Finished!
Posted by ahechtenns On March 4, 2007
I finally finished R’s room. I found these “Wallies” at the craft store. They are pre-pasted wall paper cut-outs. I couldn’t believe I found the exact colours I needed! I don’t have a picture now, and I’m not waking R to take one, so you’ll have to wait until tomorrow!  I feel so proud to have started a project on the weekend and actually finished it too!! Once she’s more secure in her bed, we’ll put up the bed frame. Take a look here.
Chinese New Year – Welcome year of the Pig
Posted by ahechtenns On March 3, 2007
Today we celebrated Chinese New Year with our “Bamboo Bunch”, group of local families who have adopted from China.  The kids had time to play together and do crafts before dinner.  After dinner we were entertained with a Lion dance. R remembered the Lion dance from last year and was quite nervous.  Daddy kept reassuring her that he would warn her before it started. She was very fortunate to have a chance to touch the lion before the dance began. It also helped that she could see the drummer. She did very well during the dance.  She loved the chance after to play on the drums with her friend G!! Check out the pictures
Snow Day :-(
Posted by ahechtenns On March 2, 2007
Today is a snow day. We started with lots of snow falling yesterday, then freezing rain coming.  Today the temperature is supposed to hover around 0, and we are expecting snow, freezing rain and ice pellets…So all the schools are closed, no buses, and lots of other things are cancelled, including R’s field trip with her pre-school to an art gallery. You know, snow days were much more fun when I was a student. Now as a parent I’m desparate to DO something with R and pretty much everything is closed! Sigh. What can you do.
Update: I called my good friend K and invited myself and R over!! She was more than happy to have us, as were her kids.  Here are some pictures of the kids hanging out.
The Dentist
Posted by ahechtenns On February 28, 2007
We had R’s first dentist visit. I must say she did remarkably well. Our dentist was so great with her. We had prepped by reading a Dora book about her first visit to the dentist, and I think that helped too. The dentist counted her teeth (20), and took the time to show her all the tools, and let her touch them. Her favourite of course was the sucky thingy. R loved to have it in her mouth, and the dentist then got a cup of water and let R suck up all the water, how cool it that! She even managed to polish 3 teeth. So we have to start flossing R’s teeth now. She seemed to take that in stride too, as I bought cool “crayola colours” flossers for kids. Of course the dentist commented on how R seemed to be our pride and joy. Well duh! I guess we’re pretty in love with our kid and love bragging…are we the only crazy parents like that?
Updated Pictures of Enns family
Posted by ahechtenns On February 25, 2007
Hey, P&L just sent updated pictures of their family. Check out the new hair cuts on the girls!!
Funny thing she said
Posted by ahechtenns On February 23, 2007
We have a ceiling fan above out bed. It has a small chain hanging down where you can change the fan speed…so..This morning while R and daddy were getting dressed on the bed.  R climbs on daddy and uses him as a launching pad for vaulting herself into the air, trying to catch hold of the small chain. She lands on the bed and turns to daddy and says “Well that didn’t work”. How’s that for an almost 3 year old!
Ordinary Day
Posted by ahechtenns On February 20, 2007
Today was a pretty ordinary day. We got up early as usual, (6:30, ok that’s somewhat late for R) and got ready and had breakfast. After breakfast R played for a while before we headed down the street for a playdate with some neighbours. We had a good time there. R had a great time playing, and I had a chance for adult conversation over a cup of tea! Does life get any better? It is quite mild here today, 2 degrees, so the snow is melting. R and I had a chance to try to shovel the driveway before lunch. It’s nice to see pavement again! But I’m really not a fan of all the slush that is around now.  After lunch came nap, then we went out and ran a few errands. A came home and made supper, quite a treat! Â
 I think I’m going to have a section at the end of most posts called “R said…” and have it full of interesting things that come out of our child’s mouth. Here goes:
 R said…
Today as Albert was getting her ready for bed, she comes bolting out of the bedroom and stops in front of both of us. We notice that she has a whole lot of lotion on her hands and cheeks, much to much to rub in.  A very calmly asks her, “What are you doing?” she answers “I’m doing very dangerous things in mummy and daddy’s bedroom”! Yup you are!
Yes we have snow, lots of it
Posted by ahechtenns On February 17, 2007
We decided to brave the elements today. I mean when it’s only -10 (-17 with the wind), that’s downright balmy. We have quite a bit of snow, about 21/2 feet (or 70cm). R had trouble walking in it, so A and I had to break in some paths for her.  We were going to build a toboggan run, but I quickly realized that with all this puffy fluffy snow, toboggans just don’t go down the hill. So R and I decided to go play on her play structure. After I cracked off all the ice, R was quite happy to slide down and climb up a number of times. Meanwhile, A was building a toboggan run after all. He first packed a track down with a toboggan, then sort of “surfed” or snow boarded his way down on his track. Finally we tried it out with Rebecca, and it worked! So now we have a nice run that we’ll just have to maintain. R loves being outside. Even snow in her boots doesn’t seem to bother her.
Her funny expression of the day goes like this. R in the back seat of the car in her carseat playing with a baloon. She complains that her finger is stuck and hurts “ouch, my finger is stuck and it hurts”. A looks back and says to her “your finger isn’t stuck, you’re fine!!”. R replies “It’s ok, it’s just a commercial” HAH!
 Other strange comments: When she’s angry these days, you ask her why she’s angry, and she replies “Because I’m in this place and I can’t get out”. Profound!
Valentine’s Day
Posted by ahechtenns On February 14, 2007
You know you’ve been married too long when….
 Yah. So we’re still getting back into things after the cruise. I pretty much botched up valentine’s, but my dear husband A, graciously offered me a ‘take 2′. The day started ok, I gave A a mushy card, and R and I wished him Happy Valentine’s Day.  R and I went over to Gemma’s to play in the morning, and lunch was a rushed affair as usual. Nap time went well, and R slept late. So at 4:35pm I’m trying to think of what I can quickly put together for supper, as who really feels like cooking after being on a fantastic cruise with no cooking and no cleaning for 10 days? I also totally forgot it was valentine’s day… so I threw a PC “Pizza Lasagna” in the oven, and went downstairs to play with R. A sent me an email asking if he could pick something up, but I didn’t see it, because I was downstairs with R!  Anyways A comes home and I put the “supper” on the table. We both kind of look at it, and I suddenly realize it’s Valentine’s day, and I really should have tried a bit harder!! I try the lasagna, and again confirm that I should have tried harder!! Take 2. So we ordered Chinese. As A went out to get it, I quickly cleared the table, set it again, and hauled out some candles. R thought this made everything very festive, and I had trouble keeping her from blowing them out. I also prepped her better this time. This time we both went to the door when we heard the garage door go up, and when A came in we shouted “Happy Valentine’s day!’. We had a great time after that eating rice and eggrolls in the candle light.Â
The Cruise
Posted by ahechtenns On February 12, 2007
Well I know V has been bugging me for pictures, so I’ll attempt this monumental task! We were on a lovely cruise from February 2-10. We flew to Miami, then sailed down to the Panama Canal and back (with stops in Aruba, Grand Caymen, Costa Rica, and Panama along the way). It was a wonderful trip. Ok, so wonderful doesn’t really describe it. We had a great time with R, Oma and Opa. R was spoiled rotten, mostly by a wonderful ship crew. It seemed she charmed everyone, from cabin stewards to cooks and wait staff, and even managed to capture the attention of 2 special photographers on the ship, Nino and Karl. I will try to post some exerts from our daily log here soon, must run, there are cries calling me! See the gallery here!