28 February 2010

Cool Ride


I was looking through my pictures and videos this morning, and realized that I had never posted this picture from a few weeks ago. We had went to Minot shopping and left the stroller at home (intentionally). They loved riding in the super-cool-double-decker-firetruck.

Wait. What?

Earlier this week I went in the playroom and discovered that G had pulled his socks off. It was a pretty chilly day so I wanted him to wear his socks. I was looking and looking around the room for them and couldn't find them anywhere. I kept saying "Now where could those socks be?" The little boy I was watching said something, but I didn't really catch what he said. So I just laughed and said "mmhmmm". Later that evening after L (the little boy) went home I checked G's diaper for a stink. And there, stuffed in his diaper, were his socks.

And then it sunk in, L wasn't lying, he really DID say "The socks are in his diaper."

25 February 2010

A New Love

A few weeks ago I found out that there was a Toddler Time just meeting blocks away from our house. All I had to do was go to Canada. So I faced my fear, gathered the boys' birth certificates, a letter from M, and my passport, and braved the border. First let me say, that for some reason I had this huge fear of crossing into Canada. Why? I have no idea. I mean my husband is "one of those people". You know, the scary people who peer in your vehicle, ask you interrogating questions about firearms, money, where you are from, where you are going, and how long you're going to be there? And then, on the day I finally decide to go. I have Logan, the little boy that I watch. So I need his car seat, his paperwork, and a letter from his parents as well. And I am terrified. I pull up to the window, and feel like I'm going to get sick. I am shaking, sweating, stuttering nervous. I roll down the window, and hand the officer my stack of papers. He looks in the car and says "Oh, I know him", nodding at Logan, "you're good, have a nice day". And hands me my paperwork back. I look at him and say "you need to see the letter from his parents?", he says "No, I said have a good day, you're fine." And that was it. My first big scary border crossing. Let me add that when you start to really think about it, it is scary. My paperwork was never looked at, my boys' paperwork was never looked at, nothing was. He let me in because he saw a 3 year old he recognized sitting in the front seat.

Anyways, so later that week when M had a day off we made the trip up to Estevan, SK. And I fell in love.

The Toddler Time group that is on the other side of town (literally the other side!) has been the best find yet. There are 7 other moms from that side of town that attend (I'm the token American) and between them there are eight children under the age of 4. Its so nice knowing that we have something to get out of the house for at least once a week.

Though, the past few weeks we have been very busy. All those trips to Canada. I've made many wonderful discoveries in Estevan, thanks to a new friend, Emily. She has introduced me to Tim Horton's, which is a better Canadian counterpart to Dunkin' Doughnuts. And she introduced the boys and I to a place called The Family Resource Centre (ahhh, I love how they spell that!), a huge play center for children. They have every toy and every thing any little child would love to have and play with for your use. For free.

And my newest, most recent discovery is The Leisure Centre (again, love!). A HUGE community (everything) center. There is a library, which we haven't been to yet, but I'm hoping to visit soon. And there is a hockey rink, two squash courts, a tennis court, a BMX park, weight rooms, a gigantic lap pool, a huge children's wading/splash pool, a steam room, a hot tub, and an indoor water slide of water park proportions. Emily and I were able to go up there Monday night for a deep water running class. Its an amazing work out in the deep end of the pool.

I am so happy to have discovered civilization so close to home. So happy, I have in fact, been to Canada 4 times since Monday! I am excited at the new opportunites the boys and I have had, and the new friends we're making.

Fuzzy Wuzzy

Z helped me with laundry the other day, and fell in love with my fleece robe.

Playing With Chairs

Here is a video from the other day when we had the boys' little chairs out in the living room.

Cleaning Crew

G and Z, especially Z, love to "clean" for Mommy. They have different methods depending on their mood. Some days they'll go around and pick up all the little toys and put them in a tote. Or, we have this funky sink cabinet where there is what looks like a drawer, but actually hinges open and is just a nice little drop slot to the cupboard, and they will put any and everything that fits through the drop slot. Today they chose to throw the toys over the radiator covers which are again blocking the living room off until we finish rearranging the furniture.

Post Bath Curls

Z has 'broke out' with the craziest curls when his hair is wet. Tonight I wanted to really capture them, so I admit, I put just the tinnniest bit of my curl mousse in his hair after bath. Just look at the craziness!


Finally a smile!

When Mommy's Away..

the boys will play! Here are some pictures that M snapped last night while I was off in Canada doing an aerobics class.







They absolutely love to wear M's hats. Much more so than their own hats. They will run around for baby eternity (a.k.a. 10,15, 20 minutes) putting the hat on and taking it off.

13 February 2010

Belated Christmas

For Christmas Nana and Papa sent us money to get G and Z a table and chair set. I had problems finding exactly what I was looking for, but have been searching for 2 1/2 months. Last week I finally found the right set on ebay. I purchased the table. Only to then realize that the chairs that matched were no longer listed, or available. I sent an e-mail to the seller, and they graciously switched out to the other perfect set that I had found. Which just happened to be sold by them as well!

It arrived here yesterday afternoon. I excitedly pulled it out of the packagin and put the table together. Within 2 minutes, M and I realized that G and Z might not be quite ready for such a big boy item. The table was pushed all around the dining room, completely tipped over and many attempts were made to climb up on it. So we hid the table. And then I put the chairs together. And while they may not be quite ready for the chairs either, they sure are cute sitting on them! And then standing. And then dancing while standing...

Watching cartoons last night







I pulled them out again this morning, to see if we'd have any better (safer) success. But no such luck. Within seconds G was standing on his little chair, dancing his heart out to the Imagination Movers.



(I also just want to mention, that when they are watching TV is the ONLY time I can get a picture of them still... which is why all pictures are in front of the TV!)

12 February 2010

Just a Bit of Quiet Time

The boys are getting to a point where they don't always need a nap in the morning, but I've still been laying them down with a couple books. A few minutes of quiet time seems to do wonders for them, and they can then happily make it to nap time.