IVF in Seattle

 I drove down to Seattle on Monday, March 14 and Dad flew in on the Saturday the 19th.  I picked him up at the airport and we spent a week together in Seattle, making trips to the clinic every day.  The IVF retrieval was on the Tuesday of that week and we got 23 eggs!  Everyone at the clinic was extremely happy with that number and so we were too.  We heard the following morning that 15 of those had successfully been fertilized.  The following Monday we heard that seven of those had survived to be five say old blastocysts and had been biopsied and sent for testing.  Hopefully one of those will be a healthy, female....fingers crossed.

Mom was a pincushion for over a week but recovered nicely and was up and about the next day :)

A bunch of photos that we found on phones etc from 2015

 We found a bunch of photos on Dad's phone and couldn't leave them out so here they are..

Qualicum Cheeseworks with Charlie

 Last Saturday Will and Dad went to dig a trench at the Treehouse since we had record rains and the basement leaked...ugh!  Bad first weekend as landlords!  

Anyways, we sure had a fun day with Grandma at Qualicum Cheeseworks.  The funniest thing was that you were so put off by the smell in the barn you were driven to distraction by it.  You basically walked around with your fingers in you nose the whole time, complaining about the smell.  Ok it was bad but not that bad!
You were brave and pat the cow.

And then we got silly!

 Photo credit to Char on this one!

IVF

So we've decided that our lives aren't busy enough and we really need to take on another project...

I've always had this feeling that I would like to experience the mother-daughter relationship and just haven't been able to let that go.  It's everywhere around me.  When I see mothers and daughters together at lunch or at the theatre, looking alike and sharing a moment.  It's just something that I think I will regret if I at least don't try.  Dad's on board and couldn't be more supportive.  

Of course, we thought about just chancing it but I just couldn't do it.  So we found a great clinic in Seattle that specializes in "Family Balancing"-don't they make it sound so PC?  We'll see what we get.  Nothing is for certain of course.  But I do like the idea of having the genetic testing done as well so that we're not worried about that also.  At my age, the risks are higher of course and it will be nice to have that peace of mind.

So here goes!

Madame Butterfly

 Dad and I had the opportunity to get over the Vancouver to see Madame Butterfly on opening night!  They were a gift from Dad for my birthday and I just loved it.  How tragic, I had a good cry!

I just love the theatre so much and Dad indulges me, what a good hubby :)

Will and Mom play hooky

 Will, you have loved skiing since day one years ago.  But what you've always asked is that we do a family ski.  Although you love the lessons you really crave going down with us all together.  After your lessons we usually have a half hour or so left on our half day passes so we can usually squeeze in one run and that was always your favourite part.

So I watched the reports on the mountain and one Wednesday (my day off) I took you out of school and we headed to the mountain.  It was such a fun day!  There was so much fresh snow and no one was out!  At times we literally had the mountain to ourselves.  No one as far as the eye could see.  Imagine!
We discovered nachos and chili go really well together.

 One of my favourite days in recent memory :)

The Coopers have discovered bowling!

 We decided to try out bowling at Splitsville as a family sport last week.  We had a blast!  Of course there were some tears from Will when he didn't come in first but Will still wanted a second game.  We made you promise that if we stayed for a second game that you would enjoy yourself and not just focus on the score and you managed to turn things around.

Adding to the issue was the fact that no matter how many times Charlie banked the ball off the side bumpers he always managed a wicked score, even strikes and spares??  It was uncanny.

Maybe this is your thing Char!

Anyways, we all had a blast and Dad is definitely campaigning for a Friday night bowling tradition.  Although it's looking a little dicey since Dad already has a bowling injury...

After another strike:

 Mom is totally into it!

Watch our Splitsville, we are about to become regulars!

Charlie gets a haircut

 This is far from your first haircut but you always have a blast!

Now what in the world are we going to do with that cowlick??

Poor dude.

Monster Trucks with the Mahons

 So this was the first Monster Truck show Mom and Charlie had ever been to.  I was under the impression that the kids would need ear protectors but I had no idea that adults would need them too!  It was deafening in there!  Thank god Dad had a couple of pairs of earplugs.  At one point I took on out and almost went deaf!

It was more fun that I had anticipated and you boys sure loved it.

 Our favourite part was the freestyle event where each truck basically tears up the floor.  And our favourite trick was the wall that they would ride up and flip over backwards, what?!

 Total weirdos in a weirdo photo.

The Woodland Park Zoo

 I've been wanting to go to this Zoo for years and we finally had the opportunity.  Dad and I booked off the Monday so we had an extra day to spend in Seattle so on the Sunday we headed out here.

It really is a lovely zoo.  I'm sure that in the summer it would be that much better.

I always wonder how the animals from the tropics fare out here??  They seemed just fine but it's odd to see gorillas and hippos in zero degree weather...

This little lady was totally digging us!

 This kitty was so beautiful up close.

 A well-deserved rest after an action-packed weekend.  Poor Will (and Char's future spouse).

Marvel Live

More Seattle fun

 Science is so fun!

 Making power!

 Charlie fits in a footprint!

Seattle with the Tatras!

This trip had been in the works since the fall when Mom first got wind of Marvel Live touring.  They were in Seattle and I just knew the Tatras would be in!  We bought 8 seats together and made reservations at the same hotel and we were on our way!

Before the show we went to the Science Centre.

And saw the Space Needle of course. 

A few drinks are necessary for these kids events:

Sure makes it more fun for the adults!

You sure had fun, the show was action packed!

Spidey flew right above us and you screamed and waved "Hi Spidey!"