One of those days...

Nothing too terrible exciting to add today.  Just a regular day. 

This morning Jacques looked a bit sick, water eyes and red bags down to his chin, so I kept him home from preschool.  No need infecting all the other kiddos and I think if his little immune systems are trying to fight off one bug he's are more suseptable to other nasty germs.  No need for more colds in this house.  I'm actually starting to feel better!  I can smell again, though only slightly... oh and by the way Jacques is completely fine now!

We headed downtown before lunch to get some fruits and veggies, meat and cheese etc...  the boys love this because the butcher gives them a slice of bologna, the cheese man, some conté and the fruit girl gives them clementines!   Once we got home I only took upstairs what I needed to make lunch as I was carrying Phil and holding Tony by the hand.  I left the rest by the car as Matthieu was coming home for lunch about 15 minutes behind us and it's cold out.  Well, the cat tried to swipe the cheese!!  FIL saw her and chased her off, but she got through the bag and there were nibble marks on our Conté, the good stuff no less.

The housekeeper was here after lunch and I had spent a good part of the morning tidying up for her...  isn't that the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard???  I'm just really anal about where things get put away (that is when they are actually put away, lol) and this way, she doesn't have to pick up the rooms just vacuum etc and that leaves her time to iron, yeah baby!!!  She RAWKs at ironing and I hate it so its a good combo. 

So with a clean house and no need to pick up Jacques and left over soup all ready for supper, I got all domestic-goddessy and made a yummy apple pie (thanks Judy for that cookbook!)  I usually prefer to bake cookies and cakes, but Matthieu loves pie, so treat for him!

It's about freakin' time!!

I know I know, finally, she's posting pix!!!  More in the January album...

   

more babies and birthdays...

I've been a bad bad blogger!!  I've been a sick sick blogger!!  I think this cold is finally on its way out the door though!!

My friend Kim had a little girl on Jan 22nd.   Little Katherine Grace is such a doll just like her big sisters. 

Another friend, Katie, who I met online while I was pregnant with Jacques and she with Piper had her third baby, Payton Grace (do you see a trend?) on Jan 6th. 

My SIL turned 27 last Wednesday and my sweet baby turned 4 months on Thursday!!! 

what's up with us...

Just a general update to let you know what is going on around here...  So what's up with you?  Share in the comments, please!! 

Philippe-He hasn't been napping well all last week.  He's used to being outside a lot with all the back and forth runs to preschool.  Jacques wass home sick last week so we haven't been out much.  He almost needs to be outside to fall asleep.  Sometimes he will literally fall asleep the minute we are out the door.  He's  made up for it though.  He was sick and was getting up around 4:30am to eat, just thirsty, I think, but now that he's better, it's become a habit!!!!  grrr!!!!   He isn't too interested in rolling over yet, which is fine by me.  I want to keep him little forever.  He's such a happy guy, he loves to laugh and goo, loves it the best when you are right in his face, especially his big brothers.  He's always talking and gooing even to himself.  Get's that from em I guess!!  He scratched him self in the face, poor guy, those nails grow so fast!!

Anthony-Finally able to go to the bathroom alone.  He was trained back in early Aug and would go all by himself, until Philippe was born!  Now, for the low low price of a high five he'll go all by himself again.  Lots of other big boy things going on...  regular chair at the kitchen table, he can count to 5 and sometimes 10 if he doesn't think about it and he drew something recognisable for the first time.  can you guess what it was?  A fast CAR of course!!   He's sick, but other than a really runny nose and being super tired, he's alright.  Just enough to miss playschool today, don't want to infect his buddies.

Jacques-He was sick all last week, but then passed it on to the rest of the family and is in great shape now.  He was home all week, cranky, but nothing a few naps didn't cure...  Such a kind boy...  so many times I've overheard him say such sweet things that was only meant for his little brothers' ears.  We've opened all the playmobil they got for Christmas and its all in bins in my craft room, he loves imaginating and creating stories with it all. 

Matthieu-working A LOT, but what else is new eh?  He's going to a Da Vinci code night at the Louvre on Friday, but do you think he'd read the book?  Naw, he doesn't have enough time, or so he says.  Yesterday, he spent most of the afternoon reading mags (the rest was spent making creative tracks with the Geotrax!!).  I think it's because our copy is in English.  I know how hesitant I get when I have to read a book in French, no need for extra brain work.  Maybe I'll go out and get him the French version. 

Me-I'm sick!!!  The worst of the bunch as usual.  Feeling better today, but last night was nasty!!  I did have a productive weekend before that though.  Rearranged the scraproom a bit and got lots of other things done around the house, I scrapped (a little), read (a lot) and enjoyed my family.  I found out yesterday that my Christmas gift from Matthieu won't be coming until between Jan 31-Feb 8!!  Now don't go blaming Amazon, he didn't even order it until Jan 3!  But still, I'd like my camera please!!  I hopped on the scale this morning to find out that I lost 5 lbs since last week!!  Don't know how that happened either as all I've been eating is leftover treats from Christmas, fruitcake, rhumcake, galettes de rois, etc etc.  It's not even from being dehydrated from my cold because I drank 2L of water between 8pm and 8am!  I lost 2 lbs over the Christmas holidays too.  Crazy stuff.  With Jacques and Anthony I had to beat the weight off with a stick, and now at 4 months post partum, I'm only 5lbs away, yay me!!!

babies and birthdays!!

**Lots of congrats to my friend Nicola on the birth of her son Ty Caden.  click here for pix!  Congrats to Martin and big brother Carter, too!

**Happy Birthday to my little (if you can call 6'3 little) brother, Todd!!!  He turned 23 on Tuesday. Here he is with his new ride!

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**Happy Birthday to my nephew and godson DEAN!!!  He turns one today!  Here's a LO I did of him last night.

stinky baby

I had just finished feeding P and we were 'talking'... he'd laugh and I could smell this... well, yucky smell!  After a few minutes, I realised it was his breath!!!  How could a 3.5 mo old baby have bad breath????  Then I clued in, we had gone out to eat last night and I had finished Jacques' escargots.  The baby ended up with garlic breath!!!!!

Fabulous Sleep

It's wonders what a little sleep can do.  Philippe is still sick but he slept really well the last few nights compared to the weekend.  He basically slept 11 hours last nigh, awake a couple of times for his soother, though.  Over the weekend he was eating up to 8 times a day (and night), thirsty.  He's feeling better and I'm feeling better and very productive! 

Yesterday afternoon while Jacques was at preschool I:
unpacked a suitcase (yeah, still working on those, lol)
tidied our room
cleaned the kitchen
picked up the living room
scrapbooked
lurked around on some blogs

All that in 2.5 hours and I fed the baby in there somewhere.  I also started to paint our doors.  I realised after 4 years that Matthieu isn't going to do it!!  MIL said a few weeks ago that FIL never put one nail in their house, so I thought 'why am I waiting for Matthieu to help?'  LOL!!  It'll be a slow process as I have a pregnant friend who visits about once a week and we don't want her breathing in paint fumes.  But, I figure I waited 4 years, I can do this slowly!!  Today, I even started to reorganise my photo storage!!  Geez you'd think I was nesting or something.  Must be the new year...  that reminds me I need to write down my goals!

Have you seen this woman??

Originally, I wanted to post a photo that J took, but I don't like putting things on the internet without permission...

Here's the story:

We were on the plane from Paris to Toronto and I talked a bit with the woman behind me and across the aisle.  Later, I had stuck my scrap mags in my 'seat pocket in front of me' and she noticed and with a surprised voice asked 'Do you scrapbook?'  this led to lots of chats through out the 8 hour flight.  She's Canadian, lives in France, has 3 kids 2 years between each (though a bit older than mine) and scrapbooks!!  JUST like me!!  She lives in Paris, which is 3 hours from us, but that really isn't too far, and she mentioned lots of great scrap/craft stores there.  We exchanged emails, peanames, blogs (I think/hope).  Have you guessed what happened?  By the time I got to my parent's house the slip of paper with her name and info wasn't in my pocket anymore!  All I know is that her name is Lisa!  I've thought of her since we've been back, hoping that she'd contact me, but knowing my luck she's lost my info too!  I had given the boys disposable cameras to keep them busy on the plane.  We finished up the last of the photos the other day and we got the photos back yesterday.  There was a photo of her and a couple of her kids too, the photos spurred this blog entry.  I tried 2peas, but do you know how many Lisas there are on there????  ... crap!

Lisa if you are out there email me (doing the geeky baby finger thumb 'call me' sign!!  LOL)

just another manic monday

Well, I have to say that I am happy Monday is almost over (at least here in France).  Monday's are so busy, let's see I get all 3 boys fed and ready to be out the door by 8:20, have Jacques at the Speech therapist for 8:30, drop Anthony to playschool, pick up Jacques and drive him to school, get groceries, come home put stuff away in the fridge, feed the baby, make a casserole to cook while I pick up Anthony and Jacques, get bread, come home feed my family, clean the kitchen and do a load of laundry and all that before 1:30.  My housekeeper was here today and I'm so glad to have a clean house and two sleeping boys, a cup of tea and 15 mins before I have to pick up Jacques. 

We had a dinner here for MIL's birthday yesterday, and P has a cough so we've been up quite a bit at night.  Another early night for me, as long as I get a start on an assignment due soon...

colds, unpacked suitcases and growth spurts

that title seems to sum up everything since the new year started.  Anthony and I have bad colds, but both of us are now on the mend.  Jacques started coughing this morning so it looks like it might be his turn. 

Not only have I not felt up to or had the time to completely unpack (we've been home since the 29th), the suitcases seem to be multiplying somehow!!!  Most of my spare time is used up putting playmobile pirate ships, fire trucks and other cool things things together, cleaning and unpacking.  I came home to about 100 emails and I'm slowing going through those as well, only about 45 to go...  There's also a few DT things that I have yet to get in for December.  It's all finished just gotta find the time to scan...

The baby seemed to be going through a growth spurt these last few days, eating up to 8 times a day.   So we've been spending lots of time together on the couch reading Mary Higgins Clark and scrap mags.

Here's hoping, this weekend, things will be calm, I won't be sick anymore and I'll have the time and energy to get it all done.  If I do I promise Christmas photos next week.