Our Toddler Turns Two!

This week, out toddler turned two. We wished her a Happy Birthday, but she did not seem overly concerned. Instead, her older sister wanted to know why it wasn't her fourth birthday yet! Eight more days until your birthday, we tried to explain to our pre-schooler. But with little sense of time, she didn't truly understand.

The day was like any other. That is, right up until dinner. We had baked a cake for the occasion, which our pre-schooler eagerly decorated with sprinkles. Our toddler blew out her candle on her fourth attempt. They each had a piece of cake. 

Later on, we presented our toddler with a small gift which her older sister attempted to open. I thought briefly that we had erred, and that we should have held a joint birthday...but in the end both girls seemed pleased with the outcome: some yummy cake and a new toy to play with!

Here's to hoping we will have some Terrific Twos after a year of premature Terribles!

#1 decorating the cake

Not to sure what to do!

Figured it out!

#3 turns six months old on the 9th. She is now an expert roller. In a matter of seconds, she can roll from one end of the room to another. Over the last few weeks, she has additionally discovered her toes, and has been nibbling on them regularly. She can also sit with minimal support.

But most importantly, she had her first solid meal this week. We prepared her over the last week. She sat in her high hair daily, playing with a variety of toys. We also introduced her to some spoons. Then finally, a few days ago, one of those spoons held some warm baby cereal. At first, she seemed surprised. While she has ingested at least some cereal at every "mealtime", she quickly becomes bored wit the process...

At least she didn't cry like our #1 whose first meals were very unpleasant. And to this day, mealtime remains difficult for our pre-schooler. #2, on the other hand, readily accepted all food that came her way. Our toddler is still the best eater in the family, including my husband and I!

If early meals are predictive of future eating habits, then our baby will end up somewhere between our hesitant eater and our little gourmande...

January Open Houses

We have successfully attended two school-related Open Houses during the month of January.

The first, in mid-January was held at an elementary school. It is in close proximity to our future house. The open house started in the library. The girls enjoyed a peanut-free snack, coloured with crayons, and were minimally disruptive as the principal presented her school. We then embarked on a tour of the school. Luckily, my sister, one of the teachers, came to the rescue. She had a break while her students were in music class. She whisked off my toddlers, allowing me to enjoy the tour. 

While my oldest is still a year and a half away from starting elementary school, it is never too early to start looking!

Our second open house was a lot more age-appropriate, and took place a few days ago. I dropped the baby off with Grandma, and headed to a pre-school open house. The girls played with many toys, while I chatted with one of the teachers. As the first parent to arrive, I had ample time to ask all my questions. The girls interacted well with the teacher. The only snag is that my two toddlers would be in two different age groups. The youngest would end at 11:15, while the oldest would stay until 13h. It is unclear whether or not they would make an exception for siblings attending the same pre-school.

While the search has not necessarily ended for schools, I have discovered a new, fun-filled, and free activity to keep the kids occupied during the winter: Open Houses!

Colouring and eating simultaneously at an Open House

Looking pensive while enjoying a snack at an Open House

First Date Night

Can you still call it date night if your baby comes along? Probably not, but at this point, we will take what we can get!

Last night, while the two older girls slept over at Grandma's, my husband suggested that we (including Baby) eat an early dinner at a restaurant...Initially, I was a little reluctant. What if she was disruptive?

In the end, she had a two and a half hour nap just before heading out, and was on her best behaviour. She looked around curiously, didn't cry, and even sat still in her car seat while we ate our food.  Perhaps we can make this a weekly event...

My meal!

Baby patiently waiting!

First Swimming Lessons

Getting ready!

They had been talking about it for quite some time. Finally, Tuesday January 14th arrived, the first day of swimming lessons. It was the only time slot I could find where both girls could simultaneously attend swimming lessons. I signed up our almost 2-year-old for a parent-tot class, and our oldest daughter was signed up for White, the first level of the Olympic-Way Swimming Program.

We arrived 20 minutes early. Thankfully, the aquatic center in question had a wading pool for splashing around before and after lessons. The girls thoroughly enjoyed this smaller pool before heading over to the larger pool for lessons. I wasn't sure how my oldest would react. I would be in the pool at the same time with her younger sister. Would she be calling out to me? Would she attempt to swim over to me?

In the end, my fears were unfounded. She listened well to her teacher, and was the first to do everything...including jumping in, and swimming to an inflatable boat.

My almost two-year old enjoyed her class as well. She held on to me very tightly, sang the water version of a few nursery rhymes, and slid down a bright yellow slide.

The 30 minute class flew by, and before I knew it, it was time for a shower. As we were getting ready to leave, both girls were particularly whiny..."Why are you whining so much?" I asked. To which my oldest daughter simply replied "we want to stay!"

The Wading Pool

Swim Lessons

Slipping and Sliding

She dressed herself!

Many north-American cities were dealt some very strange weather these last 2 weeks, and Montreal was no exception.

For the first time in nearly a month, we decided to go out for a walk. We had avoided outdoor adventures for a few weeks due to the colder than average weather. However, Monday forecasted above average weather, with a high of 5C! So it was that after breakfast, I bundled up the girls and headed out to a local cafe for some croissants. The baby was in my carrier, our almost 2-year old sat in the stroller, and our toddler was on foot next to Mama.

As if on cue, the rain slowed to a drizzle. We hadn't gotten very far when we ran into the concierge, who warned us about the sidewalks. "Oh, we are just going down the street," I remember saying...

We did eventually make it to the cafe. It took us over 30 minutes (normally it would take 10). The streets were empty, and we were the only ones on the sidewalk. I should have turned around, but I was driven by the thought of being cooped up indoors for another week.

The icy sidewalks made for some interesting slipping and sliding. The stroller maneuvered surprisingly well, and the baby and I stayed upright. Our toddler, however, slipped  every few metres. The falls were buffered by a soft snow suit, and she did not shed a tear...

While in the cafe, the wind picked up. The employees ran out in search of their fly-away garbage bins, while the customers watched in disbelief. I called my dear husband, and begged him to pick us up. Thankfully he was working from home that day, and our adventure had a good ending!

Our Toddler: the manipulator

Her majesty!

There is no doubt about it, our toddler is bossy. "Mama do this", "Papa do that", and even more frequently, she bosses her younger sister around.

The other day, she was sitting atop her bunk bed. She wanted a toy from the shelf across the room, and rather than do it herself, she decided her father would help her. I was sitting in the same room nursing the baby when I clearly heard my toddler say:

"Papa, show me what a good boy you are and get that doll for me!"

She must have been puzzled be our laughter!