Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday Adam!

A few days before his birthday Jackie asked me how old he was turning.
I told her he Daddy was turning 38.
She responds by saying "oh, I thought he was 7,  you are 25 still right Mom?"
That's right Jackie - I am only 25!!

Papa-Ment Truck

Grandpa drives a cement truck - wait - I stand corrected - a concrete truck.

But really - we all call it a cement truck.

So a few years ago, we started calling these - Papa (Grandpa) cement trucks.

Jackie had a hard time saying cement - so it was shorted to 'ment'

This is a Papa Ment Truck - and a few days ago, the kids go to see Grandpa's truck and sit in it - too bad there was no way to install car seats.

Anderson is currently a typical 2 year old boy - anything big and truck like - he LOVES!!

They both loved seeing Grandpa's truck.

Fire Truck Rides

Anderson is a typical 2 year old boy.

Trucks, trains, you name it, he loves them all.

Long weekends in the summer mean fire truck rides for the kids.

Anderson could hardly wait (Jackie too for that matter).

Lobster

I am not sure about you and your kids, but every time we go to the grocery store, we have to walk by the lobster / crab tank to say “hi”.


So when my parents recently came back from a vacation to the Maritimes, and brought us a lobster I was not too sure how the kids would react to eating it.

I pulled both kids into the kitchen to show them the lobster – they were thrilled and excited (it was already dead).

They both wanted to touch him, Anderson was saying “he’s so cute, he’s so cute”; Jackie was thrilled to be shown how his claws worked.

As he was sitting on a cutting board, Jackie started playing with him; Anderson then pulls up and starts talking to him – “Hi lobster...”

So I tell them that we are going to put him in water, cook him and eat him (I really don’t want tears when we crack him apart) Jackie says: “I WANT TO EAT HIS FACE!!”

Okay, I have to admit, I was a little shocked at that response, no tears, just an overly eager child to eat a lobster face. She followed it up with telling us she wants to eat his eyes. Really? Who is this kid?

Bike Rides

Adam took Jackie on her first bike ride of the season the other day.  Check out the complete post over here at Minivan Stiletto.

A Princess Party

One of Jackie's friend's birthday is only a few weeks after hers.

She turned 4 as well and her Mom hired Cinderella to come to the party.

There were only 4 little girls at the party, they were told to wear their princess outfit, they were all thrilled when Cinderella showed up.

She read them a story, did a few magic tricks, played some games and even had a dance lesson.

Jackie learning the waltz.

The waltz then lead into something a modern princess should know - R&B & Hip Hop - this is Cinderella teaching them the 'sprinkler'.

(Yes, us Mom's were laughing pretty hard at this point.)

Family Dinner Party

Since we don't have a huge house, we find it a little hard to have birthday parties for the kids and all our family too, so we decided to split the two.

Kids party one day, family dinner the next.  It works quite well.

For Jackie's party I served pulled pork on buns with a couple of salads, super easy, all made ahead of time so I could enjoy a glass of wine too.

Of course there was cake too!

Uncle Blake - Blankie thief

Jackie got this super cute princess dress from Uncle Paul and Auntie Catalina (they picked it up at Target when they were in Vegas).

And how can you not love that face?

He just has to be part of the

 action!

Cake & Presents

You might remember I made a princess cake for Jackie's first birthday, since I had the stuff and I am not sure if she will be into princesses next year, I decided to re-do it.

She asked for a pink cake (since last years was purple).  I took a day off work to get ready for the party and make the cakes.

The kids getting ready for the party with more chairs.

I took Jackie to Michaels a few weeks prior looking for a craft we could do at the party.  What I found were Easter coloured sand pails and a whole bunch of stickers.

The kids had a blast decorating their buckets which we later filled with their "grab bag" stuff.

Cake time!

Not only did I make the princess cake, I also made 2 cakes we could do the candles with and serve.  Next year I want to take 2 days off work.

Anderson got a few presents too.  I love that some guests thought of this and how hard it is for the other child to get nothing. 

Jackie got a singing princess card - she loved it!

Birthday Girl

Our little girl is now 4!

I am like every other mother out there that can't believe she is 4 years old already.

Jacqueline is an amazing little lady.

She has her mother's memory (Adam is in so much trouble when she realizes this).

She still has her amazing big, dark, dark brown eyes (we are so in trouble when she is 16).

She is not overly tall for her age, but she is definitely not short (I hope she is as tall as me if not taller).

She has amazing hair (her mother's colour, but with curls and body - I am so jealous).

She has not one but two dimples courtesy of her father (who only has one).

She still has her birthmark (something we always tell her makes her special - hopefully it does not bother her too much when she is older - it is on her elbow, funny - neither Adam or I have a birthmark).

She can colour and draw (draw - almost better than me, colour - no problem staying in the lines and know peoples faces should no longer be purple or green).

She can't write her name yet (but she can copy you if you write it for her).

She loves her brother so much (the next two years are going to be tough as they no longer will be together all day every day).

Auntie Amy

Super bowl Sunday, Adam headed over to a friends house, and I invited my sister over to hang out with the kids and I.

We decided to make cookies, Valentines cookies.  I have some very fond memories of my Mom making heart shaped cookies with pink icing with us every year for Valentine's Day.

I did not manage to take a picture of the actual cookies, but for some reason I took this picture.

We also made a favourite meal, roast chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.

Here the kids were eager to help Amy while she was cutting up the potatoes.

Notice the measuring cup full of fishy crackers.

Amy told me as she was leaving, she is now good, has had her monthly does of birth control.  Not saying my kids were bad, but that they are A LOT of work, but who would not love to hang our with Auntie Amy when she does this with you.

Dinner time - they both had to sit RIGHT beside her.  Super cute.



We had a great day hanging out, the kids had a blast, Amy and I got a chance to chat way more than we normally do, and she went home to her hubby and cat, lounged on the couch and slept through the night.