BLOG NOVEMBER 2011

November 30th, 2011

Today we finally got snow. The kids have been waiting....and waiting....and waiting. Torren was unsure what was happening outside with all the white stuff flying about. He wasn't too happy on the walk to school with the wind blasting snow into his face. He wasn't too happy being zipped up into his one piece snowsuit either...it's bulky and probably quite difficult to move in.

Last night we had our first pillow dodge ball match in the bedroom. The girls stood on opposite beds and threw pillows and stuffies at each other while dodging the ones being thrown at them. The were diving and bouncing back and forth trying to get out of the way of the incoming pillows, all the while howling with laughter. Torren just thought it was all quite silly and walked about the room shouting.

The other morning I was helping the girls with some drawing and went to check on Torren (I heard him in the kitchen) only to find him sitting naked on the table eating Rain's leftover rice krispies with a spoon. There were rice krispies all over the place but Torren would pick them up, put them back in the bowl and then try to use the spoon again. Since he'd been at it for about five minute before I found him, I just let him finish. I didn't know he could climb up onto the table. I took photosna d avideo of course, but neither are appropriate for posting online since he's buck in both. He loves to pull himself up on the couch and stand on the end table. Then he jumps onto the couch again. So far he's only had a few tumbles to the floor.

Torren loves the cat. Hades is really good with Torren and takes a pretty good mauling without biting. He has, on occasion, had to give Torren a few nips when the boy got too rough. The other night I was playing with the girls fake wooden snakes and Hades came in to play with the, Torren was horrified. He crawled up on the bed and cried while Hades danced about the room swatting at the fake snake. I'm not sure what he thought was going on.

We're on book 2 of the Prydain chronicles, "The Black Cauldron"....Dad is trying to catch up and Rain makes sure each morning that he has read at least one more chapter of his book. Each night we read a chapter. It's fun reading a chapter book to them and they seem to be grasping the story even though there are many words they have never heard.

We had a triple threat Sunday last weekend....three back to back to back outings. Sunday morning we had an extended family Christmas party. Sunday afternoon we had an art and activity class. We spent and hour doing African drumming followed by making a family crest out of different colour fabrics. Then we went directly to a birthday party for one of the girls classmates. It was Chuckie Cheese. needless to say it was a busy and noisy day. The kids had a blast though.

I had my birthday last week and the girls made me cards and jewelery. It was awesome.....a bracelett, a necklace and two hairbands made out of beads and pipe cleaners. I was very surprised having no idea they had made them at Nana's house the previous weekend when we were visiting.

The girls has their last dance class. They ended with a recital for all the parents. It was cute and the girls were very proud the routine they learned. They had to do ballet, hip hop and jazz all in the same routine. You can see the dance video here.

The girls finished their Sunfish swim lessons and both passed and will move onto Crocodile. The love swimming. They love skating too. The girls have to do an assignment for school about what they want to be when they grow up. Last year when they did this assignment Rain chose "Dentist" and Piper chose "Nurse". This year Piper chose "Swim Instructor" and Rain chose "Circus Performer", specifically a tight rope walker who balances balls on her head. Rain's first pick actually was Superhero, so we had a brief chat about reality and fantasy. Piper had many runner up career choises....candy store owner, figure skater, and geologist to name a few.

Torren loves three things. Food, being naked and being outside. Any of these choices usually turns him from being grumpy into being happy. We've been giving him lots of naked time at home, lots of outside time when the girls are at school and lots of food...well...all the time. The simple things in life are the best.

Torren has also discovered a love of tea. He can say "hot tea" when he sees Daddy or me drinking our morning cup. I drink vanilla herbal decaf, so one morning I gave him a taste. He liked it, and now he goes crazy every morning for his sippy of tea. Funny kid.

I finally managed to take Torren to the pool for some swimmin (we've been in backyard pools and lakes but not the public pool yet). We used to go all the time when the girls were young but now between the girls school and Torren's naps there doesn't seem to be any time. I am not allowed to take more than 2 kids at a time to the pool so we can't all go as a family unless another adult comes along. Anyways...Torren was aprehensive at first but after about 10 minute warmed up the whole pool idea and started having a blast. He was blowing bubbles (something Piper taught him to do in the bath), stepping off the side of the pool into my arms and walking about in the shallower parts. he didn't seemat all bothered the couple of times he went under accidentally. I hope to take him back again soon as he seemed to have alot of fun (as did I) and it also tired him out.

Torren loves wallets and keys. He loves to get his wee hands on them and remove all the cards from the wallets. Yesterday, during a huge rainstorm, I decided, at their request, to drive the girls to school instead of walk. We started to get ready later than normal because we were driving. Then with only 10 minute left until school started, three kids dressed for a car ride, NOT a walk in a downpour, I discovered my keys were missing. In a mad panic I ran about looking for them, then we made the mad dash through the rain in order to make it for school in the nick of time. When Torren and I got back we played outside in the mud for bit and then went back inside where I found the missing keys lying at the bottom of the slide. Torren's small playslide. I have to fnd a better place to hide my keys and waller so he can't get them. Rain playing UNO wiht a dragon.



Hades having a spot of tea.



Our Zophobas beetle is still alive and doing well. We raised him from a superworm, through his transformation into his beetle form.



Rain watching her toast...she said it was too bright looking at the burners so she got out some sunglasses.



Torren plays with a mud puddle in a rainstorm.



The girls presnet to Mommy on her birthday.



Torren riding a deer.

November 14th, 2011

Torren loves the school bus. He loves to see it when it arrives with the kids from daycare and he runs after it when it pulls away again. Today the bus driver invited us on since she's sees Torren standing looking in the doorway every day. It was a treat although Torren was a bit unsure when we went on and he wouldn't let me put him down.

Torren also has discovered the joys of running. He took a tumble at the zoo last week when he decided to run down a ramp...he made it about a foot before he fell face first and skinned his forehead. Today it was raining and he got to play in the puddles in the driveway. It's amazing how facsinated he was with just puddles, pine needles and we leaves.

We also had a family treat this past week when one of our neighbours had a a large tree cut down on their front lawn. We all went out to watch. Rain was most interested in the climbing gear the man wore that allowe dhim to climb so high. Piper liked the wood chipper and hoped it would not spray the chips all over the road, and Torren liked the chainsaw noise, or at least he was surprised by it.

We had another fun first this week....the girls sang "O Canada" at the Oshawa General's hockey game. Their teacher had organzied it and the girls have been attending choir practice two times a week for about 4 weeks in order to prepare. There were about 20 kids from 4 classes who particpiated. The parents all came out in full force to watch and we took up a good sized part of one of the sections at the arena. They kids did great and belted the song out proudly. No one wanted to join in and sing along because we all just wanted to hear them. It was the day after Remeberance Day so they all came out in white shisrt wearing their poppies. After they sang they were brought back to us in the seats and we stayed for the game. Neither of them were all that interested in the hockey game but they enjoyed hanging out with their friends and grandparents. Rain hit the wall at the end of the second preiod and conked out in Grandma's arms asleep.

Leaf jumping has becoem a daily event. Rake 'em up...jump or swing into them. Rake 'em up again. That is, until today when I started mulching them up with the lawnmower. The girls were not happy.

The girls have been doing really well with their skating. I have been taking them along with Nana and Opa to a rink to practice every week. They make huge improvemnents week to week. Last Sunday Piper skated around the rink five times completely on her own. Amazing! Rain has also done many laps and counts down the days until they get to go skating again.

Rain told me the other day she wants ot have a bay girls named Mckay. I though that name choice was pretty cute.

Piper was telling me about a story she read at school about Rosa Parks. She showed the story to me online and nwe read through it again. She undersood what had happened in the story (when Rosa was taken off the bus by the police for refusing to move) but not why....it was difficuly to explain how things were once different than how they are now and that people weren't always treated the same. She saw one photos of Rosa Parks being fingerprinted at the police station and that lead to a whole bunch of questions about fingerprints and why the police do that...how each print is unique and so on. Then this lead to me getting out 2 fingerprinting kits (I remember I had been given by a Childrens Aid organization) and fingerprinting the girls. They thought that was pretty neat. We also took a bit of heir hair and taped it in the folder too. I didn't even want to get into the whole DNA thing with them.

Another reoccuring curiousity the girls have is why I don't eat meat. They know that I don't eat it because I don't want to eat animals. Piper said on one hand she feels sad for eating animals but on the other hand they taste so good. I think right now the "taste so good" wins out. Piper said maybe one day she will stop eating it.

The other day we had most of the kids on the street come over after school. They saw the wagon full of mulched leaves and I told them they could throw them on the garden beds. They all pitched in and in moments I had my very own gardening squad. One kid came out front to help me rake the leaves out over the lawn for me to mow and mulch with the lawnmower, two kids manned the wagon and collected the mulched leaves to take them to the backyard where two more kids wer helping throw them on the flower beds. I had two other kids sweeping the patio and deck and one kid fishing the leaves out of the pond with the skimer. It was great. They were all very eagar and helpful.

Torren loves to imitate whatever we do. He blows bubbles in the bathtub because he's seen Piper do it. He tried to give kisses liek we do and make all kind of noises trying his best to talk like we do. It's so cute. Today he was trying to say "Hot Tea" but it comes out more like "Huhteeee". He's been super happy as of late and once we drop the girls at school he and I have been enjoying the nice warm weather while doing some gardening. He picks up leaves and puts them in the bag. He likes to throw thinsg in the pond. He also is fond of the mud and dirt. My outdoorsy little man. He loves being outside.

Watching a tree get cut down on the other side of the street.



Rain's lego man...extra legs and extra heads please..



Getting figerprinted.



An animal pyramid.



The girls sing "O Canada" at a General's game.



Rain at the hockey game...killing time, making faces.



The girls skating with Nana.

November 5th, 2011

Fall. Leaves. More leaves. Cool air, warm sun. Climbing trees, eating candy, walking everywhere. That sums up the month so far.

Torren is practically running now. He loves to walk. He loves to play on the hill after school with all the other kids from the girls class. He is so happy these days. He loves to sing along with the rest of us in the car when we have music on. He loves to laugh and has a crafty smie when he KNOWS he's being funny. He has the funiest fake cry and can rival Rain in the drama department when he fakes being upset to try and get what he wants. He loves to lie down on the round and bonk his head on the floor when he is upset...or roll around hamming it up until he realizes that no one is looking.

Torren give kisses now. Well...open mouth slimy, half zerbet kisses. He thinks it's funny. We have a new slide down the back deck stairs which he knows how to use. He has figured out how to push himself along on the plasma car. He loves to get his favourite books and bring them to you to read. (He knows their titles and will go and fetch one when you ask him too). He loves to put on socks and shoes and sit patientluy feet our waiting to have you put them on. He scream and rolls over when you try and change his diaper.

He has four teeth on the top now but only two on the bottom. He still loves to eat and helps himself to food in the cupboard...mostly banana or dried dates. He seems happiest when he is outside wiht a free pass to roam, or when rocking out to some tunes in the TV room. His favourite book is "Moo Baa La La La" and his picture books which have lots of pictures of random things...his favourite images are pictures of food, or any pictures of vehicles. Boy Boy Boy. He loves playing hockey and has recently discovered play sword fighting is fun too...but only when he gets to play with Rain and Piper. he has also discovered a love of orange juice.

Rain is still climbing the tree everyday after school. The kindergartners usually all start climbing the tree, then move on to tag and wrestling, then edn up back in the kindie playyard with the playset. In nice weather (something we've been getting a lot of lately) we stay usually for an hour, sometimes even two, before heading home. We're scheduled to go to kid parties 3 out of 4 weekends this month. Swimming is almost done and they swim with big arms (front crawl), do back or front glides with flips form one to the other part way. They are also learning to tread water.

We going to go skating every Sunday to get them more comfortable on their skates...although they both can skate slowly without the trainers

The after-Hallowe'en costume sales were so awesome I went a litle nuts and got us all outfitted for next year....the girls and I...gothic vampires....the boys knights (possibly also vampires). We'll see if the girls are still gung ho next year to go vampires. I know I can't wait.

Some photos as well to illustrate the first weeks fun.

Checking out the pizza box left over from last night's Hallowe'en party! He who ate all the 'za?



Grazing on some flowers in the backyard. Goodbye dainty purple flowers.



Rain's bouquet of dried leaves that now sits at our front door.