I Love You Zoo

The kids in the twomittens household had a pretty fun weekend. We all went to a Halloween party on Friday night with fun music and lights and treats. The Bee proudly wore his costume, but The Bug would not. Oh well. I'm hoping I can reason with him (bribe him) for the real Halloween or it will be very sad indeed.







Saturday the family hit Boo at the Zoo with Nana and Poppa and cousins K and C. Super fun! They actually got to get out of the stroller! The Bee spent a lot of time holding tight to Poppa's hand and getting a good look at things. The Bug spent a lot of time trying to get away from us and just do his own thing.












Regardless, it was a fun, although exhausting day for all.











This was written on the wall on the way out...

Lil' Pumpkin

And one more note on pumpkin before you tell me to shut up with the pumpkin already...

Pumpkin pie mix (not the plain puree I usually use but the sweet spiced kind you use for pie)
Plus steamed milk ( I don't drink coffee, so milk it is)
Equals delicious!!

Baby Girl 5Months

Wow, 5months already. I really feel like she is growing so incredibly fast. And she is because that's how it works with babies. But it's shocking sometimes. And I love her as a baby. And I'm sure I'll love her regardless of what age she is, but being a baby is special and so short compared to all the rest of your life.



And I know I already mentioned it, but she has teeth already. She doesn't need them yet, but she has them.

She's still not sleeping all that well, especially when she has the snuffles, which seems to be a lot. I think she's just getting over them again as she slept much better last night. She gets stuffed up often.
Also she has really found her voice. And by voice I mean a high pitched squeal that sounds a lot like a cat with its tail caught in a door. And LOUD. Ears are bleeding, stop it now noise.




But one of my most favorite things is the way she giggles. If you tickle her she scrunches up and has the most amazing giggle. Pure sunshine.
Last night when I put The Bee to bed I had The Babe with me. I'm not sure what set her off, but she was looking at The Bee and just started giggling. And then she did it again. Laughing her little baby pants off. I told The Bee she thought he was special. A great big brother, so he kissed her on the head.



It's not always obvious what the boys think of their little sister, but it's pretty obvious how she feels about them!

32 Months

The boys are continuing to grow like little weeds. They are actually outgrowing their pants. They are really starting to seem like little boys more and more. The Bee chatters away all day long and they are both more and more expressive all the time.
It's also fun to see them still becoming closer as brothers. They help each other out quite a bit. Especially if one of them is upset (like getting his diaper changed or some other aweful thing) the other one will bring him his blankie.
They are quite hooked on their blankies right now. There was quite a meltdown the other day when I had to WASH them. Yikes.

They are able to play a bit more independently these days, which is nice, although they never miss a chance to get into trouble if they can. The Bee is especially sneaky and will hide himself away if he thinks he will get in trouble. Like taking the liquid soap out of the bathroom and hiding out in The Bugs room to 'check it out'. I really have to keep an eye on that one.


The Bug had become quite a masterful artist lately. He loves to color and likes to sit up at the island and color all over his pages. The two of them have also discovered that crinkling up paper into a little ball and throwing it into the garbage is fun. I have to watch what they are throwing away!

The Bee is quite good at throwing things in general. In a good way. He's good at throwing balls and kicking them. Unfortunately his favorite game seems to be throwing something straight up in the air (like shoes, toys, cars, anything he can lift) and not paying attention to where it may land. Look out!

One of the most interesting things to watch is how the boys are growing emotionally. They show sympathy and compassion. They often say 'sorry' for little things. Although not when I tell them to.
me: tell your brother your sorry for hitting him
bee: no way
And one of The Bees favorite things right now is to point out when someone is sad.
Baby sad.
Mommy sad. (I am probably more annoyed, but whatever)
Bearsnacks sad. (cartoon movie)
It's pretty funny. And often accurate.

And we've been able to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa as well as Nana and Papa in the past month. Fun for everyone.

Going Green

Slime that is.
We're still eating a lot of crap over here. But I am trying to inject some more greens into our diets. And it's not like I don't like veggies, because I do. And the kids eat a lot of fruit and veg without too much trouble. But can you really ever eat too much?
Veggies I mean.
Not pasta and cheese. And chocolate.
I saw Jessica Seinfeld a few weeks ago on the big O. She has a new cookbook with recipes that inject veg purees into various foods. Good idea. Never hurts right?
I haven't been that organized yet, but I thought I'd pass along my own sneaky veg snacks...

Right now I'm adding pumpkin puree to everything. The key thing is not too much or I don't like the consistency, especially in smoothies.
The kids' favorite 'milk shake' is just milk and banana. I find I can throw in a couple of spoonfuls of pumpkin, without much notice. Or add it to mac 'n cheese or tomato sauce or desserts, or whatever.

But my biggest deal yet is the spinach smoothie. No kidding. You can actually add spinach to your fruit smoothie, and it tastes JUST LIKE FRUIT. Not gross at all.
Here's my latest version. Adjust quantities to taste.
banana or fruit of your choice (pineapple is also good)
fruit juice
water
couple spoonfuls of pumpkin puree
half avocado (great texture)
couple handfuls of fresh spinach

blend and enjoy
yummy

It Flies

Where does the time go?
I was surprised to see that I'd only been posting about once a week. I have some posts to catch up on but it seems like every spare minute has a long list of things to do. Plus I have been reading my book for book club. East of Eden.
Reading the classics can always be a bit of a crap shoot. Sometimes 'classic' can be quite dry and booooring. This is not the case. It's juicy. I'm loving it. And I'm so happy to be reading. I'm about half way. I will try to get editing my photos and catching up, but I think that laundry is going to have to fold itself!

The First Rule of Book Club...

My first job out of art school was working in an office. I was 20 years old and I hated it.
Never mind that it paid the rent and I was really too chicken to get a job actually doing design or some related thing, so I just looked down on that job with all the arrogance and disdain I could muster. I was of a higher, more creative mind, not to be tamed by the mundane tasks of office administration. I made my best effort not to conform. To not be assimilated by the borg. Needless to say, I didn't really make a great impression there.
(little did I know how many mundane, mindless jobs lay ahead of me, still too chicken to make any real effort in the 'art world'...fear of failure, that's another post for another day)

Ok, so back to the present. I have been invited to join a book club. Which is cool. The cool kids (well, other moms with kids) invited me to join them. And I love to read, and I'd love to talk about books with interesting grown ups. I may be able to save some of my brain after all.
But then an evil thought creeps in.
I am a stay at home mom. I drive a mini van. We go on playdates. I am the disheveled woman at the grocery store with the noisy kids falling out of the shopping cart and making a fuss the entire time. And now I'm in a mom's book club. (which I actually think is cool)

But am I becoming more of a cliche?
What's next? Cut my hair and wear pajama pants to the mall??
Sadly I'm already way less chic than a lot of the mall moms.

*sigh*
It makes me want to do something rebellious.

Affirm

I believe that words are powerful. Written or spoken. Good and bad. Words make a difference. Use them wisely.
I also believe that there is a kind of visceral beauty in the formation of letters and words. The way they sound and feel and have texture and context beyond the message they spell out.

A few years back I did a series of works based on text. Sort of poetry, but in a more visual context. While I was working on them it was as if the words were characters or musical notes that moved in their own rhythm and bumped up against each other in a fluid motion.
Kooky, but true.

So this really piqued my interest. Thanks again to the lovely Tay.

Do you ever need to “tie a string around your finger” to remember something important?

This little ring can be a powerful tool for personal transformation. I originally made a few for myself to help me remember to focus on body-positive messages as I went through my day. Then I made a few for friends and it grew into a large collection.

An affirmation.

i love you
whole
precious body
wonderfully made
be here now
quirkyalone
healed
my body is a temple
remember me
body revolution

From the list I chose two.

i love you - not that I need to remember to love my loved ones, but I like the reminder to think about them. Maybe show them.
(Or maybe I need to remember why I haven't sent them to live with real wild monkeys where they'd be more at home.)

and

precious body - because when my body doesn't look the way it once did, and I get discouraged by all the physical havoc caused by birthing babies, I remember that their precious bodies were created by mine.

I think I would also add to the list:
imagine
forgiven
with gratitude
and just for fun...kitten...!

And you?

Breathe

My life at the moment is consumed by very practical matters. Feed the children. Wash the clothes. Make dinner. Buy the groceries. Pick up the mail. Clean stuff. Do it all some more. Again and again. It's not completely dismal, but it is practical.

It's 9:45 on a Friday night. The boys are finally asleep and The Babe is too, at least for the moment. CH is doing boy things. Assembling something large and electronic with the help of a friend and a beverage. REM is playing their greatest hits on the stereo.
I am here eating ice cream. It's a rare moment.

I find myself here.
(Via Tay via Maryam. like they're friends of mine even though we're perfect strangers. the internet is so fun!)
And for a moment I feel a flicker of the person who went to art school and likes to think about artsy things and be creative and spend time daydreaming about projects that would be great fun even if I never do them. And it's poetry and imagination and inspiration and boldness and bravery.
I like that girl.
She's fun.
She has fun.

Life breath.

Sometimes I get so caught up in all the practical things that I don't even remember what I'm forgetting.

Ankle Biter

So, The Babe has been drooling like there's no tomorrow. And putting everything in her mouth. That's what babies do.
And then my dad said he saw them the other day. And I said, no way. Shut up.
And then I felt them myself.
MY BABY HAS TEETH!!!
Two on the bottom. 4 months.

*sigh*
I feel this is just the beginning of me wanting her to stay my baby and her in a hurry to grow up.

Baby Girl Update

The Babe had her 4 month shots today. She was a little trooper. The needle part always sucks, but I like to see how much she is growing.
She's almost 14lbs, and 25 inches. That puts her in the 25 percentile for height and weight combined. Basically on the tall lean side, much like her brothers. Go figure.
Which seems pretty funny when you see her rolly polly thighs or kiss her chubby little cheeks.
All good.

House

*deep breath*

Ok. So the buzz around the twomittens household lately is that we have decided to sell our house. Yes, that's right. The house that took a year to build and we have poured our blood, sweat and tears (and gobs of money) into. The house that we have lived in less than a year. That same one.
I have very mixed feelings about this. There are obviously pros and cons to all of it.

CH and I have been talking about it for a little while, but it's actually listed now and someone is coming to see it tomorrow. The realtor reminded me that's a good thing as I must have sounded less than enthusiastic on the phone. I'm sure once I get my 3 little kids packed up and out of the house (which will be sparkling and inviting) at naptime I will be more enthusiastic. At least it wasn't today as she mistakenly told me this morning.

Con: I loathe moving. Everything about it. I hate packing and cleaning and unpacking and everything being up in the air. With 3 little ones I'm sure it will be great fun! Unlike last year when I was pregnant and just had the twins.
Not that CH doesn't do a huge part of it, but it's just very stressful for everyone.
(stress = grouchy)
I'm also already not fond of the 'showing your house' business. That's a new element (from renting). See above.
(stress = grouchy)

Pro: If you know anything about houses in this city, it's that the market has gone up, up, and up. Bad for buying but good for selling. We will make money on our current house. Nice! This will enable us to put a bigger down payment on another home and pay off some debt as well. All good.

The Big Question. Where will we live? Am I a country mouse or a city mouse?
We are interested in houses in a small community outside the city near Bragg Creek. It's about 20 minutes from where we are now. Not that far, yet it's still a drive into the city. A beautiful drive, but a drive.
I consider myself more of a city mouse. I like the convenience of having things close by. We'd be close enough to still have the diversity of things the city offers for the most part, it's just a little farther away.
I really like our current neighbourhood. I didn't think I would at first. I've always wanted to stay closer to the city center where I was most at home. But I quite like it where we are now. I guess the same could happen for the new location. I may love the peaceful surroundings!

So why then?
We're looking to move to a beautiful community with more space around us. Our house now has plenty of space, but we are one of those houses with other houses nearly touching us on either side. We could have a bigger backyard for the kids and more space to enjoy the outdoors. We'd like to travel as a family and would like to have a tent trailer or an older motor home one of these days. To be able to play outside and not worry if the kids are making too much noise. Maybe a garden? Room for a tree house, bikes, fire pits and picnics.

At the end of the day I guess we do what we think is best for our family.
And lately I've begun to discover the joys of online shopping. Maybe I won't notice that extra 20 miles at all!

Baby Girl 4Months

It's hard to believe how much The Babe has grown in just 4 months. So much change in such a short time. Luckily she seems to be over the colic phase for the most part. That's a nice change for all of us.
Other than that she is so much more alert and aware of her surroundings. She's very sociable and likes to be able to watch what we're all doing. She's also quite chatty and verbal. She likes people and is quick to coo and giggle and smile.
We had a rough week last week where The Babe had a cold/stuffy nose at night. She had a terrible time sleeping but it seems to be on the way out and last night was an improvement.

The Babe is still velvety soft and cuddly. Although she often prefers to be held so she can see what's going on around her (like a sack of potatoes her daddy says). Her big brothers take time to notice her now and then, mostly appreciating her toys!




One thing I enjoy so much and will miss later is the way she puts her little hand on my chest, or tucks it into my colar when she is eating. I love that sweet little hand!
I also love the way she always smiles and is so happy to see me when I get her up in the morning. Pure sunshine!

The Babe is such a joy. Even with all the daily chaos I enjoy her so much.

Building Great Cathedrals

I just happened upon this today...worth a read...

Sister

I've been seeing a lot of photos lately using backlighting so I thought I'd give it a whirl. These are from my backyard, late in the day with my sister ShiShi (that's what the kids call her).
I love the color of the light. I didn't hardly edit these at all.

Jelly Bean

I am loving the BabyLegs.
Thanks Mrs. M!
They are a bit addicting...must get more BabyLegs....

31 Months

Well, the past week has been all goopy and snotty. The kids have had a rotten cold with full on runny noses and sneezies. Along with a particularly gross poo incident which required me to clean out an air vent. GROSS!!

One of the big challenges we're tackling at the moment is the BOTTLE. Yes, the boys are way big enough not to have one, but it sure comes in handy. I didn't have the stamina to deal with it when I was pregnant, and it didn't seem fair to try to make that change along with the new baby. But the time has come. They can drink out of sippy cups or real cups (if I want to clean up after them) but it's more of a big deal going to bed. They usually only have a little bit of water in them at bedtime, but it's the emotional attachment that's tougher to break.

On the positive side, the boys are becoming good friends. They seek each other out more often like when they get up in the morning or from a nap they ask about the other and are happy to find each other. They still fight, of course, but they also take each others hands at times or give each other hugs. They have also found it effective to take my hand or CH's and to lead us where they want us. They are getting much better at getting their point across, whether with words or other means.

Learning Curve

Why is it that change is always difficult? Even when it's a good change...that you may have requested yourself...

Ok, I've made a big change. From a pc to a mac. Whuhoo!!! Thanks to my fabulous CH I have a brand new spankin' fresh macbook! Which is exciting and fantastic! And hard!

*sigh*

I've used a mac before, during a graphics course I took, so I knew there'd be some differences. Good ones of course, but also just getting used to a new machine without Windows, and with different names for things, and different places, and just different ways of doing things. I like to think of myself as fairly adaptable (and a little bit smart), but apparently I really did lose some brain cells or neurons or something birthing them babies...
I won't even tell you how long it took me to figure out where the web browser was. And then I had to download Mozilla anyway so I could update here.
CH has been very helpful, but he's never used macs before at all, so it's a lot of learnin' for both of us.

Anyway, I'll keep at it. I feel like I have a foot in both worlds right now (the printer isn't printing yet, the new imac is wireless but the old pc isn't, my old Photoshop won't work on the new machine, my photos are all still on the old machine...etc etc).
I know that it will get better. And I might even learn something in the process.

(that snapping sound is my brain from all the strain)

That's Not a Mini!

Yesterday

Today

It's a good day or a bad day, depending on how you look at it. As a woman who drives around with three kids jammed together side-by-side on a regular basis (quit touching the baby, get your fingers out of the window, leave that alone, GET YOUR FOOT OFF THE BABY!)... it's a good day.

Ode or Lament?

Dear 37,
Remember back when I was turning 30? I know it can be traumatic for some people, but from my point of view 30 was like standing on the verge of something great. I felt like the next few years would prove to be the most significant of my life (so far) and I was right. I married my sweetheart, had twins, built a house (not with my own hands or anything), and had a baby girl, all in the past 4.5 years.

Now granted 36 had its share of ups and downs. I spent a large part of the year being pregnant, sick and miserable while were trying to get our house built and then the whole moving business. Which I do not enjoy.
Some of my favorite people moved far away.
The highlight was by far, the arrival of The sweet Babe. OK, the actual birth part was not fun, but immediately after it was all worthwhile.

I have high hopes for 37. I'm thrilled to have my crazy boys and my adorable daughter. I'm happy to not be pregnant ever again. CH and I have some plans and goals for our family.
I hope to be able to tap into my creative brain and find a spark or two.
I'm optimistic.
I'm hopeful.
I feel overwhelmed at times by how my life has changed, but my goal is to enjoy more and be frazzled less.
I am grateful.

And, we're getting a minivan.

Life is good.

Happy Birthday to me.
Virgos Rule.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

And I don't mean back to school.
(No one is in school here)

If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Sept 27th

Set your pvr's, cosy up on the couch and let the lovin' begin!
If you need a bit of a review...

I'm so excited!
I can't help it.

Birthday Wishes

For Verbosity...

Oh! Deer!

We (CH and I) were feeling brave yesterday so we gathered up the family in the car and headed out to Banff for the day. We don't often attempt such outings all together because it's the equivalent to taking a circus on the road, and we just end up tired and frazzled. Much like every other day. Which brings us to my point. We might as well get out of the house so we can add some scenery to our insanity.
And to our delight (shock and awe) it was fairly successful. Still exhausted and frazzled at the end of the day, but with a mild feeling of satisfaction that we'd had some fun along the way.

One of our first stops in Banff was a little picnic area where I could feed The Babe and the boys went for a mini-hike by a creek. Which they loved. As we were getting back into the car a deer wondered into the area.
Oddly enough, I've been looking for a deer picture for The Babes room. Something nature-ish and whimsical. And there in front of me was a real life deer. Friendly and photogenic to boot. How can you not have a great day when you meet up with a friendly deer?

Baby Girl 3 Months

People often stop and talk to me when I am out with the kids. When I would go out with the boys they often ask if they are twins and then I get either an 'aaaww' (that's so nice), or an 'aaahh', (I feel sorry for you, glad it's not me). More of the latter, especially when I was pregnant.

But occasionally another mother of twins (usually grown) would have some encouraging words. I remember especially one woman telling me how easier it was having one baby after twins. Especially as your first babies.
And boy was she right!!
One baby is practically a treat. I feel like I get to enjoy her more without the pressure of always worrying about another baby to feed or change or hold. Of course I still have twins, but their needs aren't the same right now.

We've had a fun month with lots of family and friends to meet for the first time (the baby).
She has also grown so much in the last few weeks. She has found her hands, and they are so fun to chew and drool on. She's good at spit bubbles.
She likes to smile and coo at anyone who will talk to her. She can hold her head up and 'stand up' like crazy. She's very strong.
She's also a cat-napper during the day. Often little short naps. But she's getting better at sleeping at night . She always goes to bed pretty well, and has slept right through a few times.
Her colic isn't so bad anymore. She still had 'episodes' of it, but not as often. Hopefully she's almost grown out of it. (She's getting better with the burps!)










Overall, The Babe is a pure delight. We adore her!














Baby has a new pair of shoes!

30 Months

I feel like I am living with two pint-sized teenagers.

They talk back.
A simple 'no' has been replaced with an emphatic 'no way'. I especially enjoy the way they will look you in the eye and say 'no' when you ask them to do something, or to stop doing something.

They are moody and tempermental.


They stay up all night.
The Bee has actually improved once you get him into bed. But he will try to stay up as long as he can. Now The Bug has taken to staying awake (in his room) until 10 or 11pm and plays or whines at his door. Then they are often tired/crabby in the morning.

They always want the car.
The Bug is especially emphatic about it. He likes to touch the outside of it, but even better is to get inside where you can really have some fun (when it is parked). Unless you have to be in your car seat. Then you must pull the shoulder straps off and play with the locks or the door handle (handy child safety feature) or poke your baby sister.

Luckily, The Bee still gives the best hugs in the whole world and they are both pretty generous with the kisses.
The Bee will often try to soften you up with 'Hugs Mommy' when he knows you are unhappy with him. It works.

They are curious and adventurous about the world around them. They are learning new things every day (like repeating back whatever you say - my favorite, 'you're bugging me').

And they both love their baby sister. When they notice her. Although I think they both look forward to the day when she appreciates the cars and other toys they try to share with her/shove in her face.

Their 'craft' here is really just playing with scissors.









Future Rock Star!

Terrible Twos

I have struggled at times with whether or not to write about some of the challenges I face in my day to day life. I don't like to dwell on the negative, but a fair and honest representation of life with 3 kids under 3 is not always a barrel of laughs.

I don't think my boys are any worse than others, it's just that there are two of them, so their 'two-ness' is so ongoing. And I also realize that other people/mothers are just a lot better at this business, and it is more a reflection of my shortcomings than anything else. I can't even fathom families with more multiples! Bless all their hearts!
Luckily I have a husband who adores his children and makes a real effort to spend time with them. There are times when his patience and tenderness are an inspiration.

The constant NEED of two year olds is what can be so completely overwhelming at times. The constant need for attention and entertainment.
The constant need for supervision is a big one with me. If I turn my back for a second bad things happen. Some just annoying like taking a bite out of all the apples in the bowl or unplugging the tv, but some a little scary like escaping from the yard or running onto the road or hiding in the car.
They have a constant need to get their own way, or whine and scream when they don't. They seem to need to throw food on the floor at every meal. Regardless of any time/effort I put into making dinner, or not.

Or they need to fight over whatever toy the other has.

I could go on and on here...

I don't think my life is terrible, nor do I think my kids are terrible (usually). It's just the way that it takes everything you have to get through the day sometimes in ways you never expected before you became a parent. I expect (hope, cling to the notion) that things get easier, at least to some degree, as they get older. In the meantime, we just keep on keeping on...

(The baby is now awake and crying and the boys have thrown their lunch, and shirts on the floor)

Summer Lovin'

August always feels like Sunday night before you have to go back to work (like when you get weekends off, and you have to return to your job, not like now, when you never get days off, but that's another topic).

Anyway, we've had a great summer. Especially the past couple of weeks. We've traveled and seen family and had a fantastic time with some special friends from out of town. The weather has been great. I like it when it's been hot enough that the cooler weather is nice break. But alas, it all feels like it is coming to an end. Fall is nice and all that, just too short.
There is also a very good chance that this is the last summer we'll be spending time out at the chalets...sigh...

So, my strategy is to ignore it. And enjoy the last couple weeks of August. Even as the days get shorter and cooler.

How has your summer been?
(don't be shy, leave a comment)

Whirlwind

So, the past few days have included a sister and nephew from Ontario, a Science Centre, a backpacking trip (CH), a substantial one day car ride with myself and all 3 kids, a temple, a blessing, Great Grandma's and Grandpa's (my grandparents, and parents), various other family members, AND...a parade!

I have to go lie down now.



The Babe and her Great Grandpa.