Out With the Old, In With the New

It's the New year and as they say; "Out with the old, in with the new".

In the last month Kendall has begun putting her feet up on the mechanism under her highchair tray and pushing it so it releases.  We've had to watch her like a hawk to make sure that she's holding out on eating, doesn't end up on the floor.  So, it was time to retire the highchair and move to a booster seat. 

It's no big surprise since by this age, we had already moved Cole out of the highchair so that he would no longer feel any attachment to it when his sister came along.  I was just stalling since the little monkey is SO messy.  Her food is usually scattered about her plate and regularly ends up on her head.  I was really not used to this since Cole learned quickly not to do this and was rather neat.  Kendall however, is a little whirlwind and leaves destruction in her wake wherever she travels.  Fortunately, for the time being, she has not yet learned to rebel against the concept of cleaning up when mommy asks her to.  This includes both toys and sandwich crusts (the least desired part of lunch).

Cole is still a little short to be sitting on a regular chair, so he and Daddy went to Walmart to let him pick out a new seat for himself.  That way his sister could have his old one. 

Today Kendall ate a meal for the first time facing her brother.  It was funny to watch her mirroring each one of Cole's sips, and trying to mimic the way he shoves an entire sandwich crust into his mouth (something we're trying to break him of).  Cole ate Corn Pops for the first time today (he previously has only eaten dry Cheerios), so maybe some of Kendall's "better" eating habits will rub off on him as well (please, please, please).  That would definitely be something great for the new year!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family.

Dave, Erin, Cole and Kendall

Twas 3 Nights Before Christmas

Twas 3 nights before Christmas and all through the house, was the sound of us puking, and the crash when I passed out.

Kendall has had a touch of something since Tuesday (coincidentally the same night Cole came down with croup - again).  She spit up once in her crib in the middle of the night and then promptly went back to sleep.  Of course we discovered this in the morning, after she slept in it all night.  And the parent of the year award goes to ...  After this she mostly had a lack of appetite and a few loose diapers.  But overall, she's been functioning quite well with a little Tylenol.

Then last evening it hit me.  I had been tired all day and decided to lay down while the kids had their quiet time.  When it was time to get up I felt unsettled and called Dave to see if he could come home early from work.  Thank goodness he did because and hour later I was incapacitated.  Literally.  At one point I was on the toilet and passed out.  I now have a bump on the head from where I hit the base of the pedestal sink.  To spare you any more details.  I feel much better now other than its still a little too much to stand up and walk around.  I've been camping out in our spare bedroom since the middle of the night.

Unfortunately, Cole woke up this morning just before 7 and spent the rest of the morning throwing up.  The poor kid hasn't had the stomach flu since he was 9 or 10 months, so he had no idea what was going on.  He'd pretty much just say ouch, scream and then puke (while screaming).  Or at least that's what I heard and was told by my husband, as I laid on my own sick bed.  Cole spent the afternoon laying on the couch sipping water while half asleep.  He's resting and seems to be feeling better.  Somehow his favourite blanket and monkey escaped unscathed.  I'm calling it a Christmas miracle.

Once again the world's most wonderful husband and father has stepped up and taken care of us all.  Here's hoping he remains unaffected.  Just in case my wonderful mother has made the 4 hour trip to stay with us and help out.

We are supposed to be travelling to see my family on Christmas day but at this point I think we'll be taking things one day at a time.  I think the last thing my family would like to receive for Christmas is this nasty flu.  Oh well, things will work out in the end.  They did last time.  5 years to the day to be exact.

The Girl of Christmas Past and Present

2011

2010

A lot can change in one short year!

She may have

grown, but the cuteness factor has stayed the same!

One thing is for sure ...

... it's definitely more difficult to get her to stay still for the camera.

Happy Birthday to Me!

My birthday is December 27th.  Even though it's not Christmas day, it quite often gets lost in the shuffle of all the various family get togethers we go to during the holidays.  So this year my hubby decided we would celebrate my birthday early (on Monday).
Dave isn't big on parties, but he made a huge effort just for me.  It was just us and the kids, and we just had McDonald's from the drive thru, but he decorated.  That's right, I said DECORATED!  I got the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse plates, napkins, paper cups and plastic tablecloth.  The man even got me my own cake, which is huge since Dave hates cake, and since I'm the only one who eats it, we don't normally get one (I make him cheesecake or pie every year).  But the icing on the cake, so to say, was my gift this year.

The kids got me the book "The Art of Cars 2" for my Pixar art book collection.  I also got the book "I Want My Hat Back" written and illustrated by my friend Jonathan Klassen.  However, in the front jacked of the book was tucked the greatest present ever.  It was a flight itinerary for a round trip to Alberta in my name.  My husband organized our family to all contribute and buy me a plane ticket to visit my dearly missed friends in Alberta for a week, while he takes a week off work, stays at home, and watches the kids.  And though the middle of January may not be the most ideal time to visit northern Alberta, (there's a reason it was a good seat sale) I'll assure you I'm not going to enjoy the weather.

So do I have the best husband in the whole wide world ... I THINK SO!

To all my Alberta friends ... can't wait to see you in a few weeks!