Camp Fun and Tales from a Lime

As I mentioned in a previous post, the girls are in camp for the mornings for the first part of the summer. They spent the first three weeks of the summer at the same camp that I went to as a child. To say that they loved it is an understatement. I've never seen them so happy to go to any camp/school/activity. They couldn't wait for the bus to come each morning. They would happily jump on. Apparently, the bus ride to camp was filled with songs and cheers. They had a swimming lesson each day (amazing!) and from what I read on the report, it sounds like they really improved. Teagan, especially, loved being in the water each day. They both passed their badge and will move onto the next level when they start lessons again in the fall. 

Besides the typical day camp activities, the girls got to jump on the trampoline, play with live exotic animals, watch magic shows and participate in an interactive music program. They came home midday with the best stories and huge smiles on their faces.  

While they were sad to see this camp end, they were excited to start animal camp again. They've been doing classes and camps at this place for a couple years now. They love the staff and the animals. On the first day, Teagan was reluctant to go in, but fortunately, one of the staff who they know well (and also ran their 3rd birthday party) showed up at the perfect time and whisked them away! 

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of either camp. They usually prefer that parents make themselves scarce once the kids are settled. I did, however, get a picture of the kangaroo who was visiting on their last day! He was camera shy and I was on the other side of the door!

This week, they are in a music camp. Lucky for them, spending a few hours each morning isn't such a bad thing because Toronto is currently in a heatwave. Temperatures have been hovering around 34/35 degrees Celsius (around 95F). Spending time outside is only bearable if we're by water. 

Apparently, our third little monkey wants to give the first trimester a most dramatic send off. I've been feeling pretty awful for a few days. The exhaustion is bad, but it is made worse by the fact that I'm not sleeping well. My saving grace is the fact that the nausea is intermittent and minimal. I'm trying hard not to complain, but compared to many, I have it easy. 

At 11 weeks, the monkey is the size of a lime. This week's update on baby gave me a good laugh...

 Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through it. But fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds, and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

I'm glad the monkey is being set up for a more attractive future. 

Our NT scan has been canceled and reschedule three times now. Apparently, the clinics don't look to see if there is a tech who can perform the ultrasound when they book it. It is now scheduled for this coming Friday, so a few days earlier than planned, but it can be done as early as 11 weeks, so I should be ok. 

If all goes well, we will be telling the girls after this ultrasound. Honestly, I can't wait. Teagan told me the other day, "Mommy, I would be SO HAPPY if you had a baby in your tummy!" The kid also told someone that we were having a baby 3 days before I even took a pregnancy test. She's intuitive! She also told me twice in a 24 hour period recently, "Mommy, your tummy is so big!" Tell it like it is, TT! 

Insomnia

Pregnancy insomnia is back.

It's 3:55am and I've been up for an hour. Thankfully, it isn't happening every night. It's only a once a week-ish thing. I don't want to disturb Jenn and get frustrated trying to fall back to sleep, so I get up. Once I've been awake for a little while, I get hungry. So, I sit here with my computer and a bowl of granola and blueberries.

I just discovered these photos on my phone.

If I can't sleep, I might as well laugh! The girls love to colour. They especially love to colour their fingernails, hands and faces. I'm not keen on it and stop it if I see it, but they're sneaky. This was too funny not to photograph. But, then it turned into a game. She ran around the house and I chased her trying to snap a photo. At least they're using washable markers!

There are no secret snacks

No, Mommy. We have to get one for Quinn.

I was out running errands with Teagan yesterday. I grabbed myself a protein bar and asked Teagan if she would like a bar too. She said yes, but in the same breath said that Quinn would like the apple cinnamon one. I told her that we didn't need to get one for Quinn this time since she would be eating it in the car. She would hear nothing of it.

This happens anytime I'm out with one of them. They usually request a small snack and I usually oblige. If we're in the grocery store, they ask for a pouch (those fruit and veggie baby pouches). I let them choose one. Two pouches are always picked up, with one proudly brought home for the other.

My girls fight like crazy at home. They yell, hit and push each other. Part of me gets it. I have brothers. We fought too. Sibling rivalry is normal. But, as a twin when you're young, you spend every waking second together. I can't imagine, but I'm also not a twin. I guess that this is where the twin bond comes from. They don't know any different.

A week ago, the girls had been fighting for hours. I tried and failed to separate them. I finally said to the them, Why don't I find you each a camp so that you can have some time away from each other?!! This was met with a very quick and emphatic, "NO!" Quinn then told me, Mommy, we never fight at school or at camp! And that's just it. These two are thick as thieves. I feel so privileged to be able to watch their bond develop right before my eyes.

When Teagan is nervous to try something new, Quinn takes her hand and shows her the way.

When Quinn is feeling too shy to ask someone a question, Teagan takes her hand and asks for her.

When the camp bus pulled up on the first day, they nervously sat together on their first bus ride.

When Teagan is crying hysterically because I'm going out for dinner, Quinn takes care of her, feeding her dinner and helping her into her PJs (yes, a babysitter is present!).

When I get upset with Quinn for colouring all over the couch with marker, Teagan is the first to grab a cloth and start cleaning.

On a good day, they will disappear for hours into their imaginary world, creating the most spectacular stories.

Yet, despite all of this, we can go to the park and they will go their separate ways. Quinn will head off to play with her best friend while Teagan grabs a shovel and some trucks and happily plays independently in the sandbox. They have their own friends at preschool and can be in separate groups or sit across the circle from one another without issue. I love this about their dynamic. They can shift between playing separately and together seamlessly.

I love that they are fiercely loyal to each other. I love that they adore each other, yet drive each other totally nuts. I love that they always have each other on their minds when they're apart.

Weddings, Pride, Summer and Tales from a Blueberry

Two weekends ago, I was a bridesmaid in the wedding of my good friend Kate from Boston. Jenn and I jumped in the car early on Friday morning to drive down to Lenox, MA. The girls stayed with my parents. Lenox, for those who haven't been, is an adorable picturesque little town in the Berkshires. 

We got down there, had a quick nap and then jumped into the wedding festivities. Post rehearsal and dinner, they invited all of the wedding guests to a movie night. They projected Despicable Me, their second date movie, onto the side of the barn.

Jenn is enjoying some wine while representing
the Mother Land.

The wedding itself was gorgeous, straight out of Pint.erest! The setting was stunning as well. The wedding was held in the barn, while both sides of their families stayed on the property in two houses. 

Happy chickens running free!

Bold ducks.

We had a fantastic day getting ready and relaxing (sort of) with one of the beautiful brides!

Kate and the brides-pug, Parker.

Once the night got underway, all nerves were gone, and everyone had a blast. 

The beautiful couple!

Kate and her bridesmaids

Dancing queens. 

It was Pride in Toronto this past weekend. Sadly, for the first time in over 10 years, it rained. ALL. WEEKEND. Ok, that's a lie, we did get down to Family Pride with the kids for about 1.5 hours before the rain set in. 

Jenn and I did book a babysitter for a few hours in the afternoon/evening so that we could go back down there. After hours of rain, that wasn't going to quit, we decided to skip Pride and see a movie instead. We then met up with some friends for a fantastic Thai dinner before heading home early for my pregnancy-induced 8:30pm bedtime.

The girls and their friends enjoy a kid-friendly show
at Family Pride

 Summer vacation officially started last Thursday for Toronto kids. I learned from my mistakes of last summer and signed the girls up for some half-day camps. I found it challenging and exhausting to entertain them for 12 hours a day for 10 weeks straight last summer. I like the balance of this summer. Some camp. Some free time. Some cottage time. Everyone is happy!

The girls started camp on Tuesday -- the same camp that Rob, Michael and I went to as kids! A bus picks them up in the morning and then I pick them up at 1pm.  I am already in love with this camp. To prepare the little ones, they send the buses around two weeks before camp starts. The kids get to meet the bus counsellors, jump on the bus and receive their backpacks and t-shirts. They also did a family night last week, so the kids could meet their day camp counsellors and try out some of the activities that they would be doing. This is the kind of preparation that really helps my kids who are quite nervous in new situations. On the first morning, two bus counsellors jumped off the bus immediately, came over to T&Q and bent down to say hello and ask for a high five. I could have hugged them. They were friendly, but not pushy -- it was perfect.

They were hot messes from the second they got in the car on Tuesday, likely from being tired, overstimulated and overwhelmed from day one of camp. They yelled (at me and each other) and cried for the entire ride home. Thankfully, yesterday was better!

Day 1 of camp - giant backpacks for little
girls.

We went down to see a friend of mine perform yesterday in a Canada Day festival. She sings in a rock choir. We got down there early and actually managed to snag two front row seats when two people got up and left. Teagan was mesmerized by the Polish and Armenian dance-folk groups who performed before the choir went on. The girls were troopers considering we took them down there straight from a long morning at camp. The choir was fantastic, with a rendition of Journ.ey's Don't Stop.Believin' being my favourite. 

 

And last but not least, we had an ultrasound earlier in the week. The little blueberry is measuring right on track and had a good heart rate of 123. We will be going back for one last ultrasound in 2 weeks when I will be 9 weeks pregnant. At that point, we will officially out of the clinic's care!

Fatigue hit with a vengeance late last week. Despite sleeping 8-9 hours per night, I'm exhausted. I'm grateful for camp and my 8:30pm bedtime!