Presents of Pheasants!

 Yesterday Uncle Lucien came over and dropped off a couple of hens for us to eat!  Way to go Luc!

 Daddy was very adventurous and defeathered and skinned the birds outside and cooked up quite a bacon-wrapped dish for us!  It was yummy and tasted like chicken but was tougher than chicken I thought.  

Thanks for the dinner Luc!

 

Allergy Tests

My poor, sweet baby boy.  We went to see Dr Coates, a specialist with a satellite practice here in Nanaimo to do your allergy testing.  He did 18 test spots and you were a trouper.  A really great patient as usual.

It turns out that you are allergic to dairy, eggs and most of all dogs.  

We had been doing an elimination diet for you for weeks leading up to this appointment and we had identified that dairy, eggs and nuts were likely culprits so it wasn't too big a surprise but it was good to finally know which it was for certain.

As for the foods we went straight to the grocery store and got some soy milk, yoghurt and ice cream, and I suppose we'll have to start reading labels for everything else.  Much to our relief pasta and bread don't have eggs or milk in them.

The biggest issue was the dogs of course.  Grandma, Papa, Ggma and Ggpa came to our rescue and agreed to take the dogs in the interim until we can find a home for them permanently.  This was very hard for us and on Daddy in particular.  We have no other choice and I just cannot stand listening to you coughing all night long any more.

The dogs are booked on a fight out tomorrow morning and the carpet will be measured for and replaced hopefully by the week's end.  I am really praying that we see an improvement in your health from here on out.  It seems like you have had a cold which was actually nasal allergies for years!  Poor mite!

Here's hoping.  More on this to come.

Making a Gingerbread Christmas Tree!

 This was a really fun project for us!  We will have to make it a tradition.

You did so well with this one it really shocked me.  We mixed up the icing and you stacked the layers of the tree all by yourself one by one.

Then we mixed the coloured icing and decorated with the candies!

 Gorgeous!  You showed restraint and everything and we ate the tree over several nights.  You are even in the habit of saving part of your dessert until after your bath for later.  I really encourage this because I have read all about delayed gratification and the benefits to kids later on in life if they are able to hold off on things.  When you put a piece aside and say you'll save it until after your bath I praise the heck out you!

Of course, we tried the marshmallow test with you and as I was explaining the concept to you you were cramming the marshmallow in your mouth...maybe we should try it again.

Love it!

PJ Pals!

I can't believe it took me this long to figure out that I could dress the two of you alike!  This is a small joy for me.  How cute is this?!

I also bought you both Christmas jammies that will make Grandma swoon.  I haven't gone so far as to buy you matching outfits for out and about but I'm sure it will happen eventually!  I better get on it before I hear any protests!

I love my Charlie!

Look at us!  You are just the sweetest little thing!  Mommy is enjoying snuggling you while you'll still let me.  I have one big boy so I know how it goes!  So far, no protests from you.  As a matter of fact when you are getting sleepy and ready for a nap if I lie down with you we have such a nice nap together, you just sleep and sleep for hours!  We are like two little bugs in a rug.  You must just love the feeling of me beside you.  You average nap in your crib is 45 minutes to an hour but in my bed you can sleep for two hours or more.  I'm good with it!

Oh Charlie, in a way I wish you would never grow up.  I am looking forward to seeing you do so many things but every day that passes I know you lose a little bit of your babyishness and it makes me so sad!

I am trying to savour every moment these days.  Even after I nurse you and you fall asleep in my arms in the glider at night I rock you for a while and just enjoy it instead of putting you down right away.  I know these days are numbered :(

Putting up the tree

 This year we bought a 9' tree and it is a much better scale for our great room.  It is absolutely beautiful now that it is up and decorated.  More pics to come!

Charlie is Five Months!

Happy Five Months Charlie!  You are so, so cute we just can't get over it.

The funniest thing happened the other day that I just have to share.  We were all snuggling in our bed the other morning and Will was entertaining Charlie.  He was blowing raspberries on Charlie's belly and Charlie was laughing and laughing.  Then all of a sudden Charlie made the raspberry sound with his lips all squishy and saliva spraying!  We were so shocked and told Will he's asking for more!  So Will did it again and Charlie kept doing it over and over!  It was the first time that Charlie ever communicated something so very clearly to us.  It was beyond precious!

Gymnastics Class!

 Mommy signed you up for gymnastics classes on Wednesday mornings and you love it!  When I ask you which class is your favourite you say gymnastics right away.  I'm so glad we signed you up!

You are taking the class at Flipside Gymnastics right by the office off of Northfield and sometimes I take you for a drop in at Nanaimo Gymnastics.  You LOVE the foam pit at Nanaimo Gymnastics so I was so glad to hear that Flipside is getting a foam pit shortly.

This class is instructor-led so Mommy watches from above with all the other parents.  It seems like most classes no longer require parental participation now that you are three.  It's good in some way because sometimes I think you are better with a teacher than you would be with me ;)

This large inflatable runway is meant to be for tumbling, but boy you guys love running and hopping along it!

 Oh, the foam pit.  We spend ALL of our time in it!

4 Cats

Mommy signed you up for a six week class at the 4 Cats art studio which is focussing on Henri Matisse.  Daddy almost died laughing when we asked which artist you are studying right now and you said "Ahhnry  Mateese."  LOL!  

Apparently you have been working on a large canvas piece and adding to it week by week.  I can't wait to see it, I have no idea what to expect and it's killing me!  I would love to put it up in your room or at the cottage.  I'm sure it will be gorgeous.  And like Ahhnry's work himself :).

Piggyback Ride with Daddy!

Charlie is growing by leaps and bounds!  It seems like every morning when we wake up you are heavier to lift out of your crib than yesterday!

You are not quite sitting up on your own yet, but tummy time is a breeze.  You are holding up your head and neck very well.  We actually marked how tall you are for the first time beside Will's height on his growth chart the other day.  Beansprout nothing!

Halloween with the Mahon's!

 This Halloween Mommy was a racoon, Will was Spidey and Charlie was a Monkey because that's what we call him.  We were quite a team!

Because Halloween was so dead around our neighbourhood last year we decided to head into Nanaimo to go out with the Mahon's in their neighbourhood which is full of young people.  

We had a blast!  Will filled up him Cars bucket to the brim with candy and got to spend time with Jack and Henry, and Cole and Brooklyn.  So fun!

 Spiderman himself!

Skating Spidey!

After your class's Halloween party we went to your skating class where they encouraged everyone to dress up.  You looked great out there in your Spidey costume and even go some extra padding out of it!

We are seeing improvements in your skating every week that we go.  You are still holding onto a pilon for the most part but last week you went about six feet all on your own!

Halloween in the JK3 Class!

 For Halloween this year you wanted to be Spiderman.  We dressed you up on the day of your class party and you looked awesome!  There was a full head part for the costume and you wore it just fine.  There were large google eyes with mesh covering it that you could look through.

You and Finn are like two peas in a pod.  You are practically inseparable at school and it is very cute!  Every night we ask you what you did at school today and you say "Played with Finn."  If we ask if you played iwth anyone else you say "No, just Finn."

 

Trout Fishing!

A few weekends ago Daddy and Dr Bob, Mike Rogers and Murray Boston went up to the cottage and did a fishing charter in Port.  They were fishing for Steelhead Trout.  As it turns our the fish weren't biting that day and Daddy was the only one to catch a fish!  

We haven't eaten it yet, we are saving it for a special occasion but we just know it's going to be tasty!

Way to go Daddy!

Will's First Movie!

 Last week, Mommy and Daddy and Will went to see Will's first movie in the theatre!  We have Mondays off right now and thought it was the perfect time to try to see if you were ready.

When we arrived at the theatre we realized that Wreck it Ralph was in 3D.  When you asked "What is 3D?" Daddy said "It's one dimension more than you can handle."  LOL!

It was the perfect first experience for us because the theatre was completely empty besides us.  You were very interested in the popcorn and drinks and blown away by the size of the screen.  When the movie first started you tried to bat at the animation a few times and then figured things out.  It was so cute!

You behaved so well during the movie and had the attention span to watch the full show!  Way to go Will!

Natasha's Turns 4!

 Last weekend we went over to the Sansalone's to celebrate Natasha's birthday.  She was having a princess party and naturally we know nothing about that so we were the only ones not in tulle.

The cake was so pretty!

And yummy according to Will!  

Charlie was there too of course but was not nearly as social as the rest of us ;)

Happy Birthday Natasha!