Monday, December 22, 2008

Our Christmas History

Looking back over the past few years at Christmas time – things have changed every year for us.

2002 – Both single at Christmas time – did not know each other
2003 – Living together
2004 – Engaged
2005 – Married
2006 – Pregnant with Jackie & Brutis in attendance
2007 – Jackie & Brutis in attendance
2008 – Jackie, Anderson & Brutis in attendance

2009 – There better not be anyone else attending.

Adam and I are very happy, we feel like our family is complete (please note, this post will be deleted and everything denied if we have an ‘oops’ in the future). We are enjoying our 2 children and looking forward to many Christmas’ together in the future.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Sleeping Beauties


Laughing

I knew I would love my children, but no one told me I would laugh so much.

Jackie makes me laugh at least once a day.

Her favourite thing to do right now, is to see how many places maxi pads / panty lines can be placed. I have come upstairs and find them stuck to doors and walls – this weekend she came down stairs sporting this look.

Yes we both laughed very hard.



Anna's Christmas Party

As many of you know, we have the most amazing day home provider in the entire world. Her name is Anna, and she has become a very important and cherished person in our lives.

Every year she puts on a Christmas party at her house, she invites not just her current children and their parents, but also all her past children and their parents too. She must cook for days because we get to all enjoy her home made Hungarian food and desserts.

Then there is Santa – she has someone (usually one of the dads) dress up as Santa and she has a gift for every child (she even had a gift for Anderson!)

As I said – she is amazing – we all love her. It was great to meet some of her past children and their parents – and neat to see them have their own little reunions with each other. You know you have a good dayhome when parents with an 11 and 9 year old are there, still coming to her parties and staying connected with a woman that played such an important role in their children’s lives.

Here are a few pictures from the night:


Jackie getting her present from Santa - this year she is not a fan of the man in red - okay - actually terrified of him.


Anderson - being held by Mary - mother of Jorja and Luke - two children at Anna's with Jackie



Anna, Santa and all the children

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Random Photos
















The Baby-hawk

Anderson - 6 weeks - Hair done my Adam

Adam the hair dresser strikes again. Click Here to see what Adam did with Jackie’s hair when she was approx. 4 weeks old.

The Computer

Jackie has a new toy – I apologize in advance if she somehow manages to accidentally email anyone.



Christmas Cards

As some of you know I enjoy making cards, and I pride myself in all the attention to detail – the more complex, the more fun they are to make and send out. But due to recent developments (i.e. Anderson arriving) and me not being anywhere near as organized as I planned on being; I had plans of having the baby announcement cards, thank you cards and Christmas cards all done before Anderson was born – well only pieces of the thank you cards and baby announcement cards were actually done, Christmas cards were not even started.

But I really wanted to send out a card this year – so I cheated – I am so sorry to all my craft friends and everyone that looks forward to a home made card – but you will have to do with the store bought kind and wait until next year for your home made one.

They are going in the mail today (I know a bit late, but they will arrive to most before Christmas, everyone else, just after), so keep an eye out.

We had Dee Ann over again for our photo shoot – this one proved to be much more challenging than the last one. We wanted a picture with not only an infant and a toddler – but also one with Brutis. Here is the one we choose – but since Brutis is right on the edge, when it prints out – it cuts him in half – so he is unfortunately missing from the photo you all will receive in the mail.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Dog House

Want a good laugh? This is the funniest little video ever!

Men - pay attention - it has to do with Christmas gifts for your wife......

Click on the link to watch:

http://bewareofthedoghouse.com/video.aspx

Monday, December 8, 2008

On Sunday we set up the Christmas tree – a little late for me (I like to have it up right at the beginning of Christmas), but we figured we would wait a week – I knew Jackie would be enthralled with the ornaments, and since last week was our first week alone – I thought one less hurdle to tackle on the first week.

Well, we were right Jackie loves the tree, of course I have to keep some of my favourite ornaments in the box this year due to them not being child safe, but she enjoyed helping me decorate.

I started a tradition last year, every year I am going to buy the kids an ornament for the tree, here are the pictures of this years new ornaments.



Pink Work - Blue Work

Adam and I have many aspects of work divided into pink and blue work categories – like for example – when we are camping – Pink work involves turning on the fridge and furnace when we fist arrive; blue work involves things like emptying the septic tanks.
Here are home – blue work and pink work are not so easily defined – like laundry – can be both pink and blue; same with cleaning the bathrooms. But when it comes to things in the yard – until now – they have always been blue – mowing the lawn and shovelling snow – that is until yesterday.

I surprised Adam and did some of the snow shovelling. For those of you that have been to our house – you know this is a big undertaking – if you have not – we have a corner lot – and the whole corner has sidewalk – the length of the property’s sidewalk is also extra wide – making it extra fun for shovelling lots of super heavy snow.

Well, Adam was so surprised I offered to do some of the shovelling – he just had to take a few pictures – I am blogging this to document I can actually do some physical labour….



SNOW!!

On Sunday Calgary was “blessed” with 16 cm of snow! I am not a snow fan. I do not like the cold; I do not participate in winter sports. Skating – my feet always get cold – I have been told so many “tricks” to prevent this predicament – but nothing works – ever. Skiing – again there is the cold factor – but I also fell and hurt my knee when I was skiing in grade 7 – a problem that still affects me occasionally – so since I would like to continue walking, I have chosen not to continue to invest time into this sport.

I am very much looking forward to a few years from now when Adam can take the kids for the day and together they can enjoy winter sports – and I can enjoy a quiet day at home, reading a book and drinking coffee.

Well – with all the snow Calgary got – Adam took Jackie out for her first ever chance to play in the snow. They both got all bundled up – and headed out to the great white backyard. I snapped a few pictures of the two of them – together they built a snow slide – which Jackie enjoyed thoroughly.

As much as I hate most winter sports – I do however enjoy tobogganing – very much looking forward to another first with her on that one – I know she will LOVE it!





Sunday, December 7, 2008

One Month

I really can't believe I am writing a post already that Anderson is a month old. This has been the fastest month of my life - quite the difference since the first month with Jackie I believe was the slowest month of my life.

Not too much has changed since I last posted an update - Anderson is growing lots - I look at him and think how big he is already (we are going to the doctor's on Tuesday, so we should have an updated weight then).

Last week I was on my own (After my Mom came and helped for a week - Adam's Mom did the same). Jackie has been doing quite well - I knew that it would take us being alone for her to understand and realize she is not going to get everything right away, and sometimes she does not come first.

I would have to say, she has adjusted quite well to me and Anderson - it is the Daddy and Anderson aspect we are still working on.

Since she is a Daddy's girl, she still is having issues when Adam does not pay enough attention to her - I am sure in a few more weeks she will have gotten over it.

Sleep - right now we have a decent routine going on - Anderson's fussy time is in the evening - for this I am so thankful - if he was fussy during the middle of the day - it would be just me - but this way Jackie is often in bed already and then Adam and I can tag team on the fussy baby.

I tend to go to bed nice and early - I try to get there no later than 9pm - then Adam stays up - gives Anderson a bottle - and then puts him down usually around 11 - then I take all the feedings in the night.

Since we are also blessed with Jackie that gets up at 6am - Adam gets up with her, and allows me to sleep in (weekdays until 7, weekends a bit longer).

Anderson is a wonderful little baby - he is a good sleeper - and likes to nap during the day. We have been very lucky - I know lots of people who do not get a "dream" child on the second.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Pictures from our Photo Shoot

Here are a few more photos from our photo shoot with Dee Ann. Enjoy!







Pictures


Talking on the Phone


Jacqueline's vocabulary has improved dramatically in the past month. She is now putting 2 words together and this girl can talk.

The other day Adam called us at home - I passed her the phone right away to day hi to Daddy - well, I never got the phone back - she spoke to him for at least solid 5 minutes. I tried to convince her to give me the phone back, but nope - she sat in her chair and told him all the current gossip.

Her favourite words right now are "Pretty Lights" - all the Christmas lights - she gets very excited - this weekend we are planning on setting up the Christmas tree - should be interesting....