patience is a virtue

I often find myself marvelling at how we live in a world where things happen so fast.  Instant results.  Instant gratification.  The internet comes to mind first and foremost.  With the click of a mouse there are literally thousands of resources available at our fingertips.  I wonder sometimes if all this really is a good thing.... or if it's made us a little bit lazy and all but too demanding with a dash of entitlement on the side.

My kids will grow up in this type of world, but I want to try to keep some things simple, if at all possible.  I know we can't live in a bubble, but there are things I can do to teach patience and the value of a hard day's work.  Ironically, just yesterday I was wishing that I was 39 weeks rather than 32 weeks pregnant..... that Ruby's bangs would hurry up and grow..... that the fertilizer we put on our grass would turn it green overnight.

So, I'm officially going to make concerted efforts from now on to just let things be and be happy with the way things are.  As is.

It goes without saying - I'm happy with Miss Ruby.  She's perfect.  As is.

fairy garden

I have a secret.

We have a real fairy garden in our backyard.  It's about 2 feet long and is the home of three friendly fairies.  There's also a turtle, blue, green and white shiny rocks, some trees, a clothesline, a nice patch of grass and some dirt.

Ruby's quite enchanted with the fairy garden.  Especially the shiny rocks.  She likes the way the fairies squeak when she moves them around and around but the rocks are definitely getting the most attention.

I've heard that fairies are tricky creatures and are typically quite elusive.  With that said, we are very lucky to have a fairy garden right here in our backyard.

See your yourself:

Oh!  This was the first day she let me put her hair in a pony tail!  I think it's adorable.  She looks so grown up.  What a little lady.  I love her so much that sometimes I seriously think I might explode.

P.S.  Credit for the Fairy Garden goes to Nan Lynn.  Cheers!

911

I know, I know.  It's been a while.  Thanks for the 'friendly' reminders!

Nothing major has happened over the past two weeks, but here's a run-down of life as we know it:

• Ruby loves outside.  She loves it so much in fact that we've had tears on more than one occasion when it's time to come inside. Sometimes bribes work (food or watching Elmo) but most often they do not.  She is very strong willed and just says "no", head down, running away from me. 

This was tonight after supper:  

Running through the neighbour's yard.
Stick in one hand.  Rock in the other.

• Mealtimes are changing.  First of all, it appears as though she's too interested in other things to sit through an entire meal.  She rarely clears her plate anymore, which is new for Ruby.  Second, she's started putting her sloppy hands underneath her bib and rubbing them all over her clothing.  It's ridiculous.  When the warm weather comes, she'll be stripped down to eat.

• Baby Boy will be here in 10 weeks.  I had a check-up today and everything is a-ok.  I feel ok.  I have my moments.  I certainly don't remember feeling this tired while pregnant with Ruby.... and I was working 10 - 12 hours a day at the time.   Ryan and I went on a 2-week vacation to BC and AB when I was 32 - 34 weeks pregnant and I was quite on the ball.  Hm.... I guess Ruby is a handful.  And, my legs are much, much worse than they were back then.  I have veins that are trying to escape through the skin.  Ouch.  

• Ruby called 911 today.  I have no idea how she managed to dial those numbers, but she did.  Thank goodness it was on speaker phone so I heard the dispatcher on the other end.  She had the phone to her ear chatting to the guy.  I apologized profusely and an hour later, the police showed up due to protocol.  He didn't seem impressed.  Oh well.  

So, that's about it.  Life is simply carrying on.  We're waiting for the nice, warm weather which has been eluding us as of late.  Everyone complains about it year after year, as if the rain and gloom is a novelty.  The fact is, we probably won't get any really nice weather until after this baby is born so we all might as well suck it up and get used to it.  For kicks, dial 911 and blame it on a kid.  It worked for me!  

Running down the street last weekend.  

cold

It's too cold to blog.
I'm on strike until it warms up outside.
This weather sucks.

I have a cold.  I feel terrible.

easter monday

Like I said.... long weekends are the best!  They just keep on going..... much like Ruby who doesn't seem to want anything to do with sleeping lately.  Oh boy.  (sigh).

Dear Ruby,

Am I too charismatic for you?  Am I such an awesome mommy that you just can't bear the thought of sleep and missing out on one second of the thrilling adventures we have every day?  Should I try to dial it down a bit?  Hm.... I'll think it over.

Love Mommy oxoxox

Here's a peak at the fourth day of our Easter Long weekend:

Pianist in training.
She loves the piano. 

Poppy and Nanny.
She loves Poppy and Nanny too.

Listening to the ocean in a seashell.

We had a wonderful time in Sackville today.  Turkey dinner was scrumptous and Ruby had so much fun playing with all of Nanny's rocks.  I wish it weren't such a long drive...... or that Ruby didn't mind driving so much.  Maybe she'll get better with age.  ?

easter sunday

The weather can't get us down!  No sir.  

We had a great Easter Sunday (despite no nap and much fussing getting to bed this evening).  The 15 cm of snow that fell actually gave us some great entertainment outside for an hour before lunch.  

By 9:30 a.m. we had already hunted eggs, played with them, played with new plastic bracelets and dyed hard boiled eggs.  Gee.... come to think of it, maybe the culprit is too much stimulation.  She was on fire all day... and really didn't want to go to bed.  And the answer is:  No.  She did not have any chocolate or candy or any other sweets for that matter.  It was a purely overtired state.

Seriously happy.

Playing with her eggs and new bracelets.

Token pregnant belly shot + getting ready to decorate the eggs.

Rather than colour the egg, Ruby wanted to colour her hair and nose.  

The fun in progress. 

By noon, we had eaten the hard boiled eggs for lunch.  Then we played, tried to have a nap, gave up, tried again, gave up again, resigned and went to the Ginn's for Easter Dinner.

This lovely headband lasted all but 4 seconds.

Rear view.  :)

Playing with magnets on Grandma and Grampy's fridge.

Opening her Easter Bunny.

Playing with cousin Ryah's iPad.
We tried to get all three grandkids in one picture but it did not work out.  

"Yes, I am all grown up and pretty."

The Grants.  

easter weekend

Long weekends are the best.  In my humble opinion, every weekend should be three days and the work-week four, but that's not likely to happen in my lifetime.  I do wish there were more statutory holidays throughout the year.  I think New Brunswick is the only province left to join the "family day" band wagon which would give us an additional holiday in February.  Should we get a petition going??  

This weekend, much like most others, has been filled with chores.  One of my recent projects has been going through Ruby's old clothes and trying to decide what to do with it all.  Needless to say, our basement is a mess with bags of tiny cute outfits... all with memories attached.  Another project is painting our bedroom furniture.  It used to be red and now it's white.  Almost done.  One or two more nights of painting should do it.  

ASIDE FROM ALL THE CHORES..... we did manage to have a little fun this weekend!  We enjoyed a brisk walk Friday morning and then made cookies in the afternoon.  Daddy helped too.  

Cheese!

Is she posing here, or what?  

Easter cookies! 

Easter mantle. 

Saturday of this long weekend got off to a good start as well.  We enjoyed a lovely breakfast with our friends the Jorgensen's.  The sun was shining and it wasn't freezing, so the kids played outside on the deck with the papas and the mamas got a few minutes to relax and chat on the couch.  So nice.

Ruby's tucked away in bed and I just finished hiding little plastic eggs around the living room and can't wait for morning to go hunting them with Ruby.  We've never done this before as a family and I'm pretty excited.  The last time I had an Easter egg hunt must have been...... 1987?  I'm long overdue.   I'll definitely try to get a video and some good pictures of all the action.  

To be continued.....