Wednesday, April 13, 2016

I scream, you scream…birthday party!!




We had a great birthday celebration for the kids!


Although we had hoped to have the kids play outside,
the weather was not cooperative
(they would have been blown to Montana).
But we managed with everyone in the house.

For dessert we had lots of flavours of yummy house-made Italian gelato from Dino's family
(stop by there some day for lunch & dessert!).

Thanks to all that were able to attend. It was great to see you!

Special thanks to anyone that helped out as well - you are always very much appreciated!

Monday, April 11, 2016

I am 2!

Love this little clown!!


Friday, April 8, 2016

Happy 2nd birthday Rhys!

happy, happy birthday to our baby!
(although his size doesn't say baby at all)

2 already!
:-(

Such a goof ball this kid!


I've taken to calling him "little clown face" lately, because he makes the funniest faces, swinging his arms and his head from side to side, and rolling his eyes upward, with the biggest smile. And most of the time while dancing or skipping around the house.
We just laugh and laugh at him!
He loves music and dancing. And if you ask him to sing he will look up to the ceiling and say "awwweeee…" in a high note. 


He is usually such a happy and chill little guy, but can be SO stubborn and relentless when he wants something (usually food!). And because he doesn't talk much, he whines and grunts and makes noise (or climbs the cupboards) until you can't stand it anymore and he wins!
He is struggling to be independent and wants to do everything himself. He even gets his own cereal out of the pantry and pours himself a bowl. He can open the fridge, but can't reach the milk yet - good thing!!

He really isn't saying much and doesn't seem to care. We aren't that concerned either, since he can understand everything that we say and he in turn can communicate what he wants, for the most part.
He says momma, dadda, NO and words resembling "skye-bug, vitamin, ball, bus, more, yah, bye-bye, water (wa-wa), kleenex (ga-ga)".
Some odd first words, but we had a lot of colds during winter, so ga-ga's were used a LOT :-(
and he goes CRAZY for the gummy vitamins. 

He's a pretty good eater, unless you make the mistake of giving him one of his favourites (fried beets or parsnips, pickles, cucumbers/carrots with ranch dip, french fries, cheese, chocolate milk) with the meal, and then he will ONLY eat that and won't even try the other stuff. He snacks way too much (favorite being yogurt covered raisins and goldfish crackers). Always seems to be starving!

loves his sooey, just like Skye did. This one is his favorite!
Some moments he loves, loves, loves his sister, trying to smother her with hugs, kisses and cuddles, or chasing her around the island and racing trucks down the hallway or just following her and copying her jumping on the bed or off the couch!
And other times she is too much in his space and he freaks and pushes and swipes at her and squawks his warning to back off. 

He is SO eager to help right now. If he hears you mention something about water, he runs to get you a cup. If he sees you at the dishwasher, he races to put the soap tablet in. When Skye had a cold, she would say "I need a kleenex" and Rhys would fetch one ;-)

Rhys is an accident waiting to happen (which they say is typical of most boys).
Resembling Skye in the adventurous zone, he loves jumping, but isn't great at bending his knees yet. And being a little "top" heavy, he always teeters forward and I would feel better if he had a full face mask on ALL the time. 
We made our first trip to ACH in mid-February for 5 chin stitches after he was chasing Skye around the kitchen island and slipped on a blanket laying on the floor. I was so thankful that we hadn't had to go before that day and that it wasn't for something much worse. 


He is the MOST cuddly kid in the world and I am hoping his snuggles never go away!
He would prefer to be held almost all day long and lays his head on your tummy or curls right into you while we do snuggles.
He is a huge momma and dadda suck and it takes him a LONG time to warm up to someone new. Definite separation anxiety still going strong.

He has a TON of hair and has inherited my habit of curling it around his fingers when he is tired and likes to curl mine as well. We can't cut his or he would be lost ;-)


Just like Skye, he LOVES the outdoors. We have to fight with him every time we leave the house, as he takes off to play and we have to wrestle him into the car. 
He likes to play trucks and cars and trains, use his "ride-on" toys, build lego, and do crafts too. 


Rhys is weighing in at 32.2lbs (only 3lbs lighter than Skye right now!)
and is 36 1/4" tall (a whole 1 1/4" taller than Skye was at 2 yrs!).
He is wearing size 2-3 clothes and about a 7 in shoes. 
AND he is more of a clothes DIVA than Skye ever has been. When it's time to get dressed, the first thing he grabs is pyjamas (maybe we shouldn't have so many pyjama days at home…?).
You have to fight to get him into clothes. And he has been known to take them off if he still doesn't like them.

Rhys is a fabulous napper (2-3 hrs), but is not a great night sleeper.
He still sleeps with Dino in the "big" bed and wakes a few times a night. I'm hoping in the next couple months he will be ready to bunk with Skye and we can all move back up to the main floor as a family…?

Rhys you are our little resident clown - always making us laugh - and we adore your sweetness!
Wishing our favorite boy the best year ahead, with tons of fun and joy. 
xoxoxo

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Friday, April 1, 2016

Happy 4th Birthday Skye!


Wishing the biggest of happy birthday wishes to our little Skye-bug!

You are FINALLY 4!
(She's been wanting to be 4 for many months now. Some days it's 7 or 8). I tell her I want her to turn 2 instead and then 1, and she giggles and says "momma - I can't do that".


Such a smarty pants our Skye. She amazes us daily with what her little mind comes up with. So witty and funny and goofy. Most days she sounds way older than her 3 years. Lots of giggles from and with this little girl.

And lately she is doing the most hilarious eyebrow raising when she says something witty or funny.
I don't know how she learned to do it so perfectly!? 



Still as active and adventurous as ever - climbing, jumping (she is currently at jumping from the 3rd last stair in our basement), practicing cart wheels, speeding down the sidewalk with her Stride bike, running and playing tag with Rhys and I on the soccer fields, trying to fly her kite when there isn't any wind.

She LOVES being outside and is so sad when we aren't able to get out to play. She really enjoyed this last round of gymnastics, as she became more independent and brave!



Super shy when we are around other people, she hides behind momma's legs or runs into her room and hides under her favorite big Ikea chair.
Sweet and kind as can be with us and her brother one minute, with hugs and snuggling.
Oh so sassy the next minute! Running into her bedroom and slamming the door. I am not looking forward to the teenage years! OY…

Her favorite toys are games, trucks and cars (monster trucks, big trucks, trucks to push crazy fast down the hallway, hot wheels), airplanes, duplo lego (she builds crazy amazing stuff), scooters (she is asking "Santa" for one for her birthday), playdoh and her iPad. 

She is very creative and LOVES doing crafts and colouring and painting and experimenting and collecting rocks to paint. We are running out of display space ;-) Thankfully she is very kind and likes to give some of it away to friends and family.


Some of her latest phrases:

"That's BOR-IN!" (boring)
"He's my bestest little brudder. I want to keep him forever". Referring to Rhys one minute, and then a few minutes later it is "I want to give him away!".
"Well then I'm not going to play with you!" or various versions of that - when she is mad at me.


She is a picky little eater for awhile now, and will often ask "can you just make me a grilled cheese?". BUT she thinks she is entitled to treats 5x a day!


And about 5 out of 7 nights for sure, I am called over to her bed to sleep with her… So still not the best sleeper.


She is wearing size 4 - 5 clothes and is about a size 8 in shoes at this given moment.

She weighs in at 35.5 lbs and is 41 1/8" high
(just a comparison - Rhys is only 3 lbs lighter than her right now!!)



Skye - you are our favorite little girl and we can't wait to see how you grow in this next year!

So much to look forward to! 
xoxoxo