Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Sharing...

Sharing is a big deal in our house. Unfortunately we are currently all sharing this yucky virus that has us blowing noses, coughing into elbows and taking temperatures. It's not a pretty sight. Thankfully Iona seems to have escaped the worst of it and only had a fever for a couple days but is doing well now(minus the green poo which yes, is still consistently green). Needless to say we've been staying home to conserve our energy, as well as to protect others, so we don't have much to say for our blog except cough, sniffle, hack hack, achooooo!

 Thank goodness for play-doh and blocks! 
Holden can spend hours creating waffles and snakes, cities and towers!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Look who's 5 months old today!

She's happy and she knows it!


She's also chubby and beautiful. This girl is already wearing size 9 months!


 Even her feet are round and sweet!
(adorable baby leg warmers are from her Tia Bren--thank you!)

Friday, March 25, 2011

Making memories...

I don't read a lot of blogs. I mean, when would I have the time!? But I do have a few favorites that I check, usually at 3 a.m. when Iona likes her third dinner--she's a hobbit. One of these blogs is written by a stay-at-home-mom whom I've never met but I enjoy her take on life, and the joy and challenges of raising children. Recently she wrote about making memories and the importance of striving to do this with one's children, despite the trials and tribulations one may face. So, I've been thinking about this. There have been several recent outings that in my mind seemed like such wonderful ideas, good opportunities for growth and fun, but once hip deep in the actual experience I'm questioning my sanity and making Michael promise to never let me leave the house with our children again. 

Take for example our recent trip to the zoo. The weather was great. The company, our good friends Bren, Stephane and daughter Sophia, was superb. The location was unique. What could go wrong? Well, almost everything. 

Holden woke up at 4 a.m. the day of our outing and did not go back to sleep. She also was too excited to eat a decent meal. By the time we got to the zoo, lunchtime, she was a jittery mess of emotions. When she found out there was a carousel located within walking distance, well, that was that. She wasn't interested in exotic animals that she's only seen in books. She didn't care that a giraffe just winked at her (I made that up but she didn't even look). And no, she didn't want to walk one inch out of her way to see bears, not when the carousel was somewhere out there waiting to be ridden! So, needless to say we went to the carousel. And I'll admit we took the scenic route and stopped several times trying to force her to enjoy hippos, sloths and meerkats, but she was adamant and could not be swayed. Well, she rode the carousel and was happy. Happy for approximately the four minutes she was riding it. As soon as the spinning stopped she wanted more. And when she couldn't have more she wanted nothing. Well, nothing but a giant, rainbow colored, butterfly lollipop as big as her head. Don't even get me started on the butterfly lollipop. So, yes, our trip to the zoo will be a memory. For me I am still suffering from a bit of post-traumatic stress so the memory is best not dwelt upon. For Holden, well, she talks about hippos and giraffes and funny looking meerkats, as if she really saw them! She laughs and says the sloths were slow and the bats were upside down. She recalls the silly penguins flying underwater. She has memories and the memories are good. Isn't sleep, food and time a wonderful mixture of joy-producing magic?





And before we even got out of the parking lot of the zoo, I mean literally while we were buckling Iona into her car seat, Holden fell asleep. She slept the whole way home. And 12 hours later she came down with a fever. (She's feeling better by the way. Thank you all for your concern.)

Our other memory making outings included a walk in the spring-time rain with Iona riding in the stroller for the first time. She had this deer-in-the-headlights sorta look on her face the whole time. 


Holden enjoyed a hike with Daddy that included puddle jumping! 
She jumped so much her water-logged pants fell down!
Iona enjoys chewing on her teether Dottie the giraffe. 
This explains why she was drooling so excessively at the zoo's giraffe exhibit. 
Crafty Holden shows off her art work! The little happy creature on the right is a mushroom.
There's just nothing to say about the below picture. It says it all.
Did you see the moon? The glorious super moon?! I walked to the end of our street to watch it rise over the Salish Sea while the girls slept. Don't worry, daddy was home.
We're sorta jumping the gun on summer around here by making some yummy tofu chocolate popsicles!
They were obviously a big hit!

 I've already imagined future memory-making outings with these lovely souls. How could I not? 
Their smiles make it worth it.

Poor Holden...

She's sick. Yesterday Holden came down with something that's knocked her right into her bed--a place more commonly used by her for jumping. We bundled her up and whisked her off to see her doctor when her fever reached about 103, just to be on the safe side, and because honestly, the girl has been sick like four times in her life and we just don't know what to do when she looks so sad. And she does look pretty sad. Her big blue eyes are half-lidded and weepy. Her cheeks are flushed from fever. And she walks a bit unsteadily from place to place...no bouncing, no dancing or skipping--I'm not sure I've ever seen her just plain walk so much!
This morning her fever is not as bad, thankfully, since we are having quite the time trying to get her to take any fever reducing medicine. She should be a lawyer as much as she's able to talk around why she doesn't need it or how she'll take it later and my favorite, flat out refusal, "I'm a big girl and I will not take that medicine because I don't want to."
She's sleeping now. Our daughter who gave up naps when she was two, has willingly stayed in bed most of the last 24 hours. But I think she's getting better, thank goodness, because I don't know what to do with myself. If I wasn't writing this right now I'd probably be putting one of her puzzles together or building a tower with her blocks...because that is what I do on Friday mornings.
Oh, and yes, Iona is doing just fine and seems the healthiest of us all...well, besides her green poo, which we've since declared absolutely normal.
Off I go now to either sculpt a masterpiece out of playdough or work on a blog post of our last week's adventures.....hmmmm....what to do....

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A novelty...

This is why I haven't posted anything these last several days. 
I read a novel! A good one too. 

I enjoy reading but as of late I haven't had the time or energy to pursue this love, 
as I am often chasing after, or bouncing, my other loves.  :)
But we have also been busy with crafty things, yummy things and adventurous things so stay tuned--I'll be posting a new blog entry any day now! Really! 
Well...unless I happen upon another good novel...any recommendations?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!


We began our day with gymnastics. Of course Holden excels at seeing the world upside down.
 She has no fear!
 Iona, on the other hand, isn't so sure of gymnastics. It usually means she's surrounded by rambunctious toddlers, and she finds it impossible to nap.
 At the end of class, Coach Jesse puts stamps on their feet.
Today she has purple giraffes!
 Lunch was exciting--green macaroni & cheese! Yay!
 But she wasn't so sure about it when I told her a leprechaun had made it green. 
And no Saint Patrick's Day is complete without making shamrocks out of a potato stamp!
 And when that proves to be too challenging, well forget the potato, there's always finger painting!
 We hope the luck of the Irish found you today!



Living in the now, yesterday and tomorrow...


Time is a funny thing... 
It passes quickly and can drag on forever. The days are long and the years are short. Where did the day go? Will this day ever end? Hurry up and wait. Time will tell. They grow so fast! It was only yesterday....


Holden...now and then...




Who, who! Who is who? 

                                 Holden says "who?"                                                       Iona says "who?"

                     Holden after her first bath                                   Iona after her first bath

                                     Iona  dreams                                         Holden dreams

                                 Iona wonders                                                      Holden wonders

                                         Iona & Bear                                                  Holden & Bear

                                  Iona  sleeps                                                 Holden sleeps

                                                           Holden with cheeks
                                                      Holden without cheeks
          Iona baptized with Godparents Sheryl & Terry                 Holden baptized with Godfather Peter 
                                                                                                        (Godmother Claire not shown)

                          Holden laughs                                                            Iona laughs

                   Iona does tummy time                                                Holden does tummy time

                             Iona ready to travel                                     Holden ready to travel

 
             Beautiful Holden                                                 Beautiful Iona


Now is now. We live in the now....

   Our daughters.
Sisters.
Love.