Summer vacation in Canada

Wanted to post a few pictures from our trip home this summer. The kids really enjoyed spending time with family and friends, the hardest part was the drive home, 15 hours from Manitoulin Island.
Visiting with Zia Ernest, Louise and Lina in Oakville.

Liam caught 4 fish and Nonno caught 4 fish (Nonni cottage on Manitoulin Island). Liam was so happy and excited to show us his catch. These are experiences you can't replicate!

After biking to Bridal Veil falls, the kids had fun swimming under them. But Ethan decided it would be fun to throw rocks around until a gentleman got upset and we had to leave! In my defense I told Ethan about 20 times to stop throwing rocks, but he really doesn't listen!

Visiting with Nadia & Sara's kids in Maitland. We have been friends since grade 9 and this is the first time we had all of our kids together. Thanks again!

Ethan Turns 3

Ethan had a great birthday party with a few friends in our backyard, with a bounce house and water slide to entertain the kids. Mid party we had a huge thundershowers, which luckily cleared up after we rescued the kids from the collapsing bounce house and ran into the basement.

Ethan is doing well overall following his surgery in June. We have continued with speech therapy through the summer and he is really conversing now, although I have to translate since it is difficult to understand him. He is speaking in sentences, and is attempting more sounds although most of the pressure sounds he still can not reproduce. Ethan qualified for the special preschool starting in Sept where he will receive speech therapy and other therapy (just because he happens to be there). He will attend the preschool Tues and Thurs mornings.

We scheduled his palate revision for October 12th at Boston Children's. I am really hoping that he will not need another surgery after this for a couple of years but we will just have to wait and see. This will be Ethan's 4th surgery not including ear tubes. My biggest concern is his crazy busy activity level. I want the surgery to be successful and his repair to heal well, so we may have to use more sedation after the surgery, I guess we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Next week we will be celebrating Ethan and Nyla's adoption day. It will be only 2 years since we adopted Ethan yet it feels like he has been part of our family for much longer. Nyla will be celebrating her 6th adoption day. Many memories of traveling to China in the August heat to adopt our 2 beautiful children, the last trip being very special since we were able to travel as a family to bring our little Ruhan home.

Firsts

Nyla had a couple of firsts this summer. I have the pictures reversed but first Nyla decided to learn how to ride her bike without training wheels in July after much practice over 2 days. Then she got her first loose tooth and thanks to my neice Quin who pulled it out for Nyla on our visit to Newmarket this week. Nyla will be 7 in a couple of weeks, she has enjoyed spending lots of time with friends and family over the summer and is so anxious to start grade 1 in September.