Mormor Visits

My mom has been here visiting us for 3 weeks. It has been a great visit although we were somewhat unlucky with the weather. We had some nice days though. Regardless we did a bunch of things when she was here and Sam really enjoyed her company. After she left he still looks for her when he wakes up from his nap! We visited the aquarium, maple wood farms, walking in ambleside, did some shopping(without sam), park visits, nature walks in lynn valley, picnic in deep cove, granville island, the ubc botanical gardens etc etc and also squeezed in many restaurant visits! Since my mom left this past saturday we have continued to be busy, the children's festival was on at granville island this weekend so we went to check it out on sunday. Sam loved all the performances he saw!  He was somewhat impressed with the adults in costumes (butterfly,fish, clown etc) but only from afar. If we came too close, he nearly squeezed my head off trying to hold on tight to me. All in all the festival was really fun and highly recommended!

Now life is back to our old routine and we are starting to make plans for the summer weekends. I cannot wait for the summer weather to come to our rainy city, you will find Sam and me hanging out almost everyday at the water park or pool for sure. //Nina

Photo dump

 Picnic in the park with Mamma

 Some reading requires a comfy place

 After seeing the older kids swinging on this Sam had to give it a try, it's really easy to fall off so thankfully Mormor was there to help

Mothers Day

Yesterday was mothers day and my husband had lovingly planned a bbq party outside but he woke up Saturday morning with the flu and has been bedridden since. My mom is here now and I still wanted to bbq outside so we went ahead with Colin's plans without him, his parents came out and we had a really nice time. We were hanging out outside all day, went to the park, went for ice cream, played in the backyard (my brother/sister -in law are kind enough to let us use their backyard and house as our own when they are away). Sam loved it, it makes me realise how invaluable a back yard is, when we left to go to the park Sam started crying  and ran back to the house. He did not want to leave! Our next home will have to have a back yard.
Sam has been especially glued to me these past few days, I notice that happens whenever Colin is out of town for some reason. Now that Colin is sick and literally has not left our bedroom since Saturday morning Sam is doing the same. Mamma's little boy, it is cute but can make getting things done tricky.

It was nice to have mothers day with my mom, I never get to spend mothers day with her normally. Not that we did anything really special but it was just nice to hang out.  Mothers day also means that roses are making our home more beautiful, love it!

When my mom arrived Saturday night Sam was not really that shy of her. I think he recognised her from skype, but he is still confused in the mornings when he wakes up and she is still here. He has taken to her really well, they play together and Sam has given his mormor some cuddles too. He is such a little cuddle bug these days!

 Sam got some new kitchen tools and an apron, I got the same one but in my size ; )

 Mormor walking after Sam at the park

 Walking up hills are hard..

Today I am taking Sam to the park now for a picnic and mormor is staying home as jet lag is creeping up on her and making her tired.

Crappy times- literally...

Sometimes your kid gets sick and it sucks, it really does. There is nothing worse then watching your child feel ill knowing that there's nothing you can do to make it stop or make it better. If you could trade with your child to make him well you would. All you can do is to comfort them and try to make them as comfortable as possible as they have to ride it out.

Sam has been sick this week but the worst part was not the actual tummy flu he must have had, it was him refusing food or liquids when the little fluids he had in him were violently being forced out of him at a somewhat alarming rate. He became dehydrated and after a certain point I took him to the hospital to make sure he was not going to become dangerously dehydrated, it can happen quickly in little ones.
It was good that I took him in, they could tell right away what was wrong and told me we have to get fluids in him quickly so he does not become so dried out that he needs an iv.  So I had to feed him like a little bird with electrolytes in an oral syringe every 5min. Poor little bum. He took it well and after a few hours of that he was much better. His little lips had been completely dry and shrivelled up, his eyes were sunken in with dark circles below and his face pale as a ghost when we arrived but by the time we got to go home that evening his lips were plump, his mouth was wet, his eyes better and his face little less pale then before. What a relief it was to see the improvement! Thank god (not religious- just a phrase) for the healthcare we have here!! He has been steadily getting better and better since then. He has his energy back and has even eaten quite a bit today. It is such a scare for a parent and the last place you want to be in at the hospital.  When we got home we both slept really well! Colin was out of town but my amazing mother in-law came to stay with us. She always does when I am alone and in need of some help/company, she's great!

Now we are looking forward to the weekend when my mom, Sam's mormor, is coming for a visit!

//Nina

Park Times

 A sunny and warm day in Kits, Sam had to swing on the big boy swing, he has a will I tell you!

 Sam standing in aw of the older boys playing with cars, he stood like this for ages.

 A rainy day at our local park (really the best one)

The weather has been all over the place lately. One day the sun is shining and we are out in our t-shirts and the next day it'll rain and be quite cold. Some days have been sunny but cold and others rainy and warm...you name the weather, we have had it! On the less then perfect days (weather wise) you can still find us out in the park with Sam. There is a saying in Swedish that directly translated means 'there is no bad weather only bad clothes', although I don't entirely agree with that (some days are miserable and I won't leave the house) I sort of have to since we live in one of the rainiest cities in the western world. Sam, as expected, loves puddles! //Nina

Birthday Time

Watch out White Rock.

 Sam helping Daddy

 Zach and Daddy excited for Cake cake.

 digging into dessert...

 Anika and Sam climbing

 Grandma and the kids

This weekend my in-laws had a family birthday party for my husband, nephew and my husbands uncle. It was so warm so we spent some time outside, my husband had a beer in his hand and here's what our nephew Zach, 3 years old, said.
-Uncle Colin, is that your beer?
Colin answered, -Yes, it is.
Zach said,  - oh, I need a beer.
The way he said it was priceless, these kids are truly amazing!
//Nina

Reuse and recycle

Sam has so many toys, almost too many for my liking. I thought about taking some away but it's hard to know what to take as he does play with all of them. I can count on one hand the toys that we have actually purchased for him, and even when we have it's been off craigslist. Sam has 2 older cousins who's parents on a regular basis load off their "old" toys, clothing, shoes, baby bottles etc on us. We are so incredibly lucky and thankful for that. I have only had to, had to is pushing it, buy a few shirts and such for Sam. All his furniture, crib, change table, dresser was bought on craigslist. I think it's crazy to buy everything new when you can buy used and it's in great condition especially when you look at the price of new baby stuff...it's robbery what they try to charge for some of that stuff! I did however buy his mattress and blankets new. It was like christmas when we unpacked all the new toys from his cousins this past week, Sam loves his new toys and he'll get to keep them all even though I think it's perhaps a bit much.  As this new load of toys came in I had to make room for it so Sam's "old" toys and clothes are now boxed up and ready to go to friends who will use it for their little one. It's pretty neat to think that one piece of clothing can keep many little babies warm and that a toy can make so many kids happy. //Nina

 Phones are popular right now, anything that remotely resembles a phone Sam turns into a phone.

An old school record played that Sam's dad played with as a little kid

Itching for green

 2010 garden pic's

 Early 2010, where we used to live. The out door space was about the only great thing about that place.

 Spring ranunculus from the garden 2010

 My X-mas moss/bulb creations

We have had more then a few beautiful spring days here in Vancouver over the past couple of weeks which has not only been wonderfully amazing but it has gotten my gardening itch back in full force. It's an itch I can't really scratch right now as we live in an apartment with a balcony that has limited space. I get so inspired when I go to all the nurseries around town, Vancouver is a great place to live for someone who is into gardening. There are so much to choose from, such varieties of flowers, vegetables, trees, bushes and vines. Obviously I love gardening, I can spend hours gardening and feel like only minutes went by.  My annual battle with tomatoes continues this year, I have 3 plants. I know, nothing, right!? It's all I have space for and it will be the only vegetable (technically a  fruit) I will grow this year.. Last year I grew heirloom tomatoes- had about 15 plants and got maybe 10 tomatoes all season.  We did not get enough sun where we lived before. I am conviced I will master tomatoes this year as my south/west exposure turns my balcony into a perfect green house, well, it should anyways. I am not growing Heirloom's this year though but roma and what they call patio tomatoes (I read this as tomatoes for dummies). My dream would be to have a back yard where I could dedicate a good amount of space to a garden. I would have a small greenhouse filled with vegetables, a plot for root vegetables, lettuce, etc. I would have a couple of berry bushes, black currant maybe. Flowering bushes and climbing vines of clematis. In the spring time my little magnolia tree in the front garden would bloom and the daffodills would stand proud to mark the turn towards warmer days. I the winter my winter roses would brighten up the cold rainy days and decorative cabbage and moss potted on the front steps of the house would be an inviting way to welcome guests for the holidays. Oh, I can go on and on. Until the day when my dream comes true I will continue to dream. //Nina

Bringing it back

Sunday night and I am enjoying a nice cup of tea while the game is on in the background. It's the end of a busy week. At work we had the final week of the semester with finals and graduation. That means that our  class of pastry graduates are venturing out in the work force while we receive a new group of knowledge hungry students soon, but first we take a week off. Graduation is a day of double emotions, I will miss the students that graduated but am at the same time excited for a new term with new faces.

Friday afternoon, after work, I went and got a perm, yes, you heard me right. I have always wanted to get one but never dared to as they say it wrecks your hair. But hair grows and I figured it could not be worse then when I decided to cut my hair super short and regretted it everyday for 6 months until it grew out enough for me to look like a girl again. Well, it's a perm alright, I am bringing the 80's back and loving it. To go with it I bought a short jean jacket and pair of high waisted pink pants, I figure I can pull it off now with this hairdo. The other day I told Colin that jean jackets are so back in style as we were crossing the street. He looked around and said, yes, you are right! And discretely pointed to a middle aged, overweight, drunk, Eastern European guy and a homeless man who were both "rocking" a jean jacket. haha.

Yesterday Sam got to hang out with one of my dear girl friends but only after I took off to have some lunch with her alone first. It's nice to get some alone time with friends without kids- you can actually really talk, highly recommended!  

This morning we ran into Sam's daycare teacher who he LOVES, he wanted to give her hugs and once she picked him up and hugged him back he turned to us and waived good bye. hahaha He was pretty surprised when we would not leave without him. Funny little guy. //Nina

 Some before bed reading...

Spring is in the air

Finally spring has come to Vancouver. We have had the most amazing Easter weather over the weekend and we have been taking advantage of it. If we have not been biking, playing outside at the park, hanging out in family's back yard or bbqing at our friends house we have been out gardening on the balcony. I say we because Sam has very much been "helping". He has a pot with soil and a little shovel he digs in the dirt with and he is also a master of sweeping the balcony floor, well, kinda. This warm spring weather is making me feel all warm and fussy inside, it brings hope of a brighter day-literally-no more gloomy winter! Sam loves to open and close the window in his room, look at these pictures of my cheeky monkey from today.  //Nina

A mind of his own..

Sam playing with his cousins!

Sam has in my opinion left the baby stage and entered the toddler stage.  He is old enough to understand what no means and is very much aware of what he is not allowed to do. For example, he is not allowed to grab behind the tv and reach dangerous things so now he goes over there, gives you a very defiant look, then slowly and I mean slow motion slow reaches behind the tv as he intensely stares you down. As soon as we move to come get him he hurries up and grabs as much as he can in that last second before he gets removed. This continues over and over. It's exactly the same with opening a cupboard and emptying it of  things. I would like to add that we have child proofed but Sam has managed to break some of the not so baby proof baby proofing products. We don't know what else to do but discipline him (even though it's not really working yet) by saying No and removing him. The newest thing he started doing is to through things as he looks at us with the same defiant look, waiting for a reaction. What do you do when your kid thinks it's funny when you say No? But there are some lovely traits that has come with this new stage, he is now aware that we think he is funny when he does certain things. This has resulted in him putting on a show, he makes faces, tenses up every muscle to show the hulk in him etc etc. It is very cute especially when he laughs at himself knowing that he is being funny. //Nina