#98- Baby sprouts

What a great spring this has been!
2014 is baby-year for what seems like everyone I know (except me; to be clear!)

Rosalie & Ozara

Here's the list so far:
February:
-Our nearby neighbours, Julianna & Brad, have a baby boy, Cameron!
March:
-A dear woman in our community and one of my first friends in London has a daughter, Grace!
-My sister Katrina has, A DAUGHTER! Ozara!
-Our friends Rachel and Colin (finally) have their baby boy, Toby!

Next week another friend from our church is due to have a baby (surprise gender!)
In May our next-door neighbours, Sherri & Chris are expecting their baby boy!
And our long time friends and church-chums, Darryl & Sarah are expecting in June (Surprise gender!)
As for announcements, another friend just told me she is expecting in September! And these are only people in London (with the exception of Katrina:) There are many, many more babies coming from other old friends and relatives.
Boy howdy! By the end of September then, that will be 7 new babies to poke!
This is great, my children assume every woman they see now is pregnant. I get to schnuggle little babies whenever I want without having to take them home, and we are finally not the only people with kids!

Baby Grace

Baby Toby

Oliver, Toby and I

#97- How to Survive Winter with 3, 3 & Under

Let me tell you, this is no task for the weak of heart.
I think we can all agree this winter has been long and relentless. For the first 4 months I really didn't mind, but by March I am now feeling good about it being Over. For awhile. Like, for a year.

Honestly, I have no idea how we survived winter since we practically lived outside last spring/summer/fall.
But after a few weeks of the fluffy stuff, I started to need to get creative.
Here are some tips, mostly for myself so I can look back on this post come November.

-Build forts; Blanket forts, pillow forts, couch cushion forts, I now build some of the best.
-Blow bubbles indoors
-Balloons: Just always have balloons on hand. The possibilities are endless.
-Lay a towel on the floor and fill two bowls with water; one with soap, one clear, give them their plastic toys or measuring cups/kitchen utensils and let them 'bake' or bathe their toys.
(The towel really doesn't do too much, but this activity takes up at least 10 minutes and in the end you have to mop up the floor with the towel so the bonus is you get a clean floor and 10 minutes)
-Lego (well, we only have mega blocks, and this year Isaac, and now Rosie, really enjoy it, Oliver likes clapping them together too)
-Superhero: I tie capes (baby blankets) on the kids and they pretend they are superheros. Set up an imaginary scenario and they do the rest. You have to come up with creative stories but otherwise you can sit still for a few minutes.
-Simon-Says: forget the rules, as long as everyone gets a turn this can be fun. Even for little ones.
-Play-dough. Don't buy it, that stuff gets nasty fast. I make ours and added some soothing essential oil to make it smell really nice, a good calming activity that also can take up more than 10 minutes. Here's the recipe I use, I separate it into two balls and knead in the food colouring later. Another thing we like to do is stick a couple raw spaghetti sticks in the playdough and drop cheerios through them.
-Blanket rides (and blanket rides, and blanket rides...the kids never get sick of this so it can last as long as you can. It's kind of a mindless thing for you, and they laugh hysterically the whole time, when they're not bumping their heads, ok so it is a bit mindful)
-Go outside for at least a few minutes. Although this makes everyone freshen up, it was dreadful. Taking 20 minutes getting 3 dressed to go out in -20 weather for 5 minutes. But hey, there's half an hour of the day taken up! And you can reward yourself with hot chocolate or tea afterwards.
-Read stories over and over and over. I am blessed to have kids who love being read to, I am blessed, I am blessed, I am blessed. *dry cough*
-Dance party: We crank up some tunes. If it's a really tough day I will put on music videos by the "Go Fish Guys". Check them out, they have some pretty rockin' tunes. Isaac's current favourite is the "Superhero" song.
-Tickle-Monster: Carrying on the tradition from my own father. This game requires a lot of energy on your part, but will wear the kids out and bring out lots of giggles. The rules are simple. Chase, tickle, repeat xforever.
-Colouring: Only Rosalie, and recently Oliver, enjoy colouring for long periods of time. **Tip** if you lay everything out for preschoolers they are more likely to sit down and do it for a longer time.
-Cornmeal drawing: I dump some cornmeal on a baking sheet and let the kids 'draw' in it. Even Isaac likes this one, or drives his cars in it.
-Show-time: Forgive yourself. I am one of those ONE SHOW A DAY moms, which usually is a 20-30 minute show when baby brother is napping. Even though this is our strict schedule the kids will STILL whine and complain for mooooooooore shows. And you know...there have been days this winter where I have complied. Or let the show go on to the next one....forgive yourself. Survive.

As for things to do when you have the luxury of a vehicle (for us, when Eric is home and we can go do outings:
-The Library!
-Indoor Swim!
-Visit a pet-store!
-Go out for a family meal once in awhile. A lot of places have kids eat free days. Kids should learn how to behave in a restaurant. Start 'em young.
-Take advantage of McDonalds free coffee days and go to one with a play-place!! (but maybe just keep the coffee to the adults)

There's lots more, the hard part is finding an activity that all 3 kids can do and enjoy. But even if two out of 3 are happy, you're doing okay.
Tea parties, snack 'picnics', play cars/trucks, play dolls, play buttons (I tie a string to a chair and let them make necklaces, Oliver likes to sit in his highchair and put them in and out of cups) play pretend, piggy-back rides, bake something, give them damp cloths and let them 'clean' the walls. Eric has a game where he sits by the couch and the kids run past him and he catches them and throws them on the couch, repeat x40. The thing that requires the most of you will be the thing that they love the most and will do the longest. Ain't that how it goes.

I'm no Pinterest-Princess, I don't do a lot of uber-cool crafts or creations or Montessori exercises with my kids. Honestly, the work that goes into preparing such things only to have it last 3 minutes and a huge mess of glue and paper bits and screaming and utterly no proof that anything creative has been done doesn't really fly too often, and usually leaves us all frustrated. Maybe when they are older.
I'm talking survival here.

To anyone else who can sympathize with this winter and little ones pullin' on your apron strings, Be Brave! We are almost there! Soon we can set them free into the open air! Hallelujah!

Please add anymore go-to survival tips that helped you get through the winter! I'm going to make a list in October to have ready!

#96- February's beat

The snow falls and the banks grow higher. The plight of living on a corner is the snowplow leaves a good 2 feet of snow and ice chunks in your driveway. But the beauty of this much snow I would have no other way.

There is a lot of personality packed into this little almost-4-year-old boy, he's napped more than usual as he is growing about a foot a week now;) When he lies there snoozing he looks so so so...little. It reminds me that-despite what he would have me think- little he really is.

My two youngest treasuring a few moments of quiet play before their brother wakes up.

The girliest girl I know is that one on the left:) She has a lot to teach me.

This is an hour after breakfast one morning after I had spent the previous evening tidying up the house and putting things where they belonged. Signs of life are everywhere.

#95- January; the busiest time of year!

We are coming up to the last week of January, and not one eensie-weensie post from me!!

WELL, let me tell you! If I thought December was busy, I wasn't ready for January.
We really didn't have anything planned for January, but suddenly it was upon us, and it didn't take long for each week to fill up.
As someone who really doesn't like having to 'schedule things in', it has been making me a little edgy. Although pretty much everything we've been busy with has been delightful, visitors, visiting, I started volunteering more regularly at the nursing home, doctors appointments, Eric went on a little trip snowboarding, (I had the house all to myself for a day and a half!!! And even that time got easily gobbled up in 'things to do') meetings, work, playdates, helping out our neighbours with their kids, and we've started watching my cousins daughter once a week, and...well, so on!
My February resolution is to slow down a bit. An open schedule is a good schedule, I'm not much of a planner, I prefer things to just come up that I can ho and hum over and say yes or no to depending on the weather and whether or not I've yet had my morning tea and if the children's sleep schedule has been on cue.
But all that to say; we've been feeling very blessed already in 2014. Surrounded with so many wonderful people we want to spend time with, so many exciting opportunities for myself, Eric, and the kids. With Oliver walking (starting to RUN!) Things feel a lot more active and (literally) fast paced around here. We are having fun. (Though I must say, that first spring breeze in the air where we can venture out and take off our coats is high on my wish list these long, cold days!)

As I have been exploring new things for myself to be a part of, starting at the nursing home has been really exciting for me. I recently was able to be at a party celebrating one couples 75th wedding anniversary! Incredible! They were both 94, some lovely words of how they have lived/stayed married for so long were 'have only one child who is well behaved' and 'get along and laugh a lot, you know, we love each other, so that's just it.'
It's also been a very interesting perspective to be with the elderly at the end of their lives and then go home to my children at the beginning of their lives, this spectrum of life and death is something that has always fascinated me and I reflect on often; which I think we all really should do more. I feel that we would all lead more satisfying lives if we regularly considered where we started and where we will end up. Not in a foreboding way, but a reflective and appreciative one.

...On another note, registration for kindergarten this fall is on NOW. Yes, Isaac will be in JK this year... I am still a little apprehensive of the thought, IF we do send him we are going to start off with half or every-other day and see how that goes. Part of me knows he is more than ready for going to 'school', another part is fearful of the brand new world that awaits him there... while we have talked about homeschooling Eric and I are mutual that it isn't something we feel we can commit to, although we would consider doing it for the early years if the 'system' isn't working out for our kids.
Well I've talked enough about that for today! Maybe if I don't think about it it will all happen by itself in September:)
Now, here are some photos of our month:

Story time with our friend Kyle

Hangin' out with our neighbour, Silas!

Isaac and Lena, they are besties! She loves him

#94- Oliver turns 1!

Lats year, December 24th, just shy of Christmas day, Oliver entered the world! We named him a name that means 'peace'; appropriate for the time of year.

Oliver a few minutes old

Oliver was an unexpected surprise to Eric and I, we were a quite a bit nervous about having a third child. There's a cute Youtube video about Jesus being an unexpected Saviour! (check it out, these kids are so cute) I think about the wonderous ways God works and moves, his ways are not our ways, and the way he does things are so beautiful.
Oliver is such a gift and a blessing to our lives. He has always been a very content baby, on dark nights as I would pick him up to nurse him, feeling exhausted and grumpy, the touch of his warm little body and soft fingers would fill me with comfort and peace, like he was saying 'it's all good, ma!'

He brings such a good balance to our family and I can see a wonderful future ahead as these 3 siblings, born so close together, grow up and share life, learning how to get along.

For his birthday we had a few close friends over for a pancake breakfast, unfortunately the poor little guy has had a rough couple of days, we suspect those nasty molars are coming in, his poor gaping, drooling mouth and tired eyes, we can barely put him down! We almost cancelled but he perked up with the company and the breakfast and had lots of smiles and chatter for everyone. 

Here are a few recent pictures of our little blue-eyed-blondey:)

Happy Birthday Oliver! We love you

Twas the night before Christmas!!

#93- Christmas Update 2013!

My, but do the seasons fly by, and here we are again with Christmas right around the corner (literally, it just waved at me!:)
With a deep breath I will try and look back and put down some of the highlights, really, isn't it just one big highlight? Even those long, boring days, every day has highlights.
Without further ado -try to keep up- highlights of 2013!!!



-We settle in to life as a family of 5!! Sometimes I feel it is getting harder, some days it seems easier, a challenge, an adventure, all the cliches, my family rocks, I think our dynamics rock too:)
-My sisters son, Hasten, is born! (Feb 18)
-I celebrate my 24th birthday (April 6)
-Isaac turns 3! (April 28th)
-Eric and I celebrate 4 years of marriage (May 23rd)
-Eric turns 27 (Aug 4)
-We attend the wedding of an ol' friend, Chris Banks!
-We attend the wedding of another of my old friends, Kayla Martin!
-Our dear friends Wade and Krista welcome their daughter, Lena! (July)
-Several different close friends of ours announce their pregnancies! Finally our friends are having babies!!

It's hard to describe a year with three children three and under... Somehow it was boring hand-in-hand with exciting and fast!
Were I to try and describe it in an organized format simply is not possible, as my life is anything but organized! A daily schedule with my children varies upon moods, individual temperaments, Eric's schedule, how I'm feeling, how the weather is...:)
Our day looks like, wake up, eat, play, sleep, play, whine, eat, play, play, eat, sleep, play, whine, 'Watch a show??' play, eat, bath, sleep...Ah, finally, bedtime.
The mysteries and joys of parenthood!! Indescribable until one has personally experienced it...

Eric and I are a great team and work well together (maybe thanks to our past work experience) so we both take turns when the others patience is running low as well as make sure we both have time to do 'our own' thing, and when it comes to finding time for us together, there's nothing like a good dose of humour and making time for eye contact in a day! Although Eric works a lot of evenings, we still treasure those quiet moments when he gets home while the children are sleeping just to relax.
Eric recently was promoted to full-time hours which means a few extra hours of work, and also extra benefits which will be helpful! We are thankful that his job allows him to spend some afternoons and mornings at home as well as flexibility when he needs to take time off. He is still on the board of our Church, Sanctuary, and heads up a weekly games night (this is no snakes-and-ladders folks)

I have recently applied to volunteer at a retirement home near us, probably not more than twice a month, but I have long had a desire to work with and learn from the elders and as most of you know was employed at 2 different retirement homes before we started a family. I`m looking forward to this opportunity and have already met a few people, this place is much MUCH bigger than anything I am used to! But hopefully I will learn to find my way around and remember peoples names. As well as remember how to carry on a conversation intelligently...
Now that we are done having children (Lord willing:) and Oliver is no longer an infant, I am prayerfully looking for more opportunities to be involved in my community as well as still being home with my children. Something I have barely considered since I`ve been pregnant or nursing for the past 4 *nearly 5* years!!:)

Isaac is turning into quite the fine young man, of course he is only 3 1/2 but, he still seems like he's thinks he ought to be treated older. He can have quite the serious conversations, a lot of questions and thoughts about God and the Bible, his favourite story is David and Goliath and he also loves anything about trucks and mighty machines and has recently taken an interest in building lego and being 'superman'. He also has a very sensitive side which most people might overlook as it still comes out mostly in negative ways, but we are working on it and he is doing much better. Although dealing with people he finds difficult or simply doesn't like is something very frustrating for him, he earnestly loves to be around all sorts of people and shows gentle attention to babies. He shows increasing maturity (for his age) in empathy and being more helpful around the house, which is something I certainly can appreciate!

Rosalie is 2 now and lately the alleged 'terribleness' of the two's has hit her quite hard, considering her generally good-natured and easy-going personality, we would be shocked by her meltdowns and screaming fits if not for the experience of our elder son. Because of this recent difficult time with her finding her 'will', she has also refused potty training and we have not yet put her in a 'big girl' bed as even night-times have been a little tricky (this from the girl who used to ASK to be put to bed because she was tired!!) We know this phase will pass, and it is almost comical to see her intense glare and little temper flaring (almost).
Rosie loves playing with dolls, reading, colouring, playing with play-dough, singing and snuggling with mommy. She loved going for walks when the weather was nicer pushing her stroller and chattering away to herself. She has a caring, gentle personality and is always trying to make people feel better if they are sad and always has a joke to tell, even if you haven't the slightest idea what she is talking about.

Oliver will be 1 year old on December 24th, one way to be incredulous at the passing of a year is to think of the fact that this time last year I was still pregnant with him, and look at him know! He is crawling, 'talking', playing, jumping, and...drum-roll....WALKING! He started promptly at 11 months and has been on the go since, it is so hilarious seeing kids this age walking around, I love it. He is an excellent eater and has 8 teeth, I believe he is working on those nasty molars too.
We're going to have to watch out for this little guy, he is the sweetest little snuggler ever, but he's got a glint of mischief that is coming out more and more as he gains strength, weight, and speed, he actually will sidle over and push his big sister down when she's not paying attention, and then laugh about it! The two of them are pretty much the same weight, and I don't think it will be long before he has her in height, and probably not too long until he beats Isaac, in weight at least! Oliver can't wait to wrestle around more with his big brother, and while Isaac is pleased to oblige, it's not quite a fair 'fight' yet.
Oliver brings smiles and delight wherever he goes and I have had so many people tell me there is just 'something so sweet and peace-filled about him'.

Peace on earth, good-will to man!

2014 feels like a new chapter in our lives, we will be moving out of 'Age of the Babe' and into different territory. 2 preschoolers and a toddler! Part of this is difficult for me to grasp but at the same time I'm excited! We have so many adventures to be had, I'm hoping 2014 will be the year we finally go camping as a family and maybe I will go on a few lone escapades myself:)

We feel we will be here in London for a few more years at least, though my heart strings are oft pulled to the country air and open fields, everything in it's own time, one day this might become a reality but for now we are learning how to best love and serve our community here. We are also getting to know more of our neighbours, one couple who live a few doors down are expecting their first child, we are looking forward to getting to know them better. Many of our friends here in London have also recently announced their first child due in 2014, so there is much celebration and joy ahead!

As always, we love hearing from friends and family even those long out of touch, so please stop by if you are ever in the area, we don't get many out-of-town visitors and would love to visit with you and hear about the latest, worst and greatest, in your lives:)

To all of you loved ones, have a wonderful joy, peace, love filled Christmas!
I encourage you to meditate on Romans 12 as you ring in the new year, and as always, there's a tea-kettle boiling here at the Buckley's :)

Love: Eric, Tessa, Isaac, Rosalie, and Oliver

#92- Daddy

We are overwhelmingly blessed to have this guy around:) I'm thankful for his work hours that allow him to spend different mornings and afternoons at home, I'm thankful for his constant assurance and his calming presence, not to mention the relief of all his help with the kids! And all is well in their world when daddy is home