tired mommys and daddys

Stickers rock!

Especially the shiny backed ones that I can peel off the page and put on the fridge, then off the fridge and on my leg.  Then off my leg and on the dog.  to the floor, on the bidup duck (pick up truck) back on the floor, to the potty, and maybe around the stove a few times.  Stickers rock!

Hello my family.

Baby Xanna is getting too big for the bassinet and mommy and daddy have to get me a new big boy bed very soon.  Baby Xanna reaches both ends!  He has nap time on mommy, or mommy's bed (daddy sleeps there too on occasion) or on the couch.  He sure likes to sleep.

I am keeping mommy and daddy busy, repeating everything they say, showing my independence, helping out when it suits, being a good boy, and exploring everything I can see from my height, or taller.  I'm up at 6:45am and down at 12:00pm and up at 1:30pm and down at 7:30pm.  I'm a good boy about going to bed, and I'm very very cuddly when I get up, so long as I get my milt.  Mommy asked me what milt was the other day and I had to say it my old way (mup) just so she knew I was progressing.  Catch up mommy!

I sure am cute!  Daddy is on call this whole weekend and he and mommy are praying it's quiet as they are both tired.  They keep dragging their feet.  Xanna likes to get up a lot at night, and mommy kicks daddy every time she gets back into bed just to make sure they're equal.

Well, I am off to bed too. I love you all very very much.
If we had a million dollars we'd hire a jet to take Mathey and us to Saskatoon to give out hugs and kisses there, then fly up to Fort MacMurry and hug the life out a little trailer up there, and zoom through Edmonton and Devon for some good ole' kisses and make a big U-turn back home by way of Rosebud.
For now we dream.
xoxo
Benjamin

God's Mighty Grace

We are breathing deep.  Daddy took us for a walk today, and mommy pointed out some of her favourite types of deciduous trees (maple with a spotted bark)  and we were blessed to have nature, undisturbed, within a short walk of our house. 
On our little stroll, we only saw one elderly couple and one gentleman.  That's a treasure when living in downtown Toronto!


 
It's been so lovely enjoying the weather here, taking it all in as much as we can.  Auntie Manta sent her a snugli all the way from Alberta and it's the best thing since sliced bread.  Speaking of which...

I made bread!  And yes daddy loved it.  It is a cinnamon orange bread, and the cinnamon swirls through it and mommy was impressed that no matter how much she tried to ruin it, it still came out delicious!


Baby Xanna is in month 3 pants, mommy is trying to re dig all the clothes out of the tubs, she packed up when he was born, thinking she had until November to not use them.  Silly mommy.  Mathey came with us yesterday and we enjoyed a whole day playing with 6 adults (Jimmy, Susan, Lorraine, Lanny Mommy & Daddy) and 5 boys (Jack, me, Carson, Alexander & Robbie).  Oh and two pooches (Mathey and a Portuguese water dog named Dexter).

I am growing like a weed.  I know were the milk is, I get things for mommy, and put diapers where they belong.  I count to 3 and can sometimes make it to 10.  I send kisses to Xanna all day long.  I can say parts of our nighttime prayer, and I can brush my own teeth.  I am going to shock all my gramma's and grampa's when they see me next by my full sentences and big thoughts.  And I'm going to nursery at church.  Mommy is very proud of herself in letting me go.  I think daddy is too, but he hides it better. 

There are times we feel so far from many of our dear family, but there are times we feel not so far, because of the love you send us.  We know we are in your prayers, and are blessed more then we realize, and your i-love-you's that arrive by mail are keenly felt.  Thank you for you gifts and notes.  Thank you for loving us so.


I love you too.
Benjamin and fam.

because we needed to draw MORE attention to ourselves

MOMMY IS CRAZY!

That's the word around here.  She painted Mathey's toe nails.  And not green like daddy suggested (she didn't have green) or blue like last time (remember that Nana?).  And EVERYBODY noticed.  Strangers at the fair, Romans, Carolyn's, Ryan's, Roberts, Melissa's, Evans... and she made Grampa Dennis walk him down town Waterford that not only stopped traffic but then cries of astonishment were heard as people would cry "are his nails PINK?" and Grampa would shrug his shoulders and look at his daughter as she laughed and walked on.
Crazy!  Mommy said it helped the family connect.  She's just crazy! And she stayed in the lines, who does that?

I could have told her it's not done that way anymore.  See?

We've been having a few lay back days here, it was a crazy weekend.  We went to the Hockey Hall of fame (daddy has the photos on his phone, mommy forgot the camera) Friday by choo choo and mommy pushed my double stroller through thousands of people flooding Union Station at home time (we are not city folk-ha)
And Saturday we braved tropical storm winds in Waterford, as the leaves were beaten and whooshed down the streets, as kids had winter jackets under costumes and hot chocolate was the number one seller, and watched the parade then were rescued by Aunt Carolyn's hot soup and banana cake.  (doors are always open during Pumpkinfest!-it's a family rule)

Baby Xanna is getting bigger and bigger.  We have really appreciated the presents that come in the mail (from Auntie Trudy, and Auntie Louisa) with clothes as we need to go shopping again for the both of us.  Mommy tells me to quit closing my eyes because every time I do I grow.






These last few weeks have been fun and busy. I think mommy's hopeful of things quieting down a wee bit before Christmas shopping (how many days boppa?) but we wouldn't have changed a thing.  Seeing family that we don't see very often is wonderful, even if it means nap time on the grass.  We are so blessed.

Xoxo
Benjamin

beautiful

hello family I love!
Auntie Sylvia I LOVE THE CAR!  I move my potty next to my dresser (as mommy thinks she put it up out of reach) and I reach for it and hear "no touching Benjamino, it's not to play with).  So then I think she's not listening, and I reach for it and hear "no touching Benjamin, it's for money" and I get down and play on my airplane, and get off and climb back up on my potty and reach for it and hear "minamin, come down off your potty, you can look at your car".  I repeat this process a few times a day.  I LOVE the car, and daddy gave me two quarters "I'm not cheap" to put in it.  Thank you so much.

So here are the babies, baby Amelia and baby Alexander having fun together.  Mommy was threatening to borrow Amelia's pink bonnet to put on Alexander, but I think we all talked her out of it.  We have tracked all over Toronto in snugli's and chariots, strollers and mastiffs, being the parade that we are, having bakery goods and coffee, and talking theology, weather, leaves, snails, food, movies, jobs, family, and enjoying as many minutes together as we can.

Poor daddy has been working, so he only gets to talk with us at night, and tomorrow we go and see Pumpkins.  We love you all, Nana, we try finding you when we can.  We love love love you Me-am-mi and Boppa, and Auntie Manta we only think about you once a minute....the rest of the time we just miss you.

Much much love
Benjamin

A very happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving family I love

We have had such a busy weekend driving down Sunday morning and...
-playing in a park Grumpa (words are changing) played in as a little boy
-going to church mommy was christened in
-having a nap at Great Grumpa's with daddy

-meeting so many more family to love and having dinner together (Xanna made a lovely center piece)   

 

 -sleeping at Grumpa and Tattoo's (we all camped on the floor together, one very happy family)

-going to the fair and seeing local treats and beautiful friends and family. 

It has been the loveliest time, and we are all home and going to BED!  But I miss Nana and Boppa & Me-am-me so hope to skype tomorrow and see your faces if I can, ok?

I love you all, Benjamin (and Xanna and mommy and daddy)

we've got some good times ahead you & i

Hello Nana way out north.
Hello Me-am-me and Boppa way out west.
Hello Uncle Camma and Auntie Winny way out of their minds:)
Hello Auntie Annie git yer gun!
Hello Auntie artsy fartsy

Hello family that I love.

Today Xanna mommy Mastiff and I went for a walk and saw loads of boys and girls running in a race.  Schools were closed for the provincial voters we think, as we cut across a few school yards and they were empty.
The weather is so warm, mommy hangs the laundry out in the morning and daddy brings it in late at night and throws it in the dryer.

Xanna saves his best smiles for daddy and is teaching mommy to save her best smiles too.  He is so smart already, teaching mommy how to be a better person.
Daddy is taking good care of mommy. He found new springs for the truck and on replacing them, noticed that three out of the four were broken!  yup, that means broken the whole trip out east.  the whole pregnancy, the whole moving experience.  Mommy swears her teeth feel loose!  Daddy is happy because it makes the truck taller, so instead of seeing the roof rack from the mall doors, daddy will be able to see if the doors are locked!  We are high class, mommy says.

Daddy taught me to swear today.  Oh dap! 
He feels sheepish. I told him sheep say baaa,
not oh dap! 

Xanna's hair is getting a bit more brown.  His head is widening too, daddy said it happened all in one day.

He is watching all of us more and more, I kiss him quite as much as usual and love telling mommy when he is zwake and the he sept good.  And that (h)is eyes opul (open).  We are mommy's one doo boyz!

Wuv you wuv you wuv you wuv you
Benjamin

Benjamin scissor hands

 

I have a lot of fun with my tools.  These are my pretend nails, I have screws, bolts and plastic wood (yes plastic wood- mommy shutters) and all sorts of tools to dump all over the floor, 63 pieces in fact, every morning.

Hello my family!

Auntie Manta, we had the same supper as you tonight!  You talked mommy into it when you were on the phone (she loves when you call) and so we had soup and scones too.  Here's proof.

                           
I talk about Manta all the time, seeing as she's the one who gave me treats for when I use the potty and not the floor. 
So some very interesting news about Xanna.

                                                             

My 6 week old brother is 14lbs.  His almost 6 month cousin Amelia is 13.6  He has gained 5 pounds since birth and therefore is 2 months ahead of schedule.  Atta' boy.

I get to see Auntie Stephnie and Uncle Jonthn very soon, I wish I could see all of you as well, I love the Skype-ing that we get to do with Me-am-mi and Boppa, and Auntie Winny and Uncle Camma.  And Nanna we wish so much we could go for a ride in your sexy new tonka.

Much Much love

Benjamin