A Whole Hand

Vaughn and his Best Friend Teddy

It happened Sunday May 20th, 2012 my baby boy turned a whole hand old.  Where did the time go, I know all parents say this but it is just too true not to say.  I remember bringing him home and wondering what he would be like at 2, 4, 5 and so on . . . and here we are at 5 and I am just as amazed by him today as I was the day we met.

This has not been an easy year, I feel like we have thrown him every curve ball possible and that we have failed him in so many ways.  But in spite of us, he thrives.  Vaughn continues to surprise me as he takes each challenge in stride and works it out.   

Vaughn is tenacious about life about what he thinks is important.  He is not easily swayed and I pray that will serve him well as he grows and is faced with many choices.  I am so proud of him and how he cares about his friends, his teachers and even his sisters.  He is silly, serious, smart and adorable. 

My continued prayer for Vaughn is this

Lord, develop him into a man of character, who loves You above all else.  Let him know and sense You in every part of his life and may he seek You in the choices and decision's he's faced with in every stage of his life.  May he be kind and compassionate to others and passionate about the life You have given him and most importantly You.  Keep him safe, healthy and let this year be a year of stability and roots.

Vaughn I am honored to be your Mommy, and I can't wait to see where this year takes you!

Vaughn and his friend Samuel holding their golden eggs at his Puss in Boots Party

Mother's day

Vaughn brought home his first Mother's day craft from school today.  It was a booklet that said Mom you're the best on the outside and then each page said something nice about Mom's on the inside.  He had coloured pictures all over it and I have to admit I was excited for my first Mother's day craft. 

I said, Vaughn you made me a Mother's day book, I love it!  He looks and says, "No Mommy that's a book about outerspace, see I drew space in it."  And if you look inside he really did draw space all over it.  Somebody missed the point of craft at school :)

Heat Wave

Shorts, Sandals and Sunburns are the 3 S's that can sum up this glorious March week.  

The weather so so perfect we couldn't get enough of it.  Digging in the sand, painting with sidewalk paint and enjoying every glorious minute!

Bunk Beds

 The long promised and long awaited bunk beds have arrived!  

We've been telling the kids for quite awhile that they were getting bunk beds but each time we got the money saved up, something happened and we needed it for something else.  I was so ready to move Charlotte out of our room and into the crib so we saved and were able to get the bunk beds.  A spontaneous road trip to Burlington to get the bunk beds on a beautiful afternoon made the whole thing more exciting for the kids.  I really miss living close to an Ikea, the kids were hilarious, it was like walking back into a part of their Edmonton life.  We've eaten many an Ikea meal and have missed them.

 All tucked away in their new beds

Vaughn loves having the top bunk and Greta thinks her big girl bunk beds are pretty awesome. 

My Growing Girl

Charlotte is growing, although she's tiny she is still growing.  

Here she is trying out her exesaucer for the first time

French Braid

My Mom is a master at the french braid, I always had the best braids growing up.  I never learned how to do it though, I wasted all my practice years at sleepovers getting my hair braided instead of braiding of learning on my friends.

I'm learning on Greta, I think I'm getting better, it's not easy but thankfully she lets me practice while she watches TV.  This was my first real attempt, not too bad for watching a few YouTube videos!  Next is the sideways braid . . . that one may take me awhile

Concerts

When we left Edmonton we left our most favourite Kindermusik class and Mrs. Wiebe.  I was a little concerned that my kids love for music would diminish because we weren't in music classes anymore . . . I shouldn't have worried.  Vaughn and Greta have started putting on concerts with their kindermusik instruments and the microphone Greta got for Christmas.

Sometimes they ask me to turn on music so they can play along and sometimes they make up their own songs.  For example yesterday Greta sang about her favourite pair of Minnie Mouse pants

I love my Minnie pants
I love to wear my Minnie pants
etc

Vaughn's song went something like this

I'm dancing and singing on the stairs
I'm singing with my foot on the wall

It was pretty hilarious!  Right now their stuffed animals are lined up on the stairs so they can be the audience for their concert.  A love for music is important to Matt and I so I'm glad our kids are developing it.