viruses, surgery and a happy birthday

We have had an interesting run at it lately. 2 Saturdays ago we noticed Elizabeth had a little rash, not knowing if it was chicken pox, allergies or what er took her into the clinic... strep. So she was on antibiotics for the last week. The week passes and we decided to throw her a birthday party. We spend the morning at the zoo and then take her to my parents house and let her play in the sprinkler. the rash comes back worse than ever. AHHHHH. So we are back in at the clinic. Well not strep but rotavirus. Spreds like a cold and really not that bad except that once it isn't contagious you develop a rash that gets worse when you are out in the sun. And we had her out in her bathing suit. So we are now homebound for the next two weeks with no outside time so that this thing will go away. Happy Birthday Lizzy.

The day after we took Lizzy into the clinic for the first time I was booked for surgery. Rogue iud. Sunday morning 9:30am we get the call to go in because they could fit me in. Monday morning 3:00am I finally go in (talk about giving someone time to freak out). Not to mention that Trevor was taking his first insurance exam monday morning. (Poor guy, I sent him home at midnight not knowing when I would go in.) Well of course nothing can be even that easy. Condensed version I ended up having one of my tubes and my appendix taken out also. So with 5 IV marks, bruses all over my torso, 3 small cuts from the scope, two days recovery I was finally sent home. This was suppose to be a 4 hour stint in the hospital. Bah. But at least my nurses were great this time. Let me add that nursing Sam for those two days was interesting but we made it through without having to give him formula (great nurses and wonderful parents).

Even with all of this going on though, we actually did have a wonderful birthday party. We had close friends over to my parents for a BBQ and cake. Lizzy played out side all day (her favorite thing). I tried and tried to get some pictures of her and Trevor got a few good ones to. In showing her age you call her name to look at you and she looks the other way. Drives me nuts but is strangly cute as can be. She is such a sweet little girl. Even when she is so sick she has been happy and wonderful. I can't believe that I have been a mom for 2 years. I am excited for this next year what big mile stones, talking and potty training. She has so much personality. Here are some of my favorite developments.

She will stand in the middle of a room and throw a ball up over her head. Then she puts her arms out and say "whered it go??" then she laughs and laughs "There it is!!" She will do this 20 times.

She will look at you and say "Ready" then she launchs the ball at you.

She can count to 10 in english and spanish with her Dad. I don't hink she really knows what she is doing but she will say the words.

We have been working on when you ask her how old she is she will say "dos"

She loves to be chased and to chase you. We will run the circut around my parents house hiding and playing.

When she gets tired she get really busy, try to keep going, so cute to watch.

I love my baby girl she keeps me on my toes

Zoo Chronicles

So this is mostly just zoo pictures from the last few times we were there.

As promised here are our elephant pictures







We love the hippos..... but stand back they mark their territory



This is me being a peacock




So we sat and watched the peacock for awhile, Eventually people started to gather around it and it must have gotten scared because it spread it feathers, then this little kid got to close and it chased the kid. I have never seen a little kid run like that. Sorry, my cruel humor I thought it was so funny.

Not the first time

Here is my oh so lovely basement.... you will notice the lake. Everytime there is heavy rain (which is everyday almost) my basement becomes a swimming pool. I don't know if Calgary Housing doesn't come look at it because they don't care that I have stuff down there, if they are lazy or if they are sad I haven't paid for my lake access and want to offer me another option. Grrrr.

So I did the Quiz of how many people in the USA have your name there were 4,851 with mine. Now compared to a couple of cousins who have done it who had 3 and 1 I am feeling a little over run with people with my name, but I was expecting it.

I can't believe it!!

I got a letter in the mail yesterday at my parents house. It was addressed to Ashley Nicole Craig. When my parents called to tell me about it they were laughing their heads off. I was called for JURY DUTY!! BOOOO!! I can't believe it, seriously. I am hoping I won't get picked because I am nursing a 3 month old every few hours. Wish me luck.

Zoo Happenings

So we had the most amazing event at the zoo the other day. We had gone to the zoo for the afternoon with Ryan and Angie. It had been a rainy day so there weren't a whole lot of people there, but most of the animals are inside now so it didn't really matter. It was about an hour before the zoo was closing and we went in to the Elephant building. We were talking with one of the keepers. We were the only ones in there and we visited with him for about 30 minutes. Trevor asked if we could take a picture closer up and GUESS WHAT!!! The keeper invited us into the back. We got to go right into the back of the building and touch the brandnew baby elephant through the bars. IT WAS SO COOL!! I don't know why, maybe it was the end of a slow day, right time, right place , right guy, we had visited for awhile and no one else was around, but it was so cool. Elizabeth was terrified she just clung to Trevor saying "no no" and Sam slept through it. To bad because we all know things like that don't happen twice. I will post pictures when I get them from Angie.

Helping??

So Elizabeth is my little helper. She will walk around with a broom and sweep or she will go around with a cloth and "wipe" everything down but yesterday reached a whole new level. I was in the kitchen and had left Elizabeth and Samuel in the other room. Elizabeth was jabbering away so I was comfortable because there wasn't the "mysterious" silence that always make you worry with a toddler. Anyways, I decided to just poke my head around the corner and check anyways. Elizabeth was sitting ont he floor right at sams feet talking to him. She had a baby wipe in one had and was undoing his diaper with ther other. Yes she was going to change his diaper for me. To bad that I had changed it less than 5 minutes earlier eh.

The Zoo

My Mumma bought Trevor and I Zoo passes for our birthdays so that we can take Elizabeth to see the animals.



She didn't seem to appreciate the fact that the peacocks were not locked up, luckily Dad was there to protect her


Turtles were a much better companion

We did find however that the most wild of all animals all congregated at one place


THE PLAYGROUND!!!!


The Wild Elizabeth:

Can often be found in the tunnel.
Her primary forms of travel are walking and buttscooting.
When viewed she was found eating orange screamers.
She is impatient with being to small to go on the big kids playgrounds.
Is most vicious around nap time and bed time.






The Docile Sam:

Content as long as he is being held.
There is no known form of travel without a companion.
Eats milk.
Doesn't seem to understand why he is not held at all times.
Is most ferocious around meal times and sleeping times.

Wars and Rumors of Wars

Kay we have mini wars at our house.

Clothing wars, hair wars, teeth brushing wars, eating wars, bedtime wars etc etc.

I put the clothes on she takes them off, I try to put the clothes on she wants to do it herself, I do her hair, she pulls it out, I try again she bawls, teethbrushing enough said (help me) She wants to eat whatever she wants, I only want to make one thing. and bed time, well that is pretty good but she is in a bed now and can get out (I am praying she won't learn how to open her bedroom door in the next few months).

I think that most of them will work themselves out by either her getting old enough to do it or me just being stubborn, but what do I do about the teeth? I don't want them to all fall out of her head but I feel bad pinning her down, holding her arms together, holding her head still, prying open her little mouth, manouvering around her tongue and brushing. By the time i get into her mouth i am worried i brush to hard. hmmm. input?? Besides moving to a nudist colony, shaving her head, little dentures and becoming a grouchy candyeater.

At least she is happy and independant.

Slacker on Strike

So I had gone on a blogging strike, don't know why, but I am glad to say it is over.

A lot has happened since I last posted

Trevor

Has finished his semester and got a student work visa and will be working for volker for the summer doing gardrails. But the more EXCITING NEWS is that in September he will start work as a STATE FARM AGENT. WOO HOO. After 6 months in ther application process he was 1 out of 300 that was hired to start in the fall in our area.

Elizabeth

Is as cute as ever. She has started to talk, or she would be talking if she wasn't so stubborn. She will say words for a day or two and then after that she will just smile and nod when you try to get her to say it. She has also discovered sharing. It goes all the way from sharing her blankie with Sam

to sharing mini marshmallows with strangers at the bank.

Sam

Is growing and growing. Can we say CHEEKS.

He is getting pretty cute now and loves to coo and smile. Can't help but love him.

Me

My allergies have been trying to slowly kill me. Runny nose bloodshot eyes the works. and I cut my hair. I don't have a good picture of it but I got bored it is just above my shoulder. The cool part is that Trevor cut it for me.

So other news and recent events are that we have moved out of my parents house. We are now renting a little town house and we are mostly unpacked. Just have to organize the junk in the basement, old childrens clothes and such. We just got home from Wyoming.

Joel, Glenda and the boys did the marathon road trip. picked up Jacob from the airport drove through the night here to bless Sam. Then the kids and I packed up and drove back with them to spend the week. Trevor flew in Saturday night and I spent the day in Utah with him then we went back to Wyoming for Jacobs homecoming and we drove back Sunday night. It was really fun, the highlight for me was that all 5 brother and I went to the country dance on Saturday. It was a blast. Elizabeth gave us so many funny stories throughout the week. She got her first scraped up knees, played hide and go seek with Papa (would have been nice if she had told him they were playing) and entertained everyone.