Easter

 Yup, I know the date is not even remotely close, but this was a post I had started and the computer, or maybe the internet, who knows at this point as it was so long ago, didn't upload it.
So presenting our easter 2013, a little late. Better late then never right? (laugh)

 This little girl was sooooo excited to paint eggs.

 This little girl couldn't care less.

 We went for an egg hunt in the park with some friends. Even though it was a freezing cold morning, Audra had a blast!!!

 Hand me down easter shirt,

 Meant that a new easter shirt had to be made for Audra. She wanted to match and be like Eleanor (of course).

Easter morning egg hunt with Dad. Dads eggs and treats were up high, and Audra got all the low stuff. 

 Easter Sunday I believe. My two little bunnies all dressed and so cute.

The bib you can't really see says first easter of course and so does her bunny. The easter bunny brought it for Eleanor, but if you look back to Audra's first easter pictures, you may see it. lol.
We had a great Easter. Lots of food and fun and visiting with family.
As I finish this post, I want to say that Audra still has some easter candy kicking around.

Water Beads

Thank you Walmart for having a sale in your plant department and letting me snag these plant water beads cheap. Who knew what we were buying, and whether they would work or not. Best $1.50 ever.
A little package of beads, and some water and it has been hours of entertainment.

 Teeny tiny little hard beads........

 Become these crazy jelly like water blobs!

 Which then become fun to play with in the sink. This is a game that has yet to get old. Scooping, sloshing, crazy little water bubbles/balls, can keep Audra entertained for hours. She loves them, and I think they are super neat.

They are originally used in vases with plants. They soak up the water and expand, and when the plants need it, take the water out. But who needs flowers?
I think they may make it out to the water table outside, and for the 1.50, we lose them, I won't be that disappointed. lol

Month 8

 Most days there is no taming that wild beast we call your hair! You thankfully let me put bows and barrettes in to try and keep it back.

 There has been lots of sitting and watching your sister run around the playground. Don't worry you'll be there soon. I have been putting you on the slide and of course you get to swing, but for the most part you don't mind watching your big sister.

 You also love watching the kids run around at soccer. All that action keeps you entertained. (now if only we could get your sister that excited to play!)

Eight months, where has the time gone? You are a much happier little miss now that you sleep most nights. Granted its still in the swing, but we'll take it. After a very long seven months, we all need the sleep. You start to get fussy around 7, and we can usually delay things a bit with a bath. You love the water and love being in the tub with Audra. Once jammies are on and you get wrapped up, you instantly calm down, as you know both milk and sleep are on their way.
Most nights you are alseep by 8 and we don't hear much til 6 the next morning. Some mornings, won't lie, if you're not screaming your fool head off, we ignoring the babbling that has started, and get a few more minutes of sleep.
You are a whole different child with sleep, let me tell you. Mornings are good, filled with lots of food for breakfast (man can you pack it away!) and usually by 930 are ready for another little cat nap. Depending on how loud the other Firmans are in the house, you may or may not nap for long.
If we are home in the afternoon, you will usually have a longer nap. It's wonderful. You wake up so happy, and you can just tell that sleep has helped your mood and attitude.

I love seeing you in clothes that Audra wore. The hand me downs are so stinking cute!!!! Your teeny tiny feet are finally starting to grow. It certainly isn't for lacking of eating that your little feets haven't grown. You are a HOOVER! Man can you pack it away. I have been giving you pretty much everything we have at dinner. You love pasta. Will still eat the cereal, mixed with fruit or whatever we have around. You have and will eat most fruit. Love broccoli and cauliflower, carrot and recently we discovered potatoes. You can't get enough. Chicken, turkey and fish have been the meat choices, and of course you will eat them all. I started giving you some yogurt, and you can't eat it quick enough. I have been giving you cheese, which you also seem to love. Meals are interesting, you can't eat fast enough, and you sister most days can't eat any slower. Man are you too opposites.
You have started babbling a lot, making raspberry noises, anything to make yourself heard! Lots of da da da, ba ba ba, but no ma ma ma yet. Your dad and I figure your first real word will be Audra. lol.

And your first tooth finally cracked through. It's a sharp little thing. It's next door neighbour is coming soon too I think, it looks right there, but baby teeth are funny. They look there one day and the next day have disappeared back into the gums. You thankfully haven't been too fussy with them coming through. You certainly love anything cold, and your applesauce popsicles for dessert, I'm sure help. Also freezing little drops of applesauce are another one of your favourites.

This picture sums up our future, I can just see it. Two crazy little girls, who will love each other, but drive each other crazy!

Month 41

Month 41, or 3 years 5 months.

 My little monkey who isn't so little anymore. The time just keeps flying by. You looked so pretty and so grownup all dressed up. You were so excited to go to the wedding, and even more excited to wear your pretty new dress. You love all forms of dress up and wearing a dress is your preferred clothing choice.

 You are still so silly when there is a camera around. Half the time now, you run away and don't let me take your picture.

 Warmer weather means more outside time. It's great to let you run around and burn off some energy. You love hopscotch. I love these action shots I managed to sneak it. We have discovered that your trike and your little car are too small this year. Guess we need to get you a bike!

 Going to the park is definitely one of your favourite things to do. We are lucky that we have three really close parks right by. The little one up Watsons is one of my favouites as its big enough for you, usually no one there, and it's small enough for me to chase after you and keep an eye on Eleanor.

 They have a piece of equipment that is like the old tin can and string trick. You talk into the horn at one end on the ground and then the other person hears it, up on the play equipment on their end of the horn. You and I were talking through it, but I guess you didn't understand and were shocked to hear someone say "hi, Audra!". I was peeing my pants b/c I laughed so hard. You didn't know it was me talking to you.

From the top picture all grown up, this picture seems the complete opposite. You look all young again. You are currently wearing your favourite breakfast all over your face. Peanut butter and nutella. I am not sure what we are going to do when you go to school, as you won't be able to take peanut butter, or the nutella to school. (Sad face)

Speaking of school, we went to kindergarten night last week. You weren't shy or nervous, didn't really listen all that well, and just wanted to do your own thing. Hopefully when you actually go to school you will listen better. lol. It will be interesting. How you are possibly starting school in the fall still blows my mind.

You are a talkative little creature who lately doesn't ever seem to stop. It is nonstop talking all the time. Oi! You are full of questions and want to share everything with everyone. I have taught you to say excuse me if you are interrupting someone, but it has become excuse me, and rush and into the story you want to share. It's hilarious.
Let me tell you, the house quiets down 150% when you go to bed now. Its wonderful that you are so curious and want to chat and talk, but somedays, it would be nice to get some peace and quiet. I can't complain. Should treasure these moments while I have them. You'll only be little once, and only this chatty for so long (or will you?)

Heres to another great month ahead, summer finally with us, and all of us having a little more fun.

Wedding flowers

 When it came time to thinking about flowers, I knew I wanted something homemade. As beautiful as real flowers are, I wanted something that I could keep forever and cherish. I don't like the way dried flowers look, and didn't want to use fake flowers. So thought "hey why not my favourite medium, felt?" And off I started on what would be the longest time consuming wedding project. The great thing was, could make a few flowers and then come back to them.

 Some of the flowers are different patterns made to look like real flowers. By the end I was just making up my own versions, what looked good and what I liked. I incorporated buttons, beads and broaches into the mix as well. Kept with our colours of yellow, orange, green and grey. Threw white in for contrast.

 There was quite a lot of glue and glue gunning and only a few little burns through the whole process. I don't think I have ever used so much of my glue gun.

My bridal bouquet coming together. 

My bridal bouquet on the left (the bigger one obviously) and then my sisters maid of honor bouquet on the left. The flower ball (or tester as I like to think of it) was for Audra. She was so thrilled to have flowers like mom. And the boys boutonnieres.

The boys boutonnieres. The one on the right was a little different for Jamie. I stitched around the one leaf and embroidered the date as well on it. The left one was for his witness.

All in all, I loved how they all turned out. They were a crazy amount of work, but in the end very worth it. I will be able to always have my bouquet. While making these I checked out Esty and there are some beautiful bouquets being made. It was astounding. I totally understand the high price tag attached to those listings, as it is a lot of hard work.

Wedding

 I am not going to post one long crazy post full of pictures, instead will break it up a bit. (also don't have all the pictures back on the computer)
Us saying our vows. Beth, the minister, was absolutely fantastic!!!!!

k

 First picture as a married lady!

 The new Mr and Mrs!

This is one of my favourite shots, me with my girls.

Monkeying Around

A little bit of monkeying around at the indoor playground. Not the best shots clearly, but both Audra and Eleanor had a blast.

 Eleanor was perfectly happy to just watch all the kids running by and having fun.

Always moving around! Getting harder to snap good pictures with the iphone. lol

Go Your Own Way

 Back in April I took my wonderful Momma to see Fleetwood Mac. They played in Toronto at the ACC, and wasn't aware I was buying nosebleed seats at the time, but thankfully the concert was A-MAZ-ING!!! They are a little old for antics and craziness, so it's not like we missed anything being that high up.

 They can still belt it out and the sound was fantastic. Lyndsey and Stevie-fantastic!!!!! And how Mick, who is now over 70, can play those drums like that for as long as he does, wow! It was a long show, no opening act, and two super long encores.

They played all the hits you would have expected. "Never gonna go back again" was amazing, and wish I knew how to upload video better so I could share. It was amazing. They also played a new song or two, guess they are working on a new studio album. Interesting.

It was a great show and even though we were far away, so worth it!!!!

Month Seven

My littlest Miss, how you keep growing. Seven months have come and gone and next week will be taking your 8 month shots! Crazy. Time as usual is just flying by us at warp speed.

You are much more expressive now, and you are loud! Doesn't matter if you are happy, sad, angry, joyful, it all results in screaming and being loud. 

 You were so not impressed with the cute little tutu. You looked really sweet though.

Happier days seem to be happening more often lately. You don't cry as often, or fuss as much, and that makes momma so happy. If we are home, you will likely have a little nap in the morning and afternoon, and the smiles that follow are so great. Sleep is good for everyone!!!!!

And speaking of sleep, you went to Grammys for 5 days while mom and dad went to Las Vegas, and you actually slept through the night. The first day in Vegas getting the text message that you slept from 9pm-6am, almost had me falling out of my chair! What?!?
I guess you decided that since Mom wasn't around, you didn't need to snack all night. Yay. The only downside to your sleeping, is that most of it is done in the swing. Left alone in the swing, you will sleep all night. So as much as I don't want that, I don't really have a choice right now. You are sleeping. Something we both need desperately after 7 long months. So once you get used to sleeping all night, no snacking, no waking, we will work on getting you into a bed and not a swing. Otherwise what is our next option when you outgrow the swing? A hammock? lol.

You get up so happy in the morning. Some mornings we get til 7. Other mornings it's closer to 6. But we get up, you nurse, then have breakfast and by that time, your sister is definitely up. And the day just rushes by. You love to eat!!!! Man can you pack it away. I have never seen someone so small eat so much. You will also pretty much eat anything. There isn't much you turn away. Not a fan of mango or pineapple, but when they are mixed and hidden you will eat them. You love broccoli and cauliflower. I have just been cooking them up and cutting into small bits and you love to feed your self. Your little pincher grasp has developed and you can pretty much pick up anything little now.

You watch your sister like a hawk and love to watch other kids. I think you have just as much fun at soccer as Audra, who is actually playing. You are almost crawling. If there is something behind your feet, you will push off. You roll around constantly and can now spin yourself in a circle. So if something falls behind you, you can get it. It's so cute seeing you scoot around.

I think we have finally turned a good corner my little Miss, and I hope it stays. You can be so fun and adorable. Excited for the summer and all the fun things we are going to do and see.