Randoms...

Paige climbs trees now

Library time

A mess Henry made with baking soda while my back was turned

Living room

Living room is finally coming together.  Just need to find a different centrepiece for the table eventually.

Henry turns 1

It is hardly believable to think that an entire year has passed since Henry came into the world.  The funny thing about a third child is you have less time to pause and reflect on how fast he's growing up. It just happens in the blink of an eye. As the third, he is required to just go with the flow and routine of what is already happening. Moving into a new house, bringing sisters back and forth to school, travelling around to various activities, etc. Suddenly the tiny baby who just sleeps in the car seat and nurses constantly is a walking little boy who is so much more capable of interacting with the world around him. He knows what humour is, is beginning to understand language and routine, and doesn't understand why he can't do everything he wants to do, no matter how dangerous it is.  He sees what we do and tries to imitate. Walking down stairs, plugging something into an outlet...basically trying to be big. He's also gone from a helpless infant who doesn't know his family to one who knows that mommy and daddy are always there for comfort and to rescue him from falls and bumps and keep him warm and protected. He can count on his sisters to make him laugh and to lead the way.

What must it be like to come into a family with 2 older sisters and a huge dog? I think the stimulation is never ending.  Henry knows that all of the tiniest toys are in the girls room, and therefore that is the room he makes a beeline for every time we are upstairs.  He now loves to play outside since the weather has warmed up (a bit). Just don't take away his favourite outdoor toy--the rusty old paintbrush. He knows where the best things in the kitchen are...under the sink--soap,  the bottles in the spice drawer, and of course, the dirt in the plant behind his high chair.  Crawl down the hall toward the mudroom and you can play with the water in Scout's bowl.  All fun things to discover.  It is amazing to think that all of these things he has fully discovered on his own.

Putting him to bed on the last night of being under 1 is bittersweet.  It's so cliche, but our little guy is just growing up so fast.  At the same sense, there are so many more things for him to discover, and he's really getting to be so much fun.  He'll start to talk soon, and walk faster, play at the park, splash in the pool, and grow into the toddler stage.  I have to remember that the girls were once that age and I felt the same way but I never wish to go back in time.  Every age is a good age....it's just hard to say goodbye to the baby stage.

So to little Hen Hen, I wish you the very best birthday.  We love you so much.

A picture of a picture, but just so cute.

Roses birthday

Rose was so anxious to turn 4! Her preschool director even said that Rose came out of her shell talking so much about her birthday to the class. Aww. Sweet little Rose just wants to be older.

Unfortunately Mike had to be in the UK on the actual day but we did a FaceTime after breakfast.  I made a pancake breakfast and then we opened presents.  Both girls were off to school that day so off we went, stopping to pick up mini cupcakes for Rose's preschool class.  Then Grandma and Grandpa came over for a pizza dinner and cake.

Three days later Rose had her party with her friends at 4 Cats Art Studio.  They worked on making this beautiful butterfly painting together and then painted their own small paintings.

Washing hands

Rose and her best friend Claire

Almost finished.  Just missing the black silkscreen on top

Now Rose has started to say she's "almost 5".

Goodbye tooth!!

Paige finally lost her first tooth! It was quite the dramatic ordeal as Mike was quite anxious to get it out.  Her adult tooth had fully grown in behind and the baby one was very wiggly.  She was too scared to pull it out, and there was a lot of coaxing, some floss, some tears, but when it came out she was quite excited.  She actually managed to pull it out on her own by accident.  After the tooth came out though, the adult one moved into place within days.  It was really quite remarkable.  We thought her teeth would be all crooked. She made a note for the tooth fairy and taped it to the bed.  She was given $2 and the note was taken.

Art workshop...

I got these from the 4 Cats Facebook page.  They went to an art workshop after school one day.  They had a great time and I shopped at target.  Fun had by all.

Climbing

Wearing shoes in the dishwasher

Safety seat...

Takes him 10 second to get out of the seat and stand up.  Another few seconds to exit the bath.