family updates

ME!
Sure, let's start with me. I think the most definitive factor in my life right now is the lack of sleep. There. Jordan is still up every three hours all night, but I have a plan - a plan that is so far not totally working as well as I'd like it to. I feed him around 8:00, he goes to bed for the night (ha!) at 8:30, then wakes up at 11:00 (ish), 2:00 (ish), and 6:00 (ish) - but there are often in-between wake-ups at, say, 1:00 and then 4:30 - not every night but almost every night. Oh, and the plan; the plan is to give him his soother instead of wandering into his room like a zombie (because I can do it with my eyes closed but just need to make sure I don't run into the door or trip over the vacuum I meant to turn on yesterday) at that first a.m. wake-up with the hopes of getting a longer stretch early on in the night (so far he's still waking up). Other than that, school is winding down soon and I have a few assignments I need to work on during the day instead of at night when the kids go to bed and I feel I have no mental cohesion upstairs (like right now). Coaching is goooood (I only go once a week and to games), I'm working out twice a week at least which feels AMAZING (World Master's Games in April), and hmmm... I do find time to read now and then before bed. What else what else... I don't know. That's it for now.

Steve
The big news in Steve's life is that he has dipped his feet into the working waters of the non-volleyball world - the world many call "the real one." Volleyball as a job is real too - real.lllllly awesome. Yes, so he started working for a friend that has a solar panel company - which translated into two and a half weeks of installing frames and panels and wiring (what else I forget) on the roof of a building on the outskirts of town. They're between jobs now, so he's home this week and on the hunt for a second car; he brought home a Kia something (Sportage?) which looked decent... but we can't decide. He's also playing hockey Sunday mornings, coaching at McMaster (he goes once a week + to games) and growing a beard.

in dad's hats and shoes

Hendrik
This guy is almost six! Crazy. What to say about this one... He seems to be enjoying grade one, but getting any information out of him (about school) is like prying top secret dossiers from a top secret vault... we get nothing! Once in a while he'll ask me to lie with him after lights out, and we'll talk about our days - and yes yes yes I know this is mainly a stall tactic but sometimes I do hear more about his day and he listens to me talk about my day and asks questions, and I like it. Other days he falls asleep with a book on his face, tired out from a full day of learning and play (and swimming or gymnastics). He's still a big reader, and having finished a few series (Zac Power, Boy vs Beast) is into the Captain Underpants books (home from the library today came Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy). Math interest is also on the rise and he'll concoct deliciously difficult equations for us on our little art board, like 10000000000000000 + 100000000 you get it - there are zeros littering the surface. Pokemon is still big, and he's excited for his birthday; we're having a little party for him at a play gym where he'll get to sit in the special birthday chair and do whatever the birthday kid gets to do. He still loves bugging his sister, and is quite stubborn (and persistent) when it comes to getting his way (with anything and everything). And he gives good hugs.

Alana
What a sweetie pie our girl is - she's always thinking of others, something that earned her a special sticker at school today (she went out of her way to replace a "grabbed" eraser for a classmate). Since Halloween she's had death circulating about her mind, and has asked me a few times about dying (heavy, right?), telling me that she doesn't want me to die. I don't want her to die either! I tell her, and that we have lots and lots of time ahead as long as we're safe and make good choices (how parent-y does that sound?!). What else what else... she's loving school, and her friends there play a big role in that. She's had her bestie Camila over a few times (she stayed for dinner last night) and has been to her house too - where she dresses up in princess dresses and accessorizes with rings and bling (so cute). We've given up on trying to get her to go to swimming and/or gymnastics - maybe it's just too much for her? She has energy at home, but for a four-year old, long days at school may be enough for Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and Friday. We have parent-teacher interviews on Friday so will get the inside scoop on what she's like in the classroom!

Jordan
Jordan does not like to sleep too much though he did have the longest nap of his life this morning - one and a half hours! I got so much done (homework). He is SUPER happy, very smiley and easy-going, and is big. We are trying to get him onto solids but so far he's not too sure what to do with the goop (goup?) we delicately shovel into his mouth - well, actually, he is sure what to do with it which is spit it out or tongue-shovel it out onto his chin. I've tried rice cereal, applesauce, yams, pears, bananas, avocado and combinations of all of the above. But just like the sleep thing, we'll keep trying. Though still quite topply, he's sitting up by himself and likes razzing and bubbling and hmm... is quite cuddly and babyish (the smell!). He does appear to have a few ear issues, and we're meeting with a specialist again later this month to confirm whether or not he needs tubes and when; a few in-depth hearing analyses at a clinic at the university reveal that he has a few hearing issues, but it's nothing permanent or overly limiting (we don't think) and he does hear things and respond to sounds and noises. He also likes grabbing and stuffing his hands (and anything) into his mouth - those two little teeth that are punching through is gums are sharp and obviously sort of bothersome. I am making the most of my time with him - babies don't say babies for long!

smiles!