Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Misc stuff

We just booked our trip to the San Diego Comic Con for 2010. I hope this pans out. It is going to be part in celebration of our 10th anniversary. And in part b/c we've been wanting to go for some time now. Mom has said she'll watch the kids over the 4 days we're gone. That will be the hardest part I think - being away from them. Now we need a place to crash in SD.

I also just got our tickets to the Dougie MacLean concert next Wednesday. That will be fun.

Oh, hang on. Duncan is finally done supper - 45 minutes after we were. Bill is reading one of the Harry Potter books, I've been puttering around on the 'puter. Let me go clean him up. Alright, I'm back. Bolt is on the tv. Cute movie. The soundtrack to this movie is wasted on it. It's a good soundtrack. Anyhow, just so you know Duncan wasn't being punished by us making him eat supper that long. He just took that long, quite contentedly, to eat it. No problem. We weren't in a rush.

School is going well for him. When I dropped him off today I told them to not let him fool them and he can get his boots on by himself. I did get a call to come change a stinky bottom. So I think until he is potty trained I won't be able to do things like run errands while he is at school. I'll just need to chill around the house. No problem. Always lots to do!

Diana Gabaldon's new book came out today. An Echo In The Bone. I'll be popping out to Costco tomorrow to pick it up. I'm a slow reader, so I won't be one of these done by Friday kind of people.

Been enjoying quilting more again. I picked up this book on fantasy themed quilts using a method called paper piecing. A method which scares me. But I'm giving it a go b/c there are a bunch of patterns in there I want to try.

Duncan wants to play Thomas games on the computer, so I will run. Take care!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Dougie MacLean, Preschool and other stuff

I found out today that Dougie MacLean is coming in concert to Vancouver on September 30. Woot! Love, love, love Dougie's music. I own a whole bunch of his cds. A few years ago for my birthday Bill ordered some for me and had them signed by Dougie - very cool. We've seen Dougie 2x before and he is just a fun entertainer, on top of great singer and musician. He tends to tell the same jokes, but that's alright. Anyhow, if you ever find yourself getting the chance to go hear Dougie in concert, really do yourself a favour and do so. He's a Scottish Folk musician. If you're local and would like to borrow a cd or two to get the idea of his music, you're more than welcome. Mom has said she'll baby sit Duncan that night. I think I'll bring Cordie b/c we'll need to leave around 6:30 and won't be home probably until 11 or so, and really I'd rather bring her and nurse her than worry about taking a bottle or not. She's taken a bottle once so far.

Speaking of Cordie-Ella as Duncan calls her, she turned 4 months old yesterday! She also had her 4 month appointment. It was supposed to be her 2 month, but time got away from me :) Anyhow, she is doing awesome. Not that we had any concerns regarding that, but it's nice to hear. She now weighs 16 lbs 11.5 oz. She was 8.1 at birth, so she's certainly put the weight on, which is awesome. Yay breast feeding :) She is 26.3 inches long - 21 at birth. She is just such a gorgeous little girl and a total joy. Oh, and she rolled over today!! Not just once either, so I'd say she's got that little trick under her belt. I found it funny that rolling over is a milestone around 4 months. My girl, 4 months, one day - rolls over. It was almost like she thought "oh, well I might as well get this done with".

Yesterday I went to the 1st MOPS of the year. They almost seemed happy to see me *grin*. What's cool is I should be able to attend the whole season this time. I may need to take two 1/2 vacation days after I go back to work in May, but it will be neat to be able to jump in not thinking "well I'm only here for a bit". MOPS, for those who don't know, is Mothers of Preschoolers and it gives Moms a chance to have a bit of a break a few times a month, and they provide goodies, and coffee, and child care. It's nice. It was cute, they started this skit with this woman in her pjs sweeping her floor and I laughed "they snuck a camera into my house!" b/c that's me every morning.

Day two of preschool today. My baby Duncan is so predictable. I knew he would put up a fuss to go "you mean we're doing this again?" I knew he would cry. I knew he would stop the second I left. I knew he would have a good time. Check. Check. Check. A Mom who left the room a moment after I did told me he stopped as soon as I left. *grin*. And when I picked him up he was all grins. He had a blast. They sang songs, did art, played on the playground... Yay!

Now, there are still some concerns as to how he will do in the grand scheme of things. One of his teachers asked how his life skills at home were coming along - like putting on his boots, b/c they had to help him. That monkey. He totally knows how to put on his boots!! He does it all the time. Heck, even when we're not going out he wears them b/c he loves his boots. He loves his boots so much last night he woke up at 2:30 AM and asked if he could put his boots on. LOL. Anyhow, so I assured her that yes, he can put on his own boots. I need to pick up a way smaller backpack for him (which I knew). Anyhow, I chatted with both my Mom and Nikki (and Bill of course) about how things might go if it seems he probably shouldn't go yet. I admit it would break my heart if after a month we decided perhaps he needs a while longer yet b/c he just had such a good time. I want to be - and will be - a responsible parent. I'm not going to plug my ears "not listening" if there are concerns, but as a Mom who wants the best for her little boy, I hope this all pans out.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: The 1st day of school



Oh, my little boy is growing up

As we speak he's refusing to nap, but I'm making him lay down for a bit anyhow b/c he needs his rest. He didn't nap for Nikki yesterday either. He is way too young to not nap any more. I was hoping to do a bit of quilting this afternoon, as Cordie also just fell asleep, but I guess not.

Today was Duncan's 1st day of preschool. Crazy. Of course he was the one who made the fuss as I left, but he settled right after I was gone, as it his norm in a new situation. I think he's going to love going and doing all the new things and making new friends. He is the youngest in the class, but I'm not too concerned at this time about that.

Also a 1st this week, he is no longer having a bottle. Yes, I know, he was still having a bottle, but I figured he's starting school, and turns 3 in 2.5 months, so time to stop. He'd been having one at nap (perhaps part of the reason he's not napping, but whatever), and one before bed. The before bed one was easy. I was out with a friend at a kids stuff swap meet last Saturday (which was a zoo! Remind me (I won't need reminding) to never go to one of those with a toddler and stroller again. Duncan was awesomely behaved, but it was way too crowded in there) and I saw her little girl drinking from a Nuby sippy cup. Got me to thinking it was kind of like a bottle, and we have a few of those up in the cupboard. So we call it his "special" bottle, but it's not, it's just a sippy cup. He still has his milk before bed and before we brush his teeth, but just from a normal sippy now. He's been none too happy about the none at nap time rule, but he hasn't had one at Nikki's in months and months, so it's not like he needs one.

His words are just improving all the time. I love that he finds funny things funny - he is "getting" humour, and he can tell me stories. Like when we look at a book together. I can read it once and then I get him to tell me what happens on each page, and you can tell he understands what's going on.

What's going on otherwise... We're putting laminate in the kids' rooms on Friday. That will be nice to have done. We've had the stuff for a year now and it's taking up so much space in our storage closet. We're thinking of going on the market in the new year. I like to look at the housing web sites anyhow, and found the house I totally want for us. But we're not in a position to sell and move yet. And then as a bigger tease our banker called to tell me that mortgage rates have gone down even further. We had a bit of a discussion about housing costs though and honestly with a 35 year mortgage, the house I like, would only be $1500+ a month. Which is a fair chunk of change, but not outrageous, and only $400 more than we're paying now. So it's doable. Okay, I am not surprised, that house has already sold. It was awesome. 3 bedrooms, split level rancher, huge back yard. If we get something like that when we go looking I will be tickled.

Okay, it sounds like Duncan may have actually fallen asleep! Wow! Maybe quilting will happen after all... hmmm...

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Thursday night

Hi! Not much to say here.

I was taking a nap this afternoon...or trying. Cordie wasn't too keen on the idea, anyhow, you know that weird place in your mind when you're drifting to sleep, but still 1/2 awake but your mind is wandering? yeah, that's weird isn't it?

Took Duncan for a haircut today, and he did awesome! Michelle is just the Queen and she totally worked with him, let him have it cut in her kitchen instead of the hair dressing room she has... normally he screams, but she pulled out some old Thomas books her son has and so he and I looked through it while she cut his hair. We were tempted to grow it out, but he gets so warm and I wanted him looking all nice for Preschool starting next Tuesday.

This weekend Amy and I are planning on hitting the big Cloverdale Kid Swap (swapping stuff, not kids) and possibly the baby fair. Should be fun. I need a dresser for Cordie. Bill and my Dad are going to be putting down the laminate we got off of Freecycle a year ago into the kids' rooms. The carpet in there is old, old, old, so it will be good to have that done. We're thinking, once again, of listing next year. We want to get into a house, and with the HST coming in and that will affect realtor fees... anyhow, we talk big, but we'll see what happens.

Oh, and finally, just learned that my brother lost his job. So if you can send prayers/job finding vibes to my brother b/c he lives about 4 hours away, and so he's a bit more on his own. Granted, he was miserable there, but it was still a job. So let's pray he finds a new one soon.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Giveaways!

Hi everyone,

Just plugging a giveaway going on right now, which I believe would be pretty darned sweet to win. And so I am telling you about it.

Kelli, over at 3 boys and a Dog is having this September long give away. You can find the button to her site on the right of my page, under the buttons area.

Every day Kelli is giving away something different, but over all, she is also giving away a chance to win a Casio Watch, Roxio Photoshow, or Seagate's FreeAgent Go Chrome SE drive. I am particularly interested in the hard drive :)

And so you know, I have won stuff through giveaways before...so give it a go!!