The Wiggles!

Shaylah and I had the pleasure of going to see the Wiggles last Friday night.  Shaylah has been a big fan of theirs (almost as much as Dora) and she was SO EXCITED to go and see them in person.  They put on a great show and she was not disappointed.  We were on the floor in an aisle, so she was able to get out of her seat and dance for the entire show.  She even got to give Sam a "high five"!  They performed many of their favorite hits and a few from the new album.  What a fun evening for both of us. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Half Marathon

Helping Daddy warm-up before the race.I am definitely late with this post.  Johnny ran a half marathon a couple of weeks ago and we went to cheer him on!  Shaylah was given his medal.....for being the best cheerer.  She yelled at and encouraged everyone that ran by, but not as much as with her own Daddy.  We were all very proud of him.  Luckily, Johnny was just fast enough to finish the race before the runners were re-routed an extra kilometre around a bear on the course.  Way to go Johnny!

Vacation

Shortly after we picked Shaylah up from her first day of school, Johnny and I jet-setted away to the most wonderful vacation spot. It was the most relaxed I can remember being in a long time. Here are a few shots of the beautiful scenery in this most amazing place!

Our "limo" ride onto the island.

Sonora Resort

Can you see why this place was so wonderful? We had four days of the most amazing food and time to spend with each other. We went fishing, had massages, played (simulated) "golf", played tennis, hot-tubbed, had a cooking lesson and enjoyed marine life. Oh and did I mention how much we ate? I never went to a meal hungry, but managed to always finish my plate. The food was that good! Bu with all the peace and quiet, it was still great to come home to three little faces screaming "Mom! Dad!" when we came in the door.

First Day of Pre-school

Shaylah had her first day of pre-school last Tuesday and it was a big success. I think I was the only mother that did not stay with her child, but Shaylah was so excited to be going "by herself". She was happy to wear her new dress from Grammy and to be able to bring her backpack with a snack in it. It looks like I am going to need to get a new display board for all of the artwork that is coming home with her!

Daddy took us to the zoo!

We decided to take advantage of a couple of days off and do something fun with the kids. The Greater Vancouver Zoo is a place we only visit once a year, but the kids sure love it!

Helping the babies celebrate their big day!

Shaylah is an amazing big sister. She loves to help her babies, give them kisses, tickle them and make them laugh. She was so happy to celebrate them on Saturday and was not jealous of their gifts at all. She picked out special new water bottles for each of them and sang Happy Birthday to them when they woke up. Thanks for making the day wonderful for your brother and sister!

A new game? I hope not!

Swimming lesson from July (video)

Update

Once again I have no pictures as our computer is not working. Here is an update on Shaylah anyway! I have discovered that Shaylah LOVES to swim. She would live at the pool if I let her. She has been taking swimming lessons twice per week all summer and can't get enough. She is able to put her face under the water for more than 3 seconds, she can float with a noodle on her back and on her front and she swims for several feet by herself (with the noodle). She is definitely starting to notice things more in her environement. I continue to wonder where she learns things. She gets along really well with her brother and sister, but I think it is Caelan that she has the most fun with. Ashlyn just isn't fast enough or strong enough (yet!). She can now hold a conversation on the phone, she is a bit addicted to mint candies, and would love to be old enough to chew gum like her Daddy. She is starting to get a bit too old for Dora and has started to expand her interests to new things. She will be starting pre-school in September and I am so excited for her to meet new friends in the neighborhood.

Birch Bay - Shaylah's favorite place

Shaylah is definitely becoming her own person these days. She is a very confident little girl during the day and can sometimes be a little too bossy for her mother's liking. Her most common phrases these days include...."I don't like those choices", "That's not fair" and "Remember?". Night time is a different story though, as she has developed a fear of monsters in her closet. She now has an army at her bedside to keep her safe during the night, which includes a red flashlight, 2 plastic dinosaurs (Rex and Goalie) and a bear (Mosita). She also prays for protection every night from the Ultimate Protector (Jesus). Even with this army, it is not uncomon to have Shaylah climb into bed with us during the middle of the night because her fear of the night is too much for her to handle. Shaylah does not like mealtimes and she would prefer to graze all day long without stopping for a real meal. She loves to play make-believe, ride her bike, run anywhere, cuddle, read books and make new friends (which she does so easily). She is loving her swimming lessons and is starting to swim on her own and put her face completely in the water! She knows all her letters, can spell her own name, loves rhyming words, and has a memory that never fails. She is super excited about starting pre-school in September and I can't wait for her to have that experience. She is more than ready!

Picking Berries

We took Shaylah to a real berry farm to pick some raspberries and strawberries on the weekend. She was very good about not eating the berries she had picked and had a really good eye for picking the best berries. So much fun! I think this is going to have to be a new annual tradition.

Meow!

We went to a School Fair at Shaylah's soon-to-be pre-school on Friday, where she requested to become a purple cat! She thought Jackpot might want to chase her, but instead he just gave her lots of extra kisses.

Biking

Shaylah got a new bike for her birthday, but this is the first chance we have had to get her onto it. Her prized Dora helmet from last year no longer fit her, so it has been graciously passed on to Ashlyn. This year, Shaylah picked out a new Princess helmet for big girls, complete with knee pads. At least the smaller Dora pads still fit her elbows, so she has the best of both worlds! She is still a little nervous on her new bike, so Daddy has been helping her steer it. Her confidence builds each time she uses it though and I am sure it won't be long until we are running behind her yelling at her to "slow down"!

What a Great big sister!

Consoling her crying sister.

Making sure Caelan keeps his hat on in the sun.

Just hanging out!

Lemonade Stand

Yesterday, Shaylah decided she would like to have a lemonade stand in front of the house. She was calling to everyone who walked near to "come and get it". I have learned that she is quite the salesperson! We also have some very generous neighbours...one guy even gave her $5.00 for a glass!

The Green Playground

This is Shaylah's favorite place to play.

Good thing she was there to catch Caelan going down head-first. I guess I should pay more attention to my kids instead of taking pictures!

Spring!

I have been doing a lot of weeding and planting in the last few days and Shaylah has become my little helper.

Max & Ruby

Last week Shaylah and I had the priveledge of having our first ever "Mom and Daughter Night Out". No babies allowed! I took her to see Max and Ruby on-stage at the theatre in North Vancouver and she is still talking about it. Max & Ruby rank right up there with Dora and Diego as Shaylah's favorite TV characters. Here she is 1. waiting for the show to begin and 2. doing the actions for one of the songs. It was all very exciting.

The Many Faces of Shaylah

Smiling Nicely for the Camera



True Happiness

Roaring Like a Dinosaur

"I Don't Want To!"...which is a face I see often.

Matching PJs

Shaylah and I had matching Christmas PJs this year. Last night, she decided that we should have our picture taken together in them. Aren't we cute?

Party #2

We were lucky to have Auntie Rayanne and cousin Taylor here for this birthday. It was great to see you guys!