Happy Easter!

Addison's second Easter was a success, even if she is afraid of the Easter bunny. It was busy, but still pretty low-key.

I took her to the Easter bunny at the mall last week. She was in such a good mood. She waved to the bunny (and everyone else around her) and said hi, with a big smile on her face. Then I set her down on his lap and I thought the world was going to end. She was not having it. Picture to follow once I get it scanned.

Addison spent the night with the girls on Friday, for her second-ever sleepover. Isaac and I had a little visit with them, then said our goodbyes. She was good until we got to the stairs and she realized we were leaving. I guess she cried for a while but eventually calmed down, and everyone slept through the night. Ryan dropped her off at 8:30 the next morning. Isaac and I had done absolutely nothing all night, and loved every second of it.

On Saturday, after nap, we went to Isaac's Uncle Ray's Easter party. They go all out for their parties, whatever the occasion. There were craft stations, a parade, an Easter bunny (another bust; Addison screamed), and a scavenger hunt. My hunting team was awesome. They were 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 2.5. Hilarity ensued.

We hid eggs outside around our house on Sunday for Addison to find. She did pretty well, and got the hang of it quickly. It took a while to find just six eggs, though, because she wanted to play with every single one as she found it. The park finally dried up so we took her there (for the first time this year) after nap. That night I made ham, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and rolls for dinner.

I forgot to take a picture of her Easter basket. Isaac and I didn't get her much, but it still ended up taking over the entire Dining Room table. Addison and I dyed eggs and I put together a little basket for her, but everyone's gifts for her took over the entire Dining Room table. Kasey got her a duck, bunny ears that smell like chocolate, and a book. Grandma and Grandpa G got her a book and two shirts. Nana and Grandpa H got her some outdoor shovel toys, and a book. Ryan and Nicole got her bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and finger paint.

Today Isaac took the day off work and we went to his parents for turkey dinner. Addison loved all the good food this weekend and was in a great mood, as long as no bunny costumes were around. I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend as much as we did!

A quick update

Historical Data! Norm: -4 to +5 (25 to 41)

• It was bright and sunny all day. 24 (75) degrees in March! Record-breaking!
• Addison LOVES being outside. Can you blame her?
• She's still not eating well or sleeping great, but she looks much better and is slowly feeling like her normal self again
• We went shoe shopping on the weekend and Addison scored three new pairs of shoes for $26. Pictures to come once her feet heal and she can break them in. Runners, sandals (similar to last year), and Mary Janes. I also picked up black flats for myself for only $10.
• Addison goes outside after lunch and will scream bloody murder when you finally have to bring her inside for dinner at 5:30. She wants to stay out there and collect sticks.
• Xplornet sucks.
• Addison loves it outside.
• Isaac is working nights.
• Soccer registration is this week. I'll find out in early April which age group I'll be coaching: U7, U9, or U11. Cross your fingers that the fields dry up in time.
• The Easter bunny will be here soon!
• Hannah is almost one!
• Have I mentioned how much Addison loves being outside in this great weather? She'll do laps around the house, inspecting the trees and gardens. She has to touch everything.
• I'm almost 25! I'm excited to get up to Ottawa for a visit with some old friends.
• Morgan is almost two!

Where have the past two years gone?

Success!

We did it! Addison had her first sleep-over, and it was a hit.

I never would have thought it would take us 14 months before we'd leave her for the night, but I ended up nursing for far longer than anticipated. We had a few people offer to look after her, but I couldn't leave her for too long. Now that we're just about done, Isaac and I were more than ready for a night off.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Nicole came over for a visit on Friday and Isaac got off work early. When the girls were getting ready to leave, they asked if they could take Addison for the night. We had no idea what to expect, seeing as she NEVER sleeps when she's away from home. We've also been going through the Hell that is teething for the past month. I don't remember the last time my poor girl slept through the night. Ryan and Nicole knew this going in, and told us to think it over.

We put her in her PJs and fed her dinner, then sent her over so she was warm and full (read: Happy). When we left, all three girls were playing together upstairs in their PJs. We went for dinner at the new bistro in town, and I got a text around 8 saying everyone was in bed!

This is the only picture I have from Nicole, taken right when we got there. Morgan was getting changed when we arrived, and happened to be putting on the same PJs we had chosen for Addison.

We didn't end up picking her up until 9 the next day. Turns out she only woke up once! It took Isaac and I both a while to fall asleep that night but we both enjoyed a little peace and quiet, and sleeping in. The girls had gotten up around 8 and they had all eaten and changed into their clothes for the day by the time we got there.

Everyone was happy. Everything went well. They've offered to take her once a month from now on. In return, I've offered to take both girls for the day or one girl at night. I'm not ready to go from one baby to three at night time just yet.

2011: A year in review

Friends and Family

• April 24: Hannah was born
• May 11: Morgan turned 1 
• August 6: Ryan and Nicole got married
• August: Pat and Jill had a baby (Natalie Giselle)
• September: Lisah and Brent moved to Alberta
• October 26: Addison turned 1
• December 16: I finished two more school courses
• December 24: Friends of ours got a long-awaited BFP

Politics/Around the World

• January 2: Former US Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards was indicted on one count of conspiracy, four counts of illegal campaign contributions, and one count of false statements
• Edwards had spent $925 000 to keep his mistress and baby in hiding during his 2008 campaign
• March 11: 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, killing 15 843, and injuring 5 890
• April 28: Prince William married Katherine Middleton
• May 1: Osama Bin Laden was captured and killed
• May 2: Jack Layton became first NDP Leader of Opposition, Stephen Harper won minority government, Michael Ignatieff resigned, Bloc Quebecois dismantled 
• June 6: US Congressman Anthony Weiner sent lewd pictures of himself to Twitter followers
• August 22: Jack Layton passed away 
• September 11: Memorial opens in NYC ten years after the attacks
• September 13: US Republican Presidential candidate Michelle Bachman claimed HPV vaccine may cause "mental retardation"
• Later retracted statement
• October 20: Moammar Ghadhafi was killed, ending his 42 year reign 
• November 28: US Republican Presidential candidate Hermain Cane denied accusations of having 13 year affair
• November 20: US Republican Presidential candidate Michelle Bachman announced gays "abide by teh same laws as everyone else. They can marry a man if they're a woman, or they can marry a woman if they're a man."
• December 7: Former US Governor of Illinois Rob Blagojevich was charged with 18 counts of corruption and sentenced to 14 years in prison
• December 15: US declares the war in Iraq is over, Kim Jong-Il died

Entertainment, Sports, and Pop Culture

• Feb 12: Grammy's
• Album of the Year: The Suburbs (Arcade Fire)
• Record of the Year: Need You Now (Lady Antebellum)
• Song of the Year: Need You Now (Lady Antebellum)
• Feb 20: Trevor Bayne won NASCAR Daytona 500
• Feb 28: Oscar's
• Best Picture: The King's Speech
• Best Actor: Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
• Best Actress: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
• March 1: Charlie Sheen claimed he was not high during now infamous Good Morning America interview
• "You borrow my brain for five seconds and just be like 'Dude. Can't handle it. Unplug this bastard' because it just, it fires in a way that's um I dunno maybe not from this particular terrestrial realm."
• "I'm bi-winning."
• "I got tiger blood."
• March 23: Elizabeth Taylor died 
• April 13: Barry Bonds was indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice
• Allegedly lied to the Grand Jury during the government's investigation of BALCO, by stating he never knowingly took illegal steroids
• April 7: Donald Trump asked for Barack Obama's long-form Birth Certificate
• May 17: Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted to affair, split with wife Maria Shriver
• June 15: Boston Bruins won Stanley Cup (5-2) against Vancouver Canucks
• Riots broke out in Vancouver
• July 1-November 26: NBA Lockout
• September 28: Dr. Conrad Murray charged with Involuntary Manslaughter over Michael Jackson's death
• October 5: Steve Jobs passed away 
• October 31: Reality star Kim Kardashian filed for divorce after 72 days of marriage to husband Kris Humphries 
• November 1: A California woman accused Justin Beiber of fathering her three month old child
• November 7: Lindsay Lohan spent a whopping 4.5 hours (of her 30 day sentence) in jail 
• November 21: Tony Stewart won NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship
• December 17: Demi Moore announced she was filing for divorce from husband Ashton Kutcher

Early Christmas

Long story short, my brother has decided not to do Christmas with my parents this year. Instead, he asked to come over this past weekend and open gifts, and call it a day. If nothing else, the girls loved playing together, and Isaac showed Addison and Morgan the mandolin.

 Hannah

 Morgan

Mando

 Morgan's first RC

 Hannah opening crayons

 

Hannah eating crayons

 Addison's first car

 Morgan likes to help open gifts

 Addison was more interested in the scotch tape than the books

Addison's new winter sled

Update

Final midterm marks for both classes: 70
I'm not happy, but I'm sick of complaining. Onward and upward.

In other news, I took Addison to the cenotaph for Remembrance Day today. We followed the parade down to the park and watched the ceremony with Nicole. It was cold, but nice. I plan on taking her every year until she's in school.

After that, we came home and she had a wonderful 2.5 hour nap. Mom came over and we went to town to get some Christmas shopping done. She got a bunch of goodies. I can scratch Dad off my list now. I also picked up a Christmas sleeper for Addison (on sale for 8.99 + no tax day + 20% discount = $7.20), and a toy each for Morgan and Hannah (that Nicole had suggested). I still need to get them books. And I have no idea what to get Isaac, as per usual. He'll be the last one I buy for. So far all I can think of is coveralls. Boring, but practical. I'll keep wracking my brain...

I haven't decided what to get Addison yet. Her quilt will (hopefully) be done by then, which is a huge thing. Not sure what she'll need. I feel like she was just bombarded with toys for her birthday. It's hard to stay on top of everything. I'd really like to stick with the "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read." This year that could be _____ (a big, fun present), the quilt, a holiday dress/PJs, and a Christmas book. I don't know. Maybe something will catch my eye in the next two weeks. I really want to get this done before finals roll around, though.

PS: It's 1:19 am. Wtf? Why am I still awake?

Where have I been lately?

Busy, busy. School is keeping me on my toes and I'm loving every second of it. I have great profs and interesting courses. Unfortunately I still haven't gotten one of my text books yet, so I'll be behind very soon with the readings before my midterm. Speaking of midterms, I only have two! While that may sound like a good thing at first, it also means they're worth a boat load. Not cool, CU. Not cool. I hate exams!

In other news, Addison has been a crazy screaming, teething monster for the past few days. It's exhausting. She's so much fun (most of the time) but she has so much energy and just wants to go, go, go. When she's not feeling well, she makes sure everyone knows it. She wants to be the centre of attention and loves being held. I feel bad on days like today when I just can't do anything to make her feel better. She hasn't been eating or sleeping well, and she's really whiny. Her nose was running a mile a minute today, too, on top of everything else. Hopefully it is her teeth, and if that's the case, I hope they pop through quickly. This is not fun.

Ryan and Nicole moved in to their house earlier than anticipated. I love it! It's really cute and has a nice back yard. They had painters in this weekend and the girls room is set up. No one likes unpacking, but they'll be settled soon enough. They've had a crazy year and a half, so I'm sure it'll be nice to FINALLY settle down and relax.

I say Addison is full of energy but I swear she's got nothin on Morgan. That girl plays hard and crashes hard. She keeps me on my toes and makes me laugh so hard that I cry. She points at everything and asks "Wasat?" It's beyond adorable. She also says "hi" and "bye" again and again and again.

Hannah is the happiest baby. She rolls over and wants to get in on the action. She makes silly noises and grunts, and smiles all day long. I can't wait until she's crawling around. This Christmas at my parents will be insanity.

Isaac has been working six 10-hour shifts lately. It's the worst. The.worst.

Addison's birthday is quickly approaching, and is right in mid-term season. Go figure. We'll be going to Ottawa on Friday so I can write Friday night and Saturday morning, then the party is Sunday afternoon and Halloween that Monday night. I figure I'll sleep that Tuesday away!

Speaking of her birthday, I think it's all basically taken care of. I made a pendant and have her invitations basically written up (to send out this week). I got cups, a table cloth, and paper plates at the dollar store that all colour co-ordinate with the fall theme. I'm planning on getting some fresh flowers that weekend to use as the centerpiece, and I made a wreath for the front door. Shawna offered to bake her smash cake so all I really plan on making is cupcakes (for everyone else), cookies, and a few little things here and there. Afternoon party means I won't have to make a big lunch or dinner. Score!

As for presents, Isaac might want to get her something more between now and then, but I think we're done. I'm making her a quilt (started today). Check out my deals:

• Happy Birthday, Little Pookie (Sandra Boynton book) $7.99 on sale for $5.99
• LeapFrog Leapstart Learning Table $59.99 on sale for $15.00
• Children's Place shirt: $12.99 on sale for $6.49
• Children's Place leggings: $9.99 on sale for $5.99
  

I also scored these Baby Gap snow pants for $12! Regular price $49.95. They might be a Christmas present. I haven't decided yet. 3795+400+6.50+45+2


The only thing I bought at regular price was a three pack of sleepers, but they're still only $12. They're George, from Walmart. Zip-up and really cute patterns.

Total birthday savings including snow pants: $95.50

What else have we been up to?

That last post was getting a little long, so I thought I'd break it up into two.

Isaac's brothers are both back in Toronto. They finally got jobs (yay) and moved to the city last month.

Addison experienced her first Canada Day, though we avoided the fireworks in town. On Friday we went to Mike's for a BBQ after her nap. Meg, Brandon, Meg's parents, Ange's family, and some of Mike's friends I'd never met were all there. We played horseshoes, soccer, and baseball, and had a BBQ. It was pretty tame, and nice. We left around 9, got Addison ready for bed, and called it a night. No fireworks for us this year.

On Saturday we went to Angela's for a big baby date. She and I met in pre-natal classes and got together with some other girls from then as well. All of the babies were in good moods for the most part. It was pretty funny to see them all interact because they're doing all different things, even though everyone is pretty close in age. The babies were Kennedy (4.5m), Olivia (5.5m), Grayson (7m), Addison (8m), and Carson (9m). Kennedy's older brother Aiden (3y) came as well. We had a BBQ and played outside. I can't wait to do it again! (Unfortunately, for some reason, NO pictures were taken! All those babies, and no pictures. *sigh)

Addison started swimming lessons in town on July 4. It's adorable. There are only three in her course but I know the other two babies so it's fun. So far (all of two classes) she's really liked it. She smiles and splashes. I had tried to wear a bikini but ended up with a tankini ($10 score at Old Navy!) because she can really scratch up my chest when she wants to. I'm more comfortable with a baby in the water when I'm covered up.

Going down the ramp

All the way in

Kick, kick, kick!

Mastering the breast stroke

"Jumping" in (One boy, Dylan, learned how to jump in on his own

and decided that was all he wanted to do at each class.

 

Relaxing on the noodle and playing with a ball

My brother came over unannounced for a nice little visit lastnight. It was great to see the girls. I can't believe how big Hannah is getting! 14 lbs to be exact! Morgan's walking all over the place now. It's great

Hannah

Morgan

Addison and Morgan

Morgan and Addison

Addison just got up from her nap. Time to go!

The rest of our fun weekend

My side of the family has had a lot to look forward to this April and May. Easter was a hit, the in-laws are back, and we've heard all about the in-laws trip down south. They brought Addison back this hilarious doll that she is officially in love with. We call it Raggedy Aunt Jemima (cuz we're politically correct like that).  Picture to follow.  It's not uploading properly right now.

Next up: MY NIECE WAS BORN! Yay! We all guessed she'd be born this weekend, based on how Nicole was feeling on Friday.  Sure enough, Sunday rolled around and she knew this was it.  Thankfully my brother was home (not at work) or he would have missed it!  Unlike Morgan (12 hours - typical), baby Hannah was here in two hours!  I guess they called the Midwife right away, and it was already time to get to the hospital when she got there.  Twenty minutes and no drugs later, Hannah was here, happy and healthy, weighing in at 8 lbs even.  They came home that night!

Here's a picture from when Addison, Isaac, and I met her today:

 Hannah April Lynn

One last exciting tidbit: Addison is 6 mos old today! Stats to follow (her 6 mos appointment isn't until May 11 and I have to move it).