2013 in pictures ~ september

neighbourhood triker
monochrome beauty
kilmarnock apple orchard
colouring
typical sisters
holding hands
first day of preschool
painting pumpkins

adoptwalk

We spent this beautiful Saturday morning at a wonderful family event, AdoptWalk! Lots of fun activities, including a 5km walk to support a cause very close to our hearts. The donations that were raised will support both the Adoption Council of Canada and the Children’s Bridge Foundation.

The Children's Bridge Foundation is a charity that makes a difference to children in need, in underdeveloped countries. They raise funds so these children can get the life saving surgeries they so desperately need. I've seen recent pictures of two little ones in China that had cleft palette and lip surgeries. So amazing and gratifying to see these little ones lives changed through charity.

You can read more about the AdoptWalk here: www.adoptwalk.ca.

that grin!

Walking to her second day of 'class' with Baba and I.
I love that grin!

fun at the school park

Phebe loves the park. She has an eagle's eye when it comes to spotting a park, while out driving in the car.

So it won't surprise you that she lives for 'that moment' in the day when we go to pick up Lilah, at school.
Usually we'll arrive a good 15 minutes early, just so Phebe gets to run around and enjoy the school play structure.

We're enjoying every second of this beautiful Fall weather we've been enjoying all this week.
Fall is definitely my favourite season.

typical sisters!

a little time away

I think I've mentioned here before how much Phebe strives to be like her big sister. There's a 3 year age gap between these two, but to be honest, as a second child, Phebe seems to be ahead of the game in many respects. She seems to have skipped a few stages and wants everything and anything that her big sister is doing. Piano lessons. School. Homework. A backpack. A lunch. When I say to Phebe in the evening, "Are you a little bit tired?", even though she is exhausted, she will automatically respond: "Lilah's tired?" She talks a lot about: "I'm growing up" and "I'm taller than..." she lists off people she is taller than. She most definitely looks up to her big sister.

I can also tell that Lilah being gone is having more of an effect on her than I initially thought. There are little insecurities going on in her mind. More recently she's been following my every step around the house, I can't be out of her sight for 2 seconds and she worries. We have a system now that she will shout "Where are you, Mama?", instead of just standing crying when she doesn't see me.

Last year Lilah only went to school for two and a half hours and during that time Phebe had her nap. But now that Lilah is gone all day, Phebe is depending on me for everything. In some ways this is great, it's building a much stronger relationship between us. I've noticed that the bonding/attachment with a second child is harder/slower (than with the first child), just because Phebe would go to Lilah for a lot of her requests or if she needed help with anything.

The interesting part to all this, Phebe can barely let me out of her sight, and yet, she is incredibly independent.

Today she started a little two hour "Crafty Athletes" class at the local Community Center. We went to this same CC last year, to a Mom & Tot group, so she knows the instructor well. I talked to her a lot about going, we got her backpack sorted out (just like Lilah!) I even put a trail bar and her water bottle in it to make it feel like she was going to 'school' too. I explained that I would go away and come back just like I did every day for Lilah, and she totally understood. I may even have mentioned something along the lines of "And Lilah doesn't cry!". Although when I mentioned it was her little school, she was quick to tell me "It's not school, Mama! It's class!" - I can't get anything by this girl of mine!

She loves her program/class. She walked in, gave me a kiss and a hug and said: "Look Mama, I'm not crying. Byeeeeeee!"

I hope she benefits from these programs (she has two every week.) And I pray they help her build up her security and confidence again. She's only been part of our family for a year and yet it feels like so much longer. Sometimes it's easy for us to forget how difficult 'change' is for these little ones. It's so easy for us to forget the turmoil they go through, but deep down, I feel that it's something they live with all their lives.

You would definitely not know from her exterior that she has any insecurities. She's such a fun loving, happy girl.

pumpkin painting!

It rained here all day today, which believe it or not, I loved.
I don't remember the last Saturday we had a reason to stay in the house all day! And just relax.

I promised the girls that they could paint the pumpkins we bought this week.
Believe me, they didn't forget!
They absolutely love to paint.

out for a little drive!

Heading out for a drive today, with her friends,
at the Science & Technology Museum!

she's a chatter box!

(talking about her Tigger stuffy one morning)
phebe: "He wake up."
lilah: "No, he didn't!"
phebe: "He woke up?"

I found Lilah's previously worn (Dora the Explorer) bike helmet and excitedly told Phebe that it was hers now. She was absolutely thrilled! Most likely because it has Dora on it! I put it on her, she looked at herself in the mirror and excitedly shouted: "I need a motorbike!"

lilah: "Do you need help Phebe?"
phebe: "No. Don't need help. I do it myself."
*two seconds later*
phebe: "Lilah, I need help."
lilah: "I knew that was going to happen!"

"Mama, I had fun. Mama, I like it holiday."

She thinks Thursday and thirsty mean the same thing. I mentioned it being Thursday one day, Phebe ran and grabbed her water bottle, took a drink and said: "I'm thirsty too!"

me: "We're going to see baby Jack today."
phebe: "Not jacket Mama"
me: "Nope not jacket, his name is Jack."
phebe: "Oh."

"I told you mama, I told you. I'm serious!"

me: "Phebe can you put this away please."
phebe: "In a wee minute!"

She thinks anything more than 1 is 2. Like if there are 5 birds or 15 birds, she shouts out, "Look Mama. There's TWO!" As a side note, she can count to 13, although she skips the number 5.

Waiting for Lilah to be done her piano lessons one day.
phebe: "Mama I'm next. I want piano lessons."
mama: "Well, you're a little bit small Phebe."
phebe: "I'm not small. I'm big girl. I like lessons!"

phebe: "Can I go upstairs too?"
me: "Nope, Lilah needs a wee break."
phebe: "Mamaaaa! Don't be silly! Lilah not breakable!"

During play one day: "Lilah, I have great idea!"

swimming lessons

Both my girls started swimming lessons today.

Phebe was beside herself excited... I'm not even sure if I've seen her that excited before! This is her first swimming lesson and after watching her big sister from the side lines, she was more than thrilled her time had finally arrived to have "lessons".

She did really well, her first time away from both Lilah and I. (Lilah was at a different end of the pool.) I sat back and watched from a distance, although she did catch my eye a few times and waved hysterically, shouting "Hi Mama!"

I took these pictures at home, just before we left. Can you tell the excitement levels were high?!

feeling studious!

I know, she's only two years old, but the idea of homework to Miss Phebe right now is all sunshine & rainbows! Which has probably got something to do with her big sister. And yes, I do realize that she doesn't know the true meaning of homework, yet! But check out that pencil grip! In fact, she's had that same grip since the day we met her.

Today, after coming home from dropping Lilah off at school, she grabbed her colouring book and pencils, and proclaimed: "I need do my homework!"

To which I replied: "You GO girl!"

sunday porch pictures

Just a few informal portraits of my girls. These were taken right after their Sunday nap!

Actually, after their Sunday nap, we always take a walk over to Bridgehead to pick up a latte and have a little walk (or bike ride) around the neighbourhood block. I love our family time on the weekends. More recently I am seeing how much they appreciate their time together. I think with Lilah being gone all day, they are enjoying each other even more!

I love these girls in bunches.

( Can you tell I bribed them with gum in this picture?! Oh ya! )

apple picking

You know it's almost Autumn, when it's time to go apple picking!

Yep, that's what we did today. Apple picking has become one of our favourite traditions, although we missed out last year because we were a cross between - 'In China' & 'Recovering From Jetlag'! All good reasons, of course! However, this year we ended up back at our favourite orchard. They have lots of fun things for the kids, including the tractor/train ride, which Phebe loved. She told us, "It's a different one. Not the same as the fair!" She is obsessed with buses, planes and trains. I am trying my hardest to theme them together for her upcoming birthday, or at least choose one!

There was also a lovely little walk, through a little forest path, along the river... called the Pioneer Trail. On said trail, Lilah found herself a 'Hairy Mary' caterpillar. She was so intrigued with it and held onto it for over an hour. Phebe was intrigued too, but wouldn't touch it for anything, she is into more activities than involve danger - like climbing ladders and jumping off stuff. That's our Phebe girl!

After our purchases, we went back into the local village, Merrickville and had lunch on the patio. Likely one of the final days we'll be eating on a patio! And the girls finished their day off with ice-cream. Lilah picked the bubble gum flavour, with actual gum balls in it, yum! And Phebe chose her own, it was called Crazy Kid. Ha - so very fitting! Actually, it tasted delicious, full of chocolate pieces, candy, sprinkles. If your kid wasn't crazy before, she would be after!

It was such a beautiful day. A chilly little breeze, but beautiful warm sunshine and bright blue skies.

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[ the flickr set is here ]