Blowin' Off Steam!

My darling boy brings so much humor to our lives since he decided (just over a year ago now) that he would actually like to communicate via speaking. (he was REALLY delayed in talking)

He has more than caught up for his late start & is cracking us up all the time.

Just had to share a moment shared across the dinner table tonight. After seeing "the face" on my son, I asked him,"Evan, did you toot?" (our word for passing gas) I was intent on teaching a lesson on manners. This quickly went out the window when he very cooly replied:

"Nope, it was just steam."

All sense of maturity & decorum was gone as we all totally lost it!

Seriously! Kids are hilarious!!

Look Mom! No Cavities!

It's that time of year for our family - Dentist appointments.

I don't mind the dentist - we have a really good one. Since the kids have gotten old enough, I have the irony of getting anxious about making sure they are relaxed about the whole thing. Especially first visits since I know how it can make things so much easier, or difficult, in the future.

We have no problem brushing or flossing any of our kids' teeth - they are very cooperative & we've been doing it since the first ones came through, so they're very used to it.

Averie is GREAT at the dentist! Sits still, mouth open, handles fluoride - no problem. The dental assistant always LOVES doing Averie's teeth :)

Today was Evan's first time to be a patient at the dentist (we have our kids come & watch us/siblings at the dentist starting when they are around 2 years old). He has a more nervous personality than Averie & handles things better when he knows exactly what will happen (just like his mom). We've watched a couple shows about going to the dentist & have discussed at length all that would take place... then topped it off with "encouragement" in the form of a new Thomas train he picked out at the toy store yesterday, which he could have after his appointment today if he was a "big brave boy".

He did SO great! They didn't bother with fluoride as he hasn't totally grasped the "don't swallow" concept of tooth care. They didn't want to risk an upset tummy. He was such a big boy & never hesitated - followed instructions perfectly. So proud!

And the best part?? No cavities all around!

Graham & I also squeaked our cleanings/check-ups in there so everybody is good until next year!

On the perpetual Mom-to-do list:
Dentist - check!

Super Mega Happy Fun Day!

In my care free single days, there were occasions that I so fondly remember....

I would, also on occasion, take a "non-sick" day from work. This is a practice I aim to continue with my children. I think it is more than healthy & critical for happiness to remember that we work to live, not live to work.

On these days, I could always count on my "perpetually, er, I mean... conveniently unemployed, male best friend in the world" - Adam to accompany me. The phone call would go something like this:

*Ring, Ring*
Adam: Hello?
Me: I'm not going to work today... (even my voice would be smiling!)
Adam: *gasp* you mean?...
Me: Oh ya, Baby!

Both: SUPER MEGA HAPPY FUN DAY!!!

We would spend the day going where we wanted, doing what we wanted & generally just have one of those days where you take a LOT of deep breaths & LOVE being alive.

It's been longer than it should have been.

Today was Super Mega Happy Fun Day with my kids.

Phase 1: Playdate at the park - province wide Pro-D Day (re: no school) + BEAUTIFUL sunshine + good girlfriends + everyones cute kids = such a fun morning!

Phase 2: Head to White Rock for great buy from Craigslist. Seller just happens to live 1 1/2 blocks from the beach! *jealous*
Many a Super Mega Happy Fun Day was spent at the Pier in White Rock...
* 5 cents wings at the Ocean Beach Hotel
* More Ice Cream than I can count
* wading with Alana after church (still in our church clothes) - there's nothing quite like walking through wet sand in your bare feet with your high heels in your hand :) *sigh*
*so many groups of friends, walking & talking...
* so many sunsets enjoyed...

* it also was where Graham & I had our first "official" date. And where 4 months later, on a cold January night (the 6th to be exact), he asked me to marry him.

TOO many great memories to pass up the opportunity to spend a little R&R there with the kidlets...

The kids in the exact spot that Graham proposed to me a little over 7 years ago *sigh* :)

Phase 3: Head to the Toy Store for a little bribery... er, I mean encouragement for Evan, as he has his first "real" dentist appointment tomorrow. He can be a little more timid about these things & I find if he gets to choose his "encouragement", then things go pretty smoothly.

As luck would have it, Graham was done work by this time & was able to meet us at the toy store. Yay!

Phase 4: A very yummy (& kid friendly) dinner at Montana's - Yumm! Ribs all around!

Daddy coloring on the table (one of the best things at Montana's!), Averie enjoying her first ribs & Brynlea enjoying her first ice cream cone (mini, of course)
- pardon the quality, I resorted to the cell phone camera after leaving the other in the van :P

Phase 5: Home to bed!

Every once in a while as Moms we get those days. The ones that make it all worth while. Everybody gets along... the plans all come to pass without a hitch... we get to really enjoy each other.

Today I got to do a lot of good deep breathing.

It feels awesome.

I miss you, Adam!

Baby Fears

I can recall when Averie was around Brynlea's age now (10 1/2 months) that she really didn't like me to have a towel wrapped around my head after a shower. It really unnerved her.

Ya, she pretty much freaked.

These fears in babies make me so curious. What was it she was imagining was happening to me that was so terrifying? Or maybe it was just a complete lack of understanding that led to it... totally irrational. Ignorance breads fear, so they say.

We have discovered Brynlea's irrational fear...

Graham's headphones.

I am as clueless to this fear as I was of Averie's, but it is certainly real to her...

You have to see it to believe:

Ignore my heartless giggling through the whole thing...
I do really love my children...
BUT did you SEE that face?!?!

It's like she is staring down a monster!

TOO funny!

Seriously?!?!

The battle rages on...

Me against this hideous "fat suit" that unfortunately was built without a zipper.

I call it a fat suit because it is not "Me" - not the me I want to be anyway. So I feel like I'm trapped inside this "thing" that I can't seem to shake. It's claustrophobic & depressing.

Last week was a real beat down.

Score 1 for the fat suit.

Last Friday at weigh in. No loss at all. EXACTLY the same as the week before. It is almost an out of body experience for me when I stare so incredulously at the stupid little mocking numbers on the scale.

I wish I was a person who enjoyed exercising. Endorphins & all that.

I am not.

Daily exercise like I have been attempting in recent weeks is a constant battle for me. I don't look forward to it. Don't enjoy it & want to quit the entire time I'm doing it. I don't like being sweaty. Don't like being sore. So when I spend a week with so much of my PRECIOUS spare time engaging in an activity I... well pretty much loathe... I'm sorry, but there must be results.

After that much effort & little or no results? Let's just say freak out - doesn't even come CLOSE to cutting it. The mental tailspin is enough to make me want to crawl in bed & stay there.

I enjoy stretching. I like the flexibility I feel returning. I sometimes think the best form of exercise for me would be yoga, or some form of dancing... belly dancing really appeals to me.

Now enters the catch 22 - I'm too fat for yoga (at least in any official "class" format) & belly dancing?? There's a little too much "jiggle in the jello" for that! LOL

But they are both things I want to do when I get to a more feasible weight class. (may do the video & Wii Fit thing in the meantime)

The plot thickens...
this week was Graham's birthday week... due to scheduling & just the fact that he is my favorite person EVER, there was much celebration. We went out for dinner twice on the weekend. I generally am staying on course with my eating, except for those occasions, but yesterday was his ACTUAL birthday - steak. potatoes. cesar salad... birthday cake & ice cream. Yup.

Did I mention I also didn't exercise ALL week??

I didn't plan to weigh in this morning. My morbid curiosity got the better of me. I FULLY expected to have gained the meager few pounds I had managed to lose.

Result? I LOST 1.5 pounds!! The most 1 week loss I have had since I STARTED this whole thing!! Seriously?!?! It's enough to make a person go crazy.

I will take it - and from here on out, I am having a different approach. I think I did too much too fast. I'm going to mellow out a bit. Not so much pressure. Take it down a notch so to speak.

It seems to be the only way my body responds. Slow & steady.

Lame.

The Birthday - Part 2

Saturday was the "party" part of Graham's birthday.

First, we shipped off our 2 older kids to Nanny & Grandpa's for a sleepover (Brynlea's a little young yet, so we had a sitter lined up for her).

I had a newborn photoshoot in the afternoon (I LOVE my job!) and then Graham's good buddy, Rob arrived before we headed out for dinner & they enjoyed some Star Wars Lightsaber Duels on the Wii... at least I sure enjoyed watching them! LOL

After Graham had a sufficiently humbling butt-kicking, we headed out for dinner. Since he really isn't the "crowd" type, we just invited a few of our friends to join us at Graham's current favorite restaurant, Wings.

They have 20 flavors of wings, including one so hot you have to sign a waiver to eat it (uh, no thank you.) and you order your wings by the pound. It's definitely a "guys" kind of restaurant, but us ladies enjoyed the food, too.

Some of our buds.


Here is Graham with his FIVE POUNDS of wings in 4 flavors...
BEFORE...


And AFTER...


Oh ya, he's STILL not hungry (and I am posting this on Monday! LOL)


Then they were nice enough to finish it off with a free piece of white chocolate cheesecake! Yum!

After dinner, the guys headed out for a little werewolf/vampire action & watched the new Underworld movie. The girls headed over to Amberlee's for some HILARIOUS & enjoyable conversation till the boys returned.

Graham was very happy. We are so lucky to have such great friends that make occassions like this so great.