Summer is coming to an end...

I can feel the air is changing and the night time seems just a little bit cooler. Having said that the days are still HOT and we are still on full speed visiting beaches, sprinkler parks, and now boating! Last week my aunt Brenda and cousin Ian arrived. It was almost funny because I was chasing kids on the bikes, had Mary-Anne in the stroller, trying to get a little digny boat blown up, had company arriving for Mike to take on the boat, talking to a neighbour and was also on HOLD the phone and I looked at Ian and said "oh don't worry this is pretty normal". His jaw dropped.

No big updates for Charlotte and Robbie, they are pretty much the same. We've taken them on the boat twice and they loved it. Once on a calm morning when the water was like glass and the other was after supper. The boat has so far proved to be a very nice thing for us. Of course Mike would want to be on it all the time but Mary-Anne can only handle her life jacket for about an hour. Mike also took Brenda, Ian and I on a longer ride while my mom stayed at the house during the kids nap time.

It was certainly a week for enjoying the water. Once I got the dingy boat blown up we headed to the beach and the kids played in it for a while. I held tight to the rope and was impressed with Charlotte as she was figuring out how the paddle worked and controlled the boat. She certainly does not take after her grandma. I say that because my mom, aunt and cousin all went kayaking one night after supper and I got the pleasure of being in a double kayak with my mom. Oh the guide must have had a few giggles at us as my mom couldn't stear to save her life, and I can't seem to bite my tounge to save my life. It was all fun and we had a few great giggles especailly after my mom steared riging into another kayak on the right bounced off him and went straight into another one on our left, at which point I asked if there was a "Bumper Kayak Event:" in the Olympics.

The big changes have been in Mary-Anne. She is sitting now, she is a bit wobbly but can sit for a couple of minutes. She has cut two teeth, on is almost all the way up and the other just cut. It is funny the things that make me sad. The first tooth is always a sad thing for me, I LOVE the toothless grins, and once the first tooth comes in that is it for the toothless grin. Mary-Anne is finally starting to settle into a routine, in both day and night. She tends to wake now around 1am and at 4am. Hooray, I can actually handle that. Not just because it is only twice, but because it is predictable. I'm so happy!

Here are some miscellaneous pictures. 

This kids painting, yes Robbie is painting in his underwear. Why? you ask... 

because it was only a matter of time before he started painting himself.

We also went blackberry picking, and found blackberries by the handfulls...

 ... or mouthfuls.

Robbie and Ian. Charlotte wouldn't come for the photo because she was too sad that Ian was leaving.

Aunt Brenda and Mary-Anne

Sprinkler Park fun (again!)

We had a BBQ with some friends, after supper I put Robbie in his pj's and looked over. He was swinging with his bare bum hanging out. Of course people laughed and our little boy who is sure to be the class clown decided to provide more entertainment.

He's Home!

Mike has arrived safe and sound from his trip to the USA and he brought with him a boat!! Mike drove most of last night slept a bit and carried on this morning. He arrived around 7:30am, and sure enough the men on the street were waiting. They came walking down the road, coffee's in hand, to check out the new nautical digs. Good thing too. A few of the tidbits of conversations that I heard went a little like this...

Mike: "What is this?'
George: "That is the light"

Bill: "Mike do you have the plug?"
Mike: "What plug?"
long pause from everyone
Mike: "Do I need a plug?"
Frank: "Only if you don't want the boat to sink"

They also had to do a bit of minor repair work on the trailer. No fault of Mike's it was just a long drive and a pad fell off. Luckily we live on a street with a number of handy men and they took good care of Mike and his boat. They were out on the water, beers in some hands, by 9am. Mike did not drive, Chris did the driving and the boat is running decent. A little tweeks, and it shall be good to go. As for me and the kids Robbie is just chomping at the bit to go but my gut won't allow it right now. Not until I know the boat is running smooth, and even at that I think I'll go with Chris at the wheel. I love my husband but that doesn't mean I want him driving me and my kids in a boat in a rocky bay in the Atlantic Ocean just yet.

Needless to say this is a proud moment for Mike and for that I am happy!

On another note. I completely jinxed myself telling you about Mary-Anne sleeping for 4 hours, two nights in a row. Last night was not a good night. And just for the record I have even left her in her crib on numerous times to see if she'll fall asleep. That usually results in her babbling, often in a voice so high that I'm surprised dogs don't come running to the house. After the hour of song, she breaks into whailing which too can last up to an hour, and she's never fallen asleep I usually give in because she'll have woken on of the other kids. Wish me luck for tonight!

Is that the end of the tunnel???

Well I knew it would happen, and for two nights in a row Mary-Anne has slept from 1-1:30ish all the way to 5-5:30ish. Yes that is a full 4 hours and yes that is a record. I know that other kids half her age are sleeping that long (or even longer) but I refuse to let that small fact burst my bubble! And as I suspected the difference is... she is rolling onto her tummy to sleep. Personally I hate that each and every one of my kids is a tummy sleeper but that is how they like to sleep.

It was also a big day for Mae... because this is normally what she does at breakfast time

... but today she got cereal!

... and I think this is a sweet photo.

Here the kids were playing Ring-Around-the-Rosie with Sydney in the pool.

... we all fall down

... and SPLASH!!!!

.

updates

I've been trying to think what to blog about and our days have been so similar that I feel like I'll bore you if I tell you we've been to another beach or playground so I'll just give quick updates. The biggest update is Mike is currently away in the USA and on his way back he is bringing home a boat. That is right he finally gets his boat (Happy 40th Birthday to him). He is so excited and I am so scared I think I might vomit. But he assures me he is going to learn what he needs to know, still I'm nervous but trying to be positive as I know that the kids will love the boat.

Here are updates on the kids.

Mary-Anne, has the most beautiful eyes. She is now 5 months old and they are still blue-grey so they may stay that way. She also has an extremly contageious and wide smile, which she throws around quite a bit, especially at me, and Charlotte and Robbie. She watches everything her brother and sister do, they are constant entertainment for her. She is rolling everywhere and has gotten up on her knees a couple times. She is NOT sleeping better, even though she is 75% on the bottle. Last night she finished an entire bottle around 2am and fussed until 4am, so breast or bottle she just doesn't settle easily at that time. This morning I noticed some white along her gums and am hoping that teeth are coming, that way I can give a reason for my sleepless night, however most nights are like that so I guess I can't actually blame teeth.

Robbie is amazing in everyway. He is funny, and enthusiastic from the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to sleep. He has reached a great male accomplishment, one that no man could survive without.... he has learned to (as we say) Pee-on-a-Tree. Since this feat he has decided he'd much rather go outside but when he has to use the indoor toilet he attempts it standing up, and I can't help but laugh at my little boy reaching up on his tippy toes trying to be tall enough. He really is a funny kid, like today when we were playing Duck, Duck, Goose he would walk around the circle saying Duck Duck Duck..on... and... ...on.... and.... on.... then when I'd finally convince him to say goose he would run around the entire house endlessly. Of course this drove his sister crazy because it wasn't the right way to play, but my mom and I just laughed and laughed because once again his enthusiism was so fantastic. No matter what the game be it boats or dinosaurs the game is always at 100% and to have a kid who lives every moment to its fullest is a true blessing, but it does come with its challenges. For example he rarely naps anymore so by 6:30 he spirals into a puddle of tears and all I can do is hug him until his thrashing and screaming gets too much. Then he crashes into a deep sleep, poor guy.

Charlotte got through her swimming lessons, as usual she was shy and nervous in the beginning but by the end of the 2 weeks she was loving the lessons. I have been so proud of her lately. The fighting between her and Robbie was getting to the point where I couldn't handle much more (remember I am still up every 2-3 hours and my patience is thinning). I decided that we needed a few days of peace so I bribed them. Lets refrase that, I am rewarding them for not fighting. The deal is that if they can earn 10 stickers for not fighting (one sticker for morning and one for afternoon) we will go for ice cream with sprinkles. They have earned 8 stickers so far and it is primarily because Charlotte has learned to control herself when Robbie pushes her buttons, and believe me he can push buttons. I am so happy to see her learn this self control. She has also been a great help with Mary-Anne recently for example today I was running late getting us out the door and Mary-Anne was taking forever eating her bottle. I put Mae in her car seat and Charlotte held the bottle for her. Hoorray! and she loves to be such a help.