Arizona 2015

This month, we went on another family trip to Arizona.  We have gone every year since Sophie was born and this trip was the best yet.  The weather was perfect, Ryan's parents were there to participate in many of our activities and we even got to spend some time with Aunt Janae.

Our flight to Arizona went well.  We had an afternoon flight so I was concerned about Elise missing her nap but she was a trooper.  Both girls were.  By the time we got to Arizona, got our rental car, found our condo (which was a bit of a challenge, it was dark, we went to the wrong place, etc.) and settled in, it was late.  Lucky for us, Nana and Papa met us there with some groceries and dinner.  It was almost 10 pm before both girls fell asleep.

Our first day at the beach

The next day, after a bit of a sleep in, we headed to the pool around 10 am.  It was probably the chilliest day of the week so the girls weren't super excited about getting too wet.  They did get in the pool though, so that made Dad happy.  We went back to the condo for lunch, and then Elise went for a nap, the one and only nap she would take our entire trip (and no napping since we have been home either).  Sophie, Nana and I decided to head to Butterfly Wonderland for the afternoon.  Sophie had a great time.  She really enjoyed the 3D movie about butterflies.  She associates theatres with scary movies (the only theatre she has been in is at Calaway Park where they play short animated films, we went once and after an intense 3D roller coaster scene, she decided she wasn't quite ready for the theatre yet), so she kept turning to me to say, "Mom, this isn't even scary!" After the movie, we went into the atrium where we saw hundreds and hundreds of butterflies.  They were beautiful.  My budding photographer had a great time taking pictures of the many colourful butterflies.  One even landed on Nana's shirt, which is considered very good luck.  A great first afternoon in Arizona.

Sophie at Butterfly Wonderland

We went to the Creative Kid's Museum the following day.  This is the same children's museum we visited last year and Sophie continued to talk about for months afterwards.  She insisted we go back since she had had so much fun there the year before.  Again, the three levels of fun and interactive play kept the girls well entertained for hours.  We packed a lunch and stayed until around two.  We thought, for sure, after all that stimulation, Elise would fall asleep in the car on the way back, but she didn't.  So after a snack and some down time at the condo, we called Nana and Papa to meet us at the pool.  The girls were more comfortable with the water (and the temperature) and Sophie really enjoyed swimming with her dad.  She even made some friends at the pool.  We met a family with two girls, Ally, 4, and Malia, 5, who was also vacationing from Calgary.

Playing at the Creative Kid's Museum

Saturday, Ryan and Papa took the girls to the Riparian Preserve so that Nana and I could go shopping.  I can't remember the last time I went shopping sans kids.  I would say probably around 4 years ago.  It was awesome.  We planned to make one stop at a large department store, then head to a mall; however, we never made it past Kohl's.  I found some great stuff for me and the girls, even a t-shirt for Ryan and a swimsuit for Hunter.  All in all, a very successful shopping trip.  My credit card would agree with me as well.  Sounds like the girls had a lot of fun at the park that morning as well.  Who had more fun?  Hard to say...  Of course, after lunch and some quiet time at the condo, we made our way to the pool.

With each day, the weather got warmer, which made our pool trips more and more enjoyable.  Sophie was making some serious progress with swim lessons from her dad (who in his younger days was a lifeguard and swim instructor so he was back in his element and loving it).  She also spent some time playing with Ally and Malia in the pool.  While this was going on, I was busy chasing Elise.  Once in a while, she would stop and have a quick swim, but it didn't last long before she would jump out of the pool to explore her surroundings.  Next to the pool is a man made beach and park.  We would wander over there to check out what was going on.  There are also pathways that lead to behind the waterfall.  The landscape is so beautiful, they hold weddings there.  So while Ryan and Sophie swam up a storm, Elise and I did laps of the property.

Riparian Preserve

We went to Golfland on Sunday morning.  We started with a game of mini golf which may have been a bit too long and challenging for the girls.  It began well enough but after Elise threw a few golf balls into the pond, Ryan decided to take her to the play structure so Sophie and I could finish the game.  Sophie has a competitive nature (I have no idea where that comes from) so she refused to pick the ball up and take it through certain holes that were quite challenging.  Instead she would try again and again, to the point of frustration and even a few tears.  It got a little hard to watch, however, she did finish the 18 holes.  We didn't stay long afterwards, the play structure was in rough and dirty shape.  Plus, the splash pad they had mentioned on the website was a mere ducky slide that slid onto a very small pad.  Not sure if the pad sprayed water when you landed on it or not, but it wasn't worth the trouble of getting the girls into swimsuits to find out.  We went home for lunch and quiet time.  Later, Nana and Papa met us at the pool.

Mini golf at Golfland while Elise was still interested

Monday we went to the Phoenix Zoo with Nana and Papa.  Most of our time was spent at in the farm area, which is really geared towards young kids.  There was a petting zoo, where they handed out brushes for the goats, a fake cow the kids could try milking, tractors to sit on, an indoor play place (which we mostly enjoyed for its air conditioning), and a farm themed park.  We did wander through the zoo to see the famous zoo animals, lions, tigers, zebras, and some others of course.  There was also a splash pad that Elise enjoyed for a few minutes and a carousel that was a hit with both girls.  The day ended, of course, with a swim at the pool.  Then Papa, Nana and Aunt Janae came over with dinner from Nando's, a Mexican take out restaurant we have also enjoyed on previous trips. Yum!

Milking the cow at the Phoenix Zoo

Tuesday was our last day so we decided to take it easy before our long travel home.  We went to a local park that morning with Nana and Papa.  The girls played for a bit and then we headed to the pond nearby to watch the ducks.  After lunch, we went to the pool for a swim, then headed back to Nana, Papa and Aunt Janae's for our last dinner in Arizona.

Enjoying the pool

It was a great trip and we enjoyed sharing it with family.  It was so helpful having Nana and Papa around that we hope they will join us again next year.  To see more pics of our vacation, click here.

Happy 2nd Birthday Elise!

On March 11th, Elise turned two years old.  I know...hard to believe.  Usually, when Sophie is at school, Elise and I run errands.  The fact is, it is much easier to grocery shop with one child than with two. No pushing each other in the cart, no fighting about who gets to stand and hold on to the end.  However, I just couldn't drag Elise on another errand for her big day, so I made plans to meet Lori down at Bowness Park.  I think we all would have been happier at the grocery store.  It was freezing!  We lasted all of an hour before leaving, due to chilly fingers and an unhappy toddler.  Sorry Elise!  Later that day, when Dad came home from work, Elise opened a gift and we had a small celebration for her.

The following weekend, we threw Elise a princess birthday party at home with some close friends of ours.  Sarrah, Ryan, Scarlett and Finn; Candice, Mike, Caiden and Aileen; Chelsea, Emily and Logan; and Lori, Scott, Nixon and Leland all joined us in celebrating Elise's special day.  We served hamburger and hotdogs for lunch and, of course, had cupcakes for dessert.  She had a great time.  She didn't really realize the party was for her until we sang happy birthday and she got to blow out the candles.  After that, she went straight for the pile of gifts that had been there all morning, and started opening them.  Too cute!  Happy Birthday to my sweet girl!  We love you so much!

The day after Elise's birthday party, we had some special visitors.  Uncle Jordan, Aunt Cyd, Gus and Redford came to spend a couple nights with us.  Gus, Sophie and Elise had so much fun together; we hardly saw them, they were so busy playing.  I can't wait until Redford is old enough to join the herd.

To see more pics from the month of March, click here.

Sophie's 4th Birthday

I can't believe that Sophie is 4 already!  Her birthday was on a Wednesday and like every Wednesday, she went to preschool.  However, this was an extra special day because it was her snack day, which meant that not only was she leader all morning, but I also got to volunteer in her classroom.  So after I dropped Elise off at Sarrah's house (a first for Elise, being dropped off somewhere), we headed to Sophie's school.  I got to see her daily school routine and participate in all the listening, learning, singing and dancing.  I also got to help with snack and craft time.  Sophie decided her classmates should have a choice for snack time so we made princess/pony sugar cookies and cupcakes.  It was a lovely morning and I am so glad I got to spend that special time with Sophie.  It also made me realize just how much I miss being a teacher!

Celebrating Chinese New Year at school

Later that day, we gave her our birthday present, which she loved!



On the weekend, we had a birthday party for Sophie at Vecova.  She wanted a My Little Pony birthday party this year.  Her good friends, Sarrah, Scarlett and Finn, Candice, Caiden and Aileen, Denny, Chelsea, Emily and Logan, Nike and Dara, Dennis and Alyssa, Kelly, Jude and Jonah, Sana, Aunty Nat and Uncle Rob, all came to celebrate Sophie's 4th birthday.  We spent an hour playing in the gym, then headed to the birthday room for snacks, cake, cupcakes and cookies (because our friends need options!).  Then Sophie got to open the mountain of gifts she was generously given.  There was a great variety of crafts, games and farm animals for her new barn.  It is so nice to have such wonderful and amazing friends!

Pony Princess!

Check out that cake!  More than just a pretty face (as my husband would say).

We also had several visitors come by over the past couple weeks, bringing birthday wishes for the girls.  The weekend before Sophie's birthday Mamie and Pepere came to visit, the weekend after her party, Uncle Dan, Aunt Tina, Madeleine and Vincent came, and just last weekend, Nana and Papa came to stay with us for a night.  We love having family come visit!

Great tool set!  Thanks Mamie and Pepere!

Check out the matching Frozen shirts!  Thanks Aunty Tina!

Touching moment with Papa, walking at Bowness Park

 

To see more pics from the last few months, click here and here.

Christmas 2014

December was a long, and busy month, getting ready for Christmas, getting over flus and colds (that still just won't go away!), and keeping up with our Advent activity calendar. 

Sophie and I were busy decorating the house, baking up a storm, making cards, wrapping presents and singing Christmas carols every chance we got.  She has inherited my love for the holidays, which makes her mom so proud. 

The girls were sick since almost the beginning of the month so there were some high and low days, some pajama and hold down the couch days, but what better time for it than the winter. 

I tucked a piece of paper with a Christmas activity behind each decoration on our advent calendar.  So from the beginning of December, we were busy doing all sorts of fun holiday crafts, like building a gingerbread house, and making and sending Christmas cards to all her friends, as well as taking trips, including going to the Twelve Days of Christmas at Heritage Park, Christmas concerts, sledding, and skating.  Sophie also participated in her very own Christmas concert at preschool.  She was feeling a bit under-the-weather that day and we thought we weren't going to make it, but after a little breakfast, she pulled it together.  It was so cute!

 Also new to us this year was our Elf on a Shelf.  She arrived December 1st and Sophie named her Sophie.  Not only was she terrible at finding creative spots and activities to do each night as some might see other elves do on Pinterest, but some nights, she completely forgot to find a new place to hide.  Sophie found her to be a bit lazy.  Perhaps next year she will do better.

Mamie, Pepere and Uncle Julien came for a few days before Christmas.  Ryan and I got to go on our anniversary date.  We went to see a Christmas Carol and then went for dinner.  It was great.  Not having family in town makes it difficult for us to have some time for just the two of us.  The girls enjoyed an early Christmas with Mamie and Pepere the next day and we had our turkey dinner later that evening.  A few days later, we had a quiet Christmas at home with just us, the girls and Hunter.  And then boxing day, we went to Olds for turkey dinner with the Van Ormans. 

The girls were spoiled as usual but I think the toys that were the biggest hit were Sophie's camera, the kitchen appliances, the princess dresses and accessories, the cowgirl dress-up outfit, and Elise's set of small horses (a popular pick for both girls).  They also got a water-colour pad and alphabet set, a stamp set, some puzzles, art kits, Anna and Elsa dolls and much more.  Ryan got an electric trailer jack and a Nakiska ski pass (2 whole days of just Dad time!), and I got a gift card for the spa (Mom time).  Another great Christmas!  Already starting to think of the fun activities we will do next year.

To see more pics of December, click here.

Wiggles' Biggest Fans

Last year, over the winter months, when we were stuck inside for days on end because of the cold, miserable weather, we discovered the Wiggles, an Australian musical group geared for kids.  While I had initially put this music dvd on for Sophie's entertainment, it quickly became Elise's most favourite thing to watch.  So much so, that every time she was fussy or cranky, we would throw on a Wiggle's dvd and she would be magically cured of the crankies.  She would get up to sing, dance, sway and follow along with the actions.  Our collection started with one accidental Wiggle dvd purchase, and now we have over a dozen movies.  We have spent so much time watching the Wiggles that Ryan, Sophie and I know most of the words to many, many songs, and Ryan and I have claimed the Wiggles as the sound track to our life.

When we found out that the Wiggles were coming to Calgary in October, we just had to buy tickets.  Ryan took the afternoon off and the four of us went to the Saddledome to enjoy the show.  The girls had a great time.  They were singing and dancing and of course, Mom spent way too much money on memorabilia.  But really, who knows if we will ever get the chance to see the Wiggles again!

There is one song in particular that Elise loves called "Rock-A-Bye Your Bear".  There are actions to this song that she has known since before she was a year old.  However, we always struggled to get a good video of her doing so.  As soon as the movie camera came out, her attention was on the camera instead of her performance.  Here is a video of Sophie and Elise doing the actions to "Rock-A-Bye Your Bear" at the Wiggles concert. A little hard to see since it was so dark.

Sophie's First Day of Preschool

Sophie started preschool this year at Creative Beginnings.  Her first day was hard on both of us.  I tried leaving several times, which made us both cry.  Eventually, the teachers had to gently suggest to me that it was time to go.  I left and sat in my car and cried some more while listening to Elise say "Sissy" over and over, not quite understanding why she wasn't with us.  I finally got myself together and left, moving on with my day.  I felt so guilty leaving her with strangers.  Since we have no family in the city, we have spent every day for the last three and a half years together; she has never been dropped off anywhere ever. 

I thought it would only get easier, but it didn't.  For the first month, Sophie cried each time I dropped her off and I kept wondering if it was too soon.  But yet when I picked her up, she was always happy she stayed and said she enjoyed herself.  After the third day, when I picked her up, the first thing she said was, "When can I come back?" So I knew that in the end, this was the right move for her.

The last two times I have dropped her off, there have been no tears, something I was starting to think might not ever happen.  It was a huge relief to me.  She loves her school and is such a little social butterfly.  Now when I pick her up, she tells me about a new friend she has made that she would like to have over for a play date.  I just can't keep up with her! 

Her teacher is Ms. Bango and her friend, Alyssa, from down the street, and her cousin, Liam, are both in her class.  She goes Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9 to 11:30 am.  They have music class one day and gym the other.  I look forward to hearing about the many friends she will meet and the many memories she will make at her new school this year.

      

Top 10 Things I Love About My One Year-Old...

In no particular order.

10. Her hair - I don't know where they come from but I love her crazy, curly locks and hope her hair continues to grow in curls.  It is just one more thing that makes her unique.

9. Her adventurous personality - Elise will climb chairs, tables or pretty much anything that gets in her way.  When she goes places, she is running at full speed.  She has had more tumbles, falls, scrapes and cuts in her short one and a half-years than her sister ever has.

8. Her fishy-kiss face - When it is time to go to bed or when one of us is leaving the house, Elise will perk up her lips into a fishy face to give us a kiss goodbye.

7. Her love of music - As soon as she hears music, she will stop and start bouncing to the music and making up her own words to the song.

6. Her excellent communication skills - Elise is very good at letting us know her wants and needs.  She grunts and points and if that doesn't work, she will just start screaming.  She will also use a quieter way of communicating by simply bringing us our shoes to tell us she is ready to go somewhere or grabbing a finger and taking us to wherever it is she wants us to go.

5.  Her small, carefully chosen vocabulary -  Elise knows a few words and sentences that suit her adventurous personality, such as "Big jump!" which she says every time before jumping off a step or her bed.  Other words or phrases she uses: puppy, bird, please, thank you, happy, sissy (as in sister), stop it and give me are among my least favourite.

4. Her hugs - Once she gets her arms around your neck, she squeezes tight.  I love it and hope she never stops!

3.  Her adoration for her sister - Elise loves Sophie so much.  She watches, follows and copies her older sister all day long.  I love to see them laugh and play together.

2.  Her affectionate nature - Whether it is giving out hugs, kisses or just plain old cuddles, this girl loves to give love.  And she isn't picky about who she is snuggling with; Baron is often the target of her affection.

1.  Her smile - She has a beautiful, heart-warming smile that makes her Mom forget just how tired she really is.

If you would like to remember Sophie's Top 10 with me, click here.