Reindeer

The boys are reindeers for their school concert. Eric found them wrap around head bands. Which will work way better for Kai. There is little chance he'd wear an uncomfortable regular one. Well....these ones have bells on them. So although he doesn't like dressing up he really really really likes bells. So now while he's doing his super goofy walk he's now bobbing his head at the same time to make the bells ring. Odds are low he can present as normal on the stage, there is simply no chance as long as he has those bells. He is having more fun than anyone else. We talked about snipping the bells off for the concert but we're letting it go now. Pretty sure there'll be some good comedy out of this.

They totally know how cute they are!

Oliver the runaway.

Little Oliver got himself lost Saturday night. He didn't come to bed and he is a major cuddler. I quietly let everyone know in the morning that he was likely locked in somewhere. No one took it too seriously but by dark on Sunday I was really starting to worry. We checked everywhere three times. I had Eric in places we haven't been. Little stinker was no where to be found. Luk and Jia opened every drawer and closet over and over again. Yesterday after three nights away and pelting rain through all of it, I finally started online looking. Placed ads with flec and roam, called our three vets and two shelters and posted on our neighborhood watch Facebook page. We got a call from a neighbor, they had him. They're on the other side of the field. They have three cats, a cat door and three daughters. He made himself at home. They kept putting him out and he kept going back in. He is tenacious. Their kids were in love with him. He was quite happy there with them. Eric picked him up yesterday and he's home on lock down. His neuter appointment is for next Wednesday.

Walter

He waits outside every day for me to get home. My personal greeting party.

Braces

Fei met with a dental surgeon this morning. She is having 8 extractions at once. They're booking end of January but that's too close to our holiday so she's having it done end of February. She's not delighted about the wait. I think it will be brutal and I'm all good to push that off as long as possible.

Lili had to have four teeth removed to make room and she did two at a time over the last month. Today was her finally her upper braces going on! Long time coming. They've been seeing ortho every six months since they were 9. She's pleased to have the process started. Not sure she's actually excited about the braces themselves though.

We ended up with 40 minutes to spare between their appointments. We got to sit in Eric's coffee shop and relax for a moment. RARE. So nice to be out without the littles. Didn't have to shush anyone or correct behavior at all. :) We have such lovely teens.

Busy Kids Day.

The bigs went shopping with Grandma. Then Lili picked up an extra shift at work. The boys went to a bowling Birthday and Jia had some friends over for a luncheon. I dogsat Mom's dogs...cleaned...made lunch...served lunch...cleaned...made snack...cleaned. Jia's friends are lovely. She has chosen friends who move as much as she does. One of her friends literally ran from room to room. Zipping non stop. I finally chased them outside but they came back in right away. Haha. It was a busy few hours to say the least.





Come on girls...just one nice picture...pose like Disney Princesses.

Family Dance

Gramma took Luk to a community dance today, with my cousin Debbie and her grandson. I was at the groomers with Esmei and Lacie so Eric got a picture for me.

Back Together

These two. Both of them are so happy. They played hard for 8 hours today. Plotting their next escapades. So sweet.

Not a fabulous picture, but the only one I thought to get today.

Celebrating Gotcha with Luk

Looking at these pictures is so fun. Watching Luk was amazing. He was scared and sooo mad and he calmed so quickly and by morning he was clear that he was staying with us. Turned away from the Director and wouldn't look at the nannies. He was keen to hear his gotcha moment stories this morning. Not sure what he has picked for dinner. Likely won tons or eggs.

First moment.

Calming with food and toys and a nanny talking to him. Jia covering her ears.

Starting to lean on me.

Mad all over again with Eric.

Calming again and obsessing a Kleenex packet. How sweet is Little Jia...so concerned.

First bottle.

Love this picture.

Happy with me and still clutching those Kleenex.



Yum. Romeo's.

Online Ordering

Anyone else leaning to more and more online shopping?

I've been through Amazon, onto Ebay, Tophatter and now Ali Express. Crazy fun. Especially shopping for kids. I even ordered Chinese New Year supplies...at crazy good prices.

There are packages arriving daily. Jia has loaded the app and is carefully price checking and getting me to order stuff for her. So cute. She makes sure to get free shipping too. The other day she ordered metallic slime, magnetic slime, foam slime, transparent fruit slime, crunchy slime and a new squishy. All for $10. Now she hovers when I open packages. Trying to get her to understand how long it takes to get here from China, hahaha.

The most exciting of all purchases just left New York and made it to a central shipping center in Kentucky. A new wheelchair for Luk! He loves it, says it's pretty. I'm nervous re size. We're hoping to leave his current one at school and keep the shiny new one with us. The new one has easily adjustable parent handles. Right now I can push forever but it's way too low for Eric. Also...a washable seat!

Long Weekend

We shopped Friday for groceries so we could settle in at home. I wanted to rest and make sure the cold didn't become more. Eric spent two days in the room project. It's at lock up. Insulation is done. Wires run. Cat door in. Drywall next...I think. I've made some lighting, flooring and color decisions. No pictures. Oddly. Not like me.

Jia was diagnosed adhd a couple weeks ago and Luk was diagnosed add inattentive last week. Reeling from that news. Not shocking but upsetting anyways. Same spectrum, opposite ends. I was certain Luk was fatigued with a processing delay. He only needed two or three markers for the diagnosis but he had 8 out of the ten markers. Yikes. Totally expected with spina bifida, extremely common for kids with shunts. Kid has so much going on, I was just so hopeful we weren't adding learning challenges to the list.

Monday Lili worked all day. The rest of us piled in the car, dropped her and took off to Victoria for the day. Costco. Old Navy for me...I wanted my favorite jeans but without holes in the fabric. Mom jeans. Got them and they were half price. Fei won't wear Old Navy but she humored me in there.

We drove around James Bay and did the scenic route to look at mansions. Then early dinner at Purple Garden. We were able to pick Lili up on the way home.

It was a decently peaceful day. It was good to finally get out of the house for something other than school, sports, appointments or grocery shopping :)

Movie making.



Jia and her Walter.

Lili

We're all busy but Lili is hands down the busiest. She's working, seeing a math tutor, keeping up with homework, at the library three days a week after school, still dancing, piano as always, two hours of theory a day and trying to keep up with her friend group. I'm allowed to post a couple pictures.

Corn Maze

Hiking

Our music teacher.

The girls have been with their music teacher Kathy since they each came home. To say they are close is an understatement. They're tightly bonded. She is absolutely one of their people. She's been sick, in hospital and in an induced coma for two weeks. It's been brutal waiting for news and the level of worry here has been palpable. A substitute teacher (friend of Kathy's) has stepped in and tonight was the girls first lesson with her. Too our total delight the news tonight is that she's awake and breathing on her own! Yay. Her husband was pretty happy to share better news. She's still in ICU and has a long road to recovery but I think on the mend and no longer quite as critical.

The girls theory exam is mid Dec. So here's hoping they can work well with Rykie.

New Roof Line

The new roof addition has made an impressive difference to the roof line. The room continues. Windows are in. Electrical lines are in. I think it's insulation next.

Halloween

I forgot to post pictures. Lots of fun.

Luk's class

Jia and her besties.

Jia's class.

Kai was still home and didn't want to join his class.



Solving sensory issues. Hillarious.




Evening Trick or Treating with friends.


Luk made two driveways before he needed the chair. Eric was a hero trying to keep him up with the running kids.