birds on a wire

being a mama of two

2012-01-21T14:18:00.000-08:00

Now that I am into month two of being a mama of two, I am finally starting to feel a sense of being settled. Our home life and daily rhythms are finally starting to feel right and we all seem to be comfortable with our new roles. Noah is now a big brother, Winslow is now a stay at home dad and dad of two, and I am a mama of two.

One thing I should explain (to those reading from other counties), is that here in Canada we have parental leave that lasts a year for the mother or 9 months for the father. Either parent can take parental leave or it can be split to have both parents have some time off. If you have worked enough hours leading up till your child's birth, you can collect employment insurance (which you pay into if you are working * except for those self employed). A parental leave EI payment is 50% of what you make on a paycheque and if you are lucky, some work places will then top you up a bit. Winslow works for the federal government (fed. gov. employees get toped up to 93%) and is taking a 9 month parental leave. Because we are a one income family to begin with, we can handle this slight pay decrease and we are happily enjoying Winslow being home.

I had a good blogger friend ask me how it was going now that I am a mama to two kids. She asked how I was handling the change and if I found it to be hard. It got me thinking that I should write a bit about it.

I must say that I had my fears of how it would go with the addition of a second little one to our family. For some reason, I thought the boat would be rocked and that it would take forever to get back to a nice balance. Thankfully this hasn't been the case. A few things have contributed to this fairly easy transition, the biggest one being that Winslow is home to help, but I also think that fact that I have let go of many of my expectations has helped out a great deal too. Before Katia was born, I read this awesome blog post about welcoming a second child into the family and I think it helped me prepare mentally for it.

Having a second child, for me, has been so much easier than it was the first time. Being a mama for the first time was terrifying to me. As much as I had had a ton of experience from looking after children, it was completely different when it was my own child. With Noah, I was exhausted all the time. I felt it was pure torture every time he would wake in the middle of the night to feed. I didn't get any sleep and I found that to be a very hard transition from the world of sleep to no sleep. It also didn't help that Noah would wake every hour to 2 hrs to feed from the day he was born until the age of one. Katia is different. She does longer stretches in the night (3-4 hrs) and I am used to waking up now, so it's not so bad.

Another thing that makes this time around so much easier is that I have way less stress about parenting decisions. With Noah I second guessed all my decisions and instincts. For example, we fought for months with the idea of letting Noah sleep with us. Would it set bad sleep patterns? Would we ever get him out of our bed? Was is dangerous to co-sleep? What would others think? Finally after months of fighting our own good judgement, we allowed Noah to co-sleep and discovered that not only did it work for us, but that we all loved it. So now, I'm sure you can guess whose been sleeping in our bed since day one. Yup, Katia co-sleeps with us and again, we love it. Plus it makes night feedings so much easier.

Another thing which just purely comes down to the fact that Noah and Katia are different people, is that with Katia, breastfeeding has been so much easier and successful than it was with Noah, and therefore more enjoyable. I'm so thankful that it's been more easy.

Having Katia join the family has been a wonderful thing. She makes our family feel complete (for now), and brings so much joy to our lives. Of course, there were a few adjustments that we all had to make and we have our days where life feels more hectic than it used to but we get through those crazy days by being forgiving to ourselves and each other.

I've heard people say when they have their second child that they can't imagine what life would be like without that child, and now I can understand that sentiment. Life just feels so full now that she is here and I can't imagine it being any other way.

xox

these days...

2012-01-20T07:37:00.000-08:00

Noah practicing his tough guy hockey player face

With the weather being this cold for the last week, we have been spending a lot of our time indoors. It's been very nice to be cozied up in our home all together, but I will most definitely be happy when it warms up enough to get outside for a walk. Call me a wuss, but you will not find me going out for a walk in -40 weather. Just can't do it.

Anyways, here are a few pics from our adventures indoors. They include:

indoor bowling (with plastic cups and a soft ball)
finding new ways to use our easel. who knew that painting with water was so much fun? apparently it is!
a new found love for all things hockey. lots of indoor hockey playing
a little babe who has discovered a whole new world- toys! she loves her IKEA play mobile
lot's of snuggling on the couch with popcorn and kid's lattes (warm milk, honey, vanilla extract and cinnamon)

winter living

2012-01-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

Last night, we had another Yukon winter memory for the books. For about 45mins we were without power in much of the city and it was nearly -40 outside. Most people in our neighbourhood wouldn't have had any worries because they all heat their houses with wood stoves, but we heat with electricity and we were having to think about going out to our friend's cabin for the night (as they heat with a wood stove).

Luckily it didn't last too long (we knew it wouldn't), but it was exciting while it lasted. A candlelit dinner and battery run radio for company. It was kinda fun. Noah thought it was exciting and found all kinds of ways to entertain himself.

a little bit of Katia

2012-01-17T20:59:00.000-08:00

5.5 weeks (photo taken and edited by me)

6.5 weeks (these were taken by Winslow, I edited them)

My sweet little angel is 7 weeks old now and boy is time flying by. I want to make sure that I take the time to write down all that is new for her so that we can look back on these posts someday and remember how small she was once upon a time.

Some exciting things for Katia these days are:

she's mastered the art of smiling and does so every time someone smiles at her
she loves to coo and ouuuhhh when we talk to her, she is very very chatty!
she loves to be read to and shown books. When I show her a book, she raises her eyebrows and starts cooing away. She gets very excited for her books.
she loves her big brother and follows him around with her eyes. When he is nearby, all eyes are on her big bro Noah
she loves to nurse and is gaining weight well. This time nursing came so easily to me and the baby, a very different experience than what I had with Noah.
she's happiest when held or worn in a carrier but does well to be put down too
she co-sleeps and it works for us and we all like it.
she loves her soo soo (soother) just like her big bro ... uh oh!
she is sweet and delicious and scrum-diddly-umptious hehehe

Happy 7 weeks big girl! We love love love you so very much. You make us all so happy.

xox

ps. doesn't she look like Noah?

around here lately

2012-01-16T23:20:00.000-08:00

Around here lately...

:: we are trying to keep warm (it's been -40 the last two days!)

:: we've been trying to entertain a busy 2.5 year old who has a bit of a case of cabin fever - glow sticks are good entertainment for a while

:: we've been making strides in potty training!

:: we've been making art

:: we've been having dance parties in the kitchen

:: and have been enjoying our favourite radio program- always such great music

:: we've been day dreaming of going somewhere hot someday

:: and have been thinking of ways to save money so that we can go somewhere hot someday

:: we've been enjoying little chats with our chatty and smiley little lady, who is 7 weeks old today!

:: we've been going to the Canada Games Centre almost everyday...because it is so cold. Our little guy still needs to get his wiggles out of his system.

It's cold out there and we are spending pretty much all of our time indoors. It's been an ongoing struggle to keep ourselves from going a little crazy lately. Creativity and keeping things fresh are what it's all about. In an attempt to build up some strength and give me something to do "just for myself", I signed up for a yoga class. My first one is tomorrow and I am super excited for it.

Hope you are all well these days. Stay warm!

xox

keeping busy in the winter

2012-01-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

It's January and it's cold outside. Like -40 cold. Yes, very cold. Add one very active little 2 and a half year old to the mix and well, I'm sure you get the idea where this one is going.

I am always trying to come up with new ways to educate, entertain and stimulate Noah. We have a few things that we like to do on a daily and weekly basis, but more recently I've been feeling the need to add to our list of activities and to also start some kind of a weekly schedule of activities.

One of the things that I would like to get Noah into more often is doing art and crafting. For those that know me well this would seem obvious, but I have to admit, we actually haven't done much crafting/art making up until this point. I find that with very small children (2 years of age and under), that making art usually just consists of sensory activities such as finger painting and playing with playdoh. When we tried other types of painting in the past, I had to keep a very close eye on Noah because he'd often stick the brush in his mouth or start painting the walls. Sigh! But now that he is a bit older I am finding that he is starting to make the connections and art time is actually a lot of fun.

For Christmas we got Noah an art easel and set (easel from IKEA, art set from Melissa and Doug) and it is definitely getting used by Noah. The other day while looking for some new activities to do with Noah, I found these ideas to do at our easel. We tried out doing some collaging right at his easel yesterday and it was a success! I had to stay with him the whole time to show him the process, but he loved it and it kept his interest, which we all know is hard with little ones.

Here are some things to keep in mind and how we did it:

I always clean up the area that the child will be working at ahead of time. If you don't do it ahead of time, you most likely have an excited child who wants to get into things that aren't part of the craft. Have everything already set up and clean so that the child knows exactly what is happening and doesn't have to wait. This goes back to me teaching art to highschool students... you wouldn't believe the amount of prep that needs to be done before class starts.
Precut various shapes of colourful paper and felt scraps. I cut squares, circles and triangles. You can cut what ever shapes you like, hearts...stars...organic shapes...ect. I then put them in a small box on the tray of the easel.
Have a blank piece of paper ready and allow the child to draw on the paper using crayons or markers.
When they are finished drawing, show them how to use a glue stick. Noah and I got a little song going, every time we'd use the glue stick on the paper we'd repeat "circle circle circle" because that's the motion we were making with the glue stick. I think it helped him to get into the process.
Allow the child to choose one thing at a time to stick on. Ask them questions like, "do you like the orange triangle?" this helps them to identify shapes and colours.
Once the child is finished gluing their shapes you could take it one step further by adding stickers or stamps or bingo dabbers if you like. I like the idea of adding to a picture and not just leaving it with one thing.
Et voila! You're done! Looks great doesn't it?

I'll be back soon with more ideas on how to spend those cold days indoors.

Stay warm!

xox

de-cluttering the home

2012-01-14T16:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks!

Happy weekend. I thought I'd show you this little diy earring holder that Winslow and I (okay, mostly Winslow) made. It was my idea, but he fashioned it for me because it involved a lot of wire cutting.

We used an old frame we had in the basement, a piece of fabric for the backing and a foot of chicken wire (1.99$ a ft Home Hardware). And it was really simple to put together.

Just take out the glass from the frame and measure the amount of chicken wire you'll need from the size of the glass. We ended up having to trim it a bit to make it fit better. Then we folded the fabric over the cardboard piece that came in the frame and then popped the backing back into it. Easy peasy!

I now have a very attractive way to display my earrings and my dresser looks very pretty with it on top. I'm one step closer to de-cluttering our bedroom!

xox

late night ramblings

2012-01-13T03:27:00.000-08:00

me and my little night owl who decided to join the party

Ah it's the lovely time of 3:30 am. Isn't it ironic that even though I am an exhausted mom of two, I am the one wide awake while everyone else is sleeping? Where is the fairness in that?

So some late night thoughts.

I have been spending less and less time online and am loving it. Facebook was becoming a bit of a black hole for me and since realizing how much time I was giving to it and not to my real actual life, I have been much happier. Less Facebook and more real face time I say!
I have been craving the city. It's the middle of January and all I want is to walk around a city and go eat in a funky restaurant. To wander through little shops in a Chinatown. To buy some new clothes. To go second hand shopping at some decent thrift shops. To go to a big art gallery. (Vancouver would be nice).
I am missing my friends and family (back home) a lot these days. I would just love to be able to go out on a mommydate with my best friend and her baby Henri or to spend an afternoon with my sisters and their kiddos.
I wish I had more time in the day to do things. I know this is a sentiment shared by many...but I wish I had more time for making art, doing crafts with Noah, and staying on top of the house cleaning.
A recent revelation: homemade bread is tastier, cheaper and more healthy than store bought bread. It's also very easy to make if you have a bread maker.
Being a mama for a second time is much easier and more enjoyable than it was the first time. No second guessing my mama instincts this time. I just go with the flow and am taking the time to enjoy Katia and all her babyness. This is all true except for when they are both crying at the same time and both want me. It sucks when I have to make the decision of who gets me and who has to wait. I dislike that part.
Going to bed at 8:30 pm is not a good idea for me because then I am up for hours in the middle of the night.

And with that I am going to sign off and attempt to get a few more hours of sleep before the day officially starts. Wish me luck. Good night, good day. Happy Friday.

xox

a little bit of Noah

2012-01-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to get around to doing a post on Noah lately and then was reminded to do so when my good friend Sarah posted one on her daughter Abby today.

Like Sarah said, this post is mostly for me, so that I can look back on it someday. It amazes me when I look back through the archives here in my blog. I am so so thankful that I took the time to write so many posts when Noah was a baby, because I have such a hard time recollecting those memories now. I'll be sure to do many more posts for both Noah and Katia so that we can look back on them when they are older and remember these days.

So here we go with Noah's cute and funny characteristics and sayings:

He seems to think things will happen "tomorrow at 4 oclock". I have no idea where he got this from, but when I was pregnant with Katia we would ask him for fun, "when is baby sister coming?" and he always would say, "tomorrow at 4 oclock". Now he says that for everything and it's really cute.
He has been calling milk "nummy nyake" for months now. It all started when I would make him a homemade "kids latte" and call it yummy milky. He then started to call it "nummy nyake" and still calls it that. A "kids latte" for the record is really tasty. Warm up milk on the stove, add a pinch of cinnamon, a squeeze of honey and a drop of vanilla extract. Whisk it up and enjoy!
Another thing he says is "Mamma you doing?" or "Mamma you making?" or "Mamma you going?". Cute!
He says "3, 2, 1 .... blast off and the throws things across the room or jumps off of things"
He loves his cars (little dinky cars), his hockey stick, his fishing game, making castles with blocks, making forts, doing art, doing puzzles and going to the Geeemes Center (Games Center).
He still loves to be read to. He always wants more books at bedtime. I love all his different books and how he takes interest in what the books are about. He loves his Mounties book, any book with hockey in it, the Little Blue Truck series books, Little Critters books and more.
Favourite foods include: chicken soup, chicky (anything with chicken), pizza, smoothies, pancakes, rice, bananas, meatballs, salmon, milk, orange juice, goldfish crackers, chocolate and cookies.
He still needs his blankie and soosoo.
He is toilet training and is doing wonderful at it! We are so proud of him!
We are able to have conversations about things and he retains the information we talk about. He knows that the next holiday is Valentines Day and that we will be painting some hearts to give to our friends. He knows that his family (minus Nana from PEI) lives in Ottawa and that we have to take a plane to get there. He remembers that he lives in Whitehorse.
He loves to spend time with his Dada doing things like tobogganing, running errands and going to the Games Center.
He loves Katia and often asks where she is or if he can see her, hold her. I sometimes catch him holding her hand when we are all snuggling in bed.

simplifying and having fun on a dime

2012-01-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

pics from our weekend skating excursion at the free rink downtown

Back in the Fall, Winslow and I decided to start using a weekly budget so that we could get a hold of our finances. What we forgot to take into account was that the holidays were right around the corner and we realistically couldn't stick to what we had set out for ourselves. So we agreed that come New Year we would get back on track and get ourselves set up with a plan of action.

The first step for us was to go to the bank and see how we could pay down our debts quickly and efficiently. So we got that sorted out and are on an easy to handle payment plan that makes it simple for us to keep on top of our debts. We are on our way to paying it all off and it feels good!

The next step for us was to look at our monthly income and make a budget based on our fixed and variable expenses. Fixed expenses are things that can't be changed like your mortgage payments and electricity. Variable expenses are things that are budgeted for such as clothing, groceries, transportation and gifts. I must warn you, I am the last person in the world who can explain finances and things of the sort, but if you are looking for a really good resource, I strongly suggest checking out Gail Vaz-Oxlade's website. We used her Build a Budget Worksheet as a jump off place and found it to be very handy.

And that brings us to where we are now...working with a budget and finding ways to stay on track. Since we have taken a close and serious look at our spending, Winslow and I have been trying to become more creative and more responsible about how we spend our money.

With our budget we came up with an amount of money that we can spend each week on entertainment/eating out/gifts/extra things and it has actually been fun seeing how we can stretch that money and to see what we can do for free or for less. I thought I'd share a few of our ideas that we are doing in our household to make a difference.

The things we do to help us stretch our money further:

Make a weekly meal plan and stick to it. This is so useful for so many reasons. It helps me know what we are having a head of time, which means no last minute shopping and no panicking when 5pm rolls around because I have no idea what we are going to have for dinner.
We go grocery shopping once a week only. Because I make a meal plan every week, I try to think of meals that will work with our allocated money. I buy all the groceries we will need for that week with our money and then stay away from the grocery store for the rest of the week. This works really well and the only exception we have for this rule is when we run out of milk. Noah drinks a ton of it, so sometimes we have to pick up a 2nd jug of milk through the week.
Make as much of our own food as possible. Eating at home and eating homemade food (not processed or packaged) makes a huge difference on our bill. I make a lot of our food homemade because it's cheaper and healthier. Last year Winslow bought me a breadmaker, so I often try to make a loaf or two of bread a week. I make our mac n' cheese homemade, bake our treats, and make our soups homemade (as with the rrst of our meals).
Going out for coffee is a treat. It is not a daily event. Going out for coffee is expensive but I also think that it is a well deserved treat and a nice outing to do now and then. I love to have a coffee with a friend or as an after tobogganing treat with Noah, but to me, going out for coffee is a treat and not a need. Did you know that in 2006 Americans spent 12billion dollars on going out for coffee? That's insane! Think of all the money that can be saved just by reducing this simple habit.
Think of ways to have fun for free or for less. Tobogganing, skating, making art, play dates, going to the library, finding free activities in the community, having friends over for coffee, going for walks, watching a movie at home, having date nights at home. These are all ways to have fun for free or for less money. Entertainment doesn't have to involve spending a ton of money.
Colour my hair at home. Okay okay...this may seem silly but when I take into account that every time I go to the hairdresser's to get my hair done it costs me upwards of 200$, it really starts to make sense that I spend 8$ on hair colour and do it myself at home. ps. I know colouring my hair isn't good for the environment or me for that matter...but I'm just not ready to move over to grey just yet.
Cloth diapers. We are moving over to "the other side" and are going to start cloth diapering. We actually already have them from when Noah was a baby and it makes sense when you think about how much diapers cost. It costs us 20$ every few weeks to get diapers for Katia and don't even ask how much Noah's are. The other day we spent 70$ on diapers for both of the kids. Right there and then Winslow announced that he was starting to toilet train Noah and we decided that we would start using cloth diapers for Katia. Plus it's obviously better for the environment and we love the environment.
We only have one car. One car payment. One car insurance. It makes a big difference.
We have no cell phones. Simple as that. We don't need them.
We have the most basic cable service and that is only so that we can keep our unlimited long distance phone service (which we need because we live so far from family).

And that is that. These are just a few of the things that we are doing to make our dollars stretch a bit further. I should add, that by tightening our spending and keeping track of where our money is going we are actually saving up to do some traveling in the next year or so. So by being a bit more conscious of our spending we can be excited about a future trip that we hope to take.

Hope this post might be of help or interest to you!

xox

handmade giving

2012-01-08T20:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas may well be over, but I wanted to share with you this little toy that I made to give to the babies in my life for Christmas this year. It's a simple taggie triangle that has two different materials on either side (for texture and colour) and has cellophane paper inside to make it crinkle. It was really easy to sew up, so easy in fact that I made up 4 of them in like 10 minutes. Done and done!

I wish I had taken step-by-step photos to show you how to do it but I didn't, so these instructions will have to do. Feel free to ask me any questions if it doesn't make sense.

Step 1:

Gather supplies : 2 different fabrics, assorted silky ribbons, stuffing and cellophane paper. You will need scissors and a sewing machine too.

Step 2:

With a pen on the WRONG SIDE, free hand draw a triangle onto one of your fabrics. Make the triangle larger than what you hope it to be, as you will need extra room for the seams. I would go 4 inch long sides.

Step 3:

Hold your two different fabrics together and carefully cut out the triangle. You should have 2 pieces of fabric cut exactly the same now. Place the fabrics RIGHT SIDE together.

Step 4:

Cut 3 different coloured ribbons to 2 inches. Fold the ribbons in half and place them in miscellaneous spots inside the triangle. Pin them in place.

Step 5:

With your sewing machine, follow the outside and sew the triangle, leaving about a 2.5 inch space unsewn so that you can turn it inside out.

Step 6:

Turn the triangle inside out and then stuff the triangle with stuffing. Don't fill it too much, as you also want to put cellophane paper inside it too. I kept taking stuffing out and adding more cellophane until I was happy with the the softness-to-crinkle ratio.

Step 7:

Hold the gap closed tight and sew up the triangle with your machine or by hand.

And that is that! A super simple tactile and colourful toy that takes no time to make.

xox

for today

2012-01-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

For Today...

Outside my window... it is 8:45 am and still dark , like nighttime. It is the winter in the Yukon and the sun won't be up until 10am.

I am thinking... that I have a lot of things to do today.

I am thankful... for my family. My sweet precious daughter, a tiny little babe that I want to kiss all the time. My funny, silly, out going, clever little boy - he brightens my day. I have so much love for them. And last but not least, my husband who is hard working, creative, intelligent and patient.

In the kitchen...it is about to get busy with the "morning rush". Smoothies will be made for breakfast and then I will get a head start with this soup that we are having for lunch.

I am wearing... black yoga pants, an old favourite charcoal grey turtleneck, my favourite silver disk earrings

I am creating... not much. I have an urge to paint these days, but I don't have enough time to myself to do it.

I am going... to make an effort to find some time to do some art. Maybe paint or collage...nothing fancy, just something for me.

I am wondering... if I can get everything on my to do list for tomorrow done.

I am reading... do magazines count? That's all I seem to have the brain capacity for these days. The January issues of Country Living and Real Simple are on my nightstand.

I am hoping... a good day ahead with minimal 2 year old tantrums.

I am looking forward to... my first cup of coffee, visits with friends, and a toboggan birthday party on the weekend.

I am hearing... Katia make little coos and noises, it's quite cute.

Around the house... there are piles of laundry to be folded, toys to be put away, carpets to be vacuumed, floors to be washed...we have it set out for ourselves!

I am pondering... taking a new direction with my photography come Springtime. Big changes and a lot of work ahead.

One of my favorite things... is that I have been good at using our meal plan this week and have been good at using up what we have in the house. We've had no last minute trips to the grocery store.
A few plans for the rest of the week: write some thank you notes, work on organizing my basement, take Noah out for a few walks (it's supposed to warm up a bit!).
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

these days...

2012-01-04T15:12:00.000-08:00

these days we are ...

:: spending lot's of time indoors at home

:: getting back into a routine now that the holidays are done

:: making use of a meal plan and sticking to it

:: playing new games, like our new fishing game

:: using the ergo baby carrier so that I can get things done

:: watching a little babe grow way too fast and do new things ... smiling, cooing, responding

:: getting out for walks in the neighbourhood

:: enjoying painting, play doh, play dates, fort making, and play group!

setting goals for 2012

2012-01-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

New Years resolutions aren't exactly fun for me. I hate that half way through the first month of the new year I don't fulfill my resolutions or worse yet, I fail at them completely, like say extreme diets for example. A few years ago I decided that instead of making resolutions, I would set goals for myself. I even think that the word goal has a much more positive and productive sound to it than resolution.

After giving it a bit of thought I have come up with my list of 2012 goals for myself. Some of them are practical and specific, while others are somewhat more general and well rounded.

Goals for 2012

Practice good self care. Go to sleep at a decent time. Exercise daily (in the form of walking mostly and maybe some yoga), eat healthily, and to make time for the things that make me happy- being creative, finding alone time, keeping in touch with friends.
Clean out the basement. This is a practical one. Winslow will be finishing off the basement this winter and I am going to purge a ton of old and unwanted stuff that I have been holding onto for years. It's going to be donated, recycled or turfed and it's gonna feel good. In the end, I will have a functional art/craft space.
Stick to a budget. This means being realistic in what we can and can't afford. Weekly meal plans will help in this. We also plan on using cash only.
Put my marriage at the forefront. Winslow and I have a pretty happy marriage I would say (I'm pretty sure he'd agree too), but that doesn't mean that our relationship can take care of itself. I want to make it a priority to tell and show Winslow just how much he means to me. I want to invest in the person who I share my life with and make sure that our relationship stays strong. So 2o12 will be all about the date nights, even if they mostly take place at home. Creativity will be key!
Continue to work on being a good parent. Practice patience with Noah (and myself) and to be the kind of parent that Noah needs and deserves. To be creative, to take time for him, to put the computer away and give him undivided attention. More books, more art, more games, more fort building, more make believe, more adventures!

And so that is it my friends. I hope to come back to this list often so that I keep it fresh in my mind. And how about you? Any goals or resolutions to be made?

May many wondering things come your way in 2012.

xox

2011 you were good to us

2012-01-01T16:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years dear friends. Here's to a brand new year! One that is full of new adventures, new opportunities, and of course the unknown. I hope you had a wonderful time ringing in 2012, we certainly did here.

Our New Year's Eve was a family affair, maybe not as wild as New Year's Eves from the past, but I think it goes down as one of my most favourite New Year's Eve celebrations ever.

Our night included getting dressed up and all four of us (Noah, Katia, Daddy and Mummy) going out for a fancy dinner of sushi. I really enjoyed doing this, because for us, going out for dinner doesn't happen often, so it was really special. The food was delicious and I think Noah felt very special getting to go out all dressed up.

Later on we had our friends Leanne and Jeff over for a countdown/sleepover. Jeff and Leanne (plus Evey and Sunny) live out of town in the country, so it was best for them to stay over night. We had a lot of fun doing a 9pm countdown with the kids, which included sparklers and noisemakers. Whitehorse put on a firework display that could be seen from our upstairs windows, so it was fun to watch them with the lights out. Once the little ones were asleep we all did our best to keep our tired eyes open until midnight. It wasn't much after midnight that we all fell asleep ourselves. It was a simple night that had everything a New Year's Eve celebration should have. Bubbly, sparklers, noise makers, cheesy dance music, good food and great company!

Looking back over 2011, I am reminded that this year brought many wonderful blessings to my family and friend's lives. Starting early in the 2011 we were so elated when we got a positive pregnancy test, setting us off on an exciting pregnancy journey! Buying and moving into our lovely home here in Whitehorse was also a huge excitement for us. Trips home to Ontario , PEI and to Alaska were full of memories and of course the biggest blessing of all for our family in 2011 was the arrival of baby Katia. Some other memorable 2011 events were: my best friend Amy's wedding, Leanne and Jeff's wedding, the birth of baby Shaun-Elliot, baby Henri's arrival, and baby Emma's arrival.

Of course all these big events stand out in my mind as important and special, but I also like to remind myself that the little day to day happenings are just as important in the grand scheme of things too. I've been trying hard to teach myself to appreciate and take notice of all the little details that make life so beautiful, and so in recognition of that, here are a few of my favourite posts from the past year that recognize beauty in life, that show the times that aren't so peachy and the posts that talk about living in " the now" ...

Happy New Year's dear friends. May this year bring many wonderful things your way.

xox

these days...

2011-12-28T21:15:00.000-08:00

I love the quiet after Christmas. It's such a nice in between time. There's still New Year's to look forward to, but all the excess of Christmas is over and all that is left is a few remaining Christmas lights and time to reflect.

Here in our home we have been taking our days slow. What else can we do in the winter when it's dark outside most of the time and we have a little new babe to take care of. Having Winslow home is simply lovely. I am beyond blessed that he is home, we all are. Right now as I write this I can hear him and Noah playing on the bongos upstairs...he is instructing Noah on how to dance. There is a lot of laughter coming from upstairs.

I've been catching myself lately just being in wonder of everything that I have. Today I sat in the quiet with the Christmas tree lights on, while my two precious babes lay on me taking a nap. It looked as though they were both fighting for room on my lap, each child taking up every inch of me that was available and I just thought to myself, how blessed am I? I sat there wishing that there was a way to bottle up their smallness, their sweet littleness. Someday I will miss them being this small. I already dread the day.

Yesterday I snuck out by myself for a short but much needed walk on my own. It was quick and I walked briskly, but it was nice to be on my own for a few minutes. It was good to walk quickly, it felt nice to have the cold air on my cheeks and breathe in the sharp air. I admired the beauty around me. The pink sunlight on the snow covered mountains, the animal tracks I saw in the snow, my colourful neighbourhood. I loved the quiet and the moment I had all to myself. Even if it was just for 15 minutes.

I'm listening to the new Feist album. Winslow gave it to me for Christmas and I love it. I think it's one of those albums that needs to be listened to many times to really "get" it. It's very mellow and pretty. Perfect for this time of year.

And how about you friends? Are you ready for the New Year to come along? Are you feeling ready to wipe the slate clean and start out fresh? I just love the start of a new year. I love cleaning the house, organizing my life, setting goals (not resolutions), and picking up healthy habits once again.

I hope you are all well dear friends.

xox

handmade holidays

2011-12-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

I love to give handmade gifts for any occasion but I especially enjoy giving handmade at Christmastime. Last year I made and gave a few different gifts like these little pins for my friend's children, chocolate bark and some of my prints packaged up nicely. This year I decided early on that I would try to make a sugar scrub to give to my girlfriends. I looked through a few different recipes until I found one that looked simple enough and then made up a batch before Katia was born, as I knew I wouldn't get anything done after she was born.

The results were great! I really was impressed and happy with how easy it was to make the scrub and how lovely it felt on my skin (I had to test drive the product first!).

I also had a lot of fun packaging up the scrubs in little mason jars with cloth covers and little wooden scoops. I bought the scoops in a shop in PEI this past summer and knew I'd use them for this project. I would suggest scouring dollarstores for little spoons or a kitchen shop or a shop in Chinatown for something similar (if you have a Chinatown...we don't here in the Yukon).

I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone who wants to give it a go. It was a super easy project and like I mentioned, the results were lovely... it really softens the skin and I love to use it on my feet! And bonus, you most likely will have many of the ingredients in your cupboard!

Candy Cane Sugar Scrub

3 cups of granulated sugar

1 cup of olive oil

a few drops of peppermint essential oil

In a bowl mix the sugar, oil, and essential oil together until well combined. Experiment with how much peppermint oil you want to use. Start with less and add in more until you get a nice but not too strong scent. When you have a nice scrub consistency, spoon the scrub into little jars and decorate them however you like. This scrub can be stirred up if it settles.

I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. Stay tuned for my simple handmade baby gift...I'll post about that soon! And how about you? Did you get up to any crafting this holiday season?

xox

christmas memories 2011

2011-12-26T12:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas was everything we could've asked for and more. It was busy but meaningful. We had wonderful visits with friends and enjoyed some quiet family time too. The food was a plenty, the music so cheerful (I never grow tired of Christmas music), the house so warm and cozy.

One of my most favouite parts of Christmas was seeing both little ones participate in the Christmas Eve pageant. It brought back memories of attending church on Christmas Eve when I was little. I remember how magical it felt getting to get all dressed up and then going to church and singing carols with my family, I was so happy to be able to be able to pass that tradition on to my family. Katia was baby Jesus and did a perfect job, while Noah was an superb snowflake. It was definitely a proud mama moment for me.

Christmas morning included phone calls and skype visits back home, gift opening and a yummy breakfast. The afternoon included a turkey and ham dinner with our good friends and all their lovely kiddies. It was so sweet to see the children so excited, running around, playing, laughing, shouting. What a wonderful day it was.

I hope you all had very merry Christmases dear friends. I hope your holidays have been full of wonder and joy and most importantly love.

xox

christmas countdown

2011-12-22T00:32:00.000-08:00

i spy a snugly babe in a sling

I can't believe that Christmas is almost here. Time is going by too quickly. Katia is almost a month old. Oh how I wish I could just hit the pause button. But I can't. I guess it's just one of life's realities. Time passes. Babies grow. Nothing can ever stay the same. Time just won't stand still. It just means I have to remember to soak it all in. To really appreciate each moment that passes.

Our days as of late have been full to the brim with fun filled festivities. Yesterday we went to a friend's house to decorate gingerbread houses and you should've seen Noah's excitement. It made my heart sing a little bit. He was acting sweet and shy and quiet at first, but then he got into it and really enjoyed himself. I loved watching him pop the candies into his mouth. Every time I saw a candy go in his mouth, I tried to explain to him that the candies go on the gingerbread house. He maybe got about 3 candies on his house. The rest kept making their way into his mouth. It was so darling to watch him.

Noah's enthusiasm for Christmas is helping me get in the mood for the holidays. Tonight he said to me, "Mama? Mey Christmas"( *meaning Merry Christmas), which of course melted my heart. For Noah, Christmas is so special and watching the joy and wonder through his eyes is making me feel the spirit too. The way he asks me to turn on the tree lights, the way he points out Christmas lights that he sees outside, the way he loves reading Christmas books at night....it's all so special.

There are only 3 days left until Christmas and I'm trying to enjoy what we have done and let go of what we haven't done. We have big plans for Christmas Eve that include visits with friends, the Christmas pageant at church (Katia is being baby Jesus!), and a special midnight snack for Winslow and I (fondue...yum!). Then Christmas Day will involve a big breakfast, gifts, phone calls to back home and in the afternoon a turkey and ham dinner here at our place with our good friends. I'm excited!

I hope your holidays are merry and bright dear friends. I have been trying to sneak moments to myself where I can go and visit all my favourite blogs to see what you are all up to for the holidays. Sending warm hugs from the chilly Yukon!

xox

ps. Happy Winter's Solstice. Tonight we will enjoy some yummy warm stew, homemade bread and have lot's of candles! Today is a day to slow down.

these days...

2011-12-18T21:27:00.000-08:00

these days are all about ...

a toddler's excitement for Christmas.
trying to enjoy our last week leading up to Christmas.
cuddling two little ones.
nursing and spitting up and burping and soothing a little precious babe.
watching a favourite Christmas movies. Like this one!
sneaking in coffee and even getting to go out for a coffee at a cafe!
trying to get out of the house at least once a day.
remembering to have patience.
being thankful for having been given a lovely baby shower.
wearing pjs in the house, pretty much at all times.
missing family back home so much.
watching my two littles learn to love each other.

Hope your days are happy dear friends. Lots of holiday love to you and yours.

xox

friday I'm in love

2011-12-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

These days are all about keeping the peace in our home and making sure that we are all being taken care of (physically and emotionally).

Our family who were visiting us last week have now left, which has brought on a bit of an adjustment for us all. Noah really enjoyed having his Nana, Auntie and cousin here and since they left it's been hard at times because he doesn't have all the attention that he had before. We are doing our best though.

Things are going well 2.5 weeks into having a new baby in our lives. I knew ahead of time that it would be a big adjustment and I think that we are doing pretty well at managing it all. At times I find myself a bit overwhelmed which I'm sure is to be expected. Somedays I feel like I am just floating through the day, trying to make it through in one piece and then somedays I feel emotional, sad, happy, all at once. I know this is all normal, especially for a new mama.

It's hard to believe that there is just over a week until Christmas. This month has just flown by, actually time in general seems to just be flying by. I really hope that I can find a moment to just sit and be in the present and take it all in. I still have things I want to do like some baking, a big grocery shop for all the tasty things we want to eat and final decorating touches. Oh and I still have a few gifts to buy... egah! How about you? Are you all ready for the holidays?

And that's about it dear friends. Just trying to keep it all together and more. I'm feeling a bit sentimental at the moment. As I said, we are 2.5 weeks into Katia's life and I'm feeling a wee bit sad about it. I haven't had the same time to just sit and study her the way I did with Noah when he was a baby. This afternoon I found a moment where it was just her and I cuddling. I'm happy to report that I got some smiles and coos from her (at 2.5 weeks!!!) and I was able to take a moment to stare at all her sweet little features, like her perfect rosebud lips and her long wispy eyelashes. I took some photo booth photos because it was the only camera nearby. So here we are. Cuddling and in love.

everyday is the best day

2011-12-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday friends.

I'm feeling pretty darn good these days I must say. I have two beautiful children and a wonderful husband who is being very kind and patient and helpful in all respects. My mom has been here for just shy of two weeks and my sister and adorable nephew are here too. It feels like the holidays having them here. Last night we had a turkey dinner and listened to Christmas music and watched a Charlie Brown Christmas. We lit candles and put out my red checkered table cloth. After dinner once the toddler boys were asleep, my sister, mom, Katia and I sat in the living room chatting and enjoying the lights on the Christmas tree. It was perfect and lovely.

Here are a few pictures I captured of sweet Katia last week. She is honestly just such a sweet baby. I am head over heels in love with her. Crazy head over heels.

xox

enjoying the moment

2011-12-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

It's been just over a week since little Katia was born into this world. Since she joined the family, life has just been so blissful and happy. Of course there have been some sleepless nights, recovery on my part and a few outbursts from a certain 2 year old, but all in all, we are doing well and we are all happy, and that's what's most important right?

Before Katia was born, I did my best to get as many Christmas decorations up as I could. I also got our cards out early as I knew I wouldn't be able to do much after she was born. I had visions of being all organized and ready to go for Dec. 1st, with fun Advent ideas and a list of Christmas activities to do with Noah, but alas I must fess up, a lot of those ideas have not come to happen. I've had to pair down many of my ideas, but we have managed to do a few fun Christmasy things. Our book advent? Well it's going to be a 12 days of Christmas countdown (a much better scale of a countdown for a 2 year old anyway). And my list of activities? Does watching a Christmas movie and eating Christmas treats count?

Having a baby is a great lesson in learning to let go. Letting go of sleep, of expectations and of ideas on how things will be all perfect, letting go of the house and appearances, and it's funny because in letting go of all that superficial stuff, what I am left with is a simple and pretty wonderful scene in front of me.We are all doing well. We are all managing to eat proper meals (with thanks to our friends who have dropped off some yummy food), we get our sleep where we can and we are staying civil with one another. The rest of it all is just the icing on the top.

And so here we are, 1.5 weeks into being a family of four and doing pretty well at it. We are enjoying a lovely visit with my mom (Nana from PEI) and we are excited that my sister Sarah and her little babe Bowan will be visiting us in just a few days. Oh and we even managed to have Saint Nicholas visit us in the night on Dec.5th. Not bad I'd say.

xox

katia's birth

2011-12-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

It was Sunday morning at about 1am. Winslow was working the night shift and I had Noah in bed sleeping next to me. I had had a busy Saturday trying to keep active so that maybe labour would come on it's own. I had been out for a walk with Noah and had been pulling him in his sled. I had taken a nice long hot bath with "come on baby" essential oils in it given to me by my friend Tammi. I was feeling good as I went to sleep and then woke up at 1am with some mild discomfort. I decided to try and sleep it off.

Up at 3am...back to sleep. At 4 am I decided to call Winslow at work. I wasn't quite sure if this was "it", but regardless, I needed him to start packing it in for the night and come home.

At about 5:30 Winslow came in the door. A bit panicked Winslow asked how far my contractions were apart, I told him to go and rest because it was just the beginning and things could take a long time still.

In the morning I gave my friend Vanessa a call as she had earlier offered to take Noah for me so I could have some alone time. I told her what was going on and she was over so quickly to pick up Noah. It was so kind of her. As she was making her way over (she lives quite close), I got Noah dressed and packed up. It was a bit sad for me to say goodbye to him and I think he knew that something was going on because he really wanted to stay with me. But Vanessa so kindly swept him up and cuddled him and walked out the door with him. As she did I was looking at him being carried away and he looked liked my little baby.

The rest of the morning was spent just fiddling around. I was in pain with my contractions but they weren't close enough. I tried to drink lots of water and sort of ignore the pain. I spent a lot of time sitting on the edge of my couch with my upper body leaning over the coffee table. By 1:30pm I had to wake up Winslow as the contractions were getting stronger and closer and I needed some company and support. I was feeling resentful and tired and lonely as Winslow slept away. In all reality he had just worked 12 hrs over night and had been up all day before, so it wasn't his fault and I needed him to be rested.

Once Winslow was awake we spent the next few hours timing my contractions and tidying up the house. I knew that we would have some friends spend the night at our house to take care of Noah, so it was important (of course) that all the beds have fresh sheets on them. We folded laundry between contractions and just hung out. It was kind of nice to be able to work through the early part of labour just the two of us in the comfort of our home.

At about 4pm the contractions were getting to be pretty strong and close. We decided to get ourselves ready for the hospital because we knew the car ride over wouldn’t be fun if I were any further along. Where we live is pretty close to the hospital, about a 10 minute drive, so we started the car and Winslow got my bag and the camera packed into the car. Off we went.
We were admitted in and got to our room. Here in Whitehorse we are very lucky to have a wonderful birthing unit at the hospital. Everyone gets their own private room to labour, deliver and stay in after the birth. Each room has a bathroom with shower, so you can stay in the room and not have to leave. The lighting is also very nice in there, dimmed lights and large windows that let in lots of natural light. This is so important as any woman who has given birth before would know, because strong artificial lights can really affect a labouring woman's mood and concentration.

Shortly after getting into our room, a nurse came to check me to see how far I was along. She said I was about 3-4 cms, so I felt pretty good about that, as I knew things were starting to move along. At this point also, Leanne, my dear friend and amazing doula showed up. She walked in the room with such a big smile on her face and such a positive attitude, it made it feel more "real" once she arrived.

The next few hours were spent labouring in our room. I spent much of the time standing with the assistance of Leanne and Winslow. I really didn't want to sit or lay down at all because I wanted gravity to pull the baby down and every time I would lay down I would have worse back pain than when standing. With each contraction Leanne and Winslow helped me stand up. They said that I had them each in a headlock and was hanging off of them with all my weight. Poor things! Leanne reminded me sway my hips and to breathe deep breaths. She also reminded me to make deep moaning noises when I would exhale to help with the pain and pressure. All of these techniques really helped me manage the pain and more importantly helped me focus and stay present.

I had done quite a bit of reading on natural labour leading up to my due date and I had a few things in mind as I went into it. The most important thing to me was that I wanted to stay focussed and to not panic. With Noah's birth, things had spiraled out of control and I didn't have the techniques or support to help me stay mentally present. For Katia's birth, I'm happy to say that panic did not set in and I stayed present the whole time. The biggest thing I did to achieve this was by working through each contraction individually. I never started to think about the next one, I just stayed focussed on what was happening at that very moment. This really helped me a great deal, I found.

The rest of the labour was spent standing up with Winslow's and Leanne's help, and by standing in the shower. The hot water from the shower was a great relief. At one point some laughing gas (the same type used in a dentist office) was offered to me and I decided to use it. It was just the thing to help take the edge off. I was moving along pretty quickly and I remember at one point thinking, "I'm actually doing this without an epidural. I'm gonna make it without one!" I was very surprised by this.

By 10pm I was fully dilated and effaced, so I was able to start pushing. We had arrived at the hospital around 4:30 pm and by 10pm I was ready to push. At this time my doctor, Dr. Avery, came in. He may have popped in before a few times, but this time he came in with his scrubs on and said it was time to start pushing. I would say for me, the pushing part was the hardest part of my whole labour experience. I had to get up on the bed and lay back, which I didn't like too much but Dr. Avery brought out the squatting bar and had me alternating between laying back and using the squatting bar. For those that don't know what a squatting bar is, see here.

The pushing took from beginning to end 3 hrs and it was long and exhausting. For me it seemed to take forever to end and to be honest, it hurt quite a bit. At one point my doctor brought out the mirror so I could see how things were progressing. Some people might think that's a bit too much, but it kind of gave me the incentive to keep going. And as soon as baby started to crown, I gave one more push and there she was. Her whole little body right there placed on my tummy, loud cries (from Katia) and all. It was surreal. All that hard work and there she was, finally. Katia was born at 1am.

After she was born she stayed on my tummy, skin to skin for a good 2 hrs. During the first hour, my doctor and the nurses stayed there to make sure that the placenta was delivered. Dr. Avery allowed for the cord to stop pulsing before Winslow got to cut it. Katia's heartbeat was checked while she remained on my tummy. Almost instantly she began to root around for my breast, and began to feed right away. She was born with an appetite!

A few more things had to happen before we were left to ourselves. Dr. Avery had to give me some stitches, which seemed to take for ever and was quite uncomfortable. He also showed us the placenta and explained a bit about it. After that we were given a few hours to ourselves and at about 3am the nurse came in to weigh Katia and give her a vitamin K shot. At this time I had my shower (oh I was sore) and got my bed cleaned.

I spent the next day and night in the hospital and it was nice to rest up and recuperate there. Winslow came by with Noah to meet his baby sister the morning after she was born, which was very special. The very first thing he said to her when he saw her was "tickle tickle", because leading up to her birth we had read many books about babies and what types of "games" can be played with them. It was so sweet to see his reaction to her. We had picked up a new Thomas the Train for him to open at the hospital which made him very happy.

We also had a few visitors come to see us that day. Sarah our good friend came by with a book for Noah, my friend Vanessa came by to see how we were, as did the Minister from my church Beverly. Leanne also came back to visit and she stayed with me the second night in the hospital. I felt so bad having her stay as I knew she was exhausted and hadn't had much sleep. Still, she stayed and helped me out through our second night and her company and help was very much appreciated.

And that is it, the story of Katia's birth. If you are still reading this, thank you for bearing with me. It's taken me almost a week to write this out and it was important for me to do this, as I know that it is something I will want to look back on someday. It so hard to believe how fast time goes by. Katia is already one week old now, when I will be posting this. I wish I could just put the "pause" button on and soak it all in. I'm trying hard to be present and live in the now.

xox

a little check in

2011-12-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the lovely well wishes dear friends. We are doing a lot of this lately, or more like trying to catch up on it. I promise to check in real soon with some updated pics of little Katia. She is just amazing!

xox

happiness is ...

2011-11-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

Happiness is my beautiful little girl. She is here and is absolutely just the sweetest little baby in the world. My heart is full of love and happiness, I feel blessed beyond anything.

Katia Eleanor Fe Rosolen Duyan arrived at 1am on Monday November 28th after a relatively easy, uncomplicated birth. My hopes came true and I was able to deliver her VBAC and surprised myself by not using any pain medications. I had the most wonderful support with me the entire time, Winslow and my dear friend Leanne who is a trained doula. They both stayed by my side and were just fantastic at keeping me focused and calm.
We are home now after a short hospital stay. I was more than ready to come back to our comfortable home (that is all Christmasy I might add). Hospital beds suck!
What else? Well big brother is doing just fine! He came to see his baby sister at the hospital and his first reaction and thoughts were to give her little tickles on her tummy. He went right up to her and said "tickle tickle". He has given her lots of kisses and gentle pats. Its so incredible how big and mature he seems. He truly is a wonderful Kuya now (big brother in Filipino).
That's it for now. We are just trying to settle into our new life. Getting into the groove of being a family of four. It's pretty amazing. I'm just so so so incredibly happy and am feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.
More soon! Thank you again for all the wonderful, kind and loving words, prayers and wishes that you have all left for us. They are all appreciated.

xox

a few details for baby

2011-11-25T14:59:00.001-08:00

It seems to me that I haven't posted very much in the ways of details about what our baby's room will look like, so I thought I'd show a few details of her room and talk about a few things that I have picked up for her over the last few months.

One of the reasons that I haven't posted about her room is that it currently acts as the guest room and will be staying that way until after December. We have visitors coming to se us once she is born, like my mom who is coming all the way from PEI to be with us (in just a few days!!! weeee!!!) and my sister Sarah and my sweet baby nephew Bowan. So for us, we needed to keep that room ready for our guests.

The second reason why I haven't done a lot in terms of making it into a nursery is because we know that she will be sleeping in a basinet in our room for the first while and then will most likely join us in our bed when she is a bit bigger. We co-slept with Noah and expect to do the same with her, unless she happens to be a really good sleeper on her own. So really, her room will be used as a quiet space to nurse her, a place to change her, and a place to play and read quietly.

But a few of the details that I have been working on are hanging some fun and colourful items on her wall, like this framed alphabet print that I had hanging in Noah's nursery when he was a baby and these metal silhouette birds that Winslow and I picked up when we were first married.

I also hung up a small print of a lady in a large hat. I think this is a famous image, but I've never known who the artist is or what the title is. It was something that my mom had hanging in my childhood home and its one of the very few things that I have left of our old home, so I wanted to hang it. Plus, I've always found it to be pretty and feminine.

The other project I have been working on is a display of pretty fabrics in embroidery hoops. This is something I had seen done many times on Pinterest, and when I found out we were having a girl, I knew right away that I wanted to do this. I think it lends itself a feminine feel (artsy and crafty) without being too over the top girly.

A few other little goodies that I have picked up along the way....

This beautiful custom made Waldorf doll. I ordered her back in October and hoped that she would arrive in time for Christmas. Obviously the baby won't care about her yet, but I have always wanted a Waldorf doll because they are well made and something that can be passed down again and again. This doll was made by Atelier-Blueberrie, a Waldorf making doll duo out of France. I just received her in the mail today and am so pleased with how she turned out. I was even allowed to choose the colours, prints on her dress, skin colour ect. I wanted her to reflect what my daughter will most likely look like (half Asian), so I chose a bit of a tanned skin colour and black hair. Please check out their Etsy shop.

I have a few other dolls that will be displayed in our little one's room, like these three adorable Russian Matryoshka dolls that I got off of Etsy and these other little baby Waldorf dolls that I have been collecting for a few years.

For her coming home from the hospital clothes, this is what I have chosen and packed away in my hospital bag. When I was down South this past summer, I went a little bit nuts at the children's second hand clothing shops. Where else can you find adorable brand name clothes for just a few dollars? So I picked up this sweet little one piece white knit romper (baby Gap) for just a few dollars. The brown and white hat was Noah's and I still love it, so it is packed away in my hospital bag. I also had my friend, Lindsay, who lives in Ontario knit this adorable sleeping owl hat for me and will definitely be putting it on her when we take her outside to go home as it is so very cold here and of course little babies need to be kept warm. Please check out her Facebook business page if you are interested in ordering a hat from her. She makes gorgeous custom made hats.

And finally a little sneak of where the baby will be resting her head for the first few weeks of her life. This is the basinet that we had for Noah when he was a baby and this is where she will be sleeping too. Right next to me in her little Moses basket. I just can't wait for her to be here now ... oh I'm getting excited. And so that is it for now. Just playing the waiting game and hoping that she makes her debut soon.

When I see all these details together I am kind of happy with the amount of handmade and thrifted items that I have picked up for her. It's a nice feeling to know that she will be surrounded by quality items that were made by hand and made with love or by items that have been given a second chance.

Thank you all so much for all the kind wishes and prayers being sent our way. I appreciate all your comments and love. I am a little bit nervous about the birth because this will be my first time delivering a baby naturally. Noah was an emergency c-section and his labour was very hard and exhausting on me. But the good news is that I am in a really good head space. I have talked with my doctor (who I really like by the way) about all the different scenarios that could play out. I know that I really want to be able to have a successful VBAC and will do everything in my power to make it happen, but at the same time, I am accepting that if it doesn't work out I will be at peace with knowing that a second c-section was what was meant to be.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend dear friends. Be back soon! Hopefully with a baby in my arms while I am typing!

xox

40 weeks and waiting

2011-11-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

Oh hello there!

It's a lovely Wednesday afternoon here and I'm just popping by to say that there is still no baby.

I am patiently waiting for her to come and while waiting, I've been working on some Christmas crafting and gift buying. I really wanted to be finished my gift making and buying before the babe comes, so that all I have to do is enjoy the season and not head out into the cold weather to do silly/busy/stressful holiday errands. I am happy to report that I am almost done :O)

As for the beeb, well, I am 39 weeks and 4 days along. The baby has "dropped" and I now measure 36 cm as opposed to the 38 cm that I was a few weeks ago. I am getting contractions here and there, with a few painful ones in there. I have lots of pressure and have been feeling nauseous, which are all labour signs for me.

So that's it from here. I promise to sign in once she is born and to give an update of how we are doing. Oh and then I will reveal her name too. We are pretty certain on her name, but we also have 2 back up names in case she just doesn't look like what we have in mind.

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Take care dear friends and again, please send prayer, good wishes, good vibes my way for an easy delivery.

xox

woe is me ... just kidding

2011-11-19T16:17:00.000-08:00

Warning, this post is brought to you by a tired and grumpy pregnant lady. Just warning you.

It a chilly Saturday here in the Yukon. -30 c. Yes, it is that cold.

Hubby is off for the next 4 days and I am so thankful for it. I am so at the end of this pregnancy journey and I have decided that I am officially finished and want no more of it. Now, if only baby could just get the memo on this one.

I am tired, big, have puffy feet and a puffy face, my legs and thighs are sore, and so is my back. I am emotional. I'm agitated, impatient, weepy and anxious. But then on the other side of it all, I am excited with anticipation and am eagerly waiting for her to come.

This morning I went to the Yukon's biggest Christmas craft fair. Last year I was selling my goods at it, this year I got to go in early with the seniors and immobile. I had a few people look at me when I was in the line with seemingly judgemental looks and tell me, this line up is for seniors and the immobile you know. So, by the time I had heard it again and again, I shot a look back at the last lady who thought she'd inform me and I said, "I'm 39 weeks pregnant and have a toddler...I think I qualify to get in a few minutes early". I'm telling you, don't upset the pregnant lady. She will either bite you or start crying or both.

Oh and before going to the craft fair this morning, as I was having a 6 minute shower, look what my darling adorable sweet little Noah did. Yes, I came downstairs to find him covered in yoghurt and rubbing it into the carpet. I was slightly mad but at the same time, I must have found some humour in it because I started to take his picture. I did make him clean it up though, just out of principle.

It's been getting darker and darker here. This shouldn't come as a surprise to me, seeing as how far North we live, but I have to admit it doesn't have the same romance as it seemed to have last year. Last year it was all new to us, so I was excited to see how dark and cozy it could get. Now I just start to get annoyed as soon as dusk approaches (4:30 pm) because I have a busy toddler who I still have to entertain for a few more hours, even if it's pitch black outside. Sorry....the grumpy pregnant lady has come out again. The only romantic thing to come of all the darkness is that I now have a very good excuse to have candles lit at every meal. (Here are some pics of our sushi night. Noah LOVES sushi!)

Okay so that is my update. I'm sure you are super glad that you stopped by today- ya right!

Hopefully the next time you hear from me, there will be an itty bitty, teeny tiny babe nestled up to me and I will be in post-pregnancy bliss. Send fast labour wishes, prayers, thoughts my way.

xox

meanwhile, at home ...

2011-11-16T15:54:00.000-08:00

One look outside my window this morning and I declared that it felt like I was inside a snow globe. All day long the beautiful snow has been twirling and swirling and blowing outside our windows. Big thick fluffy flakes of snow, it's been truly beautiful to watch.

This morning was all about watching The Snowman (Noah's newest and favourite movie), making zucchini/carrot/chocolate chip muffins, working on our Christmas craft and hanging out at home. Cue the new Michael Buble Christmas album and you have an idea of how cozy it all felt inside.

We had no where to go today and I was thankful for it. The only thing I wanted to do was to get outside for a few minutes of fresh air, so late morning we bundled up and went out for a short walk. It's all about the short walks these days because I am now 38 weeks pregnant and if anything were to happen while I am out on my own with Noah, I want to know that I am not too far from home.

So we bundled ourselves up and went for a walk. Actually let me clarify that, I went for a walk while pulling Noah in his sled. First sleigh ride of the season and yes, there I was 38 weeks pregnant and pulling my 30 pound toddler around. I must say, I was pretty proud of myself. But seriously, it was just so amazingly beautiful out there, I didn't even notice I was getting a work out, well barely.

The rest of the day was spent back inside from the comfort of our cozy home. We had a visitor drop by in the afternoon and then Noah took a nice long nap while I rested (and um did some Pinning).

And that has been our lovely, homey, easy day. Perfect. I just have to say how truly blessed and thankful I feel today. I'm so thankful that I live in such a beautiful part of the country (Whitehorse, the city with the cleanest air in Canada!). I'm thankful for the beautiful landscape of the Yukon. I'm thankful that we are in the position that I get to stay home with Noah everyday. I'm thankful for simplicity, that we don't have places that we have to rush to or drive to, that we can just stay put on days like today. I'm thankful for my spirited son who makes me laugh everyday. I'm thankful for my hard working husband who is outside in the cold, rushing to car collisions and house calls, making sure that people are safe.

Happy Wednesday dear friends. Be back soon!

xox

ps. if it looks like Noey has a puffy black eye, it's true. He had a head on collision with another little boy at playgroup yesterday. It was quite the scene for all of 5 minutes but then he seemed to forget all about it.

getting merry

2011-11-14T22:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I got to tick some things off my Christmas to-do list. For many, it may seem way too early to even think about Christmas, but around here, there is a baby that could come any day now and I really must take advantage of all the free time that I have before she comes.

The big things that have been ticked off the list are that over the weekend Winslow got up our Christmas lights. I still haven't made a wreath or spruce bough (can't decide between the two) for our front door, but I will be getting on that soon enough.

Mid afternoon I made a trip to the post office to send off a Christmas parcel through an exchange that I am participating in. It is being sent off across the country to Nova Scotia where another police wife will be waiting for it. I got very happy as I wrapped up all the goodies I bought and made for her and was giddy with excitement when I covered her oversized envelope with Christmas stickers.

We (Winslow, Noah and I) also started a Christmas craft that will be sent out to all 3 sets of Noah's Grandparents for Christmas. Last year I made handprint ornaments made of Crayola air dry clay and this year I am making a little hand print wreath with a photo of Noah and Santa in the middle. I want this to be a tradition that is done every year, where Noah makes something special for his Grandparents for Christmas.

Then this evening I finally finished off my Christmas cards. They are now signed, sealed and will be delivered in a week or so. Again, maybe over the top, but I had so much fun adding a photo of Noah inside each card and putting a Christmas sticker on each letter. It is my hope that it will be exciting for the recipients to open them. I know I'd love to receive a Christmas cad all covered in stickers and such.

And so that is it for now dear friends. I still have quite the list of things that I would like to try and do for Christmas prep before the babe comes, but I am also feeling good that I have managed to start my list so early.

And how about you? Have you started on any of your Christmas projects yet?

xox

weekend recap and a date night

2011-11-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was exactly what we all needed at our place. A quiet, easy, simple weekend with not much on the go. With my hubby's line of work, weekends and weekdays run into each other so frequently that it is rare when we actually get a Saturday and Sunday together. Lucky for me, because I get to stay at home with Noah, we always manage to get in a lot of quality time together, regardless of whether it is a weekend or not. But I must say, it is nice to have him home and off for a full weekend. Saturdays and Sundays just seem to be a bit more of an occasion to celebrate. Weekends to me are all about big breakfasts, home improvements, lounging, running errands and things like that.

This weekend was much of that and more, as we snuck in a date night at home and managed to get ourselves to church on Sunday. Not bad I must say, especially for the state that I am in these days (tired, big and uncomfortable).

So, details on our date night (not those kinds of details). We couldn't find a babysitter for Saturday night, which in the end was just fine with us. We decided that we would rent a movie, get Noah to bed early and have some of our favourite snacks and appies. It was a pretty simple date night, but just what we needed and wanted.

We rented Crazy, Stupid, Love (not bad for a rom com) and prepared some baked brie (with cranberry/orange marmalde) and we also had some mini Asian appies (eggrolls ect). For drinks we had fancy smancy champagne (really I mean gingerale) in wine glasses. It was so nice and you know what was so cute? When I came downstairs from getting Noah to bed, Winslow had tidied the kitchen and living room up and had some candles and flowers waiting for me. Okay, so they weren't real flowers (they were on the ipad), but it was cute and thoughtful.

Now I'm pretty excited to see what else we can plan for date nights. I have a feeling that with the lil one on the way, date nights will be few and far between , but it might be nice to plan some out. Have you seen this blog series, dinner at eight? I think the idea is really sweet and it shows that you don't have to spend a ton of money or go anywhere fancy to make some special time with your loved one.

And so that's it from here. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

xox

brightness and lightness

2011-11-11T23:50:00.000-08:00

Thursday evening's snowfall produced so much beautiful fluffy snow. This morning we woke up to some snow still falling. As I prepared my breakfast smoothie I kept an eye on the light , making it's way up. I was hoping for a sunny morning and that is just what we got.

We are nearing the darkest time of the year and it is quite noticeable. Last year I was rather excited to see how dark it could get here in the Yukon, but this year I am not so eager for it.

I'm feeling the need for sun and light. I'll just have to do my best to get out for walks while I can before it gets too cold.

This morning once Noey and I were ready to get ourselves dressed, we went out to play in the snow. My little Southern Ontario boy wanted nothing to do with the cold snow but I wasn't about to take us back in. So I pulled out the Chariot stroller, got Noah his blanket and decided to take a walk through the neighbourhood.

It was quite the workout for me, pushing Noah through the unploughed back alley ways, but it was oh so beautiful at every stop. The evergreen trees were laden with snow. The sunlight was so gentle, just peaking through the tree branches. The snow so white and light. It was a feast for the eyes and my camera. Just what I had been asking for.

As I pushed through the snow, Noah fell fast asleep, all bundled up in his blankets and stroller. I took my time while walking, stopping to take pictures, and yes, catch my breath. I was just so happy to be outside and to breathe in the fresh air.

Tomorrow I am hoping for another sunny day. Winslow has the day off from work and I think we plan on taking Noah out in his sled. Winslow can do the pulling.

There are also craft shows to attend and a special Christmas event at the local toy shop. I am hoping we can do some window shopping and maybe get a warm drink at a cafe when we are downtown.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend dear friends.

xox

Remembering

2011-11-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

Today I will be remembering those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. My Grandfather fought in WWII. It's hard to even imagine what life was like back then. The long periods of time that loved ones wouldn't hear from their soldiers. Letter writing and telegraphs were the only way to communicate. The hardships. The sacrifice. All for us ... all for the future.

And in present day our soldiers face all kinds of dangers and sacrifices. Leaving family behind to face all kinds of uncertainty that we could never imagine.

Thinking of and thanking our fallen, our veterans and those who stand behind them.

a random evening post

2011-11-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

Oh I so need tonight. Tonight is a blessing. Tonight Noah has decided to fall asleep at 7:30 (so unheard of) and Winslow is working a night shift. What does this all mean? It means a night to myself. No noise. No t.v. No working hard to get my toddler to fall asleep ... a break ... the first one all day.

I am tired these days. I'm not sure why I'm stating this. It shouldn't come as a surprise to myself, but for some reason I seem to forget that I am 37 weeks pregnant and that I just can't physically do everything that I'd like to. When I look at pictures of myself that have been taken over the last week I don't even recognize myself. I look exhausted and puffy and huge. I'm not saying any of this in a bad way. It is what it is. I just seem to forget that I am very much pregnant and that sitting down every once in a while might do me some good. I'm not enjoying these last few weeks I must say. I know that I am very blessed to be pregnant and I want our little baby to stay in for as long as she needs to, but I must say it, I am tired of being pregnant.

Moving on. Tonight the snow is falling. We've been waiting for a good snow fall for a quite a while now. Winslow was saying that he was hoping for snow so that the outside would seem lighter and brighter. It's so lovely when it's clear and sunny and white outside. I'm hoping to go out and get some pretty pictures tomorrow. I went out on my front porch this evening to snap a few pictures of the snow and lights. I specifically wanted blurry bokeh pictures. Oh yes, I love bokeh and this season is upon us.

I am getting into the Christmas mood dear friends. The other day I snuck out of the house while Noah and Winslow were napping and I went down to Main Street to do a bit of window shopping. I picked up a little something from one of the shops on Main Street. It was exciting to see all the Christmas stuff put out in our little local shops. Our decorations will go up this weekend, just after Remembrance Day (Nov.11) a day to remember the fallen who have served our country.

And so that is it. A bit of a random post I must say. Hope you are all cozy in your homes. Good night.

xox

good things for today

2011-11-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

Good things for today...

taking a nap in the afternoon... making delicious smelling homemade potpourri (recipe below) ... having a big thick pink strawberry milkshake at the diner with my friend ... receiving a "baby" care package in the mail from my best friend ...

Homemade Potpourri

I love making this potpourri because it is 100% natural, safe to use in the home and it smells so delicious. It reminds me of autumn and Christmas all at once.

In a small pot include:

2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons of whole cloves
half an orange or lemon (squeeze the juice into the pot)
enough water to cover everything (about a cup)

Bring everything to a boil and then lower the heat to min so that it just simmers away. In a few minutes you'll begin to smell the delicious scent of everything combined. Keep an eye on the pot and continue to add water to the pot as it evaporates. This mixture can be kept and used again at least once.

easy does it monday

2011-11-07T05:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday dear friends.

Our weekend was a simple one. One that included some crafting, lots of rest, some household cleaning, cooking, going for walks, church, visits with friends and movie watching. It was easy and slow and just what we all needed.

On Friday night I had been experiencing some serious cramping and contractions and had myself fooled into believing that baby could be coming soon, but obviously we had no such luck and I am still very much pregnant. I am starting to grow impatient and really want her to come, but on the other hand I am trying to remind myself that this time before she comes is a gift and I need to use it wisely.

Speaking of using my time wisely, I have been trying to tackle my holiday gift giving list and decide on what I am going to make/give this year to friends and family. The Christmas cards are nearly finished (although they won't be sent out for a while still) and I am trying to figure out what to work on in terms of crafting and homemade gift giving. It may seem early to some, but since I am due with our lil one at the end of the month, I really only have a few more weeks to tackle some of these ideas of mine.... hmmm....so maybe it's not such a bad thing that she wait bit.

We went for a walk yesterday, Winslow, Noah and I. Now that I am 37 weeks along, I am no longer at risk for having to leave the Yukon if I go into labour, so I'm starting to pick up my walking again. It was cold outside and because of the daylight savings time, the sun was starting to go down at about 3:30, so it felt even more cold with less sunlight. Never the less, we bundled up and hit the trails behind out house. Noah was all cozy in his covered Chariot stroller while wearing his snowsuit. I on the other hand was a bit cold as my jacket will not zip up over my big belly anymore! Lately I've been wearing this woolen zip up sweater with a big scarf and then my winter coat over top undone. I'll be happy when I can fit into my winter coat once again.

On our walk we saw all kinds of things and then at the end this sweet little dog ran over to say "hi" to us. We have all kinds of friendly (and well taken care of I should add) dogs in our neighbourhood. People are just a bit more lenient about letting them roam a bit and that's okay by me because I like dogs quite a lot. I managed to snap a pic of the friendly dog that came to say hi to us.

And so that is it for now. I hope the start to your week is easy. Be back soon dear friends.

xox

weekend plans

2011-11-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

Happy weekend friends. I hope yours is one that is relaxing and fulfilling.

This evening I have been feeling some major contractions going on ... could this be the beginning of labour or will it be a false alarm? Only time can tell, but I'll be sure to let you know either way.

If I'm not in labour this weekend then I have plans to attend a craft show (the first one of the season for me!), have coffee with my girlfriends, sew, bake some ginger bread (because tis' the season) and go for some walks. Oh and If I'm feeling up for it I'll also do my best to attend church on Sunday.

Enjoy your Saturday and Sunday!

xox

ps. have I shown you that "this is the life" sign before? I got it this past summer at LL Bean Home when we were in Maine. It was one of my souvenirs from our summer trip down East. It now hangs in our kitchen and covers our thermostat. I quite like it.

fancy foot work

2011-11-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

I love his laugh .... the way he does fancy dance moves to impress us .... the way he asks "Mama okay?" if he sees that I am hurt .... the way a hug and cuddle make everything better for him ... the way he sings along with me at bed time to his favourite songs ... the fact that he always wants "one more book" .... that he loves to make art and be creative .... I'm head over heels in love with my little Noah.

lunch box adventures ... never going back

2011-11-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

As a child, Campell's tomato soup was a staple in our home. It was a comfort food to me and we ate it often at lunch time. My mom would put a tiny pat of butter in it and it was pure warmth and comfort to me.

Upon growing up and realizing that, that particular brand of soup isn't really all that great (it's full of sugar and flour), I have been on the look out for a simple and easy tomato soup recipe that could replace my childhood favourite comfort food and I think I may have just found it!

As I was scanning Pinterest one night I looked through tons of recipes for tomato soup until I found one easy enough and simple enough that I would like to try. As usual, I gathered ideas from various different sources and made up my own version (taking away and adding things that I like). And this my friends is my new favourite comfort food. I will never go back to that iconic red and white can of soup.

Favourite Tomato Soup

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1 box of chicken stock (use home made if you have any)

half a white onion finely diced

2 garlic cloves crushed and minced

2 tablespoons of butter

Italian seasoning

a few tablespoons of cream

- In a large heavy pot, lightly saute the onion and garlic in the butter.

-Add in the Italian seasoning (about 1 tablespoon give or take). Continue to saute for a few minutes.

-Add the box of chicken stock (approximately 3 or 4 cups of stock)

-Add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir well and let simmer for about 20 minutes.

- Ladle the soup into bowls and stir in a tablespoon of cream into each bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

farewell October...hello November

2011-11-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Last night was full of fun, wonder and excitement. It was Noey's first time going trick-or-treating and answering the door to the other tick-or-treaters. At first he didn't understand why he couldn't eat all his treats right there and then when they were given to him, but soon he understood the idea of going door to door. I was actually quite happy that he only managed to have 2 treats. One was a mini pack of m&ms that he couldn't finish and the other was a bag of chips, he ate like 3 chips. So thankfully we didn't have too many behaviour problems last night. I think his favourite part probably was when he watched me as I was putting my cat makeup on in the upstairs bathroom. I asked him if he'd like a mustache and he said yes so I painted one on him. Again, he was so proud to be a fireman!

But with any special day, it must come to an end and I am secretly happy that autumn and Halloween can be officially packed away for the year. We have snow now and all I can think of is getting ready for Christmas. Baking, crafting, hosting, oh and of course having a baby! We'll see how much I actually accomplish from that list of mine!

This afternoon I made a cup of white hot chocolate and poured it into my favourite Christmas mug (one that I keep out all year long actually). My friend Yuki brought it back for me from Japan a few years ago and it remains one of my very favourite mugs. It has The Snowman on it from the famous British movie. If you've never seen this movie, you simply must! It's all hand illustrated and has no words, just beautiful music and a sweet story. Very magical indeed! I toped my hot chocolate off with some homemade peppermint marshmallows that my friend Leanne made and will be selling at some craft shows this season. I'm getting so excited already for the season to start!

Happy November everyone!

xox

ps. My sister Katie wanted to know if Noah had a special bag to go trick-or-treating with and so I made one yesterday afternoon. Here's a pic for you Katie!

White Hot Chocolate for two

2 cups of warm steamed milk (2%)

2 tablespoons of vanilla extract

4 tablespoons of real white chocolate chips

a peppermint stick, whipped cream or marshmallows to garnish

-Warm your milk in a pot on the stove. Careful not to let the milk boil.

-Reduce the heat and add the vanilla to the milk.

-In 2 separate cups place 2 tablespoons each of the white chocolate chips.

-Pour the milk over the chocolate chips and stir until melted.

-Decorate your drink with a peppermint stick, marshmallows or whipped cream... or all 3!!!

ouuuuuuhhhhhh ouuuhhhhh .... happy halloween!

2011-10-31T06:24:00.000-07:00

Before Noah came along, Halloween was pretty much all about the parties and sadly, yes, the somewhat *ahem* tiny costumes. It was fun but it was also somewhat pointless and void of excitement for me.

When Noah had his first Halloween, something in me just became excited once again. I wanted to decorate the house and put a costume on for the sake of making memories with my little family. On Noah's first Halloween I remember inviting some mommy friends I had met through swimming class over to my house for a little party. Our babes were all of a few months old and really the party was more for us than them but I remember being so excited to decorate and make festive foods for us to enjoy. I was finally able to go "all out" for a holiday.

Fast forward to Noah's third Halloween and my excitement is just the same if not more. I have really enjoyed decorating our front window this year and last night I took Noah outside to see what it looked like from the front of our house. He just LOVED the pumpkins and wanted me to take the top off them over and over again so that he could see the candle burning inside. It was so special for me to see him full of wonder.

This year he was able to tell me what he wanted to be for Halloween; a firefighter....much to his father's dismay. I would've liked to have made his costume, but the one I found was a really good deal and there is no way I could've made something similar for the same price. I still hope to make his costumes in the future (last year's was just too cute!), but I do have to say that I am very pleased with Noah's costume this year and he seems so proud to wear it. I really think he thinks he is a real firefighter!

And so that is it dear friends. Tonight we will sit down to warm dinner of stew, light our candles and pumpkins, hand out some treats and then head out into the night for some fun trick-or-treating (Noah's first time!).

Happy Halloween dear friends. Tomorrow is November 1st!!!! Bring on Christmas, hehehe.

xox

halloween fun

2011-10-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day for Halloween fun, family style. We attended a Halloween Spooktacular party at the Canada Games Center (our big and awesome rec center). This was our second year attending it and I just loved it.

For me it was such a joy to see so many familiar faces from the community, coming out to enjoy the fun. Tons of little children were all dressed up in every costume imaginable! The staff were all dressed up and had little activity centers going on. Best of all, Winslow had the day off, so the 3 of us were able to go together and take in all the fun.

It was a fun afternoon but by the end of it all, I definitely needed a rest. I think I may have overdone it a bit, all the walking and standing around. Even though I may have pushed it, I'm so glad we went. I can't help but think that this little outing could be our last outing as a family of 3. Of course I am so excited for our sweet girl to come and join the family, but I also cherish my time with Noah so very much. He is my darling boy and I suppose I'm feeling sentimental about our relationship.

36 week update

2011-10-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

36 Week Update

:: How far along: 36 weeks today!

:: Total weight gain: 39 pounds

:: How big is baby: could be 6 pounds already!

:: Maternity clothes: I alternate between black yoga pants and my one pair of mat jeans that fit. I really didn't want to spend too much on mat clothes and although I could throw on a dress, I live in the North and have been on relative bed rest the past week, so a dress really isn't all that practical. I live in my Tyme Maternity T-Shirts and like to throw a cardigan over the top. Scarves are my go to accessory.

:: Stretch marks: yes, unfortunately and lots of dry skin

:: Sleep: I've been trying to get as much sleep as I can and am trying to go to bed more early. This means turning off the computer, turning on my sound therapy machine (ocean waves lull me to sleep) and I banish Noah and Winslow to a different room. I've been having relatively uninterrupted sleeps and am trying to rest up in case our little girl comes anyday.

:: Best moment this week: getting to walk around. I had been on bedrest for over a week and was starting to go a bit batty. I went out with my friends Leanne and Jeff (we brought Noah) and went for a little walk around the neighbourhood. The fresh air made me feel alive again!

:: Food cravings: chocolate, ice cream, frozen things (smoothies).

:: Labour signs: I was admitted to the hospital on Tue Oct 18th with signs of early labour. They had to give me medication to bring the contractions down and then put me on bed rest for a week. Luckily all labour signs have stopped now and if she were to come now, she would have a very good chance at being a healthy weight with her lungs developed.

:: Belly button: flat!

:: What I miss: being able to go for walks (on my own) and being able to get comfortable when I am sleeping. It's so hard to get myself up out of bed!

:: What I'm looking forward to: her arrival! I can't wait to hold her and smell her and kiss her little head and fingers and toes!!!!

:: Milestone: making it to 36 weeks. Prior to this date, if I had gone into labour (which I was on the cusp of doing) , I would've had to been flown down South to BC to wait it out. We don't have a NICU here in Whitehorse, so the risk of having to leave the territory was really real. Now that we are at 36 weeks, if she were to come now, she would be developed much more and we could most likely safely deliver her here in Whitehorse (which is what we want, we love the hospital here, love the staff at the hospital, love our doctor and have so much support here).

And that it is my friends! One more week under the belt. I'm thinking that after 37 weeks I might start picking up my daily walks (around the neighbourhood) once again. I want my body to be in a bit better shape for when I deliver. I also plan on focussing on getting my sleep now, as we all know that once she arrives, this mama will be one exhausted (but happy) mama!

xox

ps. My friend Carol-Ann had her baby last week. I'm going to include a picture I took of baby Emma! It's quite fitting for Halloween I think.

And the picture of me? Winslow took it in our backyard and YES we do have that much snow! See why I am in the Christmas mood already?

the waiting game

2011-10-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

Hello there!
I've been on "bed rest" for about a week now and am starting to get a bit tired of it. I went to the Dr. this week and he said he'd like me to continue on it for a bit longer, so that the lil one can grow bigger and stronger and not come out too early. And while that all makes perfect sense to me and I don't want a premature baby, I just have to say that I really and truly feel that we (the baby and I) are fine and that labour isn't immanent. But alas, I will air on the side of caution and continue to take it easy. Well, as easy as one can take it when they have a 2 year old running the house. Thank goodness for visits from friends is all I can say!

So to keep myself busy I've been doing a few little things such as hand crafting and letter writing (Christmas cards to be exact) and photo editing in my spare time. If our little Miss does decide to come early I want all my cards to be ready to be mailed out and all my client's photos to be done so that I don't have to worry about them after the birth.

In terms of hand crafting I've been working on a few Christmas tree ornaments, some pins and a little finger puppet for Noah's stocking. I plan on making a few more little finger puppets and want to sew a little bag for them to go into. I'm so thankful to have something to keep my hands busy!

And other than that, I've been spending WAY too much time online and watching TV. I feel like a sloth, a yucky old, lazy old sloth! Today I think, (with help from my friend Leanne) I will take a short easy stroll through the woods behind my house. I need some fresh air and a change of scenery and I need to stretch my legs!

And that's about it from here. How about you? Are you all ready for Halloween? We are as ready as we will get, minus carving the frozen pumpkins that are sitting on our front porch. To be very honest with you, if it weren't for my little guy, I don't think I'd be doing much for Halloween at all. When it's below zero outside with snow on the ground and it get's dark so early, I just want to skip ahead to Christmas and say farewell to autumn. But for my little guy's sake, we'll put on a happy face, dress up, hand out candy and then go trick'or'treating at our neighbour's homes. Just for him :O)

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods

xox

ps. hope you don't mind the weird juxtaposition of Halloween and Christmasy pictures. If you look at the picture with the pumpkins you can see that yes, there really is snow outside.

on bed rest

2011-10-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

I'm still here on bed rest, counting down the days and hoping that our little one will stay in a bit longer. I never realized that I could be in this position. For some reason, I just thought that babies in my family came on time or late, but never early and never this early. If we weren't living in the North, this wouldn't be such a concern, but as I mentioned before, if our little one was to come too early we would most likely have to be sent down South (to BC or Alberta) where they have a NICU.

Anyhow, for now we are fine and most importantly, baby is fine. It's just been hard for me to sit still so much. It's really kind of torture for me, because as all women who have been pregnant know, towards the end of a pregnancy you get the urge to clean, create and make. All I want to do is sew and craft and bake and decorate her room...but I have to stop myself so that my cramps stay to a minimum.

While I've been home we've had some wonderful support from friends. I've received all kinds of phone calls and offers to take Noah out for a little bit. We've had delicious and comforting food dropped off and lot's of people just checking into say hi. Winslow of course has been amazing to me and Noah, taking care of us and the home. I truly feel blessed to have so much support.

Here's a pic of Noah and I cuddling after we were reunited. I really really really hated being away from him for those days. I felt so much anxiety knowing that I had just left him and that he didn't understand what was going on. We were quite happy to be back together, I'll tell you.

Oh and two little pics of my treat that Winslow bought for me when I came home from the hospital. A raspberry scone from Baked (oh yum!) and a caramel macchiato from Starbucks. What a sweetie he is.

greetings from the bed of....

2011-10-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

not my bed :O( but the bed at the farmhouse we stayed at this summer in PEI

I've been given doctor's orders to take it easy, very easy, for the next week or so.

A few days ago I was complaining about some cramping and the loss of my mucus plug (yuck, I know). I wasn't all too concerned about it but had a bit of a nagging feeling that I should bring it up with my doctor. So I went in to see him on Tuesday and right away he sent me over the hospital for a non-stress test and a fetal fibronectin test.

The fFN test came back positive and my doctor was pretty concerned. Up here in Whitehorse we don't have the support of a NICU, and if a woman is showing signs of early labour before 36 weeks of pregnancy, they air on the side of caution and fly her down South to a hospital that is properly equipped. My doctor was pretty sure that I was going to have to go and all of a sudden Winslow and I were faced with the stress of deciding what we would do in terms of care for Noah.

In the meantime while my doctor was determining what the next step would be, I was admitted to the hospital and put on bed rest. I was given some medication to make my contractions stop and was monitored throughout the night. The next day my doctor came back to see me and said that I could stay put (here in Whitehorse) as long as I continued to get positive non-stress test results and as long as we could keep the contractions to a minimum.

The next two days were spent in bed at the hospital, just kinda waiting to see how things would go. It was sort of surreal because I really hadn't thought that things were that serious, and then, all of a sudden we were faced with the reality that the baby could be coming early and that we were in danger of having to leave the territory. It was a bit frightening and the worst thing for me was that I couldn't be of any use to Noah and Winslow back at home.

All of a sudden I felt that so called "mother's guilt". On one hand I wanted to be in the hospital, safe and sound for the baby while at the same time I felt guilty and missed my little boy oh so much. I just wilted when I heard him on the phone in the background crying over and over agin for his mama. It wasn't a nice position to be in but I didn't have a choice and we had to do what was best for the baby.

The good news is that this evening I was discharged from the hospital and sent home with strict instructions that I am to stay in bed and go straight back to the hospital if my labour signs return. I am doing my best to stay put and am just hoping and praying that our little girl doesn't decide to make an early appearance. We really want her to be healthy and strong and we also really want to be able to stay here in Whitehorse to deliver her.

So that is the latest from our neck of the woods. Just hanging on and hoping that everything continues to go well. We have been very very lucky to have some amazing friends come to our side an help us out. All kinds of offers of help have been made. Offers for food, babysitting, visits... you name it. Just another reason why we love it up here in the North.

And so as I write to you for the comfort of my bed I ask that you think of us and send out prayers or good vibes or what ever you believe in for our little one to stay inside her mama's tummy a little while longer.

Here is a little song we learned in Mother Goose a few weeks ago that made me all teary eyed. I'm really getting excited to meet our little Northern baby girl.

Twinkle twinkle Northern Lights

Shining in the Yukon night

Up above the world so high

Blue and green ribbons in the sky

Twinkle twinkle Nothern Lights

Shining in the Yukon night

going easy and gently on ourselves and the ones we love

2011-10-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

I was going to write a post about how beautiful the snow was this morning or just how wonderful it was to sip away at coffee all morning and sit around the table doing crafts with my boy. These things are all true and did happen but sadly our morning went a bit down hill when I attempted to take Noah to our regular play group that we both seemed to enjoy going to, and I think I need to sit down and write about my thoughts on what happened because I learned a valuable lesson from it.

Ever since returning to Whitehorse about 2 weeks ago Noah has shown a great discomfort with going to any of our scheduled play groups or activities (Mother Goose). These activities used to be enjoyed by him but for some reason, for the last 2 weeks, every time I try to take him to one of these activities we get a full blown panic, crying and sobbing episode. It's had me worried. This isn't like Noah, he usually loves these activities. I should add, he knows the people who run the groups, has friends there and knows the other mamas who attend....why is it so upsetting for him?

I'm of the mind set that I shouldn't just give in and not attempt to go. So each time I see him putting up a fuss, I tell him that we will just go in for a few minutes and that if he really doesn't like it after giving it a try, that we will leave. Well, we've had to leave at least on 2 different occasions in the past week.

One mama this morning said that maybe he is picking up on the changes that are happening in the home. He seems to be talking a lot about having a baby sister and maybe he's just sensing that things are going to change. Children are sensitive to change and maybe he's just trying to deal with it. That could be it.

Another mom friend of mine suggested that it could just be a faze. It might just be too overwhelming and that he is trying to tell me that he just doesn't want to be there. My friend said, children are good at expressing their feelings. We need to listen and recognize those feelings.

I think both of these suggestions make sense. There have been times in my life where I feel overwhelmed and tired and sad, and having to go into big rooms with lots of people just doesn't make me feel good. Maybe it's as simple as that.

So my realization after these past few failed attempts of taking Noah to places that make him stressed out are that I need to be more aware and sensitive to what Noah is telling me. Just as we all need to listen to our inner voice, I need to listen to what Noah is really saying.

I guess I feel a bit guilty for pushing him to do something that he really doesn't want to do. It's not like these play groups and activities are of major importance. They are for fun, but clearly Noah isn't having fun at them. I've been in that position myself where I have pushed myself into uncomfortable situations and I really think that it is important to listen to our needs. So this is my mama lesson for myself this week. Really try to be aware of all our personal needs. Not just the physical ones, but the emotional ones. Oh, and to go easy on ourselves too.

Hope you are having a peaceful and restful week so far dear friends.

xox

for today

2011-10-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

For Today...

Outside my window... it has been cloudy with spots of sun

I am thinking... how nice it is to take it slow and not pile things on my to-do list

I am thankful... for so much. For our beautiful planet, for living in the city with the cleanest air in Canada, for time with my family, for the burst of energy I have had today, for getting a full night's sleep last night (thank you hubby)

In the kitchen... I have a crockpot of split pea soup going and a batch of bread in the bread maker

I am wearing... black yoga pants, a long sleeved purple t-shirt and a grey wool cardigan

I am creating... organization strategies for the baby's room

I am going... to take it easy for the rest of the day

I am wondering... if this baby may come early and if we might decide on a different name for her when we meet her

I am reading... The Rhythm of the Family by Amanda Blake Soule

I am hoping... for a smooth week ahead

I am looking forward to... wrapping up all my work in the next few weeks

I am hearing... Noah ask me to "draw Thomas" over and over again (Thomas the Tank Engine). He likes it when I draw his favourite characters on paper for him.

Around the house... is kind of messy. There is laundry to be folded, a baby's room to organize, craft supplies to organize, some Halloween decorations put up. In other words... it looks lived in.

I am pondering... how I will get all my photography work done quickly

One of my favorite things... was that the organist at church played "Let it Be" by the Beatles for the postlude.

A few plans for the rest of the week: there is photography work to be finished, a little baby's room to be organized, play groups to go to, and maybe some early Christmas crafting.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

sea salt air and the tallest mountains

2011-10-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

Just a few more pictures of beautiful Haines Alaska.

It really was a magical place. The freshest air, the tallest mountains, the delicious smell of sea water and really nice people. I'm already dreaming of our next trip.

Hope your weekend is treating you well ... off to put my tired pregnant lady feet up.

xoxo

recently...

2011-10-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

yes, we really do have snow now

the 3 pregnant mamas...with 4 babes in total, yes, Sarah (left) is expecting twins!

Hello again friends! I've been away from the computer for a few days but with good reason... First, it was Thanksgiving weekend and we had a wonderful "Northern family" dinner with our good friends here in Whitehorse. Initially we had plans to go up to the fantastic cabin in Kluane National Park for a few days, but when our friend (who was supposed to be coming with us and is 38 weeks pregnant) started to get signs of early labour, we all decided to stay put and have our dinner at home. So a delicious Thanksgiving potluck was created, and it was so so tasty! It was probably for the best that we stayed in town. None of us really wanted to deliver that lil baby at a cabin with no running water! And just to update, we are still waiting on baby to make her debut~!

After our Thanksgiving dinner on Monday, it was off to Haines Alaska the next day for three days of salmon fishing (not me, Winslow), sight seeing and hanging out. Winlsow and I had never been there but had heard such wonderful things about Haines, and we really wanted to see it for ourselves. I truly can't explain how beautiful it is there and I'm not sure if the pictures will even do it justice. Imagine the biggest mountains you have ever seen, breathtaking views along the Haines Seaway fjord, bald eagles along the Chilkat River, golden autumn aspens everywhere, fog rolling in off the water and through the mountains. Yes, it was amazing!

A few fun things I got done while away in Haines.... I wrote out many of my Christmas cards and did some fabric shopping! Weeeee! :O)

We are now home after a busy few days. There is much work to be done around the house and it's getting harder and harder for me to find the energy to get anything done. I am now 33 weeks pregnant and it's getting to that point where I am tired of being so tired, if you know what I mean. Physically I am having a hard time bending over and mustering up the energy to work on tasks. Emotionally I am also tired after a long day of giving my all to my little Noah. So, yes, there are things to be done, organizing the baby's room and clothes is a biggy, but I suppose I'll just have to take it step by step/day by day.

And so that is all for now.

I'll be back soon with plenty more pictures of gorgeous Haines Alaska!

Hope you are all well.

xox

happy thanksgiving

2011-10-09T05:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving weekend dear friends. May your weekend be filled with crisp autumn walks, time spent with family and friends, good food, good conversation and time spent reflecting on all the things you are thankful for.

We may be far from family but already we've spent time on the phone and ipad (facetime) with them. The rest of our weekend will include dinners with friends, a trip to the magical cabin at Rainbow Lake and then an overnight trip to Haines Alaska for hopefully a good salmon catch!

We have so much to be thankful for this year. We love where we are living, we have good health, a beautiful home, enough food, wonderful family and friends and of course the little miracle that is growing in my tummy! I'm ever so grateful for my little family (and my extended family too!)

Have a great weekend everyone!

xox

ps. Here are few harvest/autumn decorations that I have put up in the house. I was especially happy to find white pumpkins, we don't always get them sent up here. I think they look like little carved wooden sculptures. So pretty!

keeping a toddler busy

2011-10-07T23:23:00.000-07:00

Slowly slowly we have been getting back into the swing of things. After being away for a month from our home, routines and rhythms, it feels good to get back to normal.

Simple things like baking muffins and bread, visiting with friends, going to play groups, and just being at home were all missed so much. It feels good to be slowing down and to just do what makes us happy.

Lately I've been on a bit of mission to find things that I can do with Noah that will keep him engaged and entertained for short periods of time. I like that with every developmental stage, new activities can be added to our list of things that we can do together. More recently, I've been finding that Noah's attention can last longer on activities that he used to just not "get" and it's actually becoming fun to do new things with him (not just frustrating).

This past week I decided to pull out Noah's paints and let him do some simple painting. It was so cute to see how excited he got when I told him we were going to paint. I decided to give him yellow and red (fall colours) and let him have a go at it. It was so much fun to watch him paint.

I then decided to cut up an apple (it was on its way to the compost bin) and let him do some stamping with it. I showed him a few times how to do it (hand over hand) and then let him try it on his own. He really seemed to enjoy the process of painting and stamping. He spent a good 15 minutes painting and stamping and by the end of it, he was ready to clean up.

We let the paintings dry over night and then the next day I decided to bring the dry paintings back out again and that we would add to them by doing some collage on top of the paintings.

I had some tissue paper cut and scrunched up into little pieces and I showed Noah how to use the glue stick and then press the tissue paper onto the surface of the paper. Again, I really think he liked this task and it was fun to watch him explore the textures and process of this part of the project.

I remember an ECE art university instructor telling us once that children should be encouraged to come back to their art work and to further the process by doing more to their work. This teaches them that there are more possibilities within one thing and helps them with problem solving concepts. I've always liked that idea and have always tried to think of ways that an art project with a child can be further expanded.

Another important lesson I learned from that same instructor was that when children are this young and are making art, the only purpose of the art project should be about the experience and process. It should never be about the final result. Has your 2 year old ever come home from daycare or a play group with a perfectly made and recognizable turkey for Thanksgiving? I can guarantee you that if that turkey looks perfect, not only did they probably have a lot of adult help, but also, it probably wasn't a very age appropriate activity for them in the first place. I try to remember when making art with Noah, that art making at this age is all about messes and the tactile experience...a final piece is not that important.

And so here are a few photos of Noah enjoying his apple prints and collage making. It went so well that next time I think we are going to stamp with found materials around the house ( toilet paper rolls, strings, cookie cutters ect).

I thought I'd include a few of my favourite kids crafty blogs and pins to share with you. I hope you find them useful. I know I have!

:: The Imagination Tree (full of great ideas for preschool play and art)

:: Pink and Green Mama (an old favourite of mine! Tons of art education ideas as well as some great party planning ideas. Lots of sensory box ideas too!)

:: a fun fall/Thanksgiving idea. Pumpkin Pie Playdoh.

:: activity bags are my new obsession. Make up ziplock bags that have a simple activity for you to do with your toddler. Stringing pasta onto yarn, felt boards, sorting into cups, and more!

a little bit of this and that: Noah edition

2011-10-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've dedicated a post to my main little man, so I thought I'd do a little update on what Noey is up to these days.

The biggest thing that is happening (or is about to happen) is that Noey is going to become a big brother at the end of November. I'm not too sure how much of that he truly understands, but he has been taking a keen interest in other people's babies and likes to tell us and everyone else that he is going to have a baby sister. He also loves to give kisses to the baby by kissing my tummy, which is really sweet I think.

Other things that are new in Noah's life? Well since returning from our vacation we have been working on potty training, which has ben going pretty well. Noah had experienced the potty back in June and had done really well with it for about a week, but then he started to show a fear of it, so we decided to hold off for a while. Upon returning from our trip though, Winslow and I talked about it and felt that we should try to pick it up again. We wanted to do it before the baby comes, because there is a good chance that we will be pretty preoccupied when that time comes and we don't want to put it off for too long. So far we have had some successes, but the real test will be when we pull the diapers right out of the equation and go straight to underpants. I'm thinking that that will be soon. Stay tuned.

What else? Well Noah is a busy guy these days with lots to talk about. Over the summer, Noah's language really developed and we have been enjoying hearing what he has to say. He also LOVES to sing songs and enjoys going to Mother Goose once a week where we learn new songs and sing old favourites.

His favourite toys these days are his trains, fire trucks and any kind of sports equipment (mini hockey sticks, soccer and his bike ect). He loves playdoh, colouring and doing arts and crafts with me! He loves to be read to, having play dates with friends and enjoys going for walks outdoors.

The thing I love most about my little Noey though is that he is still very cuddly and sweet. Noah has always been a cuddly boy ever since he was a babe and I'm so glad that he continues to be this way. One of my favourite things that he does is points to me and says "my mama" and then hugs me or kisses me. And to that I respond, "my Noah" and give him a big hug or kiss right back. Oh it melts my heart every time.

And that is my little update of my sweetie pie Noah. He'll always be my baby boy, my sweet little Noah.

xox

bring on the fall

2011-10-04T22:50:00.001-07:00

It shouldn't be a secret to anyone that fall is my absolute favourite season of the year. I love everything about it and for me living up North means that fall is even more special as it is the season that ushers in the cold, the hibernation and rest that I find so needed and comforting.

To me, fall means settling in, staying warm, wrapping a scarf around my neck and making foods that warm the soul. It means staying home and and finding comfort in my surroundings and it means socializing once again after a busy summer of being on the go and being outside constantly.

A few things that I am excited for as we enjoy the month of October are...

:: Thanksgiving. The perfect holiday for showing gratitude.

:: All things apple! Apple pie, apple crisp, apple sauce, apple butter (all homemade of course)

:: Walks in the woods and on the trails. Sometimes I take Noah by the hand and we walk (this can make for a long walk as he finds many things to stop and look at) or sometimes I bundle him up and put him in his stroller so that I can keep a good pace. Regardless, I just love getting myself and Noah out into the fresh air for a nature walk.

:: A trip to the cabin next week with my girlfriends, our toddlers and hubbies! Turkey dinner at the cabin, bon fires, hot chocolate, board games and rest.

:: A first time trip to Haines Alaska next week to do some salmon fishing (not me, Winslow will) with Winslow, Noah, Leanne and Jeff. I can't wait to see this part of Alaska that I have heard so much about!

:: Decorating the house for Thanksgiving and Halloween. I treated myself to some new fabric and some time at my sewing machine, and ended up with this autumn looking bunting. Winslow wasn't thrilled with the new bunting.... "more buntings?" were his words exactly. But buntings make me happy and let me feel like I am celebrating, and I believe in celebrating the little things like fall.

And how about you? What are you celebrating about fall (or Spring for those down below)?

Happy Thursday dear friends.

xox

ps. the photos of the leaves were taken with my new 85mm 1.4 G lens that I am totally in love with. The picture of the red leaves looks like a painting to me.

pregnancy update

2011-10-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've done a proper pregnancy update. Maybe it's a sign of how busy life is with work (photography) and being a mama to a two year old. Life may be busy but I want to make the time to remember this pregnancy and to record it. After all my little girl may want to look back on these posts someday.

At this point, this pregnancy is starting to near the end. I am now 32 weeks along and am well into the 3rd trimester. My due date is November 27th and lately I've been feeling that she could very well come early. I don't know why I say that, it's just a feeling. I'd love for her to arrive early but at the same time I feel like I have so much to do before that can happen. I need to get her room and clothing in order, make freezer meals and also have a handle on Christmas before she comes. Some people may scuff at the notion of planning for Christmas this early, but if she arrives mid November I would like to have a good chunk of my Christmas crafting underway, as I imagine I won't have the time to do it after she comes along. I'm getting excited for her to arrive and very excited for our little family to expand to one more.

A little bit about our little girl and our plans for a VBAC. At this point we are almost 100% certain on her name, but I'm holding back on announcing it just in case we make a last minute change. We've had two ultrasounds with her, one at 8 weeks and one at 18 weeks. Both ultrasounds seemed normal and right on track, so we've been feeling pretty happy and content with that.

I went for an appointment with the obstetrician here in Whitehorse about a month ago and we discussed my desire to have a VBAC. He was on board with it and my primary doctor seems to think we should be fine as well. More importantly, I have Winslow on board with it and I know that he will do so well, just as he did last time, as my birth coach. We have also asked our friend Leanne, who is a trained doula, to join us when I am in labour. I'm feeling confident about the support we will have in the hospital and also about the support we will have from our friends and family.

I've been reading up on the subject of labour and have enjoyed the book, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, quite a bit. I've been thinking a lot about the type of labour and birth experience that I hope to have and have been trying to create a birth plan that involves room for my hopes and expectations, while still allowing for the idea that I don't have complete control over the whole experience. My obvious hopes are for a safe VBAC where I am able to labour at home (for as long as I can) but deliver in the hospital. I also am being realistic about my hopes and will be open to the idea of having any help that needs to take place, that's why I will be delivering in the hospital.

And so this wraps up my post on my pregnancy. I've been meaning to get all these ideas and feelings out in a post for a while, and I'm glad I found the time to do so. And just for the fun of it, I'm gonna fill out the little questionnaire that I've been filling out throughout this pregnancy. Here we go!

32 Week Update

:: How far along: 32 weeks and 1 day.

:: Total weight gain: I haven't weighed myself in over a month...I'm seeing the doctor this week and will find out then.

:: How big is baby: 4 pounds and 17 inches

:: Maternity clothes: jeans, cardigans, lots of cardigans and the sandals have been traded in for hiking boots ( I am back up North afterall)

:: Stretch marks: yes, unfortunately and lots of dry skin

:: Sleep: I've been going to bed really early and waking up early. I feel like an old lady.

:: Best moment this week: feeling all kinds of kicks from our little girl. The kicks are very strong and pronounced. I can see my tummy move and feel her shift around inside.

:: Food cravings: chocolate!!!!

:: Labour signs: None

:: Belly button: flat!

:: What I miss: the help I had from my in-laws when we were in Ontario. They helped so much with Noah and now it's back to my daily duties of taking care of Noah, cooking and cleaning.

:: What I'm looking forward to: when I finish up all my photography work and can then focus on decorating her room and getting all her clothes in order.

:: Milestone: we are getting closer and closer to our due date. It's really starting to set in that in less than 2 months we will have a family of 4! I get so excited just thinking about holding and cuddling and nursing a brand new little baby, our baby. I'm excited for new life in our household once again and for all those firsts that happen.

Hope you are all well dear friends. Thanks for your continued love, support and for sharing in this journey with me.

xox

happy weekend

2011-09-30T21:32:00.001-07:00

Have a happy weekend friends! Hope you get to kick back and relax a bit.

xox

coziness

2011-09-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

We've been home for 3 days now and I'm starting to feel like we are getting back into our daily rhythm.

This morning we woke up before the sun, sat around in our pjs and enjoyed the quiet of the morning. Coffee was made, yoghurt and pumpkin muffins were had for breakfast, while CBC radio 2 was on in the background. It was a familiar feeling for me.

This time last year we were just starting to settle into our life in Whitehorse. I remember having a feeling of excitement as our first autumn and winter were approaching. It was getting darker by the day and more chilly. I was excited and full of anticipation. What would our first autumn and winter be like? Feelings of coziness, comfort, quiet and slowing down surrounded us then and now these same feelings are coming back to us.

The days are getting shorter and we are now bundling up when heading outside. Frost greets us each morning as we look out our window and the last of the leaves speckle the trees. It's time to hunker down, bring on the hearty meals like soups and pastas. I wanted to share this recipe that I adapted for pumpkin muffins. They are a hit in our house and I like that they are healthy enough to eat more than one.

Hope your days are cozy and warm.

xox

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry

1cup of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of wheat bran

1teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

-whisk to combine

Wet

1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup or your favourite sweetener

1 14ounce can of pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 eggs

1/3 cup of veg oil

-stir to combine

-fold in 1/2 raisins or chocochips (optional)

Add the wet mixture to the dry. Spoon into lined muffin tins. Bake for approx 40mins... check along the way. Enjoy!

a return home and a birthday recap

2011-09-27T08:13:00.001-07:00

More gratitude is necessary today.

Yesterday afternoon we arrived home after a long day of travel to find a clean home, flowers on the dinning room table and a delicious dinner of cabbage rolls left for us in the fridge for us by our good friend Leanne. It was so nice to arrive home to a familiar place, warm and cozy after being away for almost a month.

Autumn is most definitely here in the Yukon. Yesterday afternoon we saw snow falling. It didn't stay on the ground, but it was such a contrast from the +27c weather we had on Sunday in Ottawa. The mornings are dark here and there is frost on the ground. I have some yard work to do today to transition the front of the house from a more summer look to an autumn look.

My birthday came and went this past Sunday. It was a lovely day in Ottawa, hot and sunny. We celebrated with a birthday dinner the night before at my sister's house (her famous lasagna was on the menu) and then the next day Winslow, Noah and I went out for brunch in beautiful Wakefield, Quebec. Later in the afternoon we met up at the Ottawa Museum of Agriculture with my sister once again, my niece and nephew, Dad, Heather and Heather's daughter and son and my friend Shirin and her family. It was fun to see all the animals and watch the kids play together. It was hot out, so lemonade was in order, as was lot's of water. Later on that evening we went back to Winslow's parent's house to have our last visits and pack up all our gear for our flight the next morning at 6 am.

Some of lovely things I received were this gorgeous Matt and Nat hand bag, this lovely new cookbook(my gfs and I have a huge crush on him), a beautiful scarf and some thoughtful gift cards to a book store, an art store and MEC.

But the most sweetest thing I received was this card from my hubby. While we were in P.E.I., I had asked him to keep his eyes open for a heart shaped rock when he was on the beach. I too had been looking and had no such luck. Well wasn't I surprised when I opened my card to find a tiny, perfectly sweet heart shaped rock taped into my card. It was a surprise and so very sweet. Now where should this little heart go so that I never lose it?

I hope you are all well dear friends. I am now off to work on unpacking our things from our trip. We brought back so many things, mostly things for Noah and our sweet little babe who will be arriving in less than 9 weeks (fingers crossed) !!! More on that later.

xox

Hope you enjoy the fall pictures that I took on my birthday. It was such a gorgeous day with the fall colours displayed nicely.

thankful for

2011-09-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

This trip back East has been so wonderful for so many reasons, and now that we are gearing up to head home, I want to stop and remind myself of all the things that I am thankful for ...

:: having had the chance to meet the two new babies in my two best friend's lives. It's been amazing to see my best friend Amy, transform into a mama and it was wonderful to meet the newest little one of the Carvery family. I'm in baby heaven I must tell you!

:: to receive more good baby news! Winslow and I will be a Tito (uncle in Filipino) and Auntie this April when my sister-in-law has her first baby!

:: having had the chance to really relax with Winslow. It had been over 6 months since my hubby had taken any time off work and I know that this holiday has done wonders for him. We've had a great time sneaking out on dates too! It's been very rejuvenating for our marriage.

:: for the opportunity to do things that we don't get to do up North. See live music, eat out (the Green Door, one of my favs) , shop, walk through outdoor markets, window shop. It's been inspiring.

:: for the opportunity that we've all had to reconnect with our family and friends. It's so hard to be so far from them and I know that it will be a long time still until we see them again. This trip has been wonderful and it's been especially nice to see Noah interact with all his family.

:: for signs of fall. pumpkins and gourds, leaves turning beautiful colours (oh I miss those beautiful sugar maples when I'm up North), the idea of things slowing down. I'm ready for the quietness of fall and then winter.

I'm off to catch so sleep now. Tomorrow is my big 30th birthday, ha! Not so big actually. Tonight I had a lovely family dinner at my sister's house and tomorrow will be spent with my family again (our last day here). Spending time with my family is the best gift of all I have to say.

xox

getting the most out of it

2011-09-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

my boy is getting so big... sniff sniff

eye spy a frog ... do you?

It's hard to believe that we only have 4 more days left of our family vacation. On one hand it feels like we've been away from home for a long time (we have, over 3 weeks!), while on the other hand, I just can't believe that it is almost over.

It's always bitter sweet, these visits of ours. We get little visits in with our friends and family that leave us wanting more and missing this place that used to be home. Where oh where is home? I get confused by the end of these visits.

This morning Winslow and I are off for a day trip to Montreal to see our good friends Eugenia and Irvine. They recently added a new babe to the family and so I am so excited to be able to go and meet my newest "nephew". I have a couple of "nephews", as I'm sure many of you do too. When your dearest friends start to have babies, how can you not be an "Auntie" and how can they not be your "nieces" and "nephews".

So today Winslow and I head off to Montreal sans Noah for a little adventure. I'm very much looking forward to our little escape. It will be so nice just to be the two of us. We've actually had quite a few dates since coming home for our vacation, it's been really nice to get some time to be just together. It's so important to make time for each other, but it doesn't always happen when life get's busy and the day to day stuff takes over.

And just as much as I love "couple time" and think it's very important, I have to say that "family time" is my favourite way to pass our time together. I'm glad that we've been able to carve out little pockets of family time together, because it important to reconnect when we are being pulled in different directions (like when on holiday).

Winslow and I both love taking Noah out to parks and for walks and we both know that Noah needs and loves being outside in the fresh air. Yesterday we took Noah to one of my favouite places in Ottawa to go for a walk, the Mer Bleu Bog. It's an amazing little conservation area right close to the city and offers a beautiful board walk to walk along. It's just one of the most relaxing and restful places in Ottawa, I think. We actually took Noah there when he was just 5 weeks old.

As I said before, these trips home are bitter sweet for us. The excitement and anticipation of coming home and seeing everyone is so wonderful, but saying goodbye is so difficult. The other side to it all is the guilt that I feel when I acknowledge that Ottawa really isn't home anymore and hasn't been for years. Yes, our family is here and in that sense, family makes it home, but really and truly, our lives are now in Whitehorse and I need to be okay with saying that and not feel guilty. Ah personal dilemmas, we all have them right?

So just 4 more days of having fun and getting in all the sights, sounds and smells of the big city. Then we are back off to the Yukon, back to our simpler more gentle way of life and I'm ready for it. I'll miss everyone here, but I'm also missing the quiet trails, foggy mountains in the morning, and wood burning smells of my town. I've missed the morning play groups where we see familiar faces, having tea with my mama friends and cooking dinner in my own kitchen. I'm ready to get back to our routines, to do my meal planning and to take it easy.

xox

a little bit of this and that

2011-09-18T18:18:00.001-07:00

We have just one week left here in Ottawa and then next Monday we'll be heading back to our home in the great white North, although I hope it's not white there yet!

Our time here has been full of fun and quality time spent with family and friends. I've been making sure to tick things off my list of things I want to do, see and accomplish.

This past weekend was full of wonderful things, like going out for coffee with an old friend, going for a walk in the Gatineau Park, having ice cream at one of the best ice cream places in Ottawa (I had blood orange sorbet and chai gingersnap ice cream), going out for Thai food for dinner and seeing some live music. We got to spend much of our time with both our families and have been so lucky to have Winslow's family watch Noah so that we can have some dates.

This next week will go by fast and there are still things we want to do and people to see.

My dearest and oldest best friend in the whole wide world is in labour as I write this and I'm very much looking forward to having some time with her and the new baby. I'm so thrilled that I get to be here for the birth and that I will get to meet my little niece or nephew this week!

I'm also looking forward to spending as much time as I can with my sister and sweetie pies. I miss my niece and nephew so much when I am away and so it's always important to get in as much time as I can with them when we are here. I also still need to do some shopping (tough I know ;o) but as I've said before, we don't have much selection up North, so we need to stock up now. I also want to go to a big movie theatre for another date with Winslow and to eat out at an Indian restaurant.

And so it's pretty obvious I guess, that this next week is going to be full of fun and excitement. A new baby, time with family, some more retail therapy and my 30th birthday. I want to savour it all and soak it all in. Walks downtown through the market, coffees at little coffee shops, and visits with friends. I'll be back soon with more pics.

xox

30 week update

2011-09-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

30 Week Update

:: How far along: 30 weeks 1 day today!

:: Total weight gain: 25 pounds...feeling like half of that weight is in my face :O(

:: How big is baby: 40 cm from crown to toe and weighs about 3 pounds

:: Maternity clothes: we are on vacation in Ontario where it is still hot! So capri yoga pants are my fav with a simple stretchy t-shirt.

:: Stretch marks: yes, unfortunately and lots of dry skin

:: Sleep: getting better and Noah has been sleeping better which means less wake ups for us.

:: Best moment this week: having time with just Winslow and Noah and being able to focus all our attention on him. I know it won;t be like this forever, so it's been nice to be able to do special things with him.

:: Food cravings: fruit, ice cream, and I've been really really thirsty for water

:: Labour signs: None .

:: Belly button: flat!

:: What I miss: I'm missing home (Whitehorse) a little bit. I miss the simple living of the North. Ottawa is great but it's big and busy and the people here are kinda rude.

:: What I'm looking forward to: a date night this weekend with hubby!

:: Milestone: It feels pretty awesome that we have made it to 30 weeks and that we have had such a healthy and easy pregnancy this far. Also some good news, I met with the obstetrician a few weeks ago and he gave me the go ahead to try for a VBAC. I've been thinking alot about the type of birth that I hope we will have. It's exciting to know that we are only about 10 weeks away from meeting our little girl!

just for fun

2011-09-14T17:03:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to share a little something that I whipped up as a baby gift before I left for vacation. I got inspiration for the hat from my friend Leanne, who made a ton of these beautiful hats last Christmas season and sold them at some craft shows. It's made from an old T-Shirt and I added some felt embellishments that I ordered from Etsy. It really is the easiest thing to make and is the perfect beginners sewing project.

To make it I drew out a pattern on some paper and then traced it onto the wrong side of the fabric and cut it out. I placed the wrong sides together and sewed the outline of the hat.

Then I hand sewed the flowers onto the hat. Easy peasey and cute, I think.

Oh and here is the little miss that I made the hat for, baby Meredith. Isn't she just so beautiful and sweet? I can't believe that I will get to hold and cuddle and take care of one of these tiny little humans in just less than 3 months. It's really getting to be very exciting!

xox

farewell to P.E.I.

2011-09-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

It's hard to say good bye to a place that makes one oh so happy. I've said it before, P.E.I. is my happy place, and sure enough as we drove off the island on Sunday morning I bawled my eyes out (just as my mom used to do) just at the thought of leaving. I was sad to leave for many reasons. Sad to say good bye to my family, sad to say good bye to the ocean and the country views that I love so much, sad to say good bye to that feeling of peace and calm I get when being there and sad because it will be a while till we get to go back (years probably).

Our time on the island was a good mix of family time, play time, exploring, relaxing and a wedding thrown in there for good measure. It was busy and I could've used another week just to have time to put around and drink my coffee on the wrap around porch, but all in all, I am extremely grateful that we had the opportunity to go.

One of the most wonderful parts of the trip was that my family from all over came to the island for the week. My almost 90 year old grandmother came from Ontraio, my sister and sweet nephew came from North West Territories, my great aunt came from Texas, and my 2 aunts from the North and Ontario came as well. We also brought along my in-laws from Ottawa, who had never been to the island and ended up loving the place just as I thought they would. It was a big family reunion, something that doesn't happen as often as I'd like and it was very special.

Our time was short there and I didn't get to spend near enough time with everyone as I hoped I would, but I did get to check things off my summer vacation list that I had dreamed of doing. Things like taking Noah to the beach and watching him dip his toes in the ocean. Making sand castles and collecting shells. Eating too much island ice cream (is there such a thing?) and eating all kinds of yummy seafood (delicious fish chowder yum !). So can you see why it was hard to leave? I supposed it's always hard to leave a place where good memories are made.

But don't worry too much about me. I've been able to find a silver lining to having our P.E.I. vacation come to an end, which is always important. Ever since moving to Whitehorse and now having lived a full year up there, I have become more and more happy and comfortable with the life we live there. I like who were are as a family when living up in the Yukon. I like the simple living and less is more approach about living in the North. I love our home and the friends, who are more like family, that we have made there. So it was bitter sweet to leave my happy place, but nice to know deep down that we have a home and town in the North that awaits us. It's a good feeling to miss home wouldn't you say?

And so for the next two weeks, Winslow, Noah and I will be hanging out here in Ottawa with our families and friends. We will be making the most of all the wonderful things that our former city has to offer before we head back to the North for a another cold and long winter.

I'll be back with more pictures of beautiful Ottawa! See you soon!

xox

a little hello

2011-09-07T18:29:00.001-07:00

A little hello from beautiful PEI!

It's been a wonderful trip so far with a stay at a lovely farm house over looking gorgeous Stanley River. We've been enjoying plenty of family time and the weather has been holding on for us which has allowed for 3 beach days so far. Today when we were down by the ocean, the waves were so big and so strong, we all enjoyed playing and looking for pretty treasures in the sand.

This trip has been a feast for the eyes too. I've been taking many pictures and Winslow has been wonderful at stopping on the side of the road when I see something that catches my eye. Yesterday we drove past the most gorgeous yellow farm house that had a huge field of sunflowers in front of it. It was just out of a picture book and I'm so glad that we stopped so that I could take photos.

For this trip down East, we invited Winslow's parents to come along with us (Noah's Lolo and Lola) and it's been so much fun showing them around the island. They have been a great help with Noah, which has allowed for me to take it easy and to not have to chase him around as much.

Here I am at 27 weeks and 2 days at the beach in North Rustico. As I have said, this trip has been really relaxing, but unfortunately not so good on my pregnant body. I've been very tired with a sore back and very sore feet lately. I'm trying to do what I can, but really I've been feeling pretty exhausted from carrying around the extra weight of the pregnancy and from trying to keep up with my busy boy. I guess that just comes with the territory of being pregnant a second time.

Well I'm off to bed now dear friends. Must rest up before another busy day on the island.

xox

vacation time

2011-09-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

This morning, very early in the morning, we hit the beach with coffees and breakfast sandwiches in hand. It was our first sight of the ocean and to feel the cold salt water on my feet and smell the sweet salty air...it's was perfect. Every sense was touched. The sound of the waves crashing on the sand, the sight of the soft sand dunes. It was everything I had been dreaming of and hoping for.

We are here on P.E.I. for just one week and I have one thing that I really want to accomplish and that is to relax.

We have rented a beautiful and spacious farm house over looking a salt water river. It has a long wrap around deck where I plan on sitting while sipping my morning coffee everyday. We've been looking forward to this holiday so much and it's finally here!

So for the next week it will probably remain fairly quiet around here. I plan on spending as much of my time with my family making memories and spending time together.

I want to leave you with this picture taken at a family amusement park (Santa's Village) that we stopped at in New Hampshire. I had gone there many times as a little girl and it was such a joy for me to take Noah there too. This picture says everything to me about the feeling of being on vacation and taking a break from the normal day-to-day business.

Hope everyone is well.

xox

be back soon...

2011-08-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

image via pinterest

In just one day it will be the start to our little family vacation, our first one together since last December. This is something that Winslow and I have been looking forward to all summer and now that the occasion is upon us we are so excited.

We are just full of anticipation and can't wait to fly home to our families and loved ones. To see all the people we love and miss so much and to have absolutely no "to-do" lists or any work deadlines. This vacation will be all about relaxing and catching up with our loved ones.

I've mentioned it here before, but living up North definitely has it's limits when it comes to shopping and eating out and basically anything that you would generalize as "big city living". While I've come to really appreciate not spending my extra time in a car doing crazy commutes or spending hours in check out lines at malls and stores, there is something very exciting to me about knowing that I will have all these fun luxuries at my finger tips in just a few days.

Not only am I excited to shop and eat out but I can't wait to walk through the many funky neighbourhoods in Ottawa and in Charlottetown and window shop, take photos and get inspired by the new sights. Whitehorse's Main Street gets a little boring after you've done it once or twice, let me tell you.

And so on the eve of our vacation, will you let me indulge myself by making a list of all the exciting things that I am looking forward to doing while down South?

:: IKEA my ultimate favourite place for fun gifts, funky fabric and home decor.

:: thrift shops. I love the thrill of finding something really special that you won't find anywhere else. I remember the selection in P.E.I. being so good. I can't wait to see what I come up with!

:: Home Sense. Halloween and maybe Christmas goodies if I'm lucky.

:: Michael's. Cute holiday kitch once again.

:: window shopping in funky neighbourhoods.

:: going to a harvest time pumpkin patch. I'm hoping that by the end of September one will be open. One that has wagon rides and corn mazes and hay bails for the kids to jump on.

:: going for a hike on my birthday weekend in the Gatineau Park. I used to do this every year as a child and now I hope to do it this year for my 30th birthday oh and going for brunch at my favourite spot.

:: doing some Christmas present shopping for Noah. The selection in Whitehorse isn't all that great and it takes forever to have anything shipped up here. So I'm hoping to come across a few fun finds for him while down South.

:: going to some American stores in Maine. Target, LLBean and a bunch more!

:: dipping my toes in the Atlantic Ocean.

:: eating lobster rolls! YUM!

So these are just a few of the things that I am looking forward to.

I'm going to be unplugged for the next few days while we travel across the country. On Thursday evening Winslow, his parents, Noah and I will be setting off for our road trip adventure to P.E.I. We have decided to drive down through the States which I am very excited for. I'll see you all again when I'm in my beloved Maritimes.

Ciao mes amis

xox

tying up loose ends

2011-08-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

There are exactly 2 days left until Winslow, Noah, the babe in my tummy and I board the plane for Ontario and I am so so so very excited for so many reasons.

This will be our first time away together since last December and Winslow's first time going home in over a year. Our families are so excited to see us and we are so excited to see them.

We'll be away for just under a month and in that time we will be taking a road trip (with Noah's Lolo and Lola) to go to P.E.I. for my step sister's wedding and a sort of family reunion. Yay...I just can't believe it's here.

On top of a wedding there will be the excitement of meeting 2 very special babies. My dear friend Eugenia had her second beautiful baby boy on Aug 21st and my bestest childhood friend Amy is due with her first baby this September. I'm honestly so excited to meet both these little bundles. I can't wait to hold them and cuddle them and kiss them and inspect their tiny toes and fingers :O) Makes me so excited for the arrival of our precious babe at the end of November.

But before we go it feels like I have so much to do and to finish up. I have a re-take of a photo session this morning and a specialist appointment in this afternoon. A house to organize and clean, laundry to finish and luggage to pack. Friends to say goodbye to and projects/crafting to finish so that I can bring them with me. Oh so very much!

Funny enough, one thing that has been irking me is to use up as much of our fresh produce as I can before we go. So yesterday I made a giant salad for lunch and made this delicious dressing to go on top. It's called magic sauce and I swear, I will be making this stuff again and again and putting it on everything! Today we will be munching on all our fresh fruit and veggies (something we should do regularly anyways) in hopes of not wasting any food.

Happy Monday friends!

I'll be back once I'm in the big city!

xox

a sunny morning walk

2011-08-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

26 weeks pregnant and 4 days

I spy some cranberries!

a sleepy boy

the view of our neighbourhood when walking home

This morning Winslow, Noah and I went for a walk on the trails behind our house. Believe it or not, I've been a bit afraid to go on my own as there have been so many bear warnings for our town this summer. The berries are coming out and the bears will soon be stocking up for winter, and as much as I love bears, I wouldn't want to run into one face to face while out on my own.

It's also a good thing that I brought Winslow along because the trails all seemed to move into one another, meaning I think I could've gotten lost back there if I had been on my own. Either way, it was nice to have some time with my hubs to talk about things,even if I did most of the talking. I've been really chatty lately.

Noah lasted about 5 mins into the walk before he fell asleep. He's been fighting a cold lately and I think being outside in the freshair while being pushed in his Chariot made him extra sleepy.

The walk was lovely and I was on the look out for signs of autumn. The rosehip bushes are all turning beautiful shades of deep reds and oranges and so is the fireweed. I saw some sweet little mushrooms peeking up out of the forrest floor. And the biggest excitement of all was the discovery of cranberries! I have been told about them before, but this was the first time that I have ever come across any and been able to identify them. To be safe I didn't eat them ( I wouldn't do that while pregnant) but now that I know they are there, I'm hoping to have someone more knowledgeable help me identify them and then I will go back and pick a few for the freezer. Yum...cranberry /orange muffins await us!

This discovery of cranberries seemed quite fitting today, as yesterday I picked up the latest issue of Canadian Living so that I could read a story that my cousin had written about her childhood experiences of going berry picking with my aunt and cousins. I wish I could find the link. If I do I'll post it.

Happy Thursday my friends!

xox

a party for noey

2011-08-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

For Noah's birthday, I decided after finding some fun inspiration on Pinterest, that we would do an "underwater" themed birthday.

When the guests first arrived I had a craft ready for them to do. At this age, creating anything that is too complicated can sometimes lead to frustrated or overwhelmed little ones. So, I stuck to a pre-cut "water wave" crown and had each child decorate their crown with glitter glue, bingo dabbers and underwater stickers. This craft seemed to be a hit with most of them and was an appropriate craft for the ages of the children that attended (2-5).

Ever since I was a little girl, we would always play the fishing pond game at our birthday parties, which kind of became my jump off point for the whole theme of the party. I was really excited to be able to share this game with Noah and it was so much fun to watch the children's faces as they each had a turn to go fishing. The way it works is that you set up a sheet in a door way and have someone go on the other side of the sheet. The children then get a turn to throw the fishing rod over the sheet and a prize is then attached to their fishing rod. In this case we use individual bags of goldfish crackers.

After they ate their snack of goldfish crackers, whoever wanted could come into the kitchen to play the bean bag toss game that Winslow created. I had asked Winslow earlier in the week to build a simple bean bag toss game that would have fish cut outs. Leave it to my wonderful hubby to go above and beyond what was expected. He made a rcokin' bean bag game and the kids LOVED it! This was definitely a hit and is something we can use again and again when we want some entertainment.

After the activities we had our lunch. Fresh fruit skewers and fruit dip, fresh veggie skewers and veggie dip and homemade pizza! The lunch was gobbled up by everyone. After the lunch came the fish shaped cupcakes (inspiration found here) and I displayed them on my cupcake rack. Noah knew exactly what to do when the candles were lit. I had a little moment when I watched him blow them out. There's something so beautiful about seeing a little child's face as they blow out their birthday candles, so full of excitement and awe.

After the cupcakes came the opening of gifts. Noah received so many beautiful and thoughtful gifts. 3 gorgeous books-one about a train, one about a boy and a martian and one with a moving tractor, a train set, a special monogramed hooded towel set, pjs, shadow puppets, a matching game and more! What a very lucky boy he is to have received such thoughtful gifts. Thanks friends.

After the gifts it was time to say goodbye to our guests. Each guest got to leave with a little sewn cloth goodie bag that was filled with homemade playdoh, marble crayons, fruit treats, stickers and bubbles. Just a little something to say thank you for coming and for making Noah's day so special. Each guest also took home their crowns with them.

The party was definitely a success and Noah had so much fun at it. I planned for it to be in the morning because along with Noah, many of the guests that attended still go down for an afternoon nap. This way they could enjoy their morning, have a lunch and then head home for a nap. Noah passed out right after the last guest left.

It was so special to have the party at our new house this year. I planned for it to be on a day that Winslow could be off from work and I was so thankful for all that he did to make the party go the way that it did. All in all, Winslow and I were super happy with how it turned out and we are pretty sure that Noah loved it too!

xox

ps. click on the collages to enlarge. pps. I didn't get any photos of our awesome decorations but they were awesome.

sigh....

2011-08-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

Sigh...

Today has been one of those days. I've been impatient and not nice to be around. I've been less than pleasant to my husband and plain old crabby. Tired, hungry, clumsy.. you name it.

I've been on a mad chase to find babysitters for this weekend as I have back to back photo sessions, I spilled gingerale on my computer, swerved while I was driving, have dropped things a million times (it's hard to bend down and pick things up when you have a big belly in the way) and worst of all, I went grocery shopping with a toddler. The. Worst. Task. Ever.

I'm now sitting in my quiet living room while Noah naps. I've gotten out of my funk, I've found a babysitter, I've apologized to my hubby a million times and made it up to him by making him some of his favourite food. I am now editing some pictures that need to get done and am hopefully redeeming myself.

Ever have one of those days my friends?

In exactly one week Winsow, Noah and I will be en route to Ottawa and then P.E.I. for our much anticipated family holiday. If I haven't said it yet, it seems like it couldn't be coming at a better time. I can't wait to be on the open road. See my family, especially my niece and nephews. I can't wait to eat yummy food that we can't get here, to go to a big box book store, to go second hand clothes shopping, to smell the salty air and walk for miles on the beach. I'm keeping my eye on the prize my friends.

Hope you are having a good week. I feel like mine will get better and better as we get closer to our trip.

xox

being positive and thinking of beautiful things

2011-08-22T20:10:00.001-07:00

Today was a particularly emotional day here in Canada. We lost a very special and dedicated politician today, the leader of our official opposition, Jack Layton. He had been the leader of the NDP Party and had fought a very courageous battle with cancer. In short, Jack spent his entire political career fighting for those that didn't have a voice. He fought for the marginalized, for free medical care, against poverty and vowed never to leave anyone behind. It was a sad day here for us here in Canada and I had quite the cry about it when I started to think about all that he had done for his/our country. But as much as I wanted to be sad, I was also reminded that in times like these, it's important to stop and see the beautiful things that make up our lives.

It often takes a sad event to wake me up a bit and remind me that each moment in life is precious, that the relationships in my life are the most important thing to me and that there is beauty all around if I stop to look for it.

So today in honour of Mr. Layton I am reminded of all the amazing things, big and small, that make my life so beautiful.

Today I am thankful for

:: the safe arrival of baby Elliot, my dear friends' baby (Eugenia and Irvine)

:: a fun outing with my little 2 year old at a petting farm today. Still trying to wrap my mind around having a 2 year old.

:: the wonderful feeling of having a delicious meal to come home to. For hot food and a table to sit around with my family. For meal time and family time.

:: for carrots from my garden. They aren't big and my garden didn't yield much this year, but I am treasuring my little Yukon carrots.

:: for this book, one that I am hoping will help me move towards the type of birth I hope to have. An uncomplicated one with little or no intervention at all.

:: and speaking of books, for libraries, a vital service that helps provide an opportunity for people to continue to learn.

:: for the changing of seasons and the beautiful colours on the mountains that I saw today.

:: for the drive I had today. Time to think. Time to sing (at the top of my lungs). Time to be alone...well sorta alone, Noah was sleeping in the back seat.

:: for the amazing gift of being a parent. Some days are hard, really hard. But no matter what, being a parent is a gift and one never to be taken for granted. I'm trying to remember to be present with Noah as much as I can.

Hope you are all well dear friends. I am off tomorrow for an overnight trip to a little community here in the Yukon called Faro. I am planning to do a marathon of photo sessions for 4 families. Wish me luck and and wish for good weather.

xox