Poor child

Brad & I split the child transport issues as follows- he does morning drop-off & I do pick up. There have been a few times in the last few weeks that I shake my head when I pick Sydney up from daycare and see what she is wearing. She has gone to school in clothes that don't exactly match (granted everything was pink, but not exactly matching pinks) or in jogging pants that hover just at the ankles.

Yesterday when I picked her up was no exception. When I first saw her I thought "Yeah" cute outfit! Then as I followed her up the stairs I noticed something & the conversation went like this...

Me: Sydney, did you take your pants off at school today?
Sydney: No, Mommy
Me: Are you sure?
Sydney: Yeah
Me: So your Dad let you go to school today with your pants on backwards? (!?!)

When I told Brad about this later, he laughed. He said that she got herself dressed this morning. I told him that he should at least check her over before she heads out the door! Man, she is getting picked on by "the girl" at school & it could be because her Dad is sending her to school with her pants on backwards!!!!

I wish I had a picture to post with this, but I obviously must not have been thinking.

Mean Girls

When sending Sydney to school, my fear was how would she handle the "social" part of school. She is such a sensitive little girl, I worried about what it would be like with her going to school with "girls". I am a girl, so I think it is OK for me to say that we are not always the nicest creatures on earth- especially to other little girl.

The week of Valentine's Day Sydney told me about a girl bringing valentines to school before the "party" day and telling Sydney that she didn't have one for her. I told Sydney that she must have misunderstood, but she said "No Mommy, she told me she wasn't giving me one". It turns out that it wasn't valentines that this girl was handing out, but invitations to her birthday party. Sydney says she was the only one in the class who did not get one- which I told her could not be true. I know that Sydney likely did not know the whole story & she was not the only one excluded from "the party" (which apparently Sydney's teacher had to put a stop to the little girl talking about it about a month before because it was all she would talk about). But that didn't stop my heart from aching for the pain/sadness that Sydney was feeling.

Today at supper Sydney told us that this same girl kicked her & hit her today. We didn't really get a clear indication of why this girl was mean to her, but at this age- it could be any number of things. I said to Brad that for all we know she could be mad at Sydney for not coming to her party! Kids don't always connect all the dots or understand the reasons for why things happen, but as a parent it is hard to watch your child get their feelings hurt & know that there is very little you can do about it except help them learn how to deal with these "experiences".

Family Day

Valentine's Day

Sydney & Jason had their own candlelight dinner complete with heart shaped veggies & fruit. Brad & I had our own dinner peacefully after the kids went to bed.
It's amazing how much more you connect as a couple when you are not continually saying "Sydney, get on your chair" or "Jason, move your cup in".

Family Day- Skating at Dundas Driving Park

Such fierce concentration!

The Bisbee Bunch joined us for a skate too.
Great job Macie!!!

Skating with Jason became easier when we switched to the double blade.

Events from the last month

Sleepover
My friend Wendy was home for a couple of weeks to visit family & she came with her girls, Ellie & Katie, to spend the weekend. To make the most of the kids time together we went bowling, out for dinner (10 kids + 5 adults = crazy), and there was plenty of playtime at home. It was sad to see them go, but friends can always come home again.

Illnesses Continue
Brad, Sydney, Jason & our daycare provider were hit at various times over the last month with more illnesses. Thankfully, I keep seeming to escape. Brad & I traded off half-days at home when Jo was sick & this is what Jason chose to do on his morning home with his dad. Kids are weird sometimes.


Sunday Dinners
Brad & I have taken some of the pressure off his mom for Sunday dinners. We are now hosting one a month (I know, that still leaves 3 for her- but you have to start somewhere). It means I spend a day in the kitchen getting ready, but it means that I get to have my family fill my house more regularly & I love that. The kids seem to love it too, because they are just as wild here as they are at Grandma & Papa's.
Getting ready for Valentine's Day
Yesterday Brad & Sydney spent the morning making valentines for her class. It was a much longer project than Daddy anticipated.

Pictures I missed from the Xmas holidays
Brooke & Bailey spent a night with us & the kids always love to play with their cousins.

Happy Belated 40th Bradley

A page from the birthday boy's baby book

A couple of weeks ago Brad turned the Big 4-0. I asked if he would like a party for his 40th & he said 'no'. Technically there was no party because it was just a family dinner like we would host any other time in the month, but I did invite Kim & Pete too. But really, it was Pete's birthday too.

I like to say that Brad got a new car for his birthday, since he did pick up a new one the very next day. However, the circumstances in which we got a new car were not good. The week before his birthday he got T-boned on his side driving to work. Thankfully he's OK, but his head got knocked pretty good & he had to go to the hospital by ambulance (for which we received a $45 bill this week). He still does not remember the accident at all- his first memory is the ambulance.

I think all in all he had a good birthday, but it seems that 40 is just another number for him.

Look at the candles!!!
(Jason is not too sure of the fire.)

Look at the smoke!!!
Thankfully the smoke detectors did not go off!

Baby Bradley :)

Let the 40's begin

Birthday boy & our hostess, Janet

For anyone that checks here with any regularity, you will notice that this post was actually posted on February 8th. I had every intention of posting this originally, but sleep won out & I have not been back since. Since Paul's 40th, Brad has also turned 40 & I think his nose may be a little out of joint that he didn't get his own birthday post...but in my defense, the end of January was a little crazy.

Anyway, here we are celebrating the beginning of the 40's. Brad's crew is all turning 40 this year & we celebrated Paul's with our own personal chefs (Janet's daughter is a chef-in-training) at a house in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was a very nice time.

Our chefs who filled us with wonderful food!

After eating for 5 hours, Becky & I had to go for a walk.
There was a great climbing tree in our front yard that just had to be tried out.

Christmas Recap

I must say that I am getting bad in the picture taking arena. It is the end of the Christmas celebrations & I do not have the family photos that I like to have at the end of this season. Which will be very apparent as you look below.

Christmas Eve
Our day started with lots of snow & it was great to go outside & seeing all your neighbours helping each other. Jason & I went across the road & helped them shovel too. Afterwards there were snowmen to make, snowballs to throw & a general good time in the snow. Even though we got lots, the snow did not last too long because as I write this- there is hardly any left outside.


After the snow clearing, we spent the day with Brad's family, but we only have this one picture (which is a pathetic one at that- Brad you shot more of the table than the kids!) to show for it. I like to have a picture of us sitting at the table for dinner, pictures with Grandma & Papa & a picture of the kids by the tree. I have none of those. I am blaming Robb & Michele for this because their already chaotic life threw a wrench at them & they were late for dinner so that set everything off. Even though I don't have many pictures to show for it, it was a really nice day with his family.


Christmas Day
For the first time we woke up in our own home & it was only us. Mom has spent the last couple of Christmas Eves with us, but this year she was at Kim & Pete's. Christmas morning was a nice relaxing morning of opening Santa's gifts, having breakfast & getting dressed before opening our gifts to each other. Sydney asked why Mommy & Daddy give her clothes. I told her that Santa likes to give her fun stuff, but Mommy & Daddy will often give them stuff they need as much as they want. Note to self, next year wrap clothes all in one present- except p.j.'s- they seem to be an OK clothing gift, at least Jason thought so.

Sydney got a high chair for 'Baby' and a piano with microphone.
She is very intently trying to ready the sheet music.

Jason got a train set

Santa put a new hat in Sydney's stocking
& she informed us that it has a booby on top!

Santa also put some Dora socks in which got the biggest reaction of the morning.

Once all of Jason's train pieces were connected with his new ones (thank you Santa, Grandma, Papa & Nana) it takes up half of our family room!

Boxing Day
Kim & Pete hosted our Christmas this year & Sydney & Jason got their first introduction to video games. Both had fun with it, but thankfully were not too enthralled by it. They did love playing with their cousin Regan though.

Aunt Kim teaching Sydney how to bowl.

Of course Jason could not just be a bystander.

The spectators...

Love the hair Tyler!

Mom was a very engaged spectator.

Now that Tyler is a teenager it seems like we only see him a few times a year because his social calendar will often interfere with a gathering. He was sporting a new do & I must admit I quite like it.

Today
Well today we rounded out the holiday celebrations by heading to Brent & Christa's for the Robinson Christmas. It was incredibly windy & on the way there we went by a 18-wheeler that was tipped over on the highway. It was pretty freaky.
It was very nice to visit with my family & Brent & Christa did a wonderful job of hosting.

Sydney & Jason with G.G.
(I love Sydney's new do!)

G.G. and 12 of 15 great-grandchildren
(missing: Tyler, Liam, & Mallory)