Ambitious

I think it's safe to say this will be my last post before Christmas. Which I'm sure is a total shock to all of you since I've been posting so often these days...

And because I'm lazy mostly I'm just going to use pictures to catch you up on the goings on around here as well as to entertain you.

First of all, I'd like to introduce you to our Christmas tree. It's um... huge. I'm kind of the one in charge of picking the tree. My requirement is that it be almost tall enough to touch the ceiling, however, because we have a rather small living room the Christmas tree usually takes up a considerable amount of room. I was sort of in shock after we brought our tree in this year and it began to warm up and the branches began to fall into place. Enormous. It is beautiful though and worth the amount of space it takes up. A has defined it as perfect and B has amazingly left it alone mostly, only pointing, smiling and touching it occasionally. It's a good thing we have two entrances to the room because it fills almost half of one of them.




We taped 'The Polar Express' off of television and Miss A has been watching it once a day. It's pretty astounding to look at even though it's a few years old already. It's also rather frightening in several parts. I still haven't figured out why kids movies always seem to have to have scary stuff in them, it makes no sense to me. As far as I'm concerned if it was that stressful to get to the North Pole I'd rather not go, however it does seem like the kind of dream Miss A would have.

Which reminds me, the other morning she woke up early crying. I went in to see what was wrong. She told me she had a dream that Santa was here and had brought presents and Baby B had opened hers already. I asked her if that upset her. She told me no, that Santa had said B was guilty. I asked her if Santa was angry with B. "Him was." I have to admit that my heart was warmed by the fact that she is protective of her sister, even in her dreams. Even when she had a right to be angry with her. I have no idea where the 'guilty' part came from but it amused me.

Baby B still continues to struggle with sleep and I continue to struggle with having so little of it. I fantasize all the time about the summer when my sister has volunteered to keep them for a couple of nights. Two. whole. night. With uninterrupted sleep. Heaven. Here she is sleeping in each of her beds. Her crib and her playpen. I really don't care which one she sleeps in. I'd just like her to stay in one for the duration of the night.




I can do what you are doing is going strong around here. Which make me insane some days. It seems B is constantly screeching about something that her sister has that she doesn't. Miss A is extremely patient for the most part but occasionally goes in her room, shuts the door and plays by herself. B has recently learned to say her name in her own way and I don't think I'd be giving away to much by sharing it. She stands outside her door and yells "AUDRA!" It took me a while to figure out she was saying her name and not just yelling some random thing because it sounds a lot like other non-words she says. I do think she's on the verge of really talking because she seems to be coming out with several things lately like, shut and gum. (um!) (thanks to my mother, the gum lady.) Anyway, I often repeat a mantra to myself - enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, but when she's crying or screeching yet again it's sometimes difficult not to wish her older and less whiny.



Anyway, hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, and enjoy the season rather than stress about it.

Summer

I am such a blog slacker. I think it's coming from my inability to balance my time. Also, I am freaking out a little because last week I started going back to work on Fridays. This means several things. It is the first time I've had to leave my baby with a sitter for the entire day. I have to get up early TWO mornings instead of just one, regardless of the amount of sleep I get. And when I say get up early I mean, get up early and have to get my butt and the small butts in gear and out the door. It's going to be an adjustment. The only positive that I can see is the added cash that I'll be making. I'm finding the whole 'baby at the sitter' thing a lot easier this time because her big sister is with her which I'm sure will make it less traumatizing and also because I LOVE the sitter we have lined up. I am fighting the urge to be pessimistic and think that it's too good to be true...

So. Here are some photos I've been wanting to post but I've been too lazy to get around to posting. They pretty much catch you up on the goings on of our family this summer.

Bathing Beauty



Miss A aka Fish



Ready to Bike!



Miss A never fell asleep in the highchair once. B does it frequently.



When wall climbing is easy, do it backwards!













Happiness is...



What I did on my summer Vacation





The Zoo







Riding Bobbi the Pony (led by an extremely unenthusiastic boy)



The Childrens Museum

Easter. Which I Realize was a Week Ago

Wow. I really suck at posting these days. I don't know. I think the brain damage from fatigue has finally set in. It's almost embarrassing having conversations with people right now. Here's a sample of part of a conversation I had recently.


ME: Oh yeah, I love Joss Wedon. Did you read that comic he did?

HIM: You mean the Buffy comic?

ME: No, um. It was really good. Oh, what was it called? It was futuristic and it was about another slayer.

HIM: (blank stare)

ME: (grasping) Um... wow... I can't remember what it was called. But um, you'd like it.


So, yeah. That was pretty uncomfortable. What's worse is that it was with a client at work. Worse still he's in the comic book industry... Anyway, this is what I was talking about, if you care.

I digress, I meant to tell you about Easter, not my brain damage.

It was kind of a blur actually. We traveled to Grandma J's house. The girls both slept crappy both nights and I was exhausted. I knew I was tired because I was actually kind of irritable and snappy with everyone, and usually I'm not like that, even when I am tired. That kind of ruined the weekend for me honestly. I was happy to get home and not sleep in my own bed. Ha!

My favorite part of the whole weekend were the pictures I took of Miss A while we played outside for a while. Outside pictures just turn out so much better than inside photos do.







And here are a couple of the baby which were taken inside. Oh yeah, I'm in one of them too.

2008

Elizasmom did this and invited anyone to join so here goes.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Break my ankle. Break my ankle while pregnant.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

My main two were - Have a baby (But I knew that one was happening. Is there such a thing as cheating on your resolutions?) and Start Training in Taekwon Do again. Unfortunately the first doesn't go so well with the second. That's okay, there is a time and a season for everything.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Several clients of mine. And someone I've never met in person but someone I consider myself to be close to, Bon.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Our sixteen year old, outspoken, stubborn, moody, lovely cat, Casey. An amazing woman who was one of my clients.

5. What countries did you visit?

No other Country besides Canada. I don't expect to get to another country, except maybe, the US, anytime soon.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

A greater feeling of financial security.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

July 17, the birth of our second daughter.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

There were a few. Learning how to walk again after my ankle break. Learning how to do this while VERY pregnant. Giving birth for the second time.

9. What was your biggest failure?

The times when I lost it with either Miss A or Peter. They sort or blend into one gigantic failure.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Um... yeah. See number 1.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Ah...nothing important. Killers CD maybe? Breaking Dawn, perhaps?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My kid. Aside from that brief but violent descent into the Terrible Threes this fall, she is a sweet, funny, generous, loving little girl.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My entire family, including myself. But I love them anyway and I'm learning to forgive myself.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Our mortgage and extra expenses while on maternity leave.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I've got to agree with Elizasmom on this one - "Potty training! No more diapers!" Oh and that little movie called 'Twilight' was pretty exciting too.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Viva La Vida and Human.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

Probably happier because I'm not barfing my guts out.

b) thinner or fatter?

Hard to say. I'd been vomiting a lot this time last year... Still I think I may be a bit smaller.

c) richer or poorer?

Dude... poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Laughing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Crying.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

At my MIL's with her brother. A great time was had by all.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

I often fall in love with Peter and Miss A all over again. But I fell in love with Baby B.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

True Blood was probably my favorite this year and Californication was next in line.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Probably.

24. What was the best book you read?

Breaking Dawn.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Hmmm. I really liked some of the bands I hadn't heard of on the Twilight soundtrack. For instance... The Black Ghosts - "Full Moon", Blue Foundation - "Eyes on Fire", Iron & Wine - "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" and even... (or especially) Rob Pattinson - "Never Think"

26. What did you want and get?

A baby.

27. What did you want and not get?

More sleep.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Um... Twilight

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 32, it's an after baby haze... oh yeah, rock climbing (on a rock wall) and lobster dinner.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Financial security.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Part One - How not to look like a huge pregnant lady when you are hugely pregnant.

Part Two - How to look good in clothes when you just gave birth.

I failed at each part.

32. What kept you sane?

Umm... I'm not sure anything did.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Yeah, Robert Pattinson.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

The whole Obama thing was pretty amazing. Even though it wasn't a political issue in my country it still affects me.

35. Who did you miss?

My niece. My cat. My friends that live far away.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I honestly don't think I met anyone knew.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Relax. I didn't put it into practice though.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Sorry to be a copycat AM, "and I’m on my knees looking for the answer".

It's Over. Sigh...

So Christmas is over for another year. We traveled to Peter's Mom's place and stayed for two nights. We had a marvelous time. This Christmas was A's best yet. She was really able to understand what was going on and had a great time. I still don't think she's fully recovered from all the excitement but unfortunately we never really captured any on camera. I filmed the present opening fiesta so it's captured on video at least. This is the best of the bunch.



These are the photos we took on the way home.



We try to get pictures of Miss A of the rare occasions when she crashes in the car. We find this one particularly cute.



And of course Baby B always sleeps and is cute.




This is Peter being afraid of me driving and taking a picture at the same time.



But he really thought it was funny.



And Peter took a picture of the good winter driving conditions and the traffic.



And when we arrived home she opened her 'bigger' gifts. The one's we didn't want to pack up and have to drag home. We bought her a Barbie house and some accessories. She loved it. And I was happily surprised because I was ready to be disappointed in it once it was opened. I was worried when I bought it that it was going to be cheap and fragile. It's not. And not only that but it packs away to a tiny size which is perfect for our small house which is slowly being overrun with toys. Here are some humorous photos of the Barbies enjoying their new home and Miss A enjoying her gift. Can I just say that the washing machine and dryer actually spin. How cool is that?? (Yes, I'm living vicariously through my child!)











So anyway, now to get back into the regular swing of things. Which will likely include playing a lot of Barbies. :)

Most Definitely Second Best

*I think my title is inspired by my new favorite show which also happens to have the best titles ever.

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year but Halloween is putting up some tough competition. I know some people would have a real problem with that but frankly, I don't care because we had the most glorious Halloween ever this year. I mean, can a Christmas tree compete with this?





And then there was this costume. Which I managed to find second hand and fit her to perfection. When I asked her what she wanted to dress up as several weeks back the first thing she'd said was a pumpkin. Then she had said a spider. So I bought a giant spider that I was going to use in the event that she didn't wear the pumpkin costume. The spider ended up being decoration. See right hand corner of photo.



She was so cheerful and agreeable about everything. I could say "Put your hands up in the air and smile!" and my wish was her command.



She has recently discovered the amazing joy of ringing doorbells. And then with the trick or treating - so many doorbells I can ring!



We only walked a block but I think she could have gone for hours. She was so well behaved, holding my hand and walking up to the doors while I took pictures. There was some pretty amazing decorating out there. She enjoyed it all immensely and only looked curiously at the fog machine at one house and laughed hysterically at the rather scary 'evil laughter' noise detector at another.



Even after we arrived home she was very proud of her haul and also very agreeable about my candy rationing. I admit I was rather nervous about her waking in the night having dreams about scary masks and so on but I worried for nothing. Who knew? This is a kid who tells me about her 'bad dreams' every. single. morning. So far so good.

I have always been a lover of Halloween but I think I have finally discovered the magic of how your children can make holidays even more enjoyable than you have ever experienced before.