Happy Halloween!

Finally Halloween is here!

I have been working on costumes for the kids for about a month (off and on).  I was inspired by a tutorial on a crafty blog to do My Little Pony costumes.  I did decide to do fabric hair instead of yarn (as a knitter, cutting all that yarn was a scary thought!).  In retrospect, while the hair is perfect looking, it is a bit heavier than yarn hair would have been.  Katie is Princess Celestia and Sam is Pinkie Pie.  

 I think both girls are very happy with the result, as am I.  The costumes are made out of fleece and very warm (good thing as I think they are calling for a windchill of about -16C tonight, yuck!).

Here are images of the actual ponies, so you can see, particularly with Katie's, the details that were included.  You can't tell in the photos, but Sam's pinkie pie hair even has stitching to mimic the curlicue lines in the cartoon.

As for the rest of halloween, we carved pumpkins last night (I will get a photo later!) and both girls drew their own pumpkin and Ben carved them.  We have a deal with the girls this year, influenced a bit by diabetes, but really just a healthy practice I think, to TRADE a large portion of their candy for a toy. Kids just get way too much candy for this holiday and its not necessary.  (yes, they probably have too many toys too, but that's another battle)  

Hope you have a Happy Halloween!

(ps...thanks to Gram and Papa for the photos...our camera batteries (yes both of them) are dead and I cannot cannot find the charger.  I'm getting very desperate to find it!)

Funny Faces

The girls and I did some craft work this week...we haven't really been as crafty since they do a lot at school and when the girls are home they are often happy just playing with toys and pretending etc. We did potato stamping and the girls loved it.

One day Katie say she wanted to look at her Facebook...it took me a startled minute to figure out that she meant this book. (and not another more well known Facebook)  This book has empty faces for colouring and putting stickers on to make funny faces.

Yesterday we had a special day...the local JDRF put on their KidsnUs conference...a conference for families facing Diabetes.  A chance to learn from sessions and connect with resources and families that also have diabetes.  It was a pretty interesting conference (some speakers were better than others) but the best part of all was that they provided child care ALL DAY for the kids.  Supervised by nurses and nursing students and put into age specific groups. The girls has SO MUCH FUN.  I can't even think of the last time they have had this much fun.  They did a bunch of colouring and other crafts, got balloon animals and face painting done by Shriners clowns and watched a movie in the late afternoon.  Ben and I did have to run down and test and provide insulin at snack times, but really, that wasn't a big deal.  There was also lunch provided and we all ate together.

We didn't really meet any other families like us...with a 3 yr old with diabetes...though I think they might have been there.  I would suggest that next year the conference do some more formal networking between similar families...its hard to exactly relate to all the families with teenagers.  But it was nice knowing that all those families know about living with diabetes...watching food, waking to do night testing etcetc.  And there was a very interesting heated discussion (at one of the concurrent sessions) from the government and school boards about diabetes in classrooms...and it seems that while there is no current legislation requiring certain care for students with diabetes, our city school boards are making a decent effort for accommodation.  I do feel for some of the parents in smaller cities, as it sounded like they weren't feeling very supported.  A good, if long, day overall!

And in other big news...I have agreed to start teaching in Sam's preschool classroom.  They had lost a teacher and were in need of someone and I was sitting in the hall the whole time anyway so I offered my services (no movement on them wanting to learn to test Sam).  There was some talk of moving Sam to the older class, three days a week (and we tried it and she did fine) as thats originally where the need was, but the head teacher has recognized that we would rather stay in the 3 year class (two days a week) and so we will.  It's an unexpected change for me...I wasn't really looking for work at this time, but I think that for various reasons, it will work out very well.  Sam seems to enjoy sharing her class time with me and isn't too clingy (which I think the teachers were worried about)...frankly, sometimes, (I was in class a few days this past week and the week before) I don't even get a chance to see her much during class.  This, plus the usual rush of getting Katie to school has kept us feeling pretty busy.  

Katie had an all day field trip last Friday to Prairie Gardens.  She had so much fun, even though it was a bit of a cold and rainy day.  I found it very very strange to have her away all day, but managed to survive.  

Winter is coming...we have had a bit of snow and the temperatures are CHILLY.  I'm not sure I'm quite ready for it.  Are we ever?

New Things...Lunettes and Tires

It's only Wednesday and already we've had a busy week!  

Katie got her second pair of glasses yesterday.  They are colourful and have transitions lenses (turn into sunglasses when needed).  Funny that on the way to pick them up Katie was speculating how this would work..."Maybe there will be a button to push and the arms will get longer and the sunglasses will pop right out on top of the glasses!?"  I asked the lady at the store to explain it and she mentioned something about the lenses being "photochromatic"...I may need to google a video to explain that one to Katie!  These may be her "silly" glasses...don't you think?

 On Sunday, coming home from church we got a warning light that our tire pressure was low.  When we got home we could hear the tire leaking air thanks to a screw we had driven over.

 We learned a lot about changing tires...Ben has done one before (not on this vehicle) and I have never had to do one before.  (look at that dirty spare...it sits under the car and I bet that's years and years of dirt there.)

 Best of all, we barely argued while doing it!

Katie had a PD day and was off school on Monday so the girls and I were able to get in to Costco where they patched the tire and put the spare back and everything.  For free.  Happy day!

It has cooled off a ton since the weekend (glad we did the tire when it was warmer) and I was really happy to bake bread yesterday.  And happier still when Grandpa Ken came to help show us how to turn on the pilot light and get our furnace going again.  Welcome to Cozyville!  =)

Lunettes!

Quickly adding pictures...so many to share but I'm only picking a few and I'll be as quick as I can because I am tired.

Katie got glasses!  Surprise!  I knew when I wrote the last post but wanted to keep it a secret until she had them.  We found out when we had an eye checkup, recommend as standard procedure when we got her immunized this summer.  Minor farsightedness.  She is thrilled.  Loves them.  Picked a very mature pair.  We also ordered another different pair (the store was having a back to school deal) with transitions lenses, for when we would normally want to have the option of sunglasses.  Thank goodness for Ben's benefits...for both pairs it only cost 50$ out of our pocket.  Phew.  

 Sam did a drawing of the four of us.  I love it!

 The weather has been Amazing this month.  Just nice gorgeous perfect fall weather.  I have lots of pics of other things we have done (playgrounds, Terry Fox run etc) but am sharing ones from this week of the girls playing in the leaves at Gram and Papa's.

 Sam agreed (apparently) to be buried.

School is going great for both girls.  Katie is picking up french so well, and with Ben and Gram Cheryl taking french classes, we will be having lots of fun french talk...Bien Sur!  =)

Sam is also doing well in school...chatting about how she knows the days of the week and singing songs from school.  I am still sitting in the hallway and have finished knitting a baby dress (for our goddaughter...Happy First Birthday Baby N!), 2 pairs of leg warmers and 2 pairs of slippers for the girls.  And now I have started a tunic style sweater for Katie.

And, you know what I love...(brag time)...both sets of teachers have already commented that the girls are doing so well in school and that they are wonderful role models for other students.  Specifically hat they often ask the other students to sit/listen/etc like Katie/Sam...so nice to hear.  Anyway.  I'll try to post again soon, I know I had a good few days and then got quiet again...it's just school busy...Katie gets to the bus stop at 7:35 4 mornings a week.  And we have already had two evening events at the school.

But things are good...oh so good!

Katie's First Day of Kindergarten

Sam went to her second day of school on Thursday and though she didn't want to do the pose on the front steps, I managed to get this photo after school.  (sunny and bright) She is having a great time and talked all weekend about how she knows the days of the week now because of a song they sang in class.  (no crying this time!)

 The girls had a marker store and all the marker colours had funny names...like pumpkin and bubbles...they should really go work for Crayola.

 They drew kittens.  These are all Katie's and the top one is surprised.

 This one is Sam's...I am so surprised and pleased with how her colouring has come along recently.  I was worried that while we did lots of free colouring with Katie, we were so much more into colouring books with Sam, and while her colouring-in is awesome, I haven't seen her do much free drawing.  Those are teeth coming to the mouth and lovely whiskers.

 Finally...after patiently waiting all week to start school (staggered start..a few kids went each day to see the class in a smaller groups, and let the teacher talk to parents in small groups too...) Katie got to go on Friday.  Though she is bussing to school, I did drive her on this day, as busses weren't going yet for Kindergarten.  The day was great...Katie had no trouble at all getting right into the classroom.  When we went to leave her, Sam was very upset and I had to carry her back to the car.  I'm really not sure if she missed Katie or wanted to stay and play at Kindergarten too.  Maybe a bit of both.  It got me going though...I wasn't planning on crying yet, figuring that with drop off and pick up, really, it's just like preschool.  But, my heart knows it was the beginning of "real" school.  And just knowing that is bittersweet...(like so many great moments in parenting)...she's smart and mature and ready for school.  We've prepared her enough and she is SO excited to go.  I got so sad thinking of how much I am going to miss her every morning.  Boo hoo...here come more happy/sad tears. =)

 The apples are ready at Gram and Papa's...!

 We had a super nice weekend...went to IKEA for dinner Friday night (yay, they have carb info!) (not that fish and chips is particularly healthy but...!) and walked around just enough.

Saturday morning we went to the Farmer's Market downtown.  It was a bit chilly and windy but in a very nice "Ooo, it's September..." way.

 Sam hid and didn't really want to be in the picture.

 All the girls were happy...I got beets, kale, carrots and a super delicious "Fresco" cheese...kind of like ricotta and cream cheese...so nice on a cracker!  The other girls got balloon wings...their favourites (though they were gleefully popped by 2 in the afternoon!)

We had our best glucose numbers since Sam got on the pump this weekend...best numbers in a long time actually...it just felt SO good.  I don't think I even tested for keytones once on Saturday (we test for keytones every time the blood sugar is over 15.  Probably a bit conservative, but a safe practice for pumping.)  It just felt golden!  She had been super high (27 even) the mornings she had school, which is likely due to stress and should resolve with time.

On the potty front, the aggressive bribing is in full force...a sticker and an MnM every time she goes to the bathroom, and (after much deliberation on how to achieve the goal) with 5 stickers in a day, Sam gets to pick a prize from a bag of goodies from the dollar store.  (Katie is also scoring stickers for daily hair brushing and other random chores she completes..we may need more of a system with her.  As well, she gets the MnM any time Sam does...hoping for peer encouragement here.)  The first prize was a puppy/kitty in a little carrying cage...Katie got hers the day before Sam earned it and they are both in love.  Sam named the puppy Sweetie Heart and even drew a picture of her today.

This morning..our last big milestone of the school start season...BUS DAY.  Holy moley that's a big one.  Nerve wracking to try and make sure we get ready in time and just...the letting go...yikes.  I did check that the bus number was right and the driver confirmed the school.  Katie barely needed a hug goodbye...she was so excited to get going on her bus.  Honestly, I'm more worried about getting Sam ready to walk to the bus...she has a wee history of not always wanting to go when I need her to.  But she did talk me into a playground trip since we were there (the bus stop is just down the block from us, by the school, so playground is just behind) and I'm thinking that could be good incentive.  (as long as it's not -30!)

Katie made it home from school, dropped off safe and sound and happy, right in front of our house at noon.  Sam and I had a quiet but fun morning, reading and playing and chatting with a neighbour in the backyard.  We went shopping in the afternoon as the cool weather made me cancel our plan for BBQ pizza to chicken soup and I needed celery, AND Katie is desperate for some pants...I think hers are all a bit small and the cooler weather makes me hope we can find something to wear.  We didn't have much luck...ended up with a shirt instead.  (and briefly...I an so appalled at retail stores not providing bathrooms for a potty training toddler...I seriously, walked out of the Children's Place without the leggings we had selected because I think it's a terrible policy...this is the second time I've had such an experience in the last month and I'm hoping to find time and energy to email the companies because I'm so unimpressed.)

Ending on a good note, you know what impresses me?  (besides lots of things...)  Katie's spelling...Ben and I are thinking about taking up Pig Latin because she's picking up on all sorts of things we've been secretly spelling...Bummer, Wind, Get Rid Of, Problem...these are all words we have spelled recently and she has figured out.  Just something I wasn't expecting.  Good thing we tend not to even spell very questionable words...bummer is about as bad as we get!  Also, Ben told me that when I was out to yoga tonight, Katie was teaching Sam French...Non and Oui...I think the fun is just beginning!  =)

Sam's First Day of School

It was Sam's very first day of preschool today!  But she wouldn't do my posed school day photo and stand/sit on the front steps.  Katie was all for it.  

 Overall, the morning went very well.  Today and Thursday are only 1 hour long classes.  Next week it is 2hr and 15 min.  I have spoken with the teachers, and given the challenges with diabetes and their unfamiliarity with it, I will sit in the hall during school time, to test her sugar before snack and any other necessary times.  It's not quite how I'd pictured things, but I'm sure that once they see how easy it is, they'll learn how and get more comfortable with the whole thing.  One thing that went really well, is when they offered the snack, a digestive cookie (18 carbs) and juice, Sam said "I only get juice when my blood sugar is low".  I know that she knows how things are, but it was good to hear her express it in a public setting without any prompt from us.  We should remember this when we wonder how she will handle being different as she grows up...sometimes we are just different and that's normal.

Sam DID cry and cling when I brought her into class...for some reason, I really wasn't expecting that.  But of course, it's not uncommon, and she did recover while a couple of kids cried pretty much the whole hour.  (I'm in the hall, I can hear it!)  She said on the way home though "I had a GREAT day at preschool mom!", so perhaps Thursday will be better.  =)

These are pictures from a visit to the park last week.  Enjoying the sunny weather while we still have it...there is something so abrupt about the creeping dark and the crisp air...fall has hit me like a ton of bricks this year...and the halloween books that we got from the library (which induced a batch of pumpkin pecan muffins this evening) make me feel fall-er than usual too.

The girls we doing some balancing...a la Olympics I think. 

 The girls have been playing really well together lately.  Like "I can get the whole kitchen clean and think about baking something" well.  Except when one of them doesn't want to play and wants privacy.  I talked to them about, for example, giving Katie some private time in her room and having Sam play in another room for maybe even just 10 min, and then maybe they would be ready to play together again.  I think Katie took the suggestion literally when she made this sign:

 I assume that's Sam, holding her Dolly in the big Don't sign.  (the girls are SO aware of Don't Signs...did I ever mention that?  What does that Don't Sign say?, what about this one?...do you know there's about 11 Don't Signs on the gas station at Costco?)

Goodnight!
PS...we are thinking about bribing Sam for potty training...did you know that mini MnM's are so tiny, they don't even count as a carb individually?  It takes about a dozen to register as a gram on my scale, which actually equals only 0.67 carbs, not even one carb.  She could pee in the potty every 15 min and still get an MnM every time with barely a blip in glucose.  Who knew?  Handfuls for everyone, guilt free!  (I suspect this is what causes the increase in heart disease etc in diabetes..."It's fat, doesn't count!")

Overheard

After the girls had gone to bed tonight and were chit chatting....Ben and I were sitting in the living room and we overhead Katie say:

"O. K., hop in..."...and didn't sounds terribly enthusiastic about it.

The girls have slept in bed together a LOT this summer, I think starting on holidays. So much so that we pushed their beds together for a while at home. Katie tires of it sooner than Sam, but I kind of think it's because Sam takes a while to settle down sometimes and Katie would rather just go to sleep.

Next time I'll dig up the couple of super cute photos I have of them sleeping together...adorable, I promise.