Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Trains

I had decided a while back that Koen's birthday theme would be `Trains'. This is a bit more difficult than I thought as I was first going to make a cake with a fondant train on it and then, Gary and I had a bad fondant incident. So, it looks like I may just make a cake in the shape of a train. Sound a bit easier? We will see!
(From the painting in Koen's room)
I cannot believe that Koen is one in just 3 more days. I keep going back to this time last year, remembering how huge I was. Remembering how sick I was while recovering. Remembering that they said, `It's a boy!'. Remembering how we had a rough start with nurses manhandling me (all had a different opinion on breastfeeding) and me having to feed him every 2 hours for 24 hours to get his blood sugar levels up. Remembering his perfectly chubby body. Remembering Kai visiting in the hospital. Remembering when we became parents of two beautiful boys. Remembering those SUPER chubby thighs.
Kai in quiet time. He lays in his bed, with Bubi, sucks his thumb, and watches his DVD player.
The cross stitch blanket that Gary's mom made Koen.
This guy likes his milk, but is not as in love with it as Kai was. Koen is more about food. Any kind. All the time. Especially if it's off of someone else's plate:) I've discovered the joys of mini muffins. I make a bunch and it's an easy snack for the kids, and Kai can even eat them neatly in the van. I made a very healthy batch for Koen for breakfasts. By healthy, I mean that it tastes gross to me but it's full of apple, banana and oatmeal. He eats `em up!
My baby almost fully transitioned to the bottle. He still likes a cuddle and breastfeed maybe 1-2x per day. Last night he cried at 11pm and I just cuddled him and put him back down with his blankie and he went to sleep! Woohoo, I didn't have to feed him. I don't know why he is waking up. Teething? Losing his blankie? Wants some company? It's a sad cry, not a hungry or hurt one. More like a `Please someone, cuddle me!'.
This is `Corner Bubi'. Kai has two bubi's but this one is his favourite because it has `the' corner. It has loose threads that he rubs under his nose while he sucks his thumb. He is very particular about it. He only sucks his thumb, or gets Bubi, in his bed. If he is sad, he will go up there for a quick cuddle. Sometimes, rubbing Bubi on his owie makes him feel better:)

Taken through the van window while we were driving. I like the way the long grass looks even though I hadn't meant for it to be so soft looking.

Funny things Kai has said this week:

Kai (full of awe and excitement, he spotted something on the table): `Mommy! This is just what I always wanted! What is it?
Me: A dryer ball.

Kai (just walking in the door after coming back from gramma's house, the first thing he says...): `Mommy, I have a chocolate coin and you can't eat it cuz it's in my tummy.'

Kai: `Mommy, you better run! I have my tickle hands out!
(Note: for me to stop tickling him, he has to say,` Mommy, you are the best!'. I love it.)

Had a great brunch with friends this morning. We've been doing it every year, for 3 or 4 years, over the Christmas holidays. Just the girls. Good times. Good food. Good to get out without the kiddos:)

Have a great Tuesday!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Sunday Afternoon Photos














Sewing Machine Fundraiser

Check out Kim's blog for a great idea on how to help purchase 5 sewing machines for the Dalit women of India. Kim is an old student of mine, a fantastic designer, and a new mommy. Check it out!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas 2009

These last few days have been way too busy for me. I mean, it's good to hang out with family and eat good food, but you know...kids off of their schedules and staying up too late = EXHAUSTING.
Wed: Jackie's birthday dinner at our house and bowling
Thurs: Went to the beach with the boys and then Christmas Eve dinner, presents, and church with my side of the family.
Friday: Chapmans christmas dinner and presents.
Saturday: Visited my best friend Lynette's chicken farm and...I may have gone boxing day shopping:)
(Starting off with some Crescent beach pictures)
I felt like a bit of a scrooge this Christmas and I don't know what's wrong with me. I sort of have an issue with presents. I see my kids getting just as much joy from playing at the beach or having other experiences than they do getting a gift. I didn't feel super pumped giving them gifts. Gary was more adamant about getting them stocking gifts and presents and he got me more than what he was supposed to as well. I just feel like my kids already have so much and what the heck are we going to do with all these new toys? Oh well. The kids had a good time and I enjoyed all of the food. I wish I could've relaxed a bit more with the visiting but when it's from 5pm onwards, at someone else's house, it just makes it difficult because Koen needs to be in bed by 6:30pm and he won't sleep anywhere else.....Church was also a disaster as it started at 7pm.
This shows the only time Koen has held my hand walking...while going over rocks heading straight for the water.
We didn't get to walk very much because Kai just wanted to throw rocks in the water. It was FREEZING but beautiful.
Koen had to be restrained the entire time because he just wanted to walk into the water. He is fearless. (Yes, I still need to wear sunglasses outside as my eyes are still quite light sensitive).

Christmas Eve was at my sister Maria's house this year as my dad's house was torn down last month. In this picture, we had tried to get a picture of the grandkids on my dad's lap and someone peed on him:) It wasn't Ani or Kai...Please note the `beautiful' necklace that Ani and Kai made for him.
(Yes, Kai is shirtless. He gets so hot running around non stop!)
Kai with Handy Manny. He also got some trucks, cars, puzzles, games, tractors, books, and a `Cars' pillowcase that Joanne made. Joanne made us all (all my sisters, their husbands, and kids) a pillowcase that was personalized. Gary's was basketball, Kai's was from the Cars movie, Koen's had monkey's and mine had my name on it.
We just got Koen a ride on fire truck. He LOVES it. I turned around for a second and he had climbed into the box. He is so cute.
Kai loves pushing Koen on the fire truck at very fast speeds. Fortunately, Koen seems pretty stable on it. So far. I was just pumped to see the two of them laughing together.
Kai's cousin Kieryn reading him a book...
And a picture of Gary. Kai was so pumped to give his 7 cousins the magnets he had made. He would give them their gift, jump up and down saying `Open it! Open it!' and wait until they opened it and then moved on to the next one. Nice to see him enjoy gift giving as well:)
I did go shopping today. I haven't really bought any clothes in the last year or so because I was pregnant and then my body was changing so much from exercising and then getting sick to getting a little healthier. I think I am at my normal weight now. I seem to have plateaued at about 3 lbs above my married weight which I am very comfortable with. It's hard to know what to buy when you are not working....what kind of clothes do you buy? Oh well, I'm happy with my new pair of pants, 2 sweaters, and 2 shirts! I also got Gary a few things. I'm a sucker for deals and I think all of them were 50% off.

Well, that's it for the Christmas post. We didn't really get any good pictures as we had our hands full the entire time and the lighting was always bad. Oh well. Good memories for Kai Bear, that's for sure. He had a blast...and not just from presents but from running around with his cousins. I wish I had the mindset to focus on the true meaning of Christmas a bit more but it seemed to just get pushed aside with all the running around. I only delved as deep as a 3 year old level while going through it with Kai.

Oh ya, wanna know what I got from Gary? I got the Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book with new piping bags, underwear (can I say that here? He does it every year), Purdy's English Toffee, and a white gold heart necklace that I had wanted. Wanna know what I got him? Cutting boards:) Ha ha. It's true. He also got a new hard drive for the computer.

Bon nuit.


Thursday, December 24, 2009

Cute But Crabby












Jackie's Bowling Birthday

Every year, for my sister Jackie's birthday, we have dinner together and all go bowling. We always try to make her birthday extra special because it is the day before we all celebrate Christmas together (Christmas Eve). This year, we had everyone at our house.
Koen was pretty interested in Izzy and she even hugged him which he loved.
We had a super yummy dinner and Jackie was about to blow out her candles...
When Kai blew them out for her. Check out Maria and Tyler's face. We had to re-light them and try again....
This totally shows Kai and Ani's personalities. Ani being very concerned that Jackie be able to blow out her own candles. Kai wondering how he can blow them out AGAIN with Jackie's arm in the way.
Kai loved bowling. I'd say that for about 7 of the frames he purposely got gutter balls because he thought that was really fun and I think he just liked yelling, `Gutter ball!'.
Knocking down his first pins.
Koen was a monkey. Seriously, the is about 5x busier than Kai. We are, and are going to continue to be, VERY busy with this boy. He did fall off a step and get a fat, bloody lip. He was okay a few minutes later. He does this almost every day.
Trish and Steve (Nut and McSteamy)....to be married on March 6th. You need a nickname in this family. I am `Weezer'.

Jackie and Tyler hanging out with Koen while he is sitting still! Tyler won highest score...followed by McSteamy (Steve) followed by me:)
Well, we are off to the beach (it's sunny on Christmas Eve!) and then off to the Dekens' celebration at my sisters.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Amazing Food

Check out this website, Foodgawker.com, which includes a variety of food photography with links to food bloggers. We made a white hot chocolate from it last night and it was fabulous. There are healthy and not-so-healthy options, but boy, it is so good! It changes daily so there are always new recipes:) Gary and I love making and eating good food.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Almost One

I cannot believe it. I totally forget about the pain of recovery, the reflux, the crying, and living in a sleepless daze for months and months. All my memories are of feeding him, snuggling, watching him learn to sit, crawl and walk, giggles, playing, chasing, and just getting to know this super sweet and mischievous boy. So thankful for my boys. Their boy-ness, sweetness and how they changed my life. I'm talking about all three:)
Gary and I are making white hot chocolates now. Looks sooooo yummy:)