#1 attends her first costume birthday party

Today, our #1 attended her very first dress-up birthday party.


Here is what she did:

-giggled a lot
-made slime
-coloured some wooden halloween ornaments
-played  "pin the bow" on a character from Monster High (no idea which one)
-ate cake with ice cream
-exchanged head pieces with her classmate

trading head gear with her friend 

Mama is the Mystery Reader

At orientation, the parents were invited and encouraged to read a book to our child's kindergarten class. I volunteered, and received a notice a few weeks ago that I would be reading this last Monday. I left 5 clues, and before my arrival, the kids had to guess whose parent was arriving.  The clues were:

I have a daughter in the class
I like to read
I like to do arts and crafts
I like to jog
My daughter has two younger sisters

Right before I arrived, the teacher had the kids all stand up, and if the clues did not apply, they were to sit down. And one by one, they all sat down, until there were only two left. And with the last clue, everyone guessed whose mom it was, as apparently it is not that common to have two younger sisters...

I read them the french version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, called "La chenille qui fait des trous". It was a big hit. What was even a bigger hit was the craft that I had prepared: caterpillar and butterfly-shaped cookies that they decorated with icing pens.

Papa Pulls a Plane

Last Sunday, the girls watched Papa and some of his work

colleagues pull a

for charity. After that, they had their faces

They also rode some great safety 

and jumped really high on some 

All in all, it was a success, for both the charity in question (the special olympics) and for the kids!

New Skates and Swim Lessons

We had a great week. Our twice weekly indoor swim lessons begun. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings for our #2 and #3, and after school on the same days for our #1. A little exhausting for Mama, but well worth it!

In other news, our Baby got fitted with the smallest pair of skates available. Unfortunately there were no helmets her size, but we were told to try Canadian Tire. Our little one was very excited, and was even able to stay upright in the store. When we got home, she asked several times to wear her "skate boots". I tried to explain that they were for the ice...

A Week of Firsts

This was a week of firsts:
-First full week for our preschoolers (which really amounts to three half days)
-First back-to-school cold for our kindergartener, thankfully at the end of the week, so no school days missed
-And first lock-down drill

It was the latter that had me worried. On Thursday morning the parents received an e-mail indicateing that there had been a lock-down drill. That the school had to be prepared, and that some kids may be have been upset.  I immediately wondered how the teachers explained the drill to the kindergarten classes. My daughter has no idea what a gun is. What if she developed nightmares and sleepless nights...In the end I need not have worried. My daughter explained that there had been a game of hide and seek: the the principal was looking for a classroom with an unlocked door and the lights turned on. So they had to lock their door, turn out the lights, and be very quiet. And that's what they did. And the game lasted all of five minutes!

Our baby during her first full week at pre-school

Preschool Begins and Mama Finally Gets a Break

This week, our 2 youngest started preschool. They had been looking forward to this day for a long time. Everyday for nearly one month, they had been carrying their school bags. "Bye Bye Mommy, I go to school", our two-year old regularly exclaimed.

The girls had 2 half days this week, and they start their regular three half days next week. Their father dropped them off on their first day as I was working. If dirty clothes are any indication, they seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, and the littlest one especially enjoyed the indoor sand. On their second day of school, I was able to drop them off and go for a jog, and go shopping, and eat breakfast in peace, and wash the car. Oh the freedom!

Kindergarten Begins!

This week, our oldest was off to kindergarten. It was a short week, with 1.5 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 3 hours on Thursday and Friday. She had been looking forward to Kindergarten for a long time. I had been warned to wear sunglasses on the first day, as many parents cry. Perhaps because it was such a short day, or perhaps because I had two other young ones to care for, but the sunglasses weren't necessary.

Our daughter was very excited to meet her new teacher, Mme Marie. There were also some familiar faces; her cousin who not only attends the same school, but is in the same class, and a few of her teammates from soccer.

I don't know who was more excited, my daughter or myself: