HAPPINESS...

our friends met their baby for the first time. If you want to see some sweetness, check out this little darling. Congratulations Lisa and David - we are over the moon thrilled for you both and can't wait to meet your sweet little girl.

Our first Santa Clause parade...

as a family. I would be lying if I told you that Shawn and I didn't tear up a little at the parade. We have waited sooooo long to take a little squirt to the parade and she had a blast!!! I think Annie's favorites were the tap dancers and the bands. She danced and clapped as she took turns sitting on our shoulders.

Glenn and Baxter joined us for the evening and the photo of Annie with her drink is at Noodle Box where we went for a pre-parade meal. The other photo is of her doing a "cheers" with her Dad's beer bottle and I didn't think that it would go over well!! Too funny. Anyway, a fun time was had by all. Hot chocolate and candy canes were consumed yet the little one was fast asleep by 8pm. She was EXHAUSTED. It was wonderful to watch Annie Isabel experience all the lights and sounds for the first time - still brings a little tear to my eye.

New bed~~~

First, thanks for all of your thoughts, emails and offers to sit!!! I still haven't really decided what to do about the event but I still have a few weeks to decide. Shawn is busy getting everything ready for his trip. I so wish that Annie and I could go too but we both agree that it is probably too much for her to return to China so soon. Change is VERY difficult for this little one and she worries about being "given away" again as was evident last night after playing with her new bed. It surprises us every time it happens but really it shouldn't. Our little one has been through so much.

So, this weekend we found a toddler bed on used Victoria - my FAVORITE site. We picked it up, set it up and then showed it to our little climber. I took the mattress and bedding out of her crib and put it all together. She did NOT like this and basically told me to put it all back!! It is not that she doesn't like the bed, just the idea that perhaps another child will be going into her crib? This has happened to her in the past. So we put a camping mat on it and her duvet that she doesn't use. I also found a pillow. These photos are of her playing on her new bed. She won't be sleeping in it for a while yet but she is trying to climb out of her crib so it is time. Oh and for the worriers, we do have a side to go on the bed. There is also a soft cushy mat beside her bed in case she falls out. This is not the permanent spot for the bed - it will be where her crib is right now, right beside our bed.

I love this photo of Annie clapping and singing to her "splat" stuffy - thanks Daddy for the name. So very cute!! This child loves music!! I also love the fact that she likes to bring her books to bed with her. I AM a good influence in at least one way!!!!

Conundrum...

I am not sure what to do. Shawn will be going out of town (to China actually!!) for work soon and I have an event that I would like to attend while he is away. Let me preface this by saying that we have been Annie's only caregivers from day one. We haven't had a babysitter or anyone else taking care of her. Other than when she is sleeping (and even then), she has had either her Mommy or her Daddy in her line of sight. We are very invested in attachment parenting Annie and we have just celebrated eight months of being a family!!
Anyway, I am not sure what to do. The event is in the evening and I could put her to bed and then go out but I if she wakes up and we aren't here to comfort her - I just don't know. Shawn and I have been really good at alternating if we want to go out for an evening with friends or we have people here. We have had some movie and dinner "dates" in the evening after Annie is asleep so we don't feel as though we are missing out on couple time either. This is just an event that I would really like to attend and he will "happen" to be out of town. There are a few people that I would feel very comfortable leaving Annie with - even if she isn't!!Any thoughts?

It's cold...

for us here on the coast anyway!!! Actually it is not too bad, we haven't had to turn the heat on yet - others may have but we haven't. I always try to go until at least December before we have to pay a crazy hydro bill!!! Anyone who has ever stayed with us can attest to the fact that I have extra slippers, sweaters, comfy blankets and pillows to sink into so it isn't that bad. Well, it isn't that bad for everyone but Auntie V. She brings her touque and scarf to wear around the house. She sits by the fire and wears her slippers with lots of socks. Too funny. Anyway, we were fishing out all of Annie's winter goodies tonight as she tried them on - going to look into the mirror of course. So these photos are for you Auntie V - Shawn wanted to let you know that Annie is also so cold in our house that she has to wear her touque and scarf as well!!!!!!

Actually, when Jaspar was here for his birthday weekend last winter he said that our house was colder than his!!! That really made me laugh because Colleen would love to heat the whole house with a wood stove if she could!!! Really, the hydro bills with the electric heat are at least 2/3rds more. We keep it at 14 Celcius and it is still that much more!!!

Oh and this is Annie BC southwester that she wears out in the rain. You can tell that she was not impressd to be wearing it for photos tonight. Oh and like many little people, she loves to wear Daddy's BIG shoes!!! Annie wanted to go out and it was time for her bath so that might be some of the sadness in her face. She brings us our shoes and says "out" when she wants to get outside. There is no guesswork there!!!