Papa Update

First of all, thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Secondly, Barrie is doing great! He got to come home from the hospital last week and is antsy to start gardening and completing the laundry room renovation…to which Carol is busy trying to stop him. While we are unsure of the steps to come, the doctor was able to remove the tumor and I think that as a family, we are all feeling quite positive.

Last night we had our first Sunday night dinner since this ordeal started. It was so much fun to feel like a “normal’ family again…as normal as a family dinner can be with nine adults and five kids ranging from 1-4 years old. To think that in a short few months there will be SEVEN kids (I’m not having two…CONGRATS to Brad and Sarrah!).

Have a good Monday everyone!

An Extra Kiss and a Tighter Squeeze

The Blatz family has been through a bit of a whirlwind this week. Never has there been a more apparent reminder to let your loved ones know how you feel (try it, it is awesome to tell someone that you love them when they are not accustomed to it…it throws them off).

Complaining of a headache only last week, Barrie (Papa Blatz), has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. How a headache spirals into a brain tumor is still beyond me, I am really not sure when it will all make sense. Due to the size off the mass, Barrie has been undergoing treatment over the past few days to reduce swelling to make surgery possible. We have been reassured that he is under the best of care (shout out to Doctor Chan – I am sure that a guest Blog post about this guy is in Brad’s future), and are keeping positive and hopeful. We are also so deeply touched by the support of our friends and family, especially those incredible ones who cut a vacation short with out any question or thinking twice.

Surgery is today, and while I am frustratingly unsure of what the future holds, all I ask from you (my six or so readers), is to give your spouse, kids, parents, friends etc an extra kiss and tighter squeeze…and maybe some positive energy and thoughts in the direction of the Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH is in New Westminster so you are going to want to send it to the West – or to the left if you are my mom).

Don't Put Your Hands Down!

This is Jack's new walking technique...

Pregnant = Crazy

The following are reasons that the words Pregnant and Crazy may be interchangeable:

• Sobbing for over an hour in bed when your husband asks if he can move the “pillow” but the pillow is actually you – Do I seriously already feel like a freaking pillow?
• Wearing maternity pants at 10 weeks because you can – this just seems sensible…who isn’t dying to ditch the waste band!
• Drinking apple juice from a large tetra pack with a straw like it is a children’s juice box.
• Knowing the specific difference and having a dramatic preference between Ruffles Dill Pickle Chips and Old Dutch Dill Pickle Chips – come on! They are totally different!
• Being able to eat two or more oranges at one sitting with out thinking about it.
• Putting random things like bowls or dry storage food items in the fridge or perishables (cream cheese) in the cutlery drawer.
• You un-closet your love for Celine Dion because she sang Billy Joel's Lullaby on Oprah last week....and it was beautiful...and then you replay it over and over because "Jack" really liked it and you love her.
• You un-closet your love for Oprah because she had Celine Dion on last week and she sang Billy Joel's Lullaby (youtube video below)...
• Did I mention the crying?

Feel free to chime in ladies (or husbands...or maybe not, especially if your lady is still crazy pregnant).

 

Two Years Married, a Toddler, and a Baby on the Way!

First off, I feel overwhelmingly compelled to state that the correlation of babies matching the number years that Chris and I are married will surely not be a trend. Secondly, we are SO EXCITED!  Moreover, I am thrilled to say adios to the first trimester.

Chris recently asked me at one of my “green” moments what it felt like to be pregnant and to that I responded:

 It feels as though you maybe drank a bottle of wine the previous night (with no such luck), and then drank a bottle of Nyquil in the morning to start your day.

To this description, I propose the following – the first and second trimester should switch spots…thoughts ladies? I say we vote.

Anyways, Happy Anniversary Christopher (Feb 20th)! I love you so much and am so lucky to get to have a family with you.

Winner Gets JACK!

What happens when there is a hardcore Steelers fan and die hard Green Bay Packers fan in one house…the steaks get high. Struggling to think of what to bet for Superbowl (no point in betting money when it’s all the same anyways), it was suggested mid, first half yesterday that the winner gets Jack as a devoted member of their football team’s fan club.

Booya – so sorry Chris. Maybe you should talk to Benny about the difference between Green + Yellow and Black + Yellow…is it confusing? In the mean time the Jack Pack and I are on the hunt for a mini jersey; we’re thinking #52.

YES!



Jack and Mama - the Packers Fans!



Jack in his temporary t-shirt (please note this is the best picture that I could get of Jack being "still")

Dear Night Time Sleep - Letter #2

Dear Night Time Sleep,

Hey Buddy, did you and Jack have a fight? You guys seemed to be getting on so well for the past six months or so! Day time sleep is only casually involved at this time; it can't be a jealously issue.

Can you let me know and sort it out quickly? Chris and I are TIRED!
Hope to see you soon (we are free tonight),

Tamara

(To View Letter #1 click here)

Oh What a Birthday (month)!

January is a very busy birthday month in both the Enns and the Blatz families.

So with out further a due:

• Happy Birthday Jack (January 1)
• Happy Birthday Mel (January 2)
• Happy Birthday Steven (January 15)
• Happy Birthday Leif (January 17)
• Happy Birthday Carly (January 30)
• Happy Birthday Chris (January 30)

Honorable mention – Kaitlyn (January 10), Aaron (January 10), Darryl (January 13), and Nolan (January 14) 

To cap off the birthday month I thought that I would share a few photos of my nephew Leif’s very thoughtful birthday gifts to his Uncle Chris and Mummy... Enjoy!





Leif thought that uncle Chris needed new glasses (and that they kind of already looked like him)



Leif's gift for him Mom (who obviously was missing plastic dogs in her life)?



Thank you Leif - you made the perfect ending to a month full of birthdays!



No Jack, we are not going to Daycare

Admittedly so, when the thought of putting Jack into Daycare started lurking last summer I was pretty traumatized.  How on EARTH was he going to make it through the day without hugs and kisses from me and Chris all day?  The answer my friends…just fine.

Fine is actually a dramatic understatement.  Every time that we are getting ready to leave the house and put on Jack’s trusty rain coat he thinks that we are going to Daycare. Every time that Jack goes into Chris’ car he assumes that we are on our way to Daycare – can a toddler be disappointed?  Furthermore, when the destination is actually Daycare, he vibrates with excitement as the car pulls into the driveway and tugs at the straps of his car seat until you get him out.

In conclusion we owe Denise the biggest THANK YOU. 

Thank you for taking care of Jack as if he is your own. 

Thank you for allowing Chris and I to be at work without worry. 

Thank you for sending pictures of the fun things that you guys are doing.  

You are the best!

Learning to give kisses

She even has a SWING!

5:45 am

This is what 5:45am looks like this morning...not cool Jack.

Rule #1

NEVER wake a sleeping baby...there is a reason why it is rule number one.

Head Swap

Okay not literally – just one more opportunity to make Jimmy Fallon reference.  I do realise that I am going to mirror my husband’s last post in a far less eloquent way – but oh well, he high jacked my blog!

As you now know, yesterday was Chris’ first day back at work after having three months off to play with Jack.  While it was very difficult for me to go back to work early, it ended up being the best decision in the world for our family and our marriage.  

Ever wonder why your husband needs five minutes when he gets home from work, or why your wife (who could not love your baby more) appears agitated during the five minutes (why on earth isn't my husband dying to play with my son?)?  Walk in their shoes...or at least have a really open convestation about it.

Good luck to Chris at work this week – I am sure that Jack is missing you so much!  I would have never thought to teach Jack to make car sounds and say DA DA DA (constantly...seriously – throw in a Mama), nor would I have developed the swing ciruit (a lap to 4 near by parks with to enjoy the swings)

And to Jack – good luck at day care!  I know that you are in great hands and I will not worry about you for one moment.

 

Have a good Wednesday everyone!

xx

mara