Skating with the star

Rob took Evy skating today - first time ever! I think it's safe to say we have our future olympic figure skater here. (I'd say hockey player, but I'm not sure she has the build for it!).

They had a great time. Gotta love Millbrook - it's a free skate for the community during the afternoon and there was only Evy and one other girl there. At least she has lots of room to practice her moves.

I'm so proud of her, and proud of Rob, who always seems to find the most exciting activities for them to do. He went and bought her the new (old) skates on the weekend in the smallest size they make - pretty darn cute!

Here she is, gearing up for a triple salchow (yes, I had to look up how to spell that):

Pretty happy with the new cam

35 was a banner birthday-gift year for this gal, who got a shiny new camera from the hubs. And the best part is, the lenses from our old school SLR's fit, so not only do I have a new camera, but I also have three different lenses. Sweet, non?

Am still mastering the art, but am very happy with it so far. And Evy hasn't realized it's a camera yet, so, she hasn't tried to rip it out of my hands and take pictures of her kneecaps. I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

Speaking of devil, here's my favourite (only) model, hamming it up:





Anyhoo, I'm no Ansel Adams (yet!) but just give me time! From your local happy shutterbug!

Big Al's Big Birthday

We had a very fun party here on Saturday for Mrs Alice's 60th birthday, which is November 29th. (I know, she doesn't look a day over 59!). It was great fun, and only somewhat insanely loud and chaotic. (I blame the crazy kids).

A good time was had by all:

Can't go wrong with carrot cake!

A motley, yet jolly, crew

Uh oh, the senility has started already

Ah, the religious church cookbook. What every 60 year old gal needs.
(Now where's that recipe for Lamb o' Gawd pot pie?)

So an early happy birthday to my mammy. Hope you enjoyed your party - and don't worry, we won't do another one until you're 80.

Ho ho ho

A certain someone has mega Christmas Fever. I don't know where she's getting her intel from, because I come from a family that prides itself on the non-materialistic celebration of Christmas, but, she's two years old. 'Nuff said.

For the past week, ten times a day she says, "I wanna goooo seee Chrisssstmassss!!". Again, not sure who her informant is, but I've tried to explain that we can't go 'see' Christmas, and that Christmas comes to us. We've also talked about the word 'patience' and how we have to just wait for Santa. She informed me today that Santa is her favourite (Rob and I don't even make the top 10).

So, because she's been ROCKING the recently imposed no-soother state, and has been such a good girl about it, we hopped in to car to take Evy to go 'see' Christmas this afternoon. (This entailed a drive to the local mall, where Santa is in residence every day between now and Dec 25th from 10 until 6).

Of course, we got there, and she sat on his knee and froze. In a grimacey mask kind of way. Not good for photo ops. Finally, after much cajoling, we managed to get a semblance of smile from her.



We said our fairwells to Jolly St Nick, and headed off into the mall. Approximately 23 seconds later later, Evy said, "I want to goooo seeeeee Santaaaaaa!" Sigh. Tis going to be a long month.

What a great birthday present!

What a lovely birthday present - I got to leave work early and head out to an ultrasound to meet the tiny parasite that's been kicking me lately. Total thumbsucker in the first couple of shots.





Then I found out that because I'm giving birth after the age of 35, I'm considered a geriatric pregnancy. Seriously. They'll probably put me in the Alzheimer's ward at the hospital and wrap the baby in Depends. Sheesh. Don't people know that 35 is the new 22?

Off to go and drink some Malox and complain about my sciatica.

Portrait of a 35 year old

At some point over the past 5 years, I passed into the age where you stop caring about birthdays. (Maybe for some people, that happened decades ago, but I was actually excited about my 30th and since then have not given the big b-days much thought).

But, in honour of turing 35, I thought it time to take a long hard look in the mirror. Literally. (Click the image to see it larger).



So, considering that birthday's aren't that exciting anymore, I shall take this opportunity to thank my dear old mammy for birthing me. See, wasn't I worth that blood transfusion? And to Rob for making the past 9 of my 35 years so darn exciting. And to Evy for making me feel like 102 when I'm actually still only a young whipper snapper. And to little unborn Jackson, for making me almost need adult diapers. Sigh, ain't life grand?

Bad Hair and Balloons

Has been a busy few days in the HiggJax household. After Tuesday night's shenanigans, I've gone all tough love with Evy. Soothers? Gone! Bottles? On the way out! I figured if I was going to be miserable, I'd might as well make it productive in terms of her dental health. So, I hid the soothers and steeled myself for the worst.

But I forgot I was dealing with a two year old (definition: contrary). She slept like a log all night and went to bed again tonight without making a fuss about the soother loss. Yay! That said, she did ask if she could bring her balloon to bed with her. Not sure that the American Pediatric Society recommends letting your kid sleep with a balloon - must go google Dr Sears.

Preparations are underway for a big party here on Saturday, to celebrate all the Higginson (and Jones) November birthdays! Thus, I had to buy a selection of awesome balloons and Evy's been testing them out. This was as soon as she came downstairs this morning - serious balloon love:

Notice the bad hair due to her scrubbing her head with a bar of soap at bathtime last night and me neglecting to rinse very well. But that was just the beginning of the bad hair, as we taught madam about the magic of static electricity during our kitchen dance party after dinner:

(Balloon is looking enviously at the hair... so covetous!)

(Those aren't bolts coming out of her neck, I swear. They are drawer handles)

So, wish us luck as we continue to work on Project 'Don'tPayTheOrthodontist'. Next on the list, toilet training!! (God, my world is so so small, isn't it?).

Oh, hello terrible twos

Tonight was the first night that the 'terrible twos' truly came a' knocking at the door. We had temper tantrums, we had tears, we had a crazy two year old, who for some unknown reason, held a chewed-up piece of cucumber in her mouth for HALF AN HOUR. Not kidding. She wouldn't swallow it, she wouldn't spit it out. She just cried. With a mouth full of cucumber. Seriously, I don't even know how you do that.

Oh, and when I say 'we', I mean 'me' because Rob had taken to bed with round five? seventy two? of the dreaded fall cold that's been lingering in our house since September.

I put her to bed half an hour early because she was delirious after missing her nap today and she woke up an hour later SCREAMING. It was clearly a bad dream because she was inconsolable. And we all know, there is no doubt she was having a nightmare about CUCUMBER!

It probably looked something like this:



Anyway, I'm sure it's all because of the missed nap. And maybe I'm a bit stressed out about food because madam had a check-up today with her pediatrician (who likes to see her every 3 months because she's such a midget). And I shouldn't even be sad because she gained weight (yes, she weighs as much as a sack of potatoes now. Mini potatoes, mind you!)

Nevermind, I live in hope that some day she will actually get on the growth chart. In the meantime, I will stop trying to feed her cucumber, because it's not like it has nutritional value anyway. Chocolate milkshakes, here we come! Not a cuke in sight!

Here is the little mini tyrant on a walk last month.



In other news, I just spent an hour watching ALL the clips on the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Woot woot! I remember VERY distinctly watching the wedding of Charles and Diana. And I was SO jealous that I wasn't a flower girl. (Seriously, in my Commemorative book, one of their flower girls was PICKING HER NOSE. I remember thinking that if they'd been smart enough to ask me, I would have kept my darn finger out of my nose). Mom, you'd better find that book and scan that picture for me. Maybe I can send it to Wills and Kate to convince them to give me a chance this time. For all the good clips on the newly engaged lovebirds, including the full interview, check out bbc.

Oh, and

For all of the pics and details about my very fun and relaxing road trip with the elder sis, check out Lee's blog.

At the Fair...

We had SUCH a fun time at the Fair yesterday! Evy and Rob came to meet me after my shift, and of course when they showed up I was holding an Eastern Milk Snake (as you do!). Evy was quite enamoured with it and with the Black Rat snakes we had there and kept asking to pet them.




After the quality reptile time, we did all the things you're supposed to at the Fair including watch some horsies:



And we spent a lot of time at the Petting Zoo. Evy was almost beside herself with glee and was literally running in circles at one point because she couldn't contain herself. There is nothing quite like the enthusasm of a two-year old!



And just like the Port Hope Fair, the goats were very popular. And Evy was quite popular with them!!



All in all, it was a very successful trip. And believe me, I did take pictures of the butter sculptures, but they are on my phone and I'm too lazy to track down the cable to transfer them. Take my word for it, they were aweeesome!

The Fair is on until Sunday, so get there if you can! We recommend the SuperDogs show! Arf arf!

Off to the Fair!

Am off to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair for 2 days - one of the perks of the job. I get to visit with dozens of school groups and teach hundreds of kids about biodiversity and how all living things are connected. Cool, right? (And yes, the snakes will be there again).

If you haven't been to the Royal before, you're missing out. The country truly comes to the city for 10 whole days. There are thousands of animals - cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Plus the horse shows, which are amazing. And of course, my favourites, the Wonder Dogs. Woot woot! And people, let's not forget the butter sculptures. I'm not kidding. Giant sculptures made of butter. (We're thinking of setting Evy loose in there to see if she can finally gain some weight!)


So, if you happen to be at the Fair in the next few days, stop by to say 'hi'. If you can't make it, don't worry. I'll take pictures. And extra pictures of the butter sculptures, obviously!

It's that time of year again...

... When the skies above Millbrook are filled with hundreds of honking Canada Geese. We seem to be on the flight path of many of the noisy feathered friends as they make their way south for the winter.

Taking off from the pond

Evy loves them and always sends them on their way with a 'goodbye geese' and a hearty wave. When I ask her where they are going she says, "Home". (Like, duh, mom).

On goose patrol

Though this weekend was a bit chilly, we spent a lot of time outside. Nothing like a late afternoon stroll by the pond on a frosty day.

Saucy snotty (on what must be week 4 of her cold -

I blame the making out with Sam)

Anyway, happy end of daylight savings time - aka - welcome to pitch black at 5pm! Doh! Isn't fall grand?

Olde Fashionedee

More pics from the fun last night in Port Hope. But these ones cracked me up because they are grainy and look like old polaroid shots. I'm pretty sure there's a picture (or 100) exactly like this of Lee, Ben, and I when we were kidlets. (Sorry Emily, you were only a twinkle in someone's eye).





And just look at these two? Why they almost look docile and obedient, don't they? Nice try, boys!

Kissing cousins

Yes, you've all heard a dozen times how much Sam and Evy love each other. But honestly, they love each other so much, I'm not sure it's legal.

They find each other SO hilarious, and tend to pick up each other's bad habits. They are both very good kids when on their own, but together, their naughtiness factor increases exponentially.

Evy and I had the pleasure of dining with them tonight, and, as always, Sam & Evy provide the entertainment. Just a normal visit for the crazy kissing cousins, involving:


Some play time, obviously:




And then a quick kiss:




Then, after supper, a little quality time in the bathtub:




Followed by a dose of good dental hygiene:




Which leads to more smooching:




Then some time for giggles in bed:




Then, you guessed it, more kissing (I like the eye gouge on Evy):




Then more pillow talk hilarity:




Then a little insanity:




And at the end of it all, a very happy little girl who is SO glad to have her cousins close by!



Seriously, what exactly did we do for Wednesday night fun before they moved here? Thanks for dinner, sister!! Thanks for sharing your saliva with my daughter, Sam! Charley, thanks for being patient with the young chimpanzees. Chris, thanks for putting up with us!! See ya tomorrow at the same time??