Hi!

01.17.2012

I just wanted to stop in today and say hello!
You may have noticed a decreased presence here on my blog...
I feel like I should explain a bit.
As I have written previously, I chose EMBRACE as a word to represent and guide my 2012. Life is so fleeting...moments are gone in a blink of an eye and I want to remember and savour every single one. The big moments for sure, but the small things more.
While I found my blog a great place for recording little moments, it was time consuming, and I never seemed to get all the stories told I wanted...and some of that computer time was eating up time I could be spending more of those moments with my family. I always (and still do) write stories on the blog primarily for my own need, whether it be to remember, vent, reflect...but at the back of my mind was all of you, my blog-followers. I didn't (and still don't) want to let you down...it got me thinking.
This year I am embarking on a somewhat "old-fashioned" way to record the little stories - a daily pen & paper journal. So far, so good. I find just a few minutes every day to jot down what I want to remember. As for the photos, I have found my iPhone to be a simple yet amazing way for me to capture the little things of daily life (and to let go of the quest to capture our life "perfectly"). It is serving its purpose exactly as I had imagined...and for that reason is worth every single penny I spent on it! Its not that I have given up on my "big" camera...I am just re-purposing how it will be used in daily life. I am not giving up on you, either! I will continue to post here, but less frequently!
If you are interested in where daily life takes our family, you can find me on instagram (my user name there is jmdcreate). If you don't have an iphone, but still wish to see what's going on in my instagram feed, try this link (then click on my user name).
I'm off to embrace my new process for daily recording and give my kiddos some hugs and kisses :) (a big day around here, B insisted he wear gotchies today!).

- me out for a run on the night the cold snap hit...brrr!

O-man begging for a walk.

- S enjoying his bath (and me enjoying him enjoying his bath)

- B saying "no pictures, Mom"

-out for a night-time walk

- freaky January weather (water running down the street?!)

- embracing my commitment to exercise

- tea becoming part of my daily rituals

- B coloring and making "B's" (really into that right now)

Until next time!

Today Is Important

10.03.2011

Firstly - I apologize.
I am about 759 blog posts behind...(well not quite that many but you get the point).
I've been struggling a bit with the ol' photo-taking mojo and thus have not had my heart into editing (I usually at least web resize & sharpen all my blog pics) so I have words down for several posts but haven't yet added photos.  They're coming, I promise...just like Christmas.

Life seems to be absolute nuts.
I think it has something to do with having a capital B busy 2 yr. old in the house and an almost 6 month old who lately thinks sleep is highly overrated and an absentee husband...but this momma is struggling to find her "balance" right now.  Have no fear, I know I'll find it, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed on a more consistent basis than I ever have before. It is not a feeling I am comfortable or familiar with, nor a feeling I want to stick around for long...so I'm busy re-prioritizing and unfortunately what is getting tossed is what I consider "me time"...the time I take to play around with photos/computer etc.
Thanks for understanding.
But I digress...

The whole reason I'm writing this post is two-fold...to remind you all (and myself) how stinking fabulous and amazing everyday, ordinary, crazy life is and to remember this specific moment.

I'll set the scene...
So - baby had just gone down for a little nap.  Toddler was busy (toddler is almost always busy). Momma was tired and wanted just 5 minutes of deep breathing and "relax" time. So - momma grabbed her book, and told toddler to grab his book, and said "let's just read our books for 5 minutes, buddy"...to which toddler replied "be back" (with an intense eyelock). Toddler comes back with a Clive Cussler novel and announces "Bennett's book" (with accompanying belly tap - love how he does this lately when talking about himself...guess its just in case there is any confusion who Bennett is, lol). Toddler climbs up on couch beside momma and goes about opening the book and reading it out loud (but under his breath) to himself. He was totally serious & totally into it. I love how much he loves books right now (and hope it lasts & lasts). I love how much he is such a copycat right now. I love how clever he is. I love how sweet he is (when not in meltdown or whine mode that is). I just loved this moment and wanted to remember it.

So thanks, buddy, for reminding me that even though life seems crazy, and lots of days seem to drift by lately with nothing getting "accomplished", that each and every day (and each moment) is important.

That every day is a gift.

And to you all out there in blogland...I'll be back...it just might take me awhile :)

Same but Different

08.15.2011

People always ask me if I think baby S looks like his big bro...
They looked alot alike as newborns, and there are definitely some traits that are similar...
but I've never really been able to answer that question with any sort of authority (a mother's eyes are a little biased after all).

Today baby S had his 4 month needles, which allowed me to compare the weights of both boys at this age (they are only 1 ounce different) and made me think about the similarity question again. So I dug into the photo archives and did a side by side comparison...

How cute is it that they are both sort of sitting up, with a sideways lean?
What do you think? Are they similar or very different? B is on the left, S on the right (the seasonal differences account for the attire, lol).

To me, they are the same yet very different...if that makes any sense!

Evidence

07.29.2011

Holy smokes, did this one wake up in a rotten mood today!
It has been a bit of a challenging week with sick babe & grouchy toddler...and I just didn't think I could take another day of grouch...so I worked hard to come up with some toddler-approved distraction.
Making cookies for daddy was the only thing that got a "yes" (after exhausting many other ideas) - phew!
This little man loves to be a "helper".
This little man loves to "taste", "taste" (I'm pretty sure that the reason no lunch was eaten was because so many tastes of cookie dough occurred).
The evidence is all over his face (& clothes...& the counter...& the floor) :)

You are quite the kid...

0.02.2011

Some of my favourite things about you right now:
- you love, love to be chased and then tickled (you laugh & laugh & laugh)
- you say please & thank-you (although it is more like peees & tank you (and thank you is usually in a tiny little quiet voice for some reason)
- you say "bless you" whenever you or someone else sneezes, coughs or makes a funny sound
- you play with my hair when you are being held
- you gently pat my back when you give me a hug
- you say & do things to get a laugh out of dad & I...we can tell when you do so cause you just pause and look at us with a little glimmer in your eye...it tells us that we should think you are really funny
- you like to say "ummmm" in response to a question and then will either say "no way" or "yesh"

I love that!

06.20.2011

You have been a little copy-cat for quite some time...repeating the words you hear the adults around you saying...

But in the last few weeks you have really started to show you understand these words in context.

You point at a train and say "choo-choo". You put your hand up to your little brother's mouth and say "cough" (we are always reminding you to cover your mouth when you cough). You hear chirping and you say "bird". You point at the horses as we walk by and say "horsies". You will finally call your little brother "baby" (although when we ask you what his name is you still say "dat"). You call for Oscar when you have dropped something on the floor, and you ask him to "lick" your plate (hmmm?! you didn't learn this one from us). You spin around in circles and say "rosie", "husha" and then you fall down. Love to see you growing up :)

Whee!

06.07.2011

You have totally mastered the slide!
Just a few weeks ago you needed to have someone hold your hand and be at the end of the slide to make sure you didn't fall. Not anymore...no way.
You almost always say "whee" on your way down...almost always with the biggest grin.
It is so awesome watching you grow up, little man!
It is so awesome to be your mom.

"Nacks Pees"

06.02.2011

You are a total snacking machine.
You would be completely happy if you never had to eat a meal, and only had to eat snacks.
Some of the items you like to snack on include:
- yogurt puffs
- fruit bites
- fruit leather
- smarties or m&m's
- fruit (just about any kind)
- cheese
- goldfish
- cheerios
- yogurt
- licorice
- chips
(you get the idea)

 What I love most about all this snacking is the messy face and fingers that are inevitable :)

20!

5.21.2011

Holy smokes! I just blinked my eyes and this little man is 20 months!
He definitely keeps us on our toes but brings immeasurable joy into our lives.
Can't imagine life without you, B!
Love you SO much :)

At 20 months, you:

- love to "help"...whether it is outside or in the shop with daddy or with house chores and baking inside with mommy

- love your little brother! you always have a "hi" (usually several) for your little brother. You love to get really close to his face, and touch his head. Right now, you are really into "sharing" with him (like you wanted him to ride your toy quad today - I had to explain he is too little). You call him "dat" or sometimes "dis" which makes your dad & I laugh.

- have learned to say "no" although you still like to say "yesh" & nod your head when you do want something (you are always very definite in the yes or no...no grey area with you!)

- pay close attention - it never ceases to amaze us what you've picked up & mimic

- will walk to bed yourself when tired

- still love your soother & blankie at bedtime

- still love bathtime

- have a vocabulary of many words (although some words are only understood by mommy & daddy), and like to use single syllables as much as possible (like "wat" for water)

- love to sing, dance & read stories

- play pretend (with your dishes & pots and pans)

- are a monkey. You like to climb up, onto or into anything.

- love the outdoors more than anything

- like to eat, especially snacks

- are a tornado...you can make a mess out of nothing in a very short time.

- are independent and strong-willed, but sweet and funny

- are quiet and observant in a crowd

Can't wait to see what the next 20 months and beyond will bring :)

Little Helper

05.20.2011
Buddy, you have been SO happy by all the yardwork & renovations going on around here. It means some serious Daddy and B time. You absolutely love being outside and "helping" daddy work. One of your all time favourites is to sit with daddy in the mini-excavator (aka: digger). If you happen to look out the window and see it in the drive, you immediately ask for daddy & say "dig". You would sit for hours on daddy's lap in that machine. Hours. Although Daddy says he is a few days behind in getting all these jobs done, I know he has loved spending this time with you as much as you have loved it. The feeling is mutual. No doubt about it. These days will go down as treasured memories for both Daddy & I. Love your adoration for the outdoors. Love your adoration of Daddy. Love how you quietly watch, picking up every detail, then mimic. Love you, buddy!