Tag Archive | Robert Munsch

Baby Echo Centric Day

And then the camera decides to play nasty tricks on me… but take heart, it still takes pictures that are absolutely lovely… the problem is glaring at ME when I use it… digitals are going more and more to JUST a view screen and that is what this has, and that screen has a glitch… a horrible… horrible black line where the video is NOT working… no instead it bisects some of the menu (one line) and makes a black line on what I am seeing. I have had this camera THREE MONTHS! Ok, so I take MORE pictures than MOST normal people (who ever said we were normal?) but THREE MONTHS! Seriously? Thank goodness I keep packaging with the receipt and the warranty card (not the Best Buy one but the actual manufacturer one year one) with its 1-800 number. I think the world at large is telling me to stop buying little cameras and get myself one that is MEANT for massive picture taking… well it IS good to have a goal, even though it is NOT an easily achievable one. 

So our morning was not as smooth as I would like, but it was SMOOTHER than yesterday. Gavin apparently took initiative and when I got up and mobile and took over for Ken he and I were able to finish the first part of his self designed cross stitch pattern! Watering pot was stitched and ready to go! And then he spent his afternoon with the cherry (that does resemble and upside down flower). Zander has rather lost interest in the stitching (and before he even finished his first project) but Gavin has decided this is his sort of thing. So now with Gavin suitably content with these sorts of ongoing projects it is time to focus on finding something for Zander.

Stitching away

All done!!

Since we could not come to an easy agreement as to who should have first Mommy one on one time this morning and Echo was not in the mood to cooperate on ANY level we had storytime on Emanuel’s bed (seriously mattress on the floor – I am totally seeing how the Japanese style of having a futon on the floor to sleep on is a great idea… Emanuel would LOVE IT if we could clean up his bed and give him his room for the day, our compromise is to get together money and get him a smaller mattress… he doesn’t want a bed though, he likes the floor!) – 3 stories – a counting one with Clifford the Big Red Dog, a retelling of the story of Jonah for kids AND one of our Robert Munsch Collection. 

Story time in Emanuel's room

With Echo to nap and the argument over who should workbook first in full force I called a tie on everyone and declared it – LEGO MORNING! Sadly they wouldn’t let me move the bucket out of the back entry but plopped down right there and went at it! Lego Morning ended with four lovely and independent creations… everything from a little house to a skyscraper. 

Emanuel's house with horse

Trinity's little house

Gavin and his skyscraper

Zander's fancy house

Sadly that was the extent of  true organized time for the family. Days like this with Echo are few and far between but when they hit she is VERY assertive in her need for Mommy and for NO ONE ELSE to be by Mommy at the time. So we made do… quiet time gave the boys some time to sit in their room with their toys and Mommy a chance to eat (carefully timed to coincide with Echo taking one of her brief naps) and then we gave up, lay the baby down and went to the basement to watch the last 3 or 4 episodes of the first season of the (new) Electric Company on Netflix. I am hoping we can find some of the newer seasons online as it really grabbed their attention! 

So much angry baby!

I ran out with Karyn for a much needed break to have snacks and stop in at H&M and get part of Echo’s Christmas presents. I am determined to go on sale for everything if I can! I have an idea for Emanuel that includes the super affordable craft aisle at Michaels too! Trinity is well under control with a drawer full of eBay purchased swag… and the twins… well I will deal with them shortly too! Feels good to have plans!

Noms

Hello Kitty!

With the improving weather we were VERY excited to see sunlight. I did up Trinitiy’s hair and put in one of my new stacked bows and took some pictures in one of the front windows. We did still get MORE snow last night and it is not exactly warm at -19 (Celsius) but better.

Trinity with bow

Ken made the executive decision this morning to call Public Health and reschedule our 6 month shots for Echo. Even with the warmer weather he figured (as long as we could reschedule relatively soon after this week) it would be better to wait. So she goes NEXT Friday at 2:30 pm. This is AFTER we had them rescheduled from last week’s appointment where the nurse able to administer immunizations was home with the flu. We did, however, (finally) measure her length for her baby book – we got 24 3/4 inches. In two months she has gained over 2 inches. It is hard to believe she started at around 18 inches back last August!!

Echo's eyes are changing colour!

So last night Echo was a bit fussy around midnight, it was better to feed her, change her and then put her to bed and wait her out. This left me with some free before bed time and with the laundry folded and the new cross stitch begun the Cricut was calling out to me. Before I knew it I had made up some kitties, a sun and a cupcake and now know which colours I wish to have to do more.

Hello Kitty

Writing about stitching, I have gotten a decent start on the new pattern. I am looking forward to the finished piece. This one should be a relatively quick stitch.

A start

Supper tonight was one of my favourite recipes – beef and gravy – my step-mom’s recipe. The recipe was in a previous blog entry HERE.

Total yum

Now back to Reading Week – We had FOUR books today… all of them courtesy of our favourite librarian/Aunty Karyn. The first one was a bit of “girl power” – The Princess Knight. A terrific story about a little girl raised by her father the King to be just like her brothers… until she turned 16. When faced with that she turned the tables on everyone.

Zander's is on the left

Next was a cute story called Hamish the Highland Cow. He REALLY needed a haircut!

Zander's is on the left

Third was by a favourite author of mine (Robert Munsch, a Canadian) and was titled Giant or Waiting for the Thursday Boat. Based in Ireland about a giant and St. Peters.

Zander's is on the left

Ken read the kids the 4th book… Anthony and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. All about a little boy who had a HORRIBLE day.

Reading with Daddy (Gavin in blue)

Zander's is on the left

Tomorrow we will end our week with a couple more “Karyn picks” and one more Robert Munsch favourite of mine. Our Reading Week has got the boys back to sounding out words, talking about pictures and creating some wonderful pieces of art. I think I will do this each year and save the sheets as examples of their growth in printing, creativity, imagination and artistic ability.

Zander and Gavin out in the snow