Introducing...

Carson Daniel Wiens! Born December 22nd, 2011 at 4:00am weighing 7lbs 8 ounces.

Earlier in the week Mark and I had been discussing how it would be a nice surprise to have the baby early - rather than have our due date come and go and be overdue. Little did we know a few short days later we'd be meeting our new baby!

Wednesday morning (December 21st) I was busy getting ready for Logan's friend Theo, and his mom Charmaine to come over for a play date. They were scheduled to arrive in 10 minutes (9:30 am) so I was busily loading the dishwasher when my water began to gush. I was in complete shock! There had been no previous indicators that something was going to happen. No back pain, no contractions, nothing! After making a few phone calls and arrangements for the kids, my mom drove me to the hospital. (Mark was at work).

When we arrived we were disappointed to find that the unit was full to the brim. They had no room for us in triage or in the delivery room. They quickly gave me my first dose of antibiotics (the reason we went to the hospital right away in the first place (as I was positive for GBS)) and then sent us on our way to wander the hospital. (They told me not to go home as when my water broke with Katie she came really fast!) We went and spent 4 hrs in the cafeteria before returning back to the unit for another round of antibiotics. I was still not having any contractions. Around 6:30pm they FINALLY had a room available for me and started me on oxytocin to get labor started. (Mark arrived at the hospital around 5:30pm).

They upped the dosage of oxytocin every half hour. It wasn't until I was at the maximum dosage amount for about 2 hours that I started to feel the contractions. Things were going really easily until about 3:00am - that's when the pain became too much for me to manage on my own, so I started using the gas and fentenol (sp?). The doctor came in around 3:55am to check on my progress. At that point I was dilated 9.5cm. She said she was going to go deliver another baby and that she thought I would probably be next.

The INSTANT she left the room Carson decided it was time to come. I told the nurse it was time to start pushing. She agreed, and said we would start pushing, and when we were close, she'd call the doctor to come deliver. We pushed only once and then the nurse started to panic. She told me to stop pushing and ran to call for the doctor to come deliever the baby. While she was calling, and attempting to put on gloves at the same time, Carson came "shooting" out. Shooting seems like a funny word to use, but it really is the truth. Mark was standing at the end of the bed and was shell shocked when all of a sudden Carson came "shooting out". Mark SWEARS Carson got air and landed a good foot and a half away from me at the end of the bed. Nurses came running in, Mark cut the umbilical cord and THEN the doctor arrived. It was quite exciting.

Everything was going well at first. We were brought over to postpartum where we spent the next day. Both grandmas came to visit, as did Carson's big sister Katie. Katie was impressed with him for probably the first 2 minutes, then she was more excited about my breakfast tray and proceeded to eat everything on it.


The nurses started to suspect something was wrong with Carson shortly after we arrived in postpartum. Carson continuously moaned. Not a loud, painful cry - just a low humming sound. At first they suspected it may be his lungs (as he was 3 weeks early). They started running a bunch of tests. His lungs checked out fine, so they did some other routine tests just to be sure. One of the standard tests is a glucouse test. A normal glucose reading is normally above 2.6. Carson's came back at 2.1 and continously dropped from there (to as low at 1.1). At that point (10pm on the 22nd) the doctors from NICU were called in for an assesment. They decided to admit him to NICU and start him on a glucose IV. Since they weren't sure what was causing him to have low blood sugar they ran MORE tests - including blood cultures - which take 48 hours for results. They suspected it might be an infection (since my water broke and he wasn't born until 18 hours later and I was positive for GBS) so they also started him on several antibiotics via IV.

The glucose IV proved effective right away. His sugar levels rose almost immediately. So they started to lower the glucose dosage every 3 hours until they felt he no longer needed it. They had to leave the IV in however to continue giving Carson his antibiotics. Even though his sugar levels were now normal, we could not leave the hospital until the blood cultures came back. (Just incase it WAS an infection and we needed to have more antibiotics.) The blood cultures came back negative on Christmas morning - so we got to take home one awesome Christmas present! (Since he did not have an infection they assume Carson was just having issues transistioning from life in the womb to the life outside.)

Compared to his brother and sister (who were 9lbs 2 ounces and 8lbs 12 ounces) Carson seems so tiny to us! All of the sleepers that barely fit Logan and Katie are much too big for him.

Carson came home just in time for Christmas. Though Christmas wasn't quite like we had planned, we still had an awesome night as a family of 5. The kids opened their presents and got to know their baby brother. Katie is in love with Carson. When he cries she is very concerned. When he's awake she gets so excited and likes to talk to him and bring him his blanket and stuffed animals. Logan isn't as enamoured with his baby brother yet - he's been too busy playing with daddy who has the week off of work. The two of them will be best friends in no time I'm sure.

Baby Pool

Help us pass the time by participating in our baby pool! (click the link above). No money involved, just for fun!! :)

I Miss October

I miss October and its warm weather. November and these minus degree temperatures are making me depressed. I miss being able to go outside in only a sweat shirt. I miss playing outside and not hearing "Mooooom! It's cooooold!" I miss seeing the grass and leaves - I hate snow!

We took advantage of October's warm weather as often as we could. Which included a last minute day trip out to the acreage one Sunday. Just our little family went out and spent the day playing in the leaves, playing on the playground, riding dirt bikes and having a weiner roast. It was an awesome day.

(As promised a long time ago - a picture of Mark's "awesome" bike. lol)

Logan: "Mom!! We got air!"

Mark: "Logan! What part of don't tell mom didn't you understand?!"

Yummm... hot dogs and marshmellows roasted over an open fire.

Sooooooo glad I packed a change of clothes for each kid!!

Twick or Tweet

I don't think its a big secret.. Mark hates pumpkins and the mess/work that comes with carving them. And every year I promise Mark "Next year we wont buy/carve a pumpkin, I promise! This is the last one." But then every year I still end up bringing one home, and guess who ends up carving it? And doesn't he looked thrilled?

This is why I break my promise every year... this kid. He LOVES it!

This year he and daddy argued quite a bit about what their pumpkin should look like. Logan wanted to attempt a very difficult Spiderman design - but lets face it, neither Mark or I are very artistic people, so we tried to get him to settle for the traditional pumpkin face.

Finally they settled on a "spooky" face and started carving.

And doesn't Logan looked THRILLED with the end result?

The night of Halloween...

After watching a Halloween episode of Dora the Explorer, Katie kept saying that she wanted to be a ghost. Too bad for Katie this little bumble bee number was already bought last year.

And true to Logan's nature, he INSISTED that he HAD to be Spiderman. But not just any Spiderman.... Black Spiderman!

We didn't have too high of expectations for either kid trick or treating wise. In the past its been a struggle to get Logan to go to more than 5 houses - and this was Katie's first "real" trick or treating experience. We thought she would HATE it as she is afraid of EVERYTHING! But she loved it! She was a natural! She ran from house to house, climbing the stairs by herself and yelling "Twick or Tweet". When we tried to make her sit in the stroller for a bit she cried "Noooo! I want more candy!!"

We met up with a very pretty Payton dressed as a butterfly.

And a very cute Jaden, who didn't seem to overly care that it was Halloween.

Enjoying their loot at the end up the night before bed - and boy did the two of them rake in a lot of candy!

The Perfect Hitmen Game

We went to watch the Hitmen take on the Portland Winterhawks - it was double exchange night, so we got to exchange each one of mom and dad's unused season tickets for 2 tickets. I guess not a lot of people knew about double exchange night as there was hardly anyone there. That, or maybe it was the fact that it was a weekday night.

But, it didn't bother us that there wasn't very many other fans there. That just means more chances for us to be on the jumbotraun! Logan and Katie were both on the big screen multiple times through out the night.

AND, we got Farley almost all to ourselves! We were lucky enough to get GREAT seats (2nd row, right behind the goalie) and it happened to be where the zambonie AND Farley came out. Farley came and "talked" to us a lot. Logan had a LOT of stories to tell him.... poor Farley.

Initially Katie liked Farley. She gave him high fives and said "hi". But then Farley started to tickle her...


It wasn't long after that Katie to decide she no longer liked Farley.

Despite bringing out all their best dance moves, and some of the only kids there, poor Logan and Katie were crushed that they didn't win the "Dance for Your Dinner" competition. But at least they were contestants and made it up on the big screen.... again.

We saw a lot of action from our seats... to bad it was always the Winterhawks scoring. The Hitmen lost 7-1.

Even Farley was getting pretty ticked off.

Farley brought both Logan and Katie a surprise during the last period. For Logan he brought blue cotton candy - something Logan had asked for all night, but was continuously told "Only Grandpa buys Cotton Candy, and grandpa's not here".

And he tried to win Katie over by bringing her a plush Farley.... I don't think it worked.

In the end it was the perfect Hitmen game. We really couldn't have asked for much more. Well, maybe a win on the Hitmen's behalf.... and it wouldn't have hurt to win the 50/50.

Poor daddy - the mule horse - carrying both kids back to the car.

Too Big! Go Away!

Over the last week I have read so many beautiful things written by family members and friends about Connor. Things that have made me laugh out loud remembering that special little boy, and things that have brought me to tears wishing he was still here.

I wish I could write words like those. I wish I could put all my emotions and feelings into sentences and produce something beautiful and worthy of Connor. But the truth is, I've discovered that in circumstances like this, I can't. I can't find the right things to say (and more often than not, end up saying something awful by mistake and wind up putting my foot in my mouth.)

I've been very blessed to have been Connor's cousin. He was the only other red headed grandchild, and because of that I always felt a small, but special connection to him. I will always remember his funny "Connorisms" and how he would destroy our basement everytime he came over :) I'll remember the "love taps and kicks" he'd give in grandma and grandpa's crowded living room (and how even Katie had learned to walk around the coffee table to avoid being loved by Connor) I'll remember how he used to cry out "HEY!" from the back seat of the van when you drove by a McDonalds or playground. How the giggles would spill out when he just looked at my sister Robyn - (I agree Connor, she really is just that funny looking!) A particular trip to Burger King and how he wore his paper crown all the way back to our house.

I'm very thankful to Uncle Jerry and Auntie Geraldine for sharing him with us all - for allowing us to be there with them during his last few days. For allowing us to be there when he left to be with our Heavenly Father in heaven. It was very powerful and moving, and something I will remember for ever.

My Goof Ball

Logan's new head wear

Logan made this little number at preschool the other day - nice face Logan!

They were learning about the very first Thanksgiving and how the pilgrims asked the Indians to come and join them for a feast - at least thats what we can gather from the bits and pieces Logan tells us. Logan is LOVING preschool. I was worried he would become bored with it after the first two or three weeks, but no.... every single morning he comes running into our room and asks "Do I have school TODAY?!?!" Now I regret putting him in only two days a week, rather than 3! Every time I pick him up from school I ask him, "What did you learn/do today?" And I usually get the same answer "Uhh... I don't member". But slowly throughout the week bits and pieces come out. He tells us random bits of information that Mark and I can only assume he learnt at school. He sings new songs neither Mark or I have ever heard before (that again, must be from school, that or this kid is a musical genius!) He tells us funny stories about what his new friends Theo or Jacob did that day, and how Esther got in trouble. Oh, and he ALWAYS is sure to tell me what the other kids had for snack and how he wants the same thing next time!

This is Logan's new FAVORITE piece of head wear... his dirt bike helmet!!

Mark bought an incredibly old and geeky looking dirty bike off of someone he moved a couple of weeks ago. It's like a 1977 yamaha two stroke something or other... very lame if you ask me. But if you ask Mark, its the coolest thing ever! (I'll be sure to take pictures on Saturday when we're at the acreage for Thanksgiving). Since Mark sold all of his dirt biking stuff a couple of years ago he began scouring kijiji for a used helmet. Nothing too fancy or expensive as the bike was practically free and will be used mainly for just putting around the acreage. He found one online that looked like a good deal, so we all jumped in the car and accompanied him to go see it. Good thing we all decided to go, because the seller also had some kid helmets they were looking to get ride of at the same time. So Logan was lucky enough to come home with this awesome fox helmet - now all he needs is the bike/quad!! :)

Logan's First Day of Preschool

Logan started preschool at the beginning of September. He was so excited. He wore his backpack around for days getting ready.

The typical "First day of school" shot - you'll see a lot of these over the next 20 years.

Posing infront of his "class room" - the lovely portables.

Examining all the cool toys preschool has

Logan and his new best friend, Jacob.

Logan LOVES preschool. Every morning he comes into my room and asks, "Do I get to go to school TODAY?!"