Merry Christmas Everyone!

It just shocks me that Christmas is right around the corner. The last time I checked it was Halloween. I guess I can count myself as one of the lucky ones that doesn't find the winter a drag. If anything I love it as long as it isn't raining! Which it is threatening to do right after Christmas. So thankfully my brother George took the train again from Jasper partially for the relaxing scenic trip but also for the benefit of not having to drive the Jasper/Prince George route at this time of year. Thank goodness he did too as the amount of snow and mild weather is creating unreal driving conditions.

 A lot has happened over the last month for our household. One massive change for Alistair was Heather, his fabulous one on one support worker was preparing to make some fried inside out Danish cookies. Early in the process her thermometer cracked and caused the oil to explode which drenched her. Long story short it landed her in ICU. However we are so thankful to know that she is home recouperating in her home environment and that her great sense of humour is returning and everyone around her is spoiling her rotten! I know you'll read this Heather so just in case you didn't know we miss you immensely and think you are fabuloso!!!

 

So of course Alistair still needed a support worker and we are so thankful that Tanya just applied to the CDC and was a great connection for Alistair. I'm sure he's wondering where the heck his Heather is but Tanya is doing an incredible job. It actually is good for me to experience the reality that another individual in this universe can take great care of Alistair as well as we have only had the privilege of having Heather until now.

Anyhow back to Christmas it definitely is a different one this year. Francis notices all the lights, smells and the toys in the store that go with Christmas. We were in Costco together and she just loved the little mini there. So I figured we'd hang out for 10-15 min while she made her "VROOM VROOM" sounds and held tight to the steering wheel. Good inexpensive fun! ;D

Last night we made our way out to the kids cousins house for a Christmas gathering. Its always fun getting all together with all the kids and seeing the excitement on their faces. We tried hard to get a group kidlet picture and this was the best I could get. Each of them had somewhere to go at sometime.

 

Well I just finished my second last shift of the year and I'm happy to report all is going well. It is amazing how powerful ones brain is in convincing itself if one is capable or not. Anyhow I'm happy to report that work is going well. Its incredibly caotic in the ER still and actually I have to say if anything the whole situation is worse. But that being said after working twice a week for the month I'm still willing to go back! So somethings going right!!!

 

Well now that I've written the blog and sipped on some vino after a busy 12 hour shift in Emerg I wish you all an absolutely fabulous and relaxing Christmas full of lots of smiles and joy.

 

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

From my family to yours ;D

 

Convincing the Brain

Its interesting how easy one can convince themselves that they can not or should not take a specific route or action. Then I find I keep telling myself this over and over and telling people the same thing over and over and voila I have convinced my brain that there is no possible way to do anything but. A prime example is going to the gym. I've ALWAYS said I HATE the gym. I'd rather be outside doing this that or the other. I couldn't see the point of running on a machine or lifting weights in front of a mirror when I could be outside breathing fresh air and getting some vitamin D from the good ol sunshine. Well thanks to mom, one day over a year ago she came over with the news she bought me a gym pass and was going to watch the kids a couple days a week so I could go to the gym if I so choose. Well it motivated me to get my butt into the gym solely since mom was putting all the effort on her end. I got a great set of sessions with trainer and away I went. The difference has been fabulous. The biggest difference with the gym is I can go for one hour and have a very detailed and focused work out. It also forces me to make very good use of my time. Now I go when Alistair is in school and Francis gets to go to the child minding with them gym. (which she still seems to dislike but fingers crossed a few more times and that'll change). Anyhow apart from feeling stronger, more toned, and slimmer I have a much happier brain as well. So super bonus!

Now my next challenge for my brain is going back to work. Yeppers I wasn't going to do it. Specifically the part of going back to Emerg. I had justified to the moon and back why I shouldn't, wouldn't and couldn't go back to that department. Well over the last couple weeks I came to the realization it was likely the easiest and smoothest ride of going back to the whole work scene. Jason has been working like crazy all summer and fall and I figured it was about time I picked up on the income side of things and gave him some reprieve for a bit. There is a major learning curve or perhaps a relearning curve ahead but with the idea of going back to almost full time hours for a bit it will hopefully get me back into the groove. This week I have a couple of buddy shifts with a co-worker and than I'm off on my own again. So here is hoping I can make it go fairly smoothly and that it will all come back to me relatively quickly. I'll let you know if I was able to convince my brain fully of this one LOL

On to another brain...Mr Alistair has sure been a lot more relaxed lately. Early November we had the whole family move out of the house and into Grandmas for a week so that two ABM practitioners could move in to work on eight kids. I'm always skeptical regarding any therapy but this time there were some more golden changes. In general he just seems a lot more content and comfortable. The main thing is he doesn't constantly push out his bum so that he is sitting on his lower back. Instead I can feel him on his sitting bones while he sits on my lap. This is huge and decreases my frustration immensely as I'm not constantly compensating for his movement and poor posture.  His body just in general seems a lot calmer. Then to top it out last Sunday at Grandma's he fell asleep on me. I couldn't believe it. I don't think Mr Man has ever fallen asleep on me. It was dreamy.

Anyhow, life is good all around these days. Even though its raining and almost the first of December I feel very festive. It'll be a fabulous Christmas! Hope everyone else is feeling the same.

A Family Halloween

 This Halloween we decided to make it another mellow one as soon enough Francis will be wanting to run door to door enjoying the freedom of eating candy at will and showing off her costume to all that will pay any attention. So I also took it upon me to come up with a Family costume idea to get us all in the mood to hand out candy.

The whole Flinstone thing came to me pretty easy as everyone calls Francis a little Pebbles when she has a hair tie up in the middle of her head. So I just ran with that...

I also had a box of Halloween goodies which I had fun throwing on Francis who loved the changing of wigs and all the fun stuff.

 Alistair also loved the perks of Halloween. Especially the pure milk chocolate that he got to sink his teeth into.

Whatever Francis could get her hands on she tried it out. Including the big witch hat my buddy Crystal had brought to a toddler party my sister in law hosted.

 The toddler party was great fun and likely more for us parents then the kids. Although the kids enjoyed all the chocolate they were being handed and the fact that there were other little busy bodies to play with.  

Francis got a kick out of the whole thing.

 

Alistair ended up having a great time at school where they spoiled him with balloons, touching an checking out pumpkins, eating candy, and just loving the whole spirit of Halloween. I think he really gets the vibes off the other children and obviously loves to be around all the other kidlets who take him totally in stride. 

 

The whole day was great for everyone right to the last sip of brew!

Grandma joined us in the evening to help pass out candy and cuddle with the kids which just added that extra special touch to our Halloween.

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Halloween

Trick or Treat!

 



Smile Maker Video #1 CLICK HERE Francis making faces at mommy to get a reaction
Smile Maker Video #2 CLICK HERE Francis playing with the skeleton
 

Fun with Instagram

I've been having a lot of fun with the app "Instagram" I never would have guessed that I would be snapping pictures with my phone 5 years ago and getting the quality and ability to tweak and mold them to enhance what I caught in a moment. Even if I have my camera with me I find the phone just takes a quicker picture so I can catch that perfect little moment.

Its been especially fun since the fall colors have arrived. Francis and I have been trying to get out for a stroll almost every morning after dropping Alistair off at school. I love watching her excitement and interest in every little twig, puddle and leaf. Life is just so exciting for her from the moment she opens those little itty bitty eyes to the moment she whinging that its time for me to take her to bed. Its so fun to experience it all with her.

Its neat really as having Francis has made me slow down and appreciate whats around us. Rather than running from one to do list item to the next. She doesn't tolerate that or perhaps she would but with her enthusiasm for life it just would be a shame to rob her of all these beautiful and innocent experiences that are to be had.

Having this opportunity makes me stop and look around out what neat and exciting things I can bring to her attention. Or sometimes just watch where she leads me and more times then not I'm pulled right in to her excitement. How could I not?!?

 I definitely have a little dare devil on my hands. That's one thing I have to watch her with. Before I knew it she had herself situated to come down this slide. Now when we're at the pool she's pointing at the water slide before we even get out of the change room. Then as soon as we splash down she's signing "again, again, again" So fun!

My brother whipped home for Thanksgiving which is always great. Francis obviously remembered Uncle George no problem and soon became attached to his lap.

My Sister in Law, Bonita, cooked us a fabulous feast which brought us all together.

There was lots of girl cousin time

 and Francis loved her little cousin Georgia to the point she kept giving her hugs and kisses. Mind you I gave her a few hugs and kisses myself!

Francis always loves going to Auntie Bonita's as there are so many new things to look at and play with including a table for her size.

Yesterday Alistair and Francis came out and helped with the leave raking.

 We had more fun throwing them up in the air and checking out the neat colors and differences in the leaves then anything else.

 Francis couldn't contain her excitement.

 I love how she can get so consumed by the simplest of things.

 Who needs toys anyway?!?

Gotta love it!!

 

This is a super cute video of Francis playing in a puddle.

CLICK HERE



Miracles Can Happen!

 

I'm so in shock. Every time I take Alistair to a specialist appointment I prepare myself for the next worse case scenario or list of new things they want me to add to my scroll of daily things to do for Mr Man. So today we went and saw the outreach pediatric opthamologist, Dr. Aroichane. WELL I shit you not my son no longer has to wear glasses!!!!! ACK...Its a dream come true. The truth is its one last thing I have to do...no more struggling to keep those glasses on his face and have him chew them to pieces and then make new appts to have new glasses, lens, straps etc....No more struggling to keep them on throughout a meal to have him slip his greasy fingers around them just to pull them off. No more guilt that I'm not going over to the kitchen sink to wash them off and reapply them to my sons face only to have them ripped off again. No more guilt that he has no glasses on as I'm too irritable or tired to put them on. No more guilt that he can't see his cue cards that go with meal time as he doesn't have his slimmy little glasses on! Plus the additional cost and paperwork that is deleted from MY list. Then there is Alistair....its one more thing he doesn't need to learn to deal with. Although we have been dealing with them for the past couple of years. But still there is always some new scenario for him. So its really is fabulous for so many reasons. The poor kid has a ton to deal with already so the fact its deleted from his list is fantastic. Plus to think of poor Mr Man continually trying to take his glasses off as they are just blurring his life around him and we are all going "no no Mr Alistair put these apparatuses on your face, its ok if they make your world blurry and they give you headaches....WEAR THEM!" O if only he could talk! The amount of times my blood would boil because he'd conveniently slip his little fingers around them and yard them off. .........I just wonder what else that little man would bring to light!

 

As soon as we got home from the appointment the first person I called was his support worker Heather. Why? Well she is the one that has been so persistent with Alistair's to do list, particularly the glasses. So I knew she'd be thrilled and shocked like I was that he didn't need them anymore.She'd get how thrilling it really means for all of us! His team has so much to deal with its just nice to know he won't need them for school. Well fingers crossed anyhow. Things can always change in all directions. Trust me I am in the know with that one. So why no more glasses? Well Dr. Arochane took a substantial amount of time to really assess Alistair's eye sight. It was her first time assessing him and I have to say at first the appointment didn't go well. Alistair was freaking out: biting, yelling, and fighting every moment and I had Francis with me too all interested in anything she could get her hands on. Then the doc seemed irritated herself just with her environment: equipment not working, patients in different spots, etc etc.... So imagine two adults trying to have a conversation during all that! ACK Anyways, after we got the lovely pupil dialating eye drops we took off to return in an hour. All was much better then. I got Alistair calmed down, Mom came in to watch Francis, I fixed one of the docs pieces of equipment, and we had some peace and quiet to communicate. So when she told me the good news "You can put these glasses away now."I responded that "I could cry" I don't think she quite got the impact that sentence meant to my life, Alistair's life, and just life in general for all of us. I was also pleased that she even double checked her numbers due to the drastic change. But his right eye is now with perfect vision and his left is slightly near sighted but she said its not worth wearing glasses for at the moment. His left eye also continues to be lazy at times and I guess there is potential for surgery in the future but for now we are leaving him alone in that regard to hill grows and develops a bit more.

 

Anyhow, who really knows why there was such a change BUT I have to say one thing they told me when we started the ABM therapy was that Alistair may stop needing glasses. I was like ya right! I'm a hard sell. Even with proof like this I still tetter on what really caused the change. But mind you the benefits he seems to be acquiring from the ABM therapy is just becoming to obvious to ignore. So thats why I'm doing my darnedest to get enough interest from the community to bring Carla back as well has her boyfriend Ed who happens to be an ABM practitioner as well. So far its looking pretty promising! Anyhoooo....a dream really came true to day. Miracles can happen!

Options!

So every Tuesday Alistair goes riding with his team. Someone sits on the horse with him and braces his body, a walker is on either side giving his legs direction and also being there if they need to take him off the horse suddenly etc., and then there is a walker leading the horse. The last two times we've gone have been amazing. Mainly because Alistair his relying less on his team and doing more for himself but he's also happier for longer. Today he went the whole time, got off the horse smiling and then I got him to hug and just to be hands on with the horse. He giggled and smiled with delight. This so warms my heart.

 Like I've mentioned to the volunteers, he can't go out and run around to blow of some energy or go throw rocks in a puddle so the fact that he has a weekly session on the horse AND loves it is so thrilling for me. What great stimulation. The motion of the horse, the smell of the barn, the smiling interactive faces, the softness of their hair and coarseness of the mane. Its all so great for him. Anyhow, its been nagging in the back of my head that one day he'll get too big for people to handle and how will or will he still be able to ride. Well I did just a tad of googling and look at the options out there!

So fun to see that there are options. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to get a grant to cover such an item when the time comes necessary too. Anyhow, its just neat what relief the internet can provide sometimes. Yay technology!

I'll leave you with a super cute video of Francis and her Dad having fun at the patio door. I'm sure it will make you smile! CLICK HERE

 

Why the World Keeps on Tickin!

My Zak Man

 

 

Today was my last day with My Zak Man. Such a hard day yet such wonderful memories. 13 years ago Zak and his sister Jessie came into our lives. Jason and I happened to be staying at my buddies place up in Fort Saint John.  One day she came home with these two beautiful border collie/Australian sheep dogs (our best guess). At the time Marcy was running a food catering business in camps out on the pipeline. When she went to go shut down the camp Zak & Jessie were there with no one to take them home. I guess they had been spotted up a creek bed by one of the fellows in camp. Being far from civilization they ended up being camp mascots. However, when it was time to shut it down no one was willing to take them home. So Marcy, being a dog lover, decided to pack them in her truck and take them to the SPCA where she hoped they'd find a home. En route, I guess they puked all over the vehicle and on top of it Marcy found out that the SPCA was closed. So home they came for the night and the rest is history! It really didn't take Jason and I even 24 hours to decided to call them our own. We didn't know what we were truly taking on which was likely a good thing as they turned out to be quite wild. Obviously they had learned to fend for themselves. Over the years they never brought home domestic animals but we did get all sorts of birds, squirrels, and even a coyote pup on our doorstep. The other thing they loved to do on us was run! O and run they would. I remember trying to break them of the habit. We took them to trainers who just told us we'd have to separate as there was no hope....which we refused to do. We also bought an incredibly long light weight rope and would get them to run from one of us to the next in mom's top field to teach them to come when called. Ya that kinda worked. Basically, what we learned was the more time we spent with them the better they listened and the more dedicated they became to us. Basic but true. Anyhow, they came everywhere with us from road trips to Manitoba to moving downtown Red Deer. I remember many a day running after these guys and searching for them street by street. They always came back or of course good ol' SPCA would find them for us for a fee! They both loved to run. One time we took them out past Rocky Mountain House to stretch their legs as we were living right in the city and they knowingly took off on us. After several hours of awaiting their return we had to leave as night had come and Jason had to go to work the next day. I drove all the way back out the next morning with a feeling of angst of whether I would find them. They were in the exact spot we left them wagging their tails as I drove up. 

They also were both incredibly fit. Jessie was the runner. One time we actually clocked Jessie running beside the truck (happily) at 70km an hour. Zak on the other hand was the jumper. We had a five foot high fence surrounding the place in Red Deer. We couldn't figure out how Zak would get out. There were no holes under the fence or loose boards. Then one day a neighbour came over and informed up he had to lift Zak off the fence earlier that day as he had tried to jump and got both front legs caught in the slats. He was truly unreal. Zak also loved to run. Actually they both did specifically when it thundered or there was a gun shot. It was obvious to us that prior to joining our family they weren't treated the best. If we went to cut wood or throw a stick they'd run in fear. So when there was a loud bang they basically ran until they wore themselves out. Just last year Zak took off in a thunderstorm and was located down in the industrial area of town a good 25km from moms place. Thank goodness for dog tags.  Anyhow, Jessie has always appeared to age better then Zak. He's always looked like an older boy even when he was in good health. However, in the last couple months he really took a down turn. We've known this day would come but its always a hard one to deal with no matter how much you think you mentally prepare yourself. It seems that he has lymph cancer and it really took over in the last couple of weeks. We are no longer doing him a favour by keeping him with us. As much as my heart aches with the thought that we will be euthanizing him tomorrow the truth is he really is struggling. Thank goodness we have that option with our lovable pets. It would be awful to see him struggle anymore. I think the thing that hurts the most though is that for the first time in 14 years Zak & Jessie will no longer be together. It makes me want to puke to be honest. She's always groomed him and cared for him. He's always been there for her. But like Mom says no one can get out of this life alive. Its his time. He's had a wonderful life and he has given us all so much joy. I will miss him.

What else can I say but goodbye my dear boy.

I love you so very much.

Last Road Trip of the Season.

What a precious time we had up North. We truly have a remarkable family. I have always loved the values that have been instilled early on with all the children. Thats the expectation that all the children play with each other no matter what the age and interest. Kuddos to my Aunts & Uncles for doing this. Its fabulous to see it continued on. I know I take it for granted until I go and spend time with another family and the kids are very divided. It really is special. Francis was definitely overwhelmed during our five day road trip to the ranches. There were tons of little people playing, pulling, yelling, running and having a blast. She's not quite use to that level of stimulation as our home is a tad quieter. However, even with her random meltdowns she had an absolute blast.

 Francis got to try out riding little cars with Rowdy

Riding a horse with Joelle.

Playing in the dirt with her distant cousins.

Exploring the awkward moment when she and the cat did not connect.

Then learning the ability of patience in order to connect with a cat.

The exposure Francis had in those few days was fantastic. All her senses were happily buzzing when we drove away.

As I've said a slew of times before its hard to get people to come to Alistair's level, be patient and allow him to respond, and stop parents from "protecting" Alistair from their rambunctious kids. For some reason everyone thinks he's breakable. Far from it! So, my heart was just swelling with joy up North.
 

I loved the fact he got so much physical contact whether it was hugs, taking toys from Alistair or just being present beside him. I was so pleased to see how easy it seemed for my family young and old to interact with him. Even if it was to come up and touch his hand momentarily to say hello it was truly a dream come true. When so many people walk around him (like a coffee table) or avoid him it just makes me so incredibly happy to see all the interaction and attention he got. As a mama with a special needs kidlet I learn to read the slightest movement or change whether its due to a positive or negative experience. It was so obvious he loved it!

It was also really good for me. Not solely because my kidlets got a ton of positive interactions but also to reconnect with family.

It was such an uncomplicated visit with the basic elements of life for stimulation: rocks, grass, water, sticks, fresh air.........beer....

To be surrounded by kids and family with materialistic items being removed

....and reminiscing of the days when I was up North jumping from bale to bale with great delight.

There is something to be said for the simplicity of life. Take away all those gadgets and programs (ACK PROGRAMS) and just explore what nature has to offer and one will find it will provide an incredibly valuable lesson. Its interesting to me that each generation thinks they are so right in their ways. Everyone wants to rewrite the book. Whichever book that may be. What we think is right today will likely be so wrong or backward tomorrow. Plus everyone that has been there done that thinks we are doomed for the direction we are taking BUT EVERY generation says that about the next....it kind of makes you laugh. I think we can all learn from each other...past, present and future....Anyhow, mini rant....

Anyways, one of my high lights of the trip was to go horse back riding with my cousin Jessica, that happened to be 38 weeks pregnant at the time. Most prego Mom's I'd be so nervous that they were riding that late in the pregnancy but Jessica has lived on a horse since she could walk. Actually, she trains horses for a living. 

She may have actually trained mine! Anyhow, whatever the case it was a nice little break from mamahood.

 

While we were up we also got to celebrate my Uncle Bills 70th b-day as well as enjoy a trip home from his son BO, the celebrity of the family. Our GOLD medal Olympian!!

 Good times, great family, and gorgeous memories.

LOVE IT!