Dental Surgery for Lacie

Miss Lacie and I aren't having a good day.  I just dropped her at the vet.  She is shaking like a leaf and crying.  Her face is soaked in tears.  Which makes me bawl.  Ever seen tears well up on a dog?  It's the most heart breaking thing ever. 

She's in for teeth cleaning but at her age (almost 14) it's likely most of them are coming out. 

I don't get an update until noon.  Going to be a super long morning here.  If all goes well she can come home late afternoon.  We'll just keep picturing that moment!  Now to go cook some soft food for her.

Update: she made it through.  Awake, toothless and sleepy.  I get her back at 3.

Update: she's home. Zipping all over the place.  The toothless wonder.  She tried eating pureed pot pie but couldn't get a hold of it so I fed her tiny 1/2 pea size bites off a fork.  Supposed to keep her warm with cuddles and quiet.  She's not a cuddler and she won't stop moving.  When we went to get her she was keening in the back room. They indicated it had been going on for awhile.  They should have called me to come get her.  They also said she had no interest in anyone there touching her.  Yup.  That's our girl.  She has her peeps and it's always on her terms.

Her tongue is hanging out.  Sad and adorable. They think she'll be back to kibble in a few weeks.  Amazing.

Update: she is NOT leaving my side. She is hungry. I added more water to the baby mush pot pie and she ate that.  I mixed her pain killer and antibiotic into vanilla ice cream and she managed that once it melted. Eric bought her soft dog food but that was a no.  I think she is enjoying the special treatment.  She stands so patiently while I mix her food.  I was feeding her a tablespoon an hour in case she was feeling sick.

Girl Day

We dropped Jia with a friend and then hit Mayfair.  Mom and I did Toys-R-Us.  Lili and Fei went school shopping. 

I got Eric a shirt for his sock monkey costume.  Big girls found very little and wanted Uptown.  So we moved on.  Picked up Jia and finally hit Spaghetti Factory for dinner. 

Miniature holiday.

Jia's first attempt at art photos.

She quickly emailed herself from my phone and made it her background on her tablet the second we were home.

Sock Monkey Hats

Done!  I made these!  I'm not that crafty and I don't have this kind of time but I got it done.  They look pretty cute.  Soooooo excited about trick or treating in Disneyland in Oct.

Could have bought monkey hats online but I couldn't find anyone who had 7 in stock or a price I was happy to pay. 

My Mama knit the ears.  Thanks Mom.  She's making the tails now. 

Lili and Fei did a food safe course today.  They were gone all day.  8:30 to 4:00.  They both thought it was tremendously boring.  Fei scored 100%. Lili got 94.  Eric had dental surgery yesterday so he's laying low today.  It's been a tv day.  Which gave me time to sew all day :)

Lili had to eat a sandwich, change and head to work right after the food safe course.  She is on until 10.  She's going to be wiped at the end of this day!

Group FCC Picnic

We finally did a meet up this summer.  A few families at Transfer Beach.  I barely took photos.  Missed six of the kids there entirely.  I think there were 13 kids there.  It was quick and busy.  Lots to do there. Playground, water park, beach, field and eating. Luk was exhausted and complaining, wanting to get home.  Kai was tired but surprisingly not complaining.  And it wasn't that late.  Left around 8:30.  Late for boys that still like bedtime at 7! 

New Routine?

Jia has made it in her own bed for two nights.  Three days to make a new routine. So if she makes it tonight we might have a chance. 

I told her if she could get through the week she could sleep with me on Friday.  She got up the first morning and declared it the best sleep ever.  She said it was easier to fall asleep and she was pretty sure she wouldn't need Friday with me.

So I'm super excited for her.  Happy to have Eric back.  I how ever am NOT sleeping better.  I miss her.  Don't tell her!  My routine is off.  I've turned the ac off so I can hear her.  Now I'm tossing and hot.  Too funny.

Kids clothes and closets.

10 hours!  It's too much.  I'm so tired.  I'm sure I'll feel better about it in a few days.  Right now I'm tired.

Did the cubbies for the littles.  Shoes, boots, coats, hats, snow suits and mitts. Sorted all of Jia's clothes.  She's grown so much! Almost a complete turn over.  Happy to report I think everyone has everything they need.  Had lots of stuff put away for all of them to grow into. 

Working with littles is hard.  They don't really co-operate.  They prefer to play and goof off.  Of course.  So it makes it trying to keep them on task.  You know since kids love trying on clothes so much!

In amongst the sorting Eric and I totally overhauled Jia's room.  Through the toys and bits. Soooooo many little bits.  I told her for each thing she kept something had to go.  In the end she was great about tossing so there wasn't a ton of negotiations.  We moved her furniture so her bed is closer to the door, the hallway light, the boys and so she can see us go by.  All in an attempt to get her to sleep in her own bed. We keep trying.  We are fully expecting this to not work.  She still needs me. She wakes up many times through the night and reaches for me.  If I'm not there the  anxiety sets in and nightmares follow.  So, we'll give this a try before school starts and just see.

The porch is FULL of bags to donate.  Lili and Fei have been working in their rooms all day too.  Lili didn't cull out as much.  She's done growing so the need to sort isn't as big.  I haven't seen what Fei did yet.  She spent a couple hours with me trying to keep Jia on task.  As much as Jia fights the work she sure is happy with her clean, organised room. 

She's off to bed on her own tonight and she's already been down three times to ask questions.  Sigh.

Canoe Trip

We day tripped to Lake Cowichan.  Paddled to 'our' island for a picnic and swim.  Truely beautiful.  Pictures were tricky in a tippy canoe! Kai liked the canoe ride but was grumpy on the island. He didn't want to swim and he still has food issues so eating picnic style was just unsettling for him.  He didn't join the kids playing and was pouty until we said it was time to go. 

Showing off his first wiggly tooth!

The new one is growing behind.

He told me his new tooth is in the way :)

Paddle boards, kayaks and canoes cruising by. So peaceful.

Fei's Gotcha

She has a hard time making decisions.  She didn't decide until after lunch ;)  but this year she did pick on her own.  Butter chicken with rice, coleslaw and naan bread.  Yum. 

Sunfest Music Bursaries

We got a call tonight letting us know that Lili and Fei were both awarded a $400 music bursary.  Yay!  Sent directly to their music teacher.  Nice break on tuition this year :)

On a totally different note...Johnny Depp was at Children's today in Captain Jack gear for a couple hours.  Oh why oh why weren't we there today!!?!

First Shift

Feels like she just came home.  How can she have a for real job?! 

Can't wait to hear how it went tonight.  She's on 4 - 9.  And Lili isn't one to miss meals ; )

Update...she did great.  I think even had a good time.  The other staff were a lot of fun.  It was a super busy night.  She is doing a whole lot more than what she expected.  Sounds like hostess and bussing.  Hardest part was missing supper she was ravenous when she got home. 

Lili's First Job

Lili got her first job.  She starts training as a bus girl at The Rock Cod on Monday. She had an interview on Friday.  Her boss called today with some times for her shifts.

She is nervous and excited.  

We're so happy for her.  Will mean a whole lot more driving for us!  

Back to School Shopping

Mom and I took all five shopping today. Oy.  Good times.  Lots of laughs.  Lots of chaos. Some frustration.

Jia does not stop. Period.  Constant movement.  Constant chatter.  Kai makes noise non stop.  Not words but high pitched moaning, babble. When he gets excited it escalates.  Luk was manning his own chair.  Which makes manouvering in busy stores interesting.  Lili and Fei get out of dodge as much as possible.  Don't blame them!  But it does mean they aren't much help.

We managed two pairs of shoes each for the littles.  Over an hour for the boys.  Luk is weak and can't get shoes on.  Kai is uncoordinated and can't put shoes on.  They need to be able to switch shoes at school.  The struggle is real. 

We put a serious dent in boys Birthday shopping, back to school stuff and snuck some Christmas shopping to the car.  Confession: so much shopping that we had to put the wheelchair crammed in with the kids. 

This was the exact moment that the littles were done shopping.  Kai was in a full on run. Had to reign it all in. Stupid idea Old Navy...games on the floor just gets them going!

Gramma find...shoes that have a charging cord for the most incredible light up shoes ever!  To say she loves them is an understatement.  They've been deemed to special for school.  Too special for outside.  Tonight she wore them around the house and had to change the color of the lights every few minutes.  They will be loved to death.

One Year Streak

These two.  So cute.  They kept a streak going for a year.  Which needed a get together with celebratory cake.

Pirate Paks

It was Pirate Pak Day at White Spot yesterday.  So fun.  Pirate decorations, staff dressed as pirates and a limited menu of pirate pak meals for adults.  Not sure Lili and Fei really thought we'd all get a boat but we did!  I've waited 41 years to be 10 again.  We'd all go again but next year I think we need costumes too ;)

BC Day at home.

Lili and I are wanting to use our exercise equipment at home but I don't want it in the living room and the basement is unusable.  I mentioned it to Eric.  He is such a hero.  He said we could use the backyard carport.  The backyard carport is connected to his workshop and it has been a cluttered mess (full of Eric's treasures) for as long as we've lived there.  I suggested it was too big a job but he dove in and got it done.  Including power washing the bugs out ;)  While he worked the littles and I played, ate crazy amounts of blackberries and got in the way.  We introduced Luk to sitting spider on the swing.  Eric took them for trailer rides around the yard.  The girls all had a swim.  I got another nap.  It was a good day.

The best part.  At the end of the day Lili and I have our own gym.  We were down there at 6:30 this morning.  What a great way to start the day.  Still need to get our rebounder and treadmill in there.  Feels a bit like we accomplished something already today.

It's starting to look like I might have to hide Jia's dress.  She catches it out of the wash and just keeps on wearing it.  I threw her a pink summer dress last night after her swim. She has a room FULL of options.

Our neighbor (the farmer) got stuck while spreading poop.  Eric to the rescue.  He had a great suggestion abut digging out the backside and then he helped drive the big truck out.  He's so macho.  Love the hair action shot of Jia.  They all ran to see what Dad was doing out in the field.  

It's never been this clean!  Love.

Quiet Day

A much needed down day at home.  Most of us in jammies.  Naps.  The Troll Movie and the Angry Bird Movie.  With popcorn in the living room on the new big tv.  Luk says it's just like the theater. 

Nachos for dinner!  Luk declared it the best meal ever.  Kai is all about any meal that involves dipping.  After the boys went to bed I picked blackberries while Jia played in the backyard.  Then we made blackberry crumbles.  Delivered one to Mom and Dad.

We ate ours warm from the oven with ice cream while watching Game of Thrones. Jia wasn't watching of course and she would never eat blackberry crumble.  She still doesn't eat baked goodies.  She had just berries. 

Kai has been dry two days.  If we can make it through tomorrow perhaps we'll have the routine reset?!  They say three days for anything to be routine for kids.

Pretty great day. 

The look!  She doesn't seem pleased about waking from her nap.

Tswassen Mills Mall

Mom and I took four girls to the Tswassen mall yesterday. We were meeting Susan and her girls. Getting our three Yongfeng girls together for the first time in 13 years. 

We see both Abigail and Olivia regularly but they hadn't met.

So that was fun.

Great group of kids.

Nice to see Susan.  Mom's cousin met us there too.  Lot's of confusion and everyone taking off in different directions.  Kids don't need me for shopping.  Mom and I camped out on couches for awhile and just watched the activity.

For anyone wanting to go.  The shuttle to the mall worked great.  We'll go again.

The girls could have used way more time shopping. Fei's phone app says she walked 17.3 kms. Wow.

Virtual change room.

They did some great shopping.

Gramma bought Jia some super cute clothes for school.  Grade 3.  The last year to wear cute stuff I'm told.  Jia LOVED our choices.