celebration day

Yesterday was a day of celebration... we celebrated the beginning of daylight savings time, arrival of spring weather, international PI day, and the bachelor finally chose his bride-to-be! It was the perfect day to break out Little Miss L.'s rain boots - spring is truly around the corner. I love waking up to sunshine, the fresh breeze, and I love that the days are getting longer. It's great to enjoy dinner while it is still light outside, I just feel like I have a ton more energy.

These totally scream spring- right??

Yes, yesterday was international PI day, or as some of us like to call it, "Pie" day. For those of you out there wondering, PI is the number expressing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. It begins with 3.14 and goes on into infinity.  I love celebrating different days and this one was right up my ally - who doesn't like an excuse to celebrate with a nice piece of pie!

I went for the apple and it sure was yummy!

Finally my day ended with the finale episode of the Bachelor. Really, was there any question it was going to be anyone but Emily? I do have to say I feel for Chantal but after watching the Final Rose and hearing she had found someone else - it made it all better. Congrats to the happy couple and all the best!

The Bachelor and apple pie were the perfect combo on a Monday night.

good food...great friends...

Hi everyone! I hope all of you had a fantastic weekend. My weekend was filled with lots of great food, great friends, and lots of laughter (just the way I like it!) I started my weekend off early - on Thursday night I was joined by a wonderful group of friends for a birthday celebration. Yes, my birthday was the week before, but one of my girls who lives out of town was able to come and join us that evening (we take what we can get...we miss ya!) We dined on pizza and pasta at cute little Italian restaurant. With everyone's busy schedules, it is hard for everyone to get together, so it was the perfect opportunity to catch up on what's been happening over the past few months. Thanks again ladies for such a fun night.

Saturday we finally had the joy of meeting my girlfriend's daughter for the first time. Some of you might remember the belly photos I took a few months back - momma-to-be had a beautiful pregnancy glow.  This proud new momma was just beaming- motherhood suits her well. My girlfriend had a little potluck dinner for all of the girls to come over and meet the little one. I really don't know how she pulled it off after only giving birth two weeks ago, but more power too you... if I remember correctly, after two weeks, I was a hot mess - probably hadn't showered in days, and was walking around like a zombie from the lack of sleep. Little Miss L. was able to meet baby E. for the first time and she was in love. I couldn't stop smiling when she would go over and give her a big kiss or when she would point out all of baby E.'s body parts. I hope the trend continues and she will be as happy to have a little one around when her brother or sister arrives.

My birthday dinner with my fabulous friends! There is never a dull moment to be had when these girls are around.

Little Miss L. meeting Little Miss E. for the very first time. Her first reaction was to give her a big kiss.

Is she not the cutest little thing? I love all of her beautiful dark hair.

I love this picture of Little Miss L., Auntie Jenn, and Baby E.

Momma feed me!

Little Miss L. took every opportunity to touch and talk to baby E. I think she will be a great big sister.

All the ladies and babies. I love all of you girls - such strong, independent and loving women!

No get together is complete with out some sweet treats! These yummy Snicker bar cupcakes were delicious. I will have to get the recipe from Auntie Jenn.

You can never go wrong with chocolate covered strawberries!

My favourite picture of all the girls - Baby E. is surrounded by so much love.  She will definitely have lots of shopping buddies!

18 weeks

Weekly e-mail update: He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
How far along?: 18 weeks
How big is baby?: Head to rump, baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces.
Weight gain?: Still holding strong at 4 pounds.
Stretch marks?: Not yet. Lathering up the lotion.
Maternity clothes?: Not yet - I absolutely love the belly band! I wear the band with all my pants. By using the belly band, I was able to go to 7 months in my normal clothes with the first pregnancy. I have a feeling that won't happen this time around - but hey, a girl can dream.
Food cravings?: I have never really been a big fan of milk but for some reason a nice glass of cold milk is just what I want. I also seem to have a "thing" for dill pickle chips (and no not together with milk!)
Sleep?: I have been having great sleeps except for the bathroom break every night.
Movement?: Starting to feel the little flutters!
Gender?: 95% sure we will find out the sex.
Exercise?: Nada right now- does running after a 17 month old count? Starting to make an effort to remember to do my kegel exercises though.
What's been going on?: This week was really exciting because I finally started to feel the little one move. I can't wait until those kicks are a little stronger so I am able to share them with the hubby. I am still experiencing sickness-  still seems to happen in the morning and then just the feeling of nauseousness throughout the day. My next appointment with my ob/gyn is on the 29th - hopefully, he will schedule our next ultrasound a week or two after that...which likely means we will find out if Little Miss L. will have a little brother or sister.

Note: I apologize for the scary looking pictures but you are getting the just rolled out of bed look - that's right, no make-up, in my pjs, and I haven't even brushed my hair...so please, no judging :)

The belly is starting to feel quite big.

Sometimes I feel like there is complete chaos happening around me but  once I grab a nice hot cup of tea everything seems better. 

christmas all year long

There are several times I walk into Little Miss L.`s playroom and feel like I am swimming in a sea of toys. Don`t get me wrong, I am very grateful that I am able to even say the above, but sometimes I just feel overwhelmed at all the toys that surround me and makes me wonder what my daughter must feel like. The hubby and I are trying to follow a "less is more" approach by keeping toys in rotation, donating toys we no longer need, and refusing to buy so many.

This past weekend, I felt it was time to remove some of Little Miss L.'s toys which I felt were no longer age-appropriate or conducive to her developmental stage. Once I removed a good chunk of toys, I felt it was time to bring out a gift she received from her grandparents for Christmas 2009. You see, the hubby and I decided when special occasions came around, we would remove a few items and place in them in storage for later use. At the time of receiving the gift, it was not age-appropriate and Little Miss L. did not have the mental capacity to understand the toy. I felt that now she could grasp the concept of the toy and would enjoy the creative aspect it could provide. Boy - I sure was right! You should have seen her face when she saw her new toy...it was Christmas morning all over again! The last several days, Little Miss L. has spent many hours playing with her new toy. I love watching her role-play and I can see how her imagination and creativity have developed and expanded over the last several months.

I believe that by following this approach, it is not only good for the hubby and I to keep things clutter free, but it also allows Little Miss L. to further enjoy what she has. Once she no longer has interest and something is not providing any mental stimulation, then we know it is time to remove and move on without a whole bunch of chaos and over-stimulation. Plus, I love seeing her little face light up when she receives a new toy. As a family, what are you doing to help minimize the sea of toys you might be surrounded in?

Here are a few steps we take to follow through with our "less is more approach":

• All toys should have a home were they are always kept - this allows children to learn that when they are finished playing with their toys they need to be returned to place they found them.
• Toys should be organized in an easy to use manner. For example, books are located in one area, building blocks are located in one container, and stuffed animals are placed in a separate container.
• Gather toys that are no longer in use - donate, pass them on to younger family members, have a virtual yard sale or have a garage sale.
• Take a moment to examine the toys your child is playing with - ask yourself if they are age-appropriate and are they at your child's developmental stage?
• Sometimes it is nice to remove your child's toys that "do everything" and allow your child to play with toys that facilitate your child to use their imagination.

happy international women's day!

To all the women who inspire me everyday, thank you!

birthday weekend

This past Friday, I celebrated my birthday. Some people love it when their birthdays come around - they just want to scream it from the roof tops - but this gal here is not a huge fan. I think it all went down hill after turning 25 years old and since then, birthdays just don't seem the same. I guess over the years there are so many milestones you look forward to - your sweet sixteen, getting your driver's licence, being able to vote, becoming legal drinking age, and turning a quarter of a century old - after all of that, the rest just seems to fall by the wayside. With all of that being said, my hubby, friends, and family still managed to make my day special.

On Friday night, the hubby, myself, and Little Miss L. headed out to a Japanese restaurant to celebrate my birthday.  To my surprise, we were also joined by my wonderful parents. Little Miss L. decided that she wasn't cool with sitting in her seat; she wanted to be social and mingle with everyone in the restaurant. Even with all the commotion, we had a delicious dinner with great company. After dinner, I was surprised again as a few family members joined me for some birthday cake (ice cream cake, I might add -my fav!) All and all, it was an awesome day spent with people I love plus the great birthdays wishes and wonderful gifts seemed to help. I would love to share some photos of my birthday dinner, but I guess with old age comes forgetfulness... I thought I had put my battery back in the camera after charging, but as soon as I went to snap a shot at dinner, I realized there was no battery to be found!

Saturday and Sunday were spent house-bound as the weather was again not very inviting. I like low key weekends - especially spending them with two little munchkins that I absolutely love. Little Miss L. was joined by her cousin for a sleepover, I love watching the two of them interact with each other. Right now, Little Miss L. is her cousin's shadow; whatever he does, she is right behind him to imitate. Here's a little look at how the rest of our weekend went down.

Munchkin number 1- love Little Miss L.'s butterfly dress.

Munchkin number 2- my nephew has the cutest darn smile.

Just one of the several messes that occurred over the weekend.

Little Miss L. giving some attitude- her favourite words are "no" and "mine".

Too cute - look at how Little Miss L. looks so innocent.

Turn your back for one minute and look what happens...

Even with several messes -I still have a little helper when I need one.

They are siamese twins.

Synchronized snacking. 

And the teasing starts.

Well, if you want to tease, then I will steal your food. Now how to do you like those apples!?!

Even though we had many smiles, a few outbursts might have occurred too.

Our fluffy white ball of love was in need of a grooming BIG TIME. Our little guy can look cute and cuddly but when it comes to dropping him off that groomers- it is not going to happen. For a little guy, he has a big attitude and we have been asked several times to come and get him before the whole process was finished. The hubby and I have to try our best at home.

Sometimes Toby`s grooming can go long overdue - as you can see!

Here`s our guy after a nice bath and haircut - does he look handsome or what!?!

He looks like a different dog- so much smaller after all the hair is gone. Seriously, there was enough hair afterwards to make an another dog!

17 weeks

Weekly e-mail update: Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker.She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

How far along?: 17 weeks

How big is baby?: The size of a turnip, weighs about 5 ounces and around 5 inches long from head to bottom.

Weight gain?: Still holding strong at 4 pounds.

Stretch marks?: Not yet.

Maternity clothes?: Not yet - loving the leggings right now.

Food cravings?: Salads are my best friend -any kind will do.

Sleep?: Finally starting to get more than 4 hours a night.

Movement?: Nothing yet- hoping to feel the little one soon!

Gender?: Still deciding whether to find out or not.

Exercise?: Nada right now- does running after a 17 month old count?

What's been going on?: Tuesday I had my appointment with my ob/gyn and the little turnip is on track and doing well. We received the results of the first phase of our IPS screening and everything came back normal (grateful for that peace of mind.) I am still sick, off and on, but it is getting better... I am on day 13 of this nasty cold but I believe it is coming to an end :)