P's in a Pod

A head full of ideas

2012-01-17T21:01:00.000-08:00

Brea is turning into quite the sassy little lady. The other day when Craig wanted to ask her about her frequent wake-ups the previous night, she responded by walking away while saying:
"Daddy, I don't want to talk about that right now."
What are we going to do when she reaches her teen years?

We have noticed that she says the funniest things, mostly we wonder where she gets it from since we don't often use the sayings she comes up with. Lately, whenever something goes wrong, she's been exclaiming:
"Oh nuts! Not again!"

Tonight as soon as I stepped through the door, it started.
Brea had a head full of thoughts and it was all coming out of her mouth non-stop. She had comments about the snow, comments about her books, how I had to be quiet because Rhys was sleeping, she wanted to know what was in the shopping bags.

Then Craig stepped in and mentioned he could take Brea to a game with him tonight.
"Is there a bench Daddy?"
"Can I sit on the bench? Not the big bench, just a little one for me."

I said I could pack a snack to go with her so she would stay put on the bleachers.
"In my new lunch box Mommy?"
"Then I will sit and not move but after I eat my snack I can play and I will run, run run!"

I handed her the lunch box as Craig helped her with her coat.
"Oh MY! It's SO heavy!" (complete with the emphasis)

They came home early because the game was forfeited. I asked what happened.
"We had to come home, the game wasn't there!"
"Daddy asked his friend but there was no game so Daddy asked another friend."
"We went to another school, not Daddy's school, another one."

Then she said she was hungry... this was within an hour of eating dinner.
She proceeded to eat 4 cookies, two sunflower butter sandwiches, a glass of soy milk.

Finally, after a bath it was time for bed.
She wanted "Puff the Magic Dragon" for her song. I started to sing.
"You can sing without the book." - we have the song in picture book form
"Do you use your brain? I need a book to sing songs, when I am this big (indicating four fingers) I will sing with my brain too but not yet."
"Where did Jackie go? Does Puff have a new girlfriend?" - at the end of the picture book, a grown-up Jackie returns with his daughter
"Is that like me? I am Daddy's daughter."
"Where's the mommy? Is Jack the daddy? Does he have a son? Did they have a baby and a daughter and a son? Is the mommy in another book?"
It was a REALLY long version of the song.

Meanwhile for those of you who are wondering...
Rhys was along for all of this just without all the words.
He had dinner and a snuggle with me. When Brea came home he ate 3 cookies and a quarter of a sandwich, he had milk. He splashed in the bath and attempted to drink the water numerous times. He hugged Brea while she had her hair blow-dried. Brea went to get a clip for her hair afterwards, he returned with two bow in his hair as well which he kept patting to make sure they were staying put.
I was holding him and dancing while I tried to sing "Puff" for Brea. And now while his sister is sleeping, he's playing with Daddy's iphone. He had a late nap but it's off to bed for him too.

Now you see why it takes so long sometimes for me to get a blog up :o)

Through Brea's eyes

2012-01-15T08:52:00.000-08:00

Brea got a camera from Santa for Christmas, here are some of her shots:

December colours

2012-01-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

A friend inspired me.

Ending off 2011

2012-01-14T20:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a whirlwind going from 2011 to 2012. We had plenty of guests and celebrations over the holidays and then we rushed back into work. It was so wonderful to have those special moments but I have to admit having a few more days post-celebration to actually relax without being on the go of organizing the next event would have been great.

Nana, Grumpa, Po-Po, the Kau-Kaus, Grauntie G and Gruncle Jim were here for a veritable Christmas feast and much spoiling of the kids (and us). I think Brea and Rhys were a tad overwhelmed by it all but the morning was nice as the kids are still a bit too young to really understand Christmas so we had a nice little lay-in before presents.

We had fresh blueberry muffins as is our family tradition and dressed in our house-coats we opened our stockings and presents. Brea was really excited with her present from Santa - a camera of her very own. She is still learning about aiming before pushing clicking the shutter but overall she has had some good success. I will be putting up a post of her work. The rest of the day was then spent roasting turkeys, baking a ham and making various other scrumptious goodies.

There were some very cute and special moments during the holidays. I especially loved Brea helping Grumpa pick bread. Grumpa spent quite some time getting the bread for the dressing ready and Brea and Rhys were so happy to help. Rhys spent most of his time eating the bread bits but Brea really got into it. She had a wonderful conversation with Grumpa about how they were picking bread for the stuffing and how it was full of love and magic, just like "fairy dust". Brea must have sat next to her Grumpa for nearly an hour working with him.

I had my camera ready but only snapped a few shots before being pulled away so here are a few of our December moments:

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a wonderful and joyful holidays and looking forward to all new adventures in 2012!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

2011-12-10T17:10:00.001-08:00

We made it out for photos with the jolly man in red. It was a long wait but well worth it when I saw Brea and Rhys rush up to his chair. Brea was all ready with her practiced talk of questions and answers for Santa and Rhys was so excited to be there.

The kids have been really loving December with all the bright lights to look at on our drives and putting up the decorations on the tree in our home. We are lucky to have a couple of really special houses in our neighbourhood who go out of their way each year to make fantastic displays. One collects for the food bank each year and we are always sure to make a visit early on to make a donation and take in the show. Brea calls it the "Crazy Christmas House" because it is so beyond belief.

Brea has been non-stop with her conversations these days while Rhys has added "bird" to his repertoire of two words. Last night while we were driving home from watching Daddy's basketball game - he won the tournament! Brea was exclaiming from the backseat - "goodness", "holy gracious", "that's so amazing"! as we passed by lit houses. We also drove past an auto shop. Here are some snippets of conversation on the 10 minute drive home.

"Where is Daddy going?"
"He's just going out to the bar to celebrate his win. He'll be back soon."
"Why is he going to the bar?"
"Because he's happy his boys won, he's going with his friends."
"I'm happy too, can I go to the bar with Daddy?"
"No honey, you're too little still, when you're older."
"When I'm this old?" (Showing me fingers that I couldn't see.)
"Mommy can't see your hand, can you tell me how many fingers you are holding up?"
"One, two, three, four, five!"
"No, honey, when you're really old like 19."
"Oh... then I can go with Daddy and his friends?"
"Sure."

"Why is the car not running?"
"What are you talking about Brea?"
"That car is not running, is it sick?"
Me realizing, she saw a car in the auto shop we had just past by. "Yes, it's getting fixed."
"Is he waiting for the car doctor?"
"Sure Brea."

Splish Splash!

2011-11-16T22:18:00.001-08:00

Brea's well on her way to her next level of swimming. She was very successful with her first foray into the wet all by herself. After doing the parent and tot classes we felt she was ready to take things on her own and it has been so fun to watch her splash about each week. She was quite excited to have a male teacher unlike one of her classmates which is why she seems to be alone in her class. These pictures were taken on her first day when the other little girl refused to get into the water with a "boy" teacher. She has been great at listening to instruction and not afraid at all of plunging down into the water to retrieve rings.

Rhys is really taken with the pool as well. After watching her sister in her class he was very vocal about wanting a try so we put him in the following week and he had a ball.

Where's the dinner bell?

2011-11-11T15:41:00.001-08:00

Rhys is still at one solid word: Mama! He understands so much but just doesn't seem to want to speak. He grunts, laughs, and points, he'll ooo and aahh, and he'll shriek if his sister is unkind or takes something away from him. He can definitely make himself understood in many non-verbal ways but no words. So one night this past week when I was getting dinner on the table, I turned to Rhys who was shadowing me in the kitchen and said, "Rhys, go tell Daddy and Brea it's dinner time." I was just teasing him and didn't think he would do much but my little man looked up at me and toddled over to the top of the stairs. He took a deep breath and started calling, "EEEEEEEE! EEEEEEE!". He was trying so hard and it was the cutest thing ever.

Oh October!

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

October has flown by so quickly! We did manage to cram many activities in though I have not been sharing what we have been up to. So here's the nitty gritty of the last month.

The Ghost Train:
We made our way to the "Circus of Disaster" so that the kiddies could ride the train amidst ghouls and clowns. It was quite busy but I think the kids enjoyed it. I didn't scream like last year when one of the actors crept up behind me but there were defnitely some creepy moments.

The Pumpkin Patch:
October would not have been complete without a trip out to the pumpkin patch to select our pumpkins and for some barnyard fun. The kids had such a great time, they loved the wooden cut-outs as you can see by the myriad of pictures. In the end we made our choice and brought the gourds home for some carving time with me and some knives.

Nothing like a boy and his tractor.

What's that chicken doing?

Picking a good one.

This year's line-up.

C'est l'Halloween!:
Then finally the big day! It was actually quite quiet in our neighbourhood this year so despite just visiting a few houses, Brea made out with a monstrous load of candy - not that she needs it. People were grabbing handfuls for the kids because they weren't sure there would be any more coming. Brea was very excited with her glow stick and Rhys was just happy to have something to poke and hit with. Both kids decided to eschew the traditional "Trick or Treat!". I kept trying to prompt Brea but as soon as the door opened she'd say "Happy Hallowe'en!" with a huge smile and Rhys would try to run in the door - he especially LOVED all the dogs in our neighbourhood and wasn't scared one bit as he petted them and let them sniff his hand. Brea would then be really helpful and tell the house owner that he is a baby puppy and that his name is "Spot".

Woof! Wassup?

A cupcake and a puppy.

It finally happened...

2011-10-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

So I was out at the mall with my Mom and the kids. We were eating in the food court. Brea was snarfing her "saucy rice and prawns" (that's what she calls curry). The dish came with a side of potatoes which she also loves. She ate her portion, looked and saw that there was no more and was very disappointed. I noticed that Rhys had barely touched his, so I turned to her and said, "it's okay Sweetie, you can have Rhys's pieces..."

Wordless Wednesday: Tickling the Ivory

2011-10-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, let me warm up my singing face...

La, la, la...

Maestro Rhys

Thanksgiving

2011-10-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

A Thanksgiving moment I just had to share.

Brea has been helping us cook our Thanksgiving feast. All day long, she's been pulling things out of the pantry, the fridge, helping mix the marinade for the turkey, painting the marinade on the turkey and just watching all the ingredients come together. This is the first time I've made a turkey for this occasion, we have always had family over or been to family who are turkey makers but this year we are somewhat on our own. Craig is still making a ham, albeit a much smaller one, in case turkey doesn't work out.

So, Brea had helped with the turkey and was off playing when Craig called her in to help glaze the ham. She climbed up onto her helper chair, took one look at the ham in the roaster and exclaimed in a concerned little voice:

"The chicken turned red! Where are the wings?!"

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you are celebrating with your loved ones.

Wordless Wednesday: Sunflowers in the Rain

2011-10-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

Brother and sister

2011-10-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

The more I watch my children, the more I am so happy that they have each other. Brea is a wonderful big sister and Rhys is a great little brother. There is nothing I love more than to see them at play.

Lately, I have noticed more and more how caring they are towards each other. They have their fights and tiffs over toys etc. but on the whole, they do a lot of sharing when they are together.

Often, Brea will carry out a book for each of them and they'll sit side by side "reading", Rhys usually with his book upside-down. And whenever Brea asks for a snack, she'll always make sure that Rhys has some too - sometimes, Rhys will ask for food that he can't reach and Brea will vocalize his wants to us for him. I can always hear a one way commentary from Brea - "Rhys come here...", "Rhys, one step at a time", "No, Rhys, jump... like this!", "Here Rhys, this one is for you".

Rhys loves his sister to, when he recently received some new cars from Po-Po, he was overjoyed (I'd never seen such a big smile), after a moment, he looked over to see Brea watching him play and handed one over for her to see. Rhys is also big on hugs and his big sister is one of his favourite people to wrap his arms around.

How cute he is...

2011-10-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

We went out for sushi tonight with Po-Po and Kau-Kau. Brea has really been loving her new-found "C.G.A. Rolls" - cucumber, ginger, and avocado - at our local sushi dig. The sweetest part of the evening had to be when Craig reached for his udon noodles (after pulling out most of the noodles for the kiddies) and Rhys noticed it had steam coming off of it. He has been perfecting his blowing technique to cool down food so he immediately pursed his lips from his seat at the end of the table to help Daddy blow on his soup, a mighty feat from two seats away but oh so cute! I just love to share these special moments of having such a wonderful little boy.

Some of my other favourite little boy moments of late...
Rhys reading materials under the door when he sees that someone is in the washroom.
Rhys climbing ONTO the train table to fetch a toy you've asked for when he can easily walk around.
Rhys parading around with his favourite find in the laundry basket when I'm trying to fold - underwear.

Wordless Wednesday: On the side of the road

2011-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Wheeler, OR

Volunteer Fire Dept. No. 14

Venture forth on the Oregon Trail

2011-09-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

We managed a quick getaway at the end of summer that I never got a chance to write about. It was nice to be able to coincide a getaway to Oregon with a visit with Nana and Grumpa. We headed off to Rockaway Beach to camp out at the trailer park with them. It was our first road trip with Rhys since he's become more mobile so we weren't sure how he would take it. Lucky for us, the kids were amazing! We had a wonderful time seeing family and making new friends. The highlight of the trip was Brea's birthday present from Nana and Grumpa, a train ride on a real steam engine! Brea was feeling a little under the weather (we think she was a bit tired and in need of a nap) but Rhys LOVED it beyond belief. My favourite part of the ride was when a familiar figure in red stood on the side of the highway to wave at us... our Grumpa had the whole train waving back at him. We had a chance to camp in a tent, play at the beach, visit cheese factories, and shop. Unfortunately, we had a minor set-back on the way to visit our family in Penticton where we stopped in Wenatchee, WA at the Super 8 Motel and encountered bedbugs - yikes! But after a stop back at home via a crazy night of driving and 6 hours of cleaning, laundry and steaming, we managed to reach our family for a visit and cheered on our friends who were competing in the Iron Man competition there. All in all, it was certainly an adventure before heading back to work.

Our little man ready for a train ride.

All aboard!

I managed to coax a smile!

Munching on snacks before we got underway.

It was a tad drizzly to start.

What is that, Mommy?

The sun comes out!

Strutting his stuff in Garibaldi, OR.

Loved the way this shot turned out!

All I wanted was a picture of the locomotive - see the red speck on the right-hand side? Brea had to run the length of the train to scream "no picture, don't take a picture of me!".

Some steam action!

We met some friends of Nana and Grumpa's who shared a birthday with Brea!

Riding in the Cheese-Mobile!

Brea's 3rd Birthday!

2011-09-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

We have been rolling through summer and the end of summer highlight as always is Brea's birthday. At the end of August, our little girl turned 3! We had some rumble tumble fun at the rec. centre with friends. The kids had a great time running, jumping and being kids. I had my camera but it was difficult to take pictures while getting things organized and keeping tab of everything. I will be getting some pictures from some of the photographer parents but here are some general pictures of the party:

There was some time for creative play.

Rhys revving up the rocking horse.

Malaya following some dance steps.

Mahal enjoying some free time.

Lovely Mommy Reg and K.

The peanut gallery.

Going for a ride with an older little Lady.

Going for another ride with another older little Lady... hmmm...

Which is Rhys's favourite?

The Bouncing Birthday Brea.

A leaning tower.

The Three Musketeers.

And of course, some cake!

Summer Daze

2011-08-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

The time has so quickly flown by! I think I blinked and half of summer disappeared. We've been keeping busy with visits to the water park, seeing friends and family and pretty much just enjoying time together. I haven't been carrying my camera as much with me - well, actually I have but it is hard to take pictures when Brea runs one way and Rhys runs the other. So here are few pictorial memories of the last month and a bit...

We partied it up at Malaya's 3rd Birthday party. It was great fun despite the torrential downpour when we initially arrived at the park. The miniature train ride was amazing!

Watching the trains chug by.

Livie hanging out on Mama Reg

The birthday girl with her daddy!

Mikaela and her daddy.

Miss K waiting to board the choo choo!

All aboard! Rhys was a bit tired by this point - he tried to nap on the ride.

Attempting to light the birthday cupcakes.

Having a taste of sugary icing...

Brea and Rhys are also enjoying just being at home. Their play times are getting much better.

He so loves being just like his big sister!

We have a local arts festival annually in a park near us and I so wanted to take a look at it this year. Brea and I made it out to take a gander. It was a lovely little walk through the forest to get to where the artists and musicians gather, unfortunately, my directions were a bit off when we started off so the walk took a little longer than I had anticipated. I ended up walking with a tired Brea who kept wailing "I can't do it! My legs are SO tired!" - it made it extra nice for the other nature walkers out there. When we arrived, there was a magician at the entrance to the park and he regaled us with tricks and made Brea a super wonderful purple and red butterfly balloon, she was much cheered up after that. Tim Horton's was there too handing out free packages of timbits (she was even happier after that). There was so much to see and do - we meandered through the lodge and looked at paintings, sculptures, photos, jewelery and sat outside to eat our lunch and listen to music. Brea even had the chance to create her own memory box at the children's craft table. It was really fun and I look forward to going again next year.

The view along the trail.

First Haircut

2011-08-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

July 26, 2011... Rhys gets his first haircut courtesy of Daddy. I think he took it quite well :o) Everyone agrees, he most definitely looks like a little boy now.

The "before" shot.

#8 clipper hard at work.

Our little monkey showing off his new "do".

What are you looking at?!

Off to cause mischief and mayhem...

More shots of Daddy's handy work on our handsome fellow.

Playing with food

2011-08-07T23:25:00.001-07:00

These were some pictures I snapped mid-July. When Rhys eats, he really gets down to it. He will focus his energy on getting the food into his stomach quickly and efficiently... but when he's done, he's done. And if you don't take the food he has left away from him... well let's just say, he likes to play...

"I'm having WAY too much fun!"

Wait... I think there's something near my eye...

So much better!

Wordless Wednesday - A Family Portrait

2011-07-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

The first week of vacation

2011-07-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

We've just finished our first week and a bit of vacation and it has been tremendous. I've really missed being away from the kids. I love the morning rituals, the breakfast together and just being able to watch them play without me worrying about getting work on time. We don't have any glamourous plans, especially with Craig teaching summer school, but we are hoping to schedule in a few nearby getaways here and there. I've gotten right back into the swing of things with a few playdates scheduled already and am looking into some classes/lessons for Brea to partake in over the next few months.

Our first surprise of the summer was a drop-in visit from Uncle Kent and Madison! The Penticton clan had recently made plans to have a new addition to their family and the lucky puppy was delivered via Vancouver so we had a lovely, albeit, short visit and got to meet Revy! He is the most adorable Goldendoodle in the world! Brea loved meeting him and was so curious with everything he did. Her big plan for the summer is to visit Penticton so that she might have a chance to go walking with Revy and hold his leash like her big cousin Madison. Rhys on the other hand wanted to see Revy and marveled at everything he did but once the puppy came remotely close, he'd clamber quickly to either Craig or myself, then glance shyly while hiding behind us. We would have loved to have seen our visitors for longer but totally understood them wanting to get home for the rest of the family to meet their new puppy.

A girl and her dog

The adorable Revy!

In search of Revy...

We have also made it out to a few of our local beaches over this past week to enjoy the marvelous weather. I think we'll be taking things easy this summer with plenty of time to get together with friends and family :o)

Wordless Wednesday - Chalk it up!

2011-06-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

An artiste in the making! (With a ~~lot of~~ little help from Mommy)

Wordless Wednesday - When we're not looking II...

2011-06-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

This is what Nana does to Rhys when we're not looking...

and he really was SO happy to dress-up with his big sister.

A handsome Snow White

The True Heart of Vancouver

2011-06-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

It has been two days since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup and though I was saddened by the Canuck's loss, I was rendered much worse by the events that followed it. The news has been bombarded by the "Stanley Cup Riots of 2011" and pictures and videos of destruction and violence has been everywhere in the media. The world has had their eyes and ears focused on us and the image that has been painted of Vancouver has been a bleak one.

I was embarrassed for the true Canucks fans, horrified for the innocent people caught in the fray, and I felt for all of the good samaritans and our police force who put themselves in harms way. I spoke to my students about these events and how it has made them feel and it is the same from all of them - the behaviour of a few ruined it for us all. My middle school students were disgusted by the rioters and asked me what would make people do things like this. I had no good answer.

However, from all of this mess, it has made my heart glad to see the numerous faces and kind words from the real Vancouverites, the people who love their city, who took a stand and helped to help clean up the destruction. The wall of condolences at the Bay downtown and the sticky notes on a police cruiser, these are the things that I will carry with me from the events of these past few days.

Wordless Wednesday - When we're not looking...

2011-06-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

When we're not looking, this is what she does to her brother...

The Big One!

2011-06-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

I feel terrible that it's been nearly two weeks since Rhys's first birthday and I still haven't gotten a post up about it. This is really the first day since I've been back to work that I've managed to get both kids asleep before 9:30pm and not have some other work to do (well, I do have work but I'm choosing not to do it). The kids are adjusting to the new schedule and loving their time with Nana but it's become quite difficult at night when they start acting up with attention seeking behaviour now that Mommy and Daddy are both away from them during the day. In short, we are both very, very tired.

But back to the party...

Rhys had an amazing time with family and friends on his first birthday. He has recently started to take little steps but his usual mode of crawling kept him in pace with some of the "older" kids there. He discovered balloons, he chased other babies, he was happy to go from person to person eating tidbits of their plates and when it came time for cake... did he ever enjoy it!

Our little guy was very tuckered out by the festivities and passed out into slumber land as the last guests left but what a momentous day it was for him.

Thank-you so much everyone for making it and help us in celebrating :o)

The countdown

2011-05-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

The countdown has begun. I have only four more days until I go back to work. It's bittersweet to look back at this year full of so many treasured moments with Brea and Rhys because it seems to have just flown by. I don't remember my year with Brea going as fast but I suppose with two there are more activities to keep us busy and on the go. I wish I had more time to stay at home with them - in the fall I will only be working four days a week so that will be nice.

I've been trying to cram in as much as I can this last week. We've visited museums that I've been meaning to take them to for a while now. Brea finally got her carousel ride at the Burnaby Village Museum (they are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and it's free admission all season - it's a great place to visit on a sunny day), we visited the Greater Vancouver Zoo, we got out into the sunshine that's making its appearance more often now, and Rhys is making strides daily, he can maneuver up and down the stairs now while his big sister hovers nearby in case he needs help. He loves making noise, you'll never see him empty handed, he always has a spatula or a spoon or something to bang with. He has been babbling more and more exuberantly and has finally added a few new syllables to his repertoire. He mostly does the "Ma" sound when he wants something - namely me, but he does a few variants now besides just grunts. He loves food and is very unhappy if he sees anyone eating without sharing a tidbit with him.

Ready for a romp at the zoo.

I love watching the two of them at play. Brea can be a little rough with her little brother at times but on the whole they play together very well. And when Rhys laughs, it's so infectious.

In support of our Stanley Cup bound Canucks!

Silly Girl!

Brea has been working on her toilet training and we followed a 3 day program that has been quite successful for her. Craig did the brunt of it over a weekend and it's been over three weeks diaper-free! Unfortunately, we have had some regression since I've been talking to Brea about going back to work. She has been more and more clingy, needing lots of cuddle time after waking and lately, she's started to ask me to feed her again during meals because "it's too hard" for her to do it herself. I went out for an appointment while she was napping a few days ago and my Mom was watching the kids, when she woke up, she ran around the house looking for me and when she couldn't find me, she had a meltdown. She wet the bed again last night and when we asked her about it, she said she was sad that I was going back to work. I know she'll be able to work through it but it has been difficult. We are lucky to have Nana and Po-Po with us this coming month to watch the kids so they will have familiar faces with them while I'm gone. I know that I will definitely be hurrying home every day.

Rhys has been teething for what seems like forever. He has five little teeth now and number six will be poking through today or tomorrow at the latest. This has caused him to be SO restless at night. I have managed to get him to sleep in his crib for a while now but with the teething there have been so many wake-ups that I've made a little bed on the floor of his room. He has had some great nights so I'm hoping that once these next few teeth are out I'll be able to get a bit more sleep. It'll be great to go back to work exhausted.

Tea time

2011-05-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

I am an avid tea drinker and Brea loves watching me whenever I brew a nice cuppa. She especially loves my new Libre tea glasses because she can see all the different colours as it brews. A little while ago, she started to ask if she could drink some too because, as she said, “I am growing Mommy, I’m a big girl now and can drink tea like you!” We went to a local tea shop where she got to pick out her own blend of rooibos. I loved her happy grin all the way home and as she waited patiently for her drink to cool down to take her first sip.

That's how it works!

2011-05-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

I want to go to the Farmer's Market out in Burnaby this morning. Brea woke early and was being distracted by Caillou. I went to grab her since we had a busy night and she never got her bath last evening.

Me: Come on Brea, do you want to have a shower this morning?
Brea: My show is still on.
Me: If you come up and have your shower we will go out to a place that has a carousel.
Brea: A carousel?
Me: Yes!
Brea: But my show is still on. After my show is finished, we will go to this carousel... that's how it works Mom!

A Pentiction Visit

2011-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

We were so lucky to be able to visit family in Penticton during Easter break. They have recently moved into a lovely new home and it was wonderful to be able to see it. Nana and Grumpa were there as well. Brea and Rhys had the time of their lives frolicking with the cousins and being a part of the festivities. Auntie Signe pulled all the stops and was cooking away all weekend filling the house with mouth-watering scents. The Easter bunny made a stop in with colour-coded ribbon treats for a fantastic hunt. Thanks for having us!

Cousins chowing down all in a row.

Brea wanted to be just like her cousin Caylie so Auntie Signe did her hair.

She was happy with the results.

On the hunt.

Rhys finds some baby treats.

Wordless Wednesday - The most comfortable seat in the house

2011-05-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

The most comfortable seat in the house.

Coming home from California

2011-05-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Don't miss part I and part II of our spring break adventure.

We were set to go once we left Oxnard to hit the coast. We were on our way on the 101 when our GPS decided to take us on an adventure and before we knew it, near Santa Barbara we veered off onto Hwy 154. Seeing as it did still take us in right direction, we followed it and we are so glad we did. It was one of the loveliest drives on the trip. There were rolling hills dotted by clusters of beautiful old oak trees twisting their branches upwards to the sky and cattle farms and avocado orchards were aplenty as well.

We finally saw some lovely views of the water as we neared Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo but alas, Craig did not get his wish to drive up Hwy 1 and see the scenic coast of California. We were nearing the end of our day's driving when we saw a road sign near the quaint town of Cambria - "Road closed 38 miles ahead". After some sleuthing we discovered that there had been a mudslide on the highway and that a part of the road was now in the ocean, apparently no one thought it would be prudent to post signs before the last turn off. We decided to turn around, cut across vineyards starting to wake and spent the night in Atascadero. Our plans for San Francisco were put on hold since that day of driving was shot. We didn't think it would be as fun to rush into the city and hurry through sights, especially in a city that has so much to do. We'll pocket SF for another trip when we can spend some time there.

Following the AAA guide we drove back up towards Canada. I loved reading about all the towns we passed through... I never knew there was so much to see. Gilroy - the garlic capital of the world; Salinas - home of Steinbeck; the glorious Blackhawk car museum in Danville; and Fairfield housing the famous factory that makes Jelly Bellies.

We arrived in Seattle and stopped at Pike Place Market for a gander at yummy food and lovely flowers, not to mention very loud fish vendors then had a wonderful visit with my cousin Sylvia and her mom. After a lovely lunch we finished our journey home. It was a great vacation!

Brea posing with the mascot of Pike Place Market - Rachel the pig.

Some fine looking Elephant garlic.

Under the neon signs

A lovely bouquet.

At lunch with Wong Po-Po, Rhys and Sylvia

The things she says...

2011-04-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

I love it when kids say the cutest things.

Craig loves it too...

Brea was watching her Daddy and said, "Daddy you're SO handsome!"
He smiled and said thank-you for the kind words.
She looked at him harder and said, "Daddy you're SO handsome... like a chicken!"

She should have stopped while she was ahead.

California Getaway 2011

2011-04-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

For the first part of our Spring Break adventures, click here.

On Day 3 in CA, we went to the Living Desert. It is a park with lots of animals, a large outdoor display of working model trains, butterfly/hummingbird house, beautiful carousel and more. It was a gorgeous sunny day. The highlight of the visit was when Brea was treated to a ride on a camel with Nana! Both sported ecstatic smiles atop Gregory the Camel and Brea was just thrilled with the experience – Nana was too :o) I loved the giraffes and was treated to an up close and personal encounter when one came right up to grab an especially tasty treat from bushes next to me. In the butterfly hut, Brea marveled at the colourful insects fluttering about her head and we were in awe of a nesting hummingbird – their babies are born the size of a raisin!

Taking a look at the model trains.

Having a great ride with Nana!

Post-camel ride delight

Looking at us as much as we were looking at them

Giraffe close-up

Posing with one of the many statues in the park

Enjoying a ride on the carousel

Enjoying a ride on Mama

Snuck a picture of a nesting hummingbird

The most beautiful butterfly in the park!

Riding home

Over the next several days we had more desert experiences, after a stop to see Salton Sea, we had a visit to Oasis Date farm for a famous “date shake” – a tasty and filling treat.

Posing at the entrance of the date shop

First, she poses with the date...

then, she eats them!

We also had the chance to visit the desert hot springs and indulge in some beneficial soaking in the mineral waters. Brea and Rhys love the water and Brea has not one iota of fear. She would jump in regardless of whether someone was there to catch her or not (we are hoping swimming lessons soon will help). She ended up swallowing quite a bit of water during our visit to the pools and was sick on the ride back to the park. Still though, she wanted to go back. We also went to the street fair at the College of the Desert to meander through stall upon stall of wares. The weather was wonderful and every day was sunny though a few did have a fair bit of wind. Rhys loved getting blown in the face and he would light up with his charming two-toothed grin as another gust hit him.

All too soon our days in the desert reached its end and we packed up as Nana and Grumpa did too. We chose to head up the coast while they headed through Nevada into Oregon to get a few repairs done on their unit. So, with maps in hand, we were off again in our van.

*I should mention as a side note how hilarious it is to be road tripping in a right-hand drive Mitsubishi Delica. I’m often reading (maps, books) or in some cases typing on my laptop and the cars coming by will have passengers craning their necks trying desperately to see what that crazy woman is doing instead of driving. Their shocked looks keep Craig entertained as he waves at them. I think he really enjoys the attention and talking to all the guys who would ask him about the unique vehicle we drive.

So this time we decided to go slower and enjoy the scenery. We were going to go up along the coast so that we could stop in to visit my friend, Joni and her family in her new home and then meander up Hwy 1 to San Francisco.

We had a lovely visit and lunch stop in Oxnard. The kids frolicked – in the case of the babes sat and crawled – in a nearby playground and had a stretch. I chatted and ooohed over the décor of their home – Joni is super talented and has a great eye for colour. We didn’t have time for a long visit but luckily they’ll be up in the near future. The boys, Aidan and Rhys will hopefully be more interactive then, they mostly stared at each other that day.

More stories of our trip to come...

Spring Break Getaway 2011

2011-04-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

Our Spring Break Adventure is nearing its end and I apologize for the long hiatus while we were traveling. Since we were lucky to have a two-week long break this year we thought we’d take advantage, especially when Nana and Grumpa invited us to spend some time with them in the sun in California. So our destination this holiday… road trip to Indio, CA!

Our first three days of travel were a bit rough since we drove hard to get there. The children were amazing! I had stocked up on travel distractions to tempt Brea with. Rhys chose to spend his car time sleeping – it was a pleasant change from our first car trip with Brea where she cried most of the way. We sped our way through Washington and Oregon and churned down into the deserts of California. We stayed for a night in Creswell, OR and then in Stockton, CA. I have to say, the three days were a blur since I had a book I was reading (A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp). Most of the I-5 is straightforward but there were a few gems along the way like Shasta Lake – it is a breathtaking view! Everything was a surprise again since it’s been 20 years since I’ve driven down to CA. We also were relying on the GPS, which doesn’t do much to foreshadow what is along the way. I had forgotten how mountainous CA actually is in parts as we drove through the Siskiyou. Craig grabbed some maps and TourBooks from the AAA, which provided me with a much more fulfilling, ride back up the coast.

After mostly pastoral landscapes, our entrance to the desert was to hills punctuated by row upon row of giant windmills, the likes of which I had not seen before. It was amazing to see their massive blades churning as they gathered energy from the wind.

Our park in Indio, CA

Upon our arrival to our “California Home” as Brea was calling it, we had a warm and scrumptious welcome ready for us. It had been a few days without home cooking, so Craig was very appreciative of the lovely stew awaiting us. We quickly settled in to our park model, ready for the adventures ahead.

Brea on the steps of our "California Home"

Nana and Grumpa's new trailer!

Brea loved visiting the Nana and Grumpa’s beautiful new trailer. The double doors to the bedroom were a special treat for grand entrances; she’d happily swing them open upon entering and exiting. Rhys’s favourite part of the trailer was the fire extinguisher by the door, right at his height and with a tempting loop ready for pulling.

We had visits from cousins and friends and exciting outings.

I'll continue with more soon as we get back into the routine of being back home.

Spicy Dancing Shoes

2011-03-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

Rhys has been teething again (it seems to never end). He often gets a runny nose and a cough from all the drool but this morning, I wasn't sure if a cold was starting so we opted out from going to school today and went for a stroll in the mall instead.

Brea sits behind the driver's seat and it annoys Craig to no end when she boots us as we drive. It happens more often with Craig since he sits farther back than me but today there was a light tapping. I was about to say something when her little voice chimed from the back seat:
"Mommy! My shoes are dancing to the music!"
What could I say to that?

At the mall, we had a treat since a new indian food kiosk opened in the food court. Brea had a choice between that and Thai food but she chose the curry. I LOVE indian food but I was worried it might be a bit spicy for her. Well, little Miss gobbled it up - she has been a bit reluctant with eating meat but not this butter chicken. She really liked the yummy saucy rice, she only slowed down at the potatoes which did have a kick to them - she ate them all then turned to me and said "my tongue hurts a little - it's too spicy".
But a sip of milk and all was fixed.

That's my girl!

A weekend getaway

2011-03-10T22:16:00.000-08:00

We were thrilled to have a getaway this past weekend to visit family in the interior. It's been a while since Brea and Rhys have seen their cousins and Brea was especially excited for the roadtrip. We managed to get away just prior to nap time and took full advantage of two hours of blissfully sleeping kids to get a sprint ahead on the road.

During the weekend, we got to see what Auntie Signe and Uncle Kent have been up to. We visited Uncle Kent's school, cruised by their new house and had a lovely trek to see some of the scenic views. We savoured scrumptious food prepared by Auntie Signe, including her first Angel food cake; played hilarious board games; and the kids played amazingly together. Madison was the perfect older cousin looking out for the young'uns. She was particularly good at ~~dragging~~ carrying Rhys away from the perils of the stairwell and taking away small objects that could choke him. Caylie taught Brea all the intricacies of being a mermaid. And Kai was especially gentle with Rhys and patient with Brea who followed him everywhere.

Brea and Rhys were sad to go after having such fun playmates, we'll have to make it out again soon.

Getting a ride from Daddy as we toured the school.

Posing with Auntie Signe

Giant Peach! (Rhys was having a nap)

Frolicking with water fowl.

At the lookout.

Getting a helping hand in the playground.


Rhys loves the swing. Brea found a slide that she LOVED. She probably went up and down a dozen times.


Brea with her super cute hairdo courtesy of Auntie Signe, the pouty face is because she didn't want a picture.

Madison and her bike.

Awww, so cute!

Kai rockin' it on his bike.

Dress-up

2011-03-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

Brea had never been one for dress-up. Apart from her tutus, she didn't have much interest but Uncle Kent and Auntie Signe got her a princess dress-up trunk for Christmas and something happened this past month. It has become a princess fest at our house. Her favourite is Cinderella - she loves putting on the earrings. She has told me that the Snow White costume belongs to her brother though.
"Snow White is for Rhysy, when he is bigger and a girl."

Princess Ariel

The fairest in the land!

Cinderella, checking out her jewels.

9 Months or not?

2011-02-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

So, it's the 28th today and the 1st tomorrow. Does this mean that Rhys will never be 9 months old?

Regardless, he has been having the time of his life over the past few days with all the snow that has come down.

Our winter wonderland.

Brea loved romping outdoors while Daddy shoveled the driveway and I thought it was only fair that he had a chance to experience the cold, wet powder too.

Getting ready to head out.

He mostly sat around for the first little while but as he watched his sister make snow angels, dig with her shovel and throw snowballs, he decided to attempt to crawl after her. He landed on his face... several times and each time as I lifted him up, he'd have a big smile.

An adorable snow baby.

Boo boo

2011-02-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

I have to sheepishly admit that I became one of those crazy mothers who panics at the sign of blood. Things were a lot easier with only one child since I had all my time to just watch her. Brea's first accident didn't happen until she was over a year old.

Yesterday, Brea was playing wonderfully with Rhys as I was cleaning up in the kitchen after our lunch. I could hear his giggles of delight. Then the door to her bedroom slammed and his shriek reverberated through the house.

I ran to find him crying loudly while blood seeped from his finger. Trying to get a hold of a bleeding hand on a screaming infant while a toddler dances around and telling me, "Rhysy has an owie, give him a band-aid", is oh so fun. I managed to get his hand under the tap and tried to see what damage was done. It didn't look very good and it wouldn't stop bleeding so I got a Dora band-aid and slapped it on with one hand and my teeth while he smeared little bloody fingerprints it all over my clothes. That done, I plonked Brea down for her nap so I could evaluate the situation. It was impossible to get a good look at the injury with Rhys crying every time I tried to get a hold of his finger, it was still bleeding probably because of the force I had to use when grasping at it so I decided to get see if I could calm him with breastfeeding. When I finally got him asleep, I pried the bandage off for a look. At this point, it still looked like a nasty cut with quite a large gap. I couldn't decide what to do - I thought it'd be better to be safe and get it looked at so I called my brother to watch Brea and off to the hospital we went.

By the time Craig met us after he was done work I was already regretting going all the way there for a cut. I didn't want to take the bandage off again to look at it since it was such a pain to get on again. Needless to say, after the long wait where Rhys made friends with all the nurses and patients, the doctor said it was fine. They bandaged his hand like a mummy and sent him home. He gave me a look of surprise when I buckled him in his seat and he attempted to put his gauze mitt into his mouth (yes, it took him that long to notice because he was so distracted by the goings on of the ER). The gauze lasted for all of 10 minutes. I could hear him growling and working at it. This is what I saw when I opened the door when we got home:

So, I will be making my way to the drug store today to stock up on first aid supplies. Something tells me this won't be the last time.

Parks and Rec

2011-02-23T10:29:00.000-08:00

Despite being sick last week, we did make it out a bit for some fresh air and visited a few parks much to Brea's delight. Rhys got a chance to experience the swings for the first time as well. Thought I'd share a few pictures from the outings.

Park One was a fantastic day spent with my friend Michelle and her son, Edison. She took some great shots of the day on her blog too.

Setting out

Park Two. The next day since it was sunny again, we went out to see Po-Po and visit the park near her house.

Swinging with his big sister

I think he likes it :o)

8 Days

2011-02-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

In just eight days, Rhys has gone from lump to a cyclone of little boy trouble.

He has managed to:

- try to climb the TV stand
- taken the Wii out of its holder
- get a hold of the remote control
- almost turn the power off to the computer
- pull the speaker cords out from under the carpet
- get a hold of the remote control
- climb the living room steps
- climb out of the laundry basket
- get a hold of the remote control
- dumped a box of gingersnap cookies out and eat half a cookie
- pulled open the bottom of the upstairs fireplace
- get a hold of the remote control

Go go go!

2011-02-22T18:03:00.000-08:00

After a week of duking it out with a very nasty cold we were finally able to go back to some of our normal activities and outings.

All that time was not wasted however, as Rhys used it to make his mobile debut.

In the fort we built.

Happy to be on the move!

It started on Valentine's Day and he never looked back. He went from nudging his bottom to a crawl/drag move very similar to what Brea did - he kind of crawls on one knee with the other leg tucked underneath. Then, this morning, he made it up the living room steps! I tell ya, this kid is going places. Actually, it probably had more to do with me stepping outside with the garbage and Brea following me, leaving him alone. I guess the feeling of being deserted gave him the extra push he needed to yank himself up the steps. It was a very good thing we got the gate up over the weekend. He is SO happy with his new-found independence though he is also being very clingy. I didn't experience this from Brea who was always happy to go with whoever to do whatever. With Rhys though, as soon as I leave the room, he lets out a cry and tries desperately to scamper after me - unless big sis stays with him that is. What this means of course it that I'm even busier than before. It is even harder now to get things done and I have to admit the house is quite a mess.

I tell you, there is nothing more fun than a kitchen with a toddler who tells me she doesn't need a bib anymore and a baby who is starting to be able to grab at his own food. Every meal leaves a Pollock masterpiece under the table. Rhys is doing so well with eating, I'm very proud of my little guy as he shoves pieces of waffle, or crackers, or Cheerios, or cheese into his mouth. I especially love the big grin he gives every time he's successful. He seems to be doing things faster than Brea did but I suppose he also has an example to follow.

This morning, we headed out into the sunshine for a walk in the woods - I love the crisp air and the babble of the water flowing by. Brea was in fine spirits today and brought her "walking stick" with her - she picked it up along the dykes last week and stows it in the garage for whenever we go out for treks. She liked using it today to point out all the fine things we saw along the way: there was the green "moff" on the trees, the "crumbly" pine-cones on the ground, the "big tree that fall down", and my favourite, the "volcano" - a hollowed out tree stump. As we made it along the trail and came to various forks, she would point with the stick and ask "which way do we go Mama? Do we take the path on the left or the path on the right?" - thanks Dora! She would invariably choose whichever headed deeper into the woods and away from civilization because she didn't want our walk to end.

We are incredibly lucky to live where we do and have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and the wildlife. I was hoping for another glimpse of the four golden eagles and the bald eagle that we saw a few weekends ago, or the herons that lives in our area but we not as fortunate today. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful walk as Rhys slumbered in his carrier and Brea gathered more rocks for her collection.

Call and answer

2011-02-16T16:06:00.000-08:00

Whenever I'm out driving with the kids, I play a call and answer game with them. With Brea, it usually consists of repeating whatever she feels like coming up with, typically it's our names. With Rhys, there is a lot of cooing and growling.

We had to go to the mall today to pick-up some things and a few blocks out Rhys started to "talk" - he's been very vocal lately, it's really cute. I let him talk for a bit and was going to answer when Brea started talking back to him.

Rhys: "Aaaungh! Uh!"
Brea: "Yes, Rhysy, yes?!"
Rhys: "Errr! Uh!"
Brea: "Mommy, Rhysy is talking to me."
Rhys: "Ooooh! Uh! Aaaagh!"
Brea: "Really Rhysy? Look out the window."

They chatted most of the way to the mall. It was the sweetest thing.

Just had to share

2011-02-14T11:08:00.000-08:00

This Valentine's Day finds our family all coughy, stuffy and sneezy. It's also quite drizzly outside so my plans for the day are rather moot. While I cuddle with the little ones today and attempt a few crafts I thought I'd share with you the fantastical gifts that our favourite Colorado couple sent to us a while back but that I didn't have time to document to share. Jessie is a super crafty lady and spared no attention to detail in creating this year's festive gifts for Brea and Rhys. I don't know if I get a bigger kick out of the gifts or just reading the packaging they come in ;o) Hope you chuckle in delight as much as I did when we opened the box.

Brea's gift: "For the artiste on the go, a coloring book bag with jaunty coloring device pouch. Whether doodling in Madrid or scribbling in Mozambique, this bag gets around; wherever you go, it's sure to follow!"

Rhys's gift: "Hola! I am Senor Ronaldo, Master of Intrigue and decider of which socks to wear. I was born south of the border in New Mexico. One day a crew of fierce sea urchins attacked my small pet store and ran off with my true love, Senorita Janice, a beautiful gecko. I vowed then and there to hunt down the culprits and make Janice mine. After decades of searching I came upon the lovely Janice singing at a karaoke bar in Dallas. Come to find out the sea urchins had been hired to save her by her fiancee Carl, an earnest eel. My quest resolved, I stowed away in this box hoping a wee person might find me and take me in. I offer many skills including lost mitten detection, soft shell break dance moves, and, of course, a penchant for snuggling. Perhaps you will have me?"

Breakthrough!

2011-02-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Peek-a-boo!

Finally got a decent picture of Rhys's first tooth and the second one made its appearance today! He'll have a full set of chompers in no time.

How do you explain?

2011-02-07T21:18:00.000-08:00

Brea loves to explore, she is a go-getter and full of energy in every endeavor. Lately she's been discovering new things with pen and ink and I don't know how to explain that sometimes trying new things is not always the best idea. I want to foster her imaginative skills and her sense of wonder but there is a fine fine line that separates good exploration from bad.

The other night, she discovered that pens write on all kinds of things, paper, clothes, sleepsack, face... she was so proud as she ran to me to show off the artistic marks she had added to her smile.

I was not so enthused and told her so and watched her smile fade and the tears begin to form. "Is my face broken?" she asked, "Mommy is not happy?". I stopped her crying and explained that I could wash her face and her clothes but sometimes things can't get fixed or cleaned and she had to be careful.

But today on a playdate at a friend's house as the mommies sat for a few minutes to talk, we heard the scritch and the scratch and ran to find an array of crayon lines newly decorating the wall. They were happily playing together until we stopped them. I don't know how it started or who's idea it was. Perhaps I should have been more forceful in reprimanding her earlier and this could have been avoided. How do you know what to do?

Little ears

2011-02-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

We were driving into the garage after Brea's soccer class.
Craig was having a hard time with the door opener - "I'll just push the damn button on the wall."
From the backseat, a little voice calls out - "I want to push the damn button!"

Avenue Q

2011-02-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

Craig and I made it out on a date this weekend! Kau-Kau Ambrose and Po-Po were gracious enough to babysit for a few hours while we made it out on the town to see a show.

I first heard about "Avenue Q" when I watched a episode of "Ace of Cakes" on the Food Network. They were making a cake for the Broadway production and had a full cast of puppet look-alikes on the show. I was smitten by the misfit puppets (à la Sesame Street but so not rated G), so when I saw an ad on TV for the touring show, I excitedly bought tickets. Craig is not much for musicals but I figured one full of bawdy puppets was right up his alley. He had a great time - he did say afterward that he'd never thought that he would ever see puppets engaged in such lewd acts on stage :o) I thought the cast did a spectacular job seamlessly passing off puppets and singing hilarious songs. I was also thrilled to have a few hours away from the kids to spend with Craig. It's hard for me to remember that we need some time to ourselves every once in a while.

Brea's Mother

2011-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

My little Picasso was so proud of her portrait of me... there's my eyes, my hair and my shadow.

Non-chronicles

2011-01-15T23:21:00.000-08:00

My days lately are so full. Full of fleeting time that is. It feels like from the moment I wake I have someone pulling at me, asking for me, wanting me and loved as I know I am, I have no time to do some of those little things that I love. I have been a terrible chronicler of deeds and moments in time. For example, Rhys just popped out his first tooth yesterday (yipee!) and I barely had time to jot the date down. I feel terrible for all the things that I keep putting off writing about. Now I have so many things I want to cram into one post.

I guess, I'd better get started before something else gets in the way.

Brea has been stellar in everything she's been asked to do lately. We went the dentist and she was so calm and collected. She went to get a haircut and she sat patiently and still while her hair was trimmed - I finally booked an appointment, not because of all the comments from my family but because she came up to me one morning brushing the hair out of her face and said "I'm a mess! I need a haircut!". She's started soccer and had a blast running around passing the ball to Daddy. And she's hilarious with all her day to day commentary.

"How old are you?" is a frequent question she gets asked.
"Two olds" is her standard reply.

As we stepped out of the car today to grab groceries and Craig stayed with a slumbering Rhys, she had to reassure him. "We'll be right back Daddy. Don't go away. We'll be back soon!"

We were told that we were her hero.

And she loves telling her brother how well he eats, how well he sits, how cute he is... she's very positive towards him except when he takes her toys and puts them in his mouth, then she'll exclaim "that's disgusting!"

She wants to be all grown-up and drink tea like Mommy (we actually went shopping and she got to pick out a special tea for herself - a strawberry/rhubarb rooibos, quite delish). She wants to grind pepper on her dinner and eat with a "big" fork. She looks like a mini-me.

Rhys has been taking strides too. He's been steadily eating more and more types of food and yesterday when I made pasta for dinner I decided to just put it through the food mill for him to eat with us rather than sticking to his purées. The look of amazement on his face was priceless as he scarfed it down.

He is sitting solidly now and can swivel around to grab at things. He will lean to crawling position but is just lacking that last bit of confidence needed to go... I'm sure any day now he'll take off.

He's discovered his voice and is experimenting with growls, shrieks and gurgles. He makes the most expressive faces and still smiles all of the time. He just doesn't feel secure when I'm holding him if he doesn't have a hold of my ponytail. He adores his sister and watches her constantly.

They keep me busy, I try to keep them busy, we are just busy but I don't think I'd want it any other way.

Welcome 2011!

2011-01-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

2010 was a special year for us as Brea became a big sister when we welcomed sweet smiling baby Rhys in May. Our city hosted the Winter Olympics and we took part in the celebration; we journeyed to Denver, CO to visit friends, we journeyed to Alberta to visit family; we celebrated one year in our home and all the while we laughed, cried, and experienced life as a family.

I'm looking forward to what 2011 will bring.

Happy New Year everyone, wishing you all the best that is to come.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T22:05:00.001-08:00

We have been busy counting down the days to Christmas with Brea's Playmobile Advent Calendar, she's been excited to see what each new day would bring to her Christmas in the forest scene.

Before the BIG day we went to Stanley Park to take a ride on the Christmas train. Brea and Rhys really enjoyed the bright lights display.

Sharing a smile with Grumpa.

Some of the displays that we walked through.

We found some time when Daddy was free and headed to the mall to have a visit with Santa. I took some festive shots of the kids before heading out.

Brea asked Santa to bring her a "red truck".

Then the day arrived. What a joyous Christmas it was this year. Our house was filled to the brim and Rhys got to experience a wonderful FIRST Christmas. We figured this would be the last year when we had little ones still too young to rush out to the Christmas tree first thing in the morning so we had a nice little lie-in before the excitement.

Grumpa was up bright and early getting the turkey stuffed and in the oven but I managed to sneak in some blueberry muffins to bake for my Honey. Craig has had fresh baked muffins and grape juice for Christmas breakfast since he was little.

Brea and Rhys were spoiled by Nana and Grumpa and Po-Po and her Kau-Kaus.

The red truck.

Rhys was taken in by the crinkly ears.

The train table elicited a "Wow! Wow! Wow! along with feet stomping.

By the time the cousins arrived everything was in full swing. The kids delighted in the never-ending sack of Christmas surprises from Nana and Grumpa. Though I did manage to snap a picture of them all-together and looking at the camera.

Posing with dessert :o)

Dinner was scrumptious! Everyone contributed to make it a truly spectacular meal. We were so lucky this year to have family together to share in the holidays. I hope yours was just as special.

Merry Christmas all!

Feeling Festive

2010-12-18T10:06:00.000-08:00

I was inspired whilst visiting my friend Kara's Christmas house and decided to try my hand at making a wreath to adorn our door. I kept it simple since it's my first time. Here's how it turned out:

Mommy Bloggers

2010-12-17T22:33:00.000-08:00

I noticed that I've just posted over 200 entries!
It's been over two years since this blog began. I was mostly looking for a way to keep a window open to family who travel or live away from us so that they would be able to share the moments we have with our kids as they grow and discover the world around them. But blogging has done far more for me than just that. When I first began, I visited numerous other blogs to get ideas and figure out how to lay things out - what I discovered was a wonderful world out in cyberspace of other moms who were doing the same thing. These extraordinary women often combined sharing their life with sharing their wisdom and wit. I found that many of the questions or concerns I had were mirrored in their writing. I also found that by reading about their experiences, I wasn't so alone and that there were people out there more than willing to share with me.

I thought, I would take this chance to thank these bloggers who have shared a kind word, answered a query or just made me laugh over the years.

Miranda at Sippycups and Fingerprints helped me when I was so worried over weaning Brea. She has the most amazing family and I love beautiful pictures she takes and the eloquence she has in her entries to describe many of the feelings I share.

I always discover something new when I read an entry by Jessica at Muthering Heights. I love her wit and outlook on life in general.

I followed Heather during her family's heartbreak at The Spohrs Are Multiplying. It has been two years since then and so much has happened from Maddie's passing. There has been more awareness for the March of Dimes and the Amazing Annabel arrived to share her spark with her wonderful mommy and daddy.

There are also some family and friends who have just began blogs of their own and to them I wish happy writing!

A Weekend Getaway to a Birthday Party

2010-12-17T22:05:00.000-08:00

We made it to Victoria this past weekend for Aidan's third birthday! Luckily it didn't get canceled because of snow as previous year's parties did. It was wonderful to visit family and introduce Rhys. Po-Po came with us since Craig was busy with a basketball tournament. Brea was a gem on the ferry and made many friends in the playground. She tried clam chowder and looked into the frothy water. She was talking about the big boat for few days before we embarked. Since Rhys was too little and asleep, his big sister did the honours of tossing a coin into the ocean to say thank-you for a safe passage on his first trip across water.

We stayed at Yee-ma's house (thank-you!) and I had a chance to breakfast with my cousin to catch-up before party day.

Enjoying a nice sit with Cousin Aidan

Yee-Po-Po

The Firemen of View Royal where my aunt lives do a neighbourhood walk at Christmastime to collect food and money for the local food bank. Brea was thrilled to see Rojo Firetruck roll onto our street. She got to give a donation and had her picture snapped with the firemen.

Waiting for the firemen to turn around the cul de sac

Here they come!

She was a bit leery but the nice firemen convinced her it was okay

We got to celebrate Aidan's big day! He is THREE years old! The kids had a great time playing at the rec. centre and chowing down on scrumptious food.

Waiting for cake!

The birthday boy blowing out his airplane cupcake

Brea chose a white cupcake for herself and a red one for Mommy

Rhys striking a pose with Brea's princess crown

A hug with Aidan's mommy aka Cousin Bo!

The birthday boy with his Yee-Po-Po and Po-Po

Emma had to get in for a snuggle with Rhys

Once she got her crown, it wouldn't come off

Mealtime

2010-12-17T16:33:00.000-08:00

Rhys is well on his way to eating it all up. He's tried rice cereal, pears, peaches, yams, banana and carrots. He seems to really be into his carrots :o) Brea has been so helpful too. Every time I get ready to feed Rhys, she goes and grabs his bowl, spoon and bib for me. She even encourages him as he experiences new food, she loves to cheer him on. She'll look over from her seat (her big girl booster at the table) and say "Good job, little man! You're eating real food!"

Parking Safety

2010-12-17T15:54:00.000-08:00

I was looking through sites for new baby products and came across the Parking Pal. The premise behind it is pretty straightforward, it is a magnet that goes on the side of your car and provides a place for kids to put their hand upon exiting the car so that they won't run into the parking lot and into danger. It's especially good for those of us with more than one child. The idea sounded good to me but I thought I'd just give it a try without the magnet and see if it would work. I told Brea that there was a special door on the car for her to touch every time she gets out of the car. It's a little door just her size. Surprisingly, she took to it right away. She would exit the car and plant her hand on the door and wait patiently if I had to grab Rhys or my bag... then on the third try, here's the conversation we had:

Me: Okay Brea, what are you going to touch when you get out of the car?
Brea: My special door!
Me: Okay, go to touch your special door.
I leaned down to grab Rhys' chair and look up to see her looking at me puzzled.
Brea: Mommy, this isn't a special door, it's for gas!

Sigh! When did she get so smart?

The Last Night

2010-11-28T23:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight's the last night.
The last night that my baby is mine alone. Nobody told me that when I brought Rhys home from the hospital and saw Brea lean down to look at her little brother, I would lose my baby girl. In the blink of an eye, she was a little girl, a big sister and no longer my baby.

Maybe that's why I've been holding on a little longer, a little harder this time. I never pushed bottles on Rhys or worried about carrying him too much. I know that tomorrow when he is six months old, he'll be starting on his path away from me. This is the month when he'll be tasting food not from me and sitting all by himself.

So tonight, as I hold him and nurse him, I'll savour the moment. I'll look at his little face in the glow of the night-light - his little hands curled, his lips slightly puckered, drifting into sleep. My darling baby boy.

Rhys's Pieces

2010-11-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

Highlighting that which is Rhys... if you only have time for one, check out the last one... nothing beats a baby belly laugh.

Talking to Daddy (Sept. 1/10)

Jolly Jumping (Sept. 4/10)

At Play (Sept. 10/10

Big Bag Laughs (Nov. 20/10)

1-2-3-4

2010-11-27T22:32:00.000-08:00

Some old footage I forgot about... Brea's just turned two and is showing off her counting skills.

Counting (Aug. 29/10)

Bobs & Lolo!

2010-11-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

We were very excited today to be able to make it to see Bobs & Lolo. Brea's been listening to their music since she was one. She loves the songs and Craig and I don't mind listening to them either, they have great messages and are fun to sing along to. This is the first time that we've been able to make it to see them live. It was busy but we managed to get an autograph and some pictures.

Singing "Raindrop Pop"

Watching from the comfort of Kao-Kao's arms

Q & A with Bobs

Afterward, we made if for a train ride at the North Pole.

Kao-Kao went for the ride

Munching on a toque

Watching his big sister

Train Ride

Snow!

2010-11-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

We had our first snowfall of the season and managed to make it outside for some fun!

Bundled!

Bundled too!

Tracks in the fresh snow

Where'd everyone go?

Snowball attempt

Snow Angel

Brea's first snowman

Sitting Pretty

2010-11-27T19:44:00.000-08:00

Rhys is starting to get into sitting position. He's happy to be propped up where he can investigate his toys a little easier but is still flopping onto his back sporadically. I'm sure in a few weeks, he'll be a pro! He's such a funny little guy who LOVES his big sister. There is no place he likes better than her bed where he tries to grab her toys and she swats them out of his hands. Brea finds it annoying but he thinks it's great fun! In fact, he often giggles as she throws her blankets over him or tries to push him away from her toys... sigh, he'll learn soon.

Sitting pretty!

Brea managing to make her way into the shot

Having fun in the exersaucer

Brea is still coming to terms with having a person around all the time who wants to touch and share her stuff. She loves her brother but needs reminders sometimes that he is smaller than her and that him putting everything in his mouth doesn't wreck it. She doesn't like it when her stuffed animals get drooly. But the other day when I was bringing groceries in and leaving Rhys until last (he was sleeping), she was quite upset with me that I would leave him in the car.

"Where's Rhysy?"
"I want my baby!"
"Rhysy's in the car, get him!"

Showing off her tutu that Po-Po brought back from China

Carnivorous Giraffe

2010-11-12T17:29:00.000-08:00

I was in the kitchen putting some things away. The kids were in the living room playing with Kao-Kao Eugene. There came a sudden shriek and I went running into the room. I don't know what Rhys was up to but poor Sophie!

Lest we forget

2010-11-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

by John McCrae, May 1915

Thank-you!

Daddy's Present

2010-11-02T22:48:00.000-07:00

I've learned that toddlers can't keep a secret. Craig was greeted when he came home from work today by a very excited Brea.

"Hi Daddy!"
"Hi Brea!" says Craig.
"We got a present for you! A present! It's a..."
I interjected at this point to talk over her little voice, "Brea! It's a surprise remember?"
"A surprise Daddy, we got you a surprise!"

Phew! That was a close one.

My Birthday Weekend

2010-11-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic birthday weekend! It all started Thursday when Brea and Rhys treated me to a haircut and manicure. What a blissful two hours that was. Since I was all prettied up, Craig took me out on Saturday for dinner, a ride on the Stanley Park Ghost Train and dessert at True Confections. Rhys tagged along for the evening while Brea spent a wonderful evening with Kau-Kau. I loved the train ride and can't wait until the Christmas one to take Brea, she's going to adore all the glittering lights. Also, there will be the bonus of not having Mommy scared out of her wits... I was totally had by one of the actors who jumped out at me.

Finally, on Hallowe'en, we made it to the mall for some Trick or Treating fun with Brea's friend Kaitlyn; it was unbelievably crazy! Brea was a tad overwhelmed by the crowd, hence the grumpy pictures. She was much happier later in the evening when we toured a few blocks in the neighbouhood. She was happy to don her Sophie the Giraffe costume and shine her flashlight. Hope everyone had a fun and exciting Hallowe'en 2010!

Posing as Alice

Craig the Mad Hatter

Some of the ghouls on patrol

Rhys as we were boarding the train

At the very busy mall

K with her Mommy and Daddy - 80's Workout Crew!

Brea wouldn't pose properly so we have a few interesting shots :o)

HallowKitty

2010-10-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

And finally revealing this year's carved pumpkin offering...

Chuckles, HallowKitty, Grrrr

Jack O' Lantern

2010-10-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

I've learned my lesson. Next time I try pumpkin carving with two little ones. Clean the gourds ahead of time. Nothing as fun as having an infant wailing away while a toddler runs around getting goop everywhere. At least the results so far are good... Brea asked for a "mad" pumpking... then she asked for a "happy" pumpkin... now there is only the big one left.

Mister Graby!

2010-10-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

Rhys is a grabber. He likes to grab faces, clothes, toys, and lately, FOOD! I was making dinner tonight and he was not happy from the vantage point of his bouncy chair and started making a fuss. So, the multi-tasking Mommy that I am, I picked him up and carried on. I grabbed the carton of chicken broth while holding Rhys and pulled the tab off, Mister Graby decides he wants to help and makes a mad swipe for the carton as well, next thing I know, we are both wearing eau de poulin.

Let see what we have here...

Oh poop! She caught me!

Oh well, it's all good.

A Tuesday morning...

2010-10-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

At dance class this morning, Brea was super in the first few songs and Rhys was happy in his seat so I was able to get a quick video so that you could see her in action. This is her favourite and she's always happy to participate...

We made it home after class and I put Rhys on the bed with Brea while I made some quick sandwiches and this is what I walked into...

A typical Tuesday in our home...

Thanksgiving

2010-10-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

We were super lucky this Thanksgiving to have been able to celebrate with lots of family. Uncle Kent stopped in after running in his marathon, my Mom and brothers made it, some cousins visited from Alberta and my aunts came over from the Island since they were taking off to China on a trip and chose to celebrate with us before they left. This meant that we were in for a treat, my Yee-ma's turkey is the best! It has an Asian marinade that just can't be beat. Craig made his ham, my Mom contributed sticky rice, and I made a Brussels sprout with bacon side; the meal was rounded out with yummy apple and pumpkin pies. Truly scrumptious and so great with family to celebrate.


Rhys but he wasn't too happy to test out the roaster. We just wanted to make sure the turkey fit. They're both 17 lbs!

Cousin Ange with a happier Rhys out of the roaster

Waiting patiently for the turkey to be carved

The Amazing Floating Balloon

2010-10-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

This AMAZING balloon was given to Brea for her birthday from her friends, Joelle and Susanna. She has been playing with it for two months now and it still floats to the ceiling. I can't explain how the helium is still hanging on in it but wherever this balloon came from, it was well worth it. Brea just loves her "Happy Birthday" balloon as you can see:

The Patch

2010-10-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

Finally! We made it out to the pumpkin patch! I've been wanting to go since last year but the weather was not helpful in the least. This year, luckily, summer is having a final hurrah and we made it out to bask in the sunshine amidst all the pumpkins.

I convinced the Kau-Kaus to come out with us (much easier to have several more pairs of hands) and we had a blast. I really didn't know what to expect as most of the pictures I have seen were of kids sitting on a pumpkin or in the field but Laity Pumpkin Patch is amazing! There are animals to see, a tractor ride, a whole lot of fun wooden animals and vehicles to ride and play with, a corn maze, gold panning, and trails in the wee woods full of assorted fairytale characters. Brea was so excited to pick her own pumpkin too. She told me as she went to bed the night before that she was going to choose a "little" pumpkin and that Rhysy was going to get a "big" one. She was true to her word.

Since it was an afternoon outing, I tried to get the photo ops in early before little Miss was too consumed by all the going ons there. The Kau-Kaus were in good spirits and we got lots done. We ducked into the corn maze but I headed back out when we crossed paths with a couple who were terribly lost. All, I could think of was - how horrid it would be to be lost with a wailing two year old and an infant. Uncle Eugene did pop back in before we left to brave the "cornfusing" maze... he made it out in record time :o) Brea thoroughly enjoyed all that the Patch had to offer and I know she'll look forward to making this an annual outing.

It was such a wonderful day with lovely people to share our adventures with.

She just had to wear her gumboots

Brea and Mommy

Looking out into the field for the "perfect" pumpkin

"Mommy, I have dirty hands! The pumpkins are yucky!"

Aaargh! Ahoy matey!

Uncle Ambrose, sailing the wooded seas

Brea and Pinocchio

Wake up Rhys! You're going to miss the Great Pumpkin!

Rhys crossing the Troll bridge

Uncle Eugene, assisting Rhys with his ride

Looking through the fence at all the animals

The cutest pumpkin ever!

Brea kept telling me the tractor was stuck

Choo choo!

Rhys and Danny the Donkey

She was really trying to push the wheelbarrow

Helping Kau-Kau push

Twinkle Toes

2010-10-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

Brea recently started dance classes. Since she loves music so much and wiggles away whenever music is on the radio, we thought it would be a fun thing for her to try. Well, our normally extroverted daredevil was a wallflower the first day we went. I had never had such a clingy girl in my life! Luckily Po-Po went with us and was able to keep Rhys company while Mommy sat with our nervous little girl.

Some of the girls in the class are older (3 yrs old!) and are much more confident. Brea is really good at watching them and will show us all the dance steps she learned once we're safe at home. These are some pictures from class #3 so she's warming to the idea of dancing sans maman.

Since that day, it's been getting better. Po-Po is off to China so we're doing the last few classes by ourselves. She was a trooper when I explained that Mommy had to hold Rhys and that she had to be a good sister. She got through 20 minutes before running for me.

My usual seat, right behind her, where she can grab me if needed.

Mommy! Up! Up!

Thankfully, she loves the mat.

Getting cozy with spidey for the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" Dance

Baby giraffe walk

Walking home after dance class.

She's recently discovered pockets, I'm finding LOTS of goodies when I do laundry.

Maize

2010-10-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the horrible lapse in blogging. With Craig back at work and the two kiddies getting more and more active, it's hard to get blogging. Despite not keeping up in the cyberworld, we have been quite busy in the real world.

Every week brings new experiences and fun times with friends. I was very excited this fall season to be able to take Brea to the Corn Maze. She was too young for some of the activities there but of the things we could do, she had a blast. We went with two of her good friends, Kaitlyn and Mikaela. The girls petted goats, pigs, donkeys, sheep, and rabbits in the petting zoo; rode on the train and haystacks; and had the best of time playing after our picnic lunch. Brea had no fear of anything! We can't wait until next year when she'll be bigger and be able to do even more fun things!

Seeing how she measures up

Getting ready to go on the choo choo

When are we gonna move?

Kaitlyn with Mama Reg, Mikaela & Erica with Mama Adeline

Brea wasn't too impressed with the bumpy haystack ride

Rhys liked the ride... there was a tractor involved - he's such a boy!

Rolling, rolling

2010-09-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

Ah the woes of the second child.

Brea was jumping on the couch and we were trying to get her to calm down. Craig looked over and said, "oh look! Rhys just rolled onto his stomach, we missed it". That was on the 18th of September.

It happened again this morning and I was distracted by little Miss B.

Poor little boy, so much effort going unnoticed.

Aquarium

2010-09-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

The last week of summer vacation we went for a visit to the Aquarium. I have been so excited to go and was really looking forward to it. We had been talking to Brea about it too so that she would have an idea of what to expect when we got there. It was a fair drive and Brea fell asleep along the way, we had to nudge her a bit when we got there before she woke up so the beginning of our expedition was a bit grumpy. Once we made it to the Dolphin show, she perked up and she really liked watching the phosphorescent jellyfish. Her favourite part of the day must have been the play area where kids could touch sea stars and sand dollars - she got to have a good romp around and Daddy got some exercise while I gave Rhys a snack. I think it will be a great idea to get a season pass next year when Brea is a tad older and will really be able to explore some of the great features there, though we might be back earlier... I hear Bobs & Lolo frequently perform there and she's a BIG fan!


Getting ready to roll! (Brea's clutching one of her brother's blankies)

Waiting for the Dolphin show

Rhys hanging on Daddy

Some tropical birds of the Amazon

Frogs!!!

Our Westcoast fishies

Ooooh! Dolphins!

Striking a pose by the water before heading home

Tonight's conversation

2010-09-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

Brea loves to watch when dinner is being prepared. She pulls up a chair and stands at the counter ready to snap up any bits of food that might come her way. After watching me cut up veggies and snacking on peppers, she made her way to Daddy who was pulling the meat off the chicken...

Craig: "She's begging for food scraps like a dog!"
Brea: "No dog, Daddy! Little girl. I'm Brea!"

Those little ears pick things up just fine.

She did it!

2010-09-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it may not be the most glamorous thing but Brea did her thing in the potty today for the first time. I'm sure she'll look at this in the future and say "Why Mom?! Why?" but hey, I'm darn proud!

Giggles

2010-08-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

Rhys is 3 months old!
He is growing fast and we love all the joy he brings to us everyday. On his birthday, as I held my little man in my arms, he watched his Daddy toss a cup into the air and he laughed. A full belly chortling laugh. It was the most adorable thing.

Lethbridge, AB

2010-08-27T22:22:00.000-07:00

We made it out to Alberta this past month for Craig to help his brother's family move house and to visit some of our Lethbridge family. Great-auntie Isabel was kind enough to open her home to us and we had a lovely stay. Thank-you!

Brea, Craig and I got to re-visit with people we haven't seen since last summer and Rhys was introduced to many smiling faces. Craig was busy while we were there but the kids and I had a rollicking time exploring. On our last night Great-auntie Isabel hosted a splendid feast, we had the most scrumptious homemade cabbage rolls, noodles, ribs, paprika chicken and many fresh and delicious offerings from her garden. Here are some pictures of our getaway.

Rhys giving a smile for his picture with Great-great-auntie Isabel

Brea was a bit reluctant for pictures that night

Dessert anyone? Scrumptious walnut and poppy rolls

Cousin Gene prepares dessert for the kids

The cousins enjoying their cones outside where drips are easier to clean :o)

Miss Caylie hamming it up for the camera


Yum... ice cream!

While inside... Rhys was getting cuddles from cousin Gene...

and Cousin Char

Craig couldn't resist going for a ride with Gene

Nothing sweeter than a summer treat!

2010-08-25T00:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Little Girl!

2010-08-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

Brea is TWO years old!

In honour of our "big" little girl, we switched her to her big girl bed and she was very excited. So excited that at nap time she couldn't get to sleep... we decided not to push it and opt for an earlier bedtime instead. After dinner, Brea exclaimed, "Finished! Brea bedtime!" and went down without a fuss.

We had a celebration yesterday to celebrate her birthday and invited all her friends for the fun. Unfortunately, the weather was a little grey and the party was indoors but everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves. We had a great BBQ and Po-Po made a scrumptious chow mein. Rhys got to meet lots of new people and Brea's cousins and Auntie Signe made it to the festivities too. It was a busy day and Brea was a little overwhelmed, especially when it came time to cut the cake. Thank-you everyone for making it out to celebrate her special day!

The DORA cake! Oh so yummy!

Blowing the singing candle out together

Miss K, oh so pretty!

Keelan, showing off his stylin' hair

Miss Joelle with her beautiful smile

Little Susanna checking out the yummy fruit at the table

I'd like that balloon please!

Malaya enjoying her lunch with Mommy Dawn and Daddy Jerrick

Po-Po and Rhys checking out the cake

Meeting Auntie Jen