mesmerized

climbing

While Felix was napping Saturday morning Sam took the bigger boys for a climb up our backyard mountain. Well ... up beyond our front yard actually. Highrock Park is the highest point in Esquimalt and once up at the top it gives you a full 360 degree view of Greater Victoria, downtown and the Olympic Mountains. Sam's photos make me want to get up there soon myself! They could see Sam's work buildings and where our place was hidden behind other houses. The huge cranes on the navy base and the rows of grave markers at the picturesque Veterans Cemetery. And of course lots of blue, blue water peeking out beyond the green. I'm really glad they were able to get up there for a morning's climb, a grand adventure. Such a marvelous thing to have just up the street and around the corner.

we're getting there

He's still not walking ... but we're getting there. And I'm in no rush. Then that means we're in the unstable, falling over, Mum's paranoid stage, just waiting for a forehead scar to match his brothers. He is sure loving walking behind the wagon and the giraffe though. He's also hitting alot these days and frankly it's driving us all crazy. His brothers don't trust him near and I'm tired of constantly having to come and police the situation. I went back to read Henry's description at this same age and, yep, he's right on target for this behaviour. He's just not learning the "gentle, gentle" part of it, sigh. In time this will pass, I know, and it's not that huge. He is still the cutest most smiley-est boy around. Yes, a boy ... as just this past month I've seen him pass from babyhood to boyhood. He just looks different now. He says "dad", "mum-mum-mum", "baa (ball)", "car", "dare (there)" and "wow". I'm pretty sure he thinks he's Russian as he'll only say "da" for "yes", it's very funny! He gives a good solid moo when we talk about cows, touches his teeth when we say it's time to brush them, and can identify his nose and tummy ever so cutely. Almost 17 months old now. We're getting there.

trying

Source: cubiclerefugee.tumblr.com via Cass on Pinterest

easter this year

Our Easter long weekend did in fact blaze with sun and warmth, perfect for what feels to me like the real beginning of spring. It was great to have Sam home for 4 days and he and the big boys spent a long time out in the backyard gardening and pruning and pulling. And even with their hats on Henry especially felt a little sick that night from that first bout of too much sun. With every holiday or celebration I still feel as though I'm leaving everything to the last minute and not doing all I had hoped ... and yet even so Easter this year turned out well and we enjoyed it very much. I had completely forgotten to include Henry and Walter's teachers when handing out Valentine treats this year - I felt so bad seeing their empty brown bags - so we got them some Easter chocolates last week instead. Of course we made sugar cookies and even brought a little box of wee bunnies for their Sunday School class. I had so much fun playing Easter Bunny again and putting together their buckets of goodies, actually using little Christmas gifts that were never fully unpacked in the move. They never realized they'd been given those gifts twice, ha! (Thank you again Auntie Margaret for the bugs!) And Henry and Walter pretend they are cats all the time and they get really into it so I found these sweet felt cat and mouse masks on Etsy for them - perfect! Everyone amazingly slept til 7:30am on Sunday, Walter awake first only to come running into our room 3 seconds later for us to come see the surprise. Their excitement always makes everything fun and worth the effort! We spent the morning with our new church family and then out for lunch with the Pastor and his kids ... Paul, who is Sam's age and so I hope they'll be friends or at least fishing buddies in the future. Easter egg hunting in the backyard that afternoon (so hot outside!) and then Monday up to Nana and Grandad's for a special supper together. The gloom has returned today but the tulips have just bloomed overnight in our yard. School resumes tomorrow but I'm always thankful for our routine ... and we actually have a few visitors this week to look forward to! A new month but the calendar is filling up with plans and places. So spring has begun ... and I think my hibernation is over ...