Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

We've been talking about Halloween for weeks at our house. Wren has been so excited and has already gone to one awesome Halloween party with her little friends. But today, right on the day, she has a really bad cold and keeps telling me how "yucky" she feels. So sad!

I took this picture a few weeks ago when we pulled the costumes from the basement. Good thing, because a picture of them today would have looked a little pathetic with Wren's runny nose and Ellie's tired face and rosy cheeks. 

Kenton and I have been munching devouring the box of mini treats that are supposed to be handed out to our neighbourhood kids. We had two kids last year, our hopes aren't too high!

Everyday Outside

Last year I read this post from my favourite blog, A Cup of Jo. And I thought about it, and then went to work 5 days a week and didn't even have an extra second to think much more about the idea.

The post was about taking kids outdoors every single day. Joanna recently posted about it again and I found myself thinking about it more with winter around the corner.

Here is a few excerpts from Joanna's post and why I found it inspiring...


"In Scandinavia (the land of all things good and true:), parents take their babies and children out for ages everyday, rain, snow or shine, according to my lovely friend Lee, who grew up in Copenhagen. "

"In Denmark, you can't be afraid of the weather," Lee says. "Otherwise you'd wait six months to go outside again."

There's even an awesome Scandinvian expression that says, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes,"
The most fascinating thing I learned from a baby book is that, for children, being indoors is both overstimulating and boring at the same time. Isn't that interesting? Throughout history, "children spent most of every day frolicking outside," writes Harvey Karp, M.D., in his brilliant book The Happiest Toddler on the Block. "Our homes are boring because they replace the exciting sensations of nature (the feeling of the wind on their skin, the brilliant sun, the soft grass, etc.) with an immense stillness (flat walls, flat floors, no wind)." Yet at the same time, being indoors is overstimulating: "It bombards them with jolting experiences that kids in the past never had to deal with: crazy cartoons, slick videos, clanging computer games, noisy toys, and bright colors everywhere...which can make many little children feel stressed."

I found that all so interesting! I have no idea if Denmark or Copenhagen get down to -30C, but I know I want to give it a try this fall and winter. Starting last week I tried getting outside with the girls everyday. I didn't. I blame that partly on potty training (I need a potty up my sleeve, I swear), but partly on pure laziness. 

I have taken the girls outside more often now, and you know what I found? (Besides the fact that convincing an almost-3 year old that going outside will be fun now get a pair of socks and YES you have to wear a hat and NO you can't wear those shoes anymore it's not summer now get out the door before I lose my MIND) 
That not only Wren enjoyed it...but I did too. At first she was mad that we weren't walking to the playground (I'm sorry, that is just too far from a potty thank you very much), but we just stayed in the park across the street from the house, and eventually she liked it. She didn't even mind that it was cloudy, windy and chilly. She ran through the grass, picked up leaves, hid under the huge spruce tree branches, and rolled down the little hill until she was dizzy.

In fact, I was the one under-dressed and needing a pair of mitts. That line, "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes" is so true! I bundled us all up in winter coats, hats, mitts, and then it was fine and we stayed out for almost an hour (which is a record for us) It reiterates to me the importance of not buying crap outdoor clothing. I think we all tend to buy clothing to get us from the house to the car, but not to actually be outside. Have you ever noticed how Edmontonians are pretty much the worst dressed bunch for cold weather?? It's like we are constantly shocked at how cold it gets every.single.year. 

We only went across the street so I stuffed Ellie (literally, stuffed!) into a baby snowsuit and into the Ergo carrier on me which was an unbelievable undertaking in itself. Trying to close the top buckle behind my neck which is pretty much the most essential part to hold that entire carrier on your body, was a challenge with my thick coat and Ellie being 3 times her normal, uh, girth in the snowsuit...while screaming her protest and overheating. But once that's over she pretty much likes the change of scenery outside and eventually relaxes and catches a snooze. 

I am just hoping that instead of arguing, bribing, and practically begging Wren to get dressed to go outside will turn into her wanting to go out and play the more we do this...especially now with the fluffy snow out there!
(Okay, maybe not every day, but as many as possible. Both girls are under the weather right now and I feel something coming on. My solution...pumpkin loaf, forts and movies.)

How to carve a pumpkin with eyelashes

This big pumpkin has been waiting it's turn to get carved. 

Wren wanted to help scoop seeds. 

Her face was hilarious to watch...little bit gooier in there than she thought.

Yet, she enjoyed it!

Ellie woke up from her snooze and wanted to join the party. What a face!

(Sidenote: Ellie's first tooth is coming, we see it just barely under her gums..we are excited, but this has also meant a sore, irritated baby. However, Ellie's irritated is like Wren's best mood..sooo it's not too bad.)

Kenton: "Wren, what kind of face should I carve into the pumpkin?"

Wren: "A eyelashes like Mommy!" (Nope, I didn't make a typo. She said it just like that.)

Kenton has some serious skill in the drawing and executing the perfect pumpkin eyelashes, I have to say.

Ta Da!

P.S.

Ellie is practicing sitting up on her own. She's making this look easy but you didn't see how many wobbly pictures I deleted before I got this one.

I mean...my child is soo advanced...

The weekend before the storm

This weekend is the weekend of calm before the storm hits. I'm going to revel in the lack of plans we have, because nearly every weekend after that until December is going to have something going on. I'm not complaining. That's just the way it is in our house because of all of the birthdays and anniversaries that land in the month of November. And a few in December...plus Christmas and all that craziness.

Next weekend will be the first kids Halloween party Wren has ever gone to and even though she doesn't know it yet, she will be thrilled! We're recycling costumes this year because they will fit. Hurray! Plus Kenton and I are going to a surprise birthday party for an old neighbour. I haven't been to one...ever?

The weeks in November will consist of our 4th wedding anniversary (!), my parents anniversary, and then Andrea, Kyle, Jordan, Kenton and Wren's birthdays one after another. I got so busy planning presents and bookings that we almost forgot to make a reservation for our anniversary. I'm super excited to get all dressed up and go back to The Marc downtown. November is a whirwind to say the least!

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And a funny quote for your Friday...

What Wren told Kenton after we came home from the library today. (I had been chatting with a dad and his 2 year old girl at the library)..Wren's point of view:

 "Daddy, der was a new daddy at the libwawy. He didn't haf glasses. He had blue eyes and no neck."

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Maybe we will carve our big pumpkin this weekend and visit a market for some goodies. Have a good one!

Halloween Crafts

I saw these caramel apples in the Martha Stewart magazine and thought it looked simple enough to do... 

Wren and I scurried around our front yard picking up sticks to shove into our own apples and began making the caramel. Martha always has a way of making her food look awesome and effortless. 

I burned the first batch of caramel easily. The second batch smelled great and we had a hard time keeping our fingers out of it. But it took WAY longer to cool than Martha promised (so I threw the bowl of it in the fridge to hurry it up!) and it still never set properly on the apples. Instead, it all ran off onto the parchment paper after a while. I kind of recommend not using her recipe. But it was tasty nonetheless.

 Then we painted jars to look like little pumpkins and drew faces on with sharpie markers after they had dried. Our collection of extra sticks from the yard got plunked inside. This idea also came from Martha here. (Uh, I just realized that she painted the inside of the jars...not the outside like me. Hmm. Obviously I didn't look this project over very closely before jumping in.)

And just because we were inside a lot with this potty training business going on, we also made bats for our lampshades. Draw, cut out, stick inside to make silouettes. Spooky!

We also have a big pumpkin on the shelf waiting to get carved. Anyone else do any fun kid Halloween crafts this year?

Our Family Photos!!

Whoa was I ever excited to get the email this morning with all of our brand spankin' new family photos from Amanda. 

There were a lot, and for the sake of time I only posted my favourites...which were most of them actually. But I didn't repost any that you already saw in the "teasers". Had to be efficient here. Please excuse my little comments throughout, I couldn't help it.

Take a look!

 (In case you were wondering, this is my absolute favourite out of them all with the 4 of us and I hope to blow up and hang in our living room. woo hoo!)

 (The Wren Face.)

 (Really, there is nothing sweeter than this one.)

(My runner up of the 4 of us)

Not sure how we are going to be able to decide what goes on the walls! Thanks again Amanda... ah-mazing.

That Ol' P.T. Business

I have purposely not updated you on potty training. Since I last posted about trying to train Wren, it was a complete disaster. Tantrums, screaming, crying. She pushed back so hard that we gave up again at that time. Then I didn't want to talk about it because I felt like a failure and was frustrated. 

As I began thinking about planning her 3rd birthday, I realized that day was already coming soon- next month!! And I wanted to try her again with the P.T. to see if she would be a little more, ahem, receptive.
So, I picked a cold week (this one) and resolved to stay home the whole week. No play groups. No play dates. No errand running. No walks...oh wait that's because I'm a sissy with the recent cold weather, not because of training.
I pulled out her box of big-girl undies, and tried a new approach.
I brought the little potty to the kitchen- a more friendly space than the bathroom perhaps.
I had chocolate goldfish crackers handy as small rewards just for sitting on the potty alone. Bonus if she went.
But besides those things, I had a secret weapon...the thing she loves the most in the whole wide world...
The Soother.

I know. I know!! Sounds ridiculous. She's almost 3. A soother?? 

But it's totally working. She lives for the Soother. She always try to steal it from Ellie's crib or anywhere it is put down when Ellie isn't using it. We find her in corners, head down, madly sucking on that Soother and freaking out when we take it away. 

The rule is she only gets it while on the potty. It's more motivating than treats or stickers combined.

I'm on Day 3 of P.T., and she doesn't tantrum the same way she did that last go around. She WANTS to wear her undies..!!! She actually gets mad when we have to put on a diaper at bed time. She wants to sit on the "big" potty in the bathroom with her little seat.

There are still lots of accidents, but she is slowly getting it. 

I'm tired. I'm sick of only being at home and feeling worn out by constantly sticking her on that toilet every 20 minutes or so and asking her every 5 min if she has to go. But it's happening. It's really happening this time. We have this quiet little joy growing in us, because this has been a long time coming. (Remind you of sleep training? Ha!..ha..sigh.)

Anyway, it seems the stars have aligned and Wren is ready and we're going for it. Next time you see her, give that kid a high five!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has passed, yes, but my photos weren't ready until now. I've been busy, what can I say? Hope you all had a good one.

4 generations with Ellie this year! 

Reading stories. Picture was snapped exactly 0.2 seconds before Wren looked up and told me to get lost with the camera. Ah, toddlers.

Wren and Uncle Kyle playing "Doctor". It's her new favourite game. 

"Okay, you be a patient and I be a Doctor. You Betsy." (You just have to go along with it).

Ellie and Uncle Kyle bonding.

My mom had a great idea this year to have Wren paint pumpkins. It was a HIT.

Wren was kind enough to share a pumpkin for myself and Andrea to paint. She painted the other 3. 

Ellie and Uncle Cam. She's a friendly baby and likes everyone. Such a remarkable contrast to her sister.

Ellie loved Great Grandma Elfrieda's scarf. We had to rescue Grandma once from Ellie's death grip.

And for good ol' times sake, another 4 generation picture with the Neufeld side. 

As Wren walked by, we snatched her and the goldfish crackers up for a photo. We may look happy here but we're all secretly dying because Wren had a poo and it was toxic. 

As I tried to write this post, both my kids woke up about 10 times. I can't believe I still find time to do this. (Oh I know why, it's all thanks to "autosave". Yes!)