Sweet summer days

Alexiss continues to fight going to bed, strange thing though, she goes down for naps super easy. Tonight...was a good night, it seems there's about one a week where she doesn't fight it and drifts off peacefully without ten thousand "close your eyes and go to sleep"s. I swear, I know paybacks are sweet, but when she gets to be a teen and sleeps in... ima sleepin in right along with her and enjoying every moment of it! It's been quite the month; lots of new sweet sounding words, a wedding in PEI, a beach and meeting cousins for the first time, the flu while away... and... yes... are you ready... a date night this coming Friday for The Momma and Dada! We're going golfing.. or rather.. Mark is golfing and I'm driving the cart. It's something we haven't done in 2 years and a great way to start a weekend. I hope all the pictures and videos don't bog down your computer too much, but they are too cute and I've just gotta share them. Alexiss is really becoming her own little person and in her eyes... she's the coolest, bravest kid around the block! Somehow... I think she's right! This weekend we went into Strathmore to their Heritage Day Festival and rodeo. We didn't watch the rodeo but did walk around the grounds for a bit. This is the first time seeing animals up close and personal. Alexiss was interested but a little hesitant and happy to watch the other kids cram their way in past her. Here's Alexiss at the beach in PEI, she had so much fun! Playing with her in the waves are Aunt Teresa and cousins Megan and Erica.. and Dada of course! ...just hanging out at home. See? Cool kid, eh? And now for super cute pictures!!!!

Looking all grown up

Contemplating life with bolgna

Looking ready for school already!

Whew, hot enough for ya?

I have an excuse, I swear! We've been playing the bedtime game again and I'm just too tired at the end of the day to sit at the computer. I hope you'll all understand. You know, this blog began to keep family up to date and hopefully to tell Alexiss's life story but I've realized it was also a kind of therapy for me by taking some frustrating moments and trying to tell them in a funny way.

As for what's keeping us up at night.... It's been hot and I totally understand, but it's dragging on all of us. The past two nights have been cooler and I think...I hope... we're all catching up a little on sleep.

Alexiss is at a stage where you can see the frustration in her because she can't do what she wants to do, I think this time it's talking. Mind you, she's getting very good, even if not everyone understands... I do. She's started putting words together too!

Here's pictures of Alexiss while we're trying to keep her cool. Her first popsicle and playing in her pool.

Recent firsts

Seems Oma and I are in agreement, Alexiss had her first bang-trim yesterday. Not a lot was cut, but it must be true... we both noticed! Nothing off of the back or sides though, thank goodness. If it was more than a bang trim I don't think I'd be so nonchalant about it. I kinda want to be there for it when it happens.... and save that lil curl!

Alexiss got her first splinter this week too. And The Momma had her first experience trying to remove splinters. She was so good, sitting on the floor and letting me do what I needed to, mind you.. it took a few little breaks and wanderings off on her part, but we managed to pick away at two of the four. They were in her left palm, two were pretty superficial, I got one of the superficial ones and the worst of the four out last night, then Alexiss had to explore and take invisible splinters out of Daddy's hand! I wonder if she'll be as accommodating tonight to let me get the other two!?

The ball is rolling for me to lessen my work load and reduce hours. I expect to hear something by the end of the week from my boss on what they thought of my proposed idea and what they can actually do for me. I figure if I'm no further ahead at the end of the week, I can't get more behind... since I didn't think they would even consider anything outside of the 40 hour in-office work week.

Oh and lots of words, I can't quite make out what p'na is supposed to be though!

Becoming a tree nymph

Tonight as she slipped off to sleep, I held her in my arms against me and together we became a tree. We marveled at the nest with the baby birds in it, their warmth lit our branches. A fox came along and brought her cubs to frolic and play. A woodpecker scratched an itch and it felt soooo good. Our long brown skirt heavy, but in a way that made us feel solid and secure. The wind whooshed through our leaves. The leaves reveling in the sunlight and our skin, shaded, cool.

I've always found grounding myself through visualizing and meditating of being a tree one of the best ways to break away from the nervous energy of the day, all the little pings of energy that irritate, that unsettle.

Alexiss hasn't been sleeping well this week, and the fifth night (last night) was the worst. Tonight she fell asleep quite easily and I know both of us were thankful. Yesterday she had gotten a few insect bites, by dinner, it was obvious that she was having a reaction. Because she's so healthy, I really haven't had to give her much care or first aid, so I wasn't even sure I could give her Benadryl. She woke around 12:00, and without having a 24 hour pharmacy nearby, I thought to myself... "we get this under control now or tomorrow during the day.. and neither of us are sleeping anyway, may as well be doing something."

So I woke up poor Mark so I could get ready for a short drive into the Strathmore emerg. It was either that or hoof it all the way into Calgary. Bad use of the emerg health care, but honestly, it was worth it to both of us as we finally and quickly fell asleep at around 4:00.

I'm struggling with being a working Mom. I love my work time, my adult time, my productive time. But I'm finding that I'm torn. Alexiss and Olive get along fine, but I know my bond with her is strong and with me she flourishes and learns, she explores and grows at a different rate. I feel she is more herself with me, or is becoming herself more easily with me. Our bond is very strong and I understand her, I can almost hear her thinking about something she's about to do. Our spirits match.

So, I've got some hard thinking ahead. Mark and I both do. But we do both feel Alexiss needs more time with me than she's been getting. It'll be interesting to see what solution we come up with in the next few months!  

We had another short trip to Ontario as a family for family. Mark's grandmother passed away with loved one nearby to help ease her transition.  It was a sad occasion, but good to see everyone and spend time supporting each other. She will be missed, a very gentle loving woman with an impeccable attention to detail and people. I'm always amazed at how quickly Alexiss warms up to family members, specially the younger ones. It's a treat to see her with other kids. Mark's cousins kids (does that make them second cousins... I think?) Brittany and Courtney love her to pieces and she loves them back. I swear she remembered them from our visit last summer. We did take the opportunity to geo-cache with Opa and spend a day with Pops, watching the squirrels and blue jays come and get their peanuts.

I hear her, I feel her

My daughter needs me

I hear her
I hear the joy in her laugh
I hear the cause of her pain
I see the light in her eyes
I hear her thoughts as she thinks

I hear her spirit

She needs me.

She needs me to love her
She needs me to accept her
She needs me as she explores the world
She needs to know she's perfect

It's my smile that tells her
It's my gaze as I watch her
It's sharing breath with her

The quiet moments as she slips off to sleep in my arms....

are perfect

love

Catchin up with our Starr

I have no idea what Alexiss was trying to do. It made me chuckle enough to want to share...

A typical play day with tiles. I'm so glad I bought these things!

Playing ootside

Being silly in the tub