Halloween 2014

     Tonight was Halloween. It was super fun.
      Daddy decorated the drive way and I took Kaelynn out. Daddy, his friend Aaron, and Aunt Sarah scared children and handed out candy. Daddy said "the screams fueled him" - weirdo. Halloween is the only holiday he really likes, so I guess that's acceptable.
     I made our Halloween costumes and made the masks for the scarecrows in the driveway: one for Aaron and one for a dummy. I was really happy when people knew who we were supposed to be. Daddy said I chose something "obscure", but I think it was cool. Another mother gave me a high five because it was awesome and she had just introduced her daughter to Rainbow Brite. A garage of 3 guys around my age knew who we were before we got there. They were so excited and gave extra candy. As we got further down the street, I could still hear them talking about Rainbow Brite.
     We were given extra candy because Kaelynn was so cute. I asked her to say please (peaaaas) and thank you (yoooou *with big puckered lips). One woman even told her to pick all she wanted, we were there a while. We hit almost all the houses in our complex that had their lights on before arriving home again. Some houses even warned us about "the scary house around the corner". I thanked them and said we lived there. They loved it- cute costumes and a scary house.
     We came home. Watched some Curious George and had warm drinks before a warm bubble bath. We split a fun size package of Smarties and went to bed. She has been asleep a while, daddy and his friend are playing video games and I am about ready to pass out.

     Happy Halloween!! I hope it was safe for everyone! <3

20 Months.

     A few days have passed since she hit the 20 month mark. She has learned some new words, crawls into her own high chair now, and can now (sometimes) be convinced to go back to sleep in her bed once she wakes up in the night.

      Today was Community Day at the Cineplex Odeon. We decided to try taking.her to the theatre for the first time. If she lost her mind, it was free anyway.
       She did fantastic. She loved the popcorn. There will be more movies in her future, even if she kept trying to steal my.drink.

Pinterest Perfect

     My Pinterest is full of friends and family pinning perfect things. Pinterest seems to be a place where thumbs are more ambitious than actual motivation. Sometimes, I get inspired and attempt to make things. Sometimes, they turn out and other times, they don't. However; I sometimes get depressed.
    
     The prefectly decorated rooms. The sparse magazine look, that is not me. I have no idea what my decorating style is, but I feel like sometimes, if my house looked magazine quality that I would have hit the "grown up" milestone.

     Living in a magazine is not the proper environment for a toddler that loves to touch. We love to craft. We love to pull out all the toys and make messes. We love glitter, paint, and paper scraps.

     To me, a happy home is lived and loved in. Everyone is alive and the sound of toddler laughter bounces off the non-immaculately decorated walls. There are leftover toys on the floor come bed time, crayons stashed away so she can secretly colour and dirty dishes can wait til after baby bed time.

     As much as a perfectly clean, decorated, white house would be..heaven forbid someone finger paints with the free reign of happiness.

Moley. Moley. Molars.

     Teething is definitely not fun, but an integral part of growing up. I had thought canines were next, but after asking her to "show me your teeth" yesterday, it was confirmed that molars were in deed next.
     So far, it's been clingy and not sleeping though the night. Not wanting to spend time with her Dad, unless I leave the room. Thankfully so far, not many tiny terror days (but they're there). I've heard that molars are the worst, and it will get worse. We will see.

My Little Pony

     MY LITTLE PONY came to our mall for a live action event. I wrote it down and invited my mom to come along. When this was planned, I did not know that it was on a PA day. We arrived an hour early and hung out.
     We picked up a paper pony ears hat that she refused to wear, some stickers and a paper ruler. We then went to play with Play Doh. It was her first time using it and was unsure. Once we got home, she loved it.
     It was go time. It started and she couldn't take her eyes off the stage. She didn't quite know what was going on and didn't freak out. LARGE ponies were infront of her and not on the t.v. Eventually, she got into it and would dance holding my hands or making me wiggled her.
     It was a 30 min show which is perfect for little people and the big people in the costumes. Afterwards, she got spoiled.
Both my mom and I bought her a pony. When we went to pay for them, she had a melt down due to no nap and over stimulation. Once we got home, I only gave her Rainbow Dash (Pinkie Pie is for her Christmas stocking). Since we've been home, she's not really let go of her (just long enough to eat, play and pick things up off the ground).

     It was a super great afternoon. We will be back for more events like this at our mall.

A year and a half

     With everything that has been going on, I have been slacking. Plus, trying to blog from my phone during naps or at night isn't working out so well when it fails to publish and save. Many things have been going on.

     18 Months

          We had our 18 month appointment on Aug 19th and it was hard. We saw a new resident and a new nurse practioner. Our doctor switched sides of the office and got all new staff, the people I have seen for 20 years and I had hoped my daughter would grow to love, no longer see us. However, in a town where many people are doctorless, we still have one, so I shouldn't complain.
         The 18 month appointment was a check on her development and milestones versus health. It was an hour of questions and forms and judging. Yes, my daughter is tiny (23 lbs at 18 months) and doesn't talk and co-sleeps..but she is happy, eats like a horse and has never really been sick. They suggested speech therapy once she is past 2. Due to her walking early (10 months), her speech could be delayed and take a while to catch up. Instead of waiting that long, I self referred her to Early Expressions and she has an appointment in May 2015 (unless she gets a cancellation call). We are working with her and making her ask for things: "up please" "milk please" "I love you too" "good job" are just some of the mini sentences I am sure she has said, even if I can only understand.

The rest of the days

         The rest of the days have been spent learning and loving.We were even in a wedding, and she was the prettiest flower girl ever (and so well behaved). We have been working on colours, names of things, stacking, manners, and semi-attempting potty training. We have been going for walks, spending time outside and with friends and family. We have been on trips and just been enjoying the end of Summer. She has also been busy growing teeth. Kaelynn has 6 now and her canines are trying to pop through. It's amazing she has teeth now and so horrible on her bad days.

       I am feeling quite terrible that she seems to be scared of Hallowe'en. We took a walk one day with a friend and stopped in at Spirit Hallowe'en. As soon as we entered, she seemed tense. And then I made a mistake...

I stepped on a robot, thinking it just talked, and then her head went POP! She screamed and ran away. I picked her up and she cling onto me for dear life. Nothing would make her feel better, except for a Flounder (The Little Mermaid) trick or treat pail that I made her give to the cashier instead of buying. Even after we had left, I could still feel her clinging onto me. She now seems to be afraid of anything to do with it. Target and the Dollarama's sections seems to scare her, even cute little felted bats and glittery pumpkins. Daddy didn't seem to believe me until he walked down the spooky aisle of the Dollarama with her. She refused to touch anything and then she had a melt down once she saw the severed limbs. I know reassurance and exposure help with fears, but it's hard. Hopefully, she will be good for Trick Or Treating around the neighbourhood - especially since I DIY'd a pretty cute costume.

 

19 Months

      19 months was not much different than 18, but more of her huge personality is coming out. She's definitely the boss of the house. She is loving to her stuffed animals and babies. She offers them snacks and takes them on adventures when we go out. Her behaviour towards the cats is not so nice; she tries to step on them and gets mad when they touch her toys or come near her. She is more than happy to feed them in the morning though, going so far as to lead me to the bathroom and point at the cat food container.

     

 

                       We have some fun things coming up

                       This afternoon, we are going to the mall to see My Little Pony perform. I told her what the plan was this morning, and in her Spotty AMP diaper, she tried to lead me to the stairs all excited...until I told her we had to wait and get dressed.

                      October 4th, we are going to the Battersea Pumpkin Festival. I hope it's super fun. I have never been, but have heard great things from others.

Family Trip

      Yesterday, we took a trip to Quebec with friends to go to Mont Cascades.
Kaelynn traveled well and only got upset when she was tired. I felt so bad when she kept putting her arms up to ask for "out".

     We arrived, got changed and away we went. First stop was the wading pool. Kaelynn and daddy went in, to get her used to it. I then took her down a child slide. I let her go and followed down after her, bracing myself against the walls of the slide with my knees. An 18 month does not have enough weight to go down, so daddy suggested I just scoop her up. That worked, only I gave myself an amazing plastic burn on my wrist.

     I went down some slides and then switched off with daddy. While I was riding Black Magic and The Mammoth, daddy took Kaelynn to the splash pool and paddling pool. At the paddling pool, she LOVED the stairs.

     Lunch time.

     We decided to try to take her down the bigger rides. Success. No one stopped us and no one got hurt. First stop, Mammoth.
I carried Kaelynn up the hill, daddy and Mike rolled the giant tube up. There was a French family ahead of us, arguing with their possibly 4-5 year old son who didn't want to ride. We all went first. Mommy and baby climbed into the circle, then the guys. Mommy seatbelt engaged and we were flying down. Not a peep was made from Kaelynn.

     While we were on a roll, we did a 2 person ride: River Rapids. Daddy took Kaelynn down. I was so scared to do that. I would have to hold onto her and not the float. What if we both got dumped out because I wasn't holding on? I know daddy did the same ride last year with a kid a bit older. They went first, Mike and I followed. Apparently, Kaelynn looked back at Daddy with a WTF look at one point. We all arrived at the bottom alive.

     Daddy went on more slides with other children and we kept trading off. We went down bigger kiddie slides and there were no more plastic burns. I took Kaelynn to the children's rainforest and she was so unhappy. Water dripped down, like a shower, from every where. I took her down some slides and at the bottom, she.got splashed in face. She was stunned, but not crying.

     She ate all the food.
*1.5 pancakes before we left
*1/2 package of cookies in the car
*1/4 bag of Goldfish
*1/2 jam sandwich
*4 green bean pods
*almost a whole container of black berries (I had 5)
*3 watermelon balls (ice cream scoops)
*1/2 of my ice cream cone
*2 chicken nuggets and 3 fries for dinner

     It was almost time to go home. I recruited 3 others and we went down Tornado Alley. This time I did not scream "let me off" or " I dont want to do this anymore". It was still a roller coaster water slide, but I was less afraid, it was quicker, and I Lamaze breathed my way through it. I probably could have gone again, if there was time.

     All in all, it was a great day and can't wait for next summer. I was thinking we could even do their birthday package.