Mr Golden Sun...Please oh Please!!!!

     So today all I can think about is sunny warm weather and going on a vacation someplace warm (pronto if possible). I am sure most people can relate to this feeling.  For me it seems like every year around this time winter really starts to drag on!!  Oh how I miss beautiful sunny warm days...I can't wait to wear shorts and sandals, I can't wait to take Ethan swimming at the beach, I can't wait for sunny walks with the dogs, I can't wait to get the BBQ out and I really can't wait for the days to get longer.
     Today I am really feeling spontaneous and I have a strong urge to book a trip someplace warm (I could surprise Nate...he wouldn't mind right?)...Oh a trip would be so perfect and needed right now.  When I close my eyes and go into my memory bank I can almost feel the sun kissing my skin, the sweet breeze of ocean waves and the very satisfying smell of sunscreen.  Man vacations are so amazing and fun and for some reason are really on my mind this week...it is funny because just the other day I stopped at a variety store for a drink and when I was inside picking out my choice of beverage I had a very strong feeling of deja vu...this is because Nate and I always stop at a variety store right before we leave to the airport on vacation...it is our routine gas and beverage stop. Anyhow for a split second while in the variety store I actually imagined that we were heading on a vacation and even allowed myself to enjoy a quick few seconds of pure excitement...I am sad to say that the feeling ended quickly as I walked out of the store into the freezing cold and headed home to a driveway full of snow.
     I have to admit...this winter seems soooo much tougher to get through...I think this is due to a couple of reasons...first, lets be honest our winter has been brutal (cold and lots of snow) and second Nate and I usually plan a trip somewhere warm around this time of year. We do this intentionally because we have a hard time with the winter.  It is a great strategy to get through winter because it allows our mind to go into excitement mode at least a month before our trip...we have something to look forward to...it is ingenious and works so well for us. 
     Anyhow this year we decided that we would switch it up a bit and go on a summer road trip out East to the Islands instead for our yearly vacation. So I guess I will have to settle for my memories and dreams of warmth, sun and ocean  to get me through this winter.

This is what I am thinking about today...

 JAMAICA 2010

We took this picture while on a pedal boat

I love how the sun is hitting the water in this picture...

I love watching the sunsets while on vacation...nothing is more beautiful to me (except my baby)

This rock was beside our Villa...I thought it was a perfect setting for a picture!

CANCUN MEXICO - 2009



From our balcony

Lounging, swimming, tanning and eating...yeah it's tough!

MEXICO (2007)

This was actually the first all inclusive resort that Nate & I had ever been too...it was amazing...each day consisted of napping, sunning, eating, swimming, napping again, snorkeling, eating and eating and eating...The hardest part of the day was getting showered and all dressed up for our evening meal.
I remember really enjoying the evening entertainment at this resort.



Just Beautiful...this is the view from our balcony




This picture just makes me happy!

 

OK the snorkling at this resort was amazing...we went almost every day because it was so amazing!

Well it is off to bed...maybe I can visit the ocean and spend some time in the sun in my dreams tonight! 
Good Night!

Our Monkey is 8 months old

I'm a big boy now!

Ethan turned 8 months on Feb 24th...posing with his frog...
My plan is to continue taking monthly pictures with this frog and then yearly to compare how big he is getting.

Ethan has accomplished many things this past month...he can sit by himself, he is rolling like a champ, he is crawling (kinda more like wiggling, shuffling and pulling himself like a worm across the floor)...It is such a cute sight! 

Recently I bought a new type of cereal with fruit and Ethan just loves it...he will now open his mouth nice and wide for me no problem. Feeding him solid food is so much easier now and a lot more fun!

He really knows who his mom and dad are and loves to be around us. It is cute because he always keeps his eye on us when we are around...but he will go to other people as well which is nice. 

We have enjoyed every single second with Ethan's sweet spirit and even though I keep saying I want him to stay this size forever I am so excited to be by his side as he grows into the person he will be...

It is crazy to think that one day he will be bigger then me (yikes)! 

But he will always be me baby!

Ethan in the playpen beside our bed, he just got out of the bath.
He is holding a remote that we don't use...for some reason he just loves remote controls

Playing with mommy...I love his goofy little grins



First time on Daddy's shoulders...he loved being up high!



Nathan gave him a good ride on the shoulders...I am sure there will be many more to come!

"Am I one of those mom's"

     So I found myself saying something interesting to Nathan yesterday that I thought I would debrief about on this post.  Last night Nathan had the night off from work and we were hoping to go out on a hot date...so I got dressed up, put on some makeup and finished my look with jewelry and a splash of my new Christmas perfume (it is called "Sexual Sugar" and I love it...it smells soooooo good). Well it turned out that most of our family were out of town, sick or busy so we didn't have someone to watch our little guy. Therefore we ended up changing our intimate one-on-one date plans and made it into a family night with Ethan.  We were not the least bit disappointed about this because we love family time of course and as a bonus we were able to track down the final season of LOST from some friends (thanks Nick and Mallory). So our hot date night quickly turned into a fun night of pizza and LOST. Since we were dressed up and ready to hit the town we decided to drop by the mall for a stroll around. We didn't last too long at the mall...I looked at a camera that I am interested in purchasing, and took a little walk around to check out some of the latest fashions.  Soon after we were ready to go home to the comfort of our house and watch some LOST (I have been away for 3 weeks so we needed our fix).      
     Once home I found myself instantly heading upstairs to our bedroom to change out of my dress up clothing and into my comfy PJ's (as I always tend to do when I am at home).  Once I got upstairs I found myself looking in the mirror and thinking "I should get a picture with Ethan because I am actually dressed up nice."  I bolted down the stairs with the camera and said "Nate can you get a picture with me and Ethan." Nate was like "ok"...He obviously thought I was being random...I told him that I don't have many pictures with Ethan when I am actually dressed up..."I don't want Ethan to think I was one of those mom's."  After the picture I remember thinking to myself "am I really one of those moms?"  The type who let themselves go and stop putting effort into the way they look..."no I can't be."  For a moment I almost decided that I would keep my nice clothing on for our night at home just to prove that I am not "one of those moms"...I am sad to admit that this thought lasted two seconds and then I put on my comfies (I can't help it!)
     I have decided that if "I am one of those moms then I am proud to be one of those moms".... comfy clothes and no make up rule!!!! (However I think I need to get cuter PJ's...hahaha...my snowflake and plaid PJ's are a little lame!!!)

So this is the picture I got Nate to snap yesterday
As long as I clean up well and my husband loves me then I am ok with being
 "one of those moms"





Ethan is a STARFISH

I signed up Ethan and I for a baby and parent swim class. Yes, Ethan is now a starfish and today we had our first class...Nothing is cuter then babies in water..so cute and adorable! I love baby chub!  Ethan's friend Case (our neighbour's son) is also in our swim class.  The lessons are 30 minutes long...today we did front and back float, jumping, singing and free play with the toys. Ethan just loved it! 



There are about seven other babies around Ethan's age in our class. Ethan is use to water because I have been taking him to the pool at my gym, He was kicking and splashing in the water the moment he got in.
 Ethan loves it when I throw him up in the air and jump with him in the pool.

In the change room...swim diaper off, shower, dry off, dress and back into car seat for home



A few more memories from our trip to Edmonton

Jessie girl and her dolly

Playing the game LION downstairs with Joe, Markus and Jessie

Daddy's Little Girl

I just noticed that I have a lot of pictures of Ethan in this comfy red GAP outfit...they are not taken on the same day...it is just one of my favorite outfits that I wash daily and put on Ethan because it is soooooo comfy...my cousins Joy and Alex and family gave this outfit to Ethan at Christmas....it is funny because the hood has little ears...Alex and I think it looks like a devil but Joy insists it is a cow....hahaha we had a laugh about it at Christmas!

This picture reminds me of Shayna as a baby

Ethan trying to grab the camera...this happens often

Frequent Flyer

      Ethan and I missed our connecting flight from Toronto to London by minutes so we had to kill some time at the Toronto airport...I got some lunch at a cafe then we found a free lounge sponsored by a credit card company to hang out at...the lounge had comfy chairs and free TV, drinks, nuts and candy so it was quite nice compared to waiting at the gate.  
     We missed our connecting flight because our flight from Edmonton to Toronto was an hour late leaving due to "mechanical problems"... that's right, and truthfully I was more then happy to wait while the mechanics "fixed the plane"...not the most reassuring statement if you ask me...I couldn't help but think...what if the mechanics accidentally don't fix the problem properly? Yeah, I am a little paranoid...Truthfully I never use to be anxious about flying...during University I flew somewhere every weekend for cross country and track meets and didn't think too much about it, but ever since meeting Nathan (he gets a little nervous) and watching a TV program about plane crashes I have gained some nervous flying energy.  But really when you think about it "how the heck does a very massive and heavy piece of steal stay up in the air...it is crazy!!! I know that statistically it is actually safer to fly than it is to take the train or drive and I understand that flying involves laws of physics including differences in pressures and gravitational forces that lift the plane in the air and stuff but really I just don't get it! 
     For me, personally, I think airplanes are one of the most amazing things when I really think about it.  I must say that every time I board these gigantic vehicles and think about how much they must weigh it never stops amazing me as the airplane rolls down the runway and, as tho­ugh by magic, lifts itself into the air. It is truly incredible when you think about it!
     I titled this post frequent flyer because Ethan has been on quite a few airplanes already...I went to Jamaica when he was in my belly - I was seven months pregnant (that counts I think)...and then to Edmonton twice...yes he is a world traveler at the fresh age of 7 months...haha!

This is the "I am not impressed look"...Ethan gave it to me when he found out our connecting flight left without us!
We are actually in the comfy lounge I was talking about during this picture and the next couple



Here we are waiting at the gate...we are so excited to see daddy...only another hour to go!!

OK...you see that lady in the background (the one with the blond hair)...she was a little too friendly and would not stop talking to me...I was a little embarrassed because she was so loud and a little inappropriate and obnoxious...I was afraid people thought I was with her...Yup I called her the crazy lady...Yes I know her life story and most of her children's life stories...She was nice but had no boundaries!

Ethan has been sticking out his tongue like this for a couple days now...it's his new thing I guess!

Ok I love this one....sooooooo cute!

Getting ready to board!!!!

Quick picture of the two of us...yup I am holding the camera and it took a couple attempts to get both of our heads in!

Ethan is thinking "last shot already"

"Enough pictures MOM"

"Really....NO MORE"

He is not impressed with me!

On the plane

Ethan was so interested when the propellers turned on...we were in one of those small planes so it was so loud...
Like father, like son...even though Nate is nervous on planes he is so interested in them and loves the window seat.

The love of airplanes runs in Nates side of the family...I think Ethan has inherited that gene!
Ethan loved looking out the window and inspecting the plane!

Father and son reunited after 3 weeks...so happy to see you honey...we missed you!

Ethan fell asleep on the plane and looks a little tired in this picture but he had smiles for daddy!

My boys!!

A few pictures I snapped once we got home.
HOME SWEET HOME!

Love this one!

Like father, like son!