Better late than never...the kitchen

Well, the kitchen was finished about 2 months ago- but only now am I finally getting around to posting the before & after pictures. Overall, I love it- especially the layout. With each detail however I could nit-pick. Things didn't exactly go smoothly- for example the granite counter top got cracked by the cabinet installer (long story I don't even want to talk about anymore- will only say do not use Canac Kitchens). Thank goodness the granite guys were fabulous!

But here's the before & after...

I tried to keep the brand new fridge free of clutter, but that lasted less than a week.

The choice of flooring was my challenge- I wanted the look of tile without the hardness of tile. So, I decided in laminate & I love it. Although, I do have heart palpitations about what we will do when/if we want to replace it...but that will be years from now, right???

Obviously in between the before & after there was this...

Our dining area functioned as our kitchen & dining room for well over a month.

Living without a kitchen sink was HELL!
You really don't realize what a luxury a sink can be.

Jason has had some accomplishments too...

The last month I have been very tardy on posts, so I have failed to mention the following:

• Jason's words are coming much faster now
• he is potty training & doing way better than I ever dreamed he would
• likes to sing (really he is copying his sister)
• loves to copy most everything Sydney does- even the stuff she asks him too
• and this weekend we switched his crib into a toddler bed

...my little boy isn't so little anymore. :(

You will actually let your sister lead you in many activities now.

I won't take a picture of him on the potty, but if you look close
you can see his funky training pants.

First weekend in the big boy bed & you did great! You didn't get out when you weren't supposed to & when you fell out of bed at 6:30am this morning you went right back to sleep when I put you back in bed. Thank goodness because it was a late night for Mommy. :)

Dr. Taylor

Could this be a sign of our future???

Portraits

I have always gone to Sears to get the kids' portraits done, but this year I knew that I just wasn't up to the task. Technically speaking the pictures have always turned out well, but the process was a little stressful. With Jason being such a cool cucumber when he first meets people, I knew that the success rate probably would not be as high this year. So, I took them to a friend of a friend hoping for some good shots of Jason. Sydney is typically a no-brainer, she is typically pretty good in front of the camera.

Our morning started off very early. Jason was up shortly after 5am & I thought that by 10:30 am he would be nicely primed for a nap & miserable. My efforts of going to some one's home & a more relaxed environment were not going to deliver the results I sought. However, Jason was in a great mood & wouldn't stop smiling. He was actually being a ham. Heather moved fast, so luckily we got some good shots to choose from.

Sydney's morning wasn't the greatest either. She wanted to wear her butterfly dress for her picture- no problem, but I also was going to bring some jeans & a shirt for her to wear for some shots. Thank goodness I did. On the way to our appointment Sydney got a nose bleed & that was the end of wearing the butterfly dress for pictures. It also put her in a mood for pictures, so it took awhile to warm her up.

Here are some of the proofs...

More birthday...the party

Sydney had her first "friend" party that involved the parents dropping the kids off & leaving. Thankfully my friend Tara stayed, because her hands came in handy. But, all in all, things went really well.

Here is a glimpse...

The first change to this birthday was that Sydney had to help with the cake.
I did the icing, she sprinkled sugar & lined with gum drops.

Mom found these aprons at Dollarama for the kids.
Didn't think we should have them digging in dirt with their party clothes on.

When the rain is pouring outside, you need to set up indoors. Nothing like hosting part of party in your laundry room/exercise room/workshop.

This is their "play". Not sure what it was about, but there was a lot of marching & laughter.


Smiles & laughter. This is what makes it all worthwhile.

First Day of School

Well, today was the day that we put Sydney on the school bus and watched her drive away from us. She woke up this morning crying saying that she was scared. I told her that all the kids in her class today were feeling exactly the same way that she was & that it was normal to be scared. Brad asked her to say "hi" to 2 kids today & we explained that if they didn't say "hi" back, that it didn't mean anything about Sydney. They just maybe weren't feeling as brave as she was.


We got through that moment & she got excited to go. I was feeling like a horrible parent that we hadn't taken all the extra stuff she needed (i.e. inside shoes, "just in case" clothes, markers, glue stick, etc) to school when we met the teacher. Instead all that in addition to her lunch pail & teddy bear were in her backpack this morning. The bear was at the request of the teacher since Sydney would need it for the bear hunt they would be doing. Her pack was so full, she could hardly lift it! And at the bus stop it nearly tipped her backwards!

I worked from home today so that I could see her get on the bus in the morning & greet her off the bus at the babysitters this afternoon. We went to the stop & things went well. She got excited waiting & marched right across the road when the bus came & stepped onto the bus no problem. When she got up onto the bus I saw her look back & she looked a little overwhelmed, but there still were not any tears. The good thing about where we live is that she is essentially one of the last kids on the bus so she does not have a long bus ride. The bad thing is that it must be pretty overwhelming for a newly four-year-old to look back at a bus packed with kids.


We tried to wave goodbye but we couldn't see her anymore & the bus was hardly away from the curb when my tears started. I was proud of her, but I was pretty certain that there were going to be some tears shed by her today & it really hit me that I wasn't going to find anything out until she got home this afternoon. At least with daycare you could call & see how she was doing. With school, they are completely in someone else's hands for the day & you mainly only know what your child tells you. But, I did what I hoped she would do- I sucked it up, came home & started working right away. I was thinking that I would post this blog first thing this morning- but I knew that wasn't going to help me at the time.


So, at 3:30 I saw her again & learned that yes she did cry. Three times she told me. It was so sweet the way she was telling me, because I could see she wanted to cry- but was trying so hard to be brave about it all. She said that she cried on the bus this morning & this afternoon & once at recess. The JKs play in a gated area & Sydney wanted to play in the yard with the bigger kids. She says that is why she cried.

I know that she went on her bear hunt & they went all over the school, the teacher read a story, they watched a show on t.v. (???), played with the balls in the gym, & made a necklace. She said "hi" to 3 kids, one little girl was bad & another little girl cried 3 or 4 times. She ate all her healthy items in her lunch & did not have time to eat the chocolate that I packed for her. All in all I think she had fun, but did find it a little overwhelming at times. I think Sunday night may present a challenge because Jason is sleeping over at Grandma & Papa's & Sydney isn't because she has school- so that I am sure will cause tears. I am glad that Brad will be putting her on the bus on Monday, because if she is teary- I don't think I am the best one to be there for her!

Made it home safe & sound
Her skirt apparently came of in gym. Thank goodness
I had her wear shorts under!

Four Years Old

Wow, four years old. It is hard to believe that you are four already & will be starting school on Thursday. Ever since you were born, I have repeatedly heard that I should hold on to this time & treasure it because once you hit school it all goes so fast. I find it amazing that time could travel any faster because it seems not so long ago that we brought you home from the hospital. I have often said you were a bit of a challenge for those first few months of your life, but really it has been pretty smooth sailing ever since. To be fair to you though, I was pretty new at the job- so maybe I was just as difficult as you.

Now that you are four & going into school I see this little girl before my eyes with no hint of baby anymore. I hope that you will thrive in school- you are ready to be pushed a little harder & you definitely love to please people. However, we already see hints of a perfectionist & I hope that trait of yours will not stop you from taking some risks. You definitely like to know that you can do something before you are willing to try it in front of other people. But hopefully with a bunch of other kids trying to find their way, you too will find your way to fit in & try a lot of new things.

Watching you with your friends I can tell that you do not often take the lead, but you also do not blindly follow & that thrills me. I don’t care if you want to rule the world, but I definitely want you to grow to make your decisions & do what you want to do. As your life in school begins there will be many opportunities to learn that girls can be the best of friends & the worst of friends. As long as I know that you will make your own decisions, I am much more comfortable to help you through the hills and valleys. Someone reading this may think that I am worrying a little early as you are only going into to JK, but from some stories I have heard from others- it can be a tough world out there for little girls at a pretty young age.

You are still not a “toy” kid, but you love to play with your brother as much as he will let you- he can be a little testy sometimes. J What you love to do is colour, cut paper, glue, & paint- hopefully some artistic talent will develop from all this busy activity. You seemed to really like gymnastics last year & are asking to do it again. So we are going to register you again, but this class will be structured in a way that hopefully will teach you more than your last class. We are also hoping you will try your feet at skating this year. You seem hesitant, but I think that is because you remember trying with Daddy last year & not able to do it very well. As we keep telling you, you need to practice to get better. There are very few things that people can do well the first time they try it & this lesson will need to be learned by you too.

You truly are a good girl & your dad & I love you dearly. You are so sweet with your brother, we could not ask for you to be a better big sister. You bring joy to us each day & you warm our heart with your smiles.

School Bus Prep

Last Saturday we took Sydney to the "First Ride" program. We went to a school & watched a Winnie the Pooh movie about school bus safety, then the owner of the bus line gave all the kids the rules & then we went on a 10 minute bus ride. I am so glad we did this because I think it will help a lot, but I still think that we will have tears from Miss Sydney on the first day of school. I sure hope I am wrong, but I am steeling myself for the possibility.

Train-obsessed

To say that Jason liked his birthday present would be putting it mildly. He loves his train & has played with it in every way manageable. He also brings his other toys to combine with it too which is nice to see him thinking in different ways.


The one thing that cracks me up is that he insists on sitting in the middle of the track. It is so tiny, so he barely fits in. But if it is in the oval shape, 90% of the time that he plays with it is with him sitting in the middle.

Developing Creativity

Neither Brad nor I claim to have any artistic skills & do not have high expectations for our children, but would be thrilled if they do. Sydney is finally starting to "think" creatively. Tonight she put ladybug stickers on her toe nails claiming that she was painting her nails. Brad & I both thought her rather clever.


Her drawings however are still a ways away from being life-like, or are they? She is starting to paint/draw pictures that have some theme to them. I still have a painting that she did a month ago that I could look at & say that it was an outdoor scene with grass, trees, "people", and sky. I was so proud it was posted on the fridge for over a month. One of her latest pictures, did not get posted on the fridge. Can you guess why?


She says it is a camel. Hmmm, what do you think. Not only is it a camel, but it is a camel with one hump not two. She can call it what she will, but it definitely looks a little phallic to me.

Bisbee North

This past weekend marked our annual trip up to "Bisbee North". Fun was had by all & it was much warmer sleeping this year than last year when Jason woke up as cold as a Popsicle. When we asked Sydney who she wanted to sleep with she said "Daddy, so that Jason doesn't freak out that he can't sleep with Mommy". Funny kid.

Early risers

Give him a truck & sand & he's a happy boy

Apparently I should have stopped them from filling the boat
with water instead of taking a picture.

I think I see a twinkle in her eye as she looks at Matthew.
Six or eight years from now we might need to keep our eye on these two.

The party

Just a few pictures from Jason's day to show

• the picture of the cake I took before removing it from the pan in fear that when it was all done it would no longer look like a train
• Jason's first present of the day, the school bus from Sydney
  
• putting the kids to work cleaning to get ready for the party
• Jason among his many presents
• and of course, the presentation

Two Years Old

I cannot believe you are 2! Although I shouldn't be surprised, you really are a little boy now & no longer a baby. You are really starting to come into your own. It took about 18 months for you to figure out how to laugh, and another 2 months to become free with your smiles, and another 2 months to start to figure out how to say some words. We took you to a speech pathologist a couple months ago & she says that she thinks you have a lot of words because you are quite smart, but the problem is that you don't have a lot of sounds to make those words. However, in the last couple of weeks, more and more sounds are coming so the words are becoming a little easier to figure out. I think you have a lot you want to say to us, we just need to get on the same page and understand each other. Hopefully in the fall we will finally get in the course that helps us help you get there.

One thing remains constant...you love toys! We are often amazed at how much you play with toys, because your sister never really has- she likes books & crafts more. Although, you do love those too. Your favourite toys are still "things that go"- cars, trucks, trains, planes, boats, motorcycles! Currently you are obsessed with your trains that you got for your birthday & like to carry it around. We are definitely going to have to get some "take-along" trains so that you are not carting the other ones around with you all the time- Lord help us if we lose it! Your sister gave you a little school bus for your birthday & you really like it too.

It's interesting, you really are a boy of extremes still. On one hand you are so easy because you are great at playing on your own & you "typically" do what is asked of you, but when you get it in your mind that you want or don't want something- watch out, everyone is going to hear about it. You definitely seem to want to push the envelope to make sure that we really mean what we are saying- so the biggest lesson your dad & I have learned is that we need to be consistent! Don't get me wrong, this is probably a great trait for you to have but it is often a difficult one for a parent to deal with.

You still take awhile to adjust to change. Going somewhere new or having people come over takes awhile for you to "warm up". It often doesn't matter if you see them everyday, you still may take your time to adjust. You even treat each of your grandparents to the shy factor each time, although you are showing signs of improvement. Where I hope to see improvement soon is when we leave you with a babysitter. You sure make Kristin earn her money when she watches you and Sydney. However, last time we went out we listened from outside for a bit before we left. You didn't cry very long, you just did the tortured cry as I was leaving. Again, I think it is just another example of you pushing the envelope to be sure that we really mean it.

You still seem to adore your sister and you copy much of what she does. Sydney loves to "teach" you stuff and is constantly trying to get you to do what she wants you to do. She is learning though that she doesn't get to make all the decisions where you are concerned- you won't be pushed to do something you don't want to do. She also knows that you are still Mommy-obsessed and will allow you to get your way when it comes to being with me. It is nice to see that you are finally seeking your Dad out sometimes. You love to play with him & you often run to him when he comes home from work- unless of course you are too busy playing with your trains, trucks, cars, etc.

As much as it makes me sad to know that my baby is growing up, I really like the little guy that your are growing to be. We will see if at your next birthday people still comment on how polite you are...you say "thank you" every time someone gives you anything. Not everyone understands that is what you are saying, but those of us who know & love you do.

More vacation

Brad & I also took last week off & it was mainly to address a long list of "to do's". To consider the renovation finally complete (pictures will come soon, I promise) there were a lot of little things that needed to get done. Thankfully Brad's parents kept the kids for a day & Mom kept the kids for a day so that we could really focus on getting stuff done without the "help" of little hands. Not to worry, we also tried to make the time fun for the kids to make sure that they actually benefited from spending a week with their parents instead of a week playing with their friends.

We took the kids to Lion Safari on Friday & it was a fun day for both of them. We braved the wreckage of our vehicle & drove through ourselves because we figured it would be better for the kids. Sydney couldn't wait to see the lions & since they were at the beginning her interest decreased from there. Jason on the other hand was more interested in pointing out the buses than the animals until we reached the giraffes. There he got soooo excited! It was pretty cool because one walked right in front of the van so we could get a very close look. I think the kids liked best being out of their car seats, but we explained this was a one time only deal & was only so they could see better. Sydney of course still asked the other day if she could sit in the front seat again- can't blame the girl for trying.

After spending an extended time with Sydney, it amazes me how many times a day I hear "Mum-aay". It is also great to see how wonderful she is with her brother. We really lucked out that she is such a great big sister. I wonder how long it will last that they play so well together & get along. In September things will change a lot when they go from seeing each other all day, 6 days a week to only seeing each other 4 days a week. School will likely be an adjustment for them both. One of the things we wanted to do last week but didn't was go to Sydney's school & play in the yard & peek in the windows. It is something that the school recommends to help the transition. We will definitely need to do that soon. I was also hoping that she would participate in the "First Ride" program & ride the school bus to her school this summer, apparently her school is not participating. I also have heard about what some of the other schools in town have done to help the transition & am very disappointed that our school did not. I hope it is not an indication of what happens when school starts!