content. 

We have started having a small potty success – Trinity has been peeing before bedtime ON THE POTTY! Of course not OTHER times but with how busy we have been, all the go go go… I am pleased! One step closer to her Hello Kitty undies! 

A success!

Tonight is set to be quiet, and the last night before I begin the preparations to get to the wedding in one relatively busy and somewhat content piece. I have cleaning I want to have done, laundry ALL put away… the kids need to clean the backyard. Any volunteers to help out?

What a face!

We have seen the Nana and Baba off on their return trip to Minnesota. Last night was difficult for some of the kids, it is hard to KNOW that first thing in the morning you have to say good-bye and there is no – see you next week – to go with it. They had to leave for the airport by 8:30 am so there was hugs and kisses and off they went. BUT not before we got a phone call for Echo at 8am. Apparently it was simpler for our paediatrician in the city to simply get us an appointment here in town for the kidney ultra sound – there were TWO options for today, one what Ken termed “ridiculously early” and the other for 11:15. Of course he took the latter. Thankfully this was an appointment where Ken could solo run it and the rest of us stay home. We are one step away from a jimjam day here. Everyone got dressed but we certainly are staying close to home!

Ken and Echo met with nothing but success at the imaging place… first off they only waited in the waiting room FIVE MINUTES! How unheard of! Then when in the exam Echo was able to lounge about NAKED in Daddy’s lap and then there was NO peeing in the lap, and I mean naked as the day she was born naked! I am sure Ken heaved a huge sigh of relief once that cloth diaper was returned to its owner’s bottom. The technician was fine with telling Ken what she saw, what was there and how she looked… well how her kidneys looked. She even had the doctor in to look and make sure he was pleased so we would not have to make a second trip! How did she do, I am sure you are ALL wondering… FANTASTIC! 2 kidneys, right size, right place and only one person (in the waiting room) asked how old HE was (Ken says we must give her the benefit of the doubt as she was most likely half blind anyway!). 

Ready to go with Petite Sheepette in hand

That was our morning. While Echo was gone with Daddy I managed the other 4… tv for the little two (they are beyond over done after party and visiting and company and all) and a start back to the homeschooling regime with the twins. I had them work on their first Nana and Baba adventure for their Summer Adventure file. I figure they will do at least 2-3 of their visit and one for Echo’s birthday. Then it is back to sight words, math books and dinosaurs. Not all together gracefully though, getting them started this morning was like pulling teeth in its level of painfulness. 

Back to work

So far I have ONE picture of Ken at the party… well early on in the party, courtesy of Nana and Baba’s camera. I have gotten promises of pictures from two other party goers but am still waiting to hear back on a few other cameras. If you are reading this and DO have pictures… please EMAIL rosereinsch@gmail.com and send them my way! 

Kenny at work pre full swing party

The kids and I snuck outside after Echo’s post appointment and luncheon nap and gave it another go with the tutu dress. I do believe she is teething again as her nose is runny and she was VERY warm. You can imagine how excited she was about that! BUT we tried. I figure if we try a few more times she may give in and enjoy it a bit more… after all I can take as many pictures as I want and then pick a best of the bunch. She did settle down but was NOT willing to relinquish the soother. OR wear the poof. 

So...poofy

And baby makes 5

The puzzle has reclaimed its place of honour on the blue table by the bright window, and some interest has been held by it today. But still the livingroom is a bit of a shambles and in need of a return to the previous furniture arrangement. I have to admit I am being lazy about it. But by the end of the week we should be back to normal… just in time to face the final week before Chris and Chris’ wedding and the chaos that will cause. Fingers crossed we can go back to a calmer household in September! I am in dire need of quiet and at least somewhat predictable days.

We made one more foray to the great outdoors today… brief as it was… to use the bubbles Nana and Baba had bought for the party but forgot to bring out. Of course colours of bottles were VERY important but they all agreed it was time to share with Echo… and once I got them to STOP blowing them directly in to her FACE we all got along rather well. Once bubbles failed to enthuse we closed them up and Echo and I returned in only to have to call all 4 back in due to fighting and screaming. Zero tolerance today my dears…

Look! Bubbles!

It is hard to jump right back into the norm after such an amazing week or so but we are trying. Ken has never really completely surfaced from work, even while his parents were here so that is easy enough to continue. It is the rest of the family that is adjusting really. I have to admit while the quiet is welcome, it is a wee bit lonely. We went from my inlaws and so many friends and family to just us in such a short period of time. By tomorrow I will be right as rain but there is the little moment of blue connected to so many good-byes. And anyone who knows me well knows I am HORRIBLE at good-byes, though I am proud to say – no waterworks this time! There’s a first huh? 

I am trying a new bow on for size as well… the Boutique bow. I have made two of the same ribbon… trying them out a bit… I am not sure how I feel about them but I did stab myself once in the making and got two to look somewhat like the picture. I also finished the second season of Campion… so now am on the look out for more British mysteries on Netflix… 

Not quite done yet

Now it is definitely time to bite the bullet and get back to work. So far I have posted some Kijiji adsand sorted out the tissue paper (such lovely colours)… now it is time to face the nitty gritty and get the livingroom ready for being put to rights! Off I go!

More bubbles

"Yawn"

Fat sheep family moment (with their nanny of course)