Wednesday, August 29, 2012

My big girl

There are few "firsts" that deserve their own post: first time at a sleepover, first day at school, and first day without a diaper are just a few. This week, we celebrated one of Aryn's first "firsts".

Her first night in a "big kid bed."

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Incidentally, it was also her first, "get on the counter to snoop through the treat cupboard." I blame daddy, who is clearly at fault.

Our little girl has been sleeping in her 'big kid' crib bed for a few months now. Having only fallen to the floor once, it proved to be a good decision since she was clearly too big and too adventurous to be in her closed-in crib any more (the thud of her adventures were the confirming factor).

The day bed crib was great for awhile, until we realized that, for a kid who's already wearing 3T and 4T clothes, it was just too small for her... and she had a habit of sticking her little chubby legs in the bars, falling asleep, and needing rescue after a couple of hours. FYI: it's not easy to retrieve two chubby sleep-filled feet out of crib bars. So, decision time: twin bed? Double? Day bed? On the frame? On the floor? What?

We went with a double bed. On a frame. Solely for the fact that my parents had an extra one and I didn't have to buy her a brand new bed. Cheap? Yes. Awesome? Better believe it. And, for Aryn's 2nd birthday present (that post is going to be a ball full of tears and tissues!) we got her a bedding set. I went with cheap sheets (come on, as parents, we all know how often bedding is changed in the course of even one fateful night of sickies) and a really nice comforter that was not so cheap.

As much as it's my style more than Aryn's, we love it. And by 'we', I mean all of us.

Clearly.

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She is hiding here, pooping, and refusing with every fibre of her being to NOT go to the potty. *sigh*

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Awesome light, courtesy of Ikea!

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Sweet dreams to you all. I had better go check on my hyper little almost-two-year-old and see if she's finally fallen asleep. Word to the wise: if you leave a used coffee filter on the counter, super tall toddler hands will find it and will eat it. Word to the wise #2: toddlers on a caffeine fix are not fun.

To butterfly dreams.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

No more bunny

So we got rid of the bunny. A lady who lives just out of town with a nice acreage and a bunch of animals (including baby ducks, a cat, a German Shepard and a Doberman - which, I will admit, both terrified me when I pulled up. Thankfully, it didn't last once I got nudges and kisses from both large dog!). He is apparently quite happy and adopting the chicks as his (or her?) own. I do not miss the bunny, nor does Bauer, and Aryn doesn't seem to have noticed that he is no longer here.

In case anyone was inquiring!

I haven't blogged much this week because it was deadline week. I love my job, but deadline week is hard on us all because I spend more time on the computer than I do hanging out with Aryn. And why do I work? Because of Aryn. So... it's a catch 22. Thankfully, I love my job.

So I have lots to catch up on!

Aryn is extremely lucky to have such amazing grandparents. On Sunday, her grandma Diana (Ryan's mom) came to visit, and on Monday (and every Monday!) my parents came at 9am, picked my baby girl up and drove her to Calgary for a day at the zoo!

And while I have no photos to catch their day of fun, I did get one emailed to me:

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Cutest. Bear. Ever.

This week, in between phone calls, emails and meetings, I managed to take a few moments to do something I've wanted to do for a long time: set up Aryn's play room under the stairs. I hope that one day it will be an entire room devoted to Aryn and perhaps another sibling one day in the future, but for now, this is what we got. And I love it, and Aryn does too.

Exact words, "Mommy, WOAH! Woah! Mommy!" then high pitched squeals of childhood delight. All the work, cut fingers, and dirty knees was worth it.

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And today, after the drive home from Calgary and a nap refusal, we came outside and Aryn played with the "big kids" next door. She did whatever they asked her to do, and she giggled and laughed the entire time. She tried so hard to act like a "big girl," and the actual big girls loved her to bits.

She even had to sit like them.

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I was all too happy to cuddle my baby girl and some squealing fun play time on our brand new couch downstairs, instead of her continuing to mimmick the 10-year old girls. Baby has mad skills, but she (gratefully) still needs her mama. I can't blame her.

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Now to read, "I Love You Through & Through" and tuck my baby girl in to bed, in hopes of dreams of candy and puppies, instead of Justin Bieber and training bras.

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OPINIONS WANTED: new logo? Yay? Nay? Do you notice the super cute pig tails on the "G" in Ginger? :)

Friday, August 24, 2012

We got a bunny

... err, rather we are temporarily looking after a bunny.

Someone found a bunny outside, which was obviously "released" when the owners didn't want him any more, and instead of an unknown fate of "being attacked by their dogs," I drove over there and picked him up. Animal lover that I am, I couldn't stand the idea of someone neglecting him! So I borrowed a cage from a friend (along with all the stuff for the bunny), bought him some food, and brought him home. Aryn's obsessed with him, Bauer's stressed to the max, and Ryan hates him.

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Poor bunny was having a great time with the run of the house during Aryn's nap. When she woke up, she squealed with delight, ran towards him, and poor bunny got so scared he pooped the entire way back to his cage. I couldn't help but laugh! Even though cleaning up rabbit poop on my carpet and hardwood is disgusting.


Wednesday was Grandma's birthday, and she came over for cake after supper. Happy birthday, Grandma! I am so grateful that Aryn has grandparents that live so close - 2 sets! - and is able to get to know them so well. And Aryn sure does love her Grammy!

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My dad thinks he's sooooo funny.

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Last night I took my camera on my walk with Bauer to play with it and see what I could do. I'm realizing that as much as I love photography, I'm really not that great at it. And I have a LOT to learn. I think I need to take a class or... read the instruction manual. But until I actually lay down, turn off the television, and succumb to the realization that I will never actually read another grown-up book again, I will have to learn about this camera the old fashioned way... trial and error.

And this is what I came up with:

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Have a fantastic weekend. 

Monday, August 20, 2012

Recipe for an awesome weekend

Prep Time:                       Cook Time:                       Ready In:
  0 min                           2 days                          Forever

Servings:
1 child, 2 parents, 1 pouty puppy, and all those who we love.

Ingredients:

1 cup of outdoor fun (with cousin Hunter)

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1 dash of trying-to-put-sunglasses-on-Auntie-Aleesha

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1 scoop of hiding from mom

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1 tbsp of first-time-sitting-up-by-yourself

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1 tsp of smiles

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1 cup of homemade lemonade popsicle

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1 sprinkle of pouty puppy

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1 dollop of fun in the sand

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1 removal of drunken lake water

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1/3 cup excited bird watching

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32 lbs of baby-loves-daddy

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1 heart-felt admiration

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1 dash of water

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Sprinkle of sand (to taste)

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1/4 cup finding a hole and playing in it

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1 shocking dash of mama photo

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1 tbsp feet in the sand

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1 handful sand on mama's leg

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Directions:
1. Mix together.

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2. Create castle.

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3. Destroy said castle.

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4. Fall in love all over again.

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