Christmas on Clarence

The past couple weeks we have enjoyed multiple Christmas gatherings here at Clarence Rd. One, with family and a few with friends, but all were complete with lots of food (Grandma Wedlake style) and lots of laughs and fun. My handyman and I had a great time getting our house ready for the parties with our first tree as a married couple, as well as other decorations and some more finishing touches on the house. The garage was also gifted with its walls and work will continue to be done as the break goes on.

Our little man was able to meet Santa for the first time and asked for lots and lots of MILK for Christmas...


Garage walls in place...


A new toy/much needed snow remover :)


Neighborhood boys...all within 11 weeks of each other!

4 generations of Hurton men. Such a great picture to have!


More Christmas pictures to come!

A Letter.

In our little man's baby book, the last page is left for a letter. I wrote it today and thought I would share it here.

I wanted to wait awhile before completing this page of the book, in order to give us some time to get to know each other. Today, you turn 15 weeks old. It is Christmas time and as I write this, you are sleeping & I am looking at our first Christmas tree as a family of 3. It’s hard to believe that you are only 15 weeks, as it is hard to imagine life without you. You have turned my world upside down but have also filled my heart with the purest, most wonderful love. You and I have started to figure each other out, which has made both of our lives easier as I think we are both easier for each other to predict. I now know how much you love to move, whether it is in the car, stroller or swing. Most recently, you have really started to recognize me and give me a huge toothless smile every time I pass you by. You love to tell me stories and copy whatever noises I make back at you. You LOVE the lights of the TV and you strain your neck to try and catch a glimpse of whatever is on. I have had to start turning it off to get you to pay attention to me! You are a great sleeper at night, but still struggle with your daytime naps. I have come to accept this about you, thinking that you are simply too interested in what is going on and do not want to miss out on anything. I don’t blame you as I am the same way. Most of your awake time is spent sucking on your thumb or fist, making me think that teeth are in our near future. I cannot believe how much you have changed already and know that this is just the beginning. You look exactly like your Dad but so far seem to have more of my personality, which worries me a little bit :)

Oh little man, we love you to the moon and back. On your Daddy and my wedding day, I told him that nobody loved him like I do and always know that that applies to you too. I will spend the rest of my life making sure that you know that. Your Dad and I were there from your first breath, and loved you for you right from that first moment. I don’t remember much of my labour with you, as it was so incredibly quick. I do however vividly remember the moment you were placed on my chest. At that moment, I felt like the world paused and for just a minute, and there was nobody but us 3. We were instantly joined as a family. You make your Dad and I so happy, and also make us wonder so much about the kid, teenager and adult you will become. My hope is that no matter where life takes you, you will always feel like home is a safe, happy place where above all else, we love and respect each other. Our Clarence Road home is still a work in progress, but even without cupboard doors, a garage or the other projects on hold, you make this place feel complete and you did from the very first day you came home.

You just woke up and I know that you will greet me with a huge smile when I lean over your crib to get you. You are my most favorite little person, bub. Your father and you are the loves of my life & my whole world begins and ends with you both.

Love you to the moon,

Mama

xoxo

What a difference 15 Weeks can make.

Week One

Week 15

Clarence Road Update

Now that volleyball season has come to a close, my handyman has had a few minutes to do a few finishes to our Clarence Road home. Last week, we hosted a party for about 30 friends, 11 of which are small people whose parents desperately needed our railing complete and gate in place so that they could relax and enjoy the party. Thankfully by party time, it was all complete and ready!


This weekend will see some much needed work/cleanup done on our mess of a basmement where you could currently find an array of things, piled on top of each other & covered in saw dust - not the organized storage area that I am so desperate for. I can't wait to get my hands dirty & get organized so that we can utilize the 1500+ square feet of space we have down there.

Other than that, things have been slowing down around here, just in time to gear right back up for Christmas. Days spent entirely at home are multiplying for our little man and me as the temperatures drop and snow continues to fall and I am getting more and more used slowing down and prioritizing whether or not we really need to go anywhere. In the mean time at home, we have been keeping busy...

Blooper Reel

Grandma W needed a picture of the 5 grandkids...it took us 4 different attempts, but we finally got her one where everyone is looking at the camera and nobody is crying. Here are some of our failed attempts...

Oh how we miss them already...

This past weekend, our little man, Mr. Trooper, Sweet Girl and their mother (Tante ? - we will have to think of something!) ventured to St Thomas, Ontario to visit our wonderful nieces and their parents. We have an amazing trip and although I think we were ALL very tired by Sunday night, it was so much fun!



Thanks so much for having us! Can't wait to see you all again soon!!!

An Anniversary to Remember

Today is Grandma and Grandpa W's wedding anniversary...68 years. All of those years they spent together, except for about 10 months. I don't think I ever thought I would miss them as much as I do. I am so glad that they are reunited, in love walking hand in hand, laughing, playing & just being together but that doesn't make me miss either of them any less. I think of each of them multiple times each and every day and am continually thankful that I had 28 years to spend with them. Although it was time, it was so hard to say goodbye and I can only imagine how it will be to see them again. Happy Anniversary Grandma & Grandpa - we love you and are so glad you are together to celebrate.

Look at me!

Some much needed time.

It has been too long since the 3 of us had some time together. With volleyball season coming to a close, more time should be in our future - something we are so looking forward to.

Love these two to the moon and back...



We have so little time to the 3 of us, that I almost forgot how fun it is. A simple trip to the mall reminded me just how awesome it is to be a family & to enjoy each other. I am so lucky to have these two. Nothing makes me happier than enjoying our little man together. Someday (hopefully) it won't just be the 3 of us anymore and I want to make sure we cherish this time as our little man's personality comes out more and more each day.

Loads and loads of love.

Payback.

There is a song that plays frequently on the radio that makes me cry almost every time. The song is "if he's anything like me" by Brad Paisley and here are the words:

I remember sayin' I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy I'm okay
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said, "You see that thing right there, well you know what that means"

I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me

He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike too fast
End up every summer wearin' something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street

He's gonna get in trouble, oh he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

I can see him right now, knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass tryin' to melt the Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on?
That'll be his first love 'til his first love comes along

He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket, he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skippin' class and be grounded for a week

He's gonna get into trouble, we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

He's gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by and I already dread the day

He's gonna hug his momma, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he can't wait to leave
But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out if he's anything like me
There's worst folks to be like, oh he'll be alright if he's anything like me

Not only does this song makes me think so much about our little man growing up & imagining who he will be in 5, 10, 20 years and on, it also makes me think back to growing up myself. One summer, my sister and I thought it would be a good idea to practice pitching up against the garage and surprise, broke one of the windows on it. I remember that we had to split the $24 our of our allowances that it cost to fix it. The part in the song about losing sleep makes me think about the countless times I came home very late from work, or from just being out to find my mom reading on the couch or watching TV downstairs. I always asked her why she was up, even though I always knew it was because she couldn't sleep until I was home. The last part of the song brings me back to when I left for BC. I remember not crying or being emotional at all until the last night I was home where I sobbed my eyes out on my parents bed. As much as I wanted to go and was excited to leave, I also knew that I was going to miss them and home so much. My long distance phone bill in BC proved that each and every month!

I think it's so neat to wonder and dream about who our man will become as the years go on. I want nothing more than for him to be a strong, confident, independent man, however realize that it too will be difficult to watch the years pass, each one where he needs me a little less. I can only hope that we create as many great memories as I have of growing up.

Is Beauty on the Outside?

This past weekend, our Clarence Road home was treated to a bit of an exterior makeover. The front siding went up and our the scratch coat was completed where stone will eventually go. Additionally, the garage is ready to have its grade beam poured which means it is close to seeing walls & a roof. We have been so lucky that the weather has been so cooperative which has allowed our exterior work to continue even though we are almost halfway through November.



I couldn't post a blog without at least one picture of our little guy:

Potpourri.

Life has been moving at warp speed around here - our little man turned 2 whole months just a few days ago and celebrated by getting a needle in each leg. Not how I would chose to spend my birthday, however it's just part of getting older! He took them like the champ that he is. His thunder thighs may have also softened the blow! :)


We also celebrated our first Hallowe'en and made sure to stop in at Grandma and Grandpa's so they could see the fabulous outfit that they gifted him when he was first born. It's a good thing Hallowe'en wasn't a week later as I'm not sure it would have still fit! On Clarence Road we had a grand total of 0 kids so I guess we will need to travel to trick or treat in the future. Plus, I don't think it would be very efficient to trick or treat in an area where houses are kilometers from each other - I guess you would get your work out in though! He doesn't look particularly happy in the 2nd picture - maybe that's because he didn't get any candy?



I haven't updated much on the house lately as school has been incredibly busy for my handyman. We have been able to purchase some new furniture though which has filed up the space nicely. Our fireplace is functional now which will be nice as the nights get colder. It will eventually be boxed in to the ceiling and stoned. We also will be ordering our cupboard door fronts soon which along with a backsplash will finish the kitchen! Siding and garage are happening soon too - lots of work happening on Clarence (at least on our side of the street :)) (that comment is for the boys ;)).

Hello Snow.

We had our first snow around here last night and woke up to a white canvas all around us. I am sure that all this snow will be gone as quickly as it came as the temperature has not been below zero during the day, however we enjoyed a few minutes of the calmness that a fresh snow brings.

Our garage will be built shortly so the boys spend the snowy morning getting the footings ready to go. I am so glad that we will have a winter free of scraping off windshields and brushing off snow.


This past week, we also had a few more firsts in our Clarence Road home. Our little man received his first piece of mail. I realize that I am "outing" his name by posting this picture, however I would like to point out that his Grandma already had in one of her previous posts so I didn't do it first!


We also had a visit from some friends who have a little boy who is 2 months older than ours. Right now, they seem to be at such different stages, however I'm sure in a year or so, you will hardly be able to notice the difference and they will be great friends.


We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next Clarence Road boy, soon to be born to our wonderful next door neighbors. Due date is in a few short weeks!

Our little man is now 8 weeks old and will be a full 2 months in only 2 days. In the few weeks since his arrival he has experienced his first Thanksgiving, will have his first Halloween tomorrow and Christmas is not far away. There is definitely a lot to celebrate. In our house we are celebrating some pretty small things these days, like how our little man gets a little happier every day, and rewards us with lots of smiles and cooes - something this Mama needs to make the not so happy moments seem easier.

Tank & Goodbyes

Well it's official, we have ourselves a little tank. At 7 weeks, he is now 13lbs 9.5 ounces. Hard to believe that he is more than 6lbs heavier than he was when we first met him!


We love to tell stories to our friends the birds!

Yesterday, we said goodbye to one of the most wonderful women I have ever been blessed to know. My Grandma has been so special to me for my entire life. I was lucky enough to have her at every important moment of my life thus far - sports events, graduations, big moves, our wedding and she was even able to meet our little man. I can honestly say that in my entire 28 years of life, I have never felt anything but pure, unconditional love from her. I don't think that there was anyone who was more proud to be part of our family. She was an incredibly hard working Mom, a devoted wife of over 60 years, a great friend, a very good listener, and ultimately wanted nothing more than to see the people she loved achieving their goals and basically to just be happy. I learnt so much from her about what it means to sacrifice for your family - something that she did for many, many years. I also learnt how important it is to laugh, even through difficult times, how to love unconditionally, and how to make WAY too much food at family dinners (a trait we share). I am so happy that she is now herself again and that she is with the love of her life and other family members and friends that she missed dearly.

I will cherish this picture forever as I'm sure our little man will too. I want him to know how special she was to me...and how much she loves him even though their time together was not long. I am sure that she is so proud of him already and hope that she will be proud of me for the Mom that I am and the Mom I will be for the rest of my life. I know I will never be as good of one as she was, but will always try to be - as her example was one of the best I can think of.

Benjamin Button.

Here he is, our very own Benjamin Button...at times, he could pass for an 85 year old man, exhausted after a good meal.


Speaking of good meals, we (as in he, I hope!) are definitely chunking up around here! I can hardly believe how much he has filed out already. So much, that bath time takes a little longer to get into all those folds.

Is it gas, or a smile? We like to think that he is just so happy to be with us, that he can't help but smiling!

Having just celebrated Thanksgiving, it would be impossible not to feel a touch emotional when trying to wrap my head around how much there is to be thankful for around here on Clarence Road. We have a loving family, amazing friends, a beautiful home, an awesomly awesome marriage that gets even more awesome every day, and most importantly, the most perfect little man that knows nothing but LOVE. He has already taught me so much about what is really important in life as it is not whether or not the house is clean, errands are run or laundry is folded but rather that I take time to enjoy simply being this little guys mama. Thank you buddy, for getting me to slow down and savour every moment - even the ones at 4am. Love you to the moon.

Sunrise, Sunset & Things we like.

This time of year is so beautiful with the leaves changing & falling. We have been so lucky to have some amazing weather with calm mornings, warm days, and peaceful nights.

Sunrise from our bedroom window.


Sunset from the porch.


Our little man is now 5 weeks old & growing every day. We are definitely starting to chub up!

Here are a few of our favorite things...

The Swing...


A few minutes in the morning with Daddy & puppy...


Our nightly bath...