Time for an Update

Leah and I are bed-ridden today after being up all night with a stomach bug.  She is fast asleep next to me.  I started up the computer with the intent to work, but am opting instead to update the blog - I'm pretty sure my clients wouldn't want me devoting any of my exhausted brain cells to their projects today anyway.

Big apologies - a proper update is long overdue.  I have a tendency to stop blogging when I don't know how to broach a subject.  Like when I was in the hospital for a month before Leah was born and our lives were completely turned upside down.  That was a tough time for us and recent events have brought those memories crashing down again.  No I'm not pregnant!!  But they have finally started to figure out what was causing me to pass out during my pregnancies and I've spent most of the fall/winter undergoing tests.  I don't have an official diagnosis yet but I'm now under the care of an EP Cardiologist who believes I was born with a heart arrhythmia called RVOT-VT.  The good news is this a benign form of ventricular tachycardia and there's a good chance he'll be able to cure it permanently by doing an ablation.  The hard part right now is waiting for all the test results to come in and get an official diagnosis.  I've been put on a beta blocker medication that makes me exhausted and sucks the life out of me... hence the lack of blogging!

At any rate, we haven't let things slow us down too much.  The boys' hockey has kept us very busy all season and has kept our social life alive with lots of fun with new friends.

Josh's team playing at CUC

Josh dressed up as goalie - he literally stood on his head and made some phenomenal saves.  "Uncle Roberto" would be so proud!

Josh shocked EVERYONE by winning the puck toss at a recent tournament.  Mr. Money Bags won $42 and was over the moon!

Ethan is becoming quite a versatile player.  He still prefers playing forward but has become a very solid defenseman as well. 

Ethan with his best bud, Josh Cliff.  They have been nicknamed the "Twin Towers" by their coach due to their ability to shut down every offensive attack when playing together on D.

Ethan with his coach Jeff.  This guy is seriously one-of-a-kind.

Leah is still very keen to play hockey and is getting rather annoyed by how long it's taking before she gets to dress in full equipment and have a hockey stick.  She'll start the "Hockey Tips for Tots" program in March which is essentially skating lessons in full equipment.  In anticipation, she is working hard to increase her speed at her weekly lessons.  In her words, "hockey players are fast Mom!".  Upon her insistence, we've filled every non-preschool day with activities.  Along with swimming and skating, she's also started dance class.  I found a class through the community association, costing us all of $25 (which actually was reimbursed to us after they had to change her class time so she's currently dancing for free).  To say she loves it is a huge understatement!  I wrote the following email to Sue after her first class, which does a good job summing up our hockey-player-ballerina:

"It was quite possibly the funniest half hour of my life.  Picture Leah with her tummy hanging out over her tutu, trying to "chasser" or skip or some such thing across the length of the gym.  Teacher says to try and be as graceful as possible.  Leah, being as graceful as a hippo, starts throwing elbows and galloping at moch 10 to try and beat the rest of these dainty little things to the other side.  She beats the rest of them by half a length and shouts out across the gym, "LOOK MOM I WON!!!".  I honestly thought I was going to be asked to leave the room as I couldn't get my laughing under control.  The teacher then explains to her that it's not a race and that she should try to focus more on being graceful.  Take 2 and Leah does the exact same thing but keeps the distance between her and the rest of the class a little more reasonable... then she gives me a not-so-discrete wink and a wave.  It was absolutely hysterical.  Needless to say she LOVED it.  Teacher might not be too impressed with the bruiser who's taking over the class though.... :)"

Speedy Gonzales!

A more graceful approach!

 
The kids have each had some fun outings lately.  Leah and I went to see the Strawberry Shortcake Live show back in January and had a great time.  The friend who sold me the tickets had managed to get 3rd row centre seats and Strawberry Shortcake and the gang were waving and interacting with the girls the whole time.  It was very exciting for them.

Leah with her friend Sarah at the show.

Strawberry and the gang.

 Josh was invited by a friend and a group of brave Dads to go see the Monster Trucks show at CUC in mid-February.  If you know Josh, you can just imagine how much he loved it!!

 Ethan was invited by Jeff and Josh Cliff (pictured above) to the Blades game last week and they cheered the Blades to their franchise-tying-record 13th straight win (the Blades are currently at 16 straight wins and still going strong!).  It was a huge night at the Blades game with even the Prime Minister in attendance.  Needless to say, Ethan had a ball!

Playing ministicks during the 1st intermission.

The kids had their February break last week, and while we couldn't stray far from home due to more tests for me, we had no trouble filling the days with fun.  Some final pictures from last week:

Imogen and Alistair over for a playdate

A fun glow-in-the-dark minigolf outing to Mar's.

Josh Cliff and Ethan putting the backyard rink to good use.

Leah skating at the outdoor oval.

Leah and her friend Hailee putting on a musical number for Pete before he went to work.

Participating in the Blue Jays baseball camp.

It was supposed to be for kids ages 5+ but there was no telling Leah she couldn't participate!

Josh reading Leah the book he wrote for her, "The Leah Book".

While most activities were cancelled during the week, hockey was not one of them... and good thing for Josh!

And with that, I declare the blog updated!  Whew!