Je m'appelle Logan

We registered Logan for French Immersion tonight.  He's been so excited to go to "French school" ever since we mentioned it to him.  The teachers were wonderful, the school is beautiful - we're so excited for him to start there!  Even better is that when we were in the auditorium waiting for the info session to start, in walked the parents of one of his best buddies that he started at daycare with when they were both 2.  He'll be so happy to have him in his class!

O'Canada (one of Logan's favourites) - en francais




The cloakroom for the 2 SK classes.  This room was almost as big as the classroom and had the full 3 walls with cubbies.  So organized and neat!








And he just asked me the other day how to say squirrel in French, so I laughed out loud when I saw this board in the classroom and had to take a picture for him!

Do you hear what I hear?

This poor ladybug can't catch a break.  Avery's got a bad cold/bronchitis/chest infection (??) and the wheezing she was doing this morning was unbelievable.  I thought she was making the noise with her voice, and then discovered it was actually just her breathing.  Yikes.  So we went to the doctor and she's now got  a nice new "toy"

Let me tell you, folks, Avery does not think that this little piece of technology is much of a party.  She is definitely NOT a fan.  I guess when you're 6 months old, it might be a little scary to see this coming at your face every 4 hours

Warning: This post contains a picture of a very cute bear bum

Nanny, and maybe Papa, are coming over this morning to play Wii with Logan.  He's so excited he can hardly stand it.  We spent a long time on Saturday making up new Miis for Nanny, Papa and Colleen.  Since Nanny's coming over, Avery decided she should wear her super cute outfit that Nanny bought for her when she was born (since she's finally big enough to wear it!).  Isn't it adorable?   Maybe I'm partial, but I think it's the cutest bear bum I've seen!   Here she is showing off one of her many talents.  She can hold her medicine cup and take her medicine all by herself

And Logan would like to type:


Logan S.

Leaps and bounds

This picture was not taken today - but I'm making up the rules here, so I can break 'em too! Ha ha!  This was taken on Logan's first day of skating last year.  He was the smallest kid out there, and he stood.  He stood there just like that the whole time.  That was followed by months upon months of more standing, sometimes standing while holding onto one of the helpers for dear life.  So you can imagine how much fun it is to go to Sunday Skating Lessons and watch him practically run around the ice.  Today he hit a milestone.  Lisa, a girl I grew up skating with, told Logan that since he's doing so well going forward that it was time to start moving backwards!  Little man was sooo proud of himself when she held his hands and he started going backwards.  I didn't get any pictures because I was too busy committing it to memory.  Now, I couldn't care less if he's an Olympic skater, an NHL hockey player, or never skates another day in his life.  The part I love is seeing him be proud of his accomplishments and overcoming his fears. 

All worn out

Logan has had a busy week.  School on Monday, playdate with Vanessa on Tuesday, school Wednesday, playdate (er, umm... DAY - all day!) with Nicky on Thursday.  Friday was Carnivale at school so it was a long day of activity and then Nicky came home with us after school and stayed for supper.  The boys had a great time playing together and Logan introduced Nicky to the Wii.  However, all of this is taking it's toll on poor Logan.  He woke up with a horrible cough today and so we just had a lazy day.  Logan played the Wii (and coughed his way through it) this morning

then laid down for a 2.5 hour nap.  He got up and played again for an hour and then asked if he could stop playing so he could snuggle with me.  So we snuggled for a while and when I got up, this is what he did

I don't know who this child is.  He's obviously not feeling well - he says his throat is not breathing well.  He's had some cold water, some juice, and his ventolin (because he could not stop coughing).  Hopefully he is only worn down and just needs some extra rest.  Keep your fingers crossed that this is not the beginning of a bug.  

We love chocolate.

No dogs allowed on the carpet in the living room.  Definitely no dogs allowed on the furniture.  When we are there, no dogs dare attempt it!!  Yet, for some reason, as soon as we turn our backs

there is chocolate on the couch.  And this is the look he gives when we ask what in the world he thinks he's doing there.

Comparison Shopping

We used to call Logan our little cue-ball.  He was so blonde that he looked bald.  Here he is at around 5.5 months

But, as you can see, he really did have hair.  I really did have to comb it when he had it washed and we could put it in a funny little mohawk if we wanted to!

Now, Avery, on the other hand.  She's just bald.    Here is our true little cue ball!

A whole new world

Avery can sit up now!!!  She still needs someone right there because she's not overly steady and loves to dive forward to grab at things.  This has opened up a whole new world to her - and as you can see, she is loving it!

Tea for Two

Avery got this cute little singing tea set for Christmas.  We tried to have a tea party this afternoon but my poor baby girl was having a tough day.  She did manage to enjoy herself for a few minutes...she loved diving forward to reach the tea pot and listen it sing!  (She loves her new taggie blanket that made up our tablecloth, too!).

Big Day in the Zoo

A couple of big things happened here today.  We stopped by the French Immersion school here in town to pick up registration papers.  This is much more of a scary decision than it seemed to be before we had kids.  I guess it's the whole "if Logan doesn't do well there, it's our fault because we chose this for him" idea.  Hmm.  I'm trying not to think about it that way, and look at the positives - at least he'll try it.  He's extremely excited to go to "French school" (he LOVES languages, and they seem to come easily to him - he can say a few things in Chinese from watching Kai Lan and several things in Spanish thanks to Dora & Diego), and, coincidentally, he asked today if we could go and see the school because he didn't know where it was.  So we drove by, and he was thrilled! 

On another exciting note - Avery seems to be catching up, developmentally.  I had kind of been thinking of her as a preemie in some ways, because she spent the first 4.5 months of her life crying and in pain, she didn't really hit some of the milestones that happen in that time.  She has never really babbled much, has never tried to roll over, didn't try to push up when she was on her tummy, etc.  In the past few weeks, she has really taken off in those areas.  A few days ago, she found her feet and loves to grab for them all the time.  She's grabbing for toys and taking more of an interest in the things around her, hangs on to her medicine soother and will put it up to her mouth to drink her medicine, knows exactly what her bottle is and what yumminess comes with it, enjoys hearing songs and having someone help her do the actions for them...all kinds of fun things.  Tonight, she even sat up, unsupported, for a few seconds!! Way to go big girl!! 

Pic for today - Flashback or Flashforward?  Thinking about family resemblance

This is Logan

This is his Great Grandfather at the same park, at around the same age.

Just the teeniest, tiniest little bit of resemblance there, huh?

Bath night

Bath nights are tricky at our house.  Neither of the kids can bathe every night because of the ultra-sensitive skin issue, and the eczema/psoriasis that develops if they bathe too often, especially in winter.  It's tricky because I'm often flying solo with the kids in the evenings.  I started out alternating their bath days, but it got to be too much of a battle so I decided to take a deep breath and be brave.  I now bathe them both on the same night (leaving me every other night to just make it until bedtime and not have to worry about baths, too).  So, while Logan plays in the tub, I have Avery in her tub on the bathroom counter.  This way, I can keep an eye on him while bathing her.  Then Avery and I sit on the floor for the lotion/massage and getting jammies on while Logan washes up.  Once Avery is done, she sits in her chair giggling at her crazy brother while I tackle washing his hair.  Tonight we had company over for dinner so Avery got to have her bottle while Logan finished up.  His favourite part of the bathtime ritual...making crazy hair when he gets out of the tub.  Tonight was my turn to create a masterpiece...

Silly string

Kind of.  Logan loves cheese strings, and up to this point has only eaten them like any normal person would.  However, the joys of going to school have brought the discovery that you can play with the cheese and actually make it into "strings".  Are we mean for keeping that dirty little secret from him??  Maybe, but it grosses me out to think of him (anyone) having his fingers all over his food and then eating it.  Ugh!  Oh well...the joys of childhood have reached an all-time high in our house!

And they call it puppy love

Our newest member of the family.  Our new "nephew" Chudleigh.  He's a 9.5 week old Newfoundland Retriever.  So docile - I can hardly believe it.  Great with the kids, too.  What a laid back little mop he is!  He's pretty big for a 9.5 week old "puppy", but he's got a lot of growing to do yet.  He'll end up being around 150lb when he's full grown.

Storytime

It amazes me everyday what a great big brother he is.  Tonight's selection was "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".

My little scholar.  He comes home from school now and when I ask him what he learned at school today, he replies, "Not enough yet!" and then asks to do his workbook.  Tonight, he was so tired he had bags under his eyes (yes, he still takes 2 or 3 hour long naps on non-school days!), so I had to convince him to do something relaxing.  He chose his Leapfrog computer, which is still extremely educational.  I'm not complaining...but it's pretty amusing when he chooses "work" over "play".  As if he doesn't already have enough knowledge in his little noggin!

In the summer when he'd sit there, his feet didn't even come to the edge of the seat cushion.  Wow!!  He grew 4" between age 3 and age 4 - and I bet he's grown that much again since his birthday.

Daddy

Any man can be a father.  It takes someone special to be a dad.  - Author Unknown

I see lots of family fun in our future!

This is actually a Christmas present.  We had gotten some money as gifts from a few people and decided to use it toward a family gift.  Logan has recently taken a liking to the Wii and the games that come with it, so this is what we decided on.  Although they're not new out this year or anything, the stores are having a terrible time keeping Wiis in stock.  It has taken a month now for us to get our hands on one! 

One year ago today...

*sigh*  I wish we were there again right now.  Maybe in the future it can become a yearly trip, but not when you're on mat leave!

What? Rain in winter?

Logan was flabbergasted to learn today that it could be possible to have rain in the winter time.  We had a quiet morning in, then the usual skating lessons.  Wow - is Logan ever taking off on the ice!  He literally runs through the obstacle courses they have set up.   

What is this??  Go ahead.  Guess.

That would be a macro shot of Cozzie's bad hair day!  This was about an hour and a half after he'd come inside from the rain - LOL!

Logan wanted to pose...

And Avery had fun watching her big brother at skating.

Last year, Logan cried every Sunday when it was time for skating.  He had a good time once he was there, but he wouldn't move, either.  He literally went every week, cried, got on the ice, and stood there holding hands with one of the helpers.  So frustrating to watch because many of them weren't even trying to get him moving.  Anyways...it's unbelievable what a difference a year makes.  Look at my little Team Canada speed skater at 'em today!

Mmm, Mmm, Good

I made my best chili ever for supper tonight.  And the cesar salad that went along with it wasn't too shabby, either.

Let kids be kids

I've always been a supporter of just letting kids be kids.  I guess my own kid sees things differently?  Because this is what everyone who is a 4 year old boy says, right?

(with much excitement, as if he'd just met Santa himself)

"Mama, Mama!!  Did you know that Chomp has Spectro Armour with that new Element Booster?"

Dude.  I don't even think we speak the same language anymore!