Our World

SIX!!!!

2011-11-10T08:35:00.001-08:00

Six! I can't believe it. Six years ago you, Little C changed my life - all for the better! Did you know that 6 is the very number that I wore on all my sports jerseys - probably since I was 6 years old. It was my lucky number..... I hope this year also brings you great things.

Over the past year you have grown by leaps and bounds. You have started kindergarten and love going to school full days. On the first day of school this year you asked me if I could sign the letter to allow you to stay for the afternoon - you love school that much!!!! I love it too - seeing your passion to learn is so inspiring!!!!

You have also excelled in your swimming! This summer we spent a lot of time swimming - at the aquatic center, at Grandma's house, at the lake. You love it and your biggest accomplishment was the zip line which you did independently at the aquatic center. You are already looking forward to the body slide next year when you are tall enough to ride alone.

Your friends are many! Every day you eat lunch with Sanaa, Maya and Felix. You also tell many stories of the silliness that you and Grayson come up with at school. It amazes me how quickly you make and welcome new friends.

Your sisters adore you (for the most part)! Baby Doll O likes to follow you around and mimic you. Because of this, you can often get her to do things for you - like helping you clean up your room, or bringing your clothes to your room. You and Bean are also good friends and play extremely well for each other. It makes me smile every time you "stand up" for her and support her!

One of the things that cracks me up about you is your consistency with food. Right now you will eat waffles every morning for breakfast, and PB&J sandwiches for lunch with a cheese stick! There is usually no reason for me to ask what you want to have as the answer is always the same!

Some of your favourites
Sports - tennis, soccer, baseball, basketball,
Outside activities - swimming, riding your bike
Inside activities - computer (Disney, PBS, nick jr) and Wii (Mario & Sonic Winter Olympics)
Food - broccoli, pizza, waffles
Colour - Pink (yes you are influenced by your sisters and I)

For your birthday, you asked me to join you for lunch and I was happy to oblige. We walked hand in hand to the lunch room, and your smile was beaming! I was so proud of you as you let me sit beside me joining your circle of friends. You helped me get my food and then you got me my water and even cleaned up my tray! It was great to share part of your day and made me think of how much you have grown up!

I love you tons little C. Happy Birthday!

Class of 2024

2011-05-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

Little C and his class - they had a field trip to the scultpure garden

I think I am going to miss his pre-K class. So many wonderful things! Learning about the wolf, playing 20-questions, I wonder circles, lots of field trips, etc.

That said - Little C is VERY excited about Kindergarten. He talks about it ALOT and is excited that he gets to stay for the whole day and even take the bus.

Oh no, my baby is growing up.....

Run of the Mills

2011-05-26T10:22:00.001-07:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Run of the Mills

2011-05-26T10:19:00.001-07:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Determined.....

2011-05-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

That's my girl!!!!!

Soccer

2011-05-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

One of my gifts for mother's day! Love it....

I do find it kinda humerous that I am everything except funny.... Also, I guess I play a lot of games. But at least I am good at it!

Easter....

2011-05-09T17:43:00.001-07:00

Better late than never......

We had a great day. C and Bean had a great time painting eggs and were very excited that the Easter Bunny would hide them. C told me that the bunny would hide them inside the house - main floor and basement only - and outside. Directions taken.
For a change, this year I choose not to pack all the eggs with candy. I only bought 2 small bags of jelly beans and put a few in the eggs. I also put coins in a lot of the eggs, which the kids happily placed in their piggy banks

Baskets this year, also did not have any candy - a few toys and even toothbrushes!!!! They loved it - especially Baby Doll who brushed her teeth for about an hour that day.

C also had the chance to head to church with mama which he enjoyed thoroughly!

Happy Easter everyone!!!!!

Missing in action

2011-05-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Lots going on; lots of posts needed; unfortunately not a lot of time (or at least that is my excuse.

I do promise the following
- Bean's b-day photos
- Bean's b-day note
- Easter pictures
- mother's day pictures

All in due time......

I Rock....

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

These are the days we all hope for as a mom....

On Sunday, I made dinner (I know, surprising since Deric does all the cooking in our house. But he was out of town). I made grilled chicken breasts, brocolli and served it with orange slices. Nothing fancy and nothing the kids usually rock about but it was something that I wanted.

When I called the kids over to get there plates and head to the dinner table. Little C picks up his plate, looks at the food and says "Looks Yummy mommy. I love this"!!!! I rock at dinner....

I also have to point out, that typically he looks at the plate and says "this is not what I wanted" or "I don't like this". Not sure if the orange slices changed his opinion or not, but they might see the dinner plate more often!

2011-02-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

My newest rave!!!!

When our house went mainly gluten free in October, I kept thinking that I would need to re-learn baking. I know how much experimentation goes into each recipe. The first attempt I made at pancakes was a DISASTER!!!! It was not pretty.... Lucky for me, I am also linked into Betty Crocker and found happiness in Gluten Free Bisquick Pancakes.
But what about my pleasure of baking. We love pumpkin bread in this house, I bake the kids cakes for their birthday, I make dessert when we have guests over....
I found this cookbook at the library and baked Pumpkin muffins yesterday. I was a little hesitant on being vegan (eggs add a known ingredient in baking...), but these turned out FABULOUS!!!!

I will definitly be baking more from this book. Thank you!

Happy New Year!!!!

2011-01-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

SKATING!!!!!

2011-01-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

The other week I picked up some skates for Little C and borrowed some skates for Bean. Both kids were excited to try skating! I might remind you that we tried skating last year. On a warm weekend, we headed over to a local park that rented skates and let them go. Within 10 minutes Little C claimed his feet hurt and wanted to play in his boats. Bean on the other hand wanted to keep going, yet required holding and being pushed around. I was later scolded by renting skates saying that I needed to invest in proper skates to be comfortable..... So this year, I was lucky to SCORE at the skate swap at litte C's school and he has a great pair of hardly used skates. This weekend was the MUST DO skate weekend! Yet, with temps just above 0F I wasn't sure how well it would go..... Here is the video

Within 10 minutes, both kids were skating and loving it!!!! They enjoyed it so much that we returned on Sunday for more. Little C had a few bruises to show off....

On Sunday we brought the hockey stick and puck for extra fun. The kids rotated between crawling on the ice and playing hockey. It was a great escape out of the house and I am looking forward to more skating (with the predicted warmer temps).

18 months!!!

2010-12-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

Baby Doll

It is amazing that you are already 18 months old. And what a cutie pie you are - we are so blessed to have you fully functioning and full of life once again.

In September right at the 15 month mark, you started to throw up at a random basis. You would throw up one day and then not again for a week. Yet, you kept throwing up, and I just thought that you overate. The second trigger was that you were not very happy. As the month continued, you chose only to be carried and cuddled by mom or dad. The third trigger was that you started to lose weight. Your arms were getting skinny and you lost the cubbiness in your face. We knew something was not right!

Finally, we took you into the doctors office for testing and evaluation. By this time you were eating lots, and then throwing up! Plus this was on a daily basis..... The doctors were quick to diagnosis that you are celiac - so no more gluten for you!

This has been an easy change for us as a family given the dramatic affect this has had on you. WIthin 3 days of no gluten you were laughing more than we had seen in a few months and so happy! Your personality continued to grow and we were continually giggling with you! It is amazing the difference!!!!

You are now 18 months - a walking and talking girl. You love your brother and sister and try to give them hugs and kisses. They usually refuse, but you keep trying! Mom and Dad love it though... You also continually try to be a big girl, just like the older siblings. You try to play Wii, play computer, run after the big kids, and everything else they do! It is fun to watch you mimic them and learn from them (we just wish you would avoid picking up their bad habits....).

Love you baby doll!

Happy Belated Halloween

2010-11-18T11:50:00.001-08:00

We had an amazing Halloween!!!!

We hosted the 2nd Annual Neighbourhood Halloween Party having lots of fun painting pumpkins, decorating cookies, playing Halloween games and hanging out with friends. Then of course, we Trick or Treated our hearts out. We all went out leaving a bowl of treats on our porch and hit the neighbourhood. Little C would have gone all night long!!!! What a blast. I am loving the holidays more and more as the kids fully understand what they are!

Here is a Baby Doll approving of the leaves at our party!

Little C once again was Thomas the Train. I think he believes that you replicate holidays - I was Thomas last year, so why wouldn't I do that again this year. Pretty good logic if you ask me.... Bean was a bumble bee. A few weeks prior we were at the used clothing store and I spotted a costume that had a tutu - it was a bumble bee. I showed it to Bean and she was instantly in love. She continues to wear it weekly (although it is showing signs of wear now...). Baby Doll was the Pumpkin in the group. Daddy said her costume matched her hair...

More pics to follow of our party!

FIVE

2010-10-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Little C

Five years ago my water broke and I raced to the hospital
Five years ago you entered my world
Five years ago you made me a mom
Five years ago you taught me what LOVE really means

You are a VERY energetic little boy that lives life to the fullest. Your teachers love you for your enthusiasm and I love you for the joy you bring to every situation. You are not afraid to try something new, and rather look for new and exciting things to do each day. Each day is an adventure with you.

This fall you started Pre-K at the big school. You love it. When I picked you up on your first day you ran over to me, jumped into my arms, gave me a big hug and said "I need to play more here mommy". You have learned so much in the few weeks you have been there. For your open house the other day, you (with some help) wrote on your letter that you wanted to show me the (1) Big Blocks - we built a house big enough for your sister and a few friends to climb in (2) Music - xylophone and the keyboard are your favourite and (2) lego. It was great to see you so comfortable in this new environment!

As always, you love all things sport related. In June, you mastered riding your bike without your training wheels. Everywhere we went, you took your bike - to school, to the store, to friends, to the park. I don't think you have walked anywhere this summer! You also played soccer in the Y program. You loved it and played fiercely!

Golf is another favourite and you probably played more than your dad this summer. You spent a week at Grandma and Grandpa's this spring while I worked in Toronto and played every day. Your gift to your daddy for Father's Day was to play golf (and get new golf balls, too).

This year was also a year of friendship. You have your first friends - Abby and Andrew. Everyday you would talk about your friends and often had play dates with them. You and Andrew are still the best of buds as you both play hard and love all toys that move!

Princess Bean is still your friend of choice. You do everything together and for the most part play very well together making up games (with rules) and running around. You both will make up stories about where you are going (usually the office) and how you are going to get there and how you will get home. You are also willing to share your friends with Bean - you include her in everything!

You have less interaction with Baby Doll. You sing to her when she is upset, and talk to her about what she is "supposed" to be doing, yet get very upset with her when she tries to get your glasses or doesn't listen to you.... You and Baby Doll have VERY similar personalities so it will be interesting to see how you grow together.

As always, I cherish everyday with you! I am so lucky to be your mom and look forward to all the fun we will have in the years to come!

Happy 5th Birthday Little C!!!!

Love Mommy.

School

2010-09-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

September is in full swing in our house and that means SCHOOL!!!!!
Princess Bean was VERY happy to be able to go to "real" school (not the toodler room that she was in last year....). She loves to get ready for school, put on her backpack, and ride on the bus.

Daily, she comes home singing new songs and telling me about the books they read in class. I love to hear the stories of the day and her interpretation of what they did in class. Apparently, snack time and what they ate is VERY important....

Here is a picture of Bean at snack time today. Fun Snacks for sure

When I get big....

2010-08-24T10:47:00.001-07:00

Little C LOVES trains - always has!

This past weekend, we decided to try the trolley rides - what fun. What I didn't know was that they give you a little history on the trolley and show you how they work. Well, this was just the thing for Little C. Midway through the ride, he had to get a seat closer to the conductor and started to ask questions. He was in dream land.....

Princess Bean and Baby Doll loved it too - yet for very different reasons. Princess Bean loved to visit with Grandma K and Baby Doll visited everyone on the train!

On the way home, here was the conversation...
Grandma K - Was the trolley ride special? Did you like learning about it?
Little C - yeah, it was great.
Little C (after thinking a little) - when I look like mommy and daddy, I want to be a driver person too.
Grandma K - you want to drive everyone around?
Little C - yes, that's a great idea for me.

Splash Pad!

2010-08-24T10:42:00.001-07:00

The Splash pad has been a recent find for us - and we LOVE IT!!!!! Every weekend the kids ask to go, and since they have such a good time and there is lots of shade for us parents, we go. ALOT!

Where do babies come from?

2010-08-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was talking to a friend and Baby Doll was about 50 feet away from me. She heard me and started to call.

Little C walks by and here is the conversation that follows

Little C - "That is Baby Doll, she is my sister"
My friend - "you have a very nice sister"
Little C - "yeah, we got her from the doctor"
Me - "oh, did you pick her up at the doctor?"
Little C - "No mommy, you picked her out at the doctor"

Okay then.... mystery solved!

Flashback

2010-07-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

Wow.... Little C when he was about 7 or 8 months old.... His facial expressions remind me of Baby doll now. What a happy happy boy!!!!

And do I look younger - I guess that is what 4 years and 2 kids does to you!

Party!!!!

2010-07-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

Baby Doll had not one party this year - but THREE!!!! It was very important to Little C and Bean that she had a true party and lots of other birthday party stuff.

Little C helped me plan the whole thing. He picked out the food, invited the guests (his friends, of course), picked out the decorations and the birthday hats. It was a lot of fun to see him being so excited to plan a party for someone other than himself!

And of course, baby doll enjoyed every minute of every party! Cake 3 times - what is not to love. Here are a few pics from the different events. Baby Dolls style for eating the cake - dive right in!!! Very different from Little C (would not eat it) and Bean (finger picking & no mess).

My baby....

2010-07-09T11:58:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe my baby is 1! How much she has grown and become such an important part of all of our loves.

And here she is one year ago. Amazing! Gotta love how much her hair has changed!

13.1

2010-07-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I achieved my goal - to run my first 1/2 marathon!

It was awesome..... I finished in 2:02! My goal was 2:05 and a stretch goal of 2 hours. So I was right on - and I felt great running!

As a family, we travelled to Chicago and had a blast exploring the city. We celebrated the Black Hawk watching the parade from our hotel window (with every other Chicago resident). It was crazy, and the kids loved all the excitment.

Went to a Chicago Cubs Game

I was lucky to have a friend in crime during the race and training. We did not run together as we had different training techniques, but it was great to have someone to hang out with before the race, and to celebrate our finish. Thanks Kim!

The kids picked up their friendships from summer's past. Little C still talks about Keaton and Pierson and when he will see them next! He can't wait to go to Ontario and see his friends.

It was a great weekend! Now, onto training for the next event - a triathalon

2 Wheels!

2010-06-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Little C loves his bike! He rides it everywhere - and now on 2 wheels!

This is how proud he is...

A man passes by Little C on a bike...
Little C - " look mommy, he is riding his bike with no training wheels"
Me - "yes, isn't that fun"
Little C - "he is just like me mommy - no training wheels. What a big boy"

My baby is 1

2010-06-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

To my precious Baby Doll,
Just a year ago, you joined our world! We were planning on you arriving on June 12th. I had picked the day and made all the plans. We had Mama and Papa lined up to watch your brother and sister and then after you came home from the hospital Grandma Karen would arrive to help out. However, you had better plans….

On June 8th 2009, I went to work as usual to finish up a MAJOR presentation. I ended up coming home early due to a BAD cold and spent the late afternoon and early evening catching up on TV shows as Daddy took Little C and Bean to a play date and dinner. After they came home, I put Little C to bed and we talked about you arriving in a few days. Each night, Little C asked if tomorrow would be the day you would arrive…. His wish was about to arrive!

Just after tucking your brother and sister into bed, I felt a weird “twang” in my stomach and shortly after had to call Mama over to spend the night. We were going to hospital – you were not planning on sticking to our plans!

You are such an amazing sweet little girl. You look like both your brother and sister in certain ways, yet are very distinctly you. You have many traits of Little C’s personality – the bright smile with the bold laugh, the love of all things active, wanting to always be on the go. Your hair is a beautiful red, which brings compliments everywhere you go. You bring a smile to every stranger you meet!

You love to give kisses and hugs. Each day when I come home from work, you call for me (yell) until I pick you up (I am often intercepted by your brother and sister, which does not make you happy). Then you give me a big hug, cuddling your face into my neck. You love to talk and talk and talk. For the last few months you will play a game of mimicking sounds people say to you. Usually we will have rounds of “Errr” sounds back and forth.

You are a mommy’s girl for sure, and I love you for that. When you were first born and even the first few months, you didn’t even like to be held by daddy. You would holler and scream if I left you to daddy to help your brother and sister. Many people say you are an “extroverted” girl, I reply, only from the safety of mommy’s arms!

Right now, I think your favourite game is teasing your sister. Every time you approach your sister, she will squeal and you seemed to find this very funny. She says you are going to eat her toes….. and tells us to make you move away. You just keep coming back for more….

You have definitely inherited your daddy’s lungs. You are the loudest person in the house – although in some ways that is a good thing as you might be forgotten otherwise, right? When you want something, you put your vocal cords to work and usually get what you want, just because the noise is so loud. You have definite power in this small house…

Other things you love to do - go for walks, play ball (especially with Little C), swing on the swings, and anything with water. You are brave in the tub making tummy slides and heading straight for the faucet. You also love to feed yourself and will eat most things. I do not believe we have come across a food you will not eat! Your top favourites include Strawberries, muffins, waffles, pork, sweet potatoes & peas.

It is amazing to me that you joined our world a year ago. You bring us so much joy and happiness I can’t imagine our family without you. We are blessed to have you in our family, and look forward to watching you grow up. We are so blessed.
I love you lots and lots! Mommy.

Words in our house

2010-06-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

The phrases that keep us laughing...

Little C
Mommy - you crack me up....

A few weeks back, Little C and I had to go somewhere and I asked which car he wanted to take. He wanted to take Daddy's minivan (not my vehicle of choice).
Me - okay, let's go
Colin (while climbing into his seat) - Mommy, Can you drive this car?
Me - of course....

Princess Bean

Bean - Mommy, O is coming to get me
Me - it's okay, she just wants to tickle your toes
Bean - no mommy, she is going to EAT my toes
Me - laughter....

Too cute....

2010-05-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

Wow, how much he has grown!!!! This is Little C when he was just over 2 yrs old. How much he has grown and changed!

And look at the handsome boy today

He is now a boy that...
- Very much wants to be 5 (he asks almost daily)
- Loves all his friends at school
- Has 2 little sisters that adore him (and he likes to "manage")
- Rides a bike all over town - to the park, to the grocery store, to school...
- Loves to swim - and do cannonballs!
- Talks all the time - asking questions, finding out how things works, and telling us all there is to know about the world.

You are amazing Little C - yet you are not so little anymore!
....

BFFs

2010-05-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

This will be a great summer for these two! They have bonded over the winter and are best friends. I look forward to the stories of their Friday play dates this summer!

On the move

2010-04-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

And she is off and crawling. Angel baby starting crawling about a week ago and is now EVERYWHERE. This morning we found her exploring the tunnel - she is a very daring little girl!

Not a good start....

2010-04-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

Here is princess bean on the morning of her 3rd birthday. Not a good start....

It ended in happiness as her tummy felt better after a nap and was still able to enjoy her cake, ice cream and presents

My little girl 3!

2010-04-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet little girl!

It has been a year full of growing. You are full of spunk; always willing to play a new game, share a funny face, or just play silly. Your personality is calm and witty. When upset you look us in the eye and quietly and firmly say "No" or "Stop". You will then continue to negotiate with us.

You have a definite sense of style! You love all things girly, and the more girly it is the better. You also have a unique way of putting together your outfits. One day you will wear your bathing suit over your clothes, another day your choice will be a dress with your fancy shoes. You also love your dress up clothes and will change in and out of them several times a day.

You have also started to like to have your hair done - usually 2 pig tails and a clip to hold your bangs. Each day after I finish your hair, you need to see how "pretty" in the mirror. You will pose infront of the mirror and comment on how "pretty" and "beautiful" you look. You also love assessories - necklaces, rings, braclets, etc. And the more the better!

Your favourite things right now are butterflies and bumble bees. You will see them outside and run after them thinking you can catch them (very cute to watch). Your favourite shirt is you butterfly shirt and if you could you would wear it everyday. For your birthday you had butterfly balloons and you give them hugs and kisses!

Last summer, your Aunt Dana introduced you to tattos. Of course they were butterfly and flowers! You ask for them often and point them out to everyone. The other week you asked for your tattos to be put on the top of your feet - your bumble bee tattoo was a big hit with your friends! I just hope this love ends in your childhood....

You also started school last fall and love spending times with your teachers and friends. They comment almost daily at how happy you are at school and what "funniness" you bring to the class! One day, I meet a teacher on the road, and when she found out I was your mom, she said "she is such a hoot"!

With school your vocab and pronounication of words has greatly expanded. What amazes me are all your sounds for things! You have sounds for the birds, the seals, the butterflies, eating, drinking - pretty much everything has a word and a sound!

You love your babies (small stuffed animals & beanie babies)!!!! Everyday, you pick up one or two for the day and carry them everywhere you go. You talk to them, feed them, play with them and care for them.

This year you became a big sister. At first you were not so impressed by having another person in the house and the attention that she received. You have grown to accept and love your little sister. At dinner, you will help feed her and sometimes even help bathe her. You are very gentle with her and I know in years to come you will become friends. For right now, you accept Angel baby as long as she is not approaching your toys (or feet).

I delight in your company and find that I await the weekend time we have when Little C and daddy are out of the house. I cherish the moments that we can be silly together and cuddle with your babies.

As always, I feel honoured to be your mom. You are a beautiful little girl full of spunk and happiness. Your laughter brings me immense joy and your sadness equally breaks my heart. I hope that I can continue to challenge you and complete you. I look forward to seeing you grow and mature!

You are my little Princess and always will be! I love you lots and lots.

Celebration....

2010-04-02T13:04:00.001-07:00

Little C has been accepted!!!! After a long wait and lots of wondering, our wishes and prayers have been answered.

We are excited for what this school has to offer Little C (and later Bean and Angel baby). The school reminds me a lot of the one I attended from Grade 5-13 (yes in Canada they had grade 13)! The environment I was in (I believe) helped me to become the independant, adaptable, versitile (not to mention smart) person I am today. I have high hopes for this school as well.

Congrats Little C - you worked hard on this....

the data is in

2010-03-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

Over the past 3 months, we have been in the process of applying for pre-K for Little C. It has been exhausting!!!

With multiple school visits, application forms, play/observation groups, psychological evaluation, phone calls and more information requests - the process has kept us busy.

That said, I received a message this morning saying that Little C's application is complete!

Now we wait.....and wait.....

Can Thursday come any quicker?

The Water Boy

2010-03-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

Angel baby is not the only one that loves the water! In Florida, if given the chance I am sure Little C would have swam all day long. One day, it was warm enough to be in the outside pool for longer than a brief dip. He swam for 4 hours straight. Eventually I had to leave with Bean and Baby for nap time and Little C stayed with Grandma. He eventually fell asleep on the lounge chair - so tired from swimming. His biggest accomplishment - the waterslide. After a thousand runs, he was able to go down by himself and swim to the steps to go back up. On day 2, I no longer had to get in the water with him. Instead I took this video of him....

Nine Months Old

2010-03-13T17:54:00.001-08:00

It amazes how fast time goes by... Angel baby is 9 months old and growing up very quickly.
She is a happy little girl who talks almost all the time. The game she loves to play is mimic your sounds. If you do raspberries, she will give you raspberries in return. So smart!

She is also starting to move more and more. Gone are the days when she is in the place you left her. She doesn't go far - yet..... Although she does get a little frustrated when everyone is running around her and cannot seem to move with them....

There is often the oops as well which doesn't make her so happy!

The latest stats....
Weight - 17 lbs 5 oz (25th percentile)
Height - 26.75 inches (25th percentile)
Head - 17.25 inches (50th percentile

Deric and I both thought she has developed a big belly and finally had a chunk - especially when Princess Bean weighed in at 18 lbs at 1 year! I had to pull up the records - her are Princess Bean's stats at 9 months. I guess Angel baby is not so chunky afterall! A postive note however is that Angel baby's head size is average unlike her siblings - which means finally one finally takes after me in that department!

Other interesting facts:
- Favourite food is Yogurt! Close seconds are fruits and sweet potatos. To convince her to eat veggies, they need to be mixed in with fruits.
- Loves to be sung to. Whenever she is a little fussy, Little C will often start to sing ABCs or Twinkle Twinkle, Angle baby quiet downs immediately. If you are holding her and music plays, she will dance in your arms.
- She is constant motion - dancing, moving, talking and playing. It is a wonder she wants to sleep at all!
- Loves the water. LOVES IT, LOVES IT LOVES IT!!!! Her favourite time of the day is bath time. She now bathes with her siblings and is often the first one in and the last one out.

Bean Style....

2010-03-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

I wish I could take a picture of Princess Bean's style everyday. It is definitely unique and her! I love how she can find the perfect accessory or addition to every outfit. I am sure this skill will serve her well in the creativity department.

It definitly brings a laugh and smile to everyone we meet. You brighten our day!

In awe

2010-02-21T12:22:00.000-08:00

I love the way Angel baby adores her older brother and sister. She is captivated by them.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-21T11:55:00.001-08:00

Happy Belated Valentines to all!!!

We had a great day. I have to admit that I was never a big fan of Valentine's Day - yet as a family celebration, I think it is so much fun!

The kids all dressed in red!

They were so adorable wanting to pose together! Of course, there were a few treats as well. My favourite were the message hearts. Little C would take one and "read his" - "I love mommy", "I like Angel baby", "Little C is cute". It was adorable!

Princess Bean seemed to find a way to consume all her treats that day while Little C saved his for later. Angel baby was eyeing them as well - just wait until next year. We also celebrated with our 2nd Annual Red and White dinner. We had penne with meatballs and red sauce, red veggies, pink milk and of course kirs!

Olympics

2010-02-16T12:22:00.000-08:00

It has been great these past few days sharing the Canadian Olympic experience with Little C and Bean. Especially since I can use the experience to teach them some of their roots - they are Canadian and their cousins live just north of Vancouver!

Each night after bath we watch some of the activities. So far, Little C's favourites are the luge and skiing. He is asking to go skiing this weekend (which we will - stay tuned for pictures). The Luge is a little harder - I am trying to convince him that it is like a waterslide, but he sees the ice and says "kind of, I still want to do the luge on the ice". hmmmm....

Bean loves the figure skating. As soon as she sees them on the ice, she starts dancing as well. It is fun to watch her imitate their moves and sing to the music. She is becoming quite the talented little artist. The cutest part is that she wants a partner to dance with her. Sometimes it is daddy, other times me, but the cutest is when she wants to dance with Little C.

Go Canada!

Food tastes

2010-02-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

I believe in real foods. I strive to have no High Fructose Corn Syrup in the house, no trans fat, and foods that are minimally processed. If we have processed foods, I try to get organic. I am also trying to buy more organic produce (when the price tag does not make me faint).

We always have REAL Maple Syrup in the house. Every weekend, we pour it on our pancakes (made from scratch, of course) and love it.

Until this weekend... we ran out of Maple Syrup and someone had left some Log Cabin artificial syrup in our fridge. I poured this on the kids pancakes and wondered if they would notice a difference. No one said anything.

This morning, Princess Bean was helping me make her waffles and I asked her if she wanted syrup. She replied "Yes" and went to the fridge. Then when I grabbed the Maple Syrup, so declared "No mommy, not that one. This is the syrup". She pointed at the Log Cabin!

Oh my.... so much for real in our house. Not my taste, but apparently hers.

Toddler words

2010-01-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

Little C is smitten by a girl at school. They always play together, give each other lots of hugs and always talk about one another at home. Her name is Abby.

This morning at school, here is a replay of the conversation between Little C and me.

Little C (Pointing to the name on his locker) - Little C Craig (actually used is whole name)
Me - yes, that is right. This is your locker.
Little C (Pointing at the name on the locker next to his) - Abby ????
Me - Abby Boucher. That is Abby's name.
Little C - Abby Boucher, no mommy, Abby Craig

Four years old seems a little young to start planning a wedding!

A good laugh

2010-01-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

This morning Princess Bean took dressing to the next level....
Earlier this week, Princess Bean decided that her bathing suit would make a good outfit. I had to convince her that jeans first would be a good idea. Here she is talking on her banana phone getting ready for school (yes we let her go to school in her bathing suit! and yes it was about 0F outside).

Then today she wasn't really interested in getting dressed in anything but her diaper. Okay fine.... Then she saw a pile of Angel Baby's clothes and decided that her overalls would suit her taste for the day just great. What a hoot....

My Hats

2010-01-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

Olive lover

2009-12-30T10:12:00.000-08:00

We often have make your own pizza night - it is a favourite in our house!

As we make the pizzas, Princess bean gets her bowl of olives which she places on her fingers and then eats. Before dinner, she will eat a whole bowl full. Last week daddy complained that there were not enough olives left for his pizza!

Pig Tails

2009-12-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

Anna has a new hairstyle.... She loves her pig tails! She hops around the house all day loving the way they feel going up and down. What fun!

A snowy Christmas Day

2009-12-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

What a joy to play outside. Living in the Frozen Tundra we are use to seeing the snow from inside with only sipets of time outside before our noses freeze. This Christmas was different. Temperatures were fairly mild giving us a chance to build snow forts, throw snow balls and sled in our street! What fun.

A twist on the snowman

2009-12-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning we were blessed with the best snowman making snow ever. Here is what our neighbours created!

Toddler words

2009-12-22T10:23:00.001-08:00

It has been a lot of fun with Little C this holiday season - he is getting into the holiday cheer and Santa lingo...

Last week....
Little C - Mommy I need to talk to Santa
Me - Okay, what do you need to talk about
Little C - we need to talk Marbles
Me - what do you want to tell him about Marbles
Little C - I want some!

The fun part with Little C is his passion - when he loves something, he LOVES it. There is no sense giving him something that he doesn't LOVE as he will only play with it for a few minutes (or only want it if Bean is playing with it). Last week, we went to Wonderment (a local toy store). They had a marble game set up and Little C was in LOVE. He hasn't stopped talking about the Marbles in the Marbles Store since our visit. Perhaps Santa will have heard his talk and bring him Marbles for Christmas!

A few firsts.....

2009-12-18T13:14:00.000-08:00

Last week was our FIRST trip to the emergency room - Little C woke up unable to breathe and was diagnosed with Croup. He has fully recovered

Also last week was the FIRST time I fell asleep with Little C - In the past, I would cuddle with him for a little bit, but never stayed long enough for him or I too fall asleep. Since he was sick, I stayed a little longer and then happened to wake up a few hours later....

Over the weekend, we had our FIRST successful photo shoot where all kids cooperated and smiled for the camera! We have some great photos!

Angel Baby ate her FIRST full jar of baby food. She has been eating some pears and apples, but really had not been that interested. Last night at dinner, she could not get enough of her sweet potatoes.

Princess Bean has her FIRST favourite outfit. For Christmas (a little early), she got a beautiful red dress. She adores it! She would wear it everyday, if she could. For the past few days, when I get home from work, she looks at me and says "I want my pretty dress" "Mommy, come, my pretty dress, upstairs".

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2009-12-18T13:06:00.000-08:00

Little C and Princess Bean had their FIRST Christmas Concert this week.

What a great show!

Bean was not quite sure what was happening and why all the people were there. Her class climbed up on stage, a few classmates broke into tears, and others just stared out at the audience. Her teachers started singing and doing there motions.... and the class just kept on staring and crying! Bean finally started to say a few things, but mainly stared and wondered what the heck was going on.

Little C, on the other hand, was a great PERFORMER! He proudly climbed up on stage, sang his songs with pride and followed along with all the motions. His class (along with the other pre-K class) put on a little skit of the Christmas Story. I sat in the audience almost in tears while watching my little boy!

At the end of the show, everyone joined in to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and have cookies - this was the highlight for Bean. As we left, she kept repeating "Happy Birthday Jesus"! Too cute

Getting Ready for Christmas

2009-12-10T08:24:00.001-08:00

6 months

2009-12-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

Angel Baby is 6 months old (already...).

Here are the stats:
Weight - 15 lbs 5 oz (25-50 percentile)
Length - 24.75 (10-25 percentile)

Some other interesting facts:
- she has TWO teeth - both emerged over the past week!
- she is starting to eat solids (pears and rice cereal so far)-
- she is napping much better (yeah) and still waking up one time during the night to eat.
- favourite toys are her jumper-roo and rattles.
- loves other people. She will give everyone a smile and grin (and if you are lucky, a big cuddle)

It is amazing to see her personality come alive!

Little Minnesota Girl

2009-12-06T13:18:00.001-08:00

Angel Baby is sitting....

almost!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-05T13:34:00.001-08:00

A visit to Santa, Elf arriving, playing in snow, being good and much much more!

It is amazing to see how much Little C is into the Christmas season.

Wishing upon a star

2009-12-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

What I love

2009-12-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

I think all 3 of my kids are at great ages.

Little C - I love the way he negotiates. If you say he has 2 more minutes, he replies "how about 5 more minutes'. If you ask him to have 5 more bites, he will say how about 2 more bites. Other times, he is not such a good negotiator - Little C, you can have 5 more minutes of play and he replies, Mom I want 2 more minutes.... Too funny

Bean - she LOVES to dress up and play drama. Last weekend, she HAD to have her shoes that click clack on the floor. She needed to wear a dress and have her hair "pretty". All day she twirled in her dress, and made extra noises with her shoes.

Angel Baby - I love the smile on her face when you enter the room and when you pick her up she gives her special hug - usually a big smile, a little giggle and her face snuggling into my neck. All I want to do is gobble her up with more hugs. This makes my day!

I love you my babies....

My new coat

2009-11-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

Bean in her new fancy coat - thanks Grandma

oldies

2009-11-19T09:49:00.001-08:00

A few oldies I found. The first is Princess Bean and the second is Little C. They both look about a year in age. It is amazing to look back at how much they have grown, developed and changed.

5 months

2009-11-18T13:07:00.000-08:00

Angel baby is officially 5 months old... How fast has time flown.

Here are a few things about her.
- is a happy happy girl who has smiles for everyone. She takes after her dad with an extroverted personality
- talks A LOT!
- likes to play with her feet, and is just starting to grab things with her hands
- loves to watch her brother and sister. She is in total awe when they play with her
- still is NOT sleeping through the night. Most nights she is up twice to eat and then back to bed. Other nights she is up more often for a pacifier and a tuck in. As another friend says - good thing she is cute....

Home Sweet Home

2009-11-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

I missed my kids!

I missed their bright smiles in the morning - the greetings of "goo moring mommy" from Princess
I missed cuddles from Little C each night
I missed their laughs
I missed their stories

I am home now and happy to be reunited with my beautiful children. I was blessed with the alone time with Angel baby yet am happy to be back and being a mom of 3!

which one are you???

2009-11-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Little C was quick to note that his baby sister and the picture were in the same outfit. All day he kept telling me that the picture was Angel baby and not Bean. I guess they do look a little similar in the same outfit.

All I can say - I have the cutest girls in the whole world!!!!

All Girl....

2009-10-31T13:16:00.001-07:00

Oh how she loves her dresses - the frillier the better. If she could, she would wear a pink tutu everyday!

Cute...

2009-10-31T13:11:00.001-07:00

Angel baby loves to watch big brother - and he has been known to lay down beside her, stroke her head and talk with her. It is so precious to watch him smile and take care of his baby sister. And in turn, his baby sister loves to watch him run and smile and laugh.

Pre-Halloween

2009-10-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

Today, Little C and Bean invited their neighbourhood friends over for some Halloween fun. They had a great time playing ghosts & mummy, hunting for pumpkins, and of course decorating cookies.

What are we up to?

2009-10-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

It has been a while

Little C - is adjusting to the school schedule. After a rough start of not wanting to go to school, he now loves it.
A conversation a few weeks ago:
(Me) How was school today?
(C) It was fun. I cried. It was fun.
Still loves Thomas the Train - anything Thomas, he loves. He now requests his Thomas PJs, reads his Thomas books at night, and loves to play his Thomas game on the computer.
His memory amazes me - when talking about Halloween he remembered that he was dressed as Thomas and Bean was a pumpkin!

Princess Bean - is a girly girl. She loves her dresses, and the frillier the better. Her favourite dress right now is a fairy dress from our neighbour. If she could, she would only wear this dress. She is also very determined and will only do certain things if she is in the mood. Daddy and I have become very creative on how to motivate her to do the things we want (ask her to go potty instead of just changing her diaper). She still loves a variety of foods and will try just about anything. She is also adjusting well to school - she sometimes does not want to leave us, but is always happy when picked up. Her favourite activities are playing in the gym (bicycles) and singing songs.

Angel Girl - is starting to babble more and more. And is she LOUD! She is definitely competing with her siblings on this one! She is starting to roll over and moves on her back. She still is not a great sleeper, but is much better than a month ago! I just love her big smile and the way she nuzzles her face into my neck when I pick her up when I get home from work!

Mommy - is adjusting to life as a working mom. Still working shorter days which I am grateful for. I am reading "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult and enjoying it. I am also starting to run more and am about to sign up for my first 1/2 marathon - anyone want to join me?

Family

2009-10-21T13:37:00.001-07:00

My dad is celebrating his birthday this year in Holland with his twin brother. All us kids are joining him - I can't wait.

The other day, I was telling someone that I was going to Holland for my dad's birthday. They asked "is your whole family going"? Simple enough question.... but the answer stumped me.

My first reaction was to say YES as all my siblings were going. Then I realized that the answer was really NO since only Miss Angel and I were going.

Family! I have 2 families. What an amazing concept in which I am very lucky.

SNOW!!!

2009-10-15T16:37:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday morning we woke up to SNOW.... I could not believe my eyes (and neither could Little C and Bean!). The one good thing (and probably the only good thing) about a fall snow is that it was warm enough to play in it!

After breakfast, Little C kept asking to go outside and play snowball. Bean was still in PJs but was eager to join in the fun. They cleaned the deck of snow and threw lots of snow at one another.

Fun for a Saturday morning.... Now can we please have some sunshine and warmth?????

A Princess Breakfast

2009-10-10T07:19:00.001-07:00

Picked by herself, here is the collection of things Bean ate this morning

2 pickles
Icing off a chocolate donut (a reward for Colin for staying in his bed until 7 am)
Yogurt
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Yummy...

I miss summer....

2009-10-06T12:23:00.001-07:00

In the midst of all this rain, I am reminiscing of all the fun in the sun we had this summer. This is in Muskoka - I miss everyone!

Changes....

2009-10-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

October 1st brought some changes for our family.

First it was the change in seasons - fall is offically here. Coats have been pulled out, we are wearing pants every day (Little C keeps telling me they are too big and needs to wear his smaller pants - shorts). Summer is gone - we are sad....

I am also back to work full time..... I have been torn over the past few weeks in knowing that I was returning to work and that I love my job and what I do, but I also love my kids. I am truly blessed that I work in an environment that is flexible and family focused, but I also wish I could spend more time with my growing kids.

My biggest hurdle in coming back to work is how I might carve time out with each one of the kids. They need time alone with me, but with only 2 hours between work and bedtime- it is HARD. Over the next couple of weeks, I hope we can get into a routine that I can spend time with each of them.

4 Years Old!!!!

2009-09-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Little C!

It is hard for me to believe that you are 4! It doesn't seem that long ago when I was sitting at our dining room table with daddy and Auntie Chrissy and my water broke. We were so excited that we were going to meet you that night!

When I first saw you, I was overjoyed. I cried. I held you. I kissed you. I didn't want to let you go - EVER! And now you are 4!

You are a VERY energetic boy who loves trains. You ask to go to the train store A LOT. This week we went to Choo Choo Bob's. I love bringing you since you are ear to ear smiles and laughs. You run around the store and check everything out. You love to watch the trains go around the tracks and guess where they are going next. I always giggle watching you since you are so happy and delighted to see the trains simply go through the mountain and come out the other side.

You also love dancing - your dance moves brings smiles to everyone. Your favourite tunes are "Move it, Move it" and "I'm a Believer". You ask for these over and over again. When the music comes on, it doesn't matter what you are doing (eating, playing train, whatever), you stop and start to dance.

Your favourite activity this summer was swimming. It has been great to see you put your mind to doing something and excelling at it. You have been taking swimming lessons for a year and have graduated 3 classes. You and your green goggles - only green. At grandma's this summer, you showed her your talents and started to swim all the way across the shallow end, go through the tubes and find grandma. It was amazing. You love it.

Then there is your bike. This year is your first one on a 2 wheeler. Once you mastered braking, it has become your main mode of transportation.

This year, your taste palette expanded. Your favourites are still Spinach Raviolis, macaroni, pork tenderloin (with mustard), pancakes and oatmeal. Your taste buds are mild and you do not like foods that are hard - no apples or carrots. If offered, you will choose pureed peas over the real thing!

This summer has been very special for us since I have been home. Most afternoons we would go on an outing - just the 2 of us. Sometimes it was fun things for you (park, bike rides, library), other times you joined me on errands. You LOVE to come to Target and the grocery store.

You are becoming quite the companion and helper. Many times we will go on a run together and you talk the whole way. You ask questions along the way and make lots of observations. You also remind me to stop at the stop signs and watch out for the cars! I will miss you lots when I return to work.

Four years ago, you completed me. You made us a family. Thank you!

I love you lots and lots. Happy Birthday

Motherhood....

2009-09-23T18:19:00.001-07:00

The fun of motherhood - over the past couple of months, I have...

Said the craziest things about going to the potty -

Little C, let's go wipe your bum, it will be fun
Let's just sit here a little longer and read some books, maybe something will happen"
Please don't pee on the road, pee on the tree.

Heard funny replies to my questions -

Little C, did you have fun at school? Yeah, I cried.
Bean, where are your shoes? On my head....
Little C, please wash your hands. OOOOO KKKKKK!!!!! (said with the added sarcasm that only a toddler can add)

Heard funny conversations between Little C and Bean

Can you help me take my dress off? Okay, let's play in the sprinkler.
Bean, why you wearing your pants on your head? They don't go there....
Bean, we want to watch Dora, right? Of course we do.

It has been a great summer, and I will miss hearing all the words, laughter (and screaming) all day long. A quiet hour will no longer be the same.

A new name

2009-09-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have been ideating and thinking and then ideating some more. Miss O needed a new name for this blog - and the right blog name. This was hard. But why? I struggled with this.

As many of you know, I was not planning on becoming pregnant and was in a state of denial for a long time when I found out. I couldn't even tell Deric until 7 weeks let alone friends or family. Many people still say to me "I didn't know you were expecting". Not surprising....

Throughout my pregnancy I was confused - what would this bring, how will this change our family, do I have time for this, how will this change me? I wasn't sure.

Then June 8th came along, and you came to my life. You chose me! I was chosen.

I (we) have also been surrounded by heartache. In our circle. a girl born in February with the same name as Miss O was not born healthy. She has now gone to heaven. We have connected with other little boys and girls that also are not healthy.

You are healthy, and happy, and smiley. You brighten my day! My Angel....

In a few more weeks, I return to work. I will miss my Angel. More than you know.

School!

2009-09-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day in our house.....

Princess Bean had her first day EVER in school - WOW! Her, Miss O and I walked to school and she was very content to play with her new friends and teachers. Probably doesn't hurt that 2 of her neighbourhood playmates are also in her class. Her teachers said she was very happy and playful all day. What a great day for her.

Little C was also off to school today. He started pre-K down the street last week, but today was his first day back at School #2 where he takes the bus! And boy, does he love to take the bus. His teacher just called and said he had a pretty good day. At pre-K last week he has been said and has had separation trouble - wanting Anna, daddy or mommy and just wanting to go home. His teacher said that today he was sad for a little while but came around by the end of the class. I just hope tomorrow will be similar and he won't be so sad at school!

Here are a few pics from our day.... Little C waiting for the bus and Princess Bean about to start her walk.

Who do I look like?

2009-09-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked who Miss O looks like. Others have commented on how much she looks like Princess Bean - especially her facial expressions.

What do you think? Here is Miss O at 13 weeks old.
And here is Bean about 3.5 months old.

Looking at these pictures there is more similarity than I thought.

Also for comparison - here is Little C in month 3 as well. Not as much similarity as I thought.

We love to dance....

2009-08-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

And boy do we have the moves... Thanks Mr Pete for teaching us.....

An average girl

2009-08-18T10:33:00.001-07:00

The 2 month update

While travelling the past couple of weeks, we were amazed to see that Miss O has grown so much. It seemed like overnight she grew, matured and changed. It is amazing to see how fast she has grown out of infancy - I don't remember it going so fast....

She is a very alert and content girl! She loves to look around, smile and coo.

Also last week, she had her 2 month well check. All her measurements were at the 50% - even her headsize!

Weight - 10 lbs 13 oz

Length - 22.5 in

Headsize - 15 in

Shots did not go over well - she fainted in my arms after holding her breath! Then she was not herself for 2 days - always wanting to be held and rocked and loved. Poor girl - this experience is really making me question why we give shots....

O Canada

2009-08-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

Every year we make a trip to Canada to spend a weekend at the cottage with friends. The group has grown from a group of single people to all married couples with 2 or 3 kids. This is a weekend I look forward to all year - time to spend quality time with my family, time to reconnect with my Canadian friends, time to see the beauty of Northern Ontario, and a special chance to see the connection between all our amazing children! I love it....

This year there are 10 kids under the age of 7. They get along fabulously and are very busy creating games and activities all day long. The playground is the creative, the hot tub is a place to play house (Pierson is Grandpa), and the favourite food is puppy chow and chips!

Little C is loving hanging out with his new friends. He is having trouble remembering every one's names, so he simply says "I go play with my friends". Princess Bean tries to keep up, yet maintains her distance and creates her own games.

Mr Pete keeps us busy.... and Little C has taken to following him around so he can partake in all the activities too. He loves to go on the boat and the jet ski. He even went tubing with me - the first kid to go!

Here is Little C and Miss Kim on the jet ski....

All the kids resting in front of a movie while the adults get dinner ready....

And the breakfast table - with so much activity... this is a hungry group to feed!

Us parents are already wondering what will happen in about 10 years from now - will the kids want to come up all by themselves? Will they want to still come? Will there be kissing? I think parental supervision might still be called for - what do you think?

Road Trippin'

2009-08-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, we departed Minnesota for the big trek (16 hours) to Canada!

All week Little C was asking if he could see Grandma - the one that flies in the airplane. We kept saying on Friday we were off in the car. He was so excited when Friday finally arrived and we were in the car.

The car ride went as well as can be expected with 3 kids under 4! Princess Bean and Miss O slept fairly well in the car and Little C had the occasional doze. The funnest part for me was making up stories. The best one - we were driving the Little C airplane car which was blue and red. On the airplane car, we could swim run and play in the playground! There was to be no sleeping on the airplane car and we could only eat macaroni and chocolate!

Here is a pic of a quiet moment with all 3 kids sleeping!

A new look

2009-07-15T08:44:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago Little C got glasses!!!! He apparently is severely farsighted in his left eye and just slightly farsighted in his right. They say that with glasses this will correct itself by the time he is 7. So for now he wears glasses.

He has been amazing with them! He adjusted to them quickly and was jumping and running around in just a few hours. We have also seen a differences on how he focuses on the tasks at hand - yeah!

the current style....

2009-07-15T08:41:00.001-07:00

Princess Bean is all accessories. She adores her rubber boots and will wear them any day!

Here she is also suited with a purse, sunglasses, a book and a pig tail. She kept this look all they way to Edina and back!

You go girl....

Who Am I?

2009-07-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

Miss O....

Hard to believe that you are already 5 weeks old! And what a busy 5 weeks that has been. Today, we are napping in your bed - which is very unusual for you since we are normally dragging you around to everything big brother and sister like to do. Or you sleep in one of your chairs as in the photo above.

So what are you like....

You have gorgeous reddish brown hair - so many people comment that people pay good money to have that colour!
Eyes seem to be dark - some say they will be blue, others brown....
I think you are looking more and more like your big brother... you have his shape of face and eyes. I guess that means that you too will look like your dad.
You are very laid back, but love to be held. You are very happy when held!
Your favourite place to nap lately is Pershing Park (Blue Park according to Little C). We visit there almost every day and you sleep through the swimming every time!
A great sleeper at night!!! You go to bed between 8-9pm and wake once during the night. You wake for the day between 5-6 am. When you wake, we normally go for a long walk and talk about life.
You are also adored by your big brother and sister. Princess Bean likes to rock you in your seat and give you pacifiers when you are upset.

I can't wait to see what you are like as you continue to grow. Already you have changed so much since we brought you home!

We love you!

A morning in the park

2009-06-21T13:13:00.001-07:00

For my first week on leave we have had a mix of sunshine and rain. We have been able to take advantage of the sunshine - taking lots of walks, trips to the park, and of course a bike ride or two....

Here is our first trip to the park for me this summer - Little C has mastered climbing a tree, and Princess Bean is trying to join him, but isn't quite tall enough.

Just a note - Princess Bean has started to dress herself. She loves her dresses and often will change her shoes 3 times during the day. On this particular morning, she started with her crocs and quickly changed when she saw her rubber boats. Aren't they a great match for her pretty dress???

I rule the world....

2009-06-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

So baby decided that a June 8th birthday would be much better than the one I chose for her (June 12th)! I think she is telling me that she will rule the house, no matter what I think.

Life with 3 kids is going well so far. Here is a synopsis of how the kids reacted...

Little C - jumped for joy when he saw his little sister for the first time. immediately gave her a hug and big kiss! At home, daddy says he asks about little sister often and when they will be able to visit mommy and sister again. By visit #3, holding baby was less of an interest and just wants to read the books that little sister gave him and play with a few other Thomas toys that are at the hospital.

Princess Bean - When we brought the baby to her, she said "No, No", backed away as far as she could and started to cry. I cuddled her for a long time and she eventually started to look for her little sister. By the end of the visit, she had moved over to little sister and started to touch her. By visit #3 she comes into the room with an Awwwww and asks to see baby and wants to touch her and mimic her sounds. I think it will be a slower reaction

I will be heading home of Friday!

12 days to go....

2009-06-01T03:36:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to see the date tracker on the blog.... Today it says 12 days to go! It is amazing to think that our new baby girl will be here so soon.

Part of me can not wait - I can't wait to see what she looks like and if she will be like Little C or Bean or a completely different personality..... Who will you be like? Who will you look like? We are slowly getting ready for you.....

Little C has been asking lately "When will the baby come?". He loves babies and likes to point them out when we are around town (especially if they are crying). When I ask if he wants a baby sister or brother - he always says baby sister. I can't wait to introduce this big brother to his new little sister!

Bean, I am not so confident she understands. She will point to my belly and say baby. She also loves to hug her animals (or babies as she calls them) and put them to bed. I just hope that she doesn't think that he baby sister will be animal looking.....

12 more days....

PGA tour 2024?

2009-06-01T03:27:00.001-07:00

Little C loves to play Golf.... And I might be biased - but look at that form! Tiger Woods, here he comes!

A First Kiss

2009-05-19T03:04:00.000-07:00

Little C loves swimming lessons!!!! His teacher is great, and so is his swimming partner - Abby.

Little C talks about Abby all the time - where is Abby? What is Abby doing? Can I swim with Abby? At least once a day we have an Abby conversation - it is so cute to see him have a close friend.

Little C and Abby have a routine - the greet each other shyly before class begins, talk a little during class, take a shower together afterwards throwing water at each other, share stamps to celebrate their class and then play outside on the retaining walls.

Last week when it was time to go, I told Little C that it was time to say goodbye to Abby. Abby made a funny face and Little C took the chase to give her a KISS ON THE LIPS!!!!!

Abby was shocked! She ran away.

In memory lane...

2009-05-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

I found this video earlier today - and I was amazed at how much both the kids have changed (and how hard it was to blow out the candles). I think this was taken around Little C's birthday - a second or third party that we had since this is not the cake that I made for his party. Since then they have had lots of practice with candles.....

I love the cute curls that Princess Bean was starting to have - and the lack of hair in the front.

Enjoy the trip down memory lane....

The end of an era.....

2009-04-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Little C, who loves to sleep (and cuddle with Froggie) has started to be a little less consistent about when he goes for a nap.

Yesterday's conversation
Dad - Little C, it's nap time.
Little C - okay daddy
A little while later, while banging his feet on the walls
Dad - Colin, please stop kicking the wall - go to sleep
Little C - Daddy, I am just not tired today....

What can you do when they phrase it so well?

The one bonus - bedtime routine is much easier... With no nap, bedtime 7:45 pm, with nap, 9 pm.

Happy Easter

2009-04-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!!! We had a great weekend - spent up at the lake where I was amazed to see that the lake was still frozen and snow still on the ground... Sorry, we forgot the camera.....

Kids had a blast painting eggs and getting ready for the Easter Bunny. In the morning, it did not take long to find an egg close to the TV - then the searching began.

My surprise - guess who the star egg finder was?????? The Princess Bean!!!!! Both were running around the house looking, but it was Bean that was able to see the egg on the ledge high or low.

Funny story - when we came back to town, our neighbours had a small tree decorated which we had to check out. It ended up, the decoration was nothing more than peeps attached to the branches. Both Bean and Little C were amazed, and soon were trying to eat the peeps off the tree! When Little C was going to bed he mentioned that he had a great Easter. I asked what his favourite part was - of course the peeps in the tree.... I guess next year I don't have to go all out colouring eggs, finding candy and having non-candy baskets for them..... Too funny.

Party Hats

2009-04-10T07:25:00.001-07:00

They both loved to wear the party hats - and don't they look so cute.

They had a great birthday celebration with a few friends, lots of food and of course birthday cake with candles.....

The stats

2009-04-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

Bean's 2 year check up was this morning. She still hates to go to the doctor and does not like being poked and prodded. Still, you were proclaimed as healthy and developing right on track. Doctor was also impressed by your language development - you go girl!!!

Weight - 24 lbs (25th percentile)
Height - 33 inches (25th percentile)
Head size - 75th percentile

Keep up the good work!

Happy Birthday Princess Bean!!!

2009-04-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

WOW - you are 2 years old!!!! How fast time has flown, but oh so much you have grown and shaped our world. You bring so much love and happiness to the house!

It doesn't seem like long ago I wrote This post. But looking back at it, it seems like a long time ago - you were scooting on the ground and just discovering your love for twigs and leaves. Now you are running to keep up with your brother, but still stopping to find the best stick in the bunch and carry it along!

You continually remind us that no two kids are the same - you are such an independent little girl and very different from your brother. You love stuffed animals and dollies - you give them hugs and proclaim "ahhh" each time. You have also started to wrap them in blankets and put them to bed - so cute! I just hope this means you are ready to be a big sister in June!

Your passion is music and dancing and are proud to show off these talents. A few months ago at the grocery store you sand Twinkle Twinkle for the check out person - all the words pretty much clear, and on tune (you do not get this from your mom). Everyone around you clapped when you were done! You are also registered for Music Together and love it every week. You stand and dance in the middle of the group playing instruments and singing the whole time. The best is when you go around the room and give the other moms hugs and sit on their laps!

I think your favourite person in the world right now is still your big brother! You play so well together (although there are still fights), and most of all you tolerate his need for taking your toys. On Tuesday and Thursday's when Little C goes to school, you love your alone time with daddy, but always welcome home your brother with a big hug.

You amaze us everyday with the variety and amount of food you consume each day - for a little girl just over 20 lbs you seem to eat so much. It is so hard for me to chose your favourites since you seem to eat everything, but a few include - Yogurt, Annie's Mac & Cheese, broccoli, pureed fruit, and cheese. One taste bud that has developed over the past year is your sweet tooth. Last summer you would not eat anything chocolate or sweet - but now..... You will devour cupcakes (mostly only the icing), jelly beans, and suckers. That said, texture is still a show stopper for you - fruit snacks are OUT!

I can't wait to see how you continue to grow - what new funny faces will you develop? What new funny phrases will you say?

We love you Princess Bean! Happy Birthday!

We interrupt all the fighting with a whole lot of cuteness

2009-03-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Most days it seems like Bean and Little C are fighting all day long (first it is laughs and then one is in tears). They get along well for the most part, but I guess being siblings means fighting.

Then there is the cuteness in between. Here are 2 conversations from the weekend

Bean - sneezes
Little C - Bless you Bean
Bean - thank you
Little C - you're welcome

(love the manners....)

Bean falls at the park on her knees and is crying - I try to give her cuddles, but her independent self wanted nothing to do with that - I have other things to do mom!

Little C - Bean, you are crying, what is wrong
Bean - I fall
Little C - I kiss it better! (then gives her a hug and a kiss on the back of the head)

Now that is what a big brother is for!

Potty!

2009-03-14T15:14:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, Little C found his big boy underwear and could not wait to put them on! He loved to look at Thomas and wear them around the house. He has done exceptionally well with this new responsibility. We had a few accidents the first few days - but in the last week he has been COMPLETELY DRY - even during naps and overnight. We are so proud of you little C!!!!

Here is Little C showing off his new pants!
Of course, it is not fun if Anna is not involved too..... Little C kept saying that Anna needed to wear Thomas pants too - so cute.... We put them over her diaper and she was pretty proud too (although they were hanging down to her knees).

Within a week, Colin had filled his chart with stickers!!! So quickly.....And the reward.... Thomas of course (actually Gordon since he already has 2 Thomas')

Good work little man.....

Where's the baby?

2009-02-26T15:23:00.000-08:00

The other day, Deric and I were talking to Little C about baby arriving in June. He was poking my stomach and we explained that his baby sister was in there.

His response - he came over, climbed on my lap, opened my mouth and said that he couldn't see a baby....

Pippy....

2009-02-18T11:59:00.000-08:00

This outfit reminded me of Pippy Longstocking - how about you.

She still looks cute though.....

How quickly things can change

2009-02-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

I was reminded how quickly things can change a few times this week - just when you think everything is going fine.... a bomb seems to land out of nowhere.

So what happened you might ask?

On Monday, I had a regular scheduled appointment with my doctor - 23 weeks. I go in, everything is fine - little weight gain, measuring large - what else is new.... So I leave and since it was only 4 pm I decided to run home and pick up Little C and run to the post office. It turns out the post office was closed, so then I figured since the grocery store was right there, we would walk over and grab some lettuce for dinner. Pretty normal so far, right.

That is when it starts to get interesting. Crossing the street - in the cross walk I might add - a car rips out of the parking lot and is heading straight for us. Little C and I start to run but we still were not going to be clear. So we lunged forward! Little C was fine - he made it to the other side of the street just fine. Me however with a few extra pounds, ended up falling on my stomach and scrapping my knees!! I never knew falling could hurt so bad.

So one person making a simple mistake ended up with me going from nothing to worry about 20 minutes earlier to being sent to the hospital to be monitored. How quickly things can change!

Everything is fine! Baby looked great and blood work came out normal. I am a little sore still from the fall but am doing fine too.

The Princess do

2009-02-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Despite my reservations, Deric thought it was time for Bean to have her first hair cut. She has the WORST bed heads when waking up in the morning and naps, and he thought that a hair cut would be the fix. I blamed her fine hair and thought that as it got longer, it would get better.

In the end, she had her first hair cut last week and it looks great! Her hair is easier to manage (bed head still exists, but they are much better), curlier, and she looks so cute. The stylist even managed to give her a few pig tails - which she left in for the rest of the day! Here are a few pics..