january was

picture of the day

Because sometimes I still can't believe I have two babies.

these days

• You are 15.5 months old.
• You are 26 lbs now. Your Dad says it's like picking up a 25 lb spring salmon.
• You are popping out molars like crazy these days and yet thankfully you haven't been too terribly affected by them. Though we have had to dip into the Advil a few times this week.
• You love to snuggle, hug and kiss and I'm so glad for that. We're soaking it up now while we can.
• You walk everywhere. And you are turning into a climber these days too. For that reason the laundry basket stays up on our bed during the days so you won't flip it over, climb on top and then perchance topple off. So far though, with supervision, you've got good balance and bravery.
• You love to wave and say "bye bye" when Daddy leaves for work and then yell "Da!" when he comes home again.
• You are emotional, impatient and very easily frustrated. I wonder where you got that from?
• You only pay attention to Baby Einstein or Oprah on TV.
• You are so gentle with your brother and insist on kissing him endlessly. That and what we call giving "The Forehead of Blessing".
• You love my homemade banana bread and spanakopita, especially, and you aren't a terribly picky eater though you are passing through an Applesauce Addiction phase.
• Your big words are "Mama", "Dada", "hah" (hot), "co" (cold), "bbb, bbb" (ball), "bah-by" and "uuuppppp!", which is always said very emphatically. You also use sign language for "please", "more" and "all done" and I love when you say one of those without any prompting from me.
• You love to read. You love your books. You love to sit quietly and flip the pages, studying each picture very intently. So far, you can occupy yourself quite well on your own though you also love to go to my two Moms groups so you can play like crazy for a few hours with all the other kids.
• You can dribble the ball for a long time using just your feet, just as you should, a skill that your Daddy is thrilled to bits to see! You knew early on that our favorite Liverpool player was also born with a club foot and so we certainly see soccer in your future.
• You are a good sleeper and have one afternoon nap every day. Your bedtime is 7:30 or 8:00 but you insist on waking up each morning at 6:30 am on the button. And in the dark, dead of winter these days that's rather painful for your parents, let me tell you.
• You end up throwing most of your small toys down the stairs these days, just for fun. Not sure how we're going to break you of that one!
• You just discovered that you can walk backwards.
• You like to have control of the remote, the phone, my cordless mouse and my alarm clock ... and get quickly upset when any of these are then taken away.
• You are a very happy boy. But you are testing your independence and control these days as well so we are also experiencing your screams of frustration. So when you are upset, you are very upset!
• Biting is your preferred method of showing your anger. And hitting. Looks like we're right on target for your age!
• You can point to your tummy, toe, ears, nose, and hair.
• Your biggest entertainment is acting out for yourself in front of our bedroom mirror. I've caught you pretend laughing, fake crying and flirting with yourself just to see what it looks like. It's hysterical!
• You are Henry, our first boy ... and for all that you are, do we ever love you!

• You are 3.5 months old.
• You are just over 14 lbs now and you are certainly eating well as you quickly gained 5 lbs in 2 months!
• Your life is much less exciting and definitely more predictable than Henry's but, boy, are you ever lots more fun and interesting than you were a few short months ago!
• You absolutely l-o-v-e your bath. Sometimes you've even started laughing as soon as I've put you in.
• You are grasping the dangling toys on your play mat now. Big accomplishment, little man, and we know it.
• You hardly cry, except for when you are hungry or wanting to fall asleep. You're pretty simple that way.
• You still love to be swaddled to sleep.
• You are our placid, easygoing child. We already can see that you are very different from your brother!
• You're a talker and your Daddy and I love to have conversations with you.
• You still have 'wobbly head' but you sure love to be upright now and have a good look around. You're rather tolerant of tummy time but we really need to be more consistent with that.
• You have your Daddy's physique, that's for sure. Wide shoulders, a loooong back and a tiny bum all the way at the bottom. You are his son, oh yes, are you ever!
• Your eyes twinkle. That's how I know a big smile is coming up fast.
• You really have the most gorgeous smile. I just haven't been able to capture it on film yet but it's the most flirty, wonderful, sharing smile. I love, love your smile.
• You've already slept 12 hours through the night a few times. We just can't seem to make it a permanent pattern yet but thank you for those random gifts of an all-night sleep!
• You love your big brother. I can see it in the way you look at him and talk to him when he's close. You also happily put up with his pets and kisses and in-your-face-closeness.
• Your laugh is pretty darn wonderful.
• You are our sleeper. And let's just say, your brother was not! So these past 3 months have been great, thank you!!
• You love to stretch and when you were fresh and new you had a Gold Medal in stretching. It was rather amazing.
• You are Walter, our second boy ... and as we get to know you more and more each day, do we ever love you!

I just want to remember all the little details of these days.

made just for him

I finally have something creative to show you! (That's what having children will do to you ... photos of their cute smiles and amazing feats quickly overwhelm a Mummy's blog. Oh dear ...) Well last year I made a "Father and Son" book for Sam and Henry for their first Christmas and not wanting to fall into the neglected second child trap I was determined to do the same for Sam and Walter. Alas, I ran out of time. I really, really did. I knew the hours it would require to put together that project ... and so in the end I came up with a smaller, just-for-Walter version. The four things which make up his life right now ... Me, My House, My Family, My Big Brother {My Best Friend}. I enjoyed making this so much, having something special to give my second boy on his first Christmas (though at the moment of unwrapping he was dead asleep in Sam's arms, ha!). It was fun too to have a surprise for Sam as well as he didn't know I had worked on this the entire weekend he was away in December. My list of projects for this year is already long, paper and photo and fabric and food surprises for birthdays and Christmas and parties and gifts. And I have to say, I'm really looking forward to a year not being pregnant and not having a newborn so that I can start and finish some of these grandiose ideas. Some which I just might show you here in the coming months.

That and lots of photos of my kids' cute smiles and amazing feats of course ...

the best kind of gifts

The boys were given some really fantastic books for Christmas this year ... a few from a wish list I had given their Nana and a few perfectly picked out surprises. My sister is of course keeping up with her commitment to give a new Christmas book to each boy every year, so we'll slowly build up our collection. Ooooh, I love books! And I know my life is coming back to normal even just a little as I now have an ongoing book on my nightstand these days, as this is something I need to keep me centered and calm and very, very happy. I know I'll never understand people who simply don't read, just as they will never understand the joy and anticipation I feel whenever I pick up a new book. A holiday to me is being curled up with a book. Anywhere. And I love that some of my friends totally get this!

I'm reading Twilight right now, just to try to understand all the fervour and craziness, but - yawn - I'm so bored with it. It's poorly written and I can't make myself like any the main characters even in the slightest so I frankly don't care ... about them or the plot. But I'll plod on. I've only ever not finished two books in my life that I've started and both were a traumatic decision to do so, as it felt like a great betrayal to all books everywhere. I was reminded again of the greatness of The Count of Monte Cristo today and so I'll give that a read soon. That and The Happiest Toddler on the Block, just to balance out my reading interests! I need help though ... at least a few 2010 Must Read suggestions from everyone ... what should I keep on my nightstand this year?

two blocks away

Tonight we walked two block to watch the Olympic Torch pass by. Met up with two sets of friends and their kids who all live about two blocks away themselves and watched this bit of history come through our prairie town. Ironically, at the moment the torchbearer ran past us we had some technical difficulties, let's say, with the camera (ahem ... not me!) and so we didn't capture a worthy enough photo to share here. But experience it we did, on this practically balmy 1 degree above zero evening! Happy watching next month, everyone, we're certainly excited to be hosting the Games this year in Vancouver.

And happy 100 days to our Walter-bear today ... you sure are getting old!

with isla

While we were whooping it up at Eli and Allison's rehearsal dinner and wedding, my sister Bethany, her hubby Glen and Isla (the cutest ever girl-cousin Henry and Walter could ever hope for) took care of the boys for 2 days and 2 nights. Merry Christmas to me! (Yes, it was lovely ... the break ... the waking up in bed and being able to read a book for awhile ... ahhh ...) Bethany was a star to do this as she started feeling sick as soon as we arrived and then Henry ran up a high fever on the wedding night (teething?) but everyone soldiered on and did beautifully. Apparently Isla was in her glory having these two friends to play with and a real live baby-doll to kiss endlessly. Have I said before that she cracks me up?? - she does - and the look on her face in the first photo is my favorite. We love you, little girlie, you and your Mom and Dad! {And Thank You!}

the black and white night

You know you're at a hip, urban, Vancouver wedding when everyone just happens to show up wearing black. So thankfully the only dress I could wear was black (yes, a complete repeat from Jeff and Shendah's wedding this summer, oh well ...) so I completely fit in and felt "big city wedding" acceptable - phew! Our good friends Eli and Allison were married on December 29th and as we already planned to be in the province for Christmas and New Years anyways we made a few changes to our flights and the timing worked out perfectly. Sam, Jeff and Eli have been close friends for years (and my friends too, before Sam and I started dating) and so this is the third time the three of them have stood up together at each other's weddings. Shendah and I got a little teary listening to Sam and Jeff's speech to Eli, knowing how much those three friends mean to each other and how they hate having Sam so far away. Eli's found his match with Allison and he obviously adores her and she adores him ... and their wedding was just so them. We had a fantastic time, evidenced by our presence at the 1 am last dance in the company of all our Vancouver friends and the cab ride home well later than that (ahem, I haven't stayed up that late voluntarily for a very long time!).

Congratulations Eli and Allison, we are so happy for you both!

and a chambers new year

• So yes, it was New Year's while we were at my parents but let's be honest ... I was in bed at 9:30 pm! Sad, I know ...
• Lots of Henry and Cousin Isla time. Those two crack us up. Especially watching the hoe-down-dance-off on our last night.
• I got to meet my brother Eton's girlfriend Alicia finally. And our cousin Laird's very new fiancee Corie too.
• Willie, Melanie and Nathaniel came over too. They're practically family, you know.
• I think passersby thought Glen and I were a happy (and sleepless) young couple with our twins in the double stroller and a newborn in the BabyBjorn when we went out walking together. We just didn't have the time to explain to everyone ...
• We all split up to go to separate movies so someone was always home with the kids. Then of course Henry and Isla set up their own mini theatre in the living room to watch Baby Einstein. Classic choice.
• Some people might say I look like my mother.
• And Walter - when he was awake - was pretty darn cute.