Hands Mine and Yours

Did you ever look at your grandmothers hands?  I mean really look at them and take them in.  Did you touch the tops of them and run your finger over all the little scars from years in the kitchen, and the rough spots from gardening and cleaning, and the dark spots from years in the sun?  The weather of life lived and loved.  Do you remember that moment, way back when, she touched the top of your hand and had a good look at it, remembering when her own looked so supple, so white so new.  I remember that moment.  For some reason it sunk into me and stuck with me and comes back from time to time.  I noticed today, my hands, they're almost halfway there.  Halfway through life and showing some of those little scars and rough spots and dark spots.  I love them.  I love them because they make me feel close to my grandmother.  They remind me of her.  They bring forward in me my love of life and how beautiful living is.  The new little hands in my life make me brim with love and joy.  Love for my grandmother and love for my mother and myself and my daughter.  Take a look at your hands.  I bet you'll see more then your own life in them. 

Summer is coming!

I can't wait my love, because summer is coming, and you'll get to feel the world around you more then you can do right now.  You'll get to run in the grass and the sand and sprinkler and the beach and the splash pad.  You'll get to feel the warmth of the sun and really love it for all it's glory.  You'll get to meet a clown I'm sure and get to hold your first balloon and get to taste your first taste of your mothers favourite taste... cotton candy.  Summer is coming, summer is coming.  It's leaving our friends in Australia and coming to us.

My little love, how happy you are and smarter you are getting.  You clap with joy and squeal with delight and splash with enthusiasm and explore with determination. You teach me so much, every single day I learn.  I wonder and wonder what I ever did before there was you.  I really really wonder.

It's a new day!

I'm trying to look on the bright side.  Toria is starting to nap more regularly, longer, and better yet is doing so in her crib.  My wonderful husband (the one who makes my world go around as it should) takes Toria in the morning while I sleep in.  He feeds her breakfast, plays with her and even dresses her sometimes.  He then places her in bed beside me before leaving for work at 8.  Toria feeds and falls asleep.  Often we'll wake together around 10.  But... sometimes I wake before her and head downstairs to have breakfast and catch up on world events and facebook updates.  It's me time and I love it.  It lasts until she wakes, realises I've left her and cries for my return, at which point I'm so excited to see her again since I haven't really seen her since bedtime.  From there we start our day.  I've known this beautiful routine would be coming to an end as I watch her get closer and closer to independent mobility.

Today is a new day... because today when I responded to her cry I found her on the floor.  With my heart in my throat I picked her up for our morning cuddle.  I watched closely for any signs of a bump or worse.  She didn't keep me in suspense... she smiled and cooed and reached around the air as if to tell me she was a.o.k. and ready for our day.  Tomorrows routine... will be slightly different.

Hats!

OK mommy!  I'll play the hat game with you!  How do you play?

Really?  But I can't see!

Which means I might fall over!

Good thing for you I'm a good sport!

Off mommy!

Oh... I see.  You put them on...

and I take them off!

On

Off

On

tricky

off

On

Off

I'm not sure I like this game any more

You're not listening to me!

What hat? 

You mean you got another one on me when I wasn't looking?

Off mommy!  Off!

Some odds and ends

Toria waiting at the Victoria BC airport for her dad to arrive after being without him for three weeks. 

I don't think we own a baby had without some kind of pom poms or ears on it.

Toria drenched in sunbeams while on a dog walk through the woods.

I'm not sure what this was about... but it was sure cute.

Her first introduction to the Pacific ocean. 

Her first word... Dada.  Said often when he' around. 

Christmas morning with her new teddy bear in his bunny ear hoody.

Her first taste of food.  It's not a silver spoon... it will have to do.

Yummy dragon fly

A little cross country skiing for mommy's soul!

Here is Toria and Ivy in the Chariot at the start of our first ski.  It was a beautiful day and nap time was fast approaching.

Here is Nicole with Christopher in the single Chariot.  Nicole inspired me to get a move on and find a Chariot.  It might have been a plan that fell by the wayside otherwise.

Quickly into our trip, in the fresh air and with full bellies, the girls fell fast asleep into their afternoon nap.

When it was all done we had happy refreshed mommies and happy refreshed babies.

Remembrance Day

My heartfelt thank you to the businesses downtown... they wouldn't take dad's money at the coffee shop when he went looking for one to warm his hands after the service. The parking lady wouldn't take my money when she saw him sitting beside me. The World Exchange Plaza had a lovely table out with coffee and treats and a big sign saying "Welcome Veterans".  And the crowds were bigger then ever this year with tearful people cheering them as they marched out after the service. My love and prayers go out to the families who have lost so much.

We will remember them... we will remember them.



Two of my favorite people!  My loving and supportive parents.



I was thrilled when I learned my parents would be here for Remembrance Day and that dad would be marching.  I've headed downtown for the ceremony, by myself, for over ten years now.  Having family with me made it much nicer.

Gosh it was bright out!  It was almost painful to keep my eyes open while mom figured out the camera.



I love you dad!



I'm a jumping flower!



This is Diane and Ivy from babyclub. 
Ivy was a flower for Halloween and was kind enough to let Toria try on her petals.



Snow - Makes me think of cottaging?

With our first snow fall of the year arriving in October, I found myself thinking of our summer getaway.  Jason works hard through the summer months and finds it difficult to find time away from the office.   So once those grant applications are in... I pack him up and head out for some R & R.  In the past we've packed ourselves into a canoe and headed into the back country.  With Toria's arrival in May we needed to change things up a little.  I put out some feelers on facebook and found a cottage.  We've always wanted a cottage property to retreat to and hope to have one someday.  Our former neighbours were kind and trusting enough to allow us to rent theirs.  And so... with snow on the ground I'd like to take myself back to a stiflingly hot week on a beach cottage property on Lac Ste-Marie.