Check it out!

We're still in the very early stages, but Happy Mailbox is in business! Megan and I started brainstorming, and soon discovered people really were interested in our cards!
 

Oops

It's already been a month since my last post? Oops.

October - January is pretty crazy in my household with birthdays and holidays. Even more so this year with all that's been going on lately.

I haven't seen Ryan since Addison's birthday. He's been working in New Brunswick for a month straight, comes home for one weekend, and goes right back out again. I don't know how Nicole has kept her sanity.

That would be why he was unable to make the trip to see Grandad. My parents and I went for a long, highway-free drive to see him last month. At 91 years old, he is still in great shape. He lives in a second floor walk up, loves walking around town, and is still as quick as a whip. Sadly, after nearly ten years of being in remission, his cancer has returned. He was hoping he could avoid treatment but had to go through surgery this week to have his larynx completely removed. Surgery went well and he'll be moved to a treatment centre soon. All three girls will be with him daily, rotating between them, going two at a time. Hopefully I'll soon be able to introduce him to Isaac and Addison, and Ryan to his family.

My parents moved this weekend. It's the best decision for everyone, but I'm still a little sad to see my childhood house sit empty.

Megan and I have started making and selling our greeting cards! She was in the right place at the right time, and set up a deal with a woman in her town who runs a boutique. She liked what she saw and put in a few orders right away. We're hoping to find a second location here and offer cards for all occasions, invitations, and various other paper party supplies. Happy Mailbox is taking off!

Isaac is still working away in the hospital. Addison and I went to see him recently and it was a total bust. She got into everything at the apartment and wouldn't sleep at night. There isn't much within walking distance and our attempted shopping trips to the Eaton Centre and Vaughan Mills mall were complete failures. I don't plan on bringing her back any time soon.

Addison is picking up new words every day. Just this week she started saying "See day-der" (See you later) when someone leaves. She's obsessed with jumping on the couch and pushing her baby in her doll stroller. I don't remember the last time she slept through the night. The doctor thinks she might be experiencing night terrors :(
 

Two

Two years ago, I was patiently anxiously awaiting your arrival, nine days after your due date.
Two years ago at 11:59 am, tears filled my eyes as we heard "It's a girl," followed by your little lamb cry.
Two years ago, I first counted your ten tiny fingers - complete with one hang nail - and ten little toes on your great big feet.

In the past two years you have gone from sleepy, squishy little newborn, to a happy, friendly toddler.
I look back at times when we struggled to understand your different cries. Were you hungry? Wet? Tired? Now you ask questions, tell me what you want, and say please and thank you.


You make me laugh every single day, even if one (or both) of us is having a hard time. You have taught me patience. I'm still working on it, but I see a big change in myself from two short years ago. You have taught me to enjoy the small things. It is amazing to watch you experience such pure joy over the tiniest things. I love seeing you experience everything for the very first time. You remind me to stop and smell the roses; to take a big deep breath and enjoy these special moments with my little girl in this great big world.

I love watching you perch yourself in the west window every morning and afternoon, watching the school buses drive by, and kids walking to class. I love listening to your baby babbles as you wake up in the morning and after nap, then seeing your face light up when you realize Mama or Dada has come to get you from your crib. I love hearing your silly laugh, and learning what you find humourous. I love when we ask you to do something you don't want to do, and you close your eyes, curl up, and pretend to go to sleep. I love that you say "Wow" when you sneeze, and "Achoo" when anyone else does. I love when you run into your room, grab more books than you can carry, and throw yourself into my lap, asking to hear the stories over and over. I love your enthusiastic counting "One TWO! TWO! Five! Two! TWOOOO!" I love how much you love the great outdoors. Most of all, I love watching you when Daddy comes home after four days away at work. Nothing warms my heart more than the man I love with his little girl.

Being a mom is the hardest, most amazing experience I ever could have imagined. It's so rewarding and fun, but it's also exhausting, and a challenge at times. It's a learning process for all of us, and I can't wait to see what life brings us in this next year.

I love you more than you will ever know. Daddy too. You will always be Daddy's girl.

Happy 2nd birthday, baby girl.

 

Sleepover

Morgan was here all day Saturday and spent the night. It was a huge success! Both girls had so much fun, and Isaac and I came out unscathed. Unfortunately the weather was not so great. It was overcast and cold, with scattered showers all day. While we didn't get to play outside for as long as I had hoped, we managed to stay busy.

We read some books (and learned Gorillas are scary):

 

We played in the rain:

 The girls played tag:

The girls Addison jumped on the couch:

We went for a bike ride:

They actually enjoyed it, despite these expressions. It was too crowded in there with Morgan's winter coat on.

We played ping pong:

We put on a movie Finding Nemo) and had a long bath, then the girls hit the hay.

 Morgan slept from 7:30-5:30 and Addison slept from 7-6. They each had breakfast and played nicely together until Ryan picked Morgan up around 7:30.

Toddler sleepover SUCCESS!

 

Due date

Addison was due two years ago today. Little did I know, we'd still be waiting a week and a half later!

October Photo Challenge: Day 15

Dinner

October Photo Challenge: Day 12

On the table

October Photo Challenge: Day 11

Close up

October Photo Challenge: Day 9

Red

October Photo Challenge: Day 8

Angle

October Photo Challenge: Day 7

Light

October Photo Challenge: Day 6

I'm thankful for...

October Photo Challenge: Day 5

Shadow

October Photo Challenge: Day 4

What you read

October Photo Challenge: Day 3

This happened today

October Photo Challenge: Day 2

Lunch time

October Photo Challenge: Day 1

Where you stood

The wind has taken you. You're free finally at peace.

Like any new mom, I often find myself thinking ahead to life's big events, and imagine how they will turn out for Addison. Lately all I've been thinking of is school. Two years from now, will she be ready? Will she be confident in knowing her shapes, colours, and alphabet? Will she hold my hand in trepidation, unsure of what's to come? Will she run through the door, barely saying goodbye? Will she make friends easily? Will she love her teacher like I loved mine?

My kindergarten teacher helped shape my life. I was ready for school, excited for something new, and even requested homework. Mrs. C saw that in me, and encouraged my love of learning. She gave all of her students one-on-one time and was able to find that difficult balance between teaching the fundamentals, and having fun. She made every student feel like they were the only one in the room. She was always smiling and never lost her cool. You'd never know that behind closed doors she was a struggling single mom of four, just starting her new career.

She encouraged us to ask questions and talk about our families and friends. We shared stories of our weekend outings and brought our newest toys in to show off in Show and Tell. She got to know and love each and every one of us. My parents loved her in return, as did I. They immediately saw the impact she had on her students. She brought introverted young ones out of their shell and showed us the importance of school. Being smart and loving school was not a bad thing. She set us on the right track for grade one and onward.

Though she and my parents had kept in touch for years, they had lost touch recently. When we ran into her at the grocery store this Summer, she recognized us all instantly. She met my daughter and started rhyming off silly stories from back when I was young. It was so good to see her smiling and in good spirits, but I was not ready for her to tell us she had been diagnosed with Stage 3 Lung Cancer. She never smoked a day in her life, and lived a healthy, active lifestyle.

Mrs. C. passed away on September 10 at 61 years old. Goodbye, my friend. We'll never forget you.

23 MONTHS!

I'm an awful blogger. I should have kept up with these. Bad mommy!


Weight: Still under 25 lbs. I'll wait and see what her two year appointment reveals at the end of next month.
Length: See above
Recent milestones/new things:
New words: She has many single words but still isn't often using two words together to form proper sentences. I'm not afraid that she's delayed, but I know this is expected by two years old. There should be an explosion any day now. Some new words include boy, and knee.
Favourite toy: Books, cars, dolls ("baby")
Sleep: 7-6
Diapers: Still comfortably in Pampers Baby Dry (4)
Food: She has always tried new foods and eaten just about everything, but never in big portions. Over the last few months we've noticed her preferences and dislikes. She's been eating a bit less than before, but she's doing alright. Her favourite food is still any form of meat. She loves steak and potatoes, and crockpot pork chops. Scrambled eggs and bacon is a big hit as well. Lately she hasn't been eating broccoli (an old favourite). Her milk intake has quadrupled this Summer.
 

Shopping skillz

I rarely go shopping, and when I do, it's not often for myself. This weekend, however, I couldn't pass up the local P&G sale for the United Way. $2 entry gets you amazing products for at least half-off the retail price. When I left there with my arms full, I headed to the mall for a few odds and ends.

In total, I got six bottles of Pantene shampoo, one Herbal Essences Shampoo, one Herbal Essences conditioner, three bottles of Aussie hair spray, eight Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, a bottle of Mr. Clean multipurpose cleaner, two Oral B Pulsar toothbrushes, two Gillette deodorants, one Crest Pro-Health tooth paste, one Gillette Series shave gel, three boxes of Always pads, two boxes of Nutrigrain bars, ten 2-packs of AAA batteries, one box of Bounce dryer sheets, the first two seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Isaac's birthday gift), two tank tops for Addison, a baby doll stroller (Addison's birthday gift), Fifteen Animals (Addison's birthday gift), and Happy Hippo, Angry Duck (Addison's Christmas gift).

Total spent: $106.00
 

The leaves, they are a-changin

It might still be 30+ degrees during the day, but the nights are starting to cool down, and the leaves are already changing colours. With this comes a great deal of raking, and the non-stop fun that is leaf piles! A. had so much fun helping clean up and running through the yellow, brown, and red leaves.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Anyone who knows my cooking and eating habits prior to 2005 probably won't believe that I made this, never mind enjoyed it!

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Servings: 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ease of difficulty: Easy
Variations: I prefer ricotta and had it on hand so I used that instead of cottage cheese. I've also heard it's great with cream cheese.
Source: Pioneer Woman

1 1/4 lbs ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup sliced onions
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble*, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until all cheese is melted.

* I choose to combine everything (rather than layer)
 

Introducing...

My girlfriend had her baby! Aubrie made an early appearance August 31. Please excuse the awful photography. Here she is at seven days old. She and mama are doing well. I can't wait for the girls to grow up together. We're so excited for our friends Megan and Brandon. She's beautiful.

Even before they met, Addison was excited to say her new friend's name:

Addison (22 mos) and Aubrie (7 days)

Pick your battles

A. didn't sleep well lastnight. She wouldn't nap this afternoon and hasn't eaten all day. She's been whining and not using her words to tell me what she wants. She's currently enjoying mama's Dill Pickle chips for dinner.

Cheesy potato fries

The sauce adds a great kick of flavour!

Cheesy potato fries


Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Ease of difficulty: Easy
Variations: Different potatoes and cheeses. Onions. I used real bacon instead of bacon bits. Imagine the possibilities!
Source: Ohsodelicioso

4-6 potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup bacon bits
1/4 cup green onions

Cut potatoes into wedges. Place on foiled baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss lightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until fork tender.

In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, ranch dressing, and milk. On a separate platter, smooth out 3/4 of the sauce. Place hot potatoes on the sauce. Drizzle remaining sour cream mixture on potatoes. Sprinkle toppings. Place under broiler for a few seconds to melt cheese.

Spinach cheese balls

Spinach Cheese Balls

Servings: 30
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Ease of difficulty: So easy
Variations: Maybe a different type of cheese?
Source: Betty Crocker

1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1 cup Bisquick
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup tomato sauce, if desired

Heat oven to 400. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients, except pasta sauce. Shape mixture into 1 inch balls; place on cookie sheet.

Bake 10-15 min or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve with pasta sauce.

 

One week

Up until last week, A. had never tried to open the fridge. She could not pull out the Dining Room tables and was therefore unable to climb onto the Dining Room table. She had pulled her diaper off here and there, but was unable to do so if completely dressed.

In seven days, she has not only learned how to do all of the above, but she has mastered it all. She is a fridge-opening, chair-pulling, table-climbing, diaper and clothes-removing toddler. It's a whole new ball game at the HG household.

Oh ya! I have a blog!

I haven't written in so long. We finally got the internet back, so I will return to writing again shortly.

This Summer has been HOT! Disgustingly, painfully hot. It's flying by, and while we've been having fun with Addison, we've also been renovating the tenant's apartment. Busy, busy!

• Still no word on what's happening with my knee
• I threw a great baby shower for a great friend
• I visited my cousin in Toronto after having had two brain surgeries. He's recovering incredibly well.
• Our tenants moved out and left the house absolutely filthy
• We visited some old friends in Ottawa
• I did swimming lessons with Addison, and it was a huge success
• We're heading to Whitby, Toronto, and Chatham next week for a birthday, and to visit family
• I'm not sure who will be here for Thanksgiving, but Nicole and I are planning something together. Addison's second birthday is also planned out as well. October - December will be jam-packed.

 

Apple cider baked chicken

I made the marinade when I got up at 7 am and pulled it out to put in the oven around 3. We all loved this, especially Addison! I've never seen her eat that much of anything!

Apple cider baked chicken

Servings: 6-8
Prep time: 10 minutes + marinade (4-24 hours)
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes + marinade
Ease of difficulty: Easy
Variations: The original recipe says you can use store bought or home-made Apple Cider. I had store bought on hand. I forgot to pick up fresh herbs so I used a pinch of dried Thyme. I also used skinless, bone-in chicken thighs.
Source: Gimme Some Oven

1 large onion, peeled and cut into eights
1 large lemon, sliced into thin rounds
2 cups apple cider
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6-8 chicken legs or thighs
2 large apples, each cut into eights
1 lb small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

Place a gallon-size heavy duty Ziploc bag into a large bowl. Place the onion and next ten ingredients into the bag, combining well. Add the chicken to the marinade. Close the bag, place in the fridge to marinate 4-24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange the chicken pieces in a large roasting pan skin-side up. Pour all of the marinade, including onions and lemons, over the chicken. Tuck the apples and potatoes around the chicken. Cook for 1 hour 15 min, stirring once halfway through to re-coat everything with the marinade.

Arrange chicken and potatoes on a platter and sprinkle with thyme to garnish.

Broccoli salad

Quite refreshing in the Summer
Servings: 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ease of difficulty: Easy
Variations: I omitted peas because I don't like them
Source: Simply Recipes

1 tsp salt
5-6 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup toasted almond slivers
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 cup fresh peas

1 cup mayo
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey


Bring a large salted pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets. Cook 1-2 minutes. Drain the broccoli and immediately put into bowl of ice water to stop further cooking. Let cool and drain.

Combine broccoli florets, almonds, bacon, onion, and peas in large serving bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, and honey. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well. Chill before serving.

Disappointment in the doctor's office

I was really excited to get a last-minute appointment with the surgeon yesterday, but came out rather disappointed with the results. I've dislocated my knee five times in nine years. There have also been a few fractures, and ongoing instability. Throw a toddler into the mix, and - needless to say - I'm pretty overwhelmed at the thought of this continuing to happen. I was 17 when it first happened, at which point I was warned that it was highly likely to happen again. We talked surgery, but decided against it because I was so young, in hopes that I would recover well and not have to worry about it again any time soon. At that point I had "qualified" for two different surgeries. Unfortunately the injury happened again, and again, and again, and again! Surgeries were often discussed, but scratched from the list for one reason or another: It's a long recovery, I was moving three hours away to go to University, it might not help, and it could actually further my injury, rather than help it. So here I am five dislocations later wondering what the hell I'm supposed to do. It's become a day-to-day fear, not knowing if I can safely walk down the street without my knee giving out, or worse. Unfortunately my surgeon informed me that they have cut back on the number of knee surgeries and he doesn't do as many as he used to. The only one he does now helps tracking, which is basically how your knee cap moves within your knee/leg, and where it settles when you stop moving. My tracking at this point is (relatively) okay. My patella goes where it's supposed to, and stays where it should, but for some reason it still goes out. There's no point in putting me through a long painful surgery that is meant to cure tracking, when that's not my main concern. However, would it be better than nothing? I'm not sure. Basically, he could operate and maybe have it dislocate again in the future. Or I could do nothing, and never have it dislocate again. It's a (huge) gamble. Physiotherapy hasn't worked, nor have braces, so we need to do SOMETHING, we just don't know what. In the end, he said he'd consult with his colleages and get back to me within a week as to what we do now. He doesn't feel comfortable leaving it without doing anything, but he also doesn't feel comfortable doing a tracking surgery. I guess it's a waiting game now, and I'll just have to see what he says when I hear back.