Spring 2010

Yikes - the last time I updated this was almost 10 months ago!

I can't believe that Chelsea and I have been back in Edmonton for a year already! It seems like time has flown by - with setting up the day home and having 5 crazy kids in my life every day - the days and weeks move so quickly that it's hard to keep up. Chelsea is happy. She loves her friends, loves having kids to play with every day and I love being able to stay home making a wage that I doubt I'd find elsewhere.

I don't like to think about how money determines so much for us, but what I can say is that I'm glad there is finally enough and it's nice to know my big "move back to Edmonton" scheme was the right decision to make. It's nice to know we're back up on our feet again.

In moving back I expected Chelsea to have a better relationship with Jason but such has not been the case. After I filed official orders for child support, we didn't hear from him again. So far as I know through my online maintenance account actions have been taken against him - but I've yet to see any form of payment or effort. Chelsea didn't get a birthday card or phone call this year, no Christmas gift - nothing. He has essentially vanished - and I suppose that's fine - she doesn't know what it's like to have a father so she can't miss it in the way that a child who loses a father does, but she's of age to be asking questions now and I find them sort of hard to answer. For the most part, she's content to know that her Dad lives 'by the castles' (which is what she calls the tall buildings downtown) and that he took her swimming once, which is a memory she's really held on to. She said something the other day, "It's okay that I don't have a Dad, right? Just me and you and Halo and Simey. We're a family, right?" And I just said "Yes." She seems okay. I hope it stays that way.

Summer was busy, Thanksgiving and Halloween came and went, Christmas was spent out at my moms place. We had a really good birthday party for her in January - I made my basement into a big dance party with these big rotating coloured lights and balloons and streamers everywhere - it actually looked more like a horrible junior high school dance than a 3 year olds birthday party, but we'll ignore that part. We had quite a few people come - neighbourhood friends and her cousin Emily, my sister and mom.. various others.

Since then, it's just been me trying to keep up with her. She's very bright - very funny - always talking, super opinionated - curious and eager to learn the things the big kids she knows are doing. I have her starting to print and we're working on letter sounds to kick off reading. So far it's going pretty well, and better with the printing. She loves working in her learning books - her shaky little alphabet pages are plastered all over my walls and fridge because she's very proud of them.

In general I think her life is pretty fun, and that's how it should be for a little kid.

Coming up at the beginning of June we're going to visit my sister in Vancouver. This will mark Chelsea's second big trip and it's nice because she's at an age now where she will enjoy every second of it. It will be so great to get away and have some time with Auntie Tree - Chelsea LOVES her.

We'd also love to get back to Ireland and see all of you - it's just very expensive. I've been putting away small amounts for awhile but it seems like something always comes up and I end up setting that back a little farther. For now, Chelsea is fascinated by the idea that she has a Nanny, Aunts and Uncles and cousins over across the ocean - so I know she would love to see you all as well. And this time, again, being that she's so much older she would remember more and really have a great time. Hopefully we can orchestrate something sooner than later.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well and can excuse the lack of updating I do here. Work keeps me busy for most of my day and by the time the kids go home, I'm in something of a vegetative state - most of the time I'm lucky if my housework gets done, nevermind blogging or a personal life. Haha.

Be in touch. We love to hear from everyone and hopefully we'll see you all soon. A message from Chelsea: "a;aoibimavkss ms; kj;laf93094[3w'j3w[kvlrs wkmljiowe."

That's code for "I love you and miss you!" xx.

-J. & C.

Sometimes motherhood is more of an exercise in frustration...

What a little bugger.
Lesson learned.

The most adorable thing Chelsea says..

"Mommy, you're SO cute."

-J.

.. And the countdown is on!

Well, it's the beginning of April and the one-month mark of living at my moms house - it's good. Chelsea loves being close to 'Mama' and the cats, gets along great with Ed and generally wreaks havoc around the house all day long. I've been busy trying to get my affairs in order for the beginning of next month - and so far so good. I've secured us a great place to live and the next big project is getting everything prepped and ready to go for my day home, as that's what I'll be doing for work.

Anyway, it's short but that's the latest with us - everything is up in the air, but hopefully within a month, everything will be much more settled and we'll be back to life as we know it. Just in a new city. :)

Hope everyone is doing well..

- J.&C.

Spring Update!

Uh oh. I haven't updated this in almost 3 months. I am a bad blogger.

I've decided that Chelsea and I need to move back home to Edmonton. Calgary offers many great things - a couple of great friends to me, lots of daycare friends to Chelsea, beautiful city living, a great job that I love and co-workers that I get along with very well.. but, something about it no longer feels like home and on top of that, it's become glaringly obvious that it is not an economical city for a single girl and her baby to live in.

We're excited to go back home and be close to family and friends again. When I ask Chelsea if she's happy to go live with Grandma and the kitties for a little while, she jumps up and down and shrieks. I think she likes the idea.

But she doesn't understand why her current home is being put into boxes and stacked in the living room. She started to cry when I was packing up the bathroom today.. taking things back out of the boxes and putting them back where she knows they belong. She's young and she will adjust but it doesn't stop me from feeling guilty.

Chelsea had her second birthday on January 5th. We went up to Grandma's house for Christmas (December 23 - Jan 2) so we had a cake with Kimberly and Emily. Chelsea got spoiled rotten on both holidays and I'm convinced that's part of the reason I have so much to pack right now. Toys and clothes and books and shoes coming out of my ears..


I'm also hoping, several things pending, that Chelsea can attain a better relationship with her dad and possibly, her half-brothers, through this move. It would be nice if she had a strong sense of immediate and extended family - mostly because our family, at least in terms of aunts and uncles, has never been terribly close. That said, if Chelsea never has more than a wonderful grandma and 2 good aunties and a beautiful cousin, I won't complain.

Anyway, the big move is happening this weekend and I have alot to do in terms of packing and getting ready. My last day of work is Tuesday, and hopefully I can kick into high gear and finish everything up by Thursday night. Rest on Friday and say goodbye to Calgary on Saturday.

xo.

-J&C.

Chelsea discovers what happens when you squeeze Mr. Whale...

MOMMY. NOT HAPPY. GO 'WAY.

Chelsea loves Auntie Theresa..

Christmas Dress!

Bathtime fun with Mommy.

Hating the carousel in Chinook Centre.

Chelsea hugs her best friend, Ethne.

♥

"Shining the light on the darkest places..."

Our little rockstar: Chelsea dances around the living room to MXPX.

Christmas already? UPDATED!! NOV. 1**

I'm not sure when I got bad at keeping up with this blog..

Chelsea is doing very, very well. She's picking up so many new words (um, I am ashamed to report she's also picked up a few not-so-good words from her Mother...) and at 1.5years old, has started back-talking. Allow me to set the scene:

*Chelsea throws milk cup at mommy*
Mommy: *shock!* We do NOT throw our milk cup! Is it time to go to the crib for a nap?
Chelsea: *pure malevolence and defiance* MOMMY. NOT HAPPY. *glares while regathering her cup to take to the kitchen*

What can I say? She IS her mother's daughter.

I also haven't been able to put up any new pictures because that awesome new camera I got for my birthday? Yeah. Not so awesome. It lasted me a whole 15 uses and has quit working altogether. Eventually I'll return it, but I haven't yet.

I can't believe Christmas is coming. I know a couple of people have asked me about making a christmas list for Chels, so I thought maybe I would post it here for everyone to see.

CHELSEA'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

I generally don't like to ask for too many toys, simply because she already has a room full of them that she never really uses. Again this year I am asking for books and clothes, mostly.

Books
- Where the Wild Things Are - Mercer Mayer
- There's a Nighmare in my Closet - Mercer Mayer
- Jennifer's Rabbit - Tom Paxton
- Anything by Robert Munsch
- Fairytale Compilation books... (the good old fairytales)
- Roald Dahl books
- Shel Silverstein (we already have "The Giving Tree")
- Beatrix Potter mini books
- Animal books (she looooooves animals)
- Colouring books with chubby crayons
Really, the more books the better. She loves them - she has been taking them to bed with her at night lately. You are absolutely not limited to following this tiny list.

Clothes
I have a hard time finding Chelsea pants; She is very tall, so what fits in length often doesn't fit in the waist. Please, if you're thinking of buying clothing, try to find those pants that have the elastic adjusters inside the waist so that she will be able to wear them for some time to come, and so that they won't fall off of her when I insist she wear her new clothes before they fit properly. Hahaha. That said, she really needs long warm pants (jeans/cords) for winter.

Also, Chelsea really needs warm winter shirts (hoodies, long sleeved t-shirts, sweaters) for this season.

Pants - size 2 for immediate wear and size 3 for near future wear.
Shirts - size 2 for immediate wear and size 3 for near future wear.
Dresses - the same..
Tights - I'm not sure about the sizing of these, but I like to have nice thick tights for her in winter.. not picky about colours or patterns - the wackier the better.
Shoes - Size 8 or 9
SOCKS!! She really needs socks!

Toys
I won't tell anyone NOT to buy her toys, though. If you want to, please do.
She loves:
- baby dolls
- stuffed animals
- learning games (age applicable, obviously)
- cars
- horses (OH-SIES!! OH-SIES!!)
- kitties
- art supplies (finger paints, chubby crayons and markers - those Mr. Sketch ones are great.)
- stickers and stamps

October 25, 2008 Update
** Music
Chelsea LOVES music:
- the Wiggles
- Franklin
- Raffi..
and I really want
- Babies Go Oasis, um, for Chelsea of course.

But really, any music that seems fun and cute is great. She loves to dance too, so if it has an upbeat tempo you can't go wrong.

November 1, 2008 Update
**Other
- Small, practical (easy to move) bookshelf with 2-3 shelves.
- A set of 'family dolls'.. barbie size or slightly smaller - you know, a mom, dad, kids set for a 4' dollhouse Chelsea has.
- small, inexpensive CD player for Chelsea's bedroom.


That should be a pretty good list to work with for now. I'll probably add to it as time passes.

Oh, and for those of you who will need our address to mail things:

Please send to:
Chelsea Olson
c/o Bobbi Olson
Box 67
Gainford, Alberta
T0E 0W0, Canada

And now, I am off to bed.
-J. <3