Willy Wonka Week

     We have still been plugging away at our 'schooling' activities, though lately I haven't been very diligent in following the nursery school's themes, or really following any structure or theme at all. However, we received a gift card for Indigo in a Christmas card from my uncle, and so I decided to buy 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' for the girls. Laura is really enjoying listening to it, and it has been a great source of ideas for us to do this week.

We made cabbage soup (albeit probably more delicious than what Charlie and his family ate),
but the girls were not really fans.

and made up our own version of Whipple Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight candy bars
(Laura helped me make chocolate fudge and smoosh marshmallows into the top of it before it set,
we also used the boiling-condensed-milk-in-the-can-to-make-caramel method to top the marshmallows,
and then coated each of the squares in melted chocolate.)

They went over pretty well. :)

We also started another candy project for Laura's birthday party in a few weeks: rock candy.

    We have a few more chapters to go in the book, so I will probably continue with this 'theme' into next week and try to incorporate some more activities, practice writing some W's, etc. Cooking has so many elements to learn from in itself that I'm sure she has already taken away lots.

SAHM Workplace Hazards

     Laura's nursery school is doing a pet theme this week, and I was asked if she could bring Chester in at circle time. I was excited about this, and decided I should probably get him cleaned up a little. Last night I spent half an hour brushing him, and took out a grocery bag full of fur. I also intended to bath him today. This morning we sort of had a lull in activities and the girls were playing relatively nicely together, so I decided to take the opportunity to do it then. Afterwards, I gated him in the kitchen so he wouldn't get on the furniture, but noticed while I was starting lunch that he looked like he had a spot that hadn't been rinsed properly. So I whisked him back up to the tub to quickly rinse him again, gave him a quick towel off again, and let him go. He ran down the stairs, me right behind, wanting to get back to check on the eggs I was cooking. But, he had made the floor wet at the bottom of the stairs, and I totally slipped and destroyed my big toe trying to catch myself. I cried out in pain, and then laid myself on the floor, feeling light headed. The girls were very concerned. I asked Laura to bring me some water, and I received it in a cup from her play kitchen because she can't reach the cupboard where we keep the glasses. After a few minutes and the initial pain had somewhat subsided, I tried standing up. I was still light headed and could not put any weight on my toe, or move it at all. I made it to the stove to turn off the eggs, and grabbed the phone. I hobbled to the couch and called Josh to come home. Even sitting down was making me woozy, so I laid back on the floor until he got home. I was supposed to take Laura to an appointment after lunch, so we had to call and cancel, and people needed to eat lunch, so Josh took care of all that. After everyone's immediate needs were met, we decided since Josh was going to be home for the rest of the day that I may as well go to the hospital to find out if it was sprained or broken. It was down to a dull throb as long as I didn't move it and wasn't too swollen, but moving it at all was quite painful. Josh dropped me at the hospital and took the girls to get some groceries. Thankfully, the waiting room was not too busy, and I didn't have to wait very long for x-rays or results. The doctor told me that I had broken the distal phalange on my big toe, and that I would have to wear an AirCast for two weeks, and then continue to use it for walking for two more weeks, and to take it easy for the remaining two weeks of recovery. UGH.
And that is my story of how even Stay At Home Moms have workplace hazards. Too bad about our fun plans we had for this week. No indoor playground. No aquarium. No dog visiting preschool. :(

Disney Bound (II)

     After our last trip to Disney World, I thought it to only be fair to take our second child to Disney for his/ her second birthday as well. Plus, I wanted to go back. :)

     The first week after Rachel was born, all I could think about was how much I wanted to take her to Disney World for her second birthday. A ridiculous thing to be consumed with immediately post-partum, I realize, but hey, I don't control these things. ;) Then when I got pregnant again the implications of what that would mean for our family included having to scrap trips like this and a lot of general unfairness between siblings. But after the tragedy that was the end of that pregnancy, a ray of sunlight shone through: we may still be able to take Rachel to Disney World for her second birthday, and fairness in the family will be restored! :)

     Naturally, we invited my mom, the Disney Junkie, along with us again (the built-in babysitter was a necessary and much appreciated aspect), however, she declined due to 'probably not being able to get the time off work at that time of year.' So, we opted to invite the girls' other grandparents. They are not what I would describe as Disney Junkies, but after discussing with Josh, we figured they would still enjoy themselves. And hey, its only fair. ;) So, plans were put in motion, and savings for our trip were accumulated before Rachie even hit her first birthday.
There is a lot of new stuff since we were there last, and I am really excited to see the new expansions. I was on top of booking all of our fun meals ahead of time (in October, haha) just so we would be able to get into the fun restaurants (despite that our trip had yet to be booked). But, as of today, we have booked the whole package: flights, resort, dining plan, and tickets. I am also really excited to use the new features on the Disney World website to schedule some fun things in for us to while visiting.

Now we just have to send off for the little one's passport. Here's her mugshot. :)

Not the best, so hopefully it doesn't get rejected :/

The Lovey Debacle

one of the first commandeering incidents

     As a child, I had an higher than average appreciation for Winnie-the-Pooh, and as such, had always planned to have a Classic Pooh nursery for my children. Before I was even pregnant, I had my mom pick up a plush "Classic Pooh" from Disney World on one of her trips for a decoration in my non-existent nursery. (I use quotes because what she actually ended up bringing back was not from the Classic Pooh series, but a muted-colour version of Disney's commercialized Pooh, masquerading as Classic Pooh. But I digress.)
Anyway, time went by and I finally got pregnant and was elated to start decorating my long-awaited nursery. My "Classic Pooh" got a prime spot up on a shelf at eye level. For many months he sat there until the summer that Laura was one, and she decided that no other stuffy would suffice as Lovey. This was during an era when we watched 'The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh' at least daily: while she was eating, and usually at least one other time of day, and he was also plastered all over her room. In hindsight, I suppose he was probably a comforting figure to Laura, and somehow she commandeered him, despite my best efforts.
     So, since Laura was about 17 months, Pooh Bear has come with us everywhere we have stayed over night, and many places in between. He has even accompanied Laura to nursery school on a few occasions.

And then along came Rachel. Over the past few months, Rachel has latched onto a pink crocheted blanket Josh's aunt made for her, so I thought we were in the clear with her as far as attachment objects go. Not the case. Rachel, ever wanting to be like her sister, has tried with might and main over the past several weeks to also commandeer this Pooh Bear. We began by telling her that he is off limits, but Laura, being the sweet big sister she is, has offered to share him on several occasions when he wasn't in use. And we don't want to discourage her from sharing, but it is sending a conflicting message to Rachel. What to do, what to do?
     Having all been sick and in especially high need of comfort last week, many fights over the one and only Pooh Bear were had. And unfortunately, since this particular Pooh Bear was bought so long ago, he is irreplaceable (we're screwed if he ever gets lost!). So off I went to check eBay. No luck on the same one, but I was able to find one that is pretty similar. Same muted colours, same plush fabric for the body, same approximate size, his shirt is the same microfibre material but slightly different colour and says, "It's a girl!" on it, but has the same obnoxious trait of rolling up on him. Of course, he isn't nearly as dirty and haggard as Laura's, but I went for it anyway, and he arrived in all his gloriousness today. The defining feature that I suspect Rachel likes so much about Laura's Pooh Bear is that he is weighted. The new one was not. Until his organ transplant surgery today. He went through a good scrub down, and with generous donations from two old stuffies of mine from when I was a child (that were already in the 'get rid of' pile), poly pellets were obtained and transferred to the pelvic region of New Pooh. Here's hoping this is more successful than the ten other attempts we have made to buy Rachel an acceptable Pooh Bear Lovey of her own.

All Because Two People Fell in Love

     Ten years ago, this evening, was the first day we were back to university after Christmas break in first year, and a certain young man invited me up to his residence room to watch a movie. We had met four months earlier during frosh week when he had been touring our residence with guitar in hand, and apparently my first words to him were, "Guitar? Hot." (Classy, no?)

   For four months we had been friends, gone to the gym/ pool together, and all along I couldn't help but notice how well we got along. We just clicked. So on this January night ten years ago, I finally conceded to his advances, and haven't regretted it once.

     I am becoming more and more aware of just how lucky I am to have found this guy, especially in the last year or two. I am so happy with our life, and thankful that he facilitates it. I am so proud of him for working as hard as he does, and for still finding time to actively pursue his dreams. I am proud of him for researching and caring about things that affect our family and for doing his best to look out for us. I am proud of him for not being a sheep, and for doing hard things even when he doesn't want to. I am proud of him for always being open to ways to better himself. I am proud of him (and me) for surviving almost four years as parents, and I am proud to know that even in tough times, we know our love reigns, no matter how sleep deprived or worn thin we are. I love you, Josh.

10 years. 7 houses. 2 universities. 13 jobs. 2 kids, 2 cats, 2 dogs. 2 miscarriages. 1 solid relationship.
All because two people fell in love.

Our first date:
going to "Fake New Year's" at the bar the first weekend back to school

Growing Up

      Every year around/ after Christmas the girls seem to make developmental leaps and bounds. Last year it was Rachel learning to crawl. This year - less major milestone-y, but monumental nonetheless - she has finally started nodding! (Everything - yes and no - have all been 'no' up until this point, so this is an exciting break-through!) She also finally gave her lovey blanket a name other than 'I want that': Bumdy.

     Laura, too over the last month or two has become noticeably, shockingly child-like (as opposed to toddler-like, which is how I generally still prefer to think of her). She has started talking like a big kid. She finds big kid humour funny. And she has started asking the infamous, never-ending Series of Why? So far, I think I have been pretty patient in answering her, because I love that she wants to learn. We'll see how long that lasts. I cannot believe that she is going to be four next month. Four. That is like... a big kid now. She could go to school this year. Blerg.

Babies, stop growing up so fast!

Exciting New Year!

I am resolving to try to keep our house a little cleaner. (I even made a schedule!)

I am resolving to do at-home yoga 2 - 3 times a week.

I am resolving to play more music and am really looking forward to getting a piano, and hopefully starting Laura in piano lessons, too.

Even though it means my baby is growing up, I am actually really looking forward to the End of Babydom. No more diapers, no more bottles, no more nursery. Later this year we are going to have the girls share a bedroom so we can have our other room as a homeschool classroom and/or craft room/ place for my hobbies, to sew, and have 'me' time.

We already have three weddings to attend, one of which is my little sister's - my first time being in a wedding!

Josh is turning 30 this year, and we have another trip to Disney World planned for Rachel's second birthday.

Rachel will be starting preschool this year, and Laura will technically be school-aged, though we still have yet to decide about what she will be doing.





And last but not least, one of my best friends is moving to the same continent (and even time zone!), so we will be able to talk on the phone and possibly even get to see one another for the first time in six years!

2014 will be a good year.