GOAL!

On August 15, 2011 I started a journey that I've started many times before.  I wanted this time to be different, so I did things differently.  I wanted to finish this journey and here I am, eight and a half months later to say, it isn't over, my journey isn't finished, but this section is, now onto forever!

Here I was on August 15th.

 Then on December 5th, down 31lbs.

 And here I am today down 61lbs, GOAL!

It has been an incredible journey (perhaps I should consult a thesaurus).  I feel great, I really, really do.  I'm cautiously proud of myself and excited to now figure out how to make this permanent and lasting.  I could go on and on.  Perhaps I'll post more about this in the future, but for now, I'm just really happy.  GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!

Riverdale Farm

We wanted to go to a farm today.  We were thinking Downey's or Whittamore's, but go figure, no one is open yet, so we decided to go to Riverdale Farm in Cabbagetown.  It's been a while since I've been there and I don't think we've ever taken Kate (or Alice for that matter) and you know what, it's just perfect.  It's little and cute and there are beautiful paths and the tulips, we had such a delightful time.  After the farm we drove across Queen Street to the Beaches (I refuse to call it the Beach - even if the community had a vote) and played at a fun park. 

I LOVE SATURDAYS!

My Birthday Part Two - Bacon Time

We had lunch with Mom and Dad today.  I chose Thai food which everyone tried a little of and I chose a peanut butter and chocolate ice cream cake.  We had a really nice time hanging out and visiting.  Andrew came too.  Kate is the official candle-blower-outer... I hope that she'll outgrow this before Alice turns two! (So far this year she has blown out the candles for her Dad, her sister, her Grandpa, her Grandma and now her Mom.)

Thanks for having a family party for me Mom!

Alice is 14 Months Old

First, I'm not sure when we call it and say that Alice is a walker... but she's walking, lots.  She still crawls but she's walking more and more and it's so fun.  It's been so fun watching her take a step here and a step there and then a few steps and then a few more.  I love how proud of herself she looks, it's too cute.

Second, the eating all things - the still putting almost everything in her mouth is just gross.  I remember being at my Grandma's cottage with my cousin Andy and she said that her mother (my Auntie Anna) said that all children needed 10% of their diet to be dirt to be healthy.  I have since learned that it isn't just my Auntie Anna that holds this idea to be true.  If however it is true, then by all accounts Alice should be the healthiest kid out there, unless perhaps she actually eats more than 10%, which might be the case.

Alice, I love you my crazy monkey!  I'm so glad that you are adjusting well to your new existence.  I'm so glad you're still my happy little girl.

The ZOO!

It's so fun going on the carousel with both the girls!

 Hudson the baby polar bear is growing so fast. 

 

If you're ever in the Australasian Pavilion in the zoo you have to look for Sponge Bob in amongst the coral.  I was trying to point him out (the Cheeseguy) to Kate. 

Someday Kate will be able to happily share the Komodo Dragon with other children... someday.

Kate likes to squish my face, and mostly I let her.

While we sat and ate lunch two geese tried to eat with us.  Ken ran around flapping his jacket trying to make them go away.  It was quite funny.

Also entertaining while we ate lunch was a peacock mating dance...  Let's just say that the female played too hard to get.

Have you ever watched penguins swimming?  It's magical.  They look like they're flying.  We love the penguins.

Us ladies on the elephants.  Perhaps next time I'll actually put Alice on her own elephant... there are three elephants and three ladies... I want that picture.

(Today was supposed to be birthday part 2 for me - our annual trip to the St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery but I've decided to post-pone the trip in hopes for warmer weather, and we hadn't been to the zoo since February!)

Another Birthday

Today got off to a rough start.  Goodbyes have been pretty painless so far but this morning both girls were crying when I left, so I cried.  When I called twenty minutes later Kate was still crying.  We said a little prayer together over the phone and we both cried.  My prayers were answered later that day when Antoinette (who never messages me at work) sent me a text to let me know the girls were having a great day.

The day did get better and better.  I had scheduled a hair appointment for after school and given the morning that I had I almost cancelled it.  I wanted to do something drastic - to my hair.  After being told that the hairstyle I wanted wouldn't work with my hair I was a little disappointed but I trusted him to do something... I just wasn't quite sure what.  Well two hours later I was extremely happy with my hair but completely frantic to get home.

We had a quiet evening.  Ken made a yummy dinner and he picked up cupcakes at a new bakery in Alliston.  I am so grateful for my sweet little family and for cupcakes.  Cupcakes really do make everything better.  (I am not grateful for birthdays.  I'm still not ready to think about next year's birthday.  More on that later.)

The Long Ride Home

We left Heidi and Todd's and went to the Outlet Mall.  From there we went back to Rochester for another go at the Museum of Play.  (Did I mention we bought a pass for the family?)  Next, home!

Kate had lots to say on the ride home.  Lots...

(I think Alice was happily chatting to herself... Kate didn't like this.)

I want to push Alice down the stairs.

(I've told Kate a number of times that when she's angry she needs to take a big breath and count to ten.  So she counted, a few times.)


Alice, I'm done counting.  

I'm done counting.

I have no more numbers to count.

I wanna throw Alice my water bottle.

(Ken informed Kate that he loved her, that she was his special girl.)

I'm not your special girl.

(As we were getting closer to Buffalo and telling Kate that we were almost in Buffalo.)

I'm not Buffalo.

I'm not Buffalo.

I'm not going to Buffalo.

(Back to Alice)

I wanna hit Alice.


I don't wanna go home.

(As we were getting closer to the border.)

I don't wanna go to Canada.


I wanna go to Ontario.

(As we crossed the border.)

I want to go to Rochester.

I don't know, maybe this is one of those you had to be there kind of things, but Ken and I were laughing lots, between feeling slightly disturbed.

Heidi and Wendy

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.  It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being.  We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.  
~Albert Schweitzer

A Beautiful Day for a Baptism

When I called my sweet friend Heidi to tell her that we were coming I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that her sweet #4 Josie would be getting baptized.  We met at church in Waterloo, NY and then went home with Heidi and her family.  After much convincing from her siblings, Josie agreed to be baptized in the canal behind the house.  I think everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief that the sun came out and it actually felt warm, as there was no back up plan!

Josie before the dip!

Maggie holding Kate ready to watch the baptism.

Todd acting as father and bishop conducting the service.

It was so beautiful.

Getting a warm towel and a hug afterwards.

 The view of the canal behind the house.

The Heidi and Todd Egan family with Todd's parents.  

 

After the baptism we enjoyed hanging out with friends and family and Josie enjoyed her celebratory mug of hot cocoa and entire can of whipped cream as was promised!

Alice played with Lily's play glasses.

Alice played with a booster chair.

Alice played with a bunny.

And Kate had the longest nap ever... and was still tired and grumpy when she woke up, poor little muffin!

The Museum of Play

At the end of our trip to Connecticut in November, when we went to the Museum of Play, I had no idea it would be such a powerful experience for Kate.  She asked to go back everyday for weeks and then it would regularly come up in conversation.  I wasn't sure when we would go back to the "children's museum" as Kate calls it, but I knew we would!

After four days of full-time work I decided our family needed a vacation and so we set off for Rochester.  We got off to a late start, and then had to turn around because we realized we'd forgotten the diaper bag which is where we had put the passports... and by then Alice had woken up and we hadn't even gotten anywhere!  We arrived at the museum around 5:30, had a quick bite to eat and then we played.  We played until it closed at 8.  We love this place!