I'm in love

I am so in love with my family!

Grant: Grant is such an amazing Dad. I have so much fun parenting the girls with him. I really feel like I get it now, everything that he an I have been through was leading us to where we are right now. I feel like we are invincible. Our relationship feels so strong. I don't think I have ever been happier than I am right this minute.

Sofia: Continues to amaze me daily. She has such an amazing sense of humour and mischief. At least twice a day she says or does something that makes me think "I need to write that down so I never forget it". She makes me belly laugh at least once a day. She's my sunshine. Today I taught her a new "game", it involves her sitting still with her hands in her lap while I leave the room for varying amounts of time. It's SO funny! Everytime I go back in the room and she hasn't moved I made a big deal about it and she'd say "Do it again Mummy. Go away!" She adores Maizie and is a really attentive big sister. Today we talked about how one day she'll get to teach Maizie to walk. She is so excited.

Maizie: Sofia amazes me daily and Maizie just leaves me in awe. I still can't believe that Grant and I created a person! Does that feeling every go away? It boggles my mind to think about it. Yes I get that millions of people have been doing it for thousands of years ... but it is really freakin' cool! Maizie is changing and growing so fast I sometimes want to freeze time. I snuggle and cuddle her as much as I can because I know that someday she won't be my Itty Bitty anymore (she'll be a busy toddler in the blink of an eye!). I adore breastfeeding her, what a lovely and empowering experience. Maizie gives smiles freely now but also has a pretty decent scowl. She's working on her giggle and really likes it when we repeat her cooing back to her. She tries out different sounds. Today Sofia and I heard her say "goooo BaBa" Maizie has no idea what she said but Sofia couldn't stop talking about it. She said "Mumma Maizie said gooo BaBa. That cool hey? She said BaBa! That funny hey?"

I am in love with my family. I am content and happy. Today is a good day. I am thankful. I know that I am lucky and I appreciate all of it.

Yesterday was Sofias last day of daycare. I'm sad for her but I'm happy for me. I want to raise my own kids, I'm happy that I get the chance to be home with her again. I have only worked for 8 months of the 18 months that we've had her. I know how good daycare was for her and I hope to be able to find a morning program for her a couple of times a week. The socialization is good for her and the break is good for both of us. I don't have to go back to work until October of next year. I have such big plans for the next 10 months!

Sofia cooks

The other night I let Sofia make her own peanut butter "sam-ich". I think more peanut butter when into her mouth than on the bread but she was very proud of herself.

Sisters

I love my brother but I always wanted a sister. There just seems to be a special connection between them. I am loving having two girls so close in age and can see the bond between them beginning to form. Sofia is in love with Maizie and tries to include her. Maizie stares at Sofia and smiles. I know the future holds many power struggles and hurt feelings but it will also be full of sharing and secrets.

Hockey!

is a favourite past time in our house. When the weather is nice Sofia plays road hockey with two boys across the street (the Dads play too). The boys have full goalie gear so who ever is in net is dressed safely. Sofia has taken to wearing her baseball glove to help her stop Daddys shots.

Maizie even took part in a game the other night. Daddy is good at keeping the girls busy while Mummy makes dinner!

The bird makes her smile...

Thanks Melanie & Kira.

Sunday Morning

We have a Sunday morning ritual in our house that involves pajamas, eggs & bacon, coffee, and "Breakfast with the Beatles". It's a ritual that was started by my parents when I was a teenager and I love that it has become part of my adult life too. This passed Sunday (November 1st) we changed things up a bit. Because of the time change we were all up a little early, as soon as I saw the sun was shining I suggested a walk at the lake instead. We picked up breakfast sandwiches and coffee on the way and spent a lovely morning enjoy the fresh air.

Sofia and Qimik off roading

Maizie slept through our outting

Yes, even with two kids I still take pictures of my dog!

Sofia & Daddy log walking

The Dybdal girls! all sporting new knits from Magra. (Thanks Mom!)

Remembering

There is so much I want to remember. Both my girls amaze me, I am thankful for everyday with them and try so desperately to remember every moment. Maizie is just so wide eyed and beautiful, it's so easy to love her. Sofia has us in stitches a few times a day, she has such a great sense of humour but even just her being her makes us laugh. I can't say enough about Sofia, she is such a great girl. She has so many great qualities and I know she is going to grow up to be a lovely person.

Sofia has a stool that is supposed to live in the bathroom to make her more independent in there. Lately she's been moving the stool around the house to help her reach things she isn't supposed to touch. Grant took the stool away because she was using it inappropriately. This cracked me up.

Mumma ~ Sofia, can you go wash your hands.

Sofia ~ No

M ~ Please go and wash your hands.

S ~ No I can't.

M ~ Yes you can. Please go.

S ~ I can't wash hands. Daddy take 'tool away and say "S'ia no more use 'tool" I can't wash hands.

Oops, sorry! At least she had a good excuse.

On Friday afternoon Sofia wanted to play outside so she got on her boots and a jacket and headed out into the backyard. I started straightening the kitchen and Maizie was sleeping. I was watching Sofia blowing bubbles out the kitchen window and feeling weepy because I know that soon she'll be even bigger and more grown up than she is now. As I looked around my messy kitchen I realized that getting my boots & jacket on and going to blow bubbles with my girl was far more important! I went and sat on the picnic table with Sofia and she immediately held the bubble wand up to me and said "Your turn Mumma". She put her hand on my arm and when I blew a few bubbles she said "Good blowing".

We sat there and blew bubbles for 20 minutes or so. I shed a few tears because I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. Sofia saw those tears, gave me a hug, and said "You okay Mumma. You happy. I love you" Then she said, "Daddy come home soon. S'ia say 'come on Daddy, come blow bubbles too.' Daddy come sit 'side S'ia. Move over Mumma so Daddy can sit. We take turns with bubbles. Daddys turn, Mummas turn, S'ia turn, Maizie turn. Oh, Maizie can't blow bubbles, she too small. That's silly" and then she feeling into giggles. Oh how I love those giggles! She has the most infectious giggles.

Sofia has a great memory too. When we drive past places she's been she tells us. Last week we went to a friends birthday party at the McDonalds down the road from us. The following conversation happened on Saturday and again on Sunday...

Sofia~ Look Jesse birthday party. 'Member?

Daddy ~ Yes, that was fun.

Sofia ~ Member Mumma? That was lots of fun, hey?

Mummy ~ Yes, we went there for Jesses' birthday. That was lots of fun. That's McDonalds.

Sofia ~ Old McDonald had a farm E-I-E-I-O

Daddy ~ Sofia, you're adorable

Sofia ~ No, I not adorable I just S'ia!

She continued to sing all the way home while Grant & I laughed. On Sunday we laughed even harder! We drove passed the McDonalds 6 times this weekend and every time we talked about Jesses birthday party.

She also does it with things that people have given her. I think she can pick out any book on her bookshelf and tell you who gave it to her, and she's the same with her clothes and toys. This morning I put a fleece on her and she said "Magra gave that to you. Thank you Magra Mmm cozy"

Sofia has one more month of daycare and then she will be staying home with Maizie and I. I am so torn. I can't wait to have her home with me but she loves daycare so much it's going to be so hard to tell her she can't go anymore. I really hope that I can provide enough fun and activities for her and she enjoys staying home with me and isn't too sad.

Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en! Hallowe'en! Trick or Treat!

I dressed Sofia in black & orange for the day. She is wearing her Misfits shirt (skull on the front) but she wouldn't pose for a picture.

I dress Maizie in this pretty Christmas Fairy outfit

(that I borrowed from Sofias Build-a-Bear!)

Sofia had her own pumpkin this year. After she'd cleaned it out the first time she kept putting the guts back in it so she could clean it out again and again.

My job is to pick out the seeds and bake them.

Sofia & Daddy carving her pumpkin

Sofia was SO EXCITED for trick or treating that this was the best picture I could get!

A very tired princess!

Who ever decided to turn the clocks back on Hallowe'en night was sure using their heads. What a great idea! Sofia stayed up an hour past her bedtime but once the clocks were set back it was like she went to bed on time! I think the time change was absorbed pretty well and I haven't noticed that Sofia is having trouble with it.