We have a Walker

So although not a full time walker, I think I can now say we have a walker, she is only going to get better.

Literally just overnight, Addison has gone from 4 steps to several steps!  I'm so proud of her and she's so proud of herself!  Yesterday she would stand in the middle of the room and have this huge smile, like, mom look at me!  Then take a step or two, fall and repeat, Rod gets home and she attempts walking from one toy to another taking up to 4 steps and then this morning, walking up and down like she's been doing it for so long!  the cutest was that she was pretending to stir something in her pot, then walk over to me to feed me, and she did this twice!

She still loses her balance and has a few falls, but she's definitely working on her balance and being able to stop, she reminds me of the drunk waiter from Dinner for One - I think you can youtube it.

Tonight after dinner we tried to get her to change direction while walking, she had her little speed wobble, stopped, tried to turn, and as she did that she fell on her bum.  Things you take for granted, that we're so easily able to do, requires so much co-ord and balance.

Even though we've seen Emma learn to walk, it's still so amazing to watch!  The smiles and giggles from the falls, tears too, the celebrations from the big sister cheering her on "look mom, she's walking, she's walking, go Addi!", so wonderful to watch and hear!!

I knew this day was coming soon and Rod was hoping he wouldn't miss this milestone, I was secretly hoping she would wait for when we got to South Africa!  But being Addison, she sure knows how to keep an over 20 hour journey exciting!

Here are some video of her steps last night and today.
(I should get an award for Best Mom!  Letting my kid thats just learning to walk, hold a spoon in her hand!!! Go ME!!)

First attempt at taking more than 2 steps..

Gaining more confidence...

And then even more...I have to laugh when she falls, otherwise the waterworks start...

Ladybug Girl

I thought I might share this....

This is the book that helped convince Emma to wear her costume....she did not want to wear it (even though she chose it) because the material was too scratchy!
I tried convincing that I'd leave her clothes on so she wouldn't feel the material...no luck.

Emma received these books for her bday and took her a while to allow me to read it to her (once she likes a certain story it's hard to get her to read different stories) after reading it and seeing how great Ladybug Girl was and what a great imagination she has, Emma was convinced that Ladybug Girl was cool and she wanted to be just like her.  Just so happened that we had winter boots similar to Ladybug Girls and when Emma saw these, she got really excited (thanks Uncle Tim and Aunty Carmen).  Thankfully just in time for the party and Halloween.....

I should have dressed Addi as the dog, Bingo - I probably would have if it weren't her bday (could have had Addi crawl the streets behind Emma)....but Pumpkin Pie seemed more appropriate.....

Happy Halloween

I see every Halloween being a very busy time but oh so fun!  After deciding what to make for Addison's birthday dinner we decided to just get take outs (I know such a lazy mom but it was the quickest and easiest for a busy evening), we still made sure to make the birthday mein (noodles).  Funny enough when we asked Emma what we should have for dinner for Addi's birthday, she said "Mein Mein".  Both Rod and I were surprised when she said that...how did she know we should have that...just coincidence??

So after a quick dinner, then singing happy birthday and blowing out 1 candle we quickly got into our costumes (kids only) and bundled up to go trick or treating.  Addi really enjoyed her chocolate cupcake, this girl can really eat....to think I was so worried she wouldn't eat. 

We joined our neighbors Chuck and Jennifer with their girls, Madelyn and Grace and walked our street.  This was Emma's first experience of going around trick or treating...Rod and I loved watching Emma enjoy herself so and get so excited....Going to the doors and knocking, took a little getting used to but by the end of the night she was running to the doors and trying to be the first to ring the doorbell, she asked us to hold her pail as it was getting too heavy.  She sure got tons of candy. 

She was taken aback by one house where Madelyn rang the bell and peered through the window...the lady, dressed as a witch opened up the door and asked, "What are you peeking through my window for??"...Madelyn very politely said, "Trick or Treat" and held out her bag.  Just aswell Emma was standing toward the back, else she'd probably would have come running to us.  She's constantly asking me now, what did the witch say and why??  Everything is why these days...
 
Addi all this while was sitting in her stroller, staying warm under her blanket.  Should be cute next year when she's walking around and trying to keep up with her sister, as she's always trying to do...

Can't believe we now have 2 more months left of this year, it has gone by way too quickly.  Funny how we so look forward to things and they're over in a flash....
Today in the car Emma pipes up....Daddy's birthday is next.....yip, Daddy is the last to celebrate in this family....now what to get Daddy for his birthday and what cake to bake next???  Will be here tomorrow....how old are you this year daddy?? :)

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween.

Happy 1st Birthday to Addison!

In just a few minutes our little Pumpkin will be a 12 month old (by the time I post this she's already 12 months!!) I still cannot believe how fast this year has flown. To think I pulled this little person to my chest, so helpless, crying, and now still little but such a delight, full of smiles, easy to make laugh, silly, adventurous, demanding (knowing what she wants), cheeky…..all the fun things, all the things that make Addison, Addison/Addi!


It’s funny how you look at your child and think she fits the name so well, no way we could have named her differently.

Addi still seems like a baby compared to when Emma was 1. Maybe I am babying Addi more than I did Emma – guess just savoring it all, as I know we want them to grow up too fast (reaching their milestones) and they do grow up too fast. I’m so amazed how much Addi is learning from Emma, sometimes I find myself relying on that until I see Emma doing something she shouldn’t and Addi following suit!

Just recently the girls have been getting along so nicely! I was a little worried as almost everyday Emma would just be shouting at Addi, pulling things away from her, telling me to take her away. But now Emma has been showing so much love and affection (hugs, nuzzles, head rubbing), concerned about her baby sister and even asking Addi to play with her and sharing her toys. Less shouting and more loving! I'm not complaining, until the next stage.

This past Saturday we had a little party for Addi, so much fun! Emma was so excited that it was Addison’s birthday, singing to her before the party, telling Addi to look at all the decorations for her party etc etc….loved her enthusiasm. Before the guests arrived, Emma was just sitting at the table waiting for this party to begin almost like it was her day. So funny.

I went a little overboard with the baking (baked too much cake), we had way too much food, but everything turned out great. So many crafty ideas out there too just makes you want to try and make everything. Besides eating, the kids got to do a few crafts (make masks and candy corn, color in), we made a pumpkin toss game which the kids enjoyed. All the kids were dressed up, so added even more fun. We had 2 Snow Whites, 1 Cinderella, a Monkey, a Ladybug and of course a Pumpkin!

Addison got her first taste of cake with icing!  I had made a number one cake, we laid that infront of her, thinking she'd go crazy and put her hands in it and smash...instead she daintly picked at the icing and ate the sprinkles one by one....I then took the cake away from her and she cried....so gave her a small piece to eat and she was happy.....yum yum!  I was worried she wouldn't nap after all that sugar, but she and Emma were wiped, way too much fun for such small little bodies!

Here's a link to more photos from the party

Happy First Birthday to our dear little Addison – you have added another level of fun, love and so much joy to our lives, we just love your little ways and big smile, always wins our heart! Stay as sweet as you are!
We love you so much!

Kitchen Update

We finally took the plunge and updated our kitchen! 
It wasn't a huge project, kept same cabinets and installed granite countertops.  We also had a bar counter that divides the kitchen and the living room.  We don't use the counter as a bar  so we decided to install some cabinets and make use of the space for storage (In our minds we thought cd's and dvd, but it's ended up being storage for the kids things, of course!)

Even though this wasn't a huge project, it was big enough to still have issues, but eventually everything got done the way it was meant to, and we get to enjoy our new kitchen.

Here are some before and after pics...  It's even more fun to cook and bake in this kitchen!

was not sad saying goodbye to the white greasy extractor and floral backsplash

And then the cabinets...

we let Emma got to town on the wall before installing the cabinets

Addi made her mark too

cabinets installed

final product

We Have A (One) Tooth!!!!

Addison's First Tooth made it's appearance this week, so we celebrated on Sunday by making pancakes and letting Addi have her first taste....okay we may have cheated and given her flapjacks before this big celebration, but it was her first taste of a crepe at least, actually I lie...as she got stung by a bee while eating a crepe.

Hmmm...Whoops....Oh well, any excuse to make pancakes and enjoy....yum yum yum!!!

Just one tooth and I'm not gonna let mom take a photo of it...

Videos Again

Today we met up with friends at Rockwood Park, yet another great park to visit!  Such great weather these days to be outdoors, so we're really making the most of it before it gets really cold.

I thought this video was rather cute - Addi's version of the treadmill...she even ends off her routine with a yoga stretch, must have learnt it from the little prenatal yoga mommy did...haha

And then a video of Emma.  It's funny how kids fears or confidence ebb and flow.  As a baby Emma loved the slide, then around 2 years old hated the slide, and now 3 and a bit, seems to love it again.  Whether is an age thing, or just since going to school it's so great to watch her enjoy herself.

Tackling Pooh Bear

Addi adds a whole new dimension of fun and busy to our lives....I think she's going to be the clown in the family, always putting smiles on our faces, the more adventurous one....
Watch the video and you can clearly see what I mean.  She obviously also has someting for soft fabrics too - just loves to roll and rub her face in them....she's so funny.  Love her to bits - really just loving her smallness and little ways as much as I can, as I know they grow way to fast.

What Addi gets up to when Kar-Che is at school

Little Addi getting into her sisters things while at school.
She has this new thing of rolling/falling onto the duvet - I guess she likes the softness, compared to her firm crib mattress.  She's so funny how to helps herself to her sisters water too.

Pumpkin Picking Time

This weekend we went to Hillridge Farms and got to pick our pumpkins and have some fun with all the amenities there.  The weather has cooled down but on Saturday turned out to be pretty warm - not quite the fall feeling weather while picking our pumpkins.  Nevertheless Emma had a blast, jumping on the jumping castle, feeding the farm animals and fish, walking through the different mazes and jumping in the hay!  Who would have thought Hay could be so much fun!  Such a fun place, Emma did not want to leave.  Too much to do and hard when you have another little one that needs to nap and won't nap on the go. 
Emma's friend Madelyn and her sister Grace joined, even more fun when you have company!

Can't believe a year ago we were at the farm, and little did I know that Addi would arrive 3 weeks later, on Halloween!

my little thumbsucker

having fun in the teepee/tipi

emma and madelyn

fun in the hayjump

emma found her pumpkin

addi with ka-che's pumpkin

our two pumpkins



Last years height



This years height