Fall time

Every year I have one of those fantastic moments with fall. This morning it came again. I had to do an early morning dog walk, something I haven't done in a very long time (talking possibly pre-pregnancy). 

Loaded the car, got the diaper bag ready, snacks, leash and ball. Dressed x 2. And off we went. Quite a feat since I usually like to 'wake up' in the am. 

Well lucky me. There was few people at the park. A lovely fog surrounded the area. And I got to be present when it lifted. Sun breaking through the clouds.  Blue sky. Amazing amount of spider webs lit with dew/frost (which I coincidentally read about and this is the time of year you see them in abbundance). Crisp air. Red, orange and yellow leaves. And the smell of wet leaves (that I actually like). 

I heart fall. 

Love my friend

Remember this post. Probably not because it was so long ago. Regardless I have one more truly great and amazing person to talk about. Someone that I am so eternally grateful to have in my life. My wonderful friend, Casey.

Casey and me have been through a lot together. Just like Jeaninne, our friendship was pretty much solidified in high school. Although we did meet earlier, in jr. high, grade 7. She was one of the 10 girls that was in my jr. hight school class. All of us having moved schools to the big jr. high and me knowing no one. I remember she was pretty outgoing and could talk to anyone. Me, shy as can be, didn't really say much to her. I think her lasting memory during that year was my pink sweater (it was a lovely sweater). The year of grade 8 came and she got transferred to another jr. high (who knew that she would later come into my life and stay).

We lived through our high school days together with loads of laughter. We would have gym dates where we would just stay in the locker room and talk for hours then go eat some fast food. We would check out football games, see endless movies (where i would so eloquently fall asleep), have endless talks to the middle of the night during our sleepovers.

She came with me for the first couple of years of university and was my bar friend every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (hello academic warning to me). Both of us did loads of different schooling and then managed to go back and wide up in fairly similar careers of nursing (she likes more acute and littles vs me liking more subacute and olders).

With that we have quite a bit in common. She is my girl when I have had a bad day at work as she understands more about what I go through then most (really nurses understand nurses). She loves to craft, craft shopping and marketing. She loves to bake and homemake like me (and makes a killer grilled cheese). She let's me vent. She makes me laugh. She listens like no other. I love her kids (like seriously love them to bits) like I love my own. And quite frankly she is an amazing friend.

I don't know what I would have done in this maternity leave without her. She (with some other special people) have been lifesavers as I have adjusted to my new role as mother and life with babe (something I would never change or go back for). Her experience, advice and just her listening ears has been so special to me and meant all the world.

love you Casey!
xoxox

Oh you make me laugh

We are at baby Laptime.

Lately you haven't been into the bouncy rhymes or face to face work. 

But you love the noisemakers. 

Especially the shakers. 

They are egg shaped shakers.

Today you got two. 

You eagerly shaked them around. 

Then you saw one on the ground. 

It was too hard to pick it up with both of your hands (quite frankly your hands were full)

Not going to be undeterred. 

You put your head on the ground and tried to put it in your mouth...

While grasping the other two shakers. 

You make me smile. 

I love that you never give up my little munchkin.

Xoxox

Love

All the leaves are falling

As I've been watching the leaves change colour and fall to the ground this week I think it is safe to say fall is a coming. Hot apple cider, fall boots, crisp air, pumpkins and harvesting veggies. All the goodness of autumn has come upon us.

But with all the goodness I feel the need to reflect what summer gave us. It was my first summer (in I don't know how long) that I never worked. It will probably one of my last summers as well.

It was full of sun. Water, water and water. Water balloon fights with water guns, much to my daughter's disdain.  Hopefully she gets over that dislike. :) Baby pools, splash parks, outdoor pools, city hall pool, legislature pool, beaches, and the epic "slide in the city" involving us to slide down a humungous water slide down the streets of Edmonton.

Other fun summer events involved good eats. Green onion cakes at Taste of Edmonton and the Fringe. Hot dogs at the legislature and the market. Food trucks. Lemonade. Lots of BBQing, steak, hot dogs, burgers, chicken, shish kabobs, corn, potatoes. Harvesting fresh veggies, eating homemade fries, cooked beets, raw peas, raw carrots and green bean delights. Plus pickling and more pickling. Beets, cucumbers, and green beans (32 jars)!

Visits to the petting zoo, riding the merry go round at K-days, fireworks at symphony in the city (plus Disney music delights).  Seeing Newsies. Going out to dinner with my lovely girlfriends. Hospital visits. Checking out summer movies. Marketing. And of course dog walks with my partner.

Plus my personal favourite, visiting my parents. An incredible trip with loads of visiting, touring, and relaxation.

It was an amazing summer. Farewell high sun and welcome low sun and cool evenings.
xoxo
love

11 months and counting

Oh my little but not so little one anymore. You are losing your baby face and starting to look more toddler-like everyday. You are full of life, love and goofiness. You mimic our laughs when we laugh, our coughs when we cough. You babble when we talk, even reading me a story or two in your own little language. I think I hear a few more sss, mmm, baa sounds in your little lips.

And let's just say you are everywhere and anywhere. Lots of new games, like me putting all your toys in either a tupperwear container, pot, basket....really anything and you tearing through it and dumping it everywhere. Ha Ha. We need to work on you putting things away next. ;) You also enjoy, "catch me mommy". That involves me chasing you around or holding you down as I try to change your diaper or clothes. RASCAL!

You love to climb up our stairs squealing with delight. Especially if it involves shoving a piece of dog food into your mouth or spilling all the water on the carpet. You pull all the DVD's off the shelf, go in our cupboards, and pull apart my dresser drawers or laundry basket. Plus you take apart the toilet paper and occasionally explore the toilet. Really you are just full of mischief and busy as can be.

You are itching to walk like no other. So much so that if we have done a few laps around the house with you holding my hands and I decide to take a break you may just "breakdown" yourself as you didn't want it to stop. You have a love/hate relationship with your walker as you love that it takes you places but hate it when you bump into things as you can't seem to steer it away from walls yet. I have caught you scaling the walls walking and your dad says that you took a few steps towards him the other day.

Yup, walking is on your mind. Dog walks have kind of made you a little infuriated as you don't want to be stuck in a carrier or stroller at the moment. I have even made a point of taking your walker to the dog park and let you test it out on the paved paths. AND people find you absolutely adorable, "What beautiful blue eyes and hair you have." You are catching everyone's eye.

Summer is almost coming to an end. We managed to do quite a bit. Picnic lunches with our mom's group, lots of swimming at both beach, outdoor pool, splash park and legislature, visits to see second cousins and great great aunts, corn maze shenanigans, green onions cakes at the fringe, and visits to the park. Plus we can't forget catching the olympics from time to time! Lots of fun.  And you definitely had it! You are pretty fantastic to go out and about as you are definitely a social baby. Anytime you see an older child you go right up to them with a big smile on your face and shout, "Da, Ba!"

As I say, look out world, she is a coming! :)
love