Our beautiful garden for our beautiful angel

I've been meaning to post updated photos of Cole's garden for a few weeks. It's taken most of the summer for it to fill in and for plants to flower.

It's such a beautiful place....a place of peace for our family.

This absolutely perfect garden statue arrived last week and came as such a welcome surprise to us. It is a very touching and perfect gift from an unexpected and much appreciated person. We truly live in the most amazing community!!!

Please stop by anytime to check out our special place.

Bye Bye Summer, we will miss you!!!

Zack played t-ball this summer and somehow we managed to miss taking pictures of him at any t-ball practices or games. They had their wrap up banquet last week and he got a medal...which he is very proud of. Here he is with his team.

Zackary began school on Sept. 1st and now attends school everyday (wow is it quiet here!). He loves his new teacher and is so happy to go each day. His favourite subject seems to be science.

Last moments to annoy, I mean love each other before leaving for school.

The first day was a bit crazy around our house and the bus arrived about 5 minutes earlier than it ever came last year...and so Zack got a ride to school on his first day!!!

Since we didn't get the 'going on the bus on the first day' photo I thought I'd better get one of him getting off!!!

Brycen is LOVING being home with just mommy (and Cameron). We bake cookies, go for bike rides and to the library, visit friends and play, play, play!!!

Zack has been 'thinkin about' riding a two wheeler all summer. His bike is very large and hard for him to learn on. This week he took the training wheels off Brycen's bike himself and starting learning. He did well when Daddy helped...not so good for Mommy though.

And later we worked at riding his bike. I am sure by the end of the week he'll be speeding up Schade street with the rest of the local boys!

Brycen took a ride in Uncle Adams 'kadoda' on the weekend when we visited Grandma and Papa.

Our first adventures into food with Cameron. Our paeditrician has asked that we not really give him anything with the intention of nutritional value until he's 6 months corrected (Oct. 9th) but said we can start him 'playing' and practicing occaisionally now. And so here he is with some rice cereal and a spoon that he was VERY mad at mommy when she took it away!!!

Cameron is getting soooo very big. He weighed 13lbs 10 oz about a week ago and that had been a gain of almost a pound in one week. He's sitting almost on his own, playing with tons of toys, reaching, creeping abit on his tummy and an absolute JOY to be around!!!

Happy 6 Month Birthday Cameron

I can't believe that it was 6 months ago today that Cameron arrived to bless our family...I can't believe that the journey of Cole and Cameron together ended 6 months ago and the 11 weeks of stress, fear and strength came to it's end. Cole and Cameron will always be together in their hearts and souls and the strength that Cameron exhibits, the smiles and laughter he shares are definately a tribute to the love his brothers showers him with. We are so very blessed to know you both!
Cameron was seen by the paeditrician yesterday and he is very pleased with his development. He now weighs about 12lbs 12 oz. The doctor has asked that we watch his shuddering behaviour closely and monitor it for seizure like activity but isn't concerned about it at all. All in all it was a clean bill of health there. The physio therapist is also very pleased. I had anticipated that he would need to have splints made for his arms and possibly his hands but once again she has decided to hold off for another month. He gained another 5 degrees of flexion in all his limbs and is now at 15 and 20 degrees less than normal in his arms and 10 and 15 in his legs/knees. His left continues to be tighter than his right. So we will continue to do activities here at home to help him out and watch him grow to see what else needs to be done.
I made a video as a tribute to our little miracle man...he is such an amazing boy and has come so far from the non viable baby diagnosed with TTTS at 23 weeks who came within hours of losing his life like his sweet twin brother. We are so blessed indeed!

Summer 09 Take 4...and Action

Determined to Drive!!! Brycen loves to get behind the wheel and take a trip complete with all the motor noises you can imagine!!! This was taken last weekend at the Teeswater Fair while waiting for Papa to come on the rides with him!

Peaceful moments are few and far between as are moments when they actually cuddle up and are calm together. This was taken on our last camping trip and was just too sweet not to include!

Cameron went for his first swing ride in a park at the campground at Green Acres camp near Kincardine. He loved it....for awhile anway....

And then he got really mad!!! Here he is with his two little mothers Michelle and Jess and of course big brother Zack.

Summer 09 Take 3.....and ACTION!!!

Brycen spent a lot of time riding his bike this summer and is doing really well. While camping the kids learned how to make their bikes sound like dirt bikes by adding a water bottle above their back tire. It's great fun for them...and pretty annoying for anyone listening!!!

We enjoyed a watermelon eating contest while camping.

Brycen LOVES watermelon but didn't feel the need to race too fast!!!

Zack was a pretty fast eater!!! This is most of the contestants in the 'great watermelon race'.

Last weekend we travelled to visit a friend who I met at St. Joe's in London. Her daughter, Alyssa, is a twin and like Cameron, will grow up with her own identical twin guardian angel watching over her. Here are the three preemie babes all who are about 6 months old. Cameron is the shortest and weighs just a bit more than Alyssa but is actually the oldest baby gestationally as both the other babes were due in late May.

Last weekend was the Teeswater Fair. Team Farmall performed of course and their biggest fans were there to cheer on their Papa Mark.

We took in some rides at the fair (hand over the wallet mom!) and had a great time. Zack liked the faster rides but did this motorcycle ride with Brycen.

Brycen loved the turtle ride....he laughs and squeels so loud that other people come to watch him on rides!!!

Papa LOVES his rides though he admitted that he didn't feel like another beer after the Tilt a Whirl!!!

Papa and Zack with some random child in Teeswater!!!

Cameron

In case you can't make it out the shirt says Mommy's Tough Guy. My aunt bought this for Cameron and for me...it seems fitting after all Cameron has been through to be with us here!

Cameron continues to make us smile with his amazing personality, infectious belly laugh and constant smiles. He is doing very well and is actually growing out of clothes.

We've had a few scares lately with what the doctor describes as developing neurological functions'. It is apparently within the realms of normal but looks to us like seizure like activity and occurs only when he eats. He seems to shudder and shiver but usually continues to eat. Scary but not worrisome...apparently!!!

Cameron's motor development is coming along great. He will remain on his tummy for short periods and holds his head up well though he leans to his left side and continues to be very tight in his left arm. Doesn't hold him back at all though!!!

Sitting up in a big boy chair...what a little man!

There are so very few shots of Cameron and I so I had Zack take some of us this weekend...he really is a little mommy's boy with only eyes for me at times!

And just in case you think Cameron at 12lbs 2 oz still seems small just look below.....

This picture was taken at about 5.5 lbs...somewhere around mid April. I can't believe somedays that he was ever this small...and that's 1.5lbs more than he was at birth. What a miracle this little man is...such a blessing from God!

Summer 09 Take 2...and action!

Civic Holiday weekend brought the Ireland clan 'Home for a Good Time in 09'...back home to Teeswater for the Old Boy's Reunion. It happens every 10 years and after the week it took me to recover, I know why!
This is my family outside my mom and dad's house...where I grew up. For those of you who don't know them left to right is Josh, Jason, me and Adam with my parents down in front.

We used this opportunity of our whole family being together to get some family photos taken. And what would family photos be without Papa's tractor!

All of the grandchildren with Grandma and Papa.

The whole Mark and Debbie Ireland clan!

Above is a picture of most of the Ireland grandchildren (minus the babies and cousin Justin). They decorated Grandma and Papa's driveway for the reunion!

Here's Cameron getting ready to watch the parade.

Zack and Brycen LOVED the parade especially all the candy. The highlight, for Brycen especially, was Team Farmall!

Here's is my dad and his 'wife' Steve Donaldson with their Farmall tractors at the parade. Steve and I joked on Sunday night that since he is my dad's partner and he dresses as I woman in the square dance set that he is my 'step mom'....and yes there was lots of alcohol consumed before this conversation!!!

For those that don't know about Team Farmall you should google it as there are many videos of them on you tube. It is a square dance set comprised of 2 different types of Farmall tractors and all the square dance moves are done with the tractors, a caller and fiddle music. It's very impressive to watch.

Brycen enjoyed some time at the Teeswater pool but was sooooo freezin!

A great memory for anyone who's spent time in Teeswater. This is our Lion's fountain which is located on mainstreet. The boys enjoyed drinking from it and thought it was cool that it had been in town longer than mommy had! Incidentally there is also a Lion's fountain near us here in Monkton...atleast I think I've seen one in Atwood.