Soother- BE GONE!!

Just to let everybody know; Hannah has now gone FIVE NIGHTS without her beloved soother. As I stated in an earlier posting, the Trailer Fairy took both of her soothers. Mommy & Daddy were getting very tired of seeing a soother in her mouth in every picture of her. Also, she is getting quite good in the conversation department, so it was getting frustrating to listen to her with the soother in the way. FYI- Caitlyn was 3 years old when she lost her soother. Actually, she lost hers AFTER Hannah was born.

J

1st Camping (ok- Trailering) Trip

Last weekend we took the girls on their very first camping trip at a Trailer Resort about 2 hours away. The trailer was waiting for us there. All we had to bring was dishes, cutlery, blankets, towels and oh yeah toilet paper (Caitlyn was the first to discover that it wasn't included when we first got there!!) The trailer came complete with a microwave, a regular oven and range top, coffee maker, fridge, freezer, and bathroom (with a shower!). One double bed in the 'master' bedroom, a bench seat and the kitchen table, both which converted to other beds. The girls loved it!!

When we picked up the girls from daycare to go camping, Hannah's teacher asked us if we were actually going camping. Apparently, all day she was telling people "We're going camping at the beach, by the ocean under the stars!!" What a two-year old!

The girls enjoying some 'play time' inside the trailer.
Going for a walk around the trailer park.
"Daddy, look at me!"

Caitlyn surprised us by actually wanting to go on these swings.

Eventually both girls decided that they would make up their own seats at the table.

Going for a walk to the beach.

It was a little bit cool in the morning, which is why the girls aren't in their bathing suits yet.

It got a lot warmer in the afternoon, after our naps!

Relaxing by the fire, waiting for the marshmallows to appear! Daddy had no problem lighting this fire; he's quite outdoorsy!

Careful, the fire is HOT!

Careful, the marshmallows are STICKY!

Yech! Very sticky!

Baby wipes actually work great to get marshmallow off fingers.

The Lane our trailer was on.

Our camp site.

We had a great time on our very first camping trip. Next year, we might actually rent a camper and go travelling somewhere.

On a very positive side note: Since leaving the trailer park this past Sunday, Hannah has been without her Soother. She asked for it during the ride back home, but Mommy & Daddy didn't have it as the Trailer Fairy took it. Hannah then asked 'for the other one' - what a smart girl! so Mommy said that the Trailer Fairy took that one too!

Beds and the Beach

I think that I've made mention that our camera needed repairing. Well, last week I phoned a few repair shops and was told that since our camera is 'an older model' it would be much cheaper to simply purchase a new one rather than getting the old one fixed. We bought a new digital camera last weekend. Apparantly 'an older model' is about five years old because that's how long we've had the other one. I guess camera's just aren't made to last anymore; like everything else!!

Yesterday after school Mommy & Daddy were unpacking the girls stuff and getting supper ready. When we called the girls that dinner was ready we were surprised that it was quiet; could the girls actually be playing together nicely, without fighting?? We went up front to see why they were being so quiet!! At any moment, one of them could have kicked their feet and the chair would have gone flying off the back of the table.

Last weekend we went to the beach. The weather was overcast (about 22C) and the water was cold, but the girls still had fun playing in the sand and near the shore.

Caitlyn's new 'big girl' bed. We bought this at IKEA and it took Daddy about 2 1/2 hours to put it together. She seems to like it!

Luckily for Daddy Hannah's crib simply converts into a day bed. It took Hannah a few days that she could actually get out of bed now. We have a chirld safety handle on the inside of her door and she hasn't figured out how to use it, so she can't get out of her room on her own. If she hears somebody in the kitchen when she wakes up, she knocks on her door. Her Daddy (who according to Hannah is 'very silly') says from the outside of her room "Hello, who is it?" Hannah replies still from inside her room "It's Hannah Claire!
On the weekends when Mommy and Daddy aren't in the kitchen yet and actually want to try to sleep in a bit, Hannah wakes up usually at exactly 7:00 a.m. She wakes us up by yelling into her monitor "Mommy, Daddy I'm ready, come get me!"

As you can see from this picture, Hannah seems to like her new bed too!

Sleepover in the Playhouse and a Big Girl Turns Two!

The Ontario Gramma and Grampa recently repainted the playhouse in their backyard. Last weekend Caitlyn and her Daddy had a sleepover. As you can see the air mattress we have took up almost the entire floor space, but it left just enough room for a table to hold our popcorn and books (Dora, Mercer Meyer, Barenstain Bears and Obama). We went there at 8:00 pm and after about twelve stories had to go back inside for a pee break. Got back to the playhouse, read three more pages and our little big girl was fast asleep. Daddy read his Obama autobiography and then turned off the light. Caitlyn woke Daddy up at 9:30 the next morning eating popcorn and had a huge smile on her face. I think she had a fun time with her Daddy. I know that I had a great time with her!

Playhouse has four working windows with blinds and an outlet on the back to plug in an extension cord so that the lights and fan work.

When we were in Winnipeg last month our camera broke and we have not taken it in yet to see if it can even be fixed. Here are a few pictures we managed to take of Hannah's Second Birthday. This gift was from Mommy and Daddy its a shelf with nine bins that hold her various toys and books in her room. Hannah like to clean up her room every night.

Caitlyn helping her 'little' sister. As you can see from the bluriness and the 'lines' our camera does not work properly. Luckily we were about to get these few pictures!

By the way, we decided that since Hannah's much younger male cousin on Daddy's side got to change to a 'big boy bed' we would try Hannah in her 'big girl bed. Luckily for us, her playpen converts fairly easy to a daybed by lowering the mattress and removing one of the side rails. She seems to enjoy her "new" bed and she does stay in it all night. She did roll out of it once during the second night, but she went right back in under the covers and we didn't hear form her until the morning. We're not sure if Hannah realizes that she can actually get out of her bed now by herself which is very good for Mommy and Daddy. She enjoys waking us up at exactly 7:00 am on the weekends by yelling (we still have the monitor on in her room) "Daddy where are you?" When we go to her room, Hannah is just sitting in her bed waiting for us.

Take care for now everybody- Hopefully we can get our camera fixed to get more pictures uploaded here soon! J&A

2009 Trip West- Vol. 2 Wisconsin Dells

OK, here we go. I've finally made the time to update this blog to show you what we did and saw before the wedding (see previous blog entry). I know that I'm not as quick at updating this as my mother and I apologize.

Day One of our trip - Still in the driveway. The girls, as you can see are really excited and happy to be starting a 10 hour day in the car!

We think that this is the best packing job we've EVER done for a two week trip. No suitcases were used, we each got a plastic 'tote' for our clothes.
We stayed the first night in Gurnee, Illinois (North of Chicago). We didn't really do anything exciting there, other than eat and sleep. I guess that's why we didn't take any pictures that day.

The second day we arrived at the first of our two major vacation stops, Wisconsin Dells - Waterslide Capital of North America. We stayed at the Carousel Inn & Suites, here is the view from our hotel balcony.

Caitlyn and Mommy picking out somewhere to get a pizza.

Wisconsin Deer Park

Here we get to walk around the same pen as over 100 tame deer. They have deer food to purchase before you get in. None of the deer shy away from people and are usually in your face if they smell food around you. Caitlyn didn't really have a good time, she mostly cried and yelled at the deer. Hannah cried only after one deer licked her face.

Caitlyn seemed to like this deer a bit better!

Lost Canyon Tours

According to the brochure "Dells most enjoyable half-hour horse-drawn carriage tour through a mile of awe and wonder. Enjoy tranquility and Mother Nature at her best".

We had great weather at the Dells. Here we are across the street from the Lost Canyon Tours in front of Lake Delton.

Lake Delton

The entrance to Lost Canyon Tours

Mid-Continent Railway Museum

Baraboo, Wisconsin

We enjoyed an hour long train ride through scenic countryside on a restored antique rail car.

Inside our coach car.

Canyon Creek Riding Stables

Mommy and Caitlyn getting on Hans

Daddy (with camera) and Hannah getting on Bonnie

Original Wisconsin Ducks

Hannah is being silly!

Timbavati Wildlife Park & Storybook Gardens

Riding the miniature train

We got to meet a porcupine.

After a very long day, the girls had a nap.

Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park

We did go on the kids water slides, but the water was so cold that we only went once. Daddy and the girls went on a little train ride instead.

Both girls were extremely tired when we left Wisconsin Dells and kept on with our journey west. We had a great vacation this year!