Happy New Year 2013!

We said goodbye to 2012 last night and welcomed 2013 in a rather casual, laid back style:  a dinner party with friends at the cottage.  I think it was a great start to the new year - just hanging out with friends, taking our time eating a simple, but delicious steak dinner, all the kids happily playing downstairs until we somehow managed to corral them into bed without too much fuss.  And despite all our yawning, the adults held it together until midnight, at which time we toasted the new year with water!  You know you're an adult when...But we'd simply had enough to drink, were ready for bed and didn't want to waste a bottle of champagne.  We woke up to a gorgeous, sunny day, and no one was moaning about hangovers.  Definitely the right way for us to greet the year ahead.

Of course, you can't get to New Year's Eve without feeling a little contemplative about the year you're leaving behind. We talked a bit about personal highlights of 2012, and it got me thinking.  Without a doubt, running the Niagara Falls Half Marathon with my mum, my brother, my sister-in-law/BFF Karen, my step-sister Sophie and my dear friend Elaine the day after my mum's 60th birthday was the highlight of my year.  If I ever need to focus on a happy memory, I will more than likely picture running along the Niagara Parkway on a beautiful, sunny, crisp October morning, watching my mother put her heart and soul (and sweat) into fulfilling a dream.  After 10km, every single kilometre she completed was the furthest she had ever run in her life, and was therefore an incredible victory.  Seeing Sophie (who we'd told to run ahead and do her own race, she'd trained so hard!) coming back for us towards the last four km, so she could finish the race with us still brings a smile to my face.  And crossing the line all together?  Just perfect.

Staying with the running theme, I've been very lucky to have two fantastic running partners this year.  In Toronto, my friend Lisa keeps me motivated and gets me out the door, even on days when I really just feel like hiding out.  She and I just seem to have the perfect running chemistry which makes the crappy days feel doable and the really great days feel like Olympic medals are waiting for us at the end.  We live near Lake Ontario and have had some beautiful runs along the water, but I think we've got one particular route along a forested ravine that feeds our souls and recharges our batteries.  I'm really looking forward to getting back to Toronto and starting our running routine again.

My other running partner is my sister-in-law Karen.  She lives in Ottawa, so we don't get to run together all that often, but when we do its just plain fun.  We've been friends since we were nine, and making each other laugh for that long too.  And when I say laugh, I mean the whole snorting through your nose, choking back the tears, bent double with your hands on your knees kind of laughing.  So imagine the two of us running along doing that.  Its hard to stick to your pace when you're laughing that hard.  But the other thing I love about running with Karen is that she's just the most encouraging person in the world.  We'll be going along in the blazing sun or be swarmed by deer flies, or chugging up some stupid hill at the very end of our run at the cottage and she'll just be cheering me on the whole way - "We can do it!  We're doing SO AWESOME! Almost there!  Good for us! We ROCK!" and instead of wanting to push her into the bushes like I would with anyone else, I actually do feel motivated and I DO make it up that hill, dagnammit!  She's the best.  My favourite run with her this year, apart from the half marathon, was our 18km training run up at the cottage on the Thanksgiving weekend.  It was another sunny, cold day and we had a fantastic run.  And now, every time we drive to the cottage, we go along the same route and I think of the two of us running along in the sunshine, chatting and laughing (and occasionally complaining too) and I think "Wow!  We ran a long freakin' way!" and it makes me think of how awesome we are and how much we rock.

The best part about running up at the cottage is being able to jump in the lake when you're finished.  Here's Karen in fine form after one of our summer runs.

2012 was also the year that I really got into yoga.  I'm so fortunate to have Deitre Courchesne as a neighbour and a dear friend.  She comes to my house three times a week to teach me and two friends (and now my husband too!) yoga and I don't quite know how I managed without her before.  When Deitre comes over, I just immediately feel happy.  She's one of those people who makes me feel better instantly.  She's calming and soothing, but she's also funny and fascinating.  She has the best stories ever.  And I get to hang out with her every week!  Yoga, like running, is much appreciated "me time" that allows me to calm down whilst strengthening and stretching my muscles.  I'm so glad I started and I love what its doing to my body.  I feel like I have a lot more to learn, but it never feels like a chore, so I look forward to each new lesson with Deitre.  Plus its the perfect excuse to fuel my obsession with lululemon gear.

As for the kids, this past year has been a mixed bag, but I'm only focusing on highlights today.  The moaning and groaning about schooling and homework and all my usual parenting anxieties can wait for another post!

We've had some really great successes.  I've been thrilled at how far the boys have come with their swimming lessons and seeing them playing in the water at the cottage this summer was fantastic, what I'd always hoped it would be for them.  Elly also takes lessons and I'm relieved that she's enjoying them and looking forward to going.  When we first started lessons with her, it wasn't a huge hit. So to see her wanting to duck her head under, or open her eyes and kick her legs like mad is great.  I hope she follows in her brothers' footsteps and becomes a little fishy in the water too.  

Training wheels came off the boys' bikes this spring, which was a huge deal.  They really took to bike riding and apart from a few nasty falls when they weren't watching where they were going, we had a lot of fun.  That ravine run I mentioned earlier?  Its actually the route the kids and I took to get home from school on their bikes about once a week. I'd drop their bikes off at school in the morning, then when it came time to pick them up, Elly would go into the bike seat behind me, we'd race up to school and then take our time riding home with the guys, stopping for a snack next to a picturesque waterfall.  I think it was always the highlight of their week.  Maybe mine too.

Mark and I realised the boys were definitely growing up when they decided a few weeks ago that they could follow the instructions that came with all their lego and build things on their own.  Before this momentous decision, it was always up to Mark to make exactly what was on the box, and then Will and Owen would take it apart and build other things of their own design (which we also thought was great, of course).  Its lead to a pretty great Christmas, actually, with the boys spending more time in quiet building sessions.  That is, until we hear a frustrated scream because something isn't fitting properly or a particular piece can't be found!

I love this photo of them.  I think they're looking at a book or Will's camera.  Doesn't matter.  Its just so very them.  

As for Elly, well, her highlights for 2012 are pretty typical of a two year old, but the one that makes me happiest right now is that in the fall she decided it was time to potty train herself and did just that.  She woke up one morning, announced she wanted to pee on the toilet and then went to get her underwear.  We haven't really looked back since!  Of course, there's the occasional accident, but overall, I'm mighty impressed with her.  SO much easier than trying to potty train twin boys, let me tell you!   The thought that we are on our way to being a diaper-free home is very exciting.  Once she's out of pullups for naps and nighttime, I will be a very happy mama.  Because after nearly seven years of diapers, I won't miss them one little bit.  And neither will our bank account!

And I don't want to jinx it, but, well, the sleeping thing is coming along nicely too.  I'm quite anxious as I type this.  Because I seem to recall blogging jubilantly about a certain Mademoiselle sleeping through the night and then it turned around and bit me in the butt.  Because it stopped.  And got worse.  We went from sleeping through the night to a whole summer and fall of most decidedly NOT sleeping through the night.  However...recently, there have been signs that perhaps I will once again join the world of the living, the realm of the rested, non sleep-deprived souls who can actually hold a conversation.  So I really hope I'm not tempting fate here by saying this.  But my optimism just can't hold me back and I have to think positively - I will sleep for long stretches of the night again! I won't have to get out of my cosy warm bed and stomp into Elly's room to fix her blanket which was just fine there's nothing wrong with your blanket just go back to sleep for goodness sake!

And this is my favorite video of 2012.  I've watched it a million times and I never get tired of it (if for some reason, you can't get it to work, email me and I'll send it to you.  Its worth it.)

I think there are a few more highlights I'd love to write about, like my obsession with Pinterest and how much fun I've had being creative thanks to some of the inspiring content I've found there; or the awesome holiday we had up at the cottage with our friends Gillian and Jonathan and their two children (but all of my photos are on the computer at home and I can't do the two weeks we spent together justice without including the photos of the three boys playing together or the video of wee Andrea and Elly in the water together, so it will have to wait); or the beautiful baby boys my friends has this year - Mikey, Henry, Benjamin, Jad, you boys are lucky to have such incredible mothers and I'm so glad I'm friends with them (mostly because it means I get to come over and cuddle you guys!), and the babies that are to come! I should definitely write a whole post about my incredibly patient and hardworking husband who's had a pretty good year himself, and I most definitely should write about all my friends, who I love dearly and who keep me sane.  BUT I won't.  Because its already almost midnight and if I keep writing I'll never finish this and I won't post it and thats not a very good way to start the new year, now is it?

So on that note, I will bid you good night and a very Happy New Year.  I hope 2013 is going to give me plenty of blog fodder to regale you with.

Merry Christmas!

My iPad is finally recharged after a winter blackout that lasted 3 full days.  Now that I've finished playing Pioneer Woman and can stop hauling buckets full of snow into the house for melting on the wood stove, I'm ready to wish you all very Merry Christmas with our annual Christmas card, designed by my blogger buddy Brazenlilly.

May you all have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones!  

Now We Are Six

When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five,
I was just alive.
But now I am Six,
I'm as clever as clever,
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever. 

                         - A.A. Milne 

I love that poem, it was always one of my favorites when I was a child.  As I sat down to write this birthday message to you, Will and Owen, it popped into my head and of course I had to include it, its totally you!  You ARE as clever as clever, aren't you?  At least you seem to think so these days!  

Six.  Hoooooo-boy!  That sounds pretty old to me.  We're entering big kid territory here, aren't we?  Its pretty amazing to see what you've accomplished this past year and just how very big you've become.  

You've lost teeth,

 

dabbled in new sports,

become more and more curious about the world around you, loving nothing more than to get right into everything to understand how it works.  Especially if it involves getting dirty and if you can convince your friends, like Cooper, to join in!

You're starting to master a new language in French Immersion, and although I know there are days when this whole full day and then homework thing totally sucks for you, I'm proud of the way you stick to it (once the temper tantrums subside and I get some snack into you).  Its hard work, but you're both doing such a good job.  I hope you're equally proud of yourselves and will appreciate your efforts once you're older.  For now, bravo et continuent, mes petits!

 I LOVE how much you're beginning to love books.  Of course your dad and I are total bookworms, so we really hope you'll fall in love with reading as much as we have, and I think you might be on your way.  If you're curious about something, you often ask if we can stop by the library to get as many books out on that subject as possible.  So far we've read about dinosaurs, space, knights and castles and, uh, Captain Underpants.  But seeing you lying on your tummies on the sofa, slowly turning the pages of a book...it warms my heart, kiddos! 

You guys spend a lot of time together.  Although you're in different classes at school, you share a bedroom and are involved in all the same after school activities.  I don't know what it feels like to be a twin, but I do love watching the happy moments you spend together.  Listening to you both concocting plans to build a rocket ship from old boxes, save your sister from alien zombies, attack your sister because she's the alien zombie... its really special and fun.  You love each others' imagination and can be so supportive of each other!  At night I hear you chatting away in the dark, talking over what's happened at school, who you should play with tomorrow, what to do about your alien zombie sister.  Sometimes I go upstairs only to find you both asleep in the same bed, your blond heads touching like they used to when you were babies.  Melts a mummy's heart!

Of course, it doesn't always go quite so smoothly.  You are very, very physical with each other this year, and we've had a lot of tears when one or both of you gets a little too rough.  But I'm trying to let you two sort it out yourselves, figure out how to play nicely, to share, to give each other room to breathe a bit.  Thank goodness we have a house with multiple floors so I can tell Will to go upstairs, Owen to go down to the basement and Elly can run up and down between the two of you to keep you both company!  

But ultimately, it seems that you're relationship with each other is just getting stronger and stronger.  When you're in the right frame of mind, you form quite the team.  You'll be unstoppable together, guys!

We've had our ups and downs this year, for sure.  Going into Grade One has been a difficult journey, but I can see that we're now sailing into smoother waters, and I think we're beginning to find a way to communicate with each other that doesn't solely involve yelling.  I know you're trying, and that means a lot to me.

Your little sister, in case you couldn't tell, adores you both and misses you when you're at school without her.  She reminds me constantly that we need to go pick up "Oh-en an' Wi-yem".  I know she drives you crazy when she messes up your stuff, or when she punches you (now where did she learn that?!), that you often get fed up with her yelling at you instead of just using her indoor voice, but really, I know you love her too.  I see you include her in games, agree to be her baby so she can boss you around and proudly introduce her to your friends in the school yard.  Thanks for looking out for her, guys.  That means a lot to me too. 

Gosh, six, eh? Yes, its definitely scary to see how quickly you're growing up, but man, am I ever impressed with the way you're doing it.  Love you, my lambies, and I hope you know it. 

Happy Birthday, handsome boys. 

 

Pre-Schooler!

I'm in a tiny state of shock, I believe.  Not only are the boys almost six years old and in grade one, but their teensy weensy baby sister, the one I gave birth to, like, uh, yesterday, started preschool this morning.  Yuh.  I know, right?  Shock.

But Elly was definitely ready to go, has been excited about it since before the summer and has been telling everyone and anyone that she's going to 'kool wiv Cayeb'.  Yes, we're pretty lucky, Elly's going to school with one of her BFFs, Caleb.  The two of them were quite adorable this week as we dropped the "biggies" off at school (Abby is now in JK at the same school as Will and Owen, so all three are quite excited to see each other there on a daily basis), hanging out in the playground, holding hands and talking to each other about 'kool'.

We got these two adorable photos of them the other day, and realised even if we didn't get a cute photo of them on the first day of school, these shots would make us happy nonetheless!

So cute!  We love these two together, even if they can be a little on the crazy Alpha Second Born Child side of things from time to time.  Yes, they have been known to brawl a little, but when they play nicely, its so very, very nice.

But back to today.  I did manage to get a quick photo of Elly as we raced out the door this morning.  Isn't she adorable in her new fuchsia pink shoes and hand-me-down backpack (she's so blonde these days she's almost neon.  She literally glows in the dark)?

We drove over to Amber and Jon's house, where their lovely nanny Ginette walked the three bigs over to school (first day Owen didn't cry going in to school!  Woohoo!) and we drove the ten minutes to their preschool.  Thank goodness we've got car seats coming out the ying-yang, we can easily split up who drops off and picks up the kids, depending on everyone's schedules.

 Anyway, the two of them seemed fine going into the school, immediately started playing with the toys they saw once they went in, and once Amber and I had a quick chat with the teachers to let them know that these two were well acquainted and could comfort each other should the need arise, we told them littlies it was time to give us a kiss bye bye.  Elly said "ok" and kissed us both, but Caleb looked a bit stunned at the news and kind of gave us both a strange little kiss as if he wasn't quite sure why we would be asking for one.  Then we waved and walked out and proceeded to spend the next two and a half hours in Starbucks swinging wildly from "What have we DONE?!  We've abandoned our babies!" to "They looked fine, they'll be fine, they were ready for school."

Amber and I drove back to the school fifteen minutes before pickup time so we could spy on the kids in the playground before going to get them.  Needless to say, they were both very happily playing, mowing the astroturf with matching plastic lawnmowers.  It was cute to watch them interact with each other and the teachers and to see them so happy.

As soon as we went to the gate, they both came running over with big smiles, and their teachers told us they'd done really, really well.  Hurray!  Caleb was pretty tired out though and almost fell asleep in the car.  Elly was just excited to get home and eat lunch.  Such a Pergant.

When we picked the boys up from school later on, it seemed only right to celebrate the first week of school with an ice cream cone.  Here are my three very tired, but fairly happy kiddos.  Okay, maybe only Elly looks happy in this photo, but I did try to get them all to smile.  Owen just snarled at me that he was "trying to eat my ice cream!  Stop asking me to smile!", so I took what I could get. 

And now they're all in bed, we have a nice weekend en famille to look forward to and then....we get to do it all again. 

Hopefully, though, next week will see the beginnings of our new fall routine taking shape and some semblance of calm will emerge.  And I will bask in the silence instead of sitting in Starbucks thinking "Where have my babies gone?!"

First Day Of The First Grade

So my guys started grade one today and I'm feeling a little sad.  

If you'd asked me how I was going to feel about today over the summer, I would have said very excited, looking forward to time to myself, getting things done, get these noisy kids out of my hair, etc, etc.  I'd also tell you that the boys being in full days wasn't that big a deal because, although SK was only half days, they'd done full days at their first school for JK.  No problemo.  If you'd asked Owen how he was going to feel about today he would have immediately gone pale, his eyes would have reddened and he would have said not good, I don't want to go, full days are too long, I'm scared of the big kids.  William would have said I'm looking forward to seeing my friends again, what are you packing for snack? 

This morning, they both continued to say much the same thing and although I was smiling on the outside, I think the stressed out child that Owen has become in the week leading up to this first day has taken its toll and I was feeling quite heavy hearted.  Actually, I think I've been feeling that way all weekend, but trying not to show it to the kids.  I didn't need to add to Owen's emotions, that's for sure.  When I went grocery shopping on Sunday to get all the lunch-making things I would need for this week, I suddenly felt quite overwhelmed that the boys would be gone all day.  I had to take a moment to gather myself.  I felt a little silly feeling so dramatic in the cereal aisle, I must admit, but I did a little nod of the head to myself to acknowledge how I was feeling and then moved on to the dairy section.  And then last night, once the kids were fast asleep (the boys were cuddled up close to each other in their sleep, little blond heads touching, it was very sweet), I lay awake for ages, worrying over everything and nothing and trying to plan the best way to deal with Owen in the morning, knowing he was sure to cry.  I thought about how little they really are as well as how big they've become.  Basically, I stewed in my motherly sadness and didn't fall asleep for ages. 

But back to this morning.  We were all organised and ready to go on time, thank goodness.  Mark came with us too, which was great, because we needed him once we got to school.  Before leaving, I took the customary first day photos, along with the first day sibling hug!

 Matching toothless smiles...

 

For those of you who aren't sure, that's William with the blue backpack and Owen with the green. 

 

 Elly decides to get in on some of this hugging action

Drop off was a little crazy in the schoolyard and Owen pretty much started crying two minutes after we got there.  He cried on and off for the duration.  I got lots of sympathetic looks from other parents, but I was quite surprised not to see anyone else crying.  A few pale faces, but no other tears.   Mark took Elly and Will and realised we were all supposed to be in another section of the schoolyard, so we all wandered over there and saw the teachers names taped to the side of the school so we could form lines.  The boys are once again in separate classes, as per our request, so I had Mark stand two rows over with William whilst I stood trying to be a calming presence for Owen in his line.  I hugged him every now and then and explained that it was loud and disorganised today because it was the first day and even the teachers were trying to figure it all out, but it didn't seem to help much.  

Finally, after much waiting, the school bell rang and each class was led in one by one by their teachers.  Except Owen's class because his teacher wasn't there.  I'm not sure where he was exactly, but thankfully the wonderful, amazing principal, Mr K was there and he started to lead Owen's group in.  Owen completely broke down as he saw the kids in front of him walking away, and I hugged him again and gently pushed him along, saying "You have to go, Owen, its okay, I'll see you at the end of the day." To his credit, he did start walking, but he was really upset at this point.  And that is when Mr. K looked up, saw his tears and said, "Hey buddy, you come with me, you'll be my special helper."  I could have kissed the man as he took Owen's hand and brought him to the front of the line.  And in Owen went.  Whewf.  I breathed a huge, heavy sigh as I watched him go in, knowing he was so sad and that I wouldn't be able to help him through it for the rest of the day.  

I turned to William's line and saw him looking a little pale still, but pretty much his usual self.  I smiled and pointed out his lovely looking young teacher and gave him a final hug before he went on his way.  Funny how they're so different.  

Just as I was turning to go to my car, I saw the Principal come back out to the yard and went up to him.  "That was my little blond crying guy you helped into school this morning," I said, "Thank you so much, that meant a lot to me for you to take his hand when I couldn't."  He smiled and told me that as they walked in, he'd said to Owen "Its okay, I cried twice this morning!" and Owen looked up at him in amazement and said 'You did?!" Mr K told me Owen had calmed down once they got through the doors and gave me a reassuring pat.  Thank goodness for the ones that care.

So after that, nothing left for Elly-belly and I to do but go off on our own little adventure to the mall (okay, okay, I bought myself some makeup to make me feel better.  Yes, I am that shallow) and Costco and then come home to eat lunch and wait until we can go pick our favorite Grade Ones up from school.  Sigh.

Is it time yet?

Sigh.  

Why is it so quiet in here?!

I miss my noisy kids.  

Sigh.

How about now?

Before I Forget

Elly thinks robbers (something her brothers are obsessed with right now, as it fits in nicely with their other obsession, superheroes) are called Roberts. So she often flies around the room pretending she's "Soopa-Ehyee" and she's going to "get da Woberts!"

Owen calls napkins mapkins.

William can't say flamingos, he can only say falimgos.

But really, the most important thing for me not to forget is that these little people are children and sometimes they just need to have fun.  I must remember that sometimes I shouldn't try to stop the fun, because fun can be so much more important than rules.  This hit home on Friday night when Mark got back from work and realized the grass desperately needed mowing and it was now or never, since we had a small window in between rain storms.  I'd made pizza for dinner and it was almost ready, but okay, fine, the law needed cutting and the pizza needed to cool before the kids could eat it.

Now the boys love to chase Mark around when he's mowing the lawn.  I think it's the closest they'll ever get to living dangerously.  So as soon as they saw him and the mower, they took off with great leaps and shouts and generally became wild animals.  Our lawn, which hadn't been cut for two weeks due to our cottage holiday (more to come on this in other posts, with pictures, I promise), was shedding its grassiness all over the place.  And the kids were loving it.  They stripped down to their underwear and for some reason known only to small boys, began picking up all the freshly cut, kind of wet, very staintastic grass clippings and threw them all over each other to much glee and even more wild animal-like shouting.  Elly followed behind and did her best to keep up.  Although I do think her shouting was probably the loudest, no surprise there.

At this point, dinner is ready and on the table and I'm starting to feel a little hangry.  Unfortunately for the kids it's also at this point that I spot them rolling around in huge piles of clippings, throwing it at each other and rubbing it into their sister's whiter than white hair and I go a little nuts.  "Stop!" I yell from the back deck, "Stop that right now!"

Well didn't they ignore me? So I got a little indignant and yelled some more, but they were having such a good time and were so thoroughly engrossed in their game of Rub The Allergenic Into My Siblings' Faces that they didn't hear me.  And I was just about to totally lose my mind, stepping a bit further into the garden to physically stop them from having any more of this...this...this...messy fun, when William ran past me, half naked, covered in grass clippings, green knees, elbows and feet whirling around yelling at the top of his lungs, "BEST! DAY! EVER!"

And that was that folks.  How could I put a stop to the best day ever? So dinner was cold and we had to shower everyone and scrub their joints to within an inch of their lives to get the grass stains out? Big deal.  It was a Friday and my kids were out there making memories. Sometimes you have to not forget what it's like to be a child and let the joy happen. 

Gosh, I'm getting a little teary-eyed here.   Can someone pass me a mapkin?

Overheard

Grandpa: "Elly, you have to stop doing everything your brothers do. Be original. Make your own mischief."