Finally Another Rung

Daddy reports that at the playground this morning, Mika finally mastered ladder climbing. w00t!

Oh, and apparently she can walk the balance beam, but has to hold onto a hand. Mika hung from the monkey bars with her hands for a while too. This is a milestone thing? I have no clue - Daddy thinks so. Tis posted.

She's two alright

Last night after supper, Daddy took Mika for a walk. A walk to Mika means that she is going to the playground down the street. Time ticked by and soon enough it was after 8 P.M. Mika is supposed to be in bed by 7:30, but we've been lax on that lately. It's too bright in her room to expect her to go to sleep, hence the walks to the park to burn off energy.
ANYWAY
When I called to find out if they were coming home anytime soon, Daddy answered and I could hear Mika wailing in the background. They were on their way back with much vocal protest from her. There was some event or meeting at the community hall and the playground was loaded with older kids. Mika was apparently having a blast with the big kids and didn't ever want to leave. 15 minutes went by and they finally came through the door. Apparently our neighbor 3 doors down heard the wails of protest and came out to help. The lady came to her back fence to find out what was wrong. When Daddy told her, the lady said to Mika that she had a cure for what ails her and presented some strawberries from her garden. Needless to say, Mika was suddenly all better with her fists and cheeks full of berries. I love the seniors that live in this hood. Mika was very delighted to come bursting through our back door to present me with one of the berries.

The other night as she was getting ready to bathe, Mika paused before taking her pants off, said "oh yeah...", dug through her wee pocket, and came up with a little wilted clover flower: "Here Mommy, I picked you a flower". The kid knows how to melt a heart.

bashful

Mika bailed down the concrete back stairs yesterday. She's sporting a wee bit of a shiner today. She looks pretty tough - the mark near her eye looks as though someone punched her in the eye while wearing a big ring. She's just fine now and only had a few tears when it happened. She was too excited about the waterslide in the backyard to worry about minor injuries.

Yes, I bought a freaking waterslide for the backyard. I wanted one of those gravity loungers, but they seem a little costly to me for what you get. A lawn chair should not be that expensive. ANYWAY - I saw this inflatable water slide thing and thought "hrm - that looks as though it would be the perfect size for me to lounge on PLUS I have the option of being sprinkled with cold water as I lounge. Mika hogged it all yesterday evening. I guess I could have parked my butt on it, but my back would have quickly met the heels of Mika's feet. Was looking forward to sitting out in the sun today, but its starting to cloud over. Bleh. I was going to take the kids to the museum today - specifiaclly take Mika to the Bug Room, but my body is revolting against me. Carrying a 20 lb weight all day every day is starting to take its toll on me. I just don't think I can physically handle another day of having Declan strapped to me for hours on end. Maybe tomorrow.

Also - the house is a disaster, such a disaster that I don't even know where to start. Danny's cat has been peeing on things again. This morning, it was the clean laundry that I had left downstairs. I can't take this anymore! It's making me crazy. I was thinking of seeing if anyone wanted to come by for a visit today, but the cat pee smell and surprises make me not want to do that. It's beyond gross. The other day we bought Declan a bed. I hauled in the mattress and bedding, washed it, vacuumed the mattress out to get rid of most of the smell, got all the bedding together and on the bed and was feeling pretty good about it all. That evening, I went to crawl in for a test nap and was hit with the cat pee smell. The effing cat peed on the new bed and bedding. He's also peed this morning somewhere in the bedroom, so that's off limits to the kids too. Sucks because we co-sleep with Declan. He's currently sleeping in a playpen - not sure what we will do tonight. I have no pee-free bedroom left...I guess we'll be camping out on Mika's floor.
No, the cat isn't suffering from crystals in the urine or any other medical reason for the peeing. He's just a jerk. I love animals, I really do, but this cat...grrr.
I don't know what to do. In fairness, I am not 100% sure that it is Danny's cat and not mine. Of course, his cat has been seen fleeing from the scenes of the crimes and has a history of peeing when he's upset - mine does not. Still..it could be my cat doing it. Also in fairness then, if we get rid of Danny's cat, mine should go too. but I love my Scootie kitty. He's just a nice old orange guy. He and Mika are pals and I am not looking forward to explaining to her why he is gone. Ugh. It used to be that I smelled poopy diapers wherever I went - now its cat pee.

Disappeared!

Declan's tooth must have shrunk back down into his gums as it is no longer there. He's teething like mad though. VERY grumpy. Mika shrieked constantly for her first year, so we never really noticed when she was teething.

Declan is into grabbing at anything and shoving it in his mouth. He loves the baby command centre (exersaucer). I thought he might be too small for it yet (wrong) or maybe just not ready for that kind of experience (wrong again). The boy loves his nipple ball, clutch cube, and other teethery type toys.

The guy has also been enjoying solids. He dines on a bowl of organic brown rice cereal each evening for supper. Declan hasn't had any problems learning to eat. Seems to go quite well - most of it gets in him, not on him. There has been no change in his nursing as a result. If anything, I could swear that he is eating more now...
We started him early because he displayed all the signs of wanting to eat + I was a little concerned that his iron stores might be getting low due to his growth rate.

Mika rules, what can I say? She's just an awesome little person. Too much her own little person, really. She's absorbing new words at a mad rate and I'm taking advantage by filling her with as much as possible.

We had a great Saturday out at Hawrelak park for Evan's second birthday.
Mika and Ava are quite the little pair. Evan was crashed throughout a lot of it - smart kid. We were going to head out to the Highland Games on Sunday, but the weather looked crappy. Went to Ikea instead. Oi. Declan has a bed now. A Futon. Mika has the option of trading her crib for it, so we shall see...

Time for mocktails...

DC's First Tooth!

First tooth has officially broken through! Lower right central incisor.

Waits for sleep

Declan fell asleep to Tom Waits' Little Man this afternoon. Cute, eh?

zapped

We took Declan in for his followup xrays. I have no idea what happens next. I was only instructed so far as to get followup xrays 2 weeks after the last appointment. I assume that the doc's office will call once they've had a look at the pics. The guy is still snuffly. I think he should see a Chiropractor. Doctors get upset when you say those things. Anyway, its not like I want someone to crank on my infant's neck or something...I just want another opinion outside of conventional medicine because it's, so far, not working in this case. Meh! I gave DC's physician fair warning that if the paediatrician couldn't figure out the snuffliness that I was going to have him checked out.

oh so Mika...

This quote is pure Mika:

"I'm gonna hug you and kiss you and love you forever"
As said by Elmyra while squeezing her cat, Furrball, to death.

Just ask Scooter.

ack

As we go through our various activities each day, I make mental note of all these great things to blog about. Then evening hits and I sit down and draw a blank.

hrm.

It was a decent Father's Day. Weather was crappy so we didn't do too much. Went for a late brunch and saw Uncle Lucas, Auntie Jenn, Kyle, and Les on their way out of the restaurant. Mika was most upset when she discovered that they weren't coming in to join us.
We took the kids over to Les' place on Friday night for a bbq @ his new condo. Les has joined the neighborhood - his place is on 124 st not too far from here. Mark and his wife Mayling were in town and hadn't met the kids - for that matter, neither had Les or Kyle. Mika loved Mayling. Kids were up late, but it was worth it.

Anyway, they are both well and happy and growing up too fast. Nuff said for now.

Yoohoo

I noticed yesterday that Declan responds to his name being called. He's also seemingly getting desperate for solid foods. I wish he was a bit older so that I could indulge him...

Brave

Declan had his 4-month shots yesterday. 3 needles in all. He didn't cry for the first one at all.
I walked down to the clinic with the kids. We waited for Daddy at the library. I thought Mika would absolutely love it at our local library. It's very new and nice and child-centric. BUT - she just screamed and cried that she didn't like it and wanted to go to the mall instead. ...

Happy 4-Month Birthday, Declan

The not-so-little guy had his followup appointment today. Xrays showed nothing abnormal after all. So according to the docs, there's nothing wrong with Declan - they just can't explain why his right nostril/sinus/something is so snuffly. They want to do more xrays in a couple of weeks to see if it looks the same. Hrm.
Declan weighed in at 18 pounds, 3 ounces today. He's officially able to roll from back to front now in addition to the combat crawling and front to back rolling. Time to find a way to keep him safe in bed. We're considering moving him to a futon in his own room.

Anyway, he needs me to help him get to sleep now - just wanted to note his 4-month and followup.

oh yeah...

While at the zoo, Mika also went on a paddleboat for the first time today. She and Saoirse each grabbed their daddies and went for a jaunt around the pond. They were careful to avoid the ducks and the super cute fluffy ducklings.

summer

it was seriously warm here this weekend. finally!!

After Mika's Thursday big adventure on the LRT and on Whyte with Saoirse and Brighid, we stayed in on Friday and splashed around in the pool and sprinkler. Freaking hot out.

Saturday we went over to the St. Albert International Children's Fest. Luckily the Shermans live on Mission, so we parked there, said a quick 'hi' to Papa and Oma Sherman, and had a quick jaunt through the park to the fest. Mika took in a few activities, the highlight of which was weaving her very own wee Metis sash (ok, ok, she braided yarn). The stiltwalkers were freaky and captain garlic was very cool. Home for a not nap (mika passed out in the car on the way home, woke when we tried to get her in, and refused to nap) and then back out again grocery shopping. oi.

This morning, Auntie Amber, Uncle Dave, and Shayna were here at 9:00A.M. for breakfast. Daddy whipped up some french toast and fruit salad with dips - even a curry one, yo! Mika had much fun making people read to her and Declan was, as always, loving up the ladies. And Dave. Come back Auntie Amber, Uncle Dave, and Shayna!! The visit wasn't long enough - I didn't even get to yammer on with Amber abut her wedding!
We have to jet down to Calgary for a trip to their zoo.

Mika went down for a nap at 11-ish and by 1:30-ish we were at the zoo meeting Saoirse and fam. The girls treated it more like an amusement park than a zoo - They had a train ride, merry-go-round ride, and their first time riding ponies! Spoiled or what? Not to mention the few animals that we got to see and the petting zoo that they tromped through.

Mika spent the rest of her evening bubble mowing the lawn, had a quick bath, and is currently out cold. Sign of a good day.

Declan rode in the stroller today at the zoo. It was too hot for the carrier and I think he liked facing in the direction that he was moving. Little guy is technically too small yet to ride in the stroller as the seat won't allow him to lay flat, but he did fine for the short while he was in. 5 point harness helps too.

too hot to think. need more water. am considering the weekend officially logged and blogged.