Our baby is turning 3....

Tomorrow morning Rose will be 3.  No longer a toddler, she'll be into the realm of a pre-schooler.  We've learned a lot from Rose over the year.  One of the main things is that you can still be very capable at such a young age.  Rose is so independent for one so small.  She excels in her gymnastics class, can beat many a 3 year old in a running race, and can really feel the beat when she's dancing to music.  I, for one, learned what it would really be like to have a sibling.  This was the year where they were really able to play together, and I really see how they mutually benefit from one another.  Of course there are arguments and fights, and Rose isn't always kind, but for the most part they love having one another around.  We also learned the difference between a first born and second born child. Rose is more independent, but with that comes a lot of determination and therefore some pretty tantrumy times. 

While she's still in the tantrum phase, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  She's starting to become more even tempered as she grows up.  Although she can be loud at home, she is becoming more and more shy with strangers, and even people she sees often.  Most other people have barely heard her speak.  She likes to hide behind my legs, or avert her eyes when people talk to her.  And they do talk to her a lot as she's so unbelievably cute. 

Some of her favourite things lately have been painting, all other arts and crafts, dancing at home, dressing up, wearing mismatched clothing and shoes, brushing her teeth, puzzles, Candyland, and reading books.  Unfortunately not a fan of napping.  After that soother went away it was buh-bye naps. She still has an hour of quiet time every day, and actually stays quiet thanks to her Groclock which tells her when the hour is up. 

I love how she tries so hard at everything she does, whether it is getting by dressed herself, or attempting other solo tasks, carefully colouring and trying to stay in the lines, trying to sing along to songs lyrics in the car, or dancing to her favourite songs.  I also love hearing her speak about the world around her.  I'll have to make it my goal to record some of her talking moments, as she is growing up too fast. 

This year will bring a lot of changes with a baby brother due to be born at any time, a new house, and preschool in the fall.  I'm sure she'll just keep on laughing and smiling and rolling with whatever comes her way.  Happy third birthday Rose!

Things Rose says...

Paige had a haircut a couple of weeks ago.  After the haircut they offered to paint her nails.  Rose was interested so I asked if she could have hers done too.  She chose a shimmery green colour.  A few days later at home:

Paige: Rose you have green nail polish.

Rose: I didn't want green! I wanted black to show my friends!

The Turcsanyi's are on the move!

Ok, we're probably crazy but we bought a house.  We knew we'd move one day, and we really wanted an office and a guest room in the future, but hadn't talked about it too much with the baby on the way.  After thinking about it however, we realized we didn't want to move our kids around when they were in school and we figured moving before Grade 1 was the ideal time to do it.  We looked around a bit before making this decision, and once we decided that was a good idea we started to look around seriously in the neighbourhood we were interested in.  After waddling around some houses we fell in love with one. After thinking about it for a while we decided to make an offer.  After a whirlwind few weeks, we just completed a home inspection at the new place yesterday, got our house decluttered and purged, and are now listing our house for sale next week!! Insane! If this baby can hang in there till we sell our house that would be fantastic.  He has 3 weeks to just stay put at the bare minimum.  I'm hoping to sell our house within 2 weeks.  Typically it only takes that long on our street, so I'm hoping history repeats itself.  If that can happen then we're laughing!!

So...are we crazy? Certainly feels like it, although all this decluttering and purging right now while we have 1 less kid is probably the way to go.  Either way I'm useless with the big stuff...being heavily pregnant or strapped to a baby is not conducive for tackling a disaster basement.  I have tried to do my part and basically took on one job a day--front closet, cleaning fridge, my closet, bookshelf, etc.

Soo--this is the main reason why I would be freaked out if the baby came soon! The master plan is to sell the house and then just wait for him to come.  Hoping it works...let's see how this plays out.

Oh--here's the new house:

It is larger, has the office we needed, a 4th bedroom for guests, and the girls will still share in their bunk for now.   And in the summer there's a pool--this is a major draw for the girls and making them excited to move.  Well Paige anyway, I don't really think Rose knows what's going on.  We'll have to finish the basement, but it's not necessary in the short term.   As much as I love the house it is scary and kind of sad to leave our house and neighbourhood.  I am always resistant to change but I think we'll be ok. 

36 weeks....

Shall we get this show on the road??

My typical torpedo stomach.  Sigh.  I often wonder what is worse...a more compact stomach where all your organs are squished, or this one.  I am fairly small though, so maybe this is the only way it all fits.

Life has been busy.  Very busy.  In a way I feel very unprepared for this baby to arrive now.  I assume he will come on time or late, as the other 2 were late, but if he is early I will be very very not mentally ready.

To make myself feel better I packed my hospital bag.  Only the snacks and juice boxes are missing.  It is not conventional to eat and drink in labour, but as I have hired a doula she says she highly recommends it as you burn 800 calories an hour in labour.  How else will you have any energy.  I fully fully agree.  Not sure if she makes you eat and drink on the down-low so you don't get in trouble, or do you just openly break the "rules"?  It will be interesting to see.  I have my final meeting with the doula on Monday night.  I'm looking forward to that as it will bring back some focus to the impending birth. I wonder when my mind will start to focus and I will start to feel that waiting around for something to happen feeling.  Definitely don't have that now which is why I would be so shocked.  Maybe a week before the due date I'll get that way...if I make it that long.  Everyone is convinced I'll go early, but then again people say that every time and it never happens.

We have the baby room all set and ready to go.  Baby clothes in the drawers and the new cloth diapers I'm trying out are all washed and ready.  Not much else to do except fix our existing monitor or buy a new one. I realize this time around though that things can wait.  ie. if we really needed to go run and grab a monitor after he is born it wouldn't be the end of the world.  I'm sure the girls would love to go to Toys r Us anyway.

So, hoping he is comfy in there for at least another 3 weeks and then we're good to go.  Trying to get a few things done in the next little while...

Do you think they woke up too early??

Paige on couch and Rose on chair.  Right after getting out of bed...

Morning at the dog park and then Bronte Creek...We

We were wearing matching jackets

First bike ride of the season.

Paige is on the trike as bike was too high for me to safely get down.  Rose took her scooter for it's first spin outdoors.  All went well until we tried to overdo it and Rose got too cold.  Thank goodness it's warming up.  Paige needs a new bike this year for sure.  Rose really wants a bike too, but still needs to master a trike!

First haircut!

Besides the few times when we've actually had to cut tangles out of Rose's hair, she had never had a haircut.  Brushing her hair is a huge battle every day, and it is often super tangled and probably really painful.  Decided to give a haircut a try to see if that would help the problem.  So far I'd say it has!

I took her to Sharkey's, where Paige went for her first haircut, and she got to sit in the barbie jeep and watch Dora. 

After the haircut was done they asked if she wanted a blow dry or braids and she whispered to me that she wanted braids. 

I think it looks so cute!

They took a before and after photo and gave us a certificate with a lock of hair in a bag attached to it.  Her hair definitely is a bit shorter now but easier to brush, so it was worth it.  She was really excited about her "hair style" as she kept calling it. 

 On the way home Rose was saying "Paige do you like my hairstyle? Paige do you like my hairstyle?" over and over again.  Paige wasn't listening and finally said something to Rose at which point Rose said "better than yours...", and Paige was offended.

Easter egg decorating!

We had fun dying eggs this year in food colouring and vinegar.  Turned our quite well! Next year maybe we'll try a few new techniques.  This year I was a bit stressed about the food colouring situation and didn't have the girls in any protective clothing or even old clothes.

Birthday Girl

Scout turned 1 on March 12!

Everyone said that dogs calm down by the age of 1, and it's so true.  Phew! Things were a little scary when we found out that baby was coming when she was only 5 months old.  Luckily she's mature for her age as well.  Also true however is that they start to rebel! Need to retrain her n a few things, and rarely comes when called when she's in the backyard.  Can't be bothered. 

For Scout's birthday we bought her a dog cookie from the dog food store, and then mini cupcakes from the cupcake store which is conveniently beside the dog food store. 

On another day---Afternoon exhaustion period.  I took a little rest.  Scout kept sleeping and I asked Paige to take a picture, at which point Scout woke up from the noise.