Warm and fuzzy

Things are abuzz with holiday activity. We have Lily's Christmas concert next week, but it's not called that anymore. Now it's the Winter Celebration. Since they've taken religion out of the holiday season at school, I don't feel as bad for Lily's lack of exposure when she exclaims, "I just saw a bunch of people in a cave on that lawn!"

That, people, was a nativity scene. Oh, the innocence of a child...

Excerpt from the first Grade One report card

Up to now

Seems we missed October and it's more than half way through November. Up to our eyeballs in many things.

Lily started Sparks, which is the first level of Girl Guides. She's also been in gymnastics, a two-hour class (though when we went to try-outs, she was recommended into four hours a week). The end of October was filled with her three best friends birthday parties; one was at It's a Blast!, one was a night-time Halloween party, and the last was a sleepover - which she easily survived a night away from us and had to be woken up at 8:30 a.m. to go to gymnastics. And then there's all that school. It's really forced her to shape up. She reads everything and writes most things, too. She's less quick to anger. She's more open to discipline. And she sleeps. I can't remember the last day she got up before 7 a.m. Now if we could only get Finn to stay in bed...

Finn has just recently become a total terror. He gets into everything, now with more broken dishes. He rides the dog, he throws everything down the stairs and he out-yells Lily. The boy's got to be heard! He's also talking up a storm, dancing to Elmo songs, and generally figuring out that he has free will and is starting to get that "I do it" attitude. But he's funny and sweet and gives nice, closed-mouth kisses and tight hugs. I think we'll keep him.

We went to Edmonton for a weekend in October. We gathered up as much baby gear as we could fit in the van and toted it up to Nigel and Jessica's new townhouse. Hit the Science Centre and IKEA and the kids were FANTASTIC for such a long road trip. Finally, after six years of no success on the road, we've finally gone on a road trip with no trauma.

Most recently, we've been spending the last couple weeks at the hospital. Nana has an infection she can't kick so we're pretty worried. There are bad days interspersed with some good ones. We just wish she'd hurry up and get better. Here's hoping...

Excellent, excellent

You came home on Wednesday with this:

It's a certificate of excellence for your excellent progress in grade one. You said only three other kids got one and everyone clapped when you received it. It's even signed by the principal. How nice to have this when I always hear your teacher tell the other parents what kind of trouble their kids got into that day - like the boy who got afternoon recess taken away because he was chasing girls with a stick over the lunch hour and someone got hurt. True story.

It might be because you draw rainbows so good. Or maybe that's just a side effect. While it's lots of hard work and the days are long, you are doing great. I wish we all our days were full of rainbows on giant pieces of paper.

Finn talks - another feat at 16 months

There's no going back...

Lily started grade one last week. She'd been waiting for it for a long time. Aside from a stolen (borrowed) flip-flop incident and only riding the bus once thus far, I'd say it was pretty successful. She even stayed for lunch on Wednesday.

She loves having three recesses (including the lunch one). She thinks having her own desk is pretty cool. She also thinks that it's great to have markers, crayons and pencil crayons to carry out her artistic endeavors. Her teacher, Monsieur Dubé, is very funny. He'd better have a sense of humour because there are 26 kids in that class.

I like seeking her out from our backyard on the playground at recess. Then I can see who's she's playing with or what she's doing. Otherwise, I'd never know... Typical answer to "What did you do today at school?" is: "I don't remember." Suppose I'll just have to get used to that.

Here's Lily's first after-school snack. Her brother was happy to have her home.

Finn at 16 months - Basketball Superstar!

Shootin' hoops - Finn at 16 months from Hood/Anderson on Vimeo.

This little guy has been obsessed with basketball. He can spot a net or a ball from a mile away and points out every one we pass on the street. He's mesmerized watching kids (and some moms) playing at the school yard. And yesterday, he tried to trade Nana his soccer ball for her new basketball. Sometimes you just know what you like.

This shot actually went in! Now that's talent.

Summer

With school starting this week, I can't believe that summer as we know it is over. But it's been so wonderful. We spent many mornings at the Science Centre, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the library, the park, shopping and at Nana's house. Our afternoons while Finn slept, were filled with games, stories, baths and hair washing. And after naptime, there was water trampoline and the swimming pool and the park again. It's been really, really nice to be home those two days during the week. And while I kinda feel bad not documenting it better, generally not posting here means we're actually out there doing things and I'll take that any day.

Six years old

Happy birthday, Lily! On Saturday, Aug. 13th you turned six years old. As soon as you woke up, you were excited to open the presents from us and Finn. We got you an overnight bag full of clothes (for both you and your Barbie-type dolls) and a glitter tattoo kit. Finn got you a Fur Real puppy whom you immediately named Popcorn after a white puppy in an old book of Uncle Nigel's. While you loved the clothes, you were enamoured by this little pup. She's your new best buddy (when Carly's not around) who barks and walks and whines.

We had a party that afternoon to celebrate and there were a whopping seven kids, having invited a couple more than we thought would come due to summer holidays and such. This year's theme was ice cream so we had some ice cream-related games and other outside water-related games to keep everyone busy until it was time to build our own sundaes. Everyone ate lots. Finn ate his waffle bowl before Dad could even get ice cream into it. The worst part was that you burned your finger on the sparkler after it burned out. Ouch. And then there were the presents. Everyone was getting a little over-excited and wanted you to open their present first. You put an end to that when you told them to relax - it didn't matter whose got opened next - they would all get opened. It was a good day that we ended in supper at Dairy Queen upon your special request.

      
           
Over the next few days, you would look in the mirror and note how you look more grown up. That your eyes have changed shape and how your face isn't as chubby. It's true. Sometimes we look at you and can't believe how much you've grown and changed. Sometimes - sigh -  you look and act much older than your six years. The other day, you felt something different in your mouth and asked me to take a peek. There, at the back on your right-hand side, was a little slit in your gums and a molar was peeking out. Over and over again, it's these little things that end up making you big.
           
Unlike your birthday, there are some days when nothing goes your way and you collapse into a heap of screams and tears - up to eight times in a single day. (We'll be well practiced for when you become a teenager.) A lot of your misery hinges on whether we let you play with Carly or not and if you can hinges on your behaviour. 99% of the time when you're not sleeping or eating, you and Carly are playing. You both have big, grand plans that usually involve me doing some sort of work for you, like your grand lemonade stand that made $27 in June, but mostly you'd both just be happy to go to the park. It's nice that you have a best friend that lives only footsteps away and right now, it's always the highlight of your day.

On our work days when you are at daycare, you are happy to spend those entire days with Carly and barely even see or notice what Finn spends his time doing. We couldn't have been luckier to find the same sitter as Carly and her little brother, Jack. The summer there has been full of sun and fun, walks to the park, a few field trips on the bus and exposure to movies on Netflix that we never would have thought of. Like Annie. I think you watched it three times in one week.

On the Tuesdays and Thursdays when it's just you, me and Finn, your expectations are happily lowered. You draw and write stories - and complain about no one pushing you on the swings or jumping with you on the trampoline. I love watching what you create and above all, I am amazed how well you sound things out when you spell them and how well you can read. Everywhere we go, you read signs. We're super proud that you just picked it all up on your own, too.

Cheers to being six. We're so excited to see where this year will take you.

Woo hoo!

It is truly a landmark day. Today, for the first time in her almost six years, Lily Julia Anderson slept in until 8 a.m. – an entire 2 hours later than her usual waking time.

This is cause for celebration. Perhaps next she'll willingly brush her teeth and hair. (But it's unlikely.)

Yayyy!

I'm going to be an auntie!

A little getaway

It felt like it'd been a while since we left home and we needed to get away so we went to Medicine Hat for the Canada Day long weekend. Medicine Hat is a really beautiful city and having lived there for three years, Chris and I know it well. It's far enough, but not too far. Our other go-to city, Minot, North Dakota, was ravaged by up-to-the-rooftop flooding so that was out - even though they do have better waterslides and a zoo.

Just driving around the Hat is fun for us, seeing what's new, what's changed. Lily is in awe of the views from the hills or in the valleys, constanting citing how pretty everything looks. When you come from flat Regina, even a slight change in elevation is a treat!

There was lots of swimming and watersliding. Finn even liked the waterslide, pointing to go up with Daddy everytime he left to go up the winding spiral staircase. We hit a few school parks so Lily could try out some new monkey bars, her latest and greatest skill. While Chris and Lily swam, Finn and I took an early morning walk through the nearby cemetery where we saw an unshaken deer only a row away. We spent another early morning out at Echo Dale farm, then the rest of the morning and early afternoon picnicking, playing at the park, digging in the sand with some new friends, playing in the little lake and napping at the regional park part of Echo Dale. (So pretty and my favourite thing about Medicine Hat having spent many long summer days there with my friend, Dan, while we were in college.) We spent another morning at the Medalta pottery factory which was much cooler than we thought it would be. The afternoon was consumed by going to the theatre at the mall to see Cars 2 in 3-D. We ended our fun by getting the kids ice cream from Tino's, a popular local burger drive-through that looked like a little brick castle.

On Monday, we hit the road after breakfast. We stopped briefly in Swift Current to visit Auntie Sharon who just moved there a couple days earlier for perhaps her last 2-year term as a minister in one of their United churches. Then it was home to see if we had escaped hail damage from a wicked storm the night before. (We had, surprisingly.)

It was nice to come home.

Success!

I've been validated in my efforts to wean our family (but mostly Lily) off of processed foods. Yesterday at lunch it was official - Lily declared that she likes mom's mac 'n' cheese (whole wheat macaroni, old cheddar and bit of butter) more than Kraft Dinner.

No really. This kid - who could eat KD morning, noon and night for weeks unend - said that OUT LOUD.

I am so proud.

Lacking/Gaining

Obviously I had too much free time before because since the day I went back to work, April 25, I have had little to no time to write about my big beautiful kids. And oh, how they can change even in a month. Lily's reading and walking to school by herself. Finn is a full-blown toddler, always on the go.

Work hasn't been the easiest. I'm constantly torn about not accomplishing enough when I am there. The days I am home go by so fast, it doesn't even feel like I've missed a day of work in between. But the feeling that I can only be really good at one thing isn't as true as I thought it was in my first couple weeks back. I still believe I can only really excel as a mother or a graphic designer and that splitting my time between the two (and still neglecting Chris) makes me mediocre at both, but it's better for right now. And even though right now is all I care about, I know it won't last. (Some day our kids won't want to hang out with us and we will have time to clean the house or watch a movie.)

So until I can compose some real stories about Finn and Lily, check out our Flickr pictures which are quicker and easier (and cuter) to post that actual words.

One year old!

Our sweet Finnamon bun! Today you turned one year old. It has totally flown by. (Seriously. When I went back to work today, it felt like I'd maybe been gone a month.) But here you are, already a bright and charming little man that is an absolute pleasure to have in our lives.

Finn's first birthday! from Hood/Anderson on Vimeo.

We had a little party for you yesterday. We opened presents, played outside, had Easter supper, then birthday cake after. You got some puzzles from the Hurlburts, clothes and a big yellow loader from Nana, and we got you a water and sand farm table. (You ate the sand.) The cake part was a huge success. It's obvious from the pictures that you thought having this icing and sprinkle-laden cake with a little flame atop was pretty awesome. And then you devoured almost your whole carrot and raisin cupcake. I still can't believe you wore that hat for the entire time we took pictures...

At one year, you understand so much. When asked if you had a poopy bum and needed a diaper change, you crawled over to the diaper basket, got the wipes and a diaper. But when asked the next day if I could change you, you just shook your head, no. That happens a lot when we ask you stuff these days. You know what you don't want. Things you do want are grunted for.

You babble in sentences which is so sweet. Sometimes it comes out like sounding like real words...which I suppose is the point. You really only say Dada, rarely Mama anymore unless you really want me. You learned to climb out of bed. (We'll have to remember to shut the gate at the top of the stairs...) And of course, you walk. Some days more than others. It's still much quicker for you to power crawl. It's your power crawl, the way your hands slap the hardwood stairs, that alert me to you trying to escape. Always trying to escape. That or climbing into something. Yesterday it was the turkey roaster. Every other day, we find you in the warming drawer of the stove. It's your favourite place to be in the kitchen.

 

It's always something. Like climbing up onto the stool to see if there's water in the sink to splash around. (We have to get better at remembering to close the bathroom door.)

You still eat lots and lots. Blueberries are the best thing ever lately, though they really stain your hands for at least a day or more. Pancakes with blueberries are just as good and disappear from your high chair tray two or three pieces at a time, as do quesadillas. We lost your fork so we've been trying to make due with spoons. It's hard to eat anything except thick, mushy stuff like potatoes or sweet potatoes with a spoon. Sometimes porridge that's been sitting out a while. Not that you mind, but you like being able to bit things with all those teeth. You are currently working on tooth number 8, which made for a miserable sleep last night. Number 7 came in a couple weeks ago.

Here you are eating a whole tomato that I was going to cut up for lunch. It just looked so good, you had to have it.

You love it outside and try and open the back door by yourself. Once out, you crawl all over the patio from the shopping cart to the wagon to the toybox. You find the way the wind blows the balls around very, very fascinating. You like the trampoline, especially when Lily bounces you. (I like it because it's like one big play pen.) We finally put the baby swing up yesterday and you quite enjoyed it, mostly when I tickled you every time you swung forward. We go for walks, whether you are in the wrap, the stroller or the wagon with Lily, it's all good. A snack of cheddar bunnies and raisins makes for an especially nice ride.

I look forward to the summer with you guys and of course, to another wonderful year of changing and growing. Happy birthday, sweet pea!

Happy Easter!

Big day. The Easter Bunny came last night! Lily got lots of hidden eggs and a little gift this morning, probably because she was so nice to make him cupcakes and leave him a carrot and a card.

Lily set this all up at the front door. I didn't even see it until after she went to bed.

In the afternoon, Nana came over with more Easter loot for the kids. Lily was more than excited with her gifts...

Some new sidewalk chalk also proved to be very popular.

Aside from having a huge Easter supper, we also had a little birthday party for a special someone who is turning one tomorrow... But I'll wait to share that until then. I should really find some clothes to wear to work tomorrow.

Our girl - What five and a half looks like

I feel I've been neglecting you – or at least neglecting writing about you. With Finn turning into a toddler at the speed of light, your changes are more subtle.

Sometimes when we are with other five year olds, I see how mature you are – or how young. I find myself saying to both myself and your dad, "She's only five." Other times we say, "You're five now. You need to be able to do this."

Speaking of things you need to be able to do, you've just completed your first Lily of the Valley sticker chart. (You named it that.) A month's worth of daily tasks that each receive one check mark for each accomplished item and a sticker when you get all your daily check marks. It took four months to get all the stickers. There were five things to do each day: brush teeth/hair, put away dishes, eat a vegetable, hang up coat/bookbag, and clean up your messes. For your reward, you chose to go to Plum Garden for the Chinese buffet. For the next sticker chart, we've upped the ante. Not only are there now ten things to accomplish each day, the reward will be Go Go My Walking Pup. (A useless toy by my standard, but the pinnacle of rewards for you.) The hardest point this time around? Eating five fruits and vegetables every day. Thank goodness we give you chances to earn stickers you've missed...

School. You love it so much. You were layed out sick on the couch all weekend, but when I said I'd probably have to keep you home from school on Monday, you immediately showed that you indeed could walk (instead of being carried) and wouldn't need to miss school "because there's gym on Monday."


A couple weeks ago, you got your second report card which was followed by the student-led conference at school. You were unusually nervous about bringing Mom and Dad to school and showing us what you do every day. It was a little rocky at first, but twenty minutes and a couple of stations in, you were feeling more comfortable. You showed us your portfolio, sang us songs from your song book, did the calendar and the weather, took us on a tour of the art you had hanging throughout the classroom, showed us your math skills and finally we settled at your favourite station for playtime - the art centre. You and Dad drew pictures for each other before our hour was up. We know how bright you are, how easily many things come for you. The fact that it was all "en français" made it that much more impressive.

Your French is very impressive indeed. You speak it every day. You point things out in French; at the library the other day you said "look (at the book covers) – les arbres, les fleurs." You even scold your brother in French."C'est ne pas!" And you always ask, "Do you know how to say ______ in French?" Then you immediately tell us. For right now, your Dad and I know the answer. Soon we probably won't...

The fact you can read as much as you can is so impressive. We were on our way to the Bulk Barn one evening to get our dose of oats, flour, raisins, etc. and you smelled something out the window. You said, "It must be from that pizza place. I can tell it says that because of all the zeds at the end." Then there's the grocery list. The other morning you asked, "Why did you do this (put it in a starburst) to the dill?" When asked how the heck you knew what it said, you told me that that's just the sound the letters made. Nice. (Oh, and I put the dill in a starburst as it's been on every grocery list for the last three times and Chris has missed it everytime. And every graphic designer knows that when someone wants something to really get noticed, they ask for a starburst. And it breaks our designer hearts...) You love spelling and constantly spell words for us or ask how to spell things so you can write us notes.

Those notes. They are all over the house. You produce upwards of twenty a day and for the most part, they are all the same right now. To Mom (or Dad or Finn). I *heart* U. From Lily. Something you get fancy and put them in envelopes, always with our name in big letters on the front and usually with an ink stamp in the top right corner. Your Dad insists on saving each and every one of them because they are so cute.

In other happenings, your tastes in clothing are changing. Fortunately we need to buy you new clothes anyway as you've grown two inches since November – three and a half inches since last May. Yikes. Anyway, you've recently picked up some swank gray cowboy boots for $6, plus a gray sundress and a black and white striped sundress. All the while, I am actually wearing less black... (for the first time since I've been buying my own clothes). You shun any pants that aren't leggings, preferably capri leggings despite there still being snow on the ground. You'll also wear the same clothes to school for three days in a row, especially since you got a few new and awesome t-shirts. I hear that's not taboo in France, wearing the same clothes, and your Dad and I do that all the time if we're not covered in snot or bananas... We really need to go to France. Really.

The biggest, most impressive thing about you these days? The fact that you are sleeping in your own room in your own bed until exactly 6 a.m. every day. We've tried moving you from our bed off and on for the past couple years, but you always found your way back. Guess you weren't entirely ready, but like everything else, you make it clear when you are.

Five and a half isn't lasting long. You've been making plans for your 6th birthday party for many months now. A planner! A girl after my own heart...

One week...

In one week, I will be going back to work from this mostly blissful maternity leave. I neither dread it nor look forward to it. It just is. Perhaps I would dread it more if I realized all the things we should do to be ready, but Chris will be home the first week so we'll probably learn a few things before we go "live."

We found a daycare that we are actually very excited about. We think it will be really good for the kids, especially Lily as her friend (and our neighbour) Carly and her little brother Jack go there. Lily will get to ride the bus with all of her classmates. Finn will get to explore a little more than just our house and play with some other kids.

As I settled on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule with work for the remainder of 2011, I will still get to be home on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and Saturdays and Sundays, of course). I will still get to take Lily to school, pick her up, make meals, lay down with Finn for naps. I will be home more days than I'll be at work and I'm really happy about that.

But I will miss doing all the things we've been doing those Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Some of the kids at school might miss me, too. They run over from wherever they are on the playground to tell me about some great toy they have, soccer game they played or to say hi to little Finn. (They always say "Hi Lily's Mom" to me, which I find so funny.) Last week, Jake from Lily's class even ran up and hugged me twice as I was leaving in the morning.

A little awkward as he's so short he was just hugging my upper leg, but sweet all the same...

He walks!

Finn learns to walk!!! from Hood/Anderson on Vimeo.


Finn officially walked for the first time this morning! He was playing at the top of the stairs with the baby gate, but it swung away and he found himself standing there with nothing to grab. So he took a step towards Lily who was right there, then three more right into her arms! Then he kissed her on the cheek!

We're soooooo proud!

Six second cousins and other family gatherings

We're very lucky that our cousins are having kids at the same time as us because our siblings sure aren't...won't be...some may not at all. When Kim called me up a couple Fridays ago and asked if we were around the following Monday and Tuesday, of course we were. (Ah, the joys of not being at work.) She had spring break from school and thought it'd be good to get away for a couple days, so she and her friend brought their kids to Regina for a little vacation.

We had supper at our house the first night. Invited Heather, Colin, Keira and Zander as Kim and Heather haven't seen each other in probably ten years. Having that many kids running around was both hilarious and crazy all at the same time. Oh, and adorable. Too adorable.

Anyway, the second day Kim and her crew came for lunch, Isabella and I picked Lily up from school and later on in the afternoon, we hit their hotel for waterslides and pizza (of which I have no photos of as my battery died at that exact moment). It was great fun, though Lily came close to drowning a couple times...

The following Saturday, Heather had us over for lunch and for a little visit with Warren and Jean who were in town for the weekend.

Then that afternoon, Auntie Norma and Nana came over to visit. She and Finn played garbage can, his fave activity these days.

Always fun when people come to visit!

The second missing tooth

It had been loose for almost as long as the first one has been missing.

First I noticed that it was really leaning toward the half adult tooth beside it when we were at the library this afternoon. Then it started bleeding when she bit down too hard at snack time. Then I was tickling her and she smashed her mouth into my knee. That made it bleed profusely. She was hoping it would hold out until her show and tell on Monday...

No such luck. One last wiggle and out it popped. She was so thrilled.

UPDATE: Lily couldn't bear to part with her tooth so she decided to leave a little note for the tooth fairy. Thankfully, the tooth fairy totally understood.

Six under 6 and three over 30

We just had a whirlwind couple of days with our dear Winnipeg cousins (and Heather's family from Regina) coming for a visit. Hopefully I'll get some pictures of the kids up over the next few days, but until then, here's what three cousins can produce in five short years:

Kim, Aiden, Lily, Isabella, Heather, Keira, Zander and Finn and I in the back.

Gotta love the chaos this many kids can make!

11 months old - Almost not a baby anymore...

 Oh my. Perhaps the best way to describe you the past month is busy, just plain busy. And sick. You haven't been 100% healthy for more than 24 hours in the past month, but all those fevers and the perpetually runny nose have barely slowed you down. (Thank god for Advil.) Because of the illnesses, though, you also have never cried so much in your life. You cried for over half an hour straight the other night; nothing would calm you until your daddy took you and walked you around before sleeping on the couch with you downstairs.

But like I said, you are busy. Right now you need to climb the stairs every five minutes to open and close the baby gate over and over. You even try and lift the handle to open it again. Your newest skill is going down the stairs on your bum and while you need to be held onto or you'll likely topple head first, you are very diligent at sitting for each stair. You can also climb up onto the bed using the rail. Big physical feats, but not much standing or walking alone more than a step yet.

You get into stuff. I tried to reply to an email my boss has sent me yesterday and two sentences in, I saw you'd taken the vaseline out of the diaper basket, popped off the lid and were squishing your hand into it. After I cleaned you up and went to finish replying, I heard the toilet flushing. Good times and very typical of what happens whenever I try to accomplish anything. Needless to say, there is little accomplishing.

You play with toys and many other things. All of our Fisher Price ones that went largely untouched in Lily's toddlerhood are very amusing to you. The house, the farm, the pirate ship, the school bus, the plane, all very popular. Right now you are playing with pots and wooden spoons. Then you go through an obstacle course of the counter stools. You keep yourself busy. Of course, when you have been feeling awful, you like mommy to hold you more than usual, but you are typically independent. Now you are throwing pennies around the front door from our pot o' money doorstop.

Aside from pushing the piano stool and every other stool or chair, you get around by walking against the walls. Very efficient and a little more stable. There are still a handful of slips and head bonks on the hardwood floor, but they are lessening...thankfully.

You laugh constantly. Mostly social laughing, but it goes to show your easy-going demeanor. You point and ask "Ga?" which means, "What's that?" Usually about lights and light switches. You love to push buttons on the phone, usually the one that hangs up. You get very agitated when the phone rings and no one answers it, so we just give you the phone. You've phoned more than a few people accidentally. You change the channel or crank up the volume on the t.v. since the remote is also a popular button-based device. It's so cute when you point it at the t.v. to see what will happen.

You have learned to show your distaste by throwing tantrums. You've probably only had one or two full-blown kicking and squealing fits, but that's enough. Yikes. And when Lily wants to carry you around and you won't have it, you reserve a special angry squeal to show her just how much you want to be put down. But ten minutes later, you'll reach out from your car seat to her when we're driving Nana to dialysis and Lily reaches back and you hold hands. Absolutely precious.

One more month of baby, then here we come toddler years!