Little (and Big) Drummer Boy

Easter 2012

Ever have one of those weekends that you don't want to end?  Well last weekend was like that for us.... 

The weekend started with us going on a family hike to Starkey Hill.  When we had first moved to this area I had heard of Starkey Hill and had been told that if we went with bird food the birds would actually come and eat out of our hands!   So of course, off we went with some bird  food to see if this was true!

It took us a bit to find a spot on the trail that was quiet (there were quite a lot of hikers that day) and there we stood with food in our hands and waited.  I would say we stood there for less than 5 minutes before we could hear a group of chickadees  coming closer.  It didn't take much longer than that before we had a group of approximately 5-7 chickadees flitting around us and yes, they even landed on our hands and ate our food!!  It was a very neat experience and one that Sebastian enjoyed, although I do believe he enjoyed watching the birds land on my hand more so than having them eat off of his!

Following our hike we went to Nonee and Papa's for dinner and had a nice visit with Zia Ang who had come up for the weekend.  There Sebastian played and received some much needed Zia Ang cuddles.

The following morning we got up, ate breakfast and headed up to Floradale ON to a farm where Papa volunteers his time.  There we said hello to some sheep, lambs, cows, calfs, farm cats, barely one week old kittens, chickens and of course Echo, the farm dog.

Later that afternoon we picked up my brother, Uncle Danny, from the train station and then headed to Nonee and Papa's once again for dinner.  And of course Sunday morning was spent searching for eggs and enjoying homemade cinnamon buns made by Daddy.  We then got in the car and travelled to my hometown where Sebastian had his annual Easter Egg hunt with my cousin's children and then off to Nana's we went for dinner.

The only downfall to the weekend was waking up on Sunday morning to a cat vomiting plant material.  It didn't take me too long to figure that she had been in the Easter Lilies that I had purchased for my mom and my mother-in-law for Easter.  I then remembered hearing that Easter Lilies were toxic so a quick internet search and a telephone call to an emergency veterinarian clinic confirmed my fears.  So off I went with the cat to the clinic.  Because Easter Lilies are so toxic (if not caught early it will lead to kidney failure resulting in death) she was at the vets from Sunday until Tuesday on IV.  She's still not out of the clear but the fluids should have flushed the kidneys and her prognosis is quite good.  It was a very scary start to Easter Sunday but thankfully everything turned out okay.  Lesson learned: the cat that doesn't normally eat plants will eat the plants and all lilies are toxic to cats.

Despite this, it was still a wonderful weekend.

Giggles

Sebastian and I were looking through the pics on the computer today when we came across this video taken near the beginning of July 2009, when Sebastian was 2.5 years old.

Sebastian thought it was pretty funny... so funny in fact, that I grabbed my camera to take a video of his reaction!

Doing Nothing Part 2 (pic heavy)

Yesterday was the first Saturday in a very long time that we had nothing on the schedule.  The skating lessons were done, there were no errands to run and although there is always housework nothing was pressing and we were looking forward to having a day of doing nothing.

We received a call mid-morning from friends asking what we were up to and we told them we had absolutely nothing planned so to swing on by. 

This is what our day looked like.  For doing nothing, I think it was a pretty awesome day.

Can you spot the turtle?

Hello Mr. Snake

 

When you plant yourself in this moment, and do what you can to make the most of it, you are free.

Doing Nothing...

This week Sebastian was home on March Break.  We really didn't have a lot planned for the week and basically made things up as we went along.

The week started with us heading to my hometown for a long weekend last Saturday (which I blogged about below).  We returned home on the Monday and I thought it would be neat to take Sebastian to the zoo seeing that the weather would be so lovely this week.  As such, we headed into Toronto on the Tuesday afternoon and spent the night at a friend's house to allow us to get an early start on the day and to make the day a little more manageable for me as I wouldn't have the hour long commute to and from the zoo.  Sebastian had fun playing with his friend in Toronto and loved the idea of having a sleep over.  The next morning we headed to the zoo and arrived there just after 10:15.  To say the place was a zoo would be an understatement!  It took us 45 minutes of waiting in line before we entered the zoo but once in and once the boys had lunch (in which there were more lines)  we were finally able to walk  around and see the animals.  We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day and despite the busyness of the zoo, in which I have vowed never to go there again during March Break (!), the boys seemed to just enjoy running around outside and being able to share in the zoo together. 

On Thursday Seb went to Art Explosion Day Camp for the morning and as he came out told me "I didn't like it, I LOVED It!".  I had been a little weary about trying this program as Seb doesn't always like organized activities without me being present but it was everything he liked; art, singing and dancing!  We then spent Thursday afternoon playing soccer in our backyard, having a scavenger hunt (we just made it up as we went along) and going for a bike ride.  Today was pretty much the same.  Sebastian had his Art Explosion camp in the morning and then I surprised Sebastian and his dad by preparing a picnic lunch to be had on a blanket in our backyard.  We then went for a nice bike ride in the conservation area and the remainder of the afternoon Sebastian spent playing with the kids who live next door to us. It was actually the first time Sebastian went for a bike ride around the block with the neighbours kids without me. It was a little anxiety provoking for me, but I remember how free I felt as a child being able to ride my bike up and down the street and around the block without my parents and I wanted Sebastian to experience that freedom.  Seeing that huge smile on his face as he rode up our driveway was worth it!

Not a bad week of doing nothing if I do say so myself!

Putting on a song and dance for me

Reading a bedtime story

  

The obligatory picture with the Orangutan!

Weekend Away

Just came back yesterday from a long weekend away visiting family as a start to our March Break.  We usually stay in a hotel when we go down to visit but this time we managed to find a cottage for the same price.  These are some of my favourite pics from the weekend:

Trying on hats at Mad Cap Hats and Accessories

Sharing a laugh with Grandpa

Having a "nap" in the sunroom

Being sneaky

Cuddles with Nana

The Beach

Reading

Reading the Joy of Cooking with daddy

Approx. 3 months old

Christmas 2008

Jamie and I started reading to Sebastian in the early days of his life.  I would sit in the big comfy chair in the nursery and nurse while Jamie would read various books to Sebastian.  I have fond memories, that weren't so fond at the time, of struggling with nursing and Jamie sitting there so patiently with a book on his lap reading to him.  I think his first 3 books were actually The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, Sherlock Holmes and Richard Scarry's Things That Go. 

This tradition had always continued with Jamie being the one who mostly would read Sebastian his bedtime stories. Of course there would be nights when I would read to him and for the most part the 3 of us would always be in the room together, but it was usually Jamie who was doing the reading and we've always considered this to be their special time.

Anyways the reason I'm posting about this is that it's really neat when you notice that instead of you being the one reading your child their bedtime story, they've begun to read the story to you!

March 2012