First Snow, Great-Grandparents and a Broken Collarbone
Oct. 16th | Posted by Nicky
8 comments
- Spice flat on her tummy and unable to get up with one arm. Pretty good little sport.
Well our trip to Calgary over the last four days was certainly eventful.
First of all, let me describe Spice’s “Worst Day Ever”. We were just heading off to the Wiggles concert from my friend L’s house. Spice had woken up from a nap and was talking on a toy cellphone when she tumbled headfirst down the staircase. So after realizing that she wasn’t going to stop crying, we made the decision that she had to go to the hospital with Mommy, while Sugar would go to the Wiggles with Daddy, L and Leo (her son.) So the poor tyke missed the Wiggles, then she was separated from her twin for the first time in her life, (this was probably the most traumatic bit,) and then our dear Spice broke her collarbone. Snapped right in half. I still feel like a schmuck: she survived 3 years in Ethiopia with no safety anything (no seatbelts, balcony bars 10 inches apart, etc) and then 1 1/2 months in Canada she has a broken bone, poor dear.
Anyway, besides that big event, we had a really nice trip. Both Jrock and I feel a little more energetic afterwards, and we really enjoyed all our visits.
With S and M in the park in Invermere – the girls really love visiting with them.
The first day we traveled to Invermere to visit S and M. The girls saw a skif of snow for the first time and we had injera for Thanksgiving. The next day we were off to Calgary… we stayed for two nights with our friends L and K and their son Leo. The kids are the same age, so they had a good time together. The first day was the collarbone/Wiggles – Sugar had an awesome time riding the C-train and going to the concert, by the way! – and then Spice and I went to Auntie T’s to see Gramma and Nona (my grandmother.) We were joined later by Jrock and Sugar… and ate Ethiopian takeout (unfortunately 3 hours late! due to the snow and a sketchy delivery service.)
Then the next day the kids hit the snow, hardcore, and had a real blast. After hot chocolate we went back over to Auntie T’s for more injera and afternoon naps. We went to see my grandfather and he was quite delighted with his new great granddaughters, even joining in for a chorus or two of Baby Beluga. Happy Bday to Grandpa Peter in advance – he turns 97 on Monday! Then back to Auntie T’s for supper and visits with more Aunts and Uncles. They were all delighted by the girls (of course!) and we had a nice, if short, visit.
- Cheers! to fast friends! (With a cup of hot chocolate.)
The last day after a leisurely breakfast and the kids all having a bath together (these are pictures for their weddings… lol_) then we hit the road and drove 8ish hours home. The girls were pretty darn good the whole time, and Spice even managed the seatbelt in the carseat pretty well, considering her shoulder situation. We arrived late in Kelowna singing in the car and counting the lakes (with no snow) till we got to the house.
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- Jrock catching a nap. I usually drive (95%) of the time – but he usually stays awake.
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- We also worked on our business plan en route – and then lost all our work when our hardrive crashed. Drat!
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- A yawn after a look at snow for the first time. Note the big dot of hot chocolate on her forehead from the travel mug.
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- Diggin diner food in Golden. The crazy thing is, before we decided to adopt siblings…
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- I had a dream that we were eating in this diner with two Ethio kids. The dream came true!
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- With S and M in the park in Invermere – the girls really love visiting with them.
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- Another nap – sensing a theme? Note the nap quilts travel with us.
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- Meanwhile Sugar and Leo are off to the Wiggles in style.
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- Spice getting the star chocolate icecream treatment after arriving from the hospital.
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- The only turkey my poor husband got that week. Not that he complained or anything. ***
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- Playing with Auntie T and my Mom’s old kitchen set from their days as little girls.
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- Sugar and Nona, thrilled with her great granddaughters. She told me they are “going concerns” – aka busy little bees.
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- Even teeth brushing is fun when you’re with a friend.
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- Getting the one-armed bandit ready for her first snow tumble.
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- Leo showing the girls how a Calgarian enjoys snow.
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- Spice flat on her tummy and unable to get up with one arm. Pretty good little sport.
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- Me and my girls (and one roving terrier – who, as far as we know, didn’t pee in anyone’s house. Yeah.)
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- Sugar biting the end of the slide.
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- Two dogs ready sooner to go in than the two little Ethiopian girls. Whimps.
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- Me and my dear friend L. 9 years we’ve known each other. Wow!
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- Cheers! to fast friends! (With a cup of hot chocolate.)
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- Me taking a nap with Laughlin at Auntie T’s. Naughty puppy on the furniture! but he jumped up when I was sleeping.
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- Visiting Grandpa Peter – he was pretty tickled by the girls and said they were “treasures.”
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- Spice and Sugar with their new puppies from Auntie T and Nona – they named them Milk and Chocolate.
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- Catch-up around the kitchen table.
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- Not entirely oblivious to the attention, they did put on a bit of a show for the relations.
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- Uncle S and Auntie W smiling over the girls and giving us biz advice.
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- Sugar putting the charm on my cousin P’s girlfriend.
Poor little Spice. Yes she still has a smile on her face, even with the sling. What a trooper! You two are making GREAT parents.
Have a super weekend!
Alysia
Oh my goodness! So sorry to hear about the broken collarbone! What a crappy way to start the trip! How is it expected to heal? With a sling on!? Thankfully she can still function (somewhat!)
Looks like you had a blast! You left just in time for it to be WARM here–and no snow! Cute pictures
Oh no! She looks like she’s getting around no problem, that hot chocolate I’m sure did wonders
Poor Spice! Fortunately it looks like that sling isn’t slowing her down…
Your pictures and stories show so much love and fun. Thanks for sharing.
She’s doing pretty good, actually – I think the only tie she’s in pain now is when she wakes up in the morning… but the sling has to stay on for a month. Yikes – it’s getting gungy already! We’ll have to take her to the doc here and get a referral for some spares.
Poor little one! She’s a trooper though as it doesn’t seem to have slowed her down at all? How did your other daughter enjoy the Wiggles? We went last week here in Vancouver and although my kids are all over the Wiggles they just sat there in awe… mouths open for almost the entire 1.5 hours. It was pretty cute.
Aw, poor girl. And missing the Wiggles too! Good thing she got a little spoiling too when she got back . . . and now she can get lots of extra hugs and kisses (on top of the chocolate ice cream of course!)
Here’s hoping that bone heals really fast so she can get back to her everyday busy fun without having to worry about the restricting sling.
And don’t you worry . . . kids will be kids . . . this has nothing to do with your parenting – you’re an awesome mommy!
k
awe…poor lil’ broken winged bird!! (and poor mama!) I find it amazing how resilient they are at this age!1 (Willow broke her elbow when she was 13 months so we are super familiar with slings and re-learning the one armed balance thing) sending loads of healing love her way!!
What a great visit!! I love the snow pic’s…gets me feeling all festive!
Thanks for sharing your adventures!