Wordless Wednesday - Chalk it up!

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

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

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

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...

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

The Big One!

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

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

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.