There's No I In Parent

A Year in Review: 2011

2011-12-19T12:49:00.011-07:00

The Christmas letters and updates have been arriving steadily at our home. This has me reflecting on the last year. This past year, Elliot transitioned from being a child to being a 'kid'. As he grows, the focus of the family changes and evolves to be a little less kid centric (as evidenced by the lack of posts, ahem). It has been a year of transition and growth for us all.

This year was a big year for anniversaries. We celebrated 20 years together in April and 15 years married in August, and in classic Gour style, we celebrated 3 times! Derek and I enjoyed a weekend get away to Montreal in March, we took a family trip to Paris in May and a Night on the town in August.

Elliot's adventures this year included: learning how to ride his bike, his first international trip (he keeps asking when we are going back to Paris) and starting to learn how to read and write now that he is in his third year of Casa (Kindergarten in the non Montessori world). He had his first sleep over at a friends place and spent the summer running around making lots of noise and reminding the neighbourhood that loud children live here! Under the I am a curious 5 year old category: he swallowed a rock unscathed, flushed some class supplies down the toilet at school, thawed out the fridge and freezer because he wanted to have warmer milk and tasted sun screen on purpose.

We had some nice visits from the Weimer's and Grandpa Bowers and Grandma Helen. What a treat it was to show the Weimer's Ottawa on Canada Day. The Prince and his new wife even decided to show up and say hello!

After many years of dreaming about it, I completed my Yoga teacher training and converted our front room into a home yoga studio. It was a fantastic training and I continue to learn and grow. Derek finished a contract in the Spring and shifted his focus to some app development again. He recently released Listo and will have a coaching app for the iPad out shortly.

We are looking forward to Christmas and the New Year. We shall see what 2012 has in store.

Feeding the Family

2011-01-15T17:54:00.001-07:00

Feeding the Family
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot has taken an interest lately in taking care of his stuffed animals. They are his extended family. He takes care to name them and specify if they are a brother, dad, mom or sister. Pictured here are Francis, Lily an George. He set them all up with a tasty breakfast, but they couldn't have waffles because they are allergic. I am struck by how much more aware kids these days are of dietary restrictions and how it makes its way into play.

Singing at Christmas

2010-12-22T08:38:00.002-07:00

Singing at Christmas
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

The last few weeks have been rather incredible. We had the pleasure of taking in Elliot's Christmas concert only a few days after arriving back from Mexico. He was so proud to have us there and perform away. He even instructed in advance what portions he wanted video taped (kids these days). So, here is a new version of Baa Baa Black Sheep for your enjoyment!

It was a bit of a shock coming back to our first major snow fall after 7 blissful days in Mexico. Derek and I got our first kid free vacation since we welcomed the little man into our family. A very dear friend got married and we took the opportunity to renew ourselves. It was nothing short of incredible. I have always been a big supporter of fostering a strong relationship and this solidified it even more. Elliot stayed at home with Grandma and had a great time. There are more photos on our photo site, just click on a photo.

Breakfast of Champions

2010-10-27T19:12:00.002-06:00

Elliot has been getting more confident lately with making some choices all on his own. I try to go with it when there is no harm to it. Today started with a decision to wear two pairs of underwear and a necklace (I was roped into this one too) and then topped off with Elliot style breakfast. Toast with "surprise" coconut on top.

Bike riding, noticing the little things and cherishing experiences

2010-10-10T18:59:00.002-06:00

It is said that happiness follows those who spend their time and money on experiences rather then things. I have to say I agree this with this and enjoy the happiness that comes. Today was one of those days. A simple start with some home made, fresh from the oven, pumpkin muffins (of which Elliot ate 1/2 the batch on his own). A nice impromptu visit from friends, then heading out to the Nature Museum with my boys and topping it off with a yummy Sushi dinner. What made it all that much better was the fact that Elliot was riding a long behind me!

We bike for fun and for transportation. Derek tollerates/likes it and Elliot and I LOVE it. Yesterday, Elliot and I picked up a Trail a Bike. They are the kind that attach to the back of the adults bike (photo to follow at a later date). I have been waiting impaitently for 4.5 yrs for him to be tall enough to ride one. The day has come. He loved it and not only did he love it but he reminded me of why I wanted one so badly. I was able to chat with him the whole ride (much harder to do with him in the trailer) and hear all of his observations. For example, on the way home... "Mom look at the moon its beautiful. Hey look at that fire hydrant someone made a funny face on it. Mom, I am looking at the river for the fishes." We also raced Derek and won and the best part of all...I rested while HE peddled. I had no idea his legs were so strong.

One of the many reasons that keeps me on a bike rather then stuck in a car is slowing down and noticing and interacting with the world around you. Elliot demonstrated for me today how important it is to really see the world you are in and how much joy such a simple act can bring.

So, Happy Thanksgiving. May you enjoy all of the everyday experiences that make our lives a joy.

The Rock Museum

2010-09-19T18:39:00.002-06:00

The Rock Museum
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

I recently celebrated my 35th birthday. On that day I got some very special presents. Elliot has been saving rocks as a birthday present for me. He started in the spring. Along the way he added a marble, a cone, petrified wood and some seeds. It means the world to me. This was all his own idea and he carefully planned and waited and added items. Today, we started to play with it and built a Museum (see photo). I am sure there will be many other exciting buildings in the future. This is a superb benefit of being a parent.

I also started my yoga teacher training this weekend and was reminded of why it is important to discuss these life changing events with your kids. As we were discussing it Elliot says to me: "I don't want you to be a yoga teacher, I want you to be my mom forever."

(Pause for effect :)

I gave him a big hug and we talked about how I will always be his mom no matter what I am doing. How can I not love this kid?

Marriage Proposal

2010-09-17T18:43:00.002-06:00

Well, it was bound to happen some time. This was just a little earlier then expected. This week Elliot advised us that he and Sarah (a friend from school) would be getting married. Apparently, she asked him to marry her and he said "yes, when we are taller." So, they have been plotting this week and have also decided that once they are married she will get fat (aka pregnant) and they will have a kid.

They grow up so fast! At least he is keeping us posted on the plans.

Thoughts on Life

2010-09-11T19:55:00.006-06:00

We had an unexpected trip to Edmonton this past week due to the death of my Aunt Heidi. It was full of memories and joys. My aunt was the last sibling left from my mom's family and was only 67 yrs old. She was a unique lady full of compassion and joy. I was thought of her during this trip and our many gatherings. As I grew up she was one of my primary aunties and was one of the parents watching as all the kids ran around and played like crazy. It was fun to be in her shoes and see these kids all growing up and playing like mad. Her service was beautiful and one of the most accurate, funny eulogies I have ever heard a pastor give. He clearly knew her very well. Rest in peace Aunty Heidi. We kept playing and singing just for you.

Elliot and Keaton save the world
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Finances

2010-08-25T18:48:00.003-06:00

Elliot's has a new interest in Thomas and the Railway series stories (and subsequently merchandising). We have taken this opportunity to start his lessons about finances. Elliot wanted to buy some trains of his own. Since we have no interest in paying an arm and a leg for the trains, we told him he would have to pay for them. So, the piggy bank was raided, he had almost $50 in coins. Followed by a trip to the bank to open an account. Closely followed by a trip to buy his first train. He chose James. A nice red train that cost (cough, cough) $33.

He is now receiving a $5 per week allowance and has also purchased some Star Wars action figures. Now every trip out he looks for things that he can save up for. He went with Derek to the Science and Tech museum today and already is planning on what he will buy when he is 6. Nice to see him planning ahead! Next step...saving for college.

Those Tough Moments

2010-08-15T20:00:00.002-06:00

I would being lying if I said parenthood is the easiest thing I have ever done. It is a tough job. One of the toughest parts is when you feel helpless. Your child is sick and you have done all you can and they cry 'fix it mommy'. Oh how you wish you could. This week I had to watch as Elliot had a 'peak' day with some stuttering and for the first time got frustrated with it. It was heart breaking when he got tired of trying and said deflated that he just couldn't say it. Elliot has had a repetition stutter for some time that has not bothered him or us to this point. We have him going through the process for a speech assessment (which takes a while), but have been patient as it has not been much of a concern. He has periods of time where his stuttering takes a sharp increase that is usually short lived (thankfully) and normally followed by a developmental change for him. This was the first time that he noticed it and asked me what it is called when you say "e-e-eat"? "It is called stuttering." "What causes it?" "Sometimes your brain moves faster then your mouth." It was hard watching him get frustrated, but I was so relieved that it only lasted a short while. He is such a verbose kid (which is one of the 'risk factors' for stuttering) that it is difficult to watch him struggle with something that he enjoys so much. I was really heartened this week when one of his care providers at summer camp made a point of telling me how gracious Elliot is. "He always says excuse me to get our attention and please and thank you. He is the best of any of the kids here." It is great to have such an awesome kid. I guess I will have to get used to not always being able to fix things, but I can do my best to support him when it is tough.

Our Great Ontario Adventure

2010-08-13T07:16:00.002-06:00

The Family
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Since moving to a new province a couple of years ago (hard to believe already) we decided we wanted to explore. This year we took a road trip to new territory. We got a visit in with my brother and his family, were amazed at Niagara Falls, spent an afternoon in Hamilton with some friends from Alberta, had a fun day at the Toronto Zoo (its huge!) and relaxed at a cottage in Westport. It was packed week but we all survived an are more aware of the vastness of this province.

The Baby Question

2010-07-28T19:52:00.002-06:00

Today I got asked THE question. "Mom, when am I going to get a brother or a sister?". Thankfully, he was content with a simple "We are not having any more kids" response. There are quite a few kids at school who are currently going from one to two (or more). I expected it was going to pop up soon. I have to admit, I had a moment of "awww" when he talked about how a brother or sister is like a friend who does not leave after they visit, but I also thought, yeah that's the problem (he he - I come from a family of 6).

Looks like I get to save the over population, only take on what you can handle speech for another day :)

Proud Canadian

2010-07-24T20:05:00.004-06:00

Proud Canadian
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

This is the third year that we have Celebrated Canada Day in Ottawa. Being from out west the novelty has still not worn off. There is nothing quite like the show of Canadian pride that happens in this town. We even got a visit from the Queen herself his year. It certainly has an effect on Elliot. He talks about being a proud Canadian and how great Canada is. I can't agree more.

Some of my favorites lately out of the mouth of Elliot:

"Imagine if we are not real and a robot is watching us on TV and saying to his mom and dad 'it's ok because they are not really real'". Pretty abstract concept. What a kid.

After falling and scratching himself and confirming with me that he was bleeding he says through his tears "It's ok my platelets will help." Proof that he pays attention to his library books!

Why Every Parent Should Get a Family Free Holiday

2010-06-13T19:31:00.001-06:00

Rodin's Garden and House
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

I had the pleasure of being able to take a complete break from life recently. I took off to Paris without husband or child. It was incredible. Every parent should take breaks like this.

It is often said that parenting is one of the hardest jobs you will ever do. It is challenging and rewarding on all levels: physically, emotionally, spiritually. Since we take a holidays from our 'easy' jobs, why not the hardest job of all?

This is another deeply divided camp. Some people wondered how I got Derek to "let" me go and others could not understand why I would like a break from the family. Thankfully, there were also those who understood completely (always good not to be alone in the world). It was rejuvenating, spirit lifting and incredibly relaxing. I will definitely be having more of these in the future.

It was really neat to come back and see how much my son grew in two short weeks. He also gained an incredible amount of confidence with swimming. The lessons are paying off! When we go for our pre-class swim he is now like a little fish, swimming around (with life jacket). It is so wonderful to see him so confident and having so much fun. He is at one of the funnest ages of all and I am enjoying it immensely.

One Man Band

2010-06-06T19:54:00.001-06:00

One Man Band
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot continues to be full of spunk. Today, he decided that he wanted to be a one man band. He saw it on Mary Poppins and wanted to give it a try. So, we had to figure out how to attach his drum to his back (note the shoe string contraption we came up with) and then he hauled out the horn, guitar and maraca. He sang away and had a great time. He is also more interested in numbers and letters. He likes to open up a word processor and typing. Incredible to watch his joy at such a simple task. Today he was overjoyed when he typed 1526 (our address). He is also gaining more confidence with swimming and was like a new kid at the pool today. This has been a huge change as he is quite cautious, it seems the swimming lessons are working! It was so nice to swim along side him rather then have him hanging on to me for dear life.

Defining a Mother

2010-05-14T07:11:00.002-06:00

There are a few moments for me that define different transitions in motherhood. Moments that really hit home and make me say "Wow, I am a mom". They are all simple, and may be inconsequential to others but mean a world to me. These transitions happen to people every day and often go unnoticed. I am going to honour them today and share.

Elliot started his first UN PARENTED swimming lessons in May. (YEAH) There I sat in the bleachers watching proudly as he enthusiastically answered every question, did every activity and encouraged the not so sure kids that it could be fun. Then he turns, scans the crowd and seeing me beams the most beautiful smile and waves. Wow, I am a mom.

I am in the house getting a few things together, Elliot is outside playing in the back yard with the neighbours. He pops up to the back door and hands me some dandelions he picked. "Mom here are some flowers for you, I want you to put them in a vase". Wow, I am a mom. (I remember doing this for my mom and being so proud.)

Mothers Day approaches. Elliot brings home a flower he made at school. Made from tracings of his own two hands. Beautiful. Wow, I am a mom. How lucky am I?

My logical kid

2010-04-26T19:13:00.003-06:00

I find myself constantly confused at how my son can be completely illogical and yet totally logical all at the same time! Tonight he was in a charming mood and had a whole host of funny little things to say. Here were a couple of my favorites...

We pass the fire hall on the way home and count the trucks, one was missing.
"Mom do you think that he is at our house?"
"No" "Why not?"
"Dad would have called me if there was a fire at our house."
"BUT MOM, your not a fire fighter!"

At the park a little girl crawls on the monkey bars. Elliot looks on skeptically, He is not a fan of heights.

"You do realize that it is a long way to the ground?"

Elliot's new bike

2010-04-11T19:56:00.002-06:00

Elliot's new bike
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot has been zipping around on his Skuut bike for some time now and is quite confident and capable. He can even cruise down reasonably sized hills (the first time he shot down the one by our house gave me a small heart attack). So, we figured now that he has the balance figured out it is time to move on to pedals. Thus the search began.

One of the beauties of walking around your neighbourhood is that you notice things you would not otherwise. Like the fine gentleman who lives en route to the library that refurbishes bikes and sells them (for the last 20 years). Being a fan of reuse and recycling this attracted our attention. Last weekend Elliot and I chatted with him for a while and agreed to come back this weekend to get a bike that was just right for Elliot.

When we arrived yesterday, there on his lawn was a bike just for Elliot, in his favorite colour no less. All of this great service for $20! We can even trade in every year for a new bike as he grows. I love discovering gems like this - they seem to keep coming and make me so pleased about this neighbourhood.

We have already been out a couple of times to practice and I have a feeling it won't take him long before he is cruising around the neighbourhood. I will keep you posted.

Happy 4th Birthday!

2010-04-11T19:32:00.002-06:00

Happy 4th Birthday!
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot turned 4 at the end of February and I have finally gotten around to putting a couple of pictures up. We held his first party with more then mom, dad and some family. He was totally excited and had a fun time playing with all of his friends. I learned that 2 hours and less then 6 kids is perfect. Having a birthday a February birthday limits the options but, I can see swim parties in the future.

One of the things I have been noticing is that ritual is increasingly important. For example, he will get extremely upset if you do not give hugs, kisses and bisous d'eskimo before departing. It is fascinating how the rituals evolve as his focus changes. When he was smaller the hugs and kisses were enough. Then he added a long list of things that I should be careful for on the way to work (watch out for trees, car, etc). Then he added closing the door and opening it again for one last hug. Most of that has been dropped now and after the hugs, kisses and bisous there is an exchange of "see you later alligator" - sometimes spoken, sometimes sung, often both. Sometimes he plays with the speed of the bisous - VERY slow or VERY fast. It is very organic in how it evolves and I love seeing how he gradually changes it over time. I love my bisous d'eskimo.

My Life with a 4 Year Old

2010-03-09T19:19:00.002-07:00

It goes something like this..."Today you are Darth Vader and I am Bobba Fett and Dad is Obi Wan". Continue like that with stories of our great adventures for pretty much the whole day. Repeat.

Needless to say Elliot is just a little obsessed with being the characters in Star Wars. IT is cute and his imagination is endless. But, after the 1000 time (without a breath in between I might add) it can be a little exhausting.

Thankfully, tonight I was Darth Vader - so I can use my Jedi strength to outlast his mind control techniques!

Skating on the Canal

2010-02-16T07:03:00.001-07:00

Skating on the Canal
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot is firmly moving into being a confident and capable kid. We took him for a skate on the Canal this weekend and did he ever enjoy it! It was his second time on his 'Hockey' skates. He likes going fast (surprise, surprise) and spinning around. He did pretty well on his own too. After all, if you are going to live in Ottawa - one needs to love skating!

Playing Catch Up

2010-01-31T14:58:00.004-07:00

We have been having so much fun over the last month and a half that I have neglected my fans! All three of you.

Christmas was a nice relaxing treat. We were able to be home for Christmas and the went to Oakville/Toronto for a visit with my brother and Derek's dad. We even hit a children's museum in Kitchener to meet with a friend that we met in Paris 4 years ago.

Elliot and his cousin Jacqueline

At the Children's museum with Cameron

Elliot has been trying out new adventures and changing right before our eyes. Today he went for his first skate on his newly acquired hockey skates. He did quite well and despite falling about a million times he was in good humour the entire time!

He has also developed a passion for Star Wars and likes to dress up like the characters. Being Derek's son I guess we could not expect any less.

Being "Dark Vader"

Elliot's first concert

2009-12-16T19:31:00.002-07:00

Beaming with Joy
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

This week Derek and I got to experience Elliot's first ever concert (of many we are sure). We were delighted to hear all of the children sing their songs and recite their poems. All of the hard work and practice was worth it. I have never seen my son so proud and excited to have his parents see what he can do.

This past weekend we had a good friend visit and managed to fit in some skating at the Civic centre. It was a great time. We even got to go in the penalty box. A real treat for our referee obsessed little boy!

Try Again Mom

2009-12-03T20:30:00.002-07:00

Tonight my helper extraordinaire was focused on "decorationing" the house. We put up stockings, the wreath and a few other Christmas decorations. Putting the lights up outside included the use of a ladder. After putting the lights up, I folded the ladder, put it away and promptly tried plugging in the lights to the extension cord. It was then that I realized I had put them up the wrong way. UUUUGGGHHH.

Without skipping a beat Elliot pipes up "It's ok mom, you can do it, just try again". With that nice reminder, we fixed it and it looks wonderful.

What a great kid we have.

The Good Ole Hockey Game

2009-11-29T06:54:00.001-07:00

The Good Ole Hockey Game
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We had the opportunity to take Elliot to an Ottawa 67's game recently. When we first arrived he was terrified by the booming voice coming over he PA system and was asking us to take him home. Thankfully, the national anthem saved the day! As soon as he heard that, he was willing to walk into the arena and check it out. He was pretty excited by it all and now wants a Zamboni for his birthday (thankfully, just the toy ones).

A Visit from Grandma

2009-11-29T06:48:00.001-07:00

A Visit from Grandma
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We had the pleasure of getting a nice visit from Derek's mom this weekend. She was in Montreal for work and stopped in here on her way home. Elliot was very excited to take her to the Aviation museum and the Art Gallery. We had a special pancake breakfast where Elliot demonstrated his table setting skills. All in all it was a great time! We miss you already grandma.

The Halloween Gang

2009-11-03T13:08:00.002-07:00

The Halloween Gang
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

On Saturday we went over to Elliot's friend's place for some Halloween fun. Spiderman was more interested in the new toys to play with that he lasted only 1/2 hour trick or treating before he wanted to return. He didn't even eat any candy. Imagine that!

Quick Thinking

2009-10-25T18:47:00.004-06:00

One of the things on my long list of "what I would like to accomplish as a parent" is to help Elliot have good body image. I feel that in North America we start very young with trying to make our children (especially girls, but boys too) feel ashamed of their bodies. I don't like that and would like to do better by my son. Often, it is the subtle things we say or a simple 'bad' response that can speak volumes. As a parent you wonder, do I respond to that comment? How do I respond? etc. Kids definitely make you think about what you say and make you think really really quickly.

This weekend Elliot says to me. "Mom, I love my penis" Me: "I'm glad, it's good to love your body"
Elliot: "Why?" (Should have know that was the next question...) Me: "Because you have your body all your life and you need to take good care of it." Elliot: "OK"

I hope I passed.

School Photo

2009-10-21T19:08:00.001-06:00

School Photo
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We got Elliot's school photo order form last week. There is something so traditional and more "real" about a school photo. Hard to believe our little boy is busy enjoying school!

Writing Letters

2009-10-18T08:20:00.004-06:00

Elliot recently received a couple of letters in the mail from his cousins in Calgary. He dictated a response that his dad wrote out for him and they have sent it off. If you ever wondered what goes through the mind of a three and a half year old...here it is:

"Dear Liam and Katrina,

Next time you visit, you can play with me, or have a piece of chocolate cake, or go shopping with me to get some chips.

Liam, my favorite part about school is playing with animals, playing at the park and going to bed. I made some new friends: Matthew and Christopher.

Katrina, my favorite part of Halloween is being Spiderman. The next time you visit us, you can play Halloween with us.

The next time you visit us, you can bring a crane with a wrecking ball on it.

The next time you visit us, you can bring your monster truck and your car. I would like the monster truck.

The next time you visit us, you can see our tree turning a different colour, Red. The next time you visit us, you can make a snowman, make an airplane. The snowman will go in the airplane. He will close the door and sit in the seats and blast off to Ottawa.

The next time you visit us, we can go in the car. You can sit in your car seat. I will sit in my car seat and mommy and daddy will drive us to camping.

You can go to the dinosaur museum with us, and see the birds with us.

Good-bye. I will miss you. Talk to you later.

Love, Elliot"

Super Elliot, Super Dad and Super Food

2009-10-11T21:36:00.004-06:00

Going to School
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

It has been just over two weeks since Elliot started school. I am happy to report that it is going really well. Mom and Dad are happy too! Derek is getting himself back into software development after 3 years as a stay at home dad. When we started on that adventure we had no idea how long it would be. So much has changed in that time and it is hard to believe that it is now over. Derek is my hero, he did an amazing job of sticking with it despite not being a 'kid' person.

We are really pleased with Elliot's school and are looking forward to a year of growth for all of us. It is a major transition but a positive one. We have been doing well with biking him to school (our thighs are growing as we speak) and are looking forward to keeping that up into November (I am thinking positive here).

With first frost arriving tonight, we wrapped up the gardening for the year. We are still working on consuming the last tomatoes and really enjoyed our harvests. We learned a lot and will likely expand next year. I am already thinking how I will miss walking to my yard to get what I need for dinner. This picture is Elliot and the "companion" radish that was helping out one of our tomato plants. Amazing how huge they can get when you don't pick them.

After going on a little shopping trip, Spiderman arrived at our house yesterday. Elliot chose his Halloween costume and proceeded to ham it up, showing off his muscles and running 'super hero speed'. It was hilarious. The outfit did not get removed until this morning!

Summer days are gone...

2009-10-02T07:07:00.001-06:00

Nice Boa
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

It is hard to believe that summer is over and we are settling into a new routine. Derek and Elliot had some fun in the last days of summer which included checking out some reptiles at the park, including a Boa.

Elliot has not officially started school. He is at the Ottawa Montessori School. It is about 4 km from our house and a nice refreshing bike ride! We have been getting ourselves into a new routine and whipping our sorry butts in to cycling shape! It is amazing how quickly we all adjust.

Elliot had a rough day his second day, but has been a real star the rest of the time. Today marks day 7. He already has a best bud, Matthew, and the two of them are making big plans for time spent outside of school too! I was so happy the other day when I went to pick him up and he proudly stated "Mom, I like school!". YEAH!!!

Spiderman

2009-09-14T06:13:00.001-06:00

Spiderman
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Before he was born, one of our friends had a dream that Elliot was Spiderman. Well, it came true the other day. Here he is decked out in glasses, shirt and shoes. Look out world, he is busy saving the day!

Riding his Bike

2009-08-29T07:57:00.002-06:00

For his birthday this year Elliot received a bike from Grandma. This is a little video of him riding it. He has gotten way better even since this video. It is fun for us to be able to go for a bike ride now.

If you have not seen a Skuut before - they are a two wheel bike with no pedals. The idea is that a child learns balance first and then you can graduate to a two wheeler without needing training wheels. Plus it is a lot of fun!

Our First Camping Adventure

2009-08-29T07:49:00.003-06:00

Frog
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

A couple of weeks ago we ventured out and tried on camping for size. We went to Charleston Lake. It was easily the best weekend of the summer weather wise. We could not have planned it better.

Elliot loved it. He was so excited when we arrived that he talked (and I am not exaggerating) NON-STOP for about 3 hours. We slept in our tent, ate around the fire, went on a hike and relaxed at the beach.

There were a crazy amount of bugs and I managed to have a small brush with poison ivy that is finally resolving itself.

A Whole Lot of Family

2009-07-30T19:09:00.002-06:00

The Gours
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We had a nice trip (despite the bugs) up to Sudbury for my cousin's wedding this past weekend. My whole family and I do mean my WHOLE family was there. Derek got the chance to meet some cousins that he has never met before and we got to celebrate adding a new one to the crew. We now have 47 on that side of the family including spouses and children. Pretty impressive considering only two of the siblings had children!

My camera died early on so I will have some more photos later when I get pictures from the family.

Will he give it back?

2009-07-18T20:58:00.002-06:00

Will he give it back?
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot has had a HUGE fear of dogs for the last year. He had no particular reason, but would politely steer clear of any dogs coming towards him and say VERY LOUDLY "No thank you, I don't want that dog to kiss me!".

My Aunt got a new dog a few weeks ago and this was no exception. The first time we met him, Elliot would not even stand on the floor at the same time as the dog.

He seems to have conquered that fear today. We went for a visit and a stroll through the Arboretum. Elliot held the leash the ENTIRE 2 hour walk and was running and playing with Sandy. They looked adorable together. It would seem that my Aunt now has a dog walker!

Happy Visitor

2009-07-11T20:19:00.001-06:00

Happy visitor
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We just got back from a quick trip to Toronto. Derek and I had a chance to catch a concert and Elliot stayed with Derek's Dad. It was so nice to not have to wake up with a child the next morning!

Neith was so pleased to spend time with Elliot and have him sleep over. He is up for doing it again - Good news for all of us! We had a nice time exploring the harbour, going on a boat ride and of course riding the street cars. Exploring with Neith is like having your own personal paparazzi so I will have some more photos that he took posted later!

The Smile I Love

2009-07-05T20:24:00.001-06:00

Mummy
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We have recently acquired some camping supplies in an effort to facilitate exploration of Ontario and Quebec. Our trial run will be at my Aunt's farm this month for my cousin's wedding.

Elliot is super charged up about being able to camp and LOVES his new sleeping bag. He had to try it out right away and slept in it the night we bought it. Too Cute.

Rocket Ships

2009-06-28T07:20:00.003-06:00

Rocket Ships
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot has been picking up the pen more lately and his art is coming along. Here he was drawing rocket ships and UFOs - all with their own personal signage to the right. The signs say "The rocket ship has zat zoon zoom!"

This is a collection of faces, some happy, some sad some neutral. Enjoy!

Patient Lessons

2009-06-11T20:32:00.003-06:00

We are working on transforming ourselves into a gardening family. This year is the second "attempt" but really the first in many ways. Last year was small and we did little to learn and/or tend to our garden.

This year we got serious. We read books, ordered heirloom plants and even tried to start sprouting some seeds in doors. We are learning a lot and if our gardening books are right we should be reasonably good in about 10 years time!

In all of this we have been trying to include Elliot to help him learn about life cycles and caring for plants etc. He has been great in helping water the "big" garden - sometimes a little too closely. We even got him to grow his own seeds in his own planter (in picture above). That has ended in disaster. The sunflower got eaten by a squirrel and he dug up his radish plants with his little girlfriend. At least he put them into the composter! Maybe he will be more ready next year.

Progress

2009-05-24T18:53:00.001-06:00

Cave Man Art
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot likes to paint but mostly big blobs that have a wonderful description but really don't look like a shark eating a boat. He has not been too interested in drawing and so I was surprised today when he made this fine drawing on the sidewalk today. There could be hope for his talents yet!

Teaching Values

2009-05-14T20:41:00.002-06:00

Derek and I like to make purposeful choices and would really like to expose and teach some of our values to Elliot. I already see some of our attitudes and choices showing up in how Elliot processes his thoughts. My favorite example so far was when he was riding his bike and at the end said he was going to park it at the "bike share" (we don't own a car but are part of a car share). Here's hoping it sticks!

A Spring Visit

2009-04-24T10:05:00.003-06:00

The Three Muskateers
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

This week we have had Elliot's cousins over for a visit. We have been learning all about the joys and challenges of having four children under the age of 5. Elliot has had some adjustment to having to share his things and his parents.

Exploring all of the museums and parks in Ottawa has kept us all on the go. Liam wakes up every morning and asks "What museum are we going to today?"

We will be sad to see them go tomorrow, but happy we do not have to feed that many mouths!!

Mr. Charisma

2009-04-04T10:55:00.005-06:00

Elliot and I just came back from our weekly trip to the farmers market. We are getting really well known there. I am always amazed at how easily Elliot wins people over. He is so friendly and full of smiles that people are just naturally drawn to it. Today he was walking along singing Alouette at the top of his lungs. He managed to get a few people singing along and even one dancing with him. That is my little character.

We got to go to Proulx Farm's last weekend and had a great time learning about how maple syrup is made and enjoying a pancake breakfast, horse drawn wagon rides, saying hello to animals and frolicking in the mud. It was great.

I am always finding Elliot's things hidden all over the house and thought I had to capture the construction fleet in my pantry when I came across it. Life is never dull with a child around.

Explaining EVERYTHING

2009-03-14T20:02:00.006-06:00

Elliot has a very active mind. He literally wakes up with questions on his tongue. His greetings have included things like "Good Morning Mom, do babies talk?" and "I love you, what does affection mean?". This morning he was laughing hysterically seconds before waking up and then woke up saying "I was laughing in my sleep!". He wants to know how everything works and why. This has been the case for a while but has gotten more intense of late and much more tiring. Especially since he can ask more detailed questions and simple answers will not always suffice!

To keep that mind satisfied we have included him in our new gardening adventures and he will be growing his own plants. He has been keeping a keen eye on his Sunflowers and was quite excited to see some growth today.

Three

2009-02-24T20:00:00.003-07:00

Sick

2009-02-02T19:08:00.004-07:00

There is nothing that makes you feel more like a parent then having to clean up puke and diarrhea. The beauty of exchanging a carefree, uneventful life for EVERYTHING that comes with parenting is one of the many gifts! This is one of those moments when you realize you really love that little soul and that you care for them willingly regardless of what their body tries to throw your way.

Now if I could just get the smell out of my nose....

Puzzles

2009-01-26T19:41:00.001-07:00

Puzzles
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot moves through phases. Currently, he is in the puzzle phase. He loves to build puzzles and is quite accomplished at it. Here is proudly looks over the 9 different puzzles he built and then neatly organized into a line.

And Baby Makes 10

2009-01-23T20:16:00.002-07:00

Grace and Finn
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We now have 10 grandchildren on my side of the family. The 'baby' from my group of 6 just had a little boy, Finn Michael. It is a sure sign that we are moving along in life. I remember when I first heard she was pregnant I thought. No, Grace? She is only....28. Wait a second. I guess she is old enough to be having a child. There is a special status that the baby of a family gets. Grace becoming a mother makes the rest of us realize that time does indeed march on.

Congratulations Grace. I know that you will be an amazing mother. I wish you lots of love, patience and wonderful memories! I can't wait to meet him.

New Years Resolution: Update Blog More Often

2009-01-03T19:55:00.002-07:00

It would appear that we have been a little less enthusiastic about keeping our blog up to date lately. I will resolve to do a minimum of 2 posts a month over the next year. Let's see how long it lasts.

We have had a wonderful holiday and none of us are ready for mom to return to work on Monday. Oh well. We had a nice 10 day break filled with friends, family, presents and alcohol. It is always important to stay warm.

We had a nice skate today on the Canal. Elliot continues to work on his skating skills. He might stay upright for a while if he finds that to be more fun then falling down. Right now falling down is winning out!

Christmas that started with a family pancake breakfast, compliments of Elliot's newly acquired fire fighters. They are great for adding water to the pancake mix! Elliot got totally into Christmas this year and was a lot of fun to watch. He was very pleased when he got the chocolate that he asked for.

Elliot continues to be a character. He is a very pensive child and is often found saying "hmmm, let's think". Complete with an intense look of concentration on his face. He likes to run, shovel, play with his toys and ask the same question over and over and over and over and over.

His favorite continues to be his train. Here is a little clip of him from October putting together a track.

Elliot the Giraffe

2008-11-15T22:22:00.002-07:00

Elliot the Giraffe
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot had his first Halloween adventure this year. We went with a friend of his who was also a newbie. They were hilarious. The first couple of houses they were not quite sure what to do. After about 3 houses they were both saying "Ok, let's go to the next house!".

We kept it short and when they got back they very quickly poured out their loot and started to compare. Is that instinctual?

Elliot was so keen after his experience that he was giving instruction to the trick or treaters who came to our door. "Open you bag", "Some candy for you" and finally "Happy Halloween".

How quickly they learn.

Features of Fall

2008-10-13T19:55:00.003-06:00

Proud Parents
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We have been keeping ourselves busy with all of the little things in life lately. We have now been living in Ottawa for a year now. We are looking forward to many more fun filled years.

Derek has started working part time at a high quality toy store. It is good for him to get a change of pace, but could prove cost neutral if we are not careful!

We enjoyed a nice trip to Toronto a few weeks ago and got to see Grandpa MacDonald. Elliot LOVED playing with Neith's musical instruments. We had a fun time listening to his tunes.

This weekend was so beautiful. Today Elliot and I took off on our bike to spend some time at the Agriculture Museum. We had great fun visiting the animals and taking in some of the activities.

Growing Every Day

2008-09-15T20:30:00.004-06:00

Elliot Washing His Hands
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We have slowly launched into potty training with Elliot. He just hasn't had the interest before now. So far, we are having some good success at home. I am expecting a fun and adventurous journey to independence. Part of the fun we wanted to inject into learning this skill was making a book. We took pictures of Elliot in all the 'stages' and made a book called 'Elliot goes to the Potty'. He loves it.

Elliot took a tumble down the stairs today. I got a phone call at work from him, once he was settled down, telling me "I fell a long way down". I think Derek was more upset by it then he was. Thankfully he is alright. I am hoping that was the first and last time.

We had some fun doing some artwork yesterday. His level of concentration for painting has increased significantly since we first started. Here is fun little clip of him painting a snake. Notice his painting smock. My mom made it for me when I was 5 - how is that for recycling?

Jumping for Joy

2008-09-02T18:51:00.003-06:00

There is nothing like the enthusiasm and energy of a 2 year old to bring a smile to your face. I got home today and Elliot was his usual super charged self. When I went upstairs he coaxed me into jumping on the bed with him. His laughter and pure joy he gets from such a simple thing is really awesome. We had so much fun.

Recipe for stress relief: Jump!

Summer Fun

2008-08-24T19:27:00.002-06:00

We have have been enjoying our August. We got a nice visit from Elliot's cousin and his parents and recently Laurie, Brad and Noah came to see us. It was great to see them again. Elliot and Noah enjoyed each other's company quite fine! Here they are at the neighbourhood pool.

We also got to spend a day at the Ottawa Folk Fest. It was a great way to spend a hot summer day. We listened to great music and danced and relaxed. Elliot chose to get his face painted and was super patient. He crashed on the bus on the way home and slept until the next morning, amazing what a good day will do.

Bringing Some Colour to Our Lives

2008-08-24T19:26:00.002-06:00

Elliot Painting His Room
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We started on our goal to do a significant amount of painting in our house. We bought the home floor to ceiling one colour and it desperately needs to change. So, we are starting with Elliot's room. We got the bottom half painted and will be painting the top half and putting up a border later this week.

Canada Day

2008-07-14T18:19:00.004-06:00

Canadians
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

After our trip to Alberta we brought our 10 year old niece home with us for two weeks. We treated her and ourselves to Canada Day the way it was meant to be celebrated. Derek, Elliot, Heather, myself and 300,000 of our closest friends checked out the festivities. It was an experience. We got treated to some F-18's and the Canadian favorite the Snow Birds.

I have also posted some pictures from our trip to Calgary on our photo site. This one is my favorite. It is Elliot's first experience with an ice cream cone. It took a while for him to get the licking bit. He kept wanting to eat it with his fingers.

The Gours

2008-07-12T20:35:00.001-06:00

The Gours
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

This is an up to date shot of our little family. Taken on Father's Day at my sister's house. Derek is even wearing the shirt that Elliot got for him.

A Break from Everything

2008-07-12T20:14:00.004-06:00

Reflection
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

My dad and I went on a Canoe trip to Maligne lake while I was in Alberta. It is the third time that I have been there and I am no less in awe each time I go. To get to the camp site you have to canoe 13 km, no gas powered boats are allowed on this lake. It is the location of the famous Spirit Island - my dad's favorite place on earth.

I promised myself when my mom died that I would take opportunities to spend quality time with my dad. This trip was suggested by my dad last fall and I am so glad that I did it. Now that I live across the country it is nice to have a real visit with him. We both go at a similar pace when we are camping. I believe I got my appreciation for the mountains from him. It is nice to share something that we both enjoy so much.

We saw a variety of wildlife. Mountain goats, sheep, marmots, deer, a black bear, and many many birds. A rather forward squirrel stole my apple core right from the picnic table one morning. The most unique animal viewing was from the throne at the camp site at fisherman's bay. The deer around this site walk around with humans as an afterthought. They were often around the toilet when I went and since it is wide open you just get to sit there and watch the wildlife. I won't ever get a better view from a toilet.

Some Things Change and Some Stay the Same

2008-06-29T20:22:00.003-06:00

We just returned from a trip to Alberta to visit family and friends. It is interesting going home to a place you grew up in after moving half way across the country. Everything is so familiar and comfortable, yet little changes occured in your absence.

We had a great time seeing everyone and miss them dearly. Here is a shot of the Bowers crew on Father's day:

You realize how much time passes when you look at the kids. I was reviewing our photos and remembered that I had an almost identical one from June 2006. It is wild to see Elliot and Katrina grow - they are only two weeks apart in age.

Right now we are on readjust mode. I will post more later. I have some beautiful pictures from my trip to Maligne Lake with my dad.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2008-05-28T21:20:00.007-06:00

Elliot has turned into a real kid. The transformation was quick. One of the places that we notice it most is some of his comments. His love of books has not lessened, he enjoys reading in the mornings. Recently he was reading and proudly said "la, la, la, blah, blah, blah. I'm reading French mommy!". He was reading a snoopy book a couple of mornings ago, stopped and said "I need a more interesting book" and promptly left the room to get one. He has already memorized a few stories and tonight 'read' a book from start to finish for Derek and I. He is constantly reminding me to say thank you when he gives me something and to "be gentle, mommy" when I put his bike helmet on or clip his nails. A few weeks after a visit to Parliament hill he stood on a cement block in the back yard put out his hands and said "I'm a statue, daddy!". He is constantly asking for 5 more minutes when we have to leave the park or stop anything he enjoys. At the park the other day I told him he already had his 5 minutes and he looked at me and said "OK, 20 minutes then?". My favorite is the way that he says Museum of "Fizzilization" (AKA Civilization).

I have to admit that I love it. He makes me smile so many times a day. We are looking forward to seeing our family in Alberta so that they can share in his funny little personality too!

Spring Flowers

2008-05-03T19:04:00.002-06:00

We have been happily enjoying a beautiful spring. Spending a lot of time outside and neglecting our blog. We had a really nice visit with Aunty Trina this week. Elliot was gracious enough to let her use his room and has been asking every day since she left where she is.

Today was marathon exercise day. Elliot and I biked to swimming, swam, biked home, ate lunch, biked to the tulip festival, biked to the play ground, ran up and down a hill several times and finally biked home. I love spring.

Meet Mr. Independence

2008-04-06T18:27:00.001-06:00

Close Up
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot continues to grow and change on a daily basis. Lately, he has been asserting his independence more strongly. It started simply a few months ago with "I try" or "I do it". Recently, he has decided that he can do things all by himself and his parents need to be a specific distance from him. He will tell me "Stand over there!!!" or "You stay there!" and then wander off on his own or continue with whatever he was working on. He sometimes is quite specific with his directives. For example, the other day we built a fort and he told me "Mom stay there and draw, Elliot look in the toy box." (he was looking for a flashlight) and after he found it - "It's dark that's why we need to turn it on and shine it."
It is really great to see him become more capable and confident.

He also has a growing interest in where things come from. We have moved from the "what is that?" phase over to the "where do they come from?" phase. It started with icicles and has continued on to other items like onions. Thankfully, we have not been stumped yet.

A Nice Easter

2008-03-29T05:44:00.002-06:00

Relaxing
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We ended up having a fuller Easter then originally planned. Elliot's cousin Jacqueline and her parents came from Toronto for a visit and spent a couple of days with us. We also got an invite from Aunty Donna and Uncle Bob and had a lovely visit with them. It was nice to have some family time on the holiday. We are lucky to have the chance to get to know some of he Ontario crew a little better.

Elliot really enjoyed looking for eggs in he morning. All week he has been dutifully inspecting his stash and having the occasional chocolate. He likes to hold them in his hand and look them over while marveling at the shinny foil wrapper.

2008-03-16T11:37:00.002-06:00

Elliot got a pile of nice clothes from his grandma for his birthday. Today, he's wearing his new hockey shirt which looks great on him. He was running around too much to take a good picture of him wearing it, so I took a video instead.

And Elliot's been having some fun in the snow recently. He and mom built a nice snowman on the deck yesterday.

That's A Lot Of Snow!

2008-03-12T07:22:00.002-06:00

So far, we've cracked 400cm of snowfall this year! Thank goodness some of it melted earlier in the season.

400 cm.

That's over 13 feet of snow.

We might even beat the record of 444 cm set in 1970/71. The big concern now is that there will be flooding when all of this melts, especially if it melts fast.

But Elliot of course has enjoyed the snow, except when the bitter wind blows, and then he cries out, "Wiiinddyy!"

Here he is with his snow fort in the driveway:

And another:

Dream Big, Live Small

2008-03-10T15:33:00.004-06:00

Having Elliot has certainly changed many things in our lives. One of them is priorities. We decided that we would try to have someone at home with him as long as we could and that has meant a lot of changes. When we moved to Ottawa we had many plans that kept changing (as always) but have decided that Derek will stay home another year (till at least Sept 2009) with Elliot. Well, unless we change our mind before then! To help facilitate this we decided to renovate our basement and turn it into a bachelor suite. As with everything in our house, it is always more work then one would imagine. The house had a "finished" basement when we bought it - 70's style. Here is the bar that we had to tear out - BEFORE:

The old bar had fake wood panelling, commercial vinyl tile, plastic faux stonework & marble surfaces. Also mirrored tiles along the back for that extra touch of class. It was built to last and took some doing to tear it out.

After that we tore off wood paneling, sanded, painted, did the floors and doors and anything else that looked aweful. We hired out the carpeting for the main space and an Electrician to put in some outlets. The rest we did ourselves. We have learned a lot in the process, now hate IKEA and have a sense of pride for getting it done in 5 weeks. This is no small feat when you can only work evenings and during naps!

This is what the kitchen area looks like now - AFTER:

More lighting, more electrical outlets, laminate floor, Ikea free-standing kitchen hardware, paint, wallpaper, waterproof fake tile backsplash, and a drop-leaf table.

Happy Birthday!

2008-02-24T22:57:00.004-07:00

Today Elliot turned 2! Here is a nice little video of him singing to himself. Notice how he uses his full name. He is a stickler for accuracy.

We had a nice visit last weekend with some friends. Molly, Dana and Noel from our birth class were in town and we got together at the Museum of Civilization. It was so much fun to see them again. When Elliot went back to the Museum this week he asked where Molly was.

We also got a chance to enjoy Winterlude with Stacey, our old roommate from University, and her sister Mikaela. Elliot LOVED Mikaela. When I say LOVED I mean LOOOOVED her. He was drooling at her feet the whole weekend. He sure likes his cute younger women! It is too bad she lives in Lloydminister, we could have a great baby sitter.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Song Star

2008-01-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

Ho Hum its January

2008-01-13T19:26:00.001-07:00

Smiley Guy
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

I was thinking that it is January and nothing much is happening. But then I reflected on my update and changed my mind. We are all busy getting into a bit of a rhythm in the new year.

In anticipation of the Rideau Canal opening we all got some skates and went for Elliot's first skate (sorry no pictures) at the community rink. Not surprisingly he LOVED it. It was a bit of a challenge trying to get him off the rink, but we managed. I do worry that he might start to like Hockey and then we are hooped. That sport is so expensive!

He also started a gymnasitics class on Saturdays in an effort to get some exercise indoors in the winter time. It is also a chance for him and mom to do something special and give dad a bit of a break. It also went well. Leaving took a little bit of convincing. He doesn't want things he likes to end. Really, can we blame him?

Elliot communicates so well now it is hard to believe that he hardly spoke just a few months ago. He uses four word sentences pretty regularly and has a couple of songs that he can sing.

We parents are keeping busy too. Derek has decided to conquer the basement and is tearing off some of the wood paneling and prepping the walls to paint them. I started at a yoga studio here last week and it was wonderful to be in a class again. One day we might even get ourselves some friends! One step at a time.

A Quiet Christmas

2008-01-01T20:50:00.001-07:00

This year we had a nice little family Christmas. It was lovely. We woke up slowly and made pancakes (Elliot's favorite breakfast). Then we proceeded to open gifts. Elliot enjoyed it so much that it took just over 2 hours to open about 10 presents. The beauty of not knowing what Christmas is all about is that there is no rush. He would open one and play with it and then we would need to gently remind him that there were more.

He loves to read and got some pretty great books. The following clip is him reading the train book that he got from Grandpa B. We have included subtitles just in case you don't understand his 22 month old language skills!

A Lot of Snow and a Little Comparison

2007-12-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

So far this year we have had a total of 1 meter of snow. We are all stronger for it. Including Elliot who does a fair bit of the shoveling. Our yard doesn't look the same. In fact parts are hardly recognizable. Compare these two photos for example. In one there are flower barrels in the other????

Elliot is not easily deterred and tried to play at the park. This tractor has a spring under it, it didn't move because the snow was in the way.

When we first moved to Ottawa Derek asked me why all of the fire hydrants had tall signs on them. I explained that it was for winter time. He could hardly believe me. Do you think he believes me now?

And today it is raining...

Snow Tunnels

2007-12-18T10:12:00.001-07:00

Snow Tunnels
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We got a lot of snow on Sunday. About 35 cm in one day. After digging out the driveway yesterday, today, Elliot and I went after the back of the house. Now we can get through the door to our carport and into the back yard. Can't open the door to the shed yet though. There's still about 4 feet of snow drifts covering that one.

7 of 8 and 8 of 8

2007-12-13T19:24:00.001-07:00

Meeting Jacqueline
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We went to Toronto recently and got to meet our niece and Elliot's cousin, Jacqueline. It was a wonderful visit. Elliot was very fond of her and gave her many many kisses. With the addition of Jacqueline we now have 8 grandchildren in the Bowers family. Next year there will be 9 (no it is not us!) when my sister Katherine has her 3rd child.

We took the train to Toronto and Elliot LOVED it. Not to mention the subways, street cars and buses. He also got to see Stacey whom he has adopted as a second mother. She graciously hosted us.

A real treat on this trip was meeting up with our friends Tim, Krista and Kyla. It was awesome to get a some great big hugs, play by the lake and share in their joy! Congrats on the being pregnant you guys! Yeah!

During the trip Elliot started saying "What's that?" to every sound and every thing that he saw. It has not stopped. Next will be "Why?". We are bracing ourselves.

Snow Bunny

2007-11-22T09:31:00.001-07:00

Snow Bunny
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Yesterday we woke up to some snow, and today we woke up to a bunch of snow with more on the way. So Elliot and Dad took a walk to Canadian Tire to get a shovel and a sled. Elliot had lots of fun shoveling outside when we got back.

Busy Hands

2007-11-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

Elliot sawing at the Museum of Civilization

Elliot Drilling at the Museum of Civilization

Our Star

2007-11-20T21:07:00.001-07:00

A view from the side
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

It was pointed out to me the other day that I have been remiss in posting on our blog. So, this one is for you Jenn :)

We have been continuing to explore our city. We went to the Museum of Civilization and checked out the kids section. It was fabulous! We are nicely settled in to the neighbourhood.

Elliot has been blossoming. His language skills are excellent. He is speaking in two, three and four word sentences. Just the other day he sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" from beginning to end. It was great and sounded so cute, there will definitely be an effort to get it on video. Derek is taking French classes and we are making an effort to give Elliot some exposure to French. He has been doing pretty well with this too.

Our adventures in babysitting continue to go well. We are really enjoying having some regular dates and spending some much needed alone time together.

Museum of Nature

2007-10-27T19:33:00.000-06:00

Elliot and I visited the Museum of Nature on Friday. He was both fascinated and fearful of the dinosaurs and enjoyed all the kids-only stuff...like the truck.

Loving the Fall

2007-10-21T20:07:00.001-06:00

Checking out a Creek
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We have been really blessed with a great fall so far. Today was a beautiful day and we went for a walk in Gatineau Park. It is a HUGE park that is just gorgeous. Elliot found himself a nice puddle, splashed away and soaked his shoes and pants in the process. It was great.

We have started to venture into the world of babysitters and had our second session of that today too. It was nice to get out and have some time together. We are aiming to make it a regular happening. Elliot had a little bit of separation anxiety but did quite well overall.

We were fortunate to have my dad in town for a week and he helped us with some projects around the house. He is a classic Mr. Fix It and his knowledge and skills were a great help. Elliot LOVED having his grandpa around and we were all sad to see him go.

Exploring Ottawa

2007-10-10T11:08:00.000-06:00

Today Elliot and I checked out the Agriculture Museum. He got to see some Horses, cows, donkeys, sheep, pigs and chickens. Most importantly we got to inspect some tractors. He is a wee bit infatuated with tractors and we pretty pleased to be able to sit down in a few and try them out. Thankfully we have an unlimited pass to this museum and two others for the low, low price of $53 for the whole family. Unbelievable. So far we have also gone to the science and technology museum and have yet to explore the aviation museum. I am sure we will make that $53 go a long long way.

We are mostly busy still getting ourselves settled in. Elliot has been helping me with the many chores. I am fortunate that he loves to mop, sweep and do the laundry. We are slowly acquiring furniture and are getting gas hooked up so that we can replace our condemned oil furnace with a natural gas one. Ah, the joys of home ownership!!

We Have Landed

2007-10-02T21:13:00.000-06:00

This is out second day in our home in Ottawa. It has been a good day. We got internet access (YEAH!!!!), our boxes arrived and I found out that I will indeed have a job. I will be starting with Veterans Affairs (same job I left in Calgary) mid October. It is a 10-15 min walk from our new place and one of my old co-workers is working remotely from that office for another year. She will be my little piece of home.

We are slowly getting ourselves settled in. Tomorrow we get our appliances, I am really looking forward to that. The rest of it will come in pieces. One day we will even have a table and chairs. Elliot already does but it is kind of small for his parents!

My 70s Toy

2007-09-23T22:54:00.001-06:00

My 70s Toy
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Does this bring back memories for anyone out there? We call it a 'CD' player since Elliot will probably never know what a record is. A friend of mine gave it to me recently. It has all the records and plays lovely versions of old classics like "Jack and Jill', "Humpty Dumpty" and everyone's favorite "Twinkle, Twinkle". The best part about this toy...NO BATTERIES!

Grandpa and his Prodigy

2007-09-16T22:28:00.001-06:00

I'm Cool Man
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Elliot's View

2007-09-16T22:27:00.001-06:00

What Babies Take Pictures Of
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

This photo was taken by Elliot when he managed to get his hands on the camera. It is the first of many quality shots.

We just passed the 1 year and 1/2 mark at the end of August and are currently enjoying his discovery of language. His acquisition of new words has been quite high over the last few weeks. He is now making two word sentences and is learning the power of language. The whole family is excited about this new skill. He is turning out to be quite the chatter box and already loves talking on the phone.

The count down to our move is on now that we are less than two weeks away. We hop on our plane on he 28th and take possession on October 1. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a smooth transition. Photos of us in the new home will follow in the coming weeks!

The Smoothie 'Stache

2007-08-18T11:13:00.000-06:00

I Fear the Slide No More!!

2007-08-06T22:58:00.000-06:00

Elliot has been quite hesitant with slides. He will hold on at the top and not let go or only go down if you are holding both his hands or sitting with him. Today that all changed. We were at Prince's Island for the Heritage Day festival and ended up at the play ground. To our surprise Elliot decided today was his day to figure out what all this sliding business is about. Of course it was followed by MANY repeats. He was quite happy with himself and had a lot of fun.

All Fired Up

2007-07-28T12:14:00.000-06:00

I read a couple of news articles lately that have me all fired up and make me wonder how many critical thinkers are left in this society. The first one was about "BabyFirstTV" - a 24 hour TV channel targeting 6 to 36 month old children (available in the the US And UK - I am sure we are next). What on earth do we need a 24 hour baby channel for? How can people possibly think watching TV on a regular basis can be good for babies? I think what bothers me the most is the false claims these channels make about their programing. They state that it promotes language and emotional development. Give me a break. A recent study in the US (June 2007) demonstrates these claims to be bogus. Both the American and Canadian societies of Pediatrics have issued recommendations that children under 2 not watch TV at all.

'Experts' aside I like to go based on simple logic. We are social beings. We learn best from doing and interacting with others. Babies at that age are forming neurons and learning at a rate that will be unparalleled for the rest of their entire life. Don't we owe it to them to give them the human interaction, love and affection that they so crave and require for good development? Then there is a simple question of healthy habits. One can only imagine the impact that setting up those kinds of habits at such a tender age will have on our already alarming obesity rates. So, please listen to your logic and play with kids, talk to them, show them how to do things around the house, read to them and do your best to be a positive influence.

My next rant is about so called "Pet Hotels". I appreciate that owners of pets sometimes need to have someone else care for their pet. I am all for treating our animals with the love and respect that they deserve. I find it a ridiculous reflection on our values as a society that we would spend crazy amounts of money on getting a hotel room for a pet. A quote from one hotel add:

"Dogs have their own, individual, private rooms with their own fully-enclosed patios for exercise. Each room is totally private and has the advantage of individual, thermostatically-controlled heating. In summer, the air is kept cool by means of a sophisticated air-flow system, coupled with an exceptionally well-insulated building and ultra-violet ray-inhibiting, covered patio areas."

I know of a lot of people in Calgary who would love to be treated so well. Our housing crisis is ridiculous but we have money to spare when it comes to our dogs. Honestly, do you really think a dog cares about the room? They just want to be well cared for, played with and loved.

If you made it this far - good for you! Let me know your thoughts!

Watching Elliot Grow

2007-07-21T22:37:00.001-06:00

I find it really fascinating to watch the changes that Elliot goes through. It is neat to watch how his mind works by paying attention to the changes in his comprehension. Lately, Elliot's knowledge of the world around him is really expanding. His language skills are picking up as he likes to repeat almost anything you say. He is also getting more engaged with little details in the books we read.

A couple of stories from this week's world of discovery...

Elliot was washing the floor in the bathroom (his choice not mine, I swear) and I commented that he was my very own Cinderella. He finished what he was doing, left the room and returned shortly with a Cinderella book in hand. We sat down and read it and I was reminded how much he pays attention to.

He is big on sharing with his stuffed bear right now and was 'sharing' some milk before bed. He stopped the bear after a few 'sips' sat him up and made the bear use sign language for "more". He was quite proud of himself and I was too. The connections are amazing.

Our silly little guy

2007-07-15T21:12:00.000-06:00

Elliot really likes to dance and will stop and do so often. We went to a community pancake breakfast yesterday and he was enthralled by the square dancers (not the best choice...but he is still young). Here is a clip of him dancing at home.

Taking the Plunge

2007-07-12T00:07:00.001-06:00

Our new home
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

Today marks the day that our conditions were lifted on the offer we put in on a home while we were in Ottawa. We have already listed our place in Calgary and are busy showing it. The plan is to move our little family October 1. The house is a semi-detached 2 storey with 3 bedrooms. Derek is excited about the rec room and bar in the basement. Since we have a sitting room, dinning room and a family room I am looking to turn one into a yoga space. Elliot should enjoy the back yard not to mention the cool park with the wading pool near by. Having an extra bedroom will give us lots of space to host guests. So, if you are in Ottawa in the future make sure you stay at chez Gour.

Stampede YEEEEEHAAAAW!

2007-07-08T20:16:00.001-06:00

Elliot on the Merry Go Round
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We decided to try taking Elliot to the Stampede yesterday. We took him to kiddie world and tried out some rides. He did fabulously. We even had some time to take in the SuperDogs. Elliot excitedly clapped along with everyone else. We just need to get the boy a cowboy hat and boots and he will be a true Calgarian.

Resting in Ottawa

2007-06-29T21:17:00.001-06:00

Poster Shot
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We went to Ottawa this past week to scope it out and see if we could live there. We will keep you posted on the results.

We managed to take some time to wander around parliament hill and caught this shot of Elliot while he took a break.

Soccer Boy

2007-06-13T20:30:00.000-06:00

Elliot loves to kick the soccer ball. He does have to work on his attention span though...

Elliot Travels Tibetan Style

2007-05-28T22:57:00.001-06:00

Elliot Travels Tibetan Style
Originally uploaded by Derek And Angela.

We went to the Lilac Festival this weekend. A place where people are plentiful and room is lacking. So, we decided to carry Elliot in a Tibetan Rucksack style and leave the stroller behind. Contrary to his look in the photo he quite liked it and we were able to manage the crowds with much more ease.

The festival was pretty good. It is basically a huge outdoor market with stages scattered about. We listened to some good latin music and some nice drums. We also ran into our Midwife who was quite pleased to see Elliot and how much he has grown.

Derek managed to make some new friends as well. They certainly were the life of the party.

Little Milestones

2007-05-21T23:38:00.000-06:00

One of the best parts of parenthood for me is seeing the little milestones that Elliot reaches, mentally, physically, and emotionally. When he was only a few months old, the big achievements were rolling over, grasping objects, sitting up. The last big milestone was walking, and I was a bit disappointed that the big ones were now going to spread out more, with toilet training, talking, etc. happening over longer stretches of time, with little happening in between.

Thankfully, I was wrong. There are a ton of small achievements all the time. We had two just this weekend. The first one was Elliot feeding himself with a spoon. He's been feeding himself with his hands for months now, but his attempts to eat with a spoon have been unsuccessful, and quite messy! I even got this one on video (though I missed some of his better scoops):

This morning, he achieved something else new. He walked down the stairs from our bedroom all by himself - holding the railing and with paranoid parental supervision of course! But he did it. He's been working up to it lately by navigating the shallower steps at the park, and this morning he thought he'd give it a try on the more advanced stairs.

The best part is watching him clap his hands in celebration when he achieves something new. It's so cute.

Our Little Soccer Star

2007-05-14T18:47:00.000-06:00

Elliot has really taken to the soccer ball. He's very good at kicking it around, but only when he feels like it. I wanted to get some video of him kicking it today, but this picture is the best I could do.

The Faces of Elliot

2007-05-10T19:47:00.000-06:00

Happy...Sad...

Announcing TRU-BREAST™

2007-05-10T17:42:00.000-06:00

This falls into the category of..."I just couldn't resist"

When you have to compete with the marketing giants of the world, one must get creative. This one made me smile. Click on the link below for a revolutionary new idea!

Announcing TRU-BREAST™

How to Tell the Weather has Changed

2007-05-07T07:35:00.000-06:00

We have certainly decreased the amount of posts on this site. It is a sure sign that we are getting out more and enjoying spring. This weekend was great. We had a lot of fun family time and Derek and I went dancing. It was a nice balance and the weather was very spring like indeed. We are getting more lax in the picture department (my father would be disappointed). Some new photos should arrive in the not so distant future.