ROM! (Our fourth annual trip)

The tradition continues.  We took the subway down making sure to plan our route around accessible stations (Downsview and St. George).  I was sad that we only had our cell phones to take pictures with, but we still took a few fun pictures. Kate and Alice call the ROM the dinosaur museum.  They enjoyed the kids areas and we generally had a great time. 

We only brought one stroller with us - the snap n go car seat stroller for Fiona, but poor little Alice was so tired out that we put her in the stroller on the way home.  She fell asleep in the stroller and I carried Fiona.  Kate was such a trooper with all the walking.  She had a brief ride in the bucket at the museum but otherwise was on her own two feet the whole time.  And because the girls both fell asleep on the way home we decided to end the day with a trip to the Stardust Drive-in located just north of Newmarket.

We went to see the movie Planes.  It was quite terrible.  The girls behaviour was only marginally better than the movie.  Needless to say we won't be going to another drive-in movie until the girls are a little older!  It was however still a great day!

Kate's First Trip to the Dentist

I promise to be more vigilant.  We're not terrible, we just aren't always vigilant.  I took her to the dentist today because I thought she might have a cavity... she has two.  She was great and the experience was great.  Dr. Justin Cornaby was great so was the hygienist.  She loved watching Treehouse on the ceiling.  I just hope that next Wednesday when the cavities are filled that she'll still think that the dentist is great.

We celebrated afterwards with a trip to Bizzy Bees, lunch at McDonald's and dinner (at our house) with Grandma and Grandpa.

Fiona is Twelve Weeks

The last of the weekly photo sessions.  My sweet little Fiona! 

Now about sneezing.  Ken has always made fun of my loud sneezes.  He also has a very loud sneeze (when he doesn't contain it) but has assured me that because he is a man he is supposed to have a loud sneeze?? Fiona, my sweet delicate china doll baby has the loudest sneeze that I've ever heard from an infant.  It makes me giggle.  One last thing, she's wearing an outfit that Laura and Joaquin gave Alice when she was a baby.  I don't know why I need to say where all the outfits come from, but there it is.

Stack Family Visit

Kate and Alice love Antoinette, whom they call Annie and they love her kids.  I'm glad that it worked out for them to come and visit before it's back to school.  Kate and Alice had a grand time with their big kid friends.  There were some cuddles with Fiona and Antoinette and I chatted a little! I will always be grateful to Antoinette for loving Kate and Alice and being such an awesome second Mom.  I really hope that I don't have to go back to work because I can't imagine anyone else taking care of my kids.

 Antoinette, Fiona, Abigail, Makenna

Camden

Tuesday Vacation in which we went to Centre Island, Fiona was a strawberry and we had dinner guests!

I've got to admit, when Suzanne told me that she didn't want to go to Centre Island this year I was so sad.  But silly me, I live here!  Ken took a day today and we went.  As we were driving this morning Kate announced that we were on vacation.

We drove down and parked a block away from the ferry docks.  We strollered up - the double and the snap n go and made our way to the ferry.  We were the last people to board and it was packed.  I managed to find a spot to sit and nurse for a minute.  It was so muggy, ick.  Sadly it wasn't much better on the island.  Usually you can count on a nice cool breeze and noticeably cooler temperatures, not today.  Oh well!

Our first stop off the boat was to sit and nurse some more.  Poor Fiona got interrupted twice!  After we finished up we headed towards Centreville but then detoured to see a live puppet theatre performance called Adventures in Slumberland by the Frolick theatre company.  It was well... okay.  The girls seemed to enjoy it.  I took possibly the worst picture I've ever taken of them before the show and well, I preserve it here because it makes me laugh and they're not old enough to be offended!

After the final bow, it was off to Centreville.  We bought some tickets and went to ride the Bumblebees, then the Tea Cups, then lunch.

After lunch we chose two more rides.  The boats and the swans.  I say we, but it was Kate.  Things are often quite easy right now with choosing because Alice mostly wants what Kate wants.  I wanted them to go on the Fire Engines but the line up was really long.  I want a picture of Kate and Alice on the Fire Engines to go with the picture of Suzanne and I as little girls, but I guess we'll save that for next year!

Then it was a quick head back to the Ferry.  We needed to head home because some teacher friends were coming for dinner.  I felt like I wished we would have stayed longer, but Ken pointed out that we really did have our fill and our little people had a great time.  Any longer and they might not have lasted.

Fiona's first pose with the city behind her!

When we got back to the Ferry Docks there was some random guy dressed like Batman and we took a picture.  It was random and I think it might have scared the little girls and the dude was really, really tall.  Ken isn't exactly a giant, but seriously look how huge he is!

And these pictures are because today Fiona was finally a strawberry.  My sweet friend Jane Nickerson sent the outfit.  She looked adorable!

And then dinner.  Pictured here is Leah Pearl, Rebecca Zaretsky, Me, Fiona, Olga Cioci and Ashley Busbridge.  They are a few of the amazing teachers I worked with last year at Blue Willow Public School.  They came up and we had a potluck dinner.  Ken made yummy burgers and we just generally had a fun visit with Kate and Alice being lavished with attention.  It is a blessing to work with so many amazing people! (Oh and funny thing, dinner was for six and we didn't make it there quite on time and wouldn't you know it, they were there early.  Good thing the front door was open!)

And there it is.  Our awesome Tuesday vacation.

The Blue Dress

 Kate - March 2009

Alice - May 2011

Fiona - August 2013

I think this might be the last picture comparison.  I tried in vain to get Fiona to look at me.  She was too busy trying to figure out how to get the bow in her mouth.

It shouldn't be this hard!

Today after church I wanted to get a picture.  I wanted a picture of me and all the girls.  We took picture after picture after picture.  Kate was either pulling up her dress to show the world her underwear, or she was covering her eyes, or she was saying "ah poop" over and over again. That's right, I have... CHILDREN!  Why is taking a cute posed picture so difficult?  WHY?!!  I suppose my own terrible behaviour during our family portrait sittings when I was a kid is coming back to haunt me.  I was the oldest and I think I was the worst behaved... sounds like a four and a half-year-old I know!

And of course it really is my fault we didn't get one good shot.  The adults job is to look at the camera and smile no matter what.  And wouldn't you know it, we took SO many pictures and Kate was being so ridiculous that I didn't do my job, so the one shot that Kate is actually smiling in...

...oh wait, that isn't perfect either, her hands are up in the air!