Long Time, No Type!

Today was Emma's first day at school. We went with her for the 1 hour orientation. Tomorrow she goes for the full morning. She is excited! She thinks that she is going to be going to Kaylyn's school! Her teachers name is Mrs. Clegg. She is really nice and understanding of the little ones. Kaylyn REALLY likes her teacher as well. Her name is Mrs. Sheer. From what I have heard, she is short too! Kaylyn will like that!
Kaylyn has progressed well. She is up to 4'8. She is really happy with her progress. We are too, but she can really feel the difference. She really liked that she could get onto all the rides at Marineland! We upgraded to a season pass so we could go back a couple of times. Kaylyn talked Scott into going onto the Sky Screamer. They had a blast. Emma got Kaylyn back, she made her go on all of the kiddy rides!
We have been enjoying this time of year. We have been to some Buffalo Bisons baseball games and the Ice Dogs hockey. Go Dogs Go! Emma was ok at the ball game, but she and Kaylyn really enjoy the OHL Ice Dog games better!
I will have to write more later, though I thought I should catch up on some of the busy stuff and post some photos!
Ciao!

Emma's Swimming Lessons

We have started going to the YMCA this past week. Kaylyn has enjoyed the gym AND the pool every moment she can. Scott has enjoyed the facilities as well. Emma just wants the pool! We started her in swimming lessons this week. She LOVES the water. Monday I took her in the pool for her first lessons. There were a lot of babies in the class with a couple of other older children besides Emma. They told me at the Y this was the way to start her. After our class on Monday, the lifeguard told me we could sign Emma up for the next level. This was great news! I wasn't shocked, but thought that she might have to learn the basics for a couple weeks! So we signed her up! Tonight was her first class. She did GREAT! I don't have to go in with her which is nice. Emma was the first to volunteer. She jumped right into the lifeguards arms! All I hear is "Mommy! I did it! I did a bob!" Every time it was her turn she'd holler out "I did a bob! I did it! You see me!" She is doing great for her first week!

Pre March Break!

The girls have left us! They have gone to Grandma and Grandpa Broadfoot's for a visit. Kaylyn will go to her Dad's Monday afternoon, but I know that she would love to stay in Thamesford to get that special Grandma and Papa spoiling! Emma is excited to go too! She can't wait to go see the animals on the farm! She looks forward to visiting Henny's house and Kim & Jim's. Now, if we only knew someone with horses, Emma would never want to leave!

Last Monday Kaylyn had her 6 month check up with her "kidney" doctor. It was the first time Kaylyn said "That was a great appointment!" She has become very discouraged with doctor appointments. She thinks that every time she goes they are only going to give her bad news. Last week we found out that we don't have to wait for her kidney to go into failure before we do a kidney transplant. They will allow friends or family matches to donate and they will perform the surgery before they would absolutely have to. This is great news! I was afraid that if it ever came about that she needed one, that we would have to wait until her body started shutting down. Now, remember, this may never happen. It could happen in 2 years, 20 years or never. It is just prepping for the worse. To me this is FANTASTIC news! Kaylyn also asked about her being able to have children.... I let the doctor explain this to her. She is a smart girl. She has started to figure things out. She was not happy, but I reminded her of all the loving people that we have in our life that couldn't have kids on their own and how they chose to have a family! I have been on the Turner's Syndrome website and have found a conference in Vancouver in April. I think if I can arrange the time off work, it would be a great little vacation for Kaylyn and I to take together! She has been approved for the next part of her treatment. We go for our training on needles the end of the month. I am excited to move forward with this. I told Kaylyn that we get to go buy new wardrobes! She can't wait! She truly hasn't grown much over the past 3 years. She has only grown about 2 inches. She is suppose to be 9 years old according to her bone xray! This treatment will encourage her body to grow over the next 2 years! She is just concerned that she just got her new skinny jeans and doesn't want to outgrow them! Hehehe, it's not that they don't make them anymore! Silly nut!

With the girls gone, Scott and I thought we would take this week to sleep and get the house in order. So far I have slept, maybe tomorrow I will start on the house! hehe! We have kidnapped Ryan for most of the week, yet again. It's great having him around. He truly is a good kid! We are very lucky in our family, all the kids are pretty good. 98% of the time.

Sami is in her school play coming up. We have not yet bought our tickets, but the girls can't wait to see Sami on stage! She didn't make it down this way yet, there is still lots of days left in March break though!

I don't know if all this quiet is good. It is weird to not have Emma wanting to be everywhere with you! My shower getting ready for work was actually relaxing! No Emma asking to come and play animals in there! In due time things will be back to normal, in due time! Good luck to my parents!

Our Weekend

We had a very busy weekend. We went up to Oshawa to help Scott's sister in law with her floral shop. Friday was non-stop from 10 to 7, but that's to be expected. We got all orders ready for Saturday which made the day much easier to handle as people came in. It was a great weekend weather wise as well. No snow for the boys to trudge through! Ryan joined us Friday night. Patti had dropped him off at the Go Train in Hamilton and Scott with Tyson picked him up 2 hours later in Oshawa. It was great to have him. He likes to help out. Kaylyn spent the Saturday with Emma. It sounds like the had a good day. They had their moments, but Kay did great as a babysitter. She does great with Emma. If only the two get along that well when we are home!

We came back at noon today just in time for the Ice Dogs game in St.Catharines. It was really good. I didn't realize how much I missed watching the OHL. I think we will looking to future games. They won 4-1, which made it easier to cheer for them. I swear the rink is smaller than the ones the London Knights play on though!

Kaylyn had a bit of a rough day today. When we got home today, she checked on her hamster Jeffery. He had curled up in the corner and passed away while we were in Oshawa. Pour Kaylyn. My heart hurt listening to her sob. She called and texted everyone that she thought should know. I helped her put him in a shoe box. Now, we have to decided what to do with him.... in the nice way. We can't bury him in the backyard for fear that Toby would dig him up.

It has been a rough week for animals. We got another opinion on our dog Toby's ear infections. They have been going on for 2 years. This vet is concerned for our safety. Even though he is a very passive dog, with the pain that he is in, he could very well bite on a whim. She broke down the cost over the next year just to get it cleared. It is quite steep. We love Toby truly. He is everything we want in our family dog. Soooo, I put out some feelers to some friends and family. I even contacted the Bouvier Des Flanders rescue. We have found a home made solution that we are going to try. We are going to give it 2 weeks to see if we can clear it up. If not, we have decided that for Toby's health and our safety we will put him down. Please keep your fingers crossed for us!

On a bright note, we are all home together tomorrow for family day. I have to work in the evening, but we are going to have the day together. I think for my birthday on Thursday, we might go bowling. They can put the bumpers up so Emma and Kaylyn (and myself as well) can enjoy a game without too many gutter balls. Scott is an amazing bowler. He has his ring. He grew up a bowler. I didn't know this at first, but now I love him. Sorry. Hehehe! No, it's fun. I think that will be a great night out for all of us!

Well, I should go. Emma just walked into our room apologizing. She had the rod from the bottom of her curtain in her hand. She said she was golfing! I think some is WIDE awake! Time for some Mommy stories in the dark to make her go to sleep!

School Update

Kaylyn participated in her schools science fair this year. She received a B+ for her shared project about bubbles. I think she did great for her first year at the science fair. She is excited about her project for next year. She is going to do it with her girlfriend Sierra. This years Sierra won and is going on to the next level.

Tonight was registration night at our school. Emma was tickled pink! She mad sure to pack her school bag for the 1 hour registration. She packed her 2 blankets and her pink Yally cat. It was funny watching her decide what she wanted to take to school with her!

She is starting JK this September. Man, was she excited about it! She said "I am going to go to school with Aunt Patti, Sami, Ryan, Mikala, Kaylyn, Mommy, Daddy and Maureen because their my best friends!"

When we got the office, they handed us a bag full of information and games for Emma. She was SO happy to get it!

Kaylyn has been waiting 3 years to be able to show Emma off! She was right up front with Emma looking around. Emma found the sandbox first, so it was a challenge to take off her coat and show her the rest of the room! We explained that school was more than just playing in the sand! She said"yeah, maybe later!"

Wow time flies eh?



Scott has passed his insurance exam. This helps him expand his knowledge and help his clients a little more. The more you know........ He was very pleased with himself. Kaylyn and I had no doubt, but are very proud of him!

Valentine's Day is coming up. It's the time of year we head to Oshawa to help my sister-in-law with her floral shop. The boys dress up "real nice" and do deliveries, Kay watches Emma and I help in the store as best as I can. I call it my part time job! It always makes for a long, but good weekend. We run on coffee, tea and adrenaline! It's the first job that smells nice from the time you start to the time you finish! No stinky people or food.

Yes, we are still here!

Ok, I do lack the discipline to update this blog daily, let alone monthly! Lots of little things have happened since our last post. Christmas and both birthday parties went well. We had a great turn out for both! Lots of friends AND family made it out. We had a pinata at both of the parties. I think it is a great idea, especially for the little ones. Not many kids these days want to play pin the tail on the donkey. That and there is usually candy in it! Aunt Tanya did a fantastic job on the cakes for us! Kaylyn had the cover of the Twilight book as hers and Emma had a Bambi cake. I had ordered the figurines, but Tanya did all the rest! Yum Yum!
Kaylyn has received positive news in regards to her echo on her heart! Everything looks great! We are just waiting to hear from the doctor to start her hormones. She is busy these days with Pathfinders, school work and her major science projects. Her next big thing is her trip to Florida with her dad. They go about every 2 years for 2 weeks. She has finally found something she enjoys reading. She is on the second go around for the Twilight series. It's one of those things, you want them to read, but just at the right times! I never thought that I would see the day when I would ask her to stop reading to do something else!
We have bought a "New to Us" car. The grey turbo gave up the ghost, so it is resting! The new wagon is great, but we both tend to use the SUV cause it has been a NASTY winter. It stays in the garage, so the idea of cleaning of the car in the cold snow storms is not appealing!
Emma is up to her normal antics! Her vocabulary is getting so big, that if it wasn't for her sense of humor she would be in BIG trouble! She thrives on reading things. She still loves her movies and computer time. She reads many books, as well as anything with words on it! You can't pretend what the words are cause she repeats them and has a good idea of what the letters should say! She is starting to take after her mother with repeating silly phrases from her movies! She picks the best times too! She has a good sense of timing! She woke the other day and I asked her how she slept. She said "Very well, I dreamed of noodles!" Hehehe! That is a line from the movie Kung-Fu Panda! hehehe! What a nut!
Scott is busy with his clients. It's that time of year for taxes as well, so many people take a look at their investments. So, he is starting to pick up again!
I have started my night shift of 10pm to 6am. It is ok, I am sleeping when the kids are (will be) at school and are at work while they are sleeping. This is the maximum way for us to have a "normal" family life. Oh yeah, I have Saturday and Sunday nights off! Other than Friday and Saturday nights I am very happy. I finally get weekends off!

Daddy and Emma playing in one of our many snow storms

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Emma kissing Santa Clause, she's hoping this will seal the deal about the fish!

The girls after their bath on Christmas eve!

I took a little video on my camera of Emma's reaction to her fish she got from Santa. The deal was she gave Santa her "DeeDee's" (her soothers) and she would get fish. At one point I forget, or don't realize the camera is still running. It is not a normal thing for me to use, but it is entertaining! You hear us realize that there is one dead fish. All but the one black fish have died, but Emma just says "We will go to the store and buy a new one!" All but the big gold one she called Goldie. She did shed tears for him. He was her favorite! Remember this is after I woke everyone after work at 6 in the morning! Hehe!

Ok, TBA. I can't get the video to upload. I will try again soon!

TTFN

Up to Now

I have tried to upload some photos of Emma's birthday social. I am having "Technical Difficulties" but hope to have them up soon. Emma's birthday party was a great time. We had many friends and family join us in celebrating her birthday. One of the best highlights was the pinata. The kids had a blast trying to break it open. They all had a chance three or four times actually. Mind you, I don't know who had more fun, my father pulling the string up and down on the kids or the kids themselves! It was funny!

Kaylyn has most recently been to a new specialist regarding her heighth. We have found out she has Turner's Syndrome. This explains MANY of things with Kaylyn's kidneys and other health issues. She is going to be scheduled for an 2D Echocardiogram to make sure her heart is good. Most of the issues around Turner's Syndrome are here and have been since birth. That is great news! We now know the true demond we are dealing with and what to expect.

Kaylyn turns 13 this year! Wow time flies. She is going to have a sleepover party with 4 of her friends the last weekend in November. She be good. I have planned a day at the spa for her and her friends.

Scott is still enjoying his new career. Considering the markets are crappy, he is holding well. He is building great relationships with many people and constantly learning. He is taking his insurance license the end of the month so he can offer more options to helping people personal. I am very proud of my Scottie!

I thought I should write a quick little tid bit, but will upload photos later and fill everyone in on much more!