Friday at last!

Well today was rather nice. We went to the library and read some books, Madigan ripped one. Awesome. I had to narc on us. booo. It went over well, they don't mind so long as you bring it to their attention!@ Madigan is on a strict board book only diet from now on! After books we walked up to the shopping center called the Royal Priors. Madigan snoozed while Maeve and I grabbed some lunch. How Madigan manages to thrive on breastmilk alone is a mystery to me. She wont eat rice cereal, she will only eat maybe half a jjar of baby food at a time. She does like regular table food tho, bits of chicken, rice or potatoes... She seems to be growing nicely. We are waiting for our appointment with the National Medical something or other before we can find a Dr. for these two. Fortunately the house we hope to move into come wednesday, is right around the corner from a major children's clinic! Anyhoo, the shopping center has a great family bathroom with Mommy sized and Maeve sized potty, a fantastic nursing room with glider chairs and cold water and lots of great shops. Everywhere we go the girls make great friends.. mostly with old ladies but thats ok, its nice to see my girls brighten someone elses day!

Today wasn't so bad continued

So here we are in our hotel room. Michael heads off for work around 7am. Me and the girls have breakfast downstairs then we make our way back upstairs into the very hot hotel room! Fortunately it isn't as hot today! The last post I said it was 22 was a mistake, it was more 32!!! So here is our darling Madigan. She loves to cruise! Maeve was playing mary had a little lamb in these pics. Just incase you hadn't guessed, Madigan is the little lamb and Maeve is Mary! They are so frigging cute it scares me! Maeve is keeping the general Leamington public in stitches as I walk and she dances through the park. It is about a 10 - 15 minute walk and she dances and frolicks the entire time! Good thing we don't have a schedule to keep to! We would never get anywhere! We are hoping to hear from the letting agent this week to see if we get the place we are looking at. It is only 2 bedrooms but it is fully furnished and it has a...... DISHWASHER!! You all know why I signed on for it! It also has a garage, patio, garden, washing line, washer/dryer combo (rare). For those of you who had seen our vancouver kitchen believe it or not this kitchen is even smaller! The space is used much better though! North american homes are so spacious compared to what we have seen around here! Well, fingers crossed that we get this place and I will post pics asap!

Today wasn't so bad

Here are some lovely pictures of Birmingham and Leamington Spa.

naked again

ok, so michael took maeve to the park tonight while i took madigan up to get her to bed. jeez, daddy love sure is different from mommy love! here is a pic of maeve kicking it in the paddling pool naked as a jaybird splashing some big kids! could he be standing any further away? oh well, they made it home safe and sound!

Leamington pics

Well everyone, here is cindarella's castle. Yes, Maeve tells everyone that this is in fact where cinderella lives! Maeve is doing well, we haven't seen any signs of sleep/toileting regression (knock on wood) Madigan is doing really well too. Altho she hasn't completely given up the notion of only walking now she crawls as well. She is happiest 'cruising'. I wouldn't say I'm trying to hinder her development but I'm certainly not going to push for it either! it is hard enough here with one who is completely upwardly mobile! Shell be walking soon enough I'm sure! Michael is off for his first day of work today. Let me tell you life around the ole sweatbox.. er hotel is alot tougher without Daddy's help. Even if he does stand a bit far off at the pool!! I miss him being with us today! The girls are napping right now and have been for a while. I snuck a nap in myself!! But, I should go wake them and head out to the park that is just behind us past the lawn bowlers!

the eagle has landed

Hi everyone! We made it. We are safely in England. Leamington Spa to be exact. It is a wonderful little town. Very quaint, very green and seems really nice. Hopefully Michael and I will drop some serious poundage due to a)hot weather b) hauling around two lumps of cranky or c) walking around carrying one of said lumps since we don't have a car! The flight was uneventful. Well not really but too much to type about anyway! The trip from London to Leamington was longer than expected but really nice! The hotel we are staying in is HOT. No, I don't mean a paris hilton sort of hot. I mean HOT! We are on the second floor of a two story building. More like an attic I would say. We have a small window but for whatever reason whoever cleans this place insists on closing it! Today it was about 22degrees. Hot hot but there was a nice breeze. Well, it is way past my bedtime so I'll post more with pictures later!

cheers!

Last day for Ballet!

Well today was our last riley park ballet class. There is a recital on friday but we aren't going to attend. Its hard enough scheduling in pee breaks for me let alone dance recitals!! As you can see from the pictures its probably best we didn't go! All the girls are doing one thing and Maeve (definately my daughter) is dancing to the beat of her own drum!
We are doing good. The girls are driving me nearly mental. Well, closer than usual anyway! Michael keeps reminding me how frantically in love with him I am. I keep reminding him that although I do love him, I am just plain frantic! We are having a little issue with the time difference. For whatever reason it is challenging for the moving company to get in touch with our new work. It is starting to scare me since everything should be picked up to ship on monday! Yikes!! I'm sure it will all work out anyway. I am trying to adopt a more zen like way of life. I know that I can't fix everything or take care of every single detail. Some things must be left up to fate! So, I am just going to keep plodding along and hope like hell we manage to get it all done in time! At least we aren't waiting on visas! That is the one thing we managed to get straightened out!

Splish Splash

Ok, so I've used this title before! ha sue me! We are in the final week of live in Vancouver! So far so good. I'm denying the whole thing is happening! Poor girls, life is about to become living in and out of boxes for a bit! Good thing Maeve enjoys playing in the boxes! Madigan is doing well. She seems to be a bit of a Mommy's girl. I can't say I don't like it because I sure love it! Maeve is and always has been very independent. Madigan is a little clingier! *doubtful that is even a word!

Anyway, here are the two gorgeous naked dookies having a bath!

Hey you-fer, go-fer a two-fer

Well today it is your lucky day. So, I don't blog for like weeks on end and then BAM two blogs one day! Since today is all about the Madigan I'd just like to say Makadoodle nut, lookout, there is a new ponytail princess in the hizz-ouse! For those of you with babies that were born with luscious long locks, I am green with envy. For now until ever more my children will be cursed with bows, ribbons and elastics! Viva la ponytail!

well, at least until they are old enough to tell me to lay off the frills!

Thursday!

Hello everyone! We have had a great day! We sent of oodles of stuff to a womens shelter, we have talked to aunts, cousins and Grammas and we have napped! Both girls napped..... at the same time if you can believe it!! So today is Madigan's day. Right now she is sitting in her highchair, well Maeve's highchair soon to be baby jaker's highchair, eating bananas and fruit puffs! Her teeth must be bugging the beejeezus out of her because she is flat out refusing anything crackerish! Madigan continues to pull herself up on things and has taken lone steps only to fall because she isn't ready for walking! She of course will decide when it is time to walk not me but danged if I'm going to help her!! Here is her highness noshing on nanners! Oh and a big shout out to Adopted Gramma Irene! Glad you love our family blog! We love you and Vance too!!

Tuesday

Hey everyone! So sorry it has been so long since I've updated everyone. Things are moving along swiftly here at chez Mussellam. We had a yard sale and managed to sell off most things that plug in. Lacking a microwave forces me to use more dishes let me tell you! Saturday night me, Erin, Sara and a bunch of girlfriends went out for drinks/dinner and eventually dancing!!! Boy was I out of my element! Sunday my friend Lisa took me for a fantastic pedicure and yesterday we went over to Grampa Gordie & Maggie's for a lovely send off. We are a whirlwind of activity lately!
We got to spend lots of time with Sara and baby Jakers too! Today we skipped ballet and so far I haven't managed to accomplish anything. Well, I have managed to whip up an awesome headache! Oh well, must run as Madigan now pulls herself up to walk on EVERYTHING! I think we have a little pink Evil Kneival on our hands!

Wednesday

Ok people, I'm not going to say we are starting to panic yet but, holy crap time is flying past! Codemasters just got back to us with a flight schedule! I can't believe we are leaving and how fast it is approaching! Ok, sorry Mom I know we don't like to hear about us leaving so I'm done talking about it today!

So today is another scorcher! Now, for whatever reason that word just doesn't look right to me! scorcher.. I had to look it up, I think I might be going insane! So the girls and I are contemplating going to trout lake. I think its a good idea, its just a matter of getting the two naked noonie chickens dressed! Madigan is talking up a storm. I have no idea what she is saying but I love to hear her saying it! Maeve holds impromptu ballet classes throughout the day.
I barely managed to keep my cool last night when after feeding, bathing and getting both girls down for the night, the giant one climbed up into the crib and woke up the smaller one! My god, after NO naps for anyone yesterday it was almost enough to push me over the edge! Michael didn't get home until after 10! Lucky for all of us there was no ice in the house, I think I would have drank myself into a stupor!!

Fortunately today is another day and we all had a good "sleep" last night. For me that means I was only up 3 times to nurse Madigan! We are going to pick Daddy up from work early and go hock my hockey gear! No sense dragging it all to England! cheers!

Ok, so I can't tell you how much I love my family! Michael and I may argue alot, we may get frustrated with each other and the girls but, ultimately I think we have a pretty good thing going for us! I can almost cry when I look at the picture of me and Madigan. First I hate profile pictures of me, second I don't photograph well to begin with but this picture fills my heart with happiness. I've never seen a picture that explains how much a mother can love her children. For me this picture is love. Pure unconditional love. Danica caught this pic and I love it. I just need to have Danica on hand to grab one of me and Maeve too!
We don't have too many family pics but our fantastic fotographer Danica got this one too! I love it. Danica thanks for rounding us all up for these awesome pics!

If you want more pics of our sendoff go to : www.poopeople.com/may06/farm/

Happy Mother's Day

To all of you Mothers out there, we salute you! Notice Madigan is standing in "second position" or demi position or something ballet! Perhaps she has been watching too much of Maeve's ballet class! I moved the chair under her highchair so I could sweep up the shrapnel. Seems Madigan prefers to eat standing up! I've taken away the exersaucer for a while and this week she has to stay on the floor! Hopefully she'll forget about walking and crawl!

We had a fantastic weekend over on the Island. Gramma Luvvy, the girls and myself headed over on friday. We got to see Lindsey & Bro and Makadoodlenut! Maeve ADORES Makenna! We got to see the pictures of the smallest member of our family, Brodie and Lindsey's belly bean! Michael came over late saturday night along with Jason, Barb, Robyn, Siobhan, Danica and Mike! Makenna and Maeve had a wickid dance off! Too funny, two totally different schools of dance but both SO much fun to watch! Sunday morning my Mom and Robin made us an awesome brunch and Lanny and Mel came over too! We had ate, laughed and had a great time! I can't believe this is the last time we'll make it over before jumping the pond!
My girls made me a fantastic Mother's day card, Erin snuck in and folded all our laundry and Michael got me a book that I've been dying to read! If it wasn't for the crappy bc ferries my day would have been perfect! Haha ok, it was perfect. I wouldn't trade it for anything! Maeve and Madigan kept the passengers entertained to say the least!
Michael and I ordered in some dinner and the girls are off to bed! Oh what a wonderful weekend! I'm glad I'm a Mommy!

Cheeri-Oh-ee-ohs

Long time no post! Sorry gang, we have been SO busy! Lets see, ok, so we received out work permit to the UK. So sorry guys, looks like we really are moving! Maeve and Madigan's passport pictures and UK entry pictures are so cute!
Maeve seems to be growing right before my very eyes. She is fitting size 3X clothes! I thought she'd be a 2 forever! Hopefully (for her sake) she gets to be more of Daddy's height than mine! Madigan is busy growing too. Up every hour on the hour to nurse! Oh what fun! As I'm up every hour I just repeat "this wont last forever, this wont last forever" over and over in my head. So far so good, I'm still relatively sane! Ha!
It seems like Madigan will never crawl. I try not to compare milestones to other kids but it is hard. She doesn't seem to want to spend any time on her tummy, she prefers to stand. I know how important it is for her to crawl first. "They" say if children skip crawling they miss like 500 hours of development. I don't want to stunt her development but I also don't want to force her to crawl when she prefers to stand either. I am in no rush for her to have any movement right now. It would be so much easier for me to get stuff done around here without chasing both of them around! Oh well, she'll do whatever she is going to do and I'm sure it wont be exactly what is best for me! harumph, kids!

Good Ole Dr Klein

Today the Mussellams went to the dentist! Oh what fun! Things went really well, Maeve had her turn first and everything went swimmingly. Oh, well that was until Dr Klein asked her to open her mouth!!! Maeve was a little spooked and had a tough time. Eventually we got her to open up and show Dr Klein her pearly whites! Dr Kleins hot assistant was in LOVE with Maeve. Maeve got to pick a treat after having her teeth counted. A treat right? No, Maeve walked out of there with bubbles, a pink ring, dora stickers and a new toothbrush. My god this girl has the world around her finger. I rue the day she actually figures out how much power she has! Oh the power of cute! Fortunately Madigan also has this 'power'. So far Madigan has gotten the long form birth certificate 7 days faster and for half the price, she has also managed the passport people to let Daddy in even tho they were closed! Michael and I are going to have to find some sort of antivenom so their powers of cuteness don't suck us in! The rest of you are on your own!!

Little Miss Madigan

Hasn't she grown? My god. It feels like yesterday I was still pregnant with her! Madigan is SUCH a treat. She is funny and LOVES Maeve so much it hurts! Nothing can light up my day faster than seeing Madigan see Maeve after a nap. Maeve is also getting big but I figured today was Madigan's day to shine! On the weather note our entire backyard is now located in our neighbours due to the insane wind. Ok, I exaggerated but all of our garbage cans have been blown over, our bbq cover is MIA and toto we aren't in kansas anymore!! ha ha have a great day!!