2012: Year in Review

It wouldn't be NYE without the annual year in review blog post, that sums up the year via month by month blog highlights.

While I am thankful for the overall health and happiness of my family and friends, I can't say that I am totally upset to see 2012 come to a close. Its been a stressful year... balancing family and work life,  struggling to see the upside of Budget 2012, a few unexpected visits to the hospital, and overall financial challenges of raising our young family.  There have been highs and lows like any year, but in the end I am home with my three favourite people tonight and looking forward to everything 2013 has to offer.

As I ring in the new year I want to be better organized in all aspects of life, so I can inhale the little things in life... mainly just spending precious time with my boys, and being present in their lives while they are at such a fun and inspiring age.

As I look back on 2012, I am thankful for all of the little moments I have been able to share with you via this blog, and I am thankful that you continue to check up on me every once and a while (minus the crazy stalker types)!

So here is 2012 ... in review.

January
Here goes nothing (back to work)
Birthday Wrap-Up

February
Fun on the Rideau Canal
Dramatic First Haircut

March
So long preschool!

April
Truly Blessed
Mixed Emotions
24 Pounds of Trouble (H starts walking)

May
Best job in the world!
We have a soccer player!

June
130-O Reunion Weekend

July
Everything happens for a reason
Poolside

August
A couple of firsts
Va-cay!!!

September
E's First Day of School
Lucky Number Seven

October
Emery: Age 4
The birthday project for Mom

December
Hudson: Age 2
E's First Christmas Concert!
Merry Christmas!

So long 2012... and all the best to you and yours in 2013!

 

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone is taking some time today to enjoy the magic of Christmas, I know we are!

Wishing each of you the joy of the season and all the best for 2013.

 (Photos by Sara McConnell Photography, design by A Pretty Little Party)

 

Christmas Eve!

It's here! All of the anticipation and stress of the season comes to a close tonight - your either ready or your not.  I am hovering between the two right now!!

It's been a busy few months (both at home and at work) and I am looking forward to a little break after we get through the next few exciting days.

I love this time of year with the boys... their sense of excitement and anticipation is really what keeps me going.  I have been up late consecutive nights for what seems like most of December. With H's birthday now behind us, it doesn't leave much time to get ready for the arrival of St. Nick - or anytime to catch up on lost sleep.

Who needs sleep... right?!

Sleep or no sleep, it really is worth it to see their faces and to listen to them recount events surrounding the season.

I hope each of you have a special Christmas Eve, whether it be with family or friends, or just time to yourself for quiet reflection.  We are blessed to have been given this life... and its special occasions like these that really remind me what's important. It's not money, or things, or status... but truly to be surrounded by good people and to be loved.


I am off to spend some time with my boys... enjoy Christmas!

Photos by Sara McConnell Photography

Emery's First Christmas Concert!

Last week we attended E's Kindergarten Christmas Concert. It was a collection of the four JK classes at his school and each class did a presentation of three numbers. It was THE CUTEST.

 The teachers did a great job in coming up with fun ideas and then practicing with the classes so that they could perform in front of a large audience.  I was quite impressed!

The morning of the concert as we were getting ready to go out the door, I said to E 'have fun at your concert today', and he replied a little puzzled and said 'you and Daddy are gonna be there aren't you?' and I told that we would be, and then he said 'well don't panic if you don't see me, cause we have to come in, in the dark and then there gonna put the spot light on us (insert sound affect here.... pssssssh) and then you gonna see me'!

I was laughing! The spot light definitely did come on and E went all Hollywood on us with his hand in front of his face as if to say 'no pictures please'.  Eventually he adjusted to the lights and when we wasn't focused on something going on around him, he screamed sang and danced along with the class.

You will notice he is wearing his 'BLAZER' as he likes to call it. I had picked out another outfit for him to wear, but he insisted on wearing his 'BLAZER' and had to have it buttoned right up. After twenty minutes of trying to convince him that he should save that for his Christmas Eve outfit (as originally planned) I caved and let him wear it when I could see how important it was to him.

All in all, it was a very cute day, BLAZER and all. It these little moments that make me see how quickly my big boy is growing. Great job at the concert E, we love you!

If you are really interested in seeing the whole cuteness factor, you can watch the video.

If the video doesn't load you can go here to view directly on You Tube.

Hudson: Age 2

Sweet lovable Huddy Buddy! Today you are two years old. You are changing by the minute, and your baby days are evaporating before our eyes.

I look back on the last 24 months and wonder where the time has gone. Two years ago we welcomed you into our family as the best Christmas gift we have ever received and today we are gathering family and friends to help you blow out your candles, again, just nine days before Christmas. 

I am amazed at the little man you have become. You started walking in April and by May you were running EVERYWHERE.  You've almost mastered the stairs going up them and now going down them step by step, and often times standing up (with a drink in one hand and a ball in the other). One of your favourite activities is to throw a ball from the bottom of the stairs up to the top and then laugh hysterically as it trickles back down to the bottom.  You could literally do that for hours!

You are a quick boy... if you are thinking about something, you are doing it almost immediately - like getting a knife out of the top drawer to cut open your frozen yogurt treat.  We never had to baby proof the house too much with your brother, but you've ensured that we didn't miss that step with you!

You are now 33 inches tall, and a solid 29 lbs. You have a big appetite. You are not so keen on veggies, but are definitely a meat and potatoes kind of guy. You often eat up your meal quite quickly and then eye your brother's plate beside you as if to say 'are you done yet?'

You are a demanding little man... when you want something, you want it - NOW! If we decide to tell you NO, you take it very hard, but then have this way about you to plead your case on why you have to have something your way.

You are stubborn, yet caring. When you've done something wrong or not nice, we encourage you to say sorry, and you give us the eyes and that lip, but eventually you do make your way over to offer a hug to the person or thing you've done wrong to. Its one of the cutest things to witness (on a daily basis)!

You've started talking a lot more in the recent months.  You definitely have a lot of your own non-audible conversations in a day, but more and more the words are coming together. Our favourite expression of conversation is when we try to put you bed, and you immediately demand 'up, book, rock' in that order! You know what you want, and if your words aren't understood, you resort to a very firm finger point (often pointing towards 20 things, but we eventually narrow it down to 1 and tell you the word for that).

You love to say 'uh-oh' and are getting really good with with 'peas' and 'tank-you'. When we tell you you can't do something for a specific reason you say 'oh' with such cuteness, as if to say, 'I had no idea but thanks for letting me know' - and then you do it anyways! Your favourite animal is a 'woof-woof' and you really enjoy the show 'Jake & the Neverland Pirates' - hence the theme for your second birthday party. When the music to that show comes on, look out dance moves! You love to listen to music and dance with your brother. You've got some pretty cool moves that ladies enjoy!

You are a shy boy! In new situations or in meeting new people, your immediate reaction is hide your head, or cover your face. It takes a while to warm you up to new things but once you are comfortable with a situation, its hard to break you away from it. You have an infectious laugh. When you think something is funny or someone makes you laugh, you usually have the whole room laughing right a long with you.

You like to help out and if we give you a job to do, you are very enthusiastic about it. Sometimes you initiate the jobs on your own - like putting away dishes out of the dishwasher or swiffering the floors!

You are still a good little sleeper... some nights you like to stay up later than your brother but you don't mind sleeping every chance you get. On the weekends and in the evenings you love to play outside but now that the snow is here, you aren't such a fan of getting ready in all the winter gear.

As you embark on your third year, I want you to know how special you are to our family, and how much you are loved. I know you will always be the baby of the family, and I will cling to any opportunity to savour those moments, but at the same time I can't wait to see what this year has in store for you. You are the spark plug of our family, you get us going and bring an element of sass and attitude that we were definitely missing! We love your silliness, and love your determination to succeed!

We are so proud of the little boy you are, we love you so much and are so thankful for the joy you bring to our lives. Thank you for being you... and for being my baby boy! Daddy and I love you today and always. Hugs and kisses little man. 

Love Mom xxoo