The Ice Jam

So it looks like spring is finally beginning to arrive in Winnipeg. Of course that means the threat of flooding here in the Red River Valley. Now normally everything melts, the floodway takes all the extra water, and everyone is safe in the city. Well not this year. This year, because of our extended winter, the red river, which runs through the city, took a long time to melt, resulting in massive ice jams. The ice chunks were so big this year, that the city couldnt even open up the floodway gates! But eventually the ice began to break up, and started to float up through the city. We went on Good Friday to check it out, and it was impressive. There were chunks of ice two feet thick in some spots, very jagged pieces which caused destruction in its path, wiping out docks and property along its way. Check out the shots we took along St. Mary's Road. Gotta love the one of the life preserver stuck in the ice jam. The river is supposed to crest next week, and already the water levels are very, very high. But we should be okay.

The ice jam viewing session was the highlight of the past two weeks. Scott and I were struck with a violent stomach flu last week (thus the reason for no posts). The kind where you are sick for 6 hours straight and cant do a damn thing about it but pray it goes away fast. I got it first, then passed it onto Graham, who weathered it the best of all of us due to a flu shot he received at 6 months. Scott got it last Sunday and so far Murphy seems to be resistant. It was awful. But on the plus side, I lost 6 pounds!! This past weekend, we decided we needed to get Graham to go to sleep on his own, as opposed to us holding and rocking him to sleep. Its been a tough battle, especially when he wakes up at 2:30 am. We tried the "let him cry it out" method, which only makes him infuriated, sick to his stomach, and so worked up it's more difficult to settle him down after. Plus I hated hearing my baby cry. He can also pull himself up to standing in the crib, so I go in to settle him, and he's standing in the corner, crying. But I think we are making progress.

Graham is still waking up at night, sometimes two times a night. I'm hoping its a developmental thing, like he is on the verge of crawling or something. I had a baby who slept through the night, and wham, at 6 months he starts waking up. He is pulling himself up on everything now, and each night we hope we tire him out enough so he sleeps through the night. Not a chance, unless he's sick. Usually he sleeps 4 hour stretches, and wakes up. I try not to feed him at night, but I think he needs some food, despite what the pediatrican says. It makes it much easier to settle him back down, although lately, we have had to resort to a full swaddle again. But we cant keep doing that when he's two, so I am at a loss of what to do. Anyway, I guess we will muddle our way through it. But it sure is frustrating. And Scott wonders why I am tired all the time....