Summer Afternoon Fun

Since we only have one car right now, I work from home on Tuesdays since Michael has really long (and early) shifts at work. That means that Billa is with me on those days and it can be hard to keep her occupied while I'm busy managing my projects.  By the time 4:30 rolls around and I log off, I know I need to do SOMETHING to occupy the munchkin while Daddy takes a much-needed nap...she's usually bouncing off the walls!

On one such recent Tuesday, we built tall towers with our blocks.

Yes, that tower is nearly as tall as she is!

We went downstairs and drew with sidewalk chalk. Then we raced around the building and up and down the stairs several times.

Finally exhausted by all that action, we came home and sat on the patio to enjoy a popsicle.

(By the way, the tat on her arm is "giant purple horse" aka a purple unicorn–kid loves her ink!)

To my knowledge, it was Billa’s first ever popsicle and she was in LURVE! I bought a popsicle mold last summer when they were on sale and I know now that I need to start coming up with some fun recipes for us to try. I know she’s going to enjoy helping me making and eating them!

We had a fun afternoon killing some time and now that we live in a building with lots of shade around it, I’m actually looking forward to summer afternoons outside now!

Cheers,
Kelly

Wordless Wednesday

Plum Tuckered

Billa had a great birthday on Monday!  Wanna know how I know?

The brown pooch nestled into her arm there is one of her birthday presents from us; it's a Scooby Doo beanie baby, which she has not put down for more than a few seconds since she got him.  She usually takes a book to bed.  The Poky Little Puppy has been a favorite lately. And I swear, this was exactly how we found her when we came in to turn off her Christmas lights!

As you can see, she done wore her little self out!  So what got her so tired?

Well, after having cakes for breakfast (pancakes), we watched some Scooby Doo and Busytown, played "eh-lun"(Elefun), cleaned house, made some juice, baked cookies, played video games with Mommy, went to the shop (Target), visited the fishies (PetsMart), and then had dinner at Burger King, where she played on the playscape for over an hour and made some new friends.  Whew!  That exhausted me just writing it.

Happy birthday, Sugary.  We love you so much and wish you many more wonderful birthdays to come!

Love,
Kelly

Three is the Age to Be

Today is Billa's birthday and I'm having a hard time thinking of what to write.  It's difficult for me to fathom that my baby is growing up! 

It seems like just yesterday that she was placed on my belly, a squalling little pink-skinned bundle.  I remember staring at her, half-delirious from no sleep for two months and half mesmerized by the realization that she was finally here.  Holding her in my arms that day, I had a difficult time processing that she was mine.  I made this, I remember thinking.  Here is my heart, outside my body.  She snuggled close and I held her in my arms as we both slept.

Was it only three years ago we looked upon you with wonder, little bit?

I should have known that was a taste of things to come!  These days, Billa is a blur of activity and motion.  She runs everywhere, climbs everything, and is hopping and bouncing from place to place as she soaks in the world around her.  Stillness is anathema to every fiber of her being, and "hold still" might as well be said in any other language besides English, it's so foreign to her!  As much as I've desired for her to grow, explore, and discover, I creep up beside her at night to watch her as she sleeps.  It's the only time she's still long enough for me to drink in her every feature and breath in her little girl scent.  It's only been recently that she's been sleeping in her own bed, and I still sometimes feel that loss when I wake up without her snuggled in my arms.  My heart aches to hold my baby close.

She moves so fast, I can't even take decent photos of her half the time!

Billa surprises me every single day with yet another concept she's grasped or words she's learned and I experience joy at seeing the world anew through her eyes.  I believe that she is part of the source of my new-found optimism in life.  How can you not hold a sunny view when you see things from the perspective of a curious toddler?  Everything is magical and shiny and new!  I am so grateful to God for giving me this life with her.

So much spunk, from head to toe!

We will be celebrating Billa's birthday quietly today, enjoying her favorite foods, going to her favorite places and spending time together as a family.  A few months ago, I didn't think Billa would ever have that opportunity again, and yet here we are, still together and still committed.  Our daughter is definitely an inspiration towards that goal.  She deserves nothing less than our best efforts at working on our marriage and our commitment to be better people.

Sugary, you have graced our lives with sweetness and wonder.  We are so grateful for your presence and the light you bring to our lives.  Happy 3rd birthday, love!  May you have many more!

Love,
Mama and Daddy

Snow Day 2011!

We woke up to a wonderful surprise this morning...SNOW!  For those of you not from around here, this is a BIG deal.  We never get snow, so when we do, it's cause to celebrate and shut down the town!  As I write this, the sun has been out for an hour or so and the snow is beginning to melt, but we still had enough on the ground to play in it and build a small snowman.  Well, he's more like a snowdrop, since there was only an inch on the ground and it took us a little effort to scoop enough powder to create him.  This is technically the second snow of Billa's life, but the first for her to actually play in because it didn't stick last year.

The view outside our living room window this morning.

Rabbit tracks...they were everywhere!

Billa is delighted to play outside in the white stuff!

Our snowman!

Mommy and Billa...I think Mommy is waaaaaay more excited than Billa!

"Mama, is cold!"

We didn't stay out for too long since it was cold and my fingers were starting to lose feeling.  The wind has also started to whip up and was smacking us in the face with snow from the roof, so it was the perfect time to come in and have a second breakfast :o)  Michael isn't feeling well, so he watched from the window and when Billa told him all about our snow adventures, she finished up with "And it was really cold!"

Stay warm everyone and happy snow day!
Kelly

An Artistic Streak

We are a very creative household!  We love to craft, paint, sing, dance, write, act, and create and we are very talented in our own ways.

Here, Billa is channeling her inner Picasso and painting a very lovely abstract piece that ended up being my mom's birthday present:

She loves to paint and gives all the colors equal love!

Billa got a little crazy with her markers the other day as you can see.  Fortunately, it wasn't anything a little soap couldn't handle!

Sugar Pop, this is why I love you!

Artfully yours,
Kelly

Perspective

This is what happens when you leave your camera sitting within reach of tiny hands:

: 

You get some perspective on life.

Cheers,

Kelly

What Will You Be?

They never stop asking me,

"What will you be?"

A doctor, a dancer,

A diver at sea?

They never stop bugging me:

"What will you be?"

As if they expect me to

Stop being me.

When I grow up I'm going to be a Sneeze,

And sprinkle Germs on all my Enemies.

When I grow up I'm going to be a Toad,

And dump on Silly Questions in the road.

When I grow up, I'm going to be a child.

I'll play the whole darn day and drive them Wild.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend,
Kelly

PS The poem is one of my favorites from my all time favorite kid's book, Garbage Delight by Dennis Lee.  I received this book as a gift from my aunt and uncle in Canada when I was 5.  Billa got her very own (brand new, non-colored or cut up, updated with new poems and art) copy from my cousin Katy, for her first birthday.  It's those kind of things that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  I can't wait to hear Billa laugh when she's older and will actually understand the silliness of these poems a bit better!

Pumpkin Patch Adventures

Every year Sybilla's daycare goes to a local pumpkin patch and every year, without fail, something has prevented me from going.  The first year I had a big meeting at work.  The next year was rained out.  Not this year!  I was taking the day off and we were going to go to the pumpkin patch!

Of course, Friday dawned gloomy and drizzly and our daycare lady called to tell us that she was cancelling the trip.  No way, I said.  We are going, RAIN OR SHINE!  Besides, it was only drizzling and intermittently at that.  We got to the patch just as it opened and already there were tons of kids.  The kids normally wear their costumes and things being financially tight this year, I put her in some stripey Halloween pants and her bat shirt from last year.  She however, decided to let her inner fashionista shine and added the skirt and boots all on her own!  I kid you not, scout's honor!

Billa in her get up. Add some wings and sparkly makeup and she'll be the cutest Halloween fairy ever!

"Mama! I run!"

We ran around the haybale maze several times and then went inside the main building for the "haunted house" and The Great Pumpkin.  It's all pretty tame since it's for little kids, but they love it nonetheless.

The Great Pumpkin, Jack. There's someone hidden behind a screen who will sing songs and talk to the kids as the pumpkin when people come into the room.

The "gross-ary" - like I said, it's pretty tame, but the kids love it any way!

Admiring all of the decor hanging from the ceiling. I swear, these people must have stockpiled Halloween decorations from the last thirty years...some of them are quite old!

Billa enjoyed riding on Daddy's shoulders to get a closer peek at the stuff hanging on the ceiling!

As we were leaving, daycare lady called and said they were going to come after all.  It was Billa's lucky day.  We ran around some more until her friends arrived and picture taking commenced.   The kids all ran around through the maze together, we revisited the haunted house and The Great Pumpkin, took more pictures, and finally ended our trip by picking pumpkins for the kids to take home.

Billa's class. She's the only girl. It explains a lot about my child's personality and behaviour!

Running through the maze with her buddies!

The perfect "puh-kin!"

Billa had a blast and I am happy to say that third time's the charm on this one.  I finally made it to the pumpkin patch!  Her outfit was such a success that I've decided we're going to skip the owl idea for another time and do a Halloween fairy instead.  I'll borrow some wings and do some cute makeup on her and we'll be good to go.

Halloween is my favorite holiday and I think it is quickly becoming Billa's favorite too.  Now every time Billa sees Halloween decorations, she now calls them "puh-kin patch!"  Even her little pumpkin that she brought home. I still haven't decided if we'll carve it or just leave it be.  Either way, this will be a Halloween to be remembered!

Cheers,
Kelly

About a month or so ago, we were visiting my folks and we stayed so late that Boppa (my mom) gave Billa this shirt as a nightgown.  The shirt was one my dad would use for working around the house, so it's super soft and cuddly.  Billa LOVES her "blue shirt" and she looks so stinking cute in it!  I really love it when she spreads her arms and runs around...it looks like muumuu on her, lol.

How can anyone say 'no' to this?!

Cheers,
Kelly

The Writing on the Wall

Michael was helping me hang some pictures and things on the wall over the past weekend and we didn't realize how much Billa was watching us.  Oops!  Fortunately, it's just pencil, so it was easy to clean off.  I just hope she doesn't get the same idea with marker or crayons or I'm really in trouble!

Kelly

Nature Center Trip Recap!

Back in August, Billa's daycare provider took a day off and so I took one off too.  I decided that we would spend part of our day visiting the Nature Center here in town.  The weather was hot, but not super hot and since it was a Friday, there were very few visitors.  Billa insisted on wearing sandals which are not very conducive to hiking the trails, but we still enjoyed seeing all the animal exhibits and enjoying a very short mini hike to a scenic overlook.  Here are some of our pictures from the excursion.  Yes, they're almost six weeks overdue, but whatever.  One step at a time people, one step at a time!

Billa checking out the coyotes

Most of the animals were out since they were cleaning the cages and feeding.  Here's the bobcat! 

Billa really liked looking at the animals!

See?  Proof that my brother isn't the only one with a sick sense of humor in regards to pet names.  Snack (the cat) doesn't have to feel so bad now.  I don't think she'll ever be able to find personalized pencils with her name on them, though.

Billa insisted on bringing a book with her.  When we got to the scenic overlook we took a break and did some reading.

Needless to say, the Nature Center was a hit.  Billa loved being outdoors and seeing the animals, and I loved seeing her explore.  It certainly didn't hurt that the admission is FREE.  I highly recommend taking time to check it out!