xo Merry Kiss-Much xo

My mother in law, always says this, and I think it's pretty cute...so I have started.

When I was pregnant I would try to write at least once a month, to baby Ziggy, to I guess remember what had happened that month. I thought Baby Ziggy (Skyla) would like to read it one day down the road. Now that she is here, I use this "Baby Time, a fast, fun keepsake album" journal
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Time-Fast-Keepsake-Album/dp/0811842819
My girlfriend gave it to me as a Christmas present last year (ironic that I am talking about it now) and I LOVE it, I am always wanting to find another copy (or 4) to keep tucked away for future children, and for baby shower gifts. It's fantastic, the pages are just super organized and easy to write in. The first 20+ pages are for writing facts about the month or whatever. And then the back half is more for pictures, foods (reactions, dates tried etc) dates of walking/crawling etc, first words, teeth (with pictures where you fill in which tooth and the date - super cute! Anyhoo, highly recommend it, and if you click the link click on "look inside book" to see sample pages.

However I do try to remember to occassionally do a full on journal entry addressed to Skyla, like my last post. And I like the idea of doing them here as well...in case something happens to the file on the computer. So my early new years resolution is to try and write her more entries, and get rid of this gut I have going on.

Back to Christmas!

What a wonderful day, Skyla was to interested in ripping the paper off her presents, even when helping her or letting things/noises peek out. Except for when he had 2, yep 2, babies being unwrapped, she was banging on the boxes wanting to get the babies out. She loves her dolls (a sign she wants us to have a baby? Hahaa A girl can dream) She loves her present from Santa, the fisher price laugh and learn farm...in fact I really want to pick up the living room second hand so one can hang out in the kitchen while I cook, totally has her entertained. And I feel like it's a toy that has news, lights and made of plastic that she may actually learn from...not just noise, and junk KWIM?

She only had ONE nap today, I am really hoping she is ready to be on a one nap schedule, just hoping it will be a LONG one. It was for 1.5 hours, so not to bad, but could have been longer ;) howevre she was not grumpy come bed time so maybe that nap was perfect! Skyla at all her meals (3 today) like a champ, loved dinner until she got ahold of her sippy. She is obsessed with water and could drink her water all day, which I don't like since she is just filling up on NOTHING, and probably the reason she has not been sleeping as well the past couple nights and needing to nurse (I'm E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D...again) so once I took the water away she had a bit of tantrum....lord help me when she is a tantrum-ing toddler hehee. She was happy as always, and for the first time in a loooooong time, she fell asleep while nursing, and stayed asleep. I love those moments and I don't want to unlatch her, it's like newborn days all over again and just fills me with this love or maybe emotion of....hmmm satisfaction, peace, comfort, ahhhhh/sigh :D and she STAYED asleep to be transferred to Gramma's arms, and seeing her asleep in her gramma's arms, boy let me tell you....that was beautiful! She is just SO.BUSY.SO.SO.SO.BUSY! I guess turkey, presents, jolly jumper exercise time, good company, and love tuckered her right out. Now here's hoping she stays dead asleep till 8 am (as I said, she has not been sleeping well, and I have been up late because of company here hehee)

My parents were here, my inlaws were here yesterday, so it all made Christmas that much more perfect being around our family. I'm so grateful that the my parents were able to make the trip out here, from Ontario. I love you so much Mom and Dad, and it means the world to me that you are here....even though I have been a bit cranktastic the past couple days (I blame the wonky sleep) I love having you guys here, and having our "family dinner" again :D


Last little thoughts on Christmas.

Christmas eve, Skyla took her first steps, 3 steps two times, between Nikita and I...YAY, but none today ha. That dang tooth didn't pop, I was really hoping her tooth would pop for Christmas, just to be corny (the song) and it hit me and almost made me cry, while we were doing finishing "touches" last night before bed....I'm a mom and now doing the things for Skyla that MY mom does/did for me, that I now have the "boots to fill" certain jobs to do, and traditions to make. DANG it, that reminds me we forgot to read twas the night before Christmas grrrr.

Okay I must take my turkey filled self, and get to bed, mama bear needs her sleep incase the bear cub wakes up early.

Lot's of love to all our friends and family. I hope everyone's day was as wonderful as ours.

The monkeys UnBirthday

I think I was overdue here he

Around 6 weeks old, my beautiful family
1 or 2 months - lounging at the beach on a sunny day

5 Months - cutest thing ever!8 Months old, trying homemade avocado rolls

I missed my shout out to the monster on December 16th. She was 41 weeks and 1 day, out of me for as long as she was in.

She is amazing.

Life before her seems so meaningless, and unfulfilled. I love my husband, without him I wouldn't be who I am today, and have what I have. He balances me, supports me, loves me unconditionally, he completed me until I had a child ;) our life before her was perfect, but we both agree that now it's magical.

The light of my life, apple of my eye, piece to my puzzle, all those cliche sayings!

Skyla it has been a ride, a dream, a bit of blur.
Thank you for,
not making me have crazy morning sickness
for allowing me to have a healthy safe pregnancy and waddle at 8 months pregnant walking dogs over ice and snow ;)
kicking my ribs, and punching my crotch
crowning for 3 hours, without me really feeling it
being a healthy perfect baby safely born at home
being relaxed, calm and content as a newborn, and sleepy relatively well
nursing like a champ and not causing pain or bumps in the road
good morning smiles, that make my tired eyes wake up, and grumpy mood lift
sleeping so well and not having a problem with cutting the soother out cold turkey
travelling easily and enjoying daily errands and lack of routine
dancing when I sing, even though I know it's not in tune and awful sounding ha
making me miss you only moments after laying you to sleep.

Thank you for being here, for picking us as your family ;) and for being the perfect cheeky little monkey that you are!

I love you so much, I'm so excited to see you grow into a toddler, run around the school yard, ask me for help with your homework, and boy advice when you are a teen, hold your hand and fight back tears when you leave for college, and can't wait to hear you gush about your own bundle of joy...because I get it, I understand that undeniable unconditional love for a little human.

Me likes December!

To celebrate the beautiful weather that December has brought us (out with the rain in with the clear skies and crisp air!) Skyla, Emi, Daddy and Mommy bundled up and headed to North Vancouver to hike the canyon. Hoping for snow up there, so we could rent some snowshoes, but no luck! The last time we went to Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, Emi was about 12 weeks old, there was about 6 feet of snow, and Emers was so light and wee that she walked ONTOP of the snow while we had to hike through the snow. The clear trail ended about 1/4 of the way, and then we were lifting our legs up high and trying to step into other peoples shoe prints/leg holes. And about 1/2 way the trail pretty much ended and we could go no further. Needless to say we couldn't make it to Norvan Falls :(. Since there was no snow, we figured it would be a breeze to finally get to the falls.

However the daylight had other plans, so we had to turn around about half way (or more) so that we would have enough light left to make it out of the trails. We hiked for about 2 hours, probably 8 kms. Next time we will head there earlier, so that we have time to get to the falls, and actually to my surprise, I wasn't tired and ready to turn around! Shocking, I know! And yay for me, I'm not sore today ***HAPPY DANCE*** Emi is exhausted though, which makes me a very proud mama, I feel so guilty that she does not get a daily walk in these days, but I have faith that we will be back to 2-3 daily walks again VERY SOON! I promise Emi. My other daughter, Skyla was a trooper, she didn't complain about being bundled up, or mama spreading vaseline over her face to attempt to protect it from wind, and she was pretty happy on daddy's back till the last 15 minutes. She even fell asleep for about 40 minutes, fresh air does the body good.

2 weeks ago I decided, that we HAD to go for a hike every week on one of James' days off, for the sake of Emi and my arse. Also because I don't want to be that family that coops themself up all winter, I want Skyla to be outside and appreciate the beauty and nature, and I want to be active together, and play together. My family always did the sledding and skating thing, actually my dad used to take care of our local outdoor rink, so there were plenty days that I would spend the entire day frozen skating around that rink with my dad perfecting it. But I myself want to be more active with hikes, snowshoeing (maybe cross country skiing and regular skiing when she gets a bit older) and keep at it all year round, teach my kids to be active and enjoy everything mother nature has to offer. Okay okay I'm coming down out of my hippy tree house! Anyhoo lastweek we were in Victoria, with no Emi, so hiking was a bust, but this week we got back from Victoria early, so the hike got squeezed in, and was enjoyed so much that we plan to hike on 2 of his days off (he is off wed-fri) Buns of steel here I come! I'm very pumped about this plan. If anyone can suggest some great hikes in the lower mainland, please feel free to leave a comment. It does not have to be stroller accessible, since we prefer to carry Skyla, it has to be dog friendly, but ON LEASH, is fine, as she cannot go offleash anyways, I just prefer it to not be 8 hours and intense terrain...eventually when I can handle that, I will attempt it ;) anyhoo I don't know of many places besides the Endowment Lands, Lighthouse Park, and Lynn Canyon, so suggestions are very welcome! And I would love places that are snowshoe friendly, but FREE...cause free is always better :D

I can't wait for a bit for a bit of snow (yeah I know I'm a weirdo) but I love being outdoors in the snow, when you are prepared...not when you are hiking across the mall parking lot in non waterproof shoes. Plus Emi adores the snow, she would play outside in it all day if she could, so she gets pretty deprived of that since it rarely snows in Vancouver city (last year being a fluke)

without further ado Drrrrrrrrrrrumroll.....pictures from James' camera of our hike
Me and my Emi, the river was so clear, just amazing!

James and Skyla, ignore his goofy double hat combo...he wouldn't listen to me when I suggested he not look like an idiot, until he saw it on the camera preview screen, pretty sure his words "why didn't you tell me I looked like an idiot?" Men! Skyla was super smiley and cute though!And she's starting to dose off.

Out cold...please don't flame this picture, it was about 10 seconds after the last and purely for photo op, I "tied" her head down so she wouldn't break her neck. We were using a loaner carrier and this one is not as high and does not have a "nap hood" so we had to improvise.
Ice Queen

Family Photo, well you can only see a wee bit of SAnd here you can see our improvising, with a blanket I packed, with this exact purpose in mind actually hahaa. It looks a bit demented, but it kept her neck a safe and her face warm, and yes she could breathe! Skyla woke up...time for another family shot...good on James for finding sturdy tree's to set the camera on and racing back to me before the timer went off.
Grumpy baby during the last 15 minutes...trying to keep her entertained and playing peek-a-boo!