Happiness to my ears

For the past few mornings, you've been telling me that you're tired, you want to go back to sleep. And hey, don't we wish we all could? Of course, as soon as we get up (and even in the moments before when we're get waking and easing toward the edge of the bed), you can sense the absence of Mommy's body and wake without fail. Of course, you sleep with some part of your usually naked body pressed up against my growing belly, which can't seem to stay covered anymore, so the sudden chill may be making the difference.

Anyway, your sudden urge to sleep in past 7 a.m. comes on the cusp of this baby popping out and me/us not sleeping again for a very long time - which you remind me of very often when you rehash your own babyhood based on my grueling accounts. "Da baby's gonna eat all night long and Mommy will be so tired because she won't sleep at night anymore." And you did eat a lot (as eventually evidenced by lots of juicy thigh rolls). That was the main part I wasn't prepared for when you were a baby. But as soon as I figured out that newborns can, in fact, move by way of wiggling to an exposed boob, I slept through most nights (except for a few side switches/turns) - even if you didn't.

So while I worry at times about the harsh reality of having a newborn, mostly I'm just very excited for you to meet your brother. Even moreso than meeting him myself. Our days are filled with talking about how things will be, the things we'll do, how you'll help me, how big he's getting every day, and how cute you think he's going to be. I've sewn you a sling to carry around your baby while I carry around ours in my new sling. You hung all of his new clothes in his closet. You want to take baths with him. And today while I was taking you to school, you told me that we can take turns carrying him. Your focus has really been on this baby coming, which thankfully plays up your existing obsession with babies. This morning you found this trailer on Front Row and were showing it to Nana. You were thoroughly enamored by everything the babies did, even if they were doing nothing. Your enthusiasm is truly contagious. Now let's have a nap.

Go, go, go!

Since getting back to work and school last week, we've been talking on the phone a lot. It's tough going from spending all day, every day, together to only seeing each other after work until bedtime – even though I have been going to bed with you most nights...

Anyway, every time I call, you usually answer and never want to let me go even after our conversation has totally been spent. You stall by saying, "Maaaaa-uum? I love you. All the way to the sky and around the sky." When I ask to talk to Nana, you say no. So I ask, "what's Nana doing?" Yesterday, without hesitation, you said, "Gam-ba-ling."

Ha! And huh? I didn't know you knew that Nana's scratch-n-wins constituted gambling. Regardless, it was hilarious – and true.

In older news, Christmas was good. Rather, being home over Christmas and New Year's was good. Dad only had to work one day and it wasn't even a full day. That was nice. Even nicer was that Grandma and Grandpa came for the weekend before Christmas and Uncle Nigel flew down on Dec. 19 - and everyone was bearing presents. You opened a good handful the week leading up to the 25th and whatever, it was better than having all of them get lost in the shuffle. It did give you a pretty greedy attitude overall and we're working (and fighting) to correct that. But this year, this Christmas, for the first time you weren't completely disappointed with everything you received - gracious even. It helped that most of your loot was "pretty stuff" which was as descriptive as it got when you asked for anything. Here's that time in pictures.

This last one is from New Year's Day. Nana had us and Margaret over for a really yummy supper.

More recently, you've started swimming lessons and an obsession with swimming. There could be worse hobbies. In the last seven days, you've gone from barely wanting to get your face wet to completely submerging yourself and swimming under water with your eyes open. You even practiced in the tub last night to prepare for this morning. Quite impressive. We were set to go skating this afternoon (with your fancy new princess skates and snow helmet) but you fell asleep on the way home after lunch so you are crashed out on the couch right now. Nice to have some physical activities - it's been so cold then totally contrasted by single digit temps this past week.


Which takes us inside. Your days are filled with dressing up and making yourself up, sometimes with Brynn who you usually have playdates with every Tuesday and Thursday after preschool. It's nice to have such a good friend. The dresses were mostly from Christmas, but you also got a box of Disney princess dresses shortly after Christmas with all the points you and Nana had earned from Chuck E. Cheeses - all 4,500 points. Nice...

I made the mermaid tail yesterday as the Ariel costume only came with a skirt. The nerve...

And that's about it. Which is enough on top of work and school. Your baby brother is growing. We can see him kick and squirm quite a bit now. Every morning you whip up my shirt to see if he's grown, to whisper to him, tell him how cute he's going to be and all the things you want to teach him. This morning you were pushing nice and hard under my belly button when he returned the push and kicked you, in his normal Thumper way, square in your little hand. The look on your face was priceless. Wow, you said, he's strong. Only 14 weeks to go...I hope. My ribs are taking a beating.

Too funny

Happy New Year!!!

Your dad thought it would be funny to put together a little video to surprise Nana with when she got back from picking up Margaret for our New Year's Day supper yesterday. Nana really liked it and Margaret thought it was real, like we were really dancing. She wondered where we shot it – but she'll be eighty this year so we understand... Enjoy!

What else we've been up to

On Nov. 28, we departed for Cancun via Toronto on a 6:30 a.m. flight. We told you we'd have to get up in the middle of the night so we wouldn't miss our ride. Upon hearing this, you decided it would almost be best to just stay up all night... Thankfully, you fell asleep well and stayed awake the entire way there which was a little exhausting for all of us.


Upon landing in Cancun, you saw palm trees out the window which delighted you beyond belief. We took a taxi from Cancun to about an hour and a bit south to our resort at Tulum. Check out the photo gallery - great photos! This is where we spent the majority of our time because - oh my - there was a pool! And the ocean! And Explorer's Club! And a kid's buffet table at the restaurant we mostly frequented! One day we went to Playa del Carmen to Grandma and Grandpa's place, but for the most part, we took it easy.


Uncle Ryan and Auntie Leslie got married on Dec. 4 in the blazing heat, right on the beach. My legs were swelling and you were tired, so it wasn't as perfect for us, but it was really, really lovely.


Since our return from hot, hot, hot Tulum, it's been cold, cold, cold. Like -45* with windchill cold. And it's been relatively busy compared to how we run the rest of our lives. First thing back on Monday morning, your dad and I had dentist appointments and you were off to Amy's. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I had work lunches, it was your special day at school on Thursday so I took the afternoon off and went with you. On Saturday, we went to Peter Pan at the Globe Theatre. As people who don't frequent the theatre, this was a wonderful introduction. You were totally gaga for Captain Hook; I can't say I blame you either as he was perfect. On Sunday, we went to the SGI kid's xmas party where you didn't fail to disappoint us by being overly disappointed by the gift Santa gave you. I swear you'll never be satisfied... On Monday evening, we went to your Winter Festival (aka Christmas concert) where you performed beautifully and ended the evening with a complete meltdown - as per usual anytime we keep you out past 8 p.m. On Tuesday morning, you had a dentist appointment - with NO cavities - so we were happy. Friday is your field trip to the Science Centre, followed by a visit (with presents) from Grandma and Grandpa for
the weekend. Oh, and Uncle Nigel gets home on Saturday and you're already scheming what you'll do with him.


Busy, busy. Hopefully it'll calm down between xmas and new year's...though it doesn't much matter as at least I'll be home for that week. Lots of days in our pajamas, I imagine. Can't wait!

A bit about him

According to this morning's ultrasound, your baby brother currently weighs 14 oz. with a heartbeat of 141 beats/minute. No pictures, though. He was head down facing my spine, his face nestled in this little, unattainable pocket the entire time - no matter how much the technician poked him. We did see his nose and mouth for a split second and it reminded us of you. I think you'll both have your daddy's nose.

Someone is going to get a baby brother...

Yup, it's you! And when I told you this morning, you were surprisingly excited despite only ever wanting a sister. And you want to name him Peter Pan. Or Eeek. Maybe Gus. This is going to be interesting...

Ultrasound next Monday, so pictures to come!

Surprises and reminders

Thank god we have you to keep us in line. While sitting around the other evening, we were talking about what we need to do for your field trip to the library today. I said, "You'll need to wear your tie-dye shirt. You'll need your snack. How about almonds?" To which you loudly reminded me, "NO NUTS!" I am so not very good at this nut-free school thing yet...but I strive to improve - with constant reminders, of course.

So, you had a great time at the library, mainly because of the awesome puppet show. Then Nana took you to the Hotel Saskatchewan after for her friend Tom's 90th birthday party. They had their annual display of gingerbread houses, fancy salmon sandwiches, strawberries dipped in chocolate and a nice, big glass of chocolate milk for you. It was a good day to say the least. And to think you'd begun the whole day planning a surprise...

I didn't think anything of it when you and Nana were practicing writing "Mom" and "Dad" all week, but when we came home from work yesterday, you promptly handed me this:

Click on the photo to see it larger.

Too sweet. Thanks.

Happy Halloween!

It was chilly but without snow, despite you believing that as a snow princess you could make the white, fluffy stuff appear. But your costume was a hit with all who saw you. And we had three pumpkins: a Tinkerbell, an evil one and Jack Skellington. And then there's all that chocolate, chips and candy. My tummy already hurts from all the loot you've eaten since we got home...

Halloween preview of a snow princess

From yesterday's Halloween party at school. Too cute!

Spots!

We were stripping you down to put on your pajamas last Wednesday night when we saw something quite curious on your torso. While there weren't many, maybe a dozen, it looked like it could be only one thing - chicken pox! In an age where all kids are immunized against the spots, we were quite surprised so we kept you home from school on Thursday and took you to the doctor. One look at the then quadrupled spots, he said, "Yes, those are chicken pox." And that was that. Keep you home until they all scabbed over.

"Nana, I have chicken spots," you told her when we got home.

But you weren't even that uncomfortable and your energy was boundless, jumping and posing incessantly in your Halloween costume. By Tuesday, they'd all but disappeared as quickly as they arrived so you were back at Amy's yesterday. And school today, just in time for orange day and to pick up your school pictures!

Awww, your first school picture. Too cute.

Thanks, etc.

Thanks, etc. from Really Silly Lily and her mama on Vimeo.

Hopefully it wasn't the last nice weekend

Last Saturday, you, me, Dad and Nana went to Pumpkin Hollow to go through the corn maze and get some pumpkins. It was a beautiful Saturday morning in the more than beautiful Lumsden valley. We took a tractor ride out to the maze, you answered all the questions right to get us out of the maze, you went on a tractor/barrel ride, played in the corn box (alternative to sand), rode the horse swings, went on a pony ride and ended it all jumping into a big pile of hay. All in all, it was an awesome way to spend a couple hours. And thank god we did it then because it's been cold and rainy ever since!

Weasels

Nana gave us a call as we were driving home for lunch, saying she couldn't get you to leave the park outside of the Science Centre. I said fine, we'll see you at home. But because we were pretty close, we decided to stop there and perhaps light a little fire under your butt.

When we arrived, Nana was standing there waiting for you to put your sandals back on. (Not that they should have been off...) I had Dad stop the van in the middle of the parking lot, I jumped out and ran towards you yelling, "There's a cute little girl I'm going to steal!" And you were so excited when I scooped you up and ran you to the van. We quickly buckled up and were off to beat Nana home. Worked like a charm.

On the way home, you wanted to tell us everything you did and saw. At first, you said there were real animals there. When I asked what, you said bunnies and that you got to hold one. I asked where it was because I'm pretty sure the Science Centre doesn't have bunnies, let alone ones they let people hold. You said it was outside and that it was green. Then you said it was green because it was on the grass...you know, like it would be black if it was on dirt. Apparently you'd mixed up a chameleon and the fact that bunnies are white in the winter like snow and brown like dirt in the summer - and lied about it. (We'll set you straight - tomorrow.)

Then you were telling me about the other animals. Dad asked if they were the ferrets because he frequents the Science Centre with you all the time and has a pretty good idea of what you're talking about. When you confirmed, Dad said they were kinda like weasels. Oh, you say. Like the ones on the bus song.

Huh?

You know, the weasels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...

First day of school

Oh my. It's finally here. I only just dropped you off less than an hour ago, but now you're in school. Of course, you didn't want me to stay, especially since your friend Brynn was there. You were so excited. Your teacher's name is Tammy. You have Rice Krispie cake packed for your snack and water for your drink. You bravely left Baby in the van. At first you wanted me to wait in the van until school was over, but at the last minute you decided that I could go home.

I can't wait to ask you how school was today...

The fourth birthday party

After a wicked storm on Friday night, we weren't sure we would get to have the outdoor party we envisioned. It was gray, cool and drizzly most of the day.

By 2 p.m. it had stopped raining for the most part so we prepared the tables, cleaned the chairs, moved the gazebo onto the patio with the other table and umbrella at the end of it, and put up balloons and a banner. When everyone started arriving at 4 p.m., it was still dark and misty, but I kept holding out, moving everyone under the gazebo as much as possible. By the time present-opening rolled around at 5 p.m., so did the sun and it was amazing.

You opened presents, we ate supper and then cake, you played exhaustively with Brynn and Creeson, we made a fire, you fell asleep – all outside. It was practically perfect, as seen here in pictures: