Just Because

I can't have a post with only Z, and not have one of only G!

Daredevil

Watch out world. Z has learned how to climb. Very well I may add.

(Note: see that adorable shirt?! Someone has finally learned to put some thought and effort into boy clothes! I'm sure there will soon be a post about my new obsession, Crazy 8! And the eyes... they're GOOGLE eyes, that really google!)

Readin' Books

The boys love to 'read' books. I always love it when I walk in a room on them, and there they are laying on their tummy reading. G will read his books outloud to Z. And Z will come and steal G's book. "That's not my puppy..." and "That's not my monster..." are two of their very favorite books. There have been many, many fights over those books. They have been torn apart and taped back together more times than I can remember!

Amazing Injustice

One of M's co-workers recently had a baby girl. And this Sunday they are having a baby shower for them. First, I need to say that baby showers and wedding showers (and weddings for that fact), are more 'open' than those you are used to. They involve bulletins pinned the post office, and ads in the newspaper saying "You Are Invited", with names, time, date, etc. Since I have met this co-worker, and the shower is being hosted fairly close to home I decided that I will attend.

And off I went to find some girl stuff. Oh, the dilema I had when I got to Target. I knew that I wanted to make a diaper cake. So first there was the debate over what type and brand of diapers to get. Pampers BabyDry? Huggies Pure & Natural? Pampers Swaddlers? Huggies Little Movers? Pampers Sensitive? Huggies Little Snugglers? I finally decided on Pampers Sensitive, because I only needed to buy one package to have enough diapers, and they were on clearance.

And then the girl stuff. The overwhelming amount of cute girly-ness. It was just almost too much. And I spent just a tad more money than I intended, but I couldn't resist!

Midget Picassos

Yesterday I attempted to go to church for the very first time with the boys, by myself. And it went surprisingly well. The time change worked in my favor, since Canada doesn't have daylight savings time, it was 10am our time when Church started instead of 9am. We were all dressed and ready to go extremely early, and I avoided feeding them breakfast before we left the house. That way during the service I could bribe them into silence with cheerios and sippy cups full of milk. There were a few moments that I wasn't sure I would be able to hold onto both of them as they tried to make their escape, but I did and there were no runaways. Half way through the service I was asked if the boys wanted to go to Sunday School. I figured, why not give it a try?! So off they went to the little side room, G carrying his book and Z clinging to my old MP3 player that I knew would keep him quiet and happy. I told the Sunday School teacher that I'd come running if I heard too much screaming and thought she needed to be rescued. And left. I did hear a few little screams. But nothing that seemed to need my attention. The door was cracked open at one point by one of the parent's checking on their child, and Z escaped. I caught him, and carried him back into the room. And there kneeling on a chair at the table was G. Painting. Oh, he was so concentrated on his work of art. And absolutely adorable. Bless the Sunday School teacher, she had brought water color paints for a Sunday School activity. And the class consisted of 5 boys - the oldest being 3 and G&Z being the youngest! She was a very brave woman. G and Z did love it though, and only came home with minor paint stains on their clothes, which all washed out. I am such a proud mommy at how well they behaved.

Toddler Time

For the past few months the boys and I have been going to a wonderful toddler/mommy group in North Portal.

We've done all sorts of exciting things. Including coloring with markers -

eating lots of yummy food -

playing on gym mats -

and playing dress up -

This was our last week before spring. Its been a lot of fun to watch the boys learn and develop in new ways. One of my favorite things is that they are learning the hand motions to "The Wheels On The Bus", and when sung they will both wave their arms in front of them trying to make the wheels go round, and round. They love to dance to the Hokey Pokey, and play 3-2-1 Blast Off. We will miss going every week, and can't wait for the weather to 'cheer up' a little more so we can meet at the park.

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."

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.