Five years old

Today you turned five. It's been a rough week having to wait for today. Perhaps we won't have a birthday party before your actual birthday next time.

On Wednesday, you woke up and said, "It's my birthday!" to which Dad replied, "Happy birthday." Obviously he was still asleep. When I intervened to say, "Actually, your birthday isn't until Friday. Two more days," you collapsed in a crying fit on the bed.


On Tuesday, swimming lessons were canceled due to the rain. Again disappointed, I said we could do something in the afternoon when Nana came to watch Finn. You decided you'd like to spend your birthday money, $20 you got from Margaret. So, you and I hit the mall. Of course, you only wanted to go to Claire's, but we stopped at the Body Shop so I could look at their make-up. "Ooooh," you said. "Maybe I could buy some perfume!" You picked out the Vanilla eau de toilette, then went to hand me your wallet. It was $17 so I told you I'd buy it for you for your birthday; I couldn't have you spending it all on just one thing. "Oh thanks, Mom!"

Then on to Claire's. That place is like crack for you. You immediately picked out this folding brush with a mirror on the inside and some (more) sparkly eye glitter. Then the salesperson told us there were two racks for their 10 for $10 sale... So you also got some Hello Kitty rings, a Hello Kitty collar, a Hello Kitty bracelet, a Red Queen keychain, an Alice in Wonderland necklace, a heart ring, a pink headband adorned with pink flowers and feathers, a cell phone pocket, a rainbow bracelet and a puppy change purse.


Needless to say you were thrilled. When we got to the van, you told me you were going to look at all your stuff. You pulled out the receipt and said, "This is my receipt because I paid for it. That's awesome."

It was pretty awesome. Then yesterday, Nana brought over her present for you: an iCarly backpack with panties, socks, Tic Tacs, a couple loonies and an outfit. Wow. Never have I known a little girl to get so pumped to get panties and socks, but there you were trying those on first. I suppose they were quite wonderful...rainbows and pink/black knee-highs with hearts. I would have thought they were pretty special, too.


The week has also been full of thank-you card writing. You have been thankful and impressed with all you've received. You've gotten a lot of really nice things on top of the gifts you got at your party. Uncle Nigel and Auntie Jessica sent some gorgeous dresses (which you wore for four days), a blouse and some pants. Maureen and Hannah from next door gave you a ceramic plate/bowl set to match the tea cup/glass set they gave you when Finn was born. We're heading up to Saskatoon this afternoon where we'll meet Grandma and Grandpa for a birthday supper; I'm sure their gifts won't disappoint.

We didn't disappoint this year either.

Karaoke five year old from Hood/Anderson on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday, big girl.

Face sleeper

As the weeks go on, I'm relaxing a bit as I watch you sleep on your tummy. Like I said when you first started flipping over, it's rather disconcerting. And you do flip, no matter how we lay you down. Sometimes you flip so fast, we're not even out of the room yet. It wouldn't be so bad if the majority of the time you weren't directly face down. I usually stay and watch (or surf or nap), just for peace of mind. Every once in a while you'll turn your head a bit, but it's rare that you're head is ever sideways. It's like you'll miss something if you sleep on your ear.

In the photo below, you can see that your nose and temple were red from sleeping on them.


But you're happy and cute, even if you don't know that babies are supposed to sleep on their backs now.

"That was the best party ever!"

In the middle of the night, Lily woke up and exclaimed, "That was the best party ever!" Then she layed back down and went to sleep. The excitement – and sugar – were obviously still rushing through her.

When asked earlier in the evening what the best part was, she eagerly responded, "Everything!"

Needless to say, she thought her Alice in Wonderland tea party was very successful. The first time she tried on the dress (which we found for $9 at Superstore), she said, "Oh. My. God. I look just like Alice. Can I get my hair curled for my party?"

Anyway, it was tonnes of fun.


There were lots of sweets. The sugar cookies shaped like card suits were quite popular.

The homemade red rose chocolates (we're painting the roses red...) would have been more popular had they not completely melted in the sweltering 30˚C heat and a crazy high humidex.


There was iced tea to be drunk in the perfect little tea cups that we borrowed from Margaret.


And everyone was there. The Red Queen...


The Mad Hatter and someone small that perhaps could have been the dormouse.


Hey – another Red Queen showed up, too.


Looks like Alice and the Red Queen made amends to amicably share in the festivities...


Actually, everyone got along stunningly.


Let the games begin! The first was the tea bag toss into our lovely, large tea cup.


Pin the grin on the cheshire cat was a big hit. When the butterfly scarf appeared to not be opaque enough, we had to resort to using the extra large Mad Hatter's hat to cover the little eyes.



There was also a butterfly pinata. (The caterpillar turns into a butterfly, so it works...) What a great toy for getting out little four and five-year-old aggressions!


We also had croquet set up, but the hot, hot sun brought us inside for cake and presents. The cake was merely pretty and not really related to our theme...unless you count the hole in the middle of the bundt cake as the rabbit hole! Shoot, that would have been a great idea. Green grass icing with flower sprinkles and chocolate icing in the middle for the rabbit hole. Now I think of it...

Ahhhh, what a beautiful girl.


It was hard to wait for a slice, but well worth it. Those three cups of zucchini sure make for a great cake.


And all the cards and gifts exceeded her expectations. Finally.


We headed back outside briefly to blow bubbles, jump on the trampoline and stay hydrated drinking pink lemonade out of plastic wine glasses before everyone bid adieu to Wonderland.

Now all Lily has to do is turn five this week...

Summertime

The day after we got back from Winnipeg, we decided to go check out PlayEscapes, a city of Regina drop-in program for kids (almost) 5 to 11. You're always gung-ho to try new things so by 3 p.m., we were finally ready to leave the house. The PlayEscapes location closest to us is at a leisure centre and spray park, so off we went. You were extremely shy when we got there, so you asked if I'd stay. An hour later, you were playing games with the rest of the kids in the gym while I was feeding Finn in the lobby area.

One our way home, you said, "I think I've got the hang of it now. You don't have to stay tomorrow."

So, the next day you went for the afternoon. The next three days you went for at least the morning. You brought home crafts, made cupcakes on cooking day and learned new games on pirate day. At the end of that week, Dad took the afternoon off and took you to the spray park, their regular Friday activity.

While you didn't seem to have any reservations about PlayEscapes, I did. And it wasn't the program or the leaders or the activities. I was having a hard time letting you go, letting you find your way around with these kids who seemed so much bigger than you. It wasn't easy for you to make friends and that was hard for me to watch. Every time I picked you up, I asked how it was, making sure I wasn't just taking you there because I was in pain, but because it was something you wanted to do. You were always so happy, saying "it was awesome!"


I was thankful having gotten through that first real week of summer vacation without you resenting me or Finn. The second week, though, would prove to be even more jam-packed than the first. I'd enrolled you at gymnastics camp for the entire week, hoping you'd appreciate the structure of gymnastics and water fun and crafts, oh my! This time it was from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the theme of the week was "Happily ever after" and you needed two snacks and a packed lunch for each day.

You're a dodgy eater at the best of times so it was a challenge to keep your lunches and snacks interesting enough. My masterpiece of the week was a blueberry pancake sandwich with strawberry cream cheese and sliced strawberries inside. Yum! And every day you came home with an almost empty princess lunch kit and some fantastic craft. By Wednesday, though, the cracks were showing through and you were getting pretty pooped from those full days. Just two more days, I told myself, again feeling bad for shipping you off...even if you were having fun. But Friday proved to be great all over again because it was Fun Friday, complete with a hot dog lunch. All in all, it was a great week, but I wouldn't put you in for an entire week again. More likely five days over two weeks.

The next morning, we headed up to Grandma and Grandpa's lake so that Finn could finally meet Uncle Ryan, Auntie Leslie, Uncle Jared and Andrea – and for a full weekend of lake swimming, the park, water trampolining, sea-dooing and tubing for you. Unfortunately we don't have any pictures because I was sick and tired, literally. Oh, and the camera I brought had no memory card because Dad's eBay addiction had him photographing stuff to sell and forgetting to put the card back in...

Upon returning home, Dad and I cracked down and got your birthday invitations designed, printed and mounted so that you could deliver them to all your little friends. With it being summer and all, we weren't sure how great a turnout we'd get, but it looks like all but one girl can come. The rest of the week was spent planning and making decorations...for me. When you and Nana went to deliver one to the neighbour, Carly, whom you'd never played with and had only seen in passing, you learned that her mom and dad were off that week to pour their driveway. You guys played back and forth at our houses the rest of the week. And you played good together, despite a year difference in age – and her being the third of four kids and you being the oldest (and almost only) child for five years.


After a whole week of Carly playdates, you had Brynn over for a whole afternoon of ice cream cones, sprinkler trampolining and other fun on the weekend.


The following week you welcomed a nice, slow pace at home with Finn and me. But by Thursday, the playdates with Carly were back on, then you and Nana hit the pool with her family that Friday afternoon. And then another weekend playdate over at Brynn's for supper – where you ate cucumbers.


This week, beginning Tuesday, you started swimming lessons. Sunfish. How great it is to live a block from the pool (and the elementary school and the high school), so every morning we take our time getting ready, then saunter over to the pool at 11 for your 11:15 swim class. On Wednesday, the class was cancelled because someone puked or pooped in the pool – depending on who you talked to – so you and Nana went shopping all afternoon for last-minute party decorations. Then yesterday, Dad took off the afternoon and we all headed to the Queen City Ex, formerly Buffalo Days. Best part was that with your sandals, you were 42" which meant you could go on grown-up rides!!! The Starship (Gravitron), Crazy Mouse coaster, Fun House and more!


And today, we just got your zucchini chocolate cake into the oven. Last year I didn't dare tell you there was zucchini in it for fear of revolt, but this year, I told you it was the secret ingredient so SHHHH, don't tell anyone why it tastes so good.

I've been working on this post for over a week here and there. Once I see it all down, I don't worry so much about you not keeping busy enough. Looks like you're plenty busy. Maybe we'll slow down just a bit after this weekend and savour the summer because your first day of school is August 30th...

Just born that way

Last night, I fed Finn just before I went to bed at 10 p.m. He woke just after six this morning. That is approximately eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Meanwhile, I think Lily was almost four when she slept all through the night for the first time.

Not that I'm comparing them... Just sayin'.

A preview of things to come...

Busy week ahead. Man, that girl's hair is getting long!