The First Half

Jordan's holidays are already half over. Too fast. So sad.

We've been busy. It's been hot! hot! hot! We had a 25th wedding anniversary party over here on Sunday night for Jordan's aunt and uncle but the rest of the weekend was spent doing a few errands and relaxing in the yard. Too keep cool, the pool and sprinkler were a must!

Monday was Jordan's birthday. He and I went out in the evening to a tapas bar. We ate bread dipped in picco de gallo and spicy hummus and escargot in a delicious mushroom sauce while sipping imported beers (him) and martinis (me). It was a really nice night out.

Tuesday was Canada Day, as most of you are aware. Again, hot. Abby and I went to the Lieutenant Governor's Garden Party at the Government House while Jordan and Josie napped. We had such fun! We ate strawberry ice cream, played games and won some prizes, rode the ferris wheel, visited with clowns and Abby tried her first ever cotton candy. Abby diving head first in to her cotton candy which she wrongly assumed she would love:

After the Garden Party, we headed to my cousin's to celebrate her birthday. A fun filled day!

Today, we kind of just relaxed. Went to the library, the grocery store, the post office. But mostly Jordan has been playing with the girls, getting some good down on the floor wrestling and tickling Daddy time in. I hear them laughing and squealing with delight as I type this. Makes me want to join them.

Actually ... I think I will.

Happy 26th Birthday to the One That Makes My Heart Sing

Jordan's birthday always make me feel sentimental. It's a reminder of how long we've been together, of all the years gone by, of all we've done together.

I have a very clear memory of Jordan blowing out the candles on his cake at his 15th birthday party. I remember looking at him, heart skipping beats and all that jazz. I remember going to bed at night and praying and hoping that oh-please-God-I'll-do-anything if Jordan and I could just fall madly in love and live happily ever after.

And some days I still look at him, my heart swollen to three times it's normal size and I think "Wow. It happened. I'm really here. This is really him. I'm in the happily ever after." I know that's cheesy but love is cheesy.

Jordan and I started dating over 11 years ago. While he has changed a ton and grown leaps and bounds, I still sometimes I get a glimpse of the 15 year old boy I fell in love with and I get whisked back to those days of butterflies, late night phone calls, giggles, first kisses, first dances. Of growing together. Of falling in love. I look at him as these old feelings and memories wash over me. And I feel ... grateful, blessed, like the luckiest girl alive.

Not a day goes by that I am don't thank my lucky stars that I have Jordan. This man who loves me, who cherishes me, who is my best friend, a fantastic father, who makes me laugh and who rubs my feet as we watch reruns on t.v. This man who covers me back up at night when I'm sleeping and the sheets slip off my shoulders. This man who still gives me butterflies and shivers. Who I wait for by the front window everyday when I expect him home from work. This man who is so so very easy to love in return.

There's this song and I'm sure I've mentioned it on my blog before but here it is again. I love it. I think it has been and will be our story. I love watching as we pass the verses in our own lives together.

Remember when I was young and so were you

and time stood still and love was all we knew

You were the first, so was I

We made love and then you cried

Remember when

Remember when we vowed the vows

and walked the walk

Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard

We lived and learned, life threw curves

There was joy, there was hurt

Remember when

Remember when old ones died and new were born

And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged

We came together, fell apartAnd broke each other's hearts

Remember when

Remmeber when the sound of little feet

was the musicWe danced to week to week

Brought back the love, we found trust

Vowed we'd never give up

Remember when

Remember when thirty seemed old

Now lookn' back it's just a steppin' stone

To where we are,Where we've been

Said we'd do it all again

Remember when

Remember when we said when we turned gray

When the children grow up and moved away

We won't be sad, we'll be glad

For all the life we've had

And we'll remember when

(Listen to it here: Alan Jackson, Remember When)

So happy 26th birthday Jordan, my one and only love. My mate from beginning to start. S & P.

I love you. Like, a lot.

Because I Like Them

The other day, Abby walks up to me holding a piece of paper behind her back.

"Momma? You know how you said you love flowers? Well, that's why I wanted to draw this special for you."

Aw ... :) Not quite sure what she was working on that got a scribbled out on the side bu her little flower with Mom written besides it made my heart explode.

She's such a little artist. She draws many pictures a day. She has quite detailed sketches of people, animals, objects, scenes. This next one is so simple yet I just love it to a million pieces.

Our family:

(She's drawing on the backs of pictures so nevermind that creepy skull in the background. haha!)

Neuf

Neuf is french for "nine". It's also the french word for "new". Today I don't feel like I can use those words interchangeably.

Josie is nine months old today. She doesn't feel new. In fact, she never has. For some reason, the day she was born, I felt like she'd always been here. It's was a very different bond than the one I had from Abby. Not a stronger bond or weaker bond, not better or worse, just different. It's a connection between us that I am so grateful for. It's unexplainable really. For some reason, I feel this strong tie between our souls. Something beyond what a mother feels for her child. I like that I have it with Josie. Abby has a big ol' special place in my heart that I worried would consume a bigger chunk of my motherly love. She still holds that big place. She's extra special to me because she is my first born, because she made me a mommy, because we have such fun together. I'm glad I have an extra special attachment to Josie too.

As I was saying, Josie is nine months old today! This past month this little girl exploded. She went from doing virtually nothing besides rolling, waving and sitting to doing what seems like everything.

In fact, in the past two weeks she has started doing the following:

• She's done with baby food and eats what we eat. (Side note: I am THRILLED that I somehow got blessed with two FANTASTIC eaters. My girls? They eat everything. And anything. yes!)
• She started saying "mama"
• She's up on all fours and trying with all her might to crawl without doing a face plant
• She goes from laying on the floor up to sitting all by herself and back down again
• She's pulling up to stand!
• She cut her first tooth, barely. There's the tinest poke through and this girl is grumpy!
• She's dropped her last feeding of the day so she sleeps for 11-12 CONSECUTIVE hours, 6:45 p.m. -6:30 a.m. usually. Again- don't know what I did to deserve this but not only do my girls eat, but they sleep.
• She's started immitating our sounds and actions. We stick out our tongue and she does it right back. Make a funny noise and she'll echo it back to you.

I know I'm missing some of her recent milestones because they've all come so fast.

I'm so grateful for this little girl. I love the way she loves me. I love her smile that never seems to fade. I love that she seemed to know just what I need and stayed a little cuddly baby as long as she could. Her beaming face in her crib in the morning is the perfect start to my days and a fantastic pick me up, just when I need it.

To compose this blog I started going through pictures of Josie since she was born, trying to find a few to share here to chronicle her short, yet lovely and beautiful little life. It's the first time I've really looked back, comparing photos and noting how she's changed. And let me tell you- it's killing me.

Happy 9 months to a gorgeous girl with a beautiful little soul!

Another Gooder

We had such a nice day on Saturday!

We woke up on Saturday morning, ate our usual pancakes, did a few things around the house while Josie had her morning nap. Then we headed to the Farmer's Market, the park, a walk around downtown and took the girls to the Freehouse for lunch. (If you ever go there, try the mushroom sandwhich. YUM! Mushrooms, thin apple slices, brie cheese all on ciabatta bread. Sooo good!)

That is Abby on top the slide. Tiny, but she's there.

We got home just in time for Josie's nap. Abby took a dip in her pool while Josie watched on, apparently jealous of the fun she was having.

So we let her dip her toes in too. :)

We BBQ'ed for supper before giving the girls a nice warm bath.

Jordan and Abby spent the night camping in the tent in the backyard. While I spent the evening having a nice hot shower, giving myself a mini-pedicure and then cuddling in bed and reading for a couple hours. Divine!

This morning we were all pretty tired so we bummed around all morning, all four of us had afternoon naps and then we headed out swimming with the girls in the afternoon. No pictures, but fun was had by all! Looks like we have another little fishy on our hands, intentionally dunking her head under water just like her big sis!

I love this kooky picture of Josie.

One week of work and then Jordan is on holidays!!!!!

It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

I don't mind rainy days. Once in awhile. It's nice to sit on the floor with the girls, do puzzles, play with dolls, dance and read stories all day long. It's wonderful to hear Abby go quiet and then say "Do you hear that beautiful rain?" and then request a cup of hot cocoa, or tiger juice (Bengal spice tea) or bedtime tea (chamomile). It's also nice because I have the time to do this:

But after a couple cool, rainy days in a row, we are always itching to go outside. And finally, this weekend, we had some gorgeous weather. I think we were outside more than we were inside, including sleeping time. Yesterday Abby went outside after breakfast, came in for lunch and then came in at bedtime.

And while we love playing with the girls, we now have taught Abby how to push Josie on the swing so that Jordan and I can lounge here, with drinks in hand:

surrounded by my favorite flower pots I planted, listening to the delighted shrieks of our girls on the swings.

Yeah, the girls need a good scrub in the bath every night to wash away the dirt, the sunscreen, the sweat. Our house is a bit of mess and covered in sand. Meals on the patio create a bit more effort. But when we crawl in bed at night, we are all pooped, sun kissed and happy.

My life? It's not too shabby.

Another Exciting Day

Look at me just blogging away lately!

Two exciting things to share today.

#1) Josie is calling me Mama now. :) It's soooo adorable and just melts my heart into a muddle of ooey gooey love. I was wondering when she'd start talking since Abby was saying quite a bit by now. Josie can say "Hi" and now "Mama". :)

#2) Abby went bowling today for the first time for her preschool year end party. What fun she had! It took about a minute for her slow rolling ball to finally brush passed a pin and sometimes have enough oompf to knock it over. A room full of glow-bowling preschoolers = a lot of fun and A LOT of noise. A few pictures of a below of a beginner bowler. Thank goodness for gutter guards! I think she finished with a 66.