Alice the Birthday Girl!

Nothing went as planned... (lately this seems to be the catch-phrase).  Alice woke up with a fever and by the time she seemed to be coming around I was feeling awful.  It's been a long time since I've had a fever and the associated aches and pains.  Our family day was supposed to be action packed; breakfast at the church in Orangeville, trip to the zoo, dinner at the Grandparents with Uncle Andrew.  Instead we were home all day and Ken took care of all of us.  I had a nap and spent most of the day on the couch in the basement watching Netflix.  (Thank you Ken!)

Alice was still dressed up in Kate's birth day shirt for our pre-birth day non-festive activities! 

Today when Alice woke up crying I figured it was because Kate was yelling at her.  (Some mornings Kate wakes up yelling in her sleep.  I'm not sure what tortured dreams she was having, but she woke up wanting to push my cheek... whatever that means!)

We went to the basement after breakfast and I presented Alice with her birthday present.  I was going to wrap it, but considering how poorly I was still feeling and knowing that she wouldn't be able to unwrap it anyway, I just gave it to her in the shopping bag.  This turned out to be the right amount of wrapping for her to deal with!

We don't need any more toys... we have lots!

And we definitely don't need any big toys...

Which is of course why we got Alice a tent?  Seriously though, Alice picked it out herself.  Last time we went to toys r us, this same tent was on display and Alice went nuts for it.  Ken's comment after it was open, "hmm it's bigger than I thought"! 

I tried to take a cute 12 month shot.  Alice wasn't happy.

I thought I would take a sister shot.  Alice was happier but didn't want to stay in the chair.  (She's reaching for Ken.)

Alice is wearing one of the first birthday hats left over from Kate's first birthday party.  We'd saved a bunch of decorations, sadly they didn't keep. (Which is odd to me.  Why didn't cardboard, kept in a plastic bag in a dry basement keep?)

Trying again to get the 12 month shot.

Alice taking a break from posing to play in her favourite spot.  She is so in the "dump everything on the floor" phase.  (I think Kate just barely emerged from it.)

Tried again... Alice just wanted to read "All Kinds of Kisses" by Nancy Tafuri.  Alice LOVES this book.  She has started trying to moo like a cow.  (Calfs like moo kisses.)  It's too cute!

 Here it is!  Ken's arm wasn't really part of the picture in my head, but whatever, she's smiling!

Alice eating her birthday dinner!  (Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for bringing the leftover pre-birth day dinner!)

We made a video of the singing and Kate blew out the candle.  Alice wasn't totally sure about the cupcake at first.  

I thought she was warming up to it.

Well, she drops everything on the floor, so that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

We gave her back the cupcake, the icing went in the green bin.  At this point she started to eat the cupcake wrapper.

Then decided the give the cupcake another go.

I think this means she liked it.

All done!  She and Kate went straight into the bath.

All in all it wasn't the worst birthday ever. 

One final note about birthday traditions.  Sometimes I feel like we have no traditions.  This isn't entirely true, what is mostly true is that we as a family don't have any unique traditions.  I decided that cream cheese icing on banana bread ( which is really more like cake) for a first birthday was a good tradition.  Kate enjoyed her banana muffin (more like a cupcake) with cream cheese icing when she was one.  On Sunday Ken and Kate made banana muffins (more like cupcakes) together.  They even added some chocolate chips. After they had cooled a bit a gave a bite to Alice.  She ate one bite.  Then I remembered, bananas are Alice's LEAST favourite fruit.  Seriously what was I thinking trying to institute a tradition when it would only satisfy one child and not the other?!  Hence, Ken went out and bought two cupcakes for Alice's real birthday.  (We were going to eat the banana muffins at my Mom's.)

Happy Birthday Alice!  We love you so much.  You are a busy, fun, smart, beautiful girl.  Our family is so blessed by your presence. 

Multi-Stake Conference

Where to start... we found out at the beginning of January that there was going to be a special church conference today.  The congregation that we go to in Orangeville is called a ward.  Wards are organized geographically and are grouped together in Stakes.  Twice a year we have stake conference, but this conference was for four stakes - Hamilton, Kitchener, Mississauga and Brampton and was an extra conference.  Two elders were going to come from Salt Lake, and no one knew exactly what was in store.  (Well, obviously some people did...) 

In the conference it was announced that the Mississauga Stake would dissolve and the Barrie Stake would be created.  Wards were shifted and it was announced that a new ward would be created, the Cookstown Ward.  We live 27 kms from Cookstown and 29 kms from Orangeville.  Do we know what will happen?  No.  Do I feel nervous?  Yes.  But I am grateful that I have a loving Heavenly Father that knows me and has a plan for me and my family. 

As I felt nervous today the words to a hymn went through my mind: But undaunted still he trusted in his Heavenly Father's care. I am excited and nervous to find out what is in store for us.  We have been very comfortable in Orangeville; there are so many strong, committed members to share the work.  I just wonder how long it will be before we know what's going to happen.

A Big Day Around These Parts

Today the snow came in abundance and to celebrate, we stayed home and Kate peed, a lot.  She peed three times in her pants (once just underwear, the second time underwear and pants and the third time underwear, pants and snowpants) and six times in the TOILET!  We'll see where this goes, how quickly it goes and how much laundry is created in the process.  I am so relieved that she's finally peeing on the potty without screaming her head off.  (Prior to this she'd peed on the pot twice while crying.)  It would be great to get her sorted before I go back to work which gives us six weeks.  It shouldn't take that long should it?  EEK?!

To celebrate, Kate was finally allowed to open up her microwave.  She loves her microwave.

 And Ken made a snow family on the front porch (and a partial snow fort for Kate).

Alice's First Ice Cream Cone

Hopefully someday she'll figure out about eating the ice cream first and the cone second.

A Date at the Playcube

Originally Valentine's Day was going to include a visiting teaching luncheon, but it was cancelled last minute.  Next I thought it would be fun to take the girls up to Alliston and have a Valentine's lunch out with Ken, he thought it a fun idea too.  Then last minute I received an email from my friend inviting us to the Playcube.  Ken didn't want to deny Kate the fun of the playcube... so sorry Ken, no Valentine's lunch for you.

Diane and I have worked together at Blue Willow P.S. since I joined the staff in 2004.  It is fun that we've been on mat leave at the same time.  Kate has such a soft spot for Diane, and why wouldn't she, Diane's a sweetie. 

We wrangled the girls to the couch for a group shot and while wrangling Luke, Maya decided that she was no longer interested in sitting on the couch for a photo.

So when we finally got all four kids on the couch Maya was distressed which in turn made Alice distressed.  I think that even though they're not all looking at the camera and even though Luke is the only one smiling, the fact that all four kids are on the couch at the same time is well, miraculous!  I will NEVER be a children's photographer... ever!

Tonight this was Kate's bedtime prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Luke and Maya,

Thank you for Luke and Maya's Mommy,

Thank you for the Play Cube,

Thank you for the fire truck,

Thank you for the trampoline,

Thank you for Grandma and Grandpa,

Thank you for all the cousins,

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

On Valentine's Day (and everyday) I'm thankful for sweet friends, sweet children, and the best husband in the world.  Yay love!

Happy Valentine's Day

My Love Bandit

Birthday Questions

Kate – 3 years old

1. What is your favourite colour?

            PURPLE

2. What is your favourite toy?

            OWL

3. What is your favourite fruit?

            APPLE

4. What is your favourite tv show?

            DORA

5. What is your favourite thing to eat for lunch?

            MACARONI AND CHEESE

 6. What is your favourite outfit?

            (This week) DORA BALLET PRINCESS

7. What is your favourite game?

            PUZZLES

8. What is your favourite snack?

            BREAD and BUTTER and HONEY

9. What is your favourite animal?

            GIRAFFE

10. What is your favourite song?

            I AM A CHILD OF GOD

11. What is your favourite book?

            TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

12. Who is your best friend?

            MARISOL

13. What is your favourite cereal?

            RICE KRISPIES

14. What is your favourite thing to do outside?

            BLOW BUBBLES

15. What is your favourite drink?

            WATER

16. What is your favourite holiday?

            CHRISTMAS

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?

            TEDDY BEAR

18. What is your favourite thing to eat for breakfast?

            PANCAKES

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?

            BROCCOLI

20. What do you want to be when you grow up?

            PRINCESS

(The idea for this came from Pinterest.  I think it's a cute idea.  The follow-up is to ask every year and make a book out of the answers.  This book is now officially started... it will be a while before it goes to print though!)

To accompany the post, a few more pictures of my princess in training...

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five