2006 Annual Smithen Update

WELL…. It is already February and I am just starting to write our 2006 Annual Letter! I am sure some of you have missed receiving our informative communiqué at the end of the year – but rest assured, here it is! The reason I have waited so long to write this letter – and yes, there is a reason (I wasn’t just lazy) – is that our biggest piece of news did not arrive until the end of December!!!

Announcing the birth of our 3rd son, Jacob Doran Samuel Smithen! He is 1 day old in this photo. He was due to arrive around Jan. 3, but decided earlier was better and chose to arrive on Dec. 26 at 3:26am – no, not Dec. 25, the day labour started (my Christmas involved pacing the hospital floor trying to get things moving more quickly….). Aidan wanted to name the baby “Jesus” if he was born on Christmas Day, so I think Jacob was scared to come out until the special day was over! Thankfully, my parents were able to rush into Saskatoon (4 hour trip) in the middle of the night before Christmas (there was more than just mice stirring in our household) and be there for Aidan and Eliot on Christmas Day.

Jacob was 8 pounds 11 ounces, 22 inches long at birth. Now, at just over 1 month of age, he is over 12 pounds! He has two older brothers who love him to bits! Ever since their first meeting when Jacob was only about 12 hours old, Jacob turns his head towards their voices and his eyes follow them around the room. Oh ya, Jacob also seems to have an affinity for the sounds of light saber battles – lucky boy! We are all adjusting to our expanded family. The biggest change is not getting out of the house very often – the first two boys were summer babies – how do you take a newborn out of the house in winter’s minus 30°C weather)?!?!?!?! BUT we are figuring it out and my little “cave dweller” is getting some fresh air as I walk the boys to school.

What else happened in 2006? We spent last Christmas at my parents visiting with most of my siblings and all the various grandchildren (chaos!). In January, Pete and I were able to leave the boys with my mom and dad and escape to Banff for a friend’s wedding! Our family vacation was spent camping at Drumheller – lots of fun! We traveled to my parents’ a few times and I went to Regina and Winnipeg to attend workshops. We are hoping/planning a trip to Ontario to visit Pete’s family in summer 2007.

Cori’s year included lots of volunteer activities with La Leche League, my son’s school’s parent council, and with Canadian Parents for French. I worked part-time at Michaels Craft Store and took yoga classes.

Pete is still working at Cover-All Building Systems as their Systems Administrator (now promoted to their Information Systems Manager!). He also is a Beaver Leader and helps with Aidan’s basketball team.

Aidan finished Grade 1 in the French Immersion program at St. Paul School. He celebrated his 7th birthday and is now in Grade 2. He is doing really well at learning French and seems to have intuitively picked up reading and writing English. He also kept busy doing some gymnastics, swimming lessons, a tae kwon do class, soccer, Beavers, and now basketball and skating (not all activities at the same time!!).

Eliot finished his first year of French preschool at St. Paul School. He turned 4 years old in June and is now in his second year of preschool. He is very much looking forward to starting Kindergarten in the fall! He is also involved with some preschool programs, and is now the youngest Beaver in the colony and proud to be playing soccer!

By far, Aidan and Eliot’s favourite activities include light saber battles, playing with Yu-Gi-Oh cards, Bionicles and transformers, building Lego structures, making all sorts of crafts and wrestling around! Give Jacob a year and he will be right in there!

I must not forget to mention Tilly! Our dog is now over 11 years old – she is doing well for her age and medical conditions. She still goes out for walks, enjoys the occasional stick-fetch, and eats with gusto!

2006 was also the year of the “IV tube”…. (three of us had intravenous tubes stuck in our hands). First, in Nov, Eliot had an allergic reaction to a nut and ended up in the Emergency Room. Next, in Dec, Aidan had surgery done to remove his adenoids and put in ear tubes – this was to correct a fluid buildup in his ears which was causing abit of hearing loss. Finally, I had an IV during Jacob’s induced labour. I am sure Pete felt left out of all of our medical traumas…..

So, that’s the news from the Smithen household! What about you – what’s new with you and your family??? Be sure to email, write or call us some day soon!

We hope you all had a wonder-filled holiday season and wish you all the best in 2007!

Take care,
Cori, Peter, Aidan, Eliot, Jacob, Tilly (the dog) and Windsor (the rabbit)

csmithen@sasktel.net