Ophelia 2009

Can I say LARGER THAN LIFE ?!?!

Seriously this girlie is adorable ... she has these lovely soft blonde curls and these uber-pinchable chubby cheeks, when she grins or laughs it is like the sun's warm rays ...

and it is a very good thing she is so stinkin' cute because she is really a stinker!! We started calling her Bruiser, but I think we will have to stop so it doesn't become a self-fulfilling prophecy. She has no fear - she runs as fast as her little legs can go.
She jumps off the couch.
She climbs ~ chairs, barstools, window sills, shelves, fireplaces, anything she can! (Although she has yet to get out of the crib - which is great for me!)

Kellan rocked her world ~ she had no idea what hit her! She went through a rough stage then ~biting, hitting, screaming, hair pulling ~ her main targets were Kellan and Keidis. Keidis would curl up into the fetal position on the floor sobbing and Fea would stand above him grinning as she whacked him over and over with wrapping paper rolls, dress up shoes, you name it, she hit him with it!! She has improved, now it is only the occasionally nibble on Kellan's exposed toes and the few-and-far-between sucker punches to Keidis.

For all her roughness, she is still a little angel, sweet and happy, she sings twinkle twinkle with actions and hugs and kisses her brothers and sister and still LOVES to cuddle!!

p.s. all these photos were taken by my wonderfully talented friend Debra at debramoorephotography.ca

Kellan 2009

This little guy is the sweetest little man ever to be. All of my babies have had wonderfully sweet temperments, but Kellan - seriously, the kid never cries ... he just grins and laughs all the day long!

He started out big ~ 9 lb 3 oz ~ and has never looked back. I just weighed him and at 4 months old, he is 18 lb 8 oz (just above the 97th percentile on all the charts). He is just one big boy! He sits in the Bumbo chair and the exersaucer - both of which he was ready for at 2 months due to his sheer size.

Being big at birth is not always pleasant for mom in the moment ... but there are some benefits - like sleep ... within the first week he was giving me 6 hours a night. Fantastic! Basically he has stuck with that. (Must have been the tight-like-a-burrito swaddling). In the last few weeks, he has taken to putting himself to sleep too ... I just put him down in a soft comfy blanket beside me on the couch at around 8 and out he goes ...

His life is pretty simple ~ eat ~ sleep ~ play ~ roll (from back to front) ~ smile ~ giggle ~ sit ~ cower in fear from Ophelia ~

He is a joy!!! We are so grateful to be blessed with him in our lives!!

Ophelia turns one!

Here is our sweet girl turning one:



Yes, this did happen in March 2009 - I told you I was behind!

our year in cakes

I am going to slowly catch up, not too much detail though, as I haven't written in months aside from the new baby announcement!


Here is Ophelia's one year birthday cupcakes:

Kaya had a Faerie party this year:

This is an angel food cake for Auntie Trish's birthday:

Corn on the Cob cupcakes for Father's Day - don't ask why, I just saw them in a book and wanted to make them:

Oh Canada - apparently I was on a strawberry kick this year:
I am looking for Keidis' Diego cake right now ... hopefully I will find it as I sift through a year of photos! so that is it for now.

Kellan Thomas Kenyon

born Sept 30 2009 at 5:37am
9 lbs 3 oz

here he is at age 2 hours.

Notes on an Unhurried Journey

Notes on an Unhurried Journey

When we adults think of children, there is a simple truth which we ignore: childhood is not preparation for life; childhood is life. A child isn’t getting ready to live; a child is living. The child is constantly confronted with the nagging question, “What are you going to be?” Courageous would be the youngster who, looking the adult squarely in the face, would say, “I’m not going to be anything; I already am.” We adults would be shocked by such an insolent remark, for we have forgotten, if indeed we ever knew, that a child is an active participating and contributing member of society from the time he is born. Childhood isn’t a time when he is molded into a human who will then live life; he is a human who is living life. No child will miss the zest and joy of living unless these are denied him by adults who have convinced themselves that childhood is a period of preparation. How much heartache we would save ourselves if we would recognize the child as a partner with adults in the process of living, rather than always viewing him as an apprentice. How much we would teach each other… adults with the experience and children with the freshness. How full both our lives could be. A little child may not lead us, but at least we ought to discuss the trip with him, for after all, life is his and her journey too.

-Professor T. Ripaldi


my sweets, living each moment, (in this particular one, playing with photo booth on the macbook).

waddling

I have another post ready to go, I just need to find the pictures I wanted to include. But in the meantime, I thought I would give you a funny image - I was watching Ophelia toddle down the hall with a rather full diaper ... as she waddled back and forth on her way from one adventure to the next I realized that I am walking exactly the same way these days. So we waddle together :) (only 3 weeks to go until due date!!)