My life, as I now know it.

There was nobody prouder than I, the day that Colin started to crawl. Just like after his first smile, first rollover, and first unassisted sitting stretch, I beamed with excitement and emotion for him. He has been so close to crawling for so long, and has had his fair share of frustration along the way. Tuesday, the day he finally figured it out, will go down in history as the day everything changed. He is now a completely different kid and our days are very different. Less than a week ago our playtime was spent in about a 10 x 10 foot area where his toys and the occasional pot and spoon were the entertainment. Today, everything but actual toys are our desire. Here are a few of the "toys" we have discovered.




Keep in mind that these 3 openings are the only ones missing cupboard doors in our kitchen at this point. Colin obviously noted that as he immediately went straight for them. Jake's bowls have also been moved to the mudroom as they were a BIG hit with the little man. I had to laugh when the night after they got moved Jake was sitting next to where they used to be, crying for his supper. We have since clued in to the big move. He will thank me when he gets to eat his meals in peace, rather than deal with a beard pulling, always screeching, crazy little boy.

The other morning I was getting a bunch of food ready for a BBQ I was attending that night. Part of my prep included cooking a package of bacon and then cutting it into small pieces. Bacon is pretty much the ultimate for Jake so as you can imagine, he was sitting directly beneath me, willing even the slightest piece to fall off my cutting board. Colin, was roaming around, playing in the tupperware drawer when he started to make a bee-line for Jake. If I could have been in Jake's brain for those few moments, I would have definitely taken the chance. I can just imagine it went something like this:

"I love bacon. I really hope a piece of bacon falls off the counter. I will so be eating any piece that falls quicker than that lady can pick it up. If she says no after it falls, I will just pretend I didn't hear her, kind of like I always do. Oh no, here comes that snot nosed kid again. He is getting pretty fast. He is totally going to grab my beard and my feet. I hate it when he grabs my beard and my feet. But the bacon...sweet, sweet bacon. I will hold my ground."

And that, he did. And his beard and feet were in fact pulled on. Obviously we now know that in Jake's world, there is very little he won't do for even a chance at the smallest crumb of bacon.

I like to think that I did a lot of things smartly in this house...at least in my opinion I did. To date, the smartest thing however has been my placement of the tupperware drawer. It is the lowest of the island drawers, and the first as you come around the corner. It is Colin's go to drawer and I love that I don't have to worry about anything when he explores it. It is as if his toys and play mat do not exist any longer. He has the world to explore.

I love/am scared of the look in his eye in the picture below. I almost feel like he is saying..."Watch out. I am here, I am big, and I can move. I will break things."

Next house job...gate at the top of the stairs :)

The day everything changed.

Life as we know it, is over. O-V-E-R.

He can now move. More on my feelings on that later, for now, enjoy the show.

A lesson in trust.

It is hard to believe it, but exactly one year ago, the hole that has since been filled with this house that I sit in today, was dug. Since that day in June, one year ago, so much has happened. A house has been built from the ground up and along side it, our family has too.

It is hard to put into words what it was like to go through the process of building this house and I'm sure that Jason and I would have very different thoughts on the subject. For him, I know, it was a lot of hard manual labor and a LOT of stress. It was a true test in organization, in patience and in stamina. For me, the organization and patience played a role too, but ultimately, the whole process was simply and purely a test of faith. I needed to trust in many, many things in order to make it through this whole ordeal. First off, I needed to trust Jason. He was the one completing the work, or getting the right people to do so. Jason was also in charge of the money and ensuring that at the end of the day, we could actually afford to live in the house we had put so much time and effort into. He did not disappoint and carried through his end of the bargain which doesn't surprise me in the least. If Jason is anything in life, he is someone you can trust to do what he said he was going to do. The day I married him, I put all my trust in him, knowing that the promise we were making to each other was a forever deal. Just as saying "yes" was so easy on our wedding day, trusting that we weren't getting too far over our heads and wallets was another easy one for me.

Far more difficult than trusting Jason, was in fact, trusting myself. Simply and most basically, I needed to trust that I would like the way the house came together. Even though Jason was consulted and did have a say, I made most of the cosmetic choices in our home. From the layout, to the wall colours, to the appliances and flooring, I sourced, priced, and selected it all. Obviously Jason was around to affirm my choices and a-ok the dollar figure associated, however he trusted me to see them all through. There were multiple times throughout the summer where I questioned what I had chosen and how it would all come together but in the end knew that I needed to just trust. I read in an In Style magazine once that when renovating or building you simply need to pick things you like, and trust that your personal style and signature will pull it all together. So this is what I went with and for the most part, I am happy with what I chose. Things I didn't like, I changed, and luckily for us, the big ticket items were love at first install and there were only a few, insignificant decor choices that were quickly altered or rethought.

Lastly, I needed to trust that our expected baby would wait until the right time to join us in our new home. Up until 2 days before he was born, we were still moving from the apartment into the house and it wasn't until the day he was born that we actually left the apartment for the last time. If Colin had been born any sooner, we also wouldn't have had any Hydro as they hooked us up only hours before coming home with him from the hospital. This baby of ours was truly on time. Very prompt and courteous, right from the start.

When I think back to last summer, I really only remember two frustrating/uncomfortable parts: being ridiculously pregnant and driving up and down route 90 picking up materials. I think Jason and I would both agree that now that the house is far from where we started, all the stress, long work hours, and deadline worries are not in fact what we remember. Instead, we remember the milestone days where big projects were complete, the after work BBQ's with our crew, and all in all, the summer where we built this house of our dreams.

Of course, the work continues around here in order to one day claim that the house is finished, however that goal seems far less important as it once did. For the first time this past weekend, Jason and I did something I don't think we have ever done...we puttered. With a few projects on the go right now around here, we worked here and there at them all, with no agenda, no time line, and no ultimate plan. At the end of each day, I felt great about what we had accomplished. Maybe it is was fact that most major projects are complete now, or maybe it was the fact that I know we will have so much more time to work around the house over the next 3 months than we have ever had, however, for whatever reason, it was fun. Either way, one year later we are a lot closer to completing our to do list and have enjoyed each and every day we have gotten to spend out here. This house has already seen many family and friend gatherings, new babies, a families first Christmas tree, and a whole heck of a lot of food in it's one year, I can only imagine was it will see in the next 40+ years we call it home.

Happy 1st Birthday, Clarence Rd!

P2.

For the past number of months, talk of the NHL returning to Winnipeg has monopolized our televisions, newspapers, radios and conversations. Talk in this house has been no different...at least when it comes to Jason. I have never been, nor do I think I will ever be, a huge hockey fan. My Dad didn't watch a lot of hockey growing up, I never played hockey growing up, and to this day, I would watch many other sports before opting for a game. I have nothing against the sport, and do watch it from time to time (when Jason has it on), but it has just never been my thing.

When the opportunity came our way to invest in a share of some season tickets, I knew immediately that Jason would want to. Being the understanding, generous wife that I am, I somewhat even convinced him that we could make it work financially and he should just do it. In actuality, I just couldn't imagine listening to him sulk about not having the tickets for the next 5 years. So we went for it. We are now the proud owners of 2 tickets, somewhere in the P2 price bracket, for about 10 or 11 games next season. Jason is beyond excited. I am excited too, but for different reasons than one might think. Here are a few:

1. The snacks - I love snacks. Even more than my love for snacks, is my love for snacks at sporting events. I am not even partial to the type of snacks, I love it all. From the fancier specialty items like deep fried perogies, to the classic smokie and popcorn, it is definitely one of my favorite things about going to any kind of game. Somehow it all tastes better there. I even love the fountain drinks...just something about it makes the drink taste colder and more refreshing. I will definitely not be attending all 10 or 11 games with Jason, however when I do go, the snacks will be plentiful.

2. The whole atmosphere - Even though I am not a huge hockey fan, I am most definitely a sports fan. I love the energy and excitement that stirs up in a sporting venue and know that since the people of Winnipeg have been so desperate for this time for so long, each and every game will be full of both.

3. What the team will do for Winnipeg - Bottom line, the team coming to this city will do good things. When I lived in BC I got asked time and time again "why would you want to live in Winnipeg??" My answer time and time again was always "you clearly have never been?" This is a great place to live. Our city is filled with exciting new initiatives, great museums and parks, amazing restaurants and now a professional sports team. Winnipeg is thriving and I am so glad that we will get to be a part of it.

4. Gifting a ticket or two - Like I said before, I am neither a huge hockey fan, nor will I attend every game we have tickets for. Part of what I am so excited for is to be able to then instead, gift my tickets to others who will LOVE to go to a game with Jason. There are a few people close to us who would get such a thrill from seeing their team play right in front of their eyes. I want to give that to them.

5. Time with J - We try, we really do try to spend time together just the two of us but no matter how hard we try, it is difficult. We both have so much on the go separately that it is difficult to find the time, with a babysitter, to get out together. Each and every time we do though, it is so much fun and takes me back 4 years ago when we first met. Having these tickets means we have at least a few dates already planned for next year. Sounds good to me.

So there you have it - reasons other than the hockey itself why I am excited for this upcoming NHL season in Winnipeg. I will definitely not be jumping on the bandwagon like so many others, will not have my jersey ordered and foam finger ready (although I do love a foam finger - makes me laugh), but I will chose to enjoy our tickets for other reasons.

Go Jets Go!

The day we've been waiting for.

The day finally arrived, and they did not disappoint.

We have been waiting to continue working on our kitchen for quite sometime and cupboard door fronts were first on the list for the past 9 months. Due to a number of factors, it wasn't until recently that they were delivered and we had the opportunity to get them into action. There are 43 doors/drawer fronts in our kitchen alone and when you add up those in the 2 bathrooms and mudroom as well, what you get is simple...a lot of doors. It took me abut 2 hours to make sense of them all and figure out each ones eventual home.

(This isn't even all of them)

As a result of some very careful measuring by Jason, and a great builder, we had no problems with any of them. We did however, not think a job like this would be complete without creating some problems, all on our own, however that is seemingly just how we do things sometimes.

In a classic "I thought you were holding it. No, I thought you were holding it" mis-communication, one door did fall to its demise, ending up with a large crack right up the middle. It will be re-ordered. In a classic, "I thought I did drill into the right side" error, 2 other doors will also be re-ordered. I guess 3 out of 43 isn't horrible. Would have been nice to have them all up and installed but since we aren't able to put a few up yet anyways (more on that later), it doesn't bother me that a few others are missing for the next few weeks as well.

Here are a few shots of what we have so far...


This picture shows the missing doors who were the victims of our mistakes. Since I have been trying to be more creative lately, I am currently tossing around ideas of what I could still use them for (besides for a fire)


These 4 doors are probably my favorite as they turned out exactly as I imagined and hoped. They blend in so well to the rest of the island, and now provide a much needed barrier from a little boy who will be moving any day now.

Like I said earlier, the doors for under the sink, garbage and 2 beside that are not installed as of yet as they need drawers built first. Once we do that (hopefully soon since Jason is finished school next week!), the kitchen will be complete.

With them semi-completion of these doors, the work we want to complete inside the house this summer is almost finished. We still need to install the doors for both bathrooms and the mudroom, and also install the mudroom countertop and backsplash but neither of those jobs are huge or costly since we already own all the materials! We will now turn our focus outside to try and make some sense of the mess that is our 3.85 acres at the moment. Hopefully by summer/early fall's end we will have a completely sided house, new front steps, garage doors, a back deck and a flat and tilled front and back yard ready for grass seed and 6-8 long months of snow and cold before we can tackle it again.

Colin has been a trooper through all this work. Napping through hammering, impact drills and nail guns and entertaining us with all sorts of funny noises through the rest of the day.

Here he is watching Jason install a coded pad lock on the garage entrance. Please excuse the dusty floor...I blame all the construction going on around here!




Of course what would a new season be without a new skin issue?! This boy's skin continually keeps us guessing and on our toes. Heat rash was the culprit this day but we have it under control now.


We were able to take a break from it all and head out last week to Jason's parents for the weekend where Poppa was nice enough to set up the trampoline and swing for Colin to enjoy.


Thank you for the weekend!

9 Months.

Dear Colin,

Today, you turn 9 months old. You have been Colin now for the same amount of time you were "?", inside of me for all that time. I am not sure what is harder to believe, that you are 9 months old, or that it has been over a year and a half since we first found out that we were expecting a little person. So much has happened since the Christmas where we got the best gift of all, yet life now has never felt so normal.

Over the past month, to be honest, not a ton has changed. We have started really getting into finger foods and you seem to like the freedom to be able to feed yourself. You can get the food to your mouth about 75% of the time now (yet graham cookies seem to have a much higher success rate, hmmm), but are still working on getting your pincher skills perfected. You still love your avocado, however have branched our slightly over the past couple weeks. You are not crawling yet (except for backwards) but somehow still manage to move around a little bit to reach the toy you desire. Today, for the first time ever, you pulled yourself up on your knees to get a better look at a play table we were given as a gift. I did not see the process, however did see the result. You looked at me with a huge smile...what a big accomplishment for you!

Our days are definitely not difficult anymore, however we are entering the "needy" stage. I would love to tell you that every single day is just a pure joy from start to finish, however if you have children of your own someday, I want you to have a realistic view of what it's like, and not some fairly tale idea of sweetness and light 24/7. I would never change anything about you, and I love you with all of my heart, but sometimes, you are annoying :)! You have this whine/grunt/yell thing that you do when you want to be a)picked up, b)fed, or c)...we're still trying to figure out what c is. There must be a "c" though as sometimes "a" & "b" don't seem to do the trick either. The past couple of days, your whine/grunt/yell has been in full effect. You most definitely are still a happy, fun little man, however I have questioned from time to time whether they make baby muzzles. You are so loud and last night especially, it was none stop. Your Dad came home from school and even told you straight up - "you are annoying". I had to agree. :)

I have been doing some reading on birth order lately which interests me as I completely fit the bill as the youngest and your Dad, 100% as the oldest children in our families. I will be interested to see how you develop and mold into whomever you will be. It is our hope that we will be able to add other children to our family, and if we are so lucky, I will love to see you take on that big brother role. As the first born to us, and the first grandchild on your Dad's side, the spot light has been on you since day one. You have always been paid attention to, played with and been the focus of everyone's visits to the house. So far, I think you are pretty well textbook first born too, but only time will tell, I suppose.

The month ahead of us marks a very special moment...the day we get your Daddy back. School is almost over and soon he will be around during the day to make you laugh (like only he can), to take you exploring in the willows and to simply be there when you wake up from naps. It does not surprise me that you and I have the connection we do, as for a long time, we were one, however I love just how much you adore your father too. You are so aware of how special he is and light up for him like you do for none other. One of the greatest things about you getting older is that your independence from me is growing too. You no longer need me every 4 hours, so that means your adventures with your Dad can truly start. You two are going to have so much fun together. I know your Dad has many plans, and I know that he cannot wait to make memories with you.

Whenever I start these letters to you, I usually have some sort of plan as to what I am going to write about. This month, I didn't. However, as soon as the typing starts, my love and adoration for you just spills out of me. I could write about you forever as each and every minute we spend together is worthy of writing down. The next couple months are going to be full of sunshine, time spent outside, vacations, and family gathering and through them all I will do my best to absorb every minute. You are my most favorite little man. Thank you for the past 9 months. The first 9 we spent together were great, however knowing you for YOU, putting a face and name to the mystery and falling more and more in love each and every day trumps our first 9 each and every day.

Love you to the moon and back x9,

Mama
xoxo