Some Photos of Our Days

One night:

 The next morning:

 Who do I love?

 Yes, you!

 And definitely the three of you!

 A trip to the beach:

 Makes me a happy person.

Three Years Ago Today...

Wow.  Three years ago today, at this moment in time, we were sitting in the hospital, working through labour pains, waiting to meet the little one who would change our lives forever.  It's hard to believe, but that little guy is three years old today.

Oh Griffin, we are so glad you have joined us.  You just sparkle through my life,  and fill each day with wonder.

On today, your third birthday, you are:
-still obsessed with trucks, cars, boats, and airplanes
-absolutely loving watching funny cat videos on YouTube (you laugh and laugh)
-loving playing with the cats (play means chasing them around, trying to get them interested in your truck)
-not afraid to go face-first down the slide
-able to recognize the letter G every time you see it
-having a lot of fun "fishing" in every puddle, stream, or ditch you can poke a stick into
-always willing to lend a hand when Mommy is working in the kitchen, or Daddy is working in the yard
-ready for someone to ready you a story - any time, anywhere
-an expert at using tow ropes to get trucks out of sticky situations (tow ropes include, but are not limited to, rubber bands, bungee cordes, and hair elastics)
 -about to get a fish tank and goldfish, a play tent, a tricycle, a sit-on excavator, and who knows what else. I'm sure you'll love it all.
-still happy to let me take your picture over and over again
-so, so, so loved.

Happy Birthday, Griffin!

Easter happened.

Hello.  Here we are, plugging and plotting along - trying to enjoy each day as it arrives - at whatever time in the morning it arrives!  Most days we succeed... other days we survive.  Although, at the end of every day, when we sit with Griffin as he lies in bed and "go over" our day, without fail there are many, many good moments we enjoy remembering.  Even the days when I can't quite settle into this new routine, and struggle to eke out a moment of "me" time, these kids of ours manage to ignite my heart in their own special ways.
Most days, however, I fall a little behind.  Some of the "shoulds" get replaced with changing diapers, flattening play-doh,  snuggling, flattening different play-doh, etc, etc.  And here's this blog(and perhaps you, if you are out there reading this) patiently waiting for an update.  Well, here it is.

 Easter happened.  We did various Easter-related activities - story time at the library (where Holly broke out her bunny suit for the first time), the massive egg hunt in Annapolis Royal (pictured here) (cleverly they have a field for the little kids, with hundreds and hundreds of eggs strewn about in the grass - Jai said he was told by the man who distributed them that they had placed close to 5000 eggs - all were gone within minutes.  It was about four good minutes of total chaos.  Super fun!), we blew out some eggs and boiled others for egg-dying, and we finally made an Easter tree (none of which is pictured - c'est la vie).  That might be the longest run-on sentence in the history of this blog.

 We went to Halifax and met Elephant and Piggy.  They had a jellybean jar, and the winner won six Elephant and Piggy books.  On Holly's ballot, I guess exactly the right number of jellybeans (2964, or something like that.)  Score!

 Griffin enjoyed the iPad...

And here at home, Spring has arrived!

We visited friends with chickens, and Griffin got to hold one.  He just sat there and touched it, like it was the coolest thing in the world.  It was.

And much, much more.  I will try and be back soon, with more pictures to share. Until then...

Here's What Happened

Hi. Just stopping in to say we're still here. (Barely, at times!)
We've had:

-kidney stones (ok - just me)

-head colds (all of us)

-Easter (pics next time?)

-many talks about the Titanic, with Griffin (he's fascinated by the story... without all the horrors... I, however, am feeling a bit traumatized)

-as many visits as we can, with friends who are visiting

-giggle fests (Griffin AND Holly - so cute when they get each other going)

-knitting...frogging....knitting

-purging of baby clothes

-buying more baby clothes at Frenchy's (secondhand clothing extraordinaire)

And here's Holly in the one successfully finished knitting project (yes that's a big blob of spit-up on it - about two seconds in):
Bye for now!

It's a Pleasant Thing...

Ah, Spring's coming! It really is. Right now it's snowing like crazy, but it's only a matter of time. Those flowers are coming out of the ground, and the bees are buzzing. Slowly but surely the grass is turning from brown to green. This morning we woke up and the bathroom floor was barely cold.
We are mentally preparing ourselves to do much of our living outside again. Planning gardens, and outdoor chores, as we load another log into the fire. And simultaneously amazed that it is nearly April already. Amazed that our little girl is growing so fast - she is already in 12month clothes, and stretching further by the day, in every way.

Kids change so fast, so how is it that they seem so timeless? So incredibly innocent and mercurial and busy, and then able to remind us that it is always, always worthwhile to just stop and enjoy the moment?

(I just love the word "mercurial")

Big thoughts...

Questing fingers...

Fascinating toes...

"It's a pleasant thing to be young, and have ten toes." -Robert Louis Stevenson

Our Holly is a girl who loves her toes. Quite often, if she's crying, stripping her of pants and socks, and allowing her to chew on her toes will quiet her down and bring back that beautiful smile. Ah, that's better...
Simply irresistible!

A Perfect Way to Spend a Day

Over Spring Break, we headed out to a cabin some friends were renting, and spent the day with excellent company, and a beautiful beach. It was still a little chilly (haven't actually visited this beach yet - ever - when we haven't needed Winter clothing, but hey, a beach is a beach.)

Yes, that's a little yellow boot. Floating away.

And rescued.

Lovely! And also, Happy Birthday to my Love. You are amazing.