Where to begin!? It feels like nothing ever changes yet at the same time Deacon and Hayden are both growing SO fast I can't even keep up. Here are a few updates:
KIDS: Hayden has become a little motor-mouth. She literally does not stop talking but I don't even mind because everything she says is both hilarious and adorable. I could give you examples but you really have to hear her little voice say it to understand the cuteness. She can't say her "R" sounds or "J" sounds. "Jolly Jumper" is "Zolly Zumper". "Rocky" is "Wocky". "Tree trunks" are "See Sunks". She's getting a little attitude and always demands things "NOW". Which is my fault because I probably say "NOW" to her once in a while (oops). It's sometimes hard for me to know - due to my lack of toddler experience - what is typical toddler behaviour and what is actually her true character. So I sincerely hope she is not actually developing dictatorial tendencies.
We live a 2 minute walk from the St. John's Library so we spend a lot of time there. Right now Hayden's favourite books are The Bernstein Bears and The Critters series'. If she sees a Thomas the Train or Caillou book we usually take those home with us too.
Swimming lessons start in a couple weeks and she is really looking forward to it. Thank goodness, because she's not a huge fan of the water. She hates getting water on her head! We'll see how it goes.
Deacon just does not stop growing. He is enormous. He's wearing some 24 month sleepers and onesies. It actually blows my mind that he's become the size he is completely off breast milk alone. It's amazing. He is the sweetest little man. But SO serious. Hayden could be dancing around and being hilarious and he just stares at her with an amused little smirk on his face. He'll laugh if he's being tickled but otherwise it is both exhausting and humiliating trying to get even a little giggle out of him. When he does it melts my heart.
Deacon is Mr. Grabby-hands these days! It's safe to say he's perfected the skill of grabbing objects. And obviously everything goes straight into his mouth. :S
HOUSE: We are officially the owners of land now!! You wouldn't believe how long it took for this one seemingly simple step to be completed. But it's done! So we now have 70 acres of land, plus our 500+ trees that we planted last spring. We are only developing maybe 3 acres and the rest will remain crop. We hope to have a massive garden and we are planning on sharing garden space with our city friends and family. #growyourown. Next step: Get the house plans drafted.
Other than that, I can't think of what else is news. In other less positive news, there were 3 people stabbed at the 7-11 on Main St. (3 blocks away) last night. It totally freaks me out because Tyler often goes there. Time to vacate the North End methinks!!!
Liza :)
Wednesday 26 March 2014
Monday 24 March 2014
Happy Birthday to Me!
My 29th birthday will definitely be one to remember. I can't remember another birthday where I've ever felt so loved! In the past I've never made a big deal about my birthday or bothered putting much effort into planning what I wanted to do on my "special"day. This year, I guess I was feeling a little more selfish. But, it turns out that kind of thing is allowed on your birthday!
Friday, the 21st (my actual birthday): I'd spent the night at the farm since Tyler had been out of town for quite some time. My brother, Scotty, was visiting from Gimli so it was a real family affair. When I woke up, even though I hadn't slept terribly well (no surprise) my mom took my kids off my hands so I could enjoy a leisurely morning in my pj's. Later in the morning, a couple of very treasured family friends came over for coffee. We had a great visit. Before I knew it, it was nap time. Then my phone rang - it was Tyler. He'd returned from out of town early and needed to be picked up from his shop! Deacon and I rushed off to get him up while Hayden napped at the farm. It was a lovely, sunny, musical drive to the shop. When we got back to the ranch, my dad had brought home pizza, so we stuffed our faces before heading back into the city.
Before we went home, however, Tyler insisted we make one stop because he wanted to get me my birthday present - a mountain bike, which I desperately needed because I've been riding the same bike for 15 years. It's nothing super fancy or high-tech as I'm not a professional mountain biker or cross country cyclist. But, it's perfect for biking the gravel roads which I fully intend to do in the upcoming years.
Saturday, the 22nd: On Saturday we returned to the farm for a joint birthday party for myself and my Nana who's birthday was on the 13th. She turned 88 and is still very much the life of all our family get-togethers. When I watch her play with Hayden it feels like a flash-back to when it was me on her lap listening to her sing silly songs. I <3 my Nana!!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot that we did our taxes on Saturday morning! Hayden and Deacon behaved themselves beautifully at H & R block. lol
Sunday, the 23rd: This was just the best day ever. Probably because Deacon slept through the night for only the 3rd time in his life. We lazed around all morning. Hayden and Deacon both had nice long afternoon naps. It was a very slow-paced day which is rare when Tyler is home because he is always GO GO GO. Tyler often says how there needs to be 26 hours in the day. Lord help him...
Sunday afternoon I had a second birthday party at Tyler mom's. We were joined by his sister, Amber, and his Aunty Cindy. It was lovely. After dinner, Tyler and I escaped from our children for a while to go down to Osborne St for an evening stroll. We stopped at Baked Expectations for cake and coffee. It was delicious. Then we picked up the kids, went home, put them to bed (Deacon went to sleep early, hurrahh!) and watched a movie!
As if Sunday couldn't have been any more spectacular, this was the day Tyler got his driver's lisence back after coming off a 3 month suspension for being a speed demon. And it's spring! And the sun was shining! Ahhh bliss.
I really really hate to sound like a cheeseball here, but I seriously feel so blessed to have so many amazing, special people in my life. My family means everything to me. I can't imagine having a better birthday without them.
-----------------------------------
Thats all for now!
Liza :)
Friday, the 21st (my actual birthday): I'd spent the night at the farm since Tyler had been out of town for quite some time. My brother, Scotty, was visiting from Gimli so it was a real family affair. When I woke up, even though I hadn't slept terribly well (no surprise) my mom took my kids off my hands so I could enjoy a leisurely morning in my pj's. Later in the morning, a couple of very treasured family friends came over for coffee. We had a great visit. Before I knew it, it was nap time. Then my phone rang - it was Tyler. He'd returned from out of town early and needed to be picked up from his shop! Deacon and I rushed off to get him up while Hayden napped at the farm. It was a lovely, sunny, musical drive to the shop. When we got back to the ranch, my dad had brought home pizza, so we stuffed our faces before heading back into the city.
Before we went home, however, Tyler insisted we make one stop because he wanted to get me my birthday present - a mountain bike, which I desperately needed because I've been riding the same bike for 15 years. It's nothing super fancy or high-tech as I'm not a professional mountain biker or cross country cyclist. But, it's perfect for biking the gravel roads which I fully intend to do in the upcoming years.
Saturday, the 22nd: On Saturday we returned to the farm for a joint birthday party for myself and my Nana who's birthday was on the 13th. She turned 88 and is still very much the life of all our family get-togethers. When I watch her play with Hayden it feels like a flash-back to when it was me on her lap listening to her sing silly songs. I <3 my Nana!!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot that we did our taxes on Saturday morning! Hayden and Deacon behaved themselves beautifully at H & R block. lol
Sunday, the 23rd: This was just the best day ever. Probably because Deacon slept through the night for only the 3rd time in his life. We lazed around all morning. Hayden and Deacon both had nice long afternoon naps. It was a very slow-paced day which is rare when Tyler is home because he is always GO GO GO. Tyler often says how there needs to be 26 hours in the day. Lord help him...
Sunday afternoon I had a second birthday party at Tyler mom's. We were joined by his sister, Amber, and his Aunty Cindy. It was lovely. After dinner, Tyler and I escaped from our children for a while to go down to Osborne St for an evening stroll. We stopped at Baked Expectations for cake and coffee. It was delicious. Then we picked up the kids, went home, put them to bed (Deacon went to sleep early, hurrahh!) and watched a movie!
As if Sunday couldn't have been any more spectacular, this was the day Tyler got his driver's lisence back after coming off a 3 month suspension for being a speed demon. And it's spring! And the sun was shining! Ahhh bliss.
I really really hate to sound like a cheeseball here, but I seriously feel so blessed to have so many amazing, special people in my life. My family means everything to me. I can't imagine having a better birthday without them.
-----------------------------------
Thats all for now!
Liza :)
Monday 17 March 2014
This Winter in a Nutshell
One day, a couple weeks ago, I was returning home to the city after staying a few days at the farm. It had snowed a substantial amount in the days I'd been away from home. As I turned into the back lane I immediately realized there was no way I would be getting my car into my parking spot through the insane quantity of snow that had yet to be shovelled. I promptly backed out of the back lane and drove around to park on the front street, Hayden and Deacon both out cold in the back-seat.
I sat in the car and thought about what to do. It wouldn't have been a problem to park on the front street if: 1) I'd had a key for the front door. 2) The path between the houses had been shoveled, allowing me to open the side gate which was stuck shut between 3 ft of snow on either side. I concluded that I would have to somehow walk, with both kids, around the street and through the back lane to access the back door. But how? Twenty pound Deacon plus carseat I can hardly carry 20 feet let alone half a block! I had no choice.
I turned around to rouse Hayden from her carseat dreamland. "Hayden, wake up! We're home!" No response. "Hayden!!" *Snore*. I jiggled her - no luck. She's a good sleeper, God bless her! Would I have to carry BOTH sleeping kids down the block and around the backlane?! Now that was impossible. I eyed a shopping cart tipped over on the boulevard (not an uncommon sight in the North End). Ah-hah!! But we all know what pushing a weighted down shopping cart through snow is like. Scratch that idea. Then, I realized my porch was unlocked. I could put Deacon in the porch and then run with Hayden as fast as I could around to the back door. I didn't like the idea of leaving Deacon unattended in his carseat in the cold porch, but at this point I was running out of options.
As it turned out, my mother-in-law was only 10 minutes away, so she waited in the front porch with a very cranky tired Hayden and sleepy Deacon while I ran down the street, down the back lane and unlocked my back door.
And this, in a nutshell, is an example of the ridiculousness I have endured this winter. No other winter has the path between the houses gone unshoveled. There is just no where for the snow to go! Bla bla bla, I could go on about this damn snow and cold forever.
But, I have to remind myself that there have been a lot of good memories that came with this winter too. Like the day I decided to take Hayden and Deacon for a sleigh ride on one of the nicer days we had. Proud big sister Hayden held Deacon on her lap in the sleigh as we set off on our journey. We hadn't made it 15 feet before I veered off the path, tipping the sleigh, sending both Hayden and Deacon face first into powdery snow. They both cried but I couldn't help but laugh as I brushed the snow off their red faces. lol
Or today, my dad took Hayden for her first snowmobile ride. When she came inside I asked her if she'd had fun on the snowmobile. "No, Mom, I don't like the snowmobile!" she said. I asked her why! "The snowmobile is too noisy!" she replied.
Soooo don't call the WAHmbulence on me just yet. I feel like even though this winter has been excrutiating to say the least, we will all look back on it with a sense of amusement at what we endured. I know I will!!
XO Liza ;)
I sat in the car and thought about what to do. It wouldn't have been a problem to park on the front street if: 1) I'd had a key for the front door. 2) The path between the houses had been shoveled, allowing me to open the side gate which was stuck shut between 3 ft of snow on either side. I concluded that I would have to somehow walk, with both kids, around the street and through the back lane to access the back door. But how? Twenty pound Deacon plus carseat I can hardly carry 20 feet let alone half a block! I had no choice.
I turned around to rouse Hayden from her carseat dreamland. "Hayden, wake up! We're home!" No response. "Hayden!!" *Snore*. I jiggled her - no luck. She's a good sleeper, God bless her! Would I have to carry BOTH sleeping kids down the block and around the backlane?! Now that was impossible. I eyed a shopping cart tipped over on the boulevard (not an uncommon sight in the North End). Ah-hah!! But we all know what pushing a weighted down shopping cart through snow is like. Scratch that idea. Then, I realized my porch was unlocked. I could put Deacon in the porch and then run with Hayden as fast as I could around to the back door. I didn't like the idea of leaving Deacon unattended in his carseat in the cold porch, but at this point I was running out of options.
As it turned out, my mother-in-law was only 10 minutes away, so she waited in the front porch with a very cranky tired Hayden and sleepy Deacon while I ran down the street, down the back lane and unlocked my back door.
And this, in a nutshell, is an example of the ridiculousness I have endured this winter. No other winter has the path between the houses gone unshoveled. There is just no where for the snow to go! Bla bla bla, I could go on about this damn snow and cold forever.
But, I have to remind myself that there have been a lot of good memories that came with this winter too. Like the day I decided to take Hayden and Deacon for a sleigh ride on one of the nicer days we had. Proud big sister Hayden held Deacon on her lap in the sleigh as we set off on our journey. We hadn't made it 15 feet before I veered off the path, tipping the sleigh, sending both Hayden and Deacon face first into powdery snow. They both cried but I couldn't help but laugh as I brushed the snow off their red faces. lol
Or today, my dad took Hayden for her first snowmobile ride. When she came inside I asked her if she'd had fun on the snowmobile. "No, Mom, I don't like the snowmobile!" she said. I asked her why! "The snowmobile is too noisy!" she replied.
Soooo don't call the WAHmbulence on me just yet. I feel like even though this winter has been excrutiating to say the least, we will all look back on it with a sense of amusement at what we endured. I know I will!!
XO Liza ;)
Tuesday 4 March 2014
Psychotic Mom Alert (revised)
A couple months ago I wrote a blog post titled "Psychotic Mom Alert!" which I never posted. Basically, it was my warning to any over-eager baby snatchers to think twice before coming to my "rescue" when my baby starts crying. I reread it a bunch of times before deciding it was a little harsh to put out there.
Today I just read another blog post called "Mommy, Somebody Needs You!" where a mother describes her mixed feelings about being so needed by her small children and it put everything I'd tried to describe in "Psychotic Mom..." into perspective.
When Hayden and Deacon were both newborns, they did their fair share of crying as I'm sure most newborns do. I never minded the crying. At all. Until....someone else would come swooping in to save me from my crying baby. "Here. Let me." *snatch* For some reason, listening to my baby cry in the arms of someone else was pure agony! If that person did manage to calm the baby then be my guest, but otherwise I could barely give them 5 minutes before reclaiming my miserable little bundle of joy.
Now, Deacon is 4 months old and his fussy newborn days are behind him. Hayden as a newborn was a force to be reckoned with, but, those days are lonnnnng gone. Since we only plan on having 2 children, I will never have another newborn baby to soothe ever again. So I'm not and never will be sorry for hoarding my cranky crying babies. As for the toddler, she's all yours! ;)
That's it for now!
Liza
Today I just read another blog post called "Mommy, Somebody Needs You!" where a mother describes her mixed feelings about being so needed by her small children and it put everything I'd tried to describe in "Psychotic Mom..." into perspective.
When Hayden and Deacon were both newborns, they did their fair share of crying as I'm sure most newborns do. I never minded the crying. At all. Until....someone else would come swooping in to save me from my crying baby. "Here. Let me." *snatch* For some reason, listening to my baby cry in the arms of someone else was pure agony! If that person did manage to calm the baby then be my guest, but otherwise I could barely give them 5 minutes before reclaiming my miserable little bundle of joy.
Now, Deacon is 4 months old and his fussy newborn days are behind him. Hayden as a newborn was a force to be reckoned with, but, those days are lonnnnng gone. Since we only plan on having 2 children, I will never have another newborn baby to soothe ever again. So I'm not and never will be sorry for hoarding my cranky crying babies. As for the toddler, she's all yours! ;)
That's it for now!
Liza
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