hello, fall

why hello fall.  it's officially official.  today is the first day of my all time favourite season.  i look forward to this time of year all year long.  seriously, as soon as august starts it might as well just be september.  cool weather, crisp mornings, pumpkin spice lattes, yellow, orange and red leaves, boots and scarves.  pretty much just about everything about it.  it's almost better than christmas.

so merry happy first day of fall!

excuse me while i go toss myself into a pile of leaves with my pumpkin spice latte.

liamisms ~ first edition

liam at three is both freaking hilarious and holy terror.  guess that's what it's like being three.  i often feel like he is an emotional time bomb.  just waiting to go off at the most inopportune times, say at costco on a saturday when he needs to pee but refuses to actually walk to the washroom and screams all the way there.  but in between the emotional tantrums (he is just learning to sort out his emotions so we'll cut him some slack) we have this kid who says some pretty funny shit.  so ... i guess it's time to start writing some of those things down in order to not forget and also to remind us that he's more than the foaming at the mouth, kicking and screaming ball of terror that sometimes shows up.

here's the first instalment of liamisms:

to rob while playing play doh: "i want you to make a daddy, a mommy and a averie.  but a mommy with boobies."

to rob: "averie doesn't like you.  i like you."

taking a bite of his dinner:  "now i'm big and strong?"

"i smell skunky.  mom did you fart?"  (i swear i didn't)

in the car on the way to seattle:  "i smell skunky.  averie's poopy." (she wasn't)

holding his toy trailer truck to his face:  "daddy look at my moustache."

on the highway coming home:
liam:  "you have to drive slower daddy so i can open my window."
rob:  "i can't because we are on the highway."
liam:  "you have to.  i need to get some air in here."

to rob while getting his hair washed in the bath:  "i'm growing dad, let go of my head."

talking to uncle pete on skype while holding his toy drill (this one needs the context):
"i'm going to screw you uncle pete."

to me "you're not a girl, you're a lady."

his first day

on september 5th liam started pre-school.  i just about lost my shit.  my baby started school!  i know they aren't doing rocket science or learning quantum physics, but he's started "formal" school.  for some reason i thought that i was going to be okay with this.  i'm a teacher.  it's no big deal.  it's only pre-school, whateve's.  um, apparently it's totally a big deal and i had a bit of a mommy meltdown.  who knew that taking when i took my first born to his first day of school it would almost bring on the ugly cry.  to be fair, i guess i've finally just realized that my baby boy is no more a baby.  he's a big boy.  a big boy that goes to school now.  as he like to remind all the time.  

anyways, on september 5th, pre-mommy meltdown, i left work early to take him for his first day.  picked him up at the day home, he was practically vibrating and was so excited to go and learn his numbers.  he's recently been all about numbers, not so much the letters anymore.  made sure he had gone potty (big things have been happening on the potty front around here!) and headed out.  got to school and went in  to meet his teachers and check things out.  i was a little worried that he would play shy-guy and hide behind mommy, but he did the complete opposite.  in the door, "hi i'm liam"  and immediately to all the toys.  we played together for a little bit, but after awhile he was all about trying to play with the other kids.  awesome.  he did get a little shy at circle time when everyone was singing, but i'm sure that won't last long.  he's far too social for that.  he gets so excited every day he gets to go to school, two afternoons a week this year, and has started asking if he's going to school every morning on our drive to the day home.  very happy we got into the afternoon class because it means that i am able to pick him up from school everyday.  i love being a teacher.

after school we picked up averie and went home for snacks.  and a mommy meltdown.  and really i wasn't feeling particularly sad about liam going to school.  i think it was more a result of the realisation that he's no longer my little baby.  he's growing up.  and he's going to keep growing up.  this was just another milestone.  one that maybe i just wasn't ready to face.  and so there were tears, not ugly cry tears, just tears.  i'm glad i was able to take him on his first day, but i wish that i didn't feel like it just snuck up on me.  a year ago we were all hanging out at home, doing crafts, playing with play-doh and he was my little man.  my two year old.  now it's like he's all grown up and going to school.  and three.  what's next, girls and cars?  think maybe we've still got a few years before that happens.

i hope he always loves school as much as he did 

on his first day.

life {lately} ~ v. 17

just a look at our crazy life over the last month or so.

its been busy.

full of change.

and a little stressful.

hanging out with friends at their cabin.

prepping to go back to work, i'm such a nerd.

so happy to be back in the classroom.

done a ton of landscaping in the backyard.

we are almost officially out of our mud pit.

eating the best cupcakes from crave.

planning averie girl's first birthday party.

all pink and white decorations and two chalkboards.

(party post in the works)

liam had his first day of pre-school.  what the what!

beer drinking and orchid blooming.

i'm hoping to post more regularly once we get into more of a routine.

working full time, having two kids and keeping up the fun can be a little crazy at times.

also looking in to a blog re-design.

stay tuned.

today you are one ~ a birthday letter

my beautiful baby girl.  today you are one.  today is the day our lives and family became complete.  today is a day i'll hold special in my heart forever.  before you were born i couldn't imagine that i had so much love to give.  before you were born i didn't know what i was missing.  before you were born ... i slept.  just saying.  you are more special to us than we could ever begin to tell you.  to show you.  you are loved with all our hearts and then some more.

you are amazing everyday.  your happiness brings us so much joy, as does your smile and laughter.  you are in awe of your brother, despite him pushing you around.  he's just teaching you how to be tough.  you are a quick learner and our little copy-cat.  i love how you try to mimic what your dad, liam and i do.  i love that you say uh-oh at everything. that you blow kisses and say mu-wah.  i love that you place "chase me" at bath time and that you love to climb the stairs.  i love that you play with cars and trucks and make noises as you drive them around.  i love that you fight me every time i change your diaper especially because you think its so funny.  i love that you throw your food on the ground when you don't want to eat anymore.  i just wish we had a dog to clean it up.  i love that you give your lambie hugs all the time, it appears she'll be your favourite of your stuffed animals.  i love that you snuggle and that sometimes that's all you need to settle down at night.  i love that we had a whole year to be together all day, every day.   and i love that we are starting a new adventure.  because today you are one.

last night you went to bed my tiny wee babe.  and this morning you woke up my one year old daughter.  i cried a little, because i know these years will go by too quickly and one day you won't be my baby girl anymore and i'll wish all of these years back.  but for now you are still my baby girl.  and you still love to snuggle with you momma.  and today you are one.

i love you averie girl.  more than ever.  happy first birthday.  happy first year.

love mommy
xxx