Fall Fun

The last few months have just been flying by. I can't believe that Evelyn turns 3 in a week (though she is definitely showing signs of that so-called "threenager" stage lately). We've been busy with fall activities, a small renovation to our basement, and just generally keeping up with all the adventures and messes of two little kids. Here's an update on what we've been up to the last little while...feel free to skip to then end for a few pictures and videos.

One thing I miss a bit about being at work (besides the hot coffee, lunch time runs, and adult conversations) is the routine it brings to our life. I find on maternity leave, weekdays run into weekends and I just have this feeling that time is being wasted if we don't have some sort of plans. At the same time, it is nice to have flexibility with kids...since they inevitably wake up on the wrong side of the bed sometimes, or refuse to get dressed, need a nap unexpectedly etc etc.. It's hard to find a balance, but we've found a bit of a routine this fall, which is going fairly well so far. Most activities we're in are more for Evelyn than Lucy - but I still think Lucy enjoys getting out and seeing other kids doing things.

Monday mornings we do Sportball - which is a basic introduction to the fundamental skills associated with a variety of different sports (e.g. for basketball, we practiced passing, dribbling/bouncing, and throwing a ball into a hula hoop). Then the sport-based skills are alternated with fun, active games like obstacle courses. Evelyn likes it for the most part, aside from her moments of frustration. Parenting starts getting pretty interesting when you start to see your own personality traits in your child. Evie is definitely a perfectionist and doesn't want anyone to see her do something that she can't do well - which is very much the way I am. Preferring to practice something on my own and be prepared before going in front of people is still my way of doing things. Anyway, at Sportball, if she fails the first time she will often refuse to continue at the class. But then later at home, I'll see her on her own trying the skill. And when she's ready, she'll call us over and say "look what I can do", very proudly. So we're working hard with her on the fact that it's okay to make mistakes, everyone needs to practice and sometimes we just need to try again if things don't go as planned.

Tuesdays and Thursdays there are a couple playgroups we go to in the neighbourhood, one at a local church and the other run by our community association. I like these because they are fairly casual, and you can miss a week without missing anything, but it still gives you an activity to do for a couple hours if nothing else is planned. It's also nice to have an indoor option now that the weather is cooling off. They do get a bit chaotic though, with 20+ toddlers running around in a gym in a free-for all style with toys. Evie likes it, but she doesn't play as much with other kids as she would in a 1:1 situation or small group. I think its just a bit too loud and that there are too many personalities in the room. Wednesdays and Fridays, Evelyn still attends day home. Sometimes she says she doesn't want to go, but every day when I pick her up, I have a hard time convincing her to leave - so she definitely still likes it and it is nice to keep up the routine.

Evie also does swimming lessons one night a week. They are still parented lessons (Craig takes her) but we've got her signed up for unparented ones starting in January and I think she'll be fine. She definitely loves the water and has no fear of jumping in, sliding down the slide etc. I think our trip to Ontario this summer with lots of lake swimming definitely helped in that area.

We are staying busy, but still have lots of time at home...generally spent playing one of Evelyn's many favourite games in our toy-filled living room. She is a lot more into pretend play now, and its fun to see her use her imagination more to come up with games and then order us around to be the characters she wants. I think that bossiness might also come from me...Lucy might have to ask my sister Lynn for some tips on what to do when your older sister orders you around constantly :). She loves playing the baby game (she is the mommy and Craig and I are babies who cry for her to bring us food, toys, etc), mail game (We made her a mailbox and filled it with letters that she delivers, though there is also a cash register and tickets involved...so not too sure she really understands the mail system haha), and ice cream stand (Amazon delivery boxes make great ice cream stands). She loves Hide and Seek, playing Chase with Hudson, and doing preschool activities in what she calls her "maze book" (it has a lot of tracing activities, and some mazes). It's too bad there is no JK in Alberta, because I think she will love school - she is pretty eager to learn if someone has the time to sit and teach her (as long as she's in the right mindset).

While she is tons of fun when she's happy and playing, she has definitely been more challenging over the last couple months. Throwing some pretty big tantrums over what seems like nothing, and throwing out her most common excuses when we ask her to do something "I'm too tired", "I'm too sad", "I'm too sick" (usually followed with a fake cough). It definitely takes a lot of patience to keep a calm attitude. We don't use forced time outs, but usually the best way for her to calm down is to go to her room and be on her own for a little while. She seems to understand this, and makes the choice to go there. Right now, I think its because she knows her soothers are in her bed and she wants them..so we'll see how this strategy works after this weekend when the soother fairy pays us a visit and takes them all away. I have a feeling we are in for some sleepless nights and am dreading it a little. While her "grumpy days" are really tough, I know that she is three and her abilities to regulate emotions just aren't fully developed, and I just try my best to make sure she knows she isn't alone, while keeping in place the consistency and boundaries we've tried to establish.

I mentioned our toy-filled living room...and it has definitely been getting more and more on my nerves. Currently, in our ~500 square foot main floor (which includes the whole kitchen and dining room as well), we have a trampoline, an exersaucer, a jolly jumper, a high chair, a play kitchen, an easel, and numerous bins of small toys. Over the past month or so, we've been working on some updates to the basement to make it a more comfortable and safe play space. It's not a huge reno, but we had a hanging ceiling that looked pretty dingy, and old style lights - so we've had the ceiling drywalled which makes it look way better and had new, more up to date lighting installed. So it's a lot brighter. Craig and I just finished the third coat of paint on all the walls last night, and we will attempt to wallpaper one wall this weekend (hopefully that goes well and we don't ruin the whole roll of wall paper). Then we just have to schedule a date for carpet install. I am so eager to get it done so I can do a big re-org of the toys and craft supplies and claim some living room space back!

It will also be great to have the basement so I can move all the small/choking hazard toys out of the main level and have this area completely baby-proof for Lucy. She is getting closer and closer to crawling and I'm sure will be there in the next month or so. She is definitely a determined baby, and is frustrated that she can't get where she wants. I'm anticipating a lot of sister fights (well, Evie yelling at Lucy), once Lucy is crawling around after her and trying to grab whatever Evelyn is playing with. When I have them both in the Chariot (a double stroller, but pretty tight squeeze), there is a constant stream of "Lucy, no grabbing!", "Lucy's trying to steal my snack!", etc etc.

Lucy is not one to sit still and is very hard to hold now, she just wants to be put down and squirms until you give in. I was snowsuit shopping for Evie yesterday and it was exhausting. Trying to pull Evie out of the toddler playhouse at MEC and force her to try on big puffy snow suits (bribes of Smarties may have been involved). All the while, I had taken Lucy out of the carrier to sit on the floor and look away for a few minutes and she has got on her belly and slid under a clothes rack. Anyway...I felt like a crazy person but we managed to get out of there with a snowsuit, so mission accomplished I guess. I can remember reading stories to Evie from a pretty young age (definitely by 7 months, which is Lucy's age now) and she would just sit on your lap, relaxed, looking and listening. Lucy couldn't be more different, she just grabs the book and tries to eat it constantly - so bedtime stories are not happening right now. The only place I can really nurse her anymore is in the dark in her bedroom before naps, at bedtime or in the middle of the night. She is way to interested in the world around her to breastfeed now. I don't think she will breastfeed for two years like Evie did - which makes me both happy and sad at the same time. She actually nurses more during the night than the day, usually at bedtime and then 2-3 times at night. Obviously not the most fun to be up at night, but glad she is still getting the nutrition and immune benefits (She has yet to catch one of Evie's many, ongoing colds...knock on wood).

She really is a great baby though. I remember thinking Evelyn was a good baby, and I'm not sure whether Lucy is easier or not, but it seems that way. She's definitely much easier to handle than a busy toddler though! She really loves watching Evelyn play, and Evie is starting to enjoy her more too - especially because she can usually make Lucy laugh or cheer her up when she is crying. Sometimes if Lucy is crying, Evie will walk over and pet her head (I've noticed that petting babies is instinctual to most toddlers haha) and she'll say "it's okay Luce, I'm here". It melts my heart :)

We just got back from a week in Ontario, where we attended a wedding and had a short visit with Craig's family - the majority of our trip was spent in Niagara Falls at Great Wolf Lodge. It went by quickly, but was a fun little getaway and a good length of time to have kids travelling. Living out of a suitcase with kids gets old pretty quickly :)

Anyway - here are a few pictures from recent times

Our flight back from Ontario wasn't until 7pm, so we checked out African Lion Safari. It was pretty good, and nice that it was basically the last day of their season so it was super empty. No lines or crowds and good views of the animals

Evie entertaining Lucy

Lucy taking in the sights on the Safari bus

Watching the elephant show - it was pretty cool

Train ride - we have definitely been on our fair share of miniature trains this summer :)

Swimming at Great Wolf Lodge. Evie loved it and probably spent about 4 hours in the pool each day

She also loved the ice cream at the buffet....shocking

I think buffets may be Lucy's favourite

More fun swimming

Lucy seemed indifferent to the pool most of the time - it was pretty loud so I think very stimulating for her. She had some long naps in the hotel room.

We were a bit surprised, but Evie loved swimming in the wave pool when the waves were on. She liked jumping in them and kept saying "the waves are dancing with me", and singing made-up songs to the waves.

Riding the merry-go-round in the arcade

Motorcycle racing with Auntie Lynn

I think the worst part of travelling with a baby this age is eating when there is no high chair available. Our (not so great) solution was a towel on the floor....it always ended in a full change of clothes and wash down of the baby.

Riding the Niagara Skywheel

Visiting the Falls - they are still pretty impressive to see

Vacation is exhausting

These animals were in the hotel lobby and when you put your hand up they would talk to you. Evie loved them, so of course we did this about 10 times a day.

On our way to our friend Alvin's wedding in Toronto...first night out together in way too long (definitely before Lucy was born). My sister watched Lucy and Evie in our hotel down the street, and did a great job getting them both to sleep in that single room. Lucy even took her milk from a bottle for the first time! (I was prepared to go back in the middle of the wedding but didn't have to, so that was great).

Checking out Bluffers Beach in Scarborough before the wedding

Evie and Lucy loved seeing their cousins back in Port Hope. Even though we were only there a day and a half, they got in lots of play time.

Raking up the fallen leaves in our front yard (and of course taking some posed baby pictures in them

Out for a little hike in Kananaskis - it was only 2km, but Evie did it all and liked it - so there is hope!

Post-bath all snuggled in her towel

Lucy's first painting. She was happy to be included in craft time

Family walk at Nose Hill Park

Swinging at the park - this pic and Lucy's green suit reminds me of how often she gets called a boy. I get it...most babies could go either way - but I swear even when Lucy is dressed in pink flowers she gets called a boy on a daily basis :)