In Memoriam

The end of April is a time of remembrance for me. So I thought I would share about the three people I think of most at this time of year.

On April 21, 2001 my Poppy, Art Hoy, passed away. We had only known him for a few years, as my mom was given up for adoption as a baby and we never knew who her parents were until the late 90's. The time we spent with Poppy was sweet. He was a very generous and loving man and I am so glad that we got to know him before he passed.

On April 28, 2006 (two months before my wedding) my Grandma Barbara Scott passed away. This was very hard for me, as she was definitely my grandmother to whom I was the closest. We spent so much time together, I shared some secrets with her, and she was always took great interest in me and all of my cousins and our lives. I think it was also very hard because I knew she had been looking forward to my wedding while she was sick, as an event to look forward to, and she was greatly missed by me on the day. But I know she was there, and in the six years that have passed, I miss her greatly, but I also have so many fond memories with her to look back on.

Then, this past Thursday, April 26, 2012 we said goodbye to my beloved Papa, Richard Whiteley. He had been sick for some time, and had reached the ripe old age of 96, so it is with mixed emotions that I think many of us said goodbye. I am happy that his pain is gone, that he lived such a full life and that he got to know my children and see the person that I have become. He told me he was proud of me the last time I saw him and I will never forget those few moments we had alone together and every word he said.

Leah loved him too - she ran and gave me a big hug when Daddy told her that Papa was gone. I know she doesn't understand really, but I will always have the memories of the times she got to play with him.

Well, enough tears for one afternoon. There will be a memorial for Papa May 27th at the Canadian Legion, Waterloo Branch 1-4pm.

It will be a celebration.

Our Newest Nephew!

Yes! We are still alive! We've been having some sleep issues, but they seem to be slowly on the mend. We're not sure what is bothering the girls more: not being able to roll around and get comfortable in their casts when they are sleeping, or the fact that they are still teething and no pain killers seem to help for long. Either way, things seem to be slowly improving, though I am still not getting enough sleep. This too shall pass!

On Monday we welcomed a new nephew into the Snyder clan. Jonah Elias was born April 23, 2012 weighing in at 9lbs 7oz and 21.5in long. We haven't been to visit him yet, but from the pictures I think he looks a lot like Caleb did. We'll see as he grows!

It will be nice to have another boy in the cousin group. The girls were taking over! Now they are almost equal, 3 boys and 4 girls. I love having so many nieces and nephews - they are so much fun and thankfully all of the cousins get along pretty well. They have their moments, of course, and I am sure there will be some vicious cat fights as they grow up, but they will always have each other!

Now that my girls have cousins of their own, it makes me think of my cousins and makes me wish that I saw them more often. We are all different ages, and spread out across much of Ontario and into the States, but I always look forward to the times we can come together and see how things are going. We have one new baby on the Scott side, and another cousin is expecting on the Whiteley side; it is amazing how the numbers grow!

Twin update: Janae and Esther had their 2 week check-up on Monday and the x-rays look great! The hips are where they should be and we are all booked in for the half-way cast change on May 25th. I am looking forward to it already - it is amazing the food that accumulates on these casts! I understand now why all the websites talked of using essential oils to hide any odours from the cast - with all that sweat, food, pee and poop that somehow gets trapped inside, it's no wonder! But we are doing our best and the girls are in good spirits!

Post-Op Hospital Pictures

Janae (Purple Cast)

Esther (Pink Cast)

Four Days in...

Well, we're four days in and I think we're surviving pretty well.

Janae and Esther have really adjusted well so far to their Spica Casts. I can see them moving their little feet all the time, make circles with their ankles and I think they are just happy that they can at least do that with their feet. Janae jumps up and down in her cast like she thinks if she justs jumps hard enough she will jump right out - she looks like a little turtle bobbing her head in and out of her shell.

I think the hardest part of the whole two-day process of waiting, surgery, recovery, medication, hysterics, dopyness, fasting, second surgery, CT scans, x-rays and teething has been the powerlessness I feel as a mother. They are my babies and I hate seeing them so restricted, especially when they were just becoming so independent, moving around and grabbing the toys they want. I know development-wise this won't harm them at all, and if anything their fine motor skills will develop that much quicker. Lots of people talk about how much work it will be when both of them are running around and I have to chase them in two directions, but in all honesty, I was looking forward to it. It is so much fun, playing tag, chasing each other, rolling around and having tickle fights; now I am looking forward to that day so much more!

Thankfully, my husband is the handyest guy I know and he has made awesome tables for the girls to sit at while they are playing and eating. It has already made a world of difference and I can tell the girls are so happy to have a bit of their independence back.

Hubby is back to work tomorrow and "real life" begins again. Thankfully, I have a great support system set up and I know that between us, we'll keep the girls comfortable, Leah looked after, my sanity intact...oh, and maybe some house work will get done in our "free"moments. Ha!

Leah's View

I was trying to explain to Leah today what is going to happen to the twins tomorrow. We were in the car driving home from Grandma's and I was trying to get her calmed down after not wanting to leave. So we started talking about things to look forward to, like a sleepover at her cousin's and a playdate the next day. She wondered why the twins weren't going to be with her:

They are going to the hospital. Why? Because they need to see the doctor. Why? Because they are going to get something fixed. Do they have a hole? No. One of their bones needs fixing. Why? Is it broken? Did they fall? No sweetie, it just needs fixing.

A long pause.

Mommy, I need my bones fixing? (In a timid voice). No sweetie, you are fine. You don't need your bones fixed.

Another pause.

I get to sleep at Emanuel's house? Yes. You are going for a sleepover at aunty's house.

Followed by ten minutes of happy babbling about her cousin, her aunty's house and all of the fun things she is going to do there.

I love her so much.

Two More Sleeps

The twins started crying tonight right on schedule, about 2 hours after bed time. Normally this is followed by feelings of dread, frustration, hopelessness and fed-upness. Why can't my babies be those "angel babies" who just sleep on their own from birth, letting their mommies get their much needed rest to restore their energy for those full days ahead?

But tonight, those feelings left as quickly as they came. I found myself looking forward to going into the twin's room, picking each one of them up, craddling them in my arms and nursing them until they fell back to sleep. And when they cry again at 1am, 3am, 5am and finally wake up for the day at 7am, I may be exhausted, but right now I really don't care.

You see, there are only two more sleeps until the "groove" that we've settled into will once again be turned on it's head and we will once more face the unknown. We've faced lots of those in the last 3 years. Living abroad. First-time parents to our two and a half year old Leah. Finding out that we were expecting twins. Adjusting to life with three children under two years old...

And now the latest unknown. Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH). It basically means that both Janae and Esther's right hips are dislocated and need to be put back in place before the hip bone and the joints can grow correctly. The procedure will be followed by 3 months in Hip Spica casts, which means their little bodies will be enveloped in hard casts from their armpits to their ankles.

If we didn't do anything, there is a very good chance that the girls would have pain in their teenage years, be unable to do sports, and could require a hip replacement in their forties. So, we as parents, will do the right thing and entrust our children's tiny bodies to those who make it their jobs to make things right.

So tonight, I am going to enjoy my cuddles; their tiny bodies wrapped around my body. Their little feet tucked against my ribs. The feel of their soft bellies breathing against my own. Who cares that it's once again the middle of the night, and once again I am out of my bed, when there are such precious moments to enjoy?