A Milestone

She started crawling today. It wasn't a bunny hop or a tip toe shuffle. No this was the real thing. Our little "almost" 7 month old "A" is now sitting up on her own and crawling! She's been sitting up for quite sometime now but would always end up toppling over. Not anymore.

It feels unfair in some way. I feel as though this time around, things are flying by so fast that I can't seem to stop to catch them. The milestones, the giggles, the new breakthroughs are all happening so quickly. I remember with "C" we were always in utter anticipation, waiting, watching her constantly. Now with our second daughter it seems as though, "Poof" its happened and you have no idea where the time went. I can't write things fast enough in the baby book where as entries into "C"s book were recorded minutes after. "Your child is now 6 months old", and I would rush that very morning to record her new favorite things, sayings etc.

Time. I guess it all boils down to time. There is never enough of it. Or maybe there is and the toils of daily life get the best of us.

And now off I go to record "A"s 6 month milestones. I'm only 3 weeks late!

Early WW

This wedding video has got to be the most original entrance I have ever seen! So cute!

Our joy

A babe in the house is a well-spring of pleasure, a messenger of peace and love, a resting place for innocence on earth, a link between angels and men. ~Martin Fraquhar Tupper

This afternoon

Down the path we walked

Here C was in the middle of saying "OOOooo me Gosh. Look at that weird mushroom!"

They were quite odd...

We played in the water

And the sand

Mr. Whale and Mr. Fish looked on while

We made water castles. It was more fun pouring water in the bucket then it was sand, hence the "water" castles. Only problem was they disappeared very quickly ;).

On the way home we had a pleasant surprise! Blueberry season has begun.

Summer music

Just a few of the songs which have been on constant repeat lately...

Create a MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com

Wordless Wednesday

We went to the Vegetable farm today! 2 jumbo bunches of Swiss chard (I swear each one is equal to 2 you would typically find at the grocery store), head lettuce, 1/2 bushel of peas, 3 broccoli, fresh basil and a jumbo napa cabbage! Everything is picked as soon as you get there. I was even able to pick out which lettuce and swiss chard I wanted. Off I go to shell some of those peas for the freezer!

Summertime and the livin' is easy

Summer is here! Again!

We had an interlude of rainy, coldy and dreary weather last week. I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn't October. Luckily things seem to be back to normal now and the warm weather is here yet again.

My legs and feet are full of bites. I don't think I've ever had so many. It is awful.

On the upside, C and I went to the beach today while Daddy watched A. I finally got C to dip her toes in the water! Huge success considering her recent reactions to the beach. I ended up carrying her through the water to the mini island about 60 or so feet from the beach. We had a lovely time! She decorated my legs with piles of sand, danced to the music the sunbathing lady was playing, picked out pink and brown stones for Mama and laughed at a guy throwing his girlfriend into the lake.

We talked about how blue the sky was and how cold the water felt. She explained to me calmly that she really does like the water but she's scared of it too so thats why she doesn't like it. She laughed belly laughs just because and I felt my heart swell over and over again. She closed her eyes, taking in a few breaths before looking at me again with her cheeky little smile. I lay down on my belly in the sand, head on my arm, and watched her every move, smiling the entire time. Its in those moments, that memories and feelings etch themselves into your memory, into your heart.

On the way home we picked buttercups and daisies for our hair, munched on a couple of mini raspberries and she said, "Thank you Mama that was so much fun! What a good day!" And it was.

(I do realize photos would have been the perfect touch considering but sometimes its nice to just take it all in without a camera. )

Lychees

I've finally stopped laughing long enough to attempt a post on our latest food experimntation After flipping through the weekly flyer this week, my husband points to an advertisment for Lychees. He asked me what they were and what they tasted like as he had never tried one before.

The last time I had them was around 7 years ago. In Toronto China town, these little fruits are sold on every street corner. They taste sweet and have a distinct flavor which is hard to describe. They have a very tough skin and once broken reveals a gel like fruit.

Anyways I bought a few for him and C to try. I cracked the outside shell which my husband said resembled frogs skin. Thanks honey for the wonderful description - however I would have to disagree and say it resembles more like something you would find on the back of a dinosaur.

Once I opened the lychee up, C said to me, "C don't like it. C don't like fishies. Hmm. Perhaps it does look a little bit "fishy" but the taste doesn't resemble fish in the least! I handed the piece of fruit to my husband and lets just say he wasn't impressed. He said the texture felt like a cross between raw bacon fat and flesh between his teeth. I don't understand it. They are quite tasty and very sweet. We are talking about fruit here!

Anyways, turns out I'm the only one who enjoys lychees for the time being.

Family

Funny how family is. We are supposed to be tight at the hip, knit together, stuck like glue, same blood coursing through our veins and yet we are nothing alike. Completely different people. Sometimes you'll get lucky and find your best friend in a brother and sister. Other times it seems as though you don't belong. Everything and everyone seems so foreign.

Another thought I've been pondering lately is why do families hurt each other more than friends? The guns and knives come out ready to jab, ready to hurl another word and for what? Satisfaction? Is there really satisfaction in hurting your flesh and blood? And yet when we walk down the street, "Hello! So nice to see you again! How are the kids, the dog, the husband, the family? Why don't you come over for dinner and we'll have a chat?"

The smiles, laughter, the happiness flooding through, all for a stranger, a friend or even a neighbor yet for some families talking or getting together is like entering a masquerade ball. Everyone with a mask and no one can or wants to see what is behind the mask. Its so very odd.

Does the cookie cutter family exist? The Huxtables, Leave it to Beaver, Little house on the prairie are they all just fragments of our imagination? Fictional characters brought to life? Do these families really exist, I wonder?

Quotable Sunday

Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself. -Henry Miller (1891-1980)

Vintage swimsuits

My love for vintage bathing suits has been rekindled now that I've lost most of the weight I gained with A. I still have 10 lbs to go, but who's counting right? I wasn't the curviest person in the world after I lost it all from C, so according to my husband, its an added bonus!

The first two are from Etsy seller Harajuku and are made to order.




This one is from Victoria's Secret.



The next is the famous Norma Kamali "Bill" swimsuit. If you've watched the Sex in the City movie you will recognize it as the one Miranda wore on the trip she took with the girls. The only problem with it is the price tag. $350 for a bathing suit? Um, no I don't think so! But boy does she know how to make swim suits. Gorgeous!



And then this cute one from Esther Williams.




Decisions, decisions....

Wordless Wednesday

C will be turning 3 in September and I wanted to get her started on some kind of learning program this year. After some research, Sonlight seemed as though it would be the perfect for us, so I went ahead and ordered their Core 3/4. I am so impressed with all of the books and activities we received!

Quote of the week

A few of the flowers refuse to bloom. Interestingly enough many adults are just the same....



The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. ~George Bernard Shaw

Wordless Wednesday

Stop to smell the Roses

"Life is what's happening when you're too busy to notice."
-Wayne Muller

The last few days

The past few days have been a whirlwind of visitors and family. Canada Day celebrations, strawberry picking, long walks, camping, good food and lots of fun.

Including ourselves we had 11 people in the house for a couple of days. It was marvelous!



C had a fantastic time with a few of her Aunts & Uncles. Her nap time has increased quite a bit after all of the excitement!

Watching my children playing and laughing with my brothers and sisters is the cutest thing. My parents adore those two little girls and its beautiful to watch everyone together.


We went out for lunch on Canada Day and took up four tables which had been put together. That was only part of the family. If everyone was to get together we would have to rent a hall. That doesn't even include my husband's side!

The next few days will be full of strawberry picking and preserving. Before you know it the vegetables will be ready and canning will commence.

The motel was full last night. There were two weddings in town, one which we were invited to but weren't able to make it. Can't wait to see the photos!

Wordless Wednesday