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.