Family Pictures

The goal (in my mind anyway) was one picture where everyone was looking at the camera at the same time...

And well, I think this is as close as it got.  Ruth was trying to get Alice's attention but the waterfall was just too loud!

I love this one of me and my girls.

And this one of sweet Alice on my shoulder.

Considering what a turkey Kate is about having her picture taken and how little Alice is, I thought Ruth very brave to offer to take some family portraits!  Thank you Ruth!

Alice and bananas

Alice has been acting desperate to eat big people food for a few weeks now.  She is often licking and smacking her lips at mealtime.  I've given her tastes of banana before, but tonight I thought I would mash up a little banana for her to try.  I'm not sure that any of it stayed in, but she was excited anyway!

Passport Photos

I'm not sure exactly when we'll need her passport (or when I'll even take the paper work in) but I had Alice's passport picture taken today.  I think baby passport photos are pretty hilarious.  I think they look like baby mug shots!  Here are my two little criminals!

Kate - April 15, 2009

 Alice - July 26, 2011

Happy Number 3 Ava Bee!

A Plumb Party is always a fun party.  Ava's 3rd birthday party was a backyard splash party!  The weather held out just long enough for all the little ones to enjoy the pool and for the dinner to be served.  Then there was a mad dash to get everyone and everything inside before the down pour.  

Ava and Kate had fun playing in the pool.

I think the playing went so well because Ava had a ball and Kate had a ball... no one had to share!

Ruth took this picture of Alice, I LOVE IT! 

I had to take a picture of Darby, unfortunately the fact that her diaper was ready to explode didn't translate that well to print.

Kate on the dinosaur and Monique's kids on the slide.

Alice is 5 Months Old!

Bright eyed sweet girl.  Alice you are so alert and aware of everything around you.  You love to watch your sister.  You love toys - Sophie the giraffe most especially.  You love jumping and dancing in the jolly jumper.  You are desperate to move.  When you are put down you roll immediately onto your tummy and you start trying to go - you kick your legs and wave your arms.  Sometimes it looks like you're trying to swim and other times you grind your face into the floor as you desperately try to kick yourself forward.  That's usually when tummy time ends and you get picked up.  You love being carried in the bjorn.  You are a happy little lark most of the time.  When you are sad you are very very sad and sometimes it's hard to cheer you up - thankfully this is happening less and less and mostly just at bed time.  Your smile makes my heart sing with joy.  Sweet Alice!

Kate Elizabeth as Humpty Dumpty

Kate Elizabeth sat on a wall.

Kate Elizabeth had a great fall.

Along came a horse.

 He said, "Get off your back,

 return to the wall, and finish your snack!"

Matchy Matchy

Shawn  bought these adorable dresses for the girlies.  One of these days I'm going to get pictures before church or at church when they are less rumpled.  And perhaps I'll even brush Kate's hair, or remember to put the cute headband on Alice's head.  And then perhaps we'll even get them to both smile at the camera while looking at the camera in the same frame.  Oh the dreams I have!

Visiting Dad

I'm excited for the day when we go visit Mom and Dad a.k.a. Grandma and Grandpa and THEIR new apartment.  I'm looking forward to the day that we don't have to work around visiting hours at a hospital.  I'm looking forward to Mom not having to go to the hospital everyday.  But most of all I'm looking forward to the day that Dad leaves the hospital for good, he has been through so much.  I think I need to try to be there when he gets home to take pictures.  Dad is now at St. John's Rehabilitation Hospital.  We're not sure when he's going to be released but he's getting therapy almost everyday and he's getting stronger.  We had a nice visit today.

Jolly Jumper Time

Alice LOVES the jolly jumper.

 And so does Kate!

Cooper Time! (And his mama too of course!)

I wish that - pause, I wish a lot of things but this wish is this, that I could have all my dear friends closer.  Then it wouldn't take almost five months for Shawn and Cooper to meet Alice.  Heck, then it wouldn't take forever between visits period!  Shawn took a day off from work and she spent it us.  We had a fun day with our crazy kids!

Shawn and Alice

 Cooper and Kate jumping and playing on the bed.

 Alice with a rather large flower atop her noggin.

 Kate sporting an adorable headband but as I never put them on her she found it quite distressing and wouldn't even look up for a photo.

 Cutie Alice all smiles!

I love my girls.

I love my girls.  Some days it's stinkin' hard being a Mom.  Some days I feel like an absolute failure.  Some days I feel sorry that Alice and Kate are stuck with me for a Mom.  But other days I just love my girls, hanging out, exploring, learning, screaming, hugging, kissing, rolling on the floor, singing, and just being.  Kate and Alice, thank you for being my daughters; for making me a Mom.

No ponies.

If you say there are going to be pony rides, then there should be ponies!!  I think she liked the train, but she still wondered where the ponies were.

After the lack-lustre community week event that Kate and Ken went to we all went to our Bishop's house for a barbecue, fun times.  Ask Ken about the cake pops... sadly no pictures. 

This picture was taken later in the evening.  Since the day we set up the baby swing Kate has been asking to go in.  We have been telling her no, you're too big.  Well guess who figured out how to climb into the baby swing... and at 25 lbs soaking wet I don't suppose she exceeds the weight limit! 

Ontario Early Years Centres

We pay lots of taxes in Canada... lots!  It's nice when those tax dollars fund something useful, even better when I can take advantage of said useful thing.  The early years centres are an example of this.  There's a drop in centre in Alliston, it's a great place.  The staff are awesome, there are crafts, snacks, a book lending library, toy play rooms and there are programs.  We mostly go to the outreach programs in Beeton and Tottenham and don't often go to the centre in Alliston but my friend Michelle wanted to go so we went.  We had a lovely time.  There weren't very many other people there so I was able to facilitate some lovely sharing between Kate and Marisol and well, I don't think Kate really screamed that much at all... yay!

 And my sweet Alice was nursed to sleep on a bee... sweet Alice!

We had a busy week!

The New Apartment!

It feels like Mom's been moving for months... there's been the talking, the purging, the packing, the staging, the selling, the buying and then the final packing and moving!  Everything came together so well, the timing, the location, everything.  Mom and Dad have been watched over that's for sure.  Mom invited me and the girls to come down to see the place now that it's hers and to go swimming.  Kate enjoyed a swim with her Grandma and she enjoyed playing with all the toys and exploring.  It really is a great apartment and a lovely building.  I'll say it again, Mom and Dad have been watched over and blessed through this whole experience.