At the end of September we stayed at my mom and dad's for a couple of days while our house was being packed up. It was a relief to finally be on our way and yet all of the good-byes that week were really heart wrenching. We spent time with both Trev's family and my family.
Saying good-bye to special cousins: Kyra, Troy, Jirah and Kezia
Jude his sweet cousins Preston and Hayden
So, after a tough couple of days, we left on Friday morning. My mom came with us...she drove with me and Jude and the other 3 boys drove with Trev. We stopped in Regina for a night. The kids were so excited about that. We stayed at a hotel with a waterslide and got poolside rooms. The boys just loved it...they swam and swam and wore themselves right out. Even Jude loved the waterslide.
We got to Alberta on Saturday and since our belongings were only being unloaded on Sunday, we spent the night at Colleen and Jerrie's. On Sunday Trev went over to our new house bright and early while the movers unloaded the truck. I went a little later and got started with unpacking the kitchen. Colleen and Jerrie came and spent the day helping us unpack while mom watched the boys at their house.
After a couple of hours of drowning in piles and piles of packing paper, (it is unreal how much paper the packers use...wow!) we headed back to Colleen and Jerrie's for some pizza. We needed to get the boys home early since they were starting school the next morning. They were very excited to see their new home. As soon as they got in, they raced downstairs to see thier new bedrooms. Their beds and dressers were set up and their clothes unpacked so we were able to get them settled into bed fairly quickly.
First night in their new home. They're looking a little tired and overwhelmed.
After an extra month of "summer holidays" for the boys, we were up with the sun on Monday morning getting ready for their first day of school. It was with a mix of excitement, uncertainty and apprehension that we headed off to their new school. Only Seth and Jonah started on Monday....Samuel is in the Tuesday and Thursday full day program so he only started the next day. We took Jonah to his class first. As the teacher was showing him his cubby and where to put his stuff he looked so scared and his eyes were all watery...I had to fight back the tears with all my might. I felt so sorry for him. I could only imagine how hard this was for him. His teacher was very sweet and kind and made him feel very welcome. On the board at the front of the class she had written "welcome to our new classmate, Jonah from Manitoba". Jonah's class was actually in the middle of swimming lessons that week....so Jonah joined in for the last 4 or 5 lessons and was able to complete a whole swimming level by the end of his first week of school. Pretty good for the first week, huh? :) After a month of school, he seems really quite happy. There have been no complaints at all...and I was the most worried about him. Just yesterday, the teacher told me he's still quite quiet with her but that he's doing really well...he a "whiz in math". :)
After Jonah got settled in, we took Seth over to his class. Unfortunately, he had a substitute teacher on his first day....but she was very nice and gave him a "buddy" to show him around and show him what to do. He got settled in ok but was also still looking a little nervous when we left. We met his teacher the next day. She's an older lady and SEth wasn't sure about her at first but he really likes her now. Seth has had the hardest time adjusting to a new school...probably because he had the most years in the Mitchell school. He's done a lot of comparing and according to Seth, this school just is not as good. I've told him things will be done differently here and to just give it time....he'll get used to it. But he's making friends...and I think it's getting easier for him. They've been doing a lot of fun things....although he says they do the "same thing every day". I know he'll be fine...it just takes time.
Samuel was very excited to be starting kindergarten...although he doesn't look all that excited in the picture. Trev was even able to come with us for Sam's first day of school. For as loud and kooky Sam is with family and people he knows...it always amazes how shy and quiet he is when he's in a new situation. And he is so incredibly independent...there are absolutely no big hugs and kisses and teary good-byes with him...just a glance and a see you later from him. Sigh... But I guess I do have to admit that that's better then sobbing and clinging....I don't think I could handle that. Anyway...I think he's enjoying kindergarten...although he does say that the toys are boring. LOL...kindergarten is such hard work ;).
After a few days of driving the boys to school, we discovered that there's a walking path just a few houses down that takes them directly to the school. It takes them about 4 minutes to walk to school. That is such a blessing for me.
And then there's Jude. Well, what can I say? He's just a happy, sweet, cute and cuddly, and very very very busy little boy. Home for him is just wherever mommy and daddy and his brothers are. I think he's feeling very at home in this house already. Within the first 3 or 4 days he learned how to crawl down the stairs...and that just opened up a whole new world for him. Now he can follow his brothers wherever they go and he just loves that. And one of his most favorite things to do is to throw things down the stairs. By the end of the day there's often quite a pile of items at the bottom of the stairs, often including a broom or a vacuum cleaner attachment. Sometimes he does get a little carried away with this new obsession. For instance, the other day I was cooking supper when I heard something go crashing down the stairs. I thought...oh no, what now? I had heard someone coming upstairs when it happend so I called down from the kitchen and asked what he threw down. Seth answered by saying "you don't want to know mom". Oh my...not the answer you want to hear. So I went to look and their was the highchair halfway down the stairs...Sam had stopped it halfway down. Needless to say, we keep the brakes on the highchair from now on.
Another new experience for him happened just this week. I was in the bathroom when I heard a thump loud enough to make the toilet rattle. I thought "what in the world was that?!?" I looked around and listend and suddenly I heard Jude start crying...I knew instantly what had happened. He had been napping and when I went to check on him, there he was sitting on the floor and crying. I have no idea how he did it, but he managed to jump out of his crib. He has a hard floor in his room so it can't have been a very nice landing. Poor guy. I hope that doesn't happen again soon...I'm definitely NOT ready to put him in a bed...Yikes!
My mom spent 2 weeks out here with us and it was so nice to have her around. It was like being to have a little piece of home here with me. Jude just loves her so much...every time she'd walk in the door he'd run straight at her. So sweet. It was very hard on me when she left. I've been really missing her this week and so wish I could just drop in at her house or have her over for dinner. I love my mom very much and it's going to be hard not having her around and not having her watch the boys growing up. Ok...now I'm crying. :(
We've been making some changes to the house. Within the first 2 weeks, we completely repainted the basement. It was so drab and dreary looking and my first priority was to get the boys area looking fun and cheery and like a place you'd want to hang out in. We did it in the same colours as the other house and I'm really happy with it. Now I'm trying to pick colours for the upstairs and it's taking me forever...I just need to decide already. I'm thinking of a deep orange as my accent colour...so I'm quite excited to get started on that.
Most of our family "outings" are to either Home Depot, Rona, or Superstore...not very exciting...but hopefully we'll soon start doing some more adventurous things. We have been going on walks and checking out some parks in the area. There are walking paths all over town...it's quite neat.
This is a park right close to our house with a walking path beside the river.
Sam...my poser. He always has to strike a pose...I don't know, maybe he thinks he's a model or something ;).
Anyway, so that's where we're at. Maybe now that's I've updated the blog with this massively long post it'll be easier to keep it up. I'll end with this picture I took just yesterday.
1 comment:
Hi Laurel! It is very nice to see how you are doing. I have to admit my eyes got very watery while reading this new entry but we are very happy to see that you are all doing so well!!
With love and prayers, Tracy
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