Thanksgiving with Campbells.

This year me and the boys headed out to Kurtz's for a Campbell Thanksgiving! Dave left at the same time back up to Edmonton. It was still a big gathering but felt small missing Justin and Larry on their missions, Darren and Laura and Sandras family.

 Of course these two crazies were jumping in the leaves!

 I love that my mom is always in on the action!

 Very attractive Clay!

 Ryan saving Grandma from Levi throwing leaves at her again.

 Levi trying to throw leaves at me!

 The only one where everyones eyes are open.

And that's the Campbell side of the family!

Thanks Sheila for hosting and making the best buns ever!!

Sharing a room.

 they were both asleep - then i heard giggling and sword nosies.

Busted them twice. How can I be mad that they aren't napping when all they want to do is play with each other? I'm so glad they are best friends!

Tough!

 This kid is tough I tell ya! He has the happiest personality and I have just felt so blessed to be his mommy. Friday we had an appointment at the hospital, for what I understand as an ultrasound. Woah was I wrong! Its called a barium enema. They take xrays all over his stomach before they fill him with this "barium enema". Its pretty much like a chalky substance that they fill up his intestines with. Not just a little bit, it was two full very big (8") syringes full. Once they finished that very uncomfortable part they told me he would poop within 15-30 mins and they would need to take more pictures. I tried to explain how suppository's take him 12 hours sometimes, and that it could be awhile for him. They reassured me this kid is so full that he will go soon. After 4 hours of waiting I asked if we could leave and come back, Murphy's law as I was on my way to get Levi he went in the car so we turned back to go get another picture taken.

 Thankfully while we were waiting they gave me a little quiet room that I could nurse and nap him in. It was hard to watch my baby go through something so uncomfortable that I was grateful to have that time to just hold him.

 After the xrays we were told we'd need to come back 24 hours later from the first xray to track the progress. So Saturday morning we headed back for a few more xrays. Will was all smiles for all the Dr's and nurses. I couldn't believe how happy he was through it all. I could just keep feeling the spirit from the blessing my dad gave me that week helping both of us to be strong.

There's been a few nasty side effects for him and I wish the nurses would have warned me. We will find out in a few weeks what the diagnosis is, and how to proceed from there.

Smiles

 This kid is one of the smiliest babies I know. I am so grateful for his happy disposition through all his health challenges. I am grateful for mothers intuition and promptings to push things with Doctors. We thought we'd be on a waiting list for a few weeks to see the ENT and we have an appointment this morning! We thought it could be a month or two before he has an appointment to get pictures taken of his bowels, but we get in tomorrow!  Its not gonna be a fun few days, but it'll be worth it all to figure out whats going on.

P.S. My Doctor recommended to sleep Will sitting up last night to relieve the pressure off his ears and he did 3 hour stretches!!

One tough little guy.

Wills been having a tough go of things for the last 6 weeks or so. Teething, a bout of pink eye, a cold, his tummy troubles. Its been tough, and seemed to be only getting worse. He's always such a happy kid but he was starting to be grouchy, and was getting up every 20 minutes at night. I kid you not, it was all night long. And not just a little fussying and put the soother in, he was screaming and mad and rubbing his face into my chest for 10mins or so till i could calm him down. he's never been a great sleeper but this was out of character all the screaming. 

I took him into the walk in clinic Saturday and told my dr whats been going on. He told me that with the pink eye, wait to give him drops for 5 days or so it'll just irritate his eyes. For his tummy troubles he prescribed a laxative to start helping him have softer bm's. (generally we have to give him a suppository to get him to poop and its awful!) As for the screaming just rotate between advil and tylenol every 4 hours. He was referring me back to the pediatrician to see what we could do about his pooping problems.

Followed all the Dr's orders and things just seemed to be getting worse, I literally was getting no sleep. The pink eye was worse and his stomach seemed more upset. Thankfully Tuesday i got a call saying there was a cancellation with the pediatrician for Thursday morning. Presto!

 We go see the peditrician and everything we've been doing for Will was wrong. The laxative shouldn't have been used for kids 2 and under - causes bloating and cramps. I should have started the drops for pink eye asap! And soon as I said I get zero sleep, she automatically checked his ears. DOUBLE ear infections! She assumes he's had these for at least 2 months by the amount of swelling and the damage. And for Wills pooping problems, he has a floppy bowel. This means he doesn't get the sensation to poop. 

We have drops for the eyes, antibiotics for the ears, pro-biotic for his tummy, and laxative for the pooping issues. We're still to rotate between and advil and Tylenol for a few days till the antibiotics kick in. We started the drops soon as we got home and his eyes are all cleared up! She told me to wait on the laxative till we solve these other issues, I think she could tell I was upset and overwhelmed by all the information. Im blaming the crying on being husband-less and lack of sleep!

We have a check up this weds to make sure the damage done to his ears wont require tubes and surgery isn't needed to repair his ear drums. And we will discuss what procedures we will need to do for Wills floppy bowel. So grateful I got in quickly with our pediatrician and got started on the right course of action.

He's already seeming happier and woke up babbling like he use to. We were only up every hour or so last night. Improvement!

we thought this day would never come...

We have tried for a year to potty train Levi, I always said I would never have two kids in diapers. Ive had to eat my words for the last 6 months! Levi decided all by himself to be potty trained, on the craziest of all weekends. Its been chaotic but totally worth it. He's only had one accident in two days and that includes running errands and going to preschool. We are so proud of him! He's always done things in his own timing, this was definitely one of those things. Good job buddy!

let the crazy begin..

Here comes a novel -

4 weeks ago we found out Dave was offered a job with Sheriffs with a posting in Calgary. We accepted! We knew it'd be crazy and its gonna be hard. but well worth it! We've been doing lots of renos on the house to have it ready to be listed. There were never any major issues, mostly just some cosmetic renovations. New window, new door, paint, new trim,new deck, new wall and a whole lot of cleaning. Daves been working so hard to have it all finished by Sept.23, this was when he was to report to Edmonton. We were in full swing of it all when it rained all night and all day Wednesday so we had to take a day off. Then Thursday Dave had to be in Calgary for orientation, sign some paperwork, tour of the courthouse. While he was up there his Sergeant had told them they were suppose to get their clothes in Edmonton tomorrow. Say what??? We were told Dave would be getting his uniform in Calgary that day. So Dave had to rush home from Calgary so he could pack and get to edmonton that night. Got home at 6pm and left for Edmonton at 7:45pm. If you know me, you know I like things planned. I don't like my plans to be changed suddenly and without warning. So Thursday afternoon when Dave called me from Calgary to tell me he had to be in Edmonton that night instead of Monday, I was furious. Not at Dave but at whoever in HR screwed up this information. It was a really hard and rough day! We were in the middle of all our renos and thought we had three full days to finish it up. When Dave left I had no front door, we had tore the wall out to replace it and put in a new front door. I had no door that locked. We had a window that wasn't sealed. We had so much painting still to do. And I wasn't mentally prepared for him to come home pack and leave. Needless to say I was a wreck!
    Dave gave me a blessing before he left. He knew this was going to be really hard for me, I get no sleep and I still have to get a house ready, watch the kids with no breaks and sell a house. Thankfully I have wonderful in-laws who came and installed a wall and a door that locks! HOORAY! I feel so much safer now! Murphys law that since Dave has left, Will has been even worse at sleeping. Up every 20-40 mins all night long. Saturday morning was spent at the clinic. Will has pink eye, and a cold and hes teething. He's been a screaming monster for the past three days. Poor kid is a snotty, gooby and drooling mess.
    Thankfully we have facetime and thats been my saving grace! Levi asks all day long if we can drive to daddys sheriff school? If he can go to sheriff school too? If daddy will come tuck him in? etc.. Poor kid is so lost without his "best buddy" (thats what they call each other). We really miss Dave and I keep reminding myself - Short term pain = Long term gain! Hopefully the house sells quickly and we can get to Calgary before Dave starts up there Dec.2! I don't want to be stuck down here while hes working up there. Fingers crossed!

  This is when Dave started taking the wall apart.

So this whole wall was gone when Dave left.

 This is after the new wall was put in with the new door, ignore the mess. I'm just in survival mode with Will these few days. It'll get cleaned up once he's feeling better.

 

The new deck!

 

And the new window we put in our hallway.

6 months - WILL

 21 lbs

30" long

2 teeth

sitting up by himself

trying to get up on all fours

loves prunes, sweet potatoes and carrots.

lip smacks all day long 

still smiles and giggles all day long

super ticklish a long his ribcage

eats 6-8 times a night - aka awful sleeper

teething still  

grabbing everything in sight 

still very dramatic - when i walk out of the room its full screaming till i come back. 

like Levi said "wills not mad he's just dramatic"

 

 Look at those teeth! And that messy pruney smile!

 

Sorry bud but this pictures just makes me smile!

 

 It was so bright out when I when I went to take his 6 month pictures but he still looks so cute!

PRESCHOOL

The day we have been waiting for, had finally arrived! Levi got to go to PRESCHOOL!! He's been so excited about this for a long time. I didn't even cry dropping him off because he just went in so brave and didn't even look back. He's become a little shy again lately, and think that has to do with all the changes happening around the house and the move. I was so proud of how well he did and am excited to start getting all the cute little preschool art coming home!

 And the editing program I used isn't friends with blogger so it doesn't keep my photos turned - silly!

 

 His own little cubby!

 How old are you Levi?

 Noah's are preschool.

 They have a giant sand box, how cool is that?!

 And we ran into his best buddy!! Lucky cousins get to go to school together!

love.

I'll be honest, when I was pregnant with Will and we found out he was a boy a few tears rolled down my cheeks in the ultrasound room. I had convinced myself I was having a girl, the pregnancies between the two boys had been pretty opposite. I wasn't sad he was a boy, just sad he wasn't a girl. I look back now and feel so selfish. I am so glad heavenly father knows best, because I wouldn't change having two boys for anything.
The other night they fell asleep on the couch cuddled up to me holding hands. I don't think theirs anything more that can melt a momma's heart. Levi talks a lot about when Will gets bigger they are gonna go hiking, or go on rides together, or go do preschool together. I hope these two stay the best of friends and do get to do all these things together.

Roberts Reunion

This weekend was the Roberts reunion put on by Glen (below) and Sylvie's family they did a fantastic job! I was only able to go for Saturday but we were there from 8 am- 10pm! It was a blast. This year we were at the Magrath Stake Campground (perfect location - flush-able toilets!!). Thank you guys for all your hard work!!

 Glen blowing bubbles for the kids!

 Levi trying to blow some bubbles.

 Renae chasing the bubbles.

 Craft time!

 Hey we's got suckers!

 My mom brought a poster for us all to sign and send to Justin in Texas - we're missing ya!

 Hunter Holst.

 Will and I.

 My mom got soaked! Levi, Benson and Jordan were just splashing her like crazy. What a good grandma!

  

 Broncent Roberts

 The blow up bouncy house was a huge hit!

 Tired baby and puppy. The dogs chased the kids up and down the hill on the waterslide! (I didn't get any pictures of the waterslides, but have videos... one day I'll learn how to post them)

 Grandma Roberts and Addison Holst.

 Micah Roberts.

 

Sharon Roberts working hard!

 

We had a live band that the kids loved so much!

  

Marylou Layton with the kids dancing!

It was so much fun and I'm so glad we have this tradition!