Perfect Moment

My newborn niece is asleep in the crook of my left arm while I type with my right and my purring kitty is bidding for lap space between the keyboard and baby; I am smelling that sweet baby smell and listening to a fantastic line-up of rock music, both old and new, while researching Humanism and listening to my son play Star Wars with his three-year-old cousin. Right now, at this moment in time, life is good.

November 22-24, 2008

An afternoon with Joni: six of seven kiddos

Jaida Rae, Tyson, Jackson, Bennett, Lukey, Shay, (Taia M.I.A.)

Note to Shay: I can still see you!

Seriously cute baby Jacks (7 mos)

Birthday Cake with friends (Miss K & Sunshine M) & Big Bro

Lukey was napping.

At the studio for Birthday Portraits

Brothers. This shot melts my heart.

On the morning of her 5th birthday.

Camera Kisses: Oh how fast his mood does change...

July 20, 2008 - Lukey at 18 mos

CARITA'S HAIR SALON

My Baby Sisters, circa 2003

While watching CSI with my mother...

Heza: Oooh, he's sexy!

Mother of Heza: Who?

Heza: Him.

MoH: The corpse?

Heza: Um, ya, well, if you look past the blood.

MoH: Stares blankly at her prodigy.

Heza: He has a very symmetrical face and really good bone structure.

MoH: Continues to stare blankly at her prodigy as if pondering where the hell she went wrong...

Here's a little story...

Dad, who had open heart surgery last December to repair an aneurysm, has had on-going pain, among other symptoms and goes to see his doctor, who sends him to the hospital, who sends him to Vancouver by air ambulance (again) for a second surgery to repair part of the first graft on his aorta. Prior to departure, loved ones come and say good-bye, as there is always the possibility of not coming through a second open heart surgery. The surgeon in Vancouver determines that it would be better to wait a few months and sends dad home, after adjusting his heart pressure meds. Family if over joyed to hear that it is not as "bad" as they were told, and so happy that there is more time between now and the inevitable "repair job."

Several hours after leaving the hospital, dad receives a call from his surgeon, who has decided that said surgery should happen sooner than later, how does Thursday sound? See you there.

I am on an emotional roller coaster and I want off. But the ride has only just started and this roller coaster seems eerily familiar to one I (& my family) rode eleven months ago, only with slightly more warning.

The New U.S. Dollar

I.Q. Baby

CROSS EYED

Future Trekkie?

Her face cracks me up even more than the hand gesture.

K8 @ 16 days

Two. Words.

Obama. Yes!

Halloween Heza

Delicious K8. Three days old. So damn cute.

The scratch on his cheek is his battle wound after sword fighting with a rose bush. Yes, you read that right.

Much to Bennett's delight, swimming lessons have resumed for the winter.

INTRO

The Niece! meeting her Baby Sister

Bennett meeting his New Cousin

********************************************************************************

From the vault:

Here is Bennett meeting The Niece! 3 years and 12 days ago...

~ K8ALICIOUS ~

Last Preggy Pics, taken two nights ago...

How they got themselves in this mess in the first place...

While waiting for the new baby to be born, a young tree was accidentally murdered by my grandfather's reversing vehicle; here, The Niece! examines the remains, while The Guilty Party (& Nana) can be seen in the distance...


While shopping for a new tree...

...we found a wickedly awesome carved rocking horse...

...and an oddly priced wooden toddler chair...

...but we failed to find a replacement tree.


Fast forward to this evening (12 days past her due date):

Is this the face of someone who gave birth less than two hours prior? After two solid days of weak labour and two bouts of "induction" that failed to achieve any results, her water broke. Kate was born less than an hour later. Less. Than. An. Hour. From. Start. To. Finish.

Four Generations: My Mom, My baby sister & her new baby, and my Grandmother

Great Grandma & Baby Kate

The Daddy, The Mommy & Great Grandpa

My Grandma & Me...

My grandparents are heading back to the U.S. at the crack of dawn; it sure was nice to be able to visit with them for a few short days. We will hopefully see them again at Christmas time.

Tomorrow morning I get to take my niece to meet her new baby sister and my son to meet his new baby cousin. I'm stoked.

It's a Girl!

Niecie Girl #2:

Kate Marie was born this evening, weighing in at 7 lbs, 5 oz.

Mama & Daddy are over the moon and The Niece! is very excited to have the baby sister she was hoping for!

Neanderthals Revealed

While at the Grocery Store this evening, I could have sworn I saw my ex on the cover of National Geographic...

Tooth Fairy

Bennett lost his *first (non-surgically removed) tooth today. How much is the tooth fairy supposed to leave nowadays? I would feel inept leaving the cute lad a dollar, as I used to receive in my pre-adult teeth days...

*His two upper front teeth were removed two months ago by a dentist, as he had an impact injury a couple years back that crushed their roots which resulted in their slow, slow demise...eventually requiring professional removal. Today he lost his lower right front tooth; the other lower left is loose as well. He's pretty close to being S.O.L. if he wants to bite into an apple or eat corn on the cob!

Urban Pack Mule

This was a drive-by shooting...

...with a camera of course.

Civil Engineering Reference Wallpaper

I don't know where I found this, but it's as funny today as it was the first time I saw it...