The Great Indoors

Rain, rain, go away has been the familiar refrain of late as the weather has left a lot to be desired in Ottawa. In fact, we have been having our porch painted and a job that was supposed to take 3 days has now stretched into its second week due to all the weather-related delays. So faced with a Saturday stuck inside the house, we ventured off to the Museum of Civilization to meet up with best pal Logan and see what the new Mythic Beasts exhibit was all about. The exhibition left a little to be desired, but both munchkins left with a new dragon and excited to check out the Children's Museum (where they were allowed to touch things!) and really let loose. Pals since birth, these two really know how to have fun in each other's midst and no exception this time around. Dress up time, trading turns on the various vehicles and a blah rainy day turned into fun for the two of them. The dynamic duo won't have to wait long to wreak havoc again, school is back in session tomorrow morning!

See my dragon, Oliver?


You draw, I'll erase!


Cutest sheik ever!


Inside the actor's studio


Happiest baby on the block

Happy Birthday, Auntie Meggie!

We send the happiest of birthday wishes out East to Auntie Meghan! You mean the world to all 4 of us here in Ottawa, you are a fabulous mom, a great daughter, a superb sister, and an awesome aunt (and soon to be Godmother!), but most of all a best friend. We cannot thank you enough for how much you do for us.

We hope your birthday Saturday is full of sunshine, happiness, great food and some wicked presents to top it all off! We miss you with all of our hearts and can't wait to see you again soon! Happy birthday!

Enter Sandman

Isabelle has a new skill that makes her parents pleased as punch. About a week before we left for Toronto, we started to realize the aftereffects of the binky exorcism earlier this month. Isabelle was no longer falling asleep as quickly as she used to, leaving her Mom or Dad lying down with her for up to an hour before finally dozing off. If you tried to sneak out, she sensed it and would sit up and protest your departure. Something had to be done as it was making our nights longer and longer, not the best when we are already sleep-deprived parents!

Playing sleep with Great Grandpa


The next step was to see if Isabelle would fall asleep on her own. Although coached on the concept all through her bathtime, when it came to the moment of truth, she was distressed and not shy to let us know. We stuck to our guns and assured her that we were right down the hall and that she was taking the next step to being a big girl. 45 minutes of off and on crying and getting up and out of bed and then finally she gave up the fight.

The next night was much better and even though the experiment was interrupted by our Toronto trip, we went right back to the plan on our return are now on day #6 of success. Every night she asks if she is going to bed by herself and is clearly stressed by the response, but we stick to our story and it appears to be working (touch wood). She begrudgingly accepts her fate and has negotiated the open bedroom door as her end of the deal.

We'd like to think she has embraced her role as a big girl setting a shining example for her little brother. But it's much more likely that the reward gummie worm she receives the next day is the real reason!

Baasley, one of her oldest and best sleepmates

Where's Kobe?

This question was on Isabelle's mind throughout the fabulous wedding and reception of our dear friends Allison and Sean's wedding on Saturday. She loves her Auntie Alli and her uncle Sean but her heart belongs to the furry four-legged fellow that she is accustomed to seeing with them. His absence was not a deterrent to having fun, however, as she discovered some toddler Aussie boys to chase around the courtyard and soon forgot about her canine chum. It was a gorgeous wedding, beautifully set in a chic art gallery in Toronto's distillery district. Allison looked radiant as the blushing bride and Sean the handsome groom was even cuter when he got emotional during the vows. The reception featured some fabulous appetizers and some wicked food stations, plus much revelry and fun times for all in attendance. Isabelle spent her time munching on fries, sipping on orange juice and tearing around the courtyard as fast as her legs could go.

Safe to say that Oliver and Isabelle's first wedding was a big hit on all counts. To see such great friends start their lives together meant a lot to all of us. We are so proud to have been along for the ride as Allison moved from college roommate to a big star on the Toronto fundraising scene to a Danforth homeowner taking on some mega renovations as a couple. Happiness and good times could not be more deserved for the newlyweds, and we look forward to seeing them in a less formal setting again very soon! Hope the Muskokas honeymoon is a blast!

The happy couple


The beautiful bride


Oliver chills with Mommy


Only the bride was prettier


We can eat as much as we want?


Isn't this fun, Daddy?


Posing princess


She's not zonked, she's faking it.

One Fine Feast

Wow, what great food we had at Alli and Sean's wedding, something for all tastes, including traditional South African food and a Canadian favourite, poutine! Fries at a wedding? Isabelle could not have been more excited.

Quartet of Cousins

We are back from a whirlwind Toronto weekend where not a second was to spare as we shuffled our way from place to place in less than two days. Our final stop before heading home was in Stouffville, where Oliver got to meet his twin cousins Carys and Peter for the first time. We were so sorry to miss their christening yesterday but were happy to make it there today to spend some quality time with the ever-changing twinlets. Isabelle enjoyed the trip as well, testing out her climbing skills in the playground and then back to the house to entertain the little ones. The kid has no shortage of energy and seems to delay and defy sleep in the process. She finally succumbed to the sandman tonight well past 9:30, the hectic weekend having sapped her of her ability to fight him off any longer.

Playground poser


Reach for the top


Carys in motion


Man in the mirror


Hello there!


A shared laugh


Are you talking to us?

Sunset of the Tulips

Sadly, another Tulip Festival has come to a close here in Ottawa. Ever since we moved into our home, we have enjoyed being so close to all the action every May, and it has only gotten better with the arrival of Isabelle and now Oliver. Isabelle never turns down an invitation to walk and see all the tulips at attention, stopping to smell them and training Oliver to follow suit next year. Even though the weather on the weekends didn't do the best job of cooperating, we were still lucky enough to enjoy the beds and even share as this year we saw both sets of grandparents come through during this special time. Soon the park will lose its rainbow of colours and the traffic will decrease accordingly, leaving the park a quieter place for the kids to roam amongst the NCC's upcoming batch of summer flowers, which the Tulip peepers don't seem to know or perhaps care about!?

Yellow fellows


First peek at the tulips


Mommy, do we have to go already?

Sitting Pretty

Both Isabelle and Oliver are the proud new owners of brand spanking new car seats, and hopefully our family has bought its last of these pricey items in the process! As Oliver grows, he has Isabelle's cowmooflage seat to move into, then by the time he outgrows that, Isabelle will be in a booster. And Dad is equally happy that he doesn't have to learn how to install any new models anymore!

The new seats are sweet rides to say the least. Oliver now rolls in black and tan leather-wrapped comfort, stylish yet still easy to clean! Isabelle, never to be spared comfort herself, is set for years with her deluxe seat that converts to a booster as she reaches her school-age years. It also sports armrests and cup holders, making her more than equipped for our next road trip!

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Just kidding, actually. These two kids adore each other like we never would have guessed. In fact, we will have to remember these days fondly when they are have a dueling teen phase years from now. Oliver is always keeping an eye on his big sister and she sure can make him smile from ear to ear. And Isabelle cannot get enough of her new best friend. In fact, she had a cold last week and was bereft that she couldn't give him the amount of hugs and kisses to which she had become accustomed.

The transition from 3 to 4 in our family has gone swimmingly. Isabelle has never once seemed jealous or upset about her new brother or the time we spend taking care of him. In fact, quite the opposite. She is always sure to say hello or good night to him, and never fails to include him in any questions or conversations she has. "Is Oliver Happy?" "Is Oliver coming?" "Is Oliver coming to get me at school?"

Last week he smiled at her and she seemed so impressed that she said "He's all grown up now, he can walk!" Slow down there, big sis.

Binky Begone!

One of Isabelle's first and longest-lasting love affairs to date has been between her and her binky. It would have seemed odd to us early in our parenting days if we had known that these tiny plastic things we bought would end up such a big part of her life, and equally as odd that we would be writing about her kicking them past the age of 2.5!

School started her off by keeping them away from her at naptime, and soon she was sleeping unobstructed for every nap. The girl adored her car binky, but when we didn't put it back on the car seat after we returned from Florida, she neither missed it, nor asked for it. Progress!

Last hurdle to climb was night-time....3 days ago during her bath she decided she was going to bed without her binky. She read her stories and had a final moment of hesitation, crying out for it one last time as the lights went out. But we didn't relent and she survived without it, even sleeping through the night. She then added it to her regular morning proclamation "I slept in my own bed the whole night...without my binky!"

So we have squirreled her final binky away as a keepsake, and anyone can see what we have been telling her for months, she doesn't need it to catch her nightly ZZZZZs.......

A Day to Celebrate Moms

Happy Mother's Day to our superstar Moms and to everyone who takes on what is one of toughest but most rewarding roles ever imagined. Only once you get older and become a mother yourself do you realize how much they did for you from the moment you arrived. Enjoy your day, ladies, you deserve it for all the tremendous work you do, the love you share, and the lives you change. Thanks to you all.

Hostess with the Mostest

Isabelle loves to have people over and lately she has not been disappointed to say the least. She was ecstatic to discover Gran and Grandpa at our house when she arrived home from school on Friday. In no time, she had half of her toy box on the front porch to share with the newest visitors. This all fell by the wayside when she saw that her scooter from Florida also made the trip. C'mon, Gran, let's try it out!


She has a blast visiting with them and making sure they know where the tulips are, even though the weather did not cooperate today. Showers all day long did not dampen her spirits but did contribute to a few clothing changes along the way, which we all know is not a major problem for Isabelle. Hopefully for Mother's Day we will get some sun to enjoy!


Always the happy host, Isabelle (with help from Oliver and her parents and grandparents) welcomed Menna and Ron for some drinks and a BBQ feast. Some great food and great conversation and Isabelle's dessert was near and dear to her heart, a chocolate tulip courtesy of our guests. She also enjoyed the opportunity to flex her acting muscles by horsing around and playing doctor with Menna. Everyone at the party had their ailments checked several times over and were given a clean bill of health by the resident on call prior to her turning in for the night.


Oliver has also been happy to receive all this attention and really has been the perfect little infant. He coos, smiles, sleeps almost on cue and fussiness is at a true minimum. A healthy, happy baby indeed, his parents could not be prouder or more relieved!

Smilin' Sweetie

What a prince.

Are You Happy?

If you have been around Isabelle lately, she has likely asked you this question. Many times over. And if you scold her or tell her you don't want her to do something, she's even more interested in gauging your happiness.

Say yes and she's thrilled to know you are happy. She then asks you several questions to determine if every other person in the room is happy.

Say no and she desperately needs to know why. This usually starts a multi-why conversation with no end in sight.

If you don't answer her, she suggests an answer "Yeah? Are you? Yeah?", until you can't help but laugh and then she knows you are happy.

Here she is with someone who is always happy: