Little Grace

Happy Friday everyone! I hope that your week has been wonderful! 

Mine has been great and then got even better with the arrival of my new little niece, Grace! 

My brother and I had this little code word for each other when it was go time for baby! We used it for Sam and Grace! So when I got the minion holding a banana text on Tuesday afternoon, I knew it was serious. 

I didn't know how serious it would be but next thing I knew was that my brother and SIL were driving out the laneway 15 minutes later. 

My parents, Ryan and I were so excited waiting to hear news that we decided to grab a quick supper from the chip stand and head up to my parents house to eat and guess names, sex, gender while waiting for the call. 

We were hardly sitting down to eat, a few minutes after 6 PM and I got a text from my brother congratulating me on becoming an aunt again. 

They had just drove out the laneway at 4:30 and so we figured he was kidding! I called his bluff and then he sends me a picture of the littlest baby feet. 

That's when we realized how fast this all happened. I guess they got to the hospital at 5 PM and baby made her arrival at 5:50 after only 1 minute of pushing! 

Mom got the call that announced that it was a girl! We were over the moon as this is the first girl in the family in over 7 years! Looking forward to more years of pink, bows and princesses! 

Grace Holly Elaina Hamilton 

Born July 26, 2016 

Weighting 7 lbs 13 oz 

21 inches long 

I got to run up Wednesday morning for a quick visit and some baby snuggles. Is there anything more perfect than a newborn baby? 

Titi is over the moon excited to meet you little girl! You are such a blessing for our family and I am so excited you are here! 

xo 

I Love These Days With You

Happy Monday everyone! I think I have figured out my perfect weekend combination. It's really pretty simple. All I need to have an amazing weekend is unlimited time with my boys. We create our own fun and spending each weekend day with them is amazing. I feel like when I am with them all weekend I can catch up with all we have missed together during the busy week days. We had a little bit going on but for all of it, we were together. 

The weekend started out with a quiet Friday. I mentioned my cold last week but guess what...I STILL have it. Ugh! But I got some rest on the weekend in hopes it goes away soon. So Friday was a quiet night. Ryan made him and Sam some Pogo's and I headed to the Bristol Farmers Market to stock up on some fresh veggies. We had a quick visit with my parents  (during the start of a thunder storm that Sam was not a fan of), we headed home and into bed. 

Saturday was going to be a busy day but it didn't start out so great for me. I woke up with one of the worse migraines I have had in years. I was up at my normal early time but I just couldn't function so laid on the couch and napped in the dark. When the boys got up I couldn't stomach breakfast but the boys enjoyed something to eat and then we all went out to play. The sun majorly hurt my head but we continued playing. 

A miracle happened, Ryan washed my car!! This NEVER happens! 

We decided because Sam was going to have a napless afternoon, we would try to put him down for an hour in the late morning. We must have really played him out because he went down without any problems. 

When he woke up it was time to head to the Quyon Tractor and Truck pull. This use to be an event staple in everyone's summer but there hasn't been one in over 20 years. Ryan and I have been SO looking forward to it's renewal. We were excited to bring Sam and hoped that he would enjoy it as well. 

It was a great turn out! And while we knew there were a lot of people, it's such a great big space that it didn't feel like you were over crowded. 

Sam was not one bit scared of the loud trucks and was instead fascinated by all the equipment and trucks! He was so good and I have not seen him sit for that long! Ha ha! 

We are really looking forward to next year! 

We ducked out early and headed to Cobden to enjoy a visit with some of Ryan's family who were camping there. It was so nice to see them all. Sam was way more interested in the awesome park that was at the campground than visiting but we managed to get a few good shots of some of the cousins! 

We decided to grab a quick supper on the way home and Sam had his first taste of Subway. He devoured his sub in record time! I couldn't believe it! I think we have a new favorite fast food place.

We all zonked out after such a busy Saturday! 

Sunday morning I was feeling much better compared to the morning before and got up and had my regular weekend routine of coffee, paper and relaxing. It was glorious and felt ready to tackle the day. The boys slept in which was nice for them and then we all had breakfast and played.

I ended up joining my parents at church that morning and then we all had brunch afterwards at their place. Sam loves playing at his Nana and Grandpa. Grandpa took Sam for a little walk and came back with bouquets of wild flowers for Nana and me. It melted my heart when Sam handed them over to me. 

We all took an afternoon nap and I got stuff prepped for the week ahead. Homemade bread for lunches, cookies and even made a little freezer meal for when my brother and SIL have baby number 4! 

We had a yummy pork tenderloin supper (recipe for marinade to come!) and went for ice cream! Sam went down and Ryan and I worked on our Giant Pumpkin! We have 2 pumpkins growing and hope they will be big enough in time for the fair! 

How was your weekend? 

xo 

Five Things This Friday

This has been a tough week. Sam and I have been suffering from a couple of colds and while he seems on the mend, my lack of sleep is causing the cold to get worse rather than better. I am usually the type of person with a strong immune system and sickness doesn't last long for me. So for this cold to be kicking my butt the way it is, sucks. But the weekend is almost here and I hope to be able to get some solid sleep to help. 

1. I am so glad Sam is a good sleeper like his Dad and not like me. Despite the fact that I try to go to bed early because I get up super early, I have a hard time turning my brain off. If I get 5 hours of sleep a night, that is a good night. Did you know JFK was also a horrible sleeper as well? I guess that's what happens when you are President. He was also a famous napper! It was part of his daily routine. Read about it here. The other day, I went down to the empty offices in the basement, set my alarm for 15 minutes and had a little power nap with my head on the desk. Sometimes it's the only way I can get through the rest of the day. 

2. When I was little, there use to be a Quyon Fair! I loved our little fair! From riding the rides, submitting things into to get judged and playing the games The other thing that use to be HUGE in our town (and around Fair time) was the Quyon Tractor Pull. The last pull was in the early 90's and this year it is making a come back! I am so excited to go and watch this classic event take place! The town is a BUZZ with the excitement for this event.  

3. Lately Sam is in love and obsessed with all things Mickey Mouse! He has a Mickey that we got him in Florida and we watch it on TV. The other day Ryan read him one of his old Mickey books from when he was a kid. Sam now calls it "Dada's Book" and wants to cart it around everywhere! We talked about going no where this winter but seeing how much Sam is loving Mickey lately REALLY makes us want to head to Florida again. The difference would be we would stay off property and maybe fly out of Watertown to save big bucks. We'll see how the rest of the year goes! 

4. I am loving all the farm happenings lately. Cropping season is here which is always an exciting time. It takes a lot of work to get a field ready to seed. Bio-soilds, chicken manure, discing multiple times and leveling the field. I love that Sam is around this kind of environment. Despite his love of tractors, I love teaching him how things grow. The other day 100 little chicks arrived to be shipped and live at another farm until it was time butch them for the freezer. It was fun to have Sam feel their soft feathers and show it was a baby chicken and he continue to "buck buck" all evening long. 

5. The last couple weeks I have felt this enormous sense of being on the brink of falling apart. Work has been busy, home has been busy and I had this feeling of juggling 4 balls and at any moment one of those balls were going to drop. I am not very good at asking for help. In fact, I don't ever ask for help. But I knew I had to in order to keep things going, including my sanity. Thankfully, Ryan has really stepped up and I just need to give clear instructions and it happens. Between making supper, doing dishes and putting Sam to bed, he has been a rock star. It is against every bone in my body to spend the money but I have also declared the day that I work in the city, it's easy supper/take out night! It just gives me a little ease in the busy season. 

Hope you all have a great weekend! 

xo 

Another Successful Summer Weekend!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a great weekend. I think we are still recovering but my goodness it was a good weekend! 

Friday we got a glorious rain! It broke the heat wave! Such a beautiful sight! 

Friday night Ryan and I booked a babysitter and decided to head out for a very belated anniversary supper to our favorite place, The Keg! Part of us wanted to stay home and get things ready for our busy Saturday but we are so glad we went out and enjoyed an uninterrupted meal and chat. 

Since we got home fairly early from our date, I wanted to get a couple things crossed off the to-do list. Ryan told me just to come to bed and he'd get up with my early and we'd get it all done together. I was skeptical but he set his alarm so I was hopeful. 

At 5:00 AM we both got up. And by 5:30 I was sipping coffee while getting some food prep done.  

And Ryan had settled down in the living room for a nap. Ugh! 

After about an hour and a half snooze, he woke up just in time to put the last of the bacon in the oven...Thanks for the help dear...ha ha! 

I got everything done and Sam just woke up around 7 AM. He has been fighting off a cold but was in good spirits and was such a good boy all morning. Listening really well and playing and helping! Almost every day he sets out all of my mixing bowls and helps me to cook. I have this big island to work on and I only get one little corner and Sam hogs the rest! ha ha! 

I was excited to use two ingredients from my garden on Saturday for our meal. I used fresh spinach for spinach dip and picked some lettuce from the garden for the chicken burgers! Everything is doing so well in the garden this year! 

Sam went down around 1 for his nap and as he was falling asleep, people began to show up! I always like to have my group of girlfriends over with their family to enjoy the pool for the afternoon. The kids are getting old enough to play and swim on their own which means us girls get to have a great visit. 

We enjoyed lots of swimming, eating, a few drinks and then warmed up by the fire as the sun went down. It was the perfect Saturday by the pool with the best of friends. 

Sam and I were both feeling a bit under the weather on Saturday and Sunday and after a busy Satuday, kept it low key on Sunday. We went to visit a new baby cousin which Sam was obsessed with. He wanted to share all of this toys and books with her. 

We enjoyed leftovers at home, naps in the afternoon and then I set up barber shop and gave both boys their second at home haircuts. Ryan went first in hopes that Sam would see and not be so scared...no such luck. Thankfully, I am getting much quicker and we are at home and not wrestling him at some hair place in the city and paying $25! 

The biggest shock is that Ryan is now letting me cut his hair too. He went on and on about me not being allowed to cut his hair. But it is hard to get to a barber shop especially during the busy months. Ryan likes his thick hair to be cut every 3 weeks and he now likes that it's available at any time at home. 

All day Sunday Sam was asking for when his "fwiends" would be coming. Poor boy wanted the party to happen all over again. We ate supper outside by the pool and Sam pulled up chairs on either side of him and called them his friends and kept chatting with them during his meal. 

After supper Sam insisted we take him in his stroller for the first time in a long time! It was weird to see my big boy in his stroller! 

It was such a fun weekend and I am kind of sad it is over! But it was another great summer weekend! 

How was your weekend? 

xo 

Weekend Of Birthdays!

Happy Monday everyone! What is it about summer that means there is SO much going on? Specifically on the weekends when you try to squeeze in as much fun as possible! 

The weekend started out with an awesome paint night! My favorite one so far! It was by far my most favorite painting and it was the perfect time. We started at 5:30 pm, stopped for a potluck supper and then everything was done and I was home by 10:30ish. It was a lot of fun visiting with a great group of friends while we got artistic. A great way to start the weekend! 

The clouds had already rolled in when I got up on Saturday morning. I enjoyed a quiet morning coffee and paper while I waiting for the boys to get up. When they finally stirred we had breakfast and got ready for a birthday party across the road. 

My nephew was turning 3 on Saturday and we were all looking forward to celebrating with him! It was a nice, relaxed party and we were home for Sam's nap time. 

Both boys went down for a 3 hour nap. When they slept I watched a little Game of Thrones and snoozed as well. A perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. I did end up heading out to the birthday party for family friend, Eddie before the boys woke up.

I went back home, picked up the boys and after snack we headed out to birthday party number 3 of the day! My uncle and his twin brother turned 60 this year. We enjoyed visits and a yummy BBQ supper. 

That evening after Sam went down to bed, Ryan and I had a little movie night! It feels like it's been a long time since we've been able to settle down for a movie night. 

Sunday morning we decided to head to Tim's for breakfast and enjoy a little Sunday morning drive since it was pretty cool out. 

After Sam's donut breakfast, he was being pretty silly. 

 We had a great morning playing around home. Sam is really obsessed with his bike right now. He is on it everyday! Yesterday  he put this Canadian flag in himself and started singing O Canada as he biked around the garage. Silly dude! 

After a big breakfast at my parents, Sam went down for a nap and Ryan and I got the pool ready for some guests. We have gotten to know and become friends with Nana (and her family) who runs Sam's daycare. We have been wanting to have them over for a swim and Sunday was the perfect chance. 

The two boys headed off for a bike ride and the girls hung out (and eventually Sam when he woke up). We had a swim, BBQ supper and then headed out on the RTVs for a little farm tour. 

We stopped at the bentgrass nursery to quickly show this pretty neat field. To me, its just grass. The thing that makes the farm money. The thing that I have get up early on the weekends to water. But to them? It was something so beautiful. At one point I overheard Nana say, "how can you see something like this and not believe in God?" 

I really made me stop, enjoy the sights of the kids playing and the sounds of their giggles. Too often I see something as "work" and not stop and realize how lucky I am to be able to call this place home. 

We made a fire and had S'mores for dessert and then after our guests left, headed for bed completely satisfied and feeling blessed with a weekend well spent! 

How was your weekend? 

xo 

Sam Update - 2 (+) Years Old!

Well, isn't this update quite a bit belated? That's what happens when a Spring baby's Momma works on a farm. But truthfully, I've been really enjoying this age! Sam is just SO much fun! 

Stats

It's kind of funny how once a kid reaches a certain age, the numbers don't matter as much. While I still obviously care that he is growing and thriving, I care less about the numbers and I see by what he eats and what clothes he grows out of that he is doing well. 

The last time he was checked he was 18 months old but we did try and do some measurements close to his birthday. Sam is around 34 pounds and close to 3 foot 1 inches. 

Wearing

I love this time of year! It is so easy to get Sam dressed. We encountered a little shirt problem. 2T shirts were too short and his belly would stick out. But 3T would seem massive on him. He seems to be growing into them better now though. His bottoms are 2T and Pj's are 3T. His shoes are size 8 but we are almost grown out of those now. They seem big on him but we had to up his diaper size to 6. The 5's fit better but he was waking up wet every morning. 

Eating

Still a really good eater. He definitely has his preferences lately though but he is kind of constantly eats. Breakfasts are his biggest meal of the day. I give him a little snack and milk on the way to daycare because he is hungry the instant he wakes up! 

He loves sweet things like waffles, pancakes, ice cream and fruit! And any kind of dip! Ketchup, mayo or ranch. He just loves to "dip-dip". 

Saying

Sam's vocabulary EXPLODED from when he was 18 months old. He is even starting to form little sentences. He really says so much! But the coolest thing is his French. He speaks and understands so much French from what he is exposed to at his Daycare. Which I love! Sometimes he'll come home and be saying a new word and Ryan and I have no idea what it is! But I love that he continues to pick up French because it would be so nice for both languages to come easily to him! 

Some of my favorite Sam sayings...

"Wait me" - Wait for me 

"No Touch" - When he doesn't want us to touch anything of ours 

"Ne pas Hot Dog" - When he was telling us he doesn't want any hot dogs. 

Appearance 

Sam's face has thinned out a lot since he turned 2 and he is much more lanky. I find that he is still very much like Ryan. 

Likes

Treats, anything motorized (trucks, tractor, fire truck, bikes), being outside, playing in the sand, eating, napping, Mickey Mouse, The Wiggles, snuggles, kisses and helping! 

Dislikes

Time out, sitting down to eat, being told no, rain, messes, baths and when Mommy or Daddy leave without him. 

Other

Sam is still my laid back, kind of shy kid. He doesn't move really that fast but when he has his mind set to something, you can't tear him away. He can have a tendency to be a kind of serious and focused kid. He doesn't warm up to people very easily but is pretty good at new situations as long as Mom or Dad are there holding his hand.  

Lately, I have seen his imagination blossom. He is doing a lot more pretend play. Like feeding his stuffies, playing with baby or talking with his trucks. He is really good at independent play now. 

Sam is not exactly a fearless kid. There are certainly times when he does something that gives me a heart attack but those are not common. He is actually a little on the cautious side. 

Ryan and I agreed that he didn't want to push the whole potty training thing. We didn't even want it mentioned and thought about until after our holidays in September. Sam decided otherwise and has lately been taking an interest in the potty and goes pee on the potty every night and morning. He are keeping him in diapers for the time being though. 

We also have Sam in his crib still. I see no reason to move him and keep telling his anxious Dad (Who wants to move him) that. He is sleeping through the night, naps well, his happy to lay in his crib and NEVER tries to escape. The problem is I find he is getting a little long for the crib but again, we have no plans in the near future to move him to a big boy bed! #cribuntilcollege. 

Mommy 

I am a planner through and through and thankfully that has helped me transition and balance my work and home life. I was beginning to feel anxious about life. I feel like I have a lot of responsibility at work that sometimes I can't drop when I get home. It's not that I am doing work at home but my mind is sometimes still there. Worrying and planning things for the days/weeks/months ahead. At the same time, I am still trying to be the Mom that I want. I don't want Sam to ever think that I put work before him but I can't lie...sometimes I have. I am working at being able to turn off the "business" mind when I'm at home and just enjoy the time with Sam. 

I love this stage with Sam where he expresses his interests and dislikes. I've had to push my own preferences aside and let his develop. Sometimes I've had to turn and look the other way at messes and just live in the moment. 

Moments are what I live for. Those rare sleepy snuggles in the morning, the random kisses, and that big smile we give each other. I am trying to soak those in and remember them for years down the road. I know he will only stay little so long. 

Daddy 

Even more than me, Daddy is LOVING this stage of life. You are his little side kick and you two are so similar too. You are Dads little buddy and he has really enjoyed taking you for truck/tractor rides, out for special dates, and getting you to help him in whatever he is doing around home. 

While with me, you are happy to play independently, with Dad, you would MUCH rather him play with you because he is really good at all the accurate sound effects for all of your toys. 

Daddy is really good at getting those good deep belly laughs out of you. You just think he is the best thing ever. 

Letter 

Dear Sam, 

Happy (belated) 2nd birthday my boy! You don't like it when I call you a big boy and insist that you are my baby...and I'm really OK with that. But really, you have grown so much over the last 2 years. You have gone from this little tiny new born to a smart, funny, serious and thriving toddler. 

Not a day goes by that you don't do or say something that makes me laugh. There is also not a day that goes by that you don't have some sort of tantrum but that's life with a toddler who is trying to figure out this big world. I'll be there to hold your hand and I'll help you along the way. 

Sam, you make the days really interesting, challenging but lots of  fun! You bring out the child in both your dad and I and you make me take things less seriously. We are still learning along with you as the days go by but it's been a fun adventure! 

I love you! 

Love, 

Mom 

xo