Catching Up Again

It's been a busy few weeks. Last week was the first week in 3 that I was home every single day of the week, and it was lovely. My housework was falling badly behind and other things that needed to be done were falling by the wayside because of those 3 weeks I was home only 1 day each week. And in 1 day at home each week, it's nearly impossible to get everything done that you want to get done. Especially when there is a little person around who does not play on her own. At all, or very rarely. T.V. was not an option, because we are using that as a potty training tool and since she was wet every morning last week, turning the tv on for an hour or so was not something I could fall back on, though there were a few times when I just wanted to throw that rule out the window. Last week, however, I chipped at it little by little and got most of what I wanted done complete. Though it is still not where I want it to be, it's far better than it was.

One thing I've lacked in besides house work is blogging and taking photos. I don't have too many of those these days. I have a few things I want to blog, since I often refer to this blog as my time line in Camia's life and a a result want to post this in her virtual scrapbook, since the hard copy is still sitting at her baptism...

I even got some sewing in, I really wanted to have stockings made this year for decor, and, being a little bit chicken, was afraid to draw my own stocking pattern and I refused to buy one. I also refused to buy a stocking from the store. I wanted to make them, quilt them. After finding a free pattern online, I don't have them done, but I have the front of mine done, the front of Ryan's almost done and I am still trying to decide what I want Camia's to look like. Maybe next year :) Sewing did prove to be a bit difficult with a needy little person around, especially when while cutting the fabric she hung all over me and wanted to sit on my lap while I sewed and wanted to step on my foot peddle while sewing. Since the seams in the stockings are not long, it got a little frustrating when the needle kept moving when I wanted it to stop because of a size 8 foot pressing the peddle to the floor. Eventually I had to get mean and make her go elsewhere to play....to just play.

We've been struggling to find other things for Camia to get interested in besides the tv, and something to catch her interest in something, almost anything, but so far have been unsuccessful. She'd much rather sit and hang around where ever I am (which changes when Ryan comes home, when then she wants nothing to do with me anymore, and it's all about Daddy...she's such a Daddy's Girl), ask the question 'why' or 'what should I do?'. I've been collecting new-to-her toys to get her into something, to encourage her to play, but it's gotten to the point where we almost need a new house because of the toys we have for her - it is slightly - no, insanely - ridiculous. I am wondering if it's over-stimulation, if she has too many options, and now that Christmas has passed and she got spoiled rotten (I am not complaining because this is really the first time she's really been spoiled) and I have to find homes for a plethora of new toys, we are going to do toy rotation. We will pick out about 1/2 of her toys, put them in storage and maybe once every 6 or 8 months we will trade them, so she will get 'new' toys again. I don't know if this will help her, but it will help me in feeling less claustrophobic whenever I try to tidy my house.

When I purchase toys for her, it is often something that I've heard or seen another child her age play so well with. Camia will play with it for about 5 minutes and then toss it aside, with it never really being looked at again. The one exception was when I got her an American Girl Doll off Craigs List on a suggestion from a friend for a gift to buy with money I was given for her. With the money, I got her a new one, Marie Grace. Before Marie Grace was given to her, I found an ad selling 3 of the girls for the price of 1. So, I bought them and gave 2 to my friend who has 2 girls. While Camia had all 3 of them, she played with 2 of them so often. For 2 days, in fact. One day she had a luncheon with them, and the next she spent 3 hours having a picnic with them. After the picnic, she's hardly looked at them. I thought maybe it was because I gave 2 of them away, and she really liked having the 2. She got Marie Grace for Christmas and has not touched her.

This is the most frustrating part of my days right now. And each day we manage to get through it still almost always smiling. Despite this frustrating tidbit, this little person is still my favourite little person.

Women of Faith

Memory Game

One of Camia's friends is having a birthday next week - she's turning 3! - so I decided to make her gift this year. I was planning on making Camia a memory game, and instead of the 20 blocks I needed that I got from a scrap piece of wood from the greenhouse needed, I ended up with 40. So, I decided to make 2 sets and give one to S as a birthday gift. I used pictures from our trip to the zoo this past May, which is a fun idea since both girls still talk about the zoo. And, since they have to be besties (:) ), I included a picture of the 2 of them as well. Both sets are identical. Such fun, and so far Camia loves hers...hopefully S feels the same way :)

A Proud Moment

I thought I'd share a moment that made both Ryan and I proud yesterday. Starting somewhat at the beginning, each day we have lunch at home, Camia and I say the Lord's Prayer together, and in which case she does not have to say "Lord bless....". Usually I hear her say a word here and there, but mostly it's mumble jumble, talking in her own language, not really knowing how to say it. Yesterday we had lunch at home with just the 3 of us and she started saying The Lord's Prayer. By herself. Word for word. We were like say what? Neither of knew that she knew it. With a little help on some of the lines, she got through the whole thing. Totally a proud moment that I wanted to share :)

Snip Snip

Today I discovered while at my sister in law's house that Camia cut her own hair. I recall some sort of conversation a few days ago where she told me she cut her hair, and I responded with don't you dare. Apparently she was serious. And I didn't notice until today. When we were at my sis-in-law's to get Camia a hair cut. She's been insisting on getting a hair cut for a few weeks now, and says that uncle so and so told her that her hair was too long. Apparently she got impatient and decided to take matters into her own hands. At least it isn't too obvious. And at least it will grow back.

Fall...

Today my sister came to visit and she stayed for a good chunk of the day. Since she works and I live about 45 minutes away from her, she doesn't come my way very often. It is nice when she does, though. Today after lunch we decided to take a walk in the fall air, even though it was trying to rain. I've been meaning to get out with my camera and take pictures of this years fall - I don't remember it being this colourful, though I am sure it has been before. It rained yesterday all day pretty much, so the leaves and playground were soaking wet. We made the best of it, though! Here are some photo's of our walk that took us 2 hours. It normally takes me 1/2 - 1 hour to walk the same distance when I am just with Camia.Playing peek a booWhere is Camia??We found her!!

She loves her Aunty

this picture stirs some feelings inside my heart...


Sisters!

Pictures!!

We had our family photo's taken again this year. Out of the 46 photo's I found it pretty easy to pick which ones I want to develop, even though at first glance I thought it might be a challenge. Maybe it's just reacting to your own photos, but I found it easy to pick apart the photo's..'oh, I don't like that one, my smile is off and our heads at are a funny angle' and 'well, I look decent, of course Camia looks fabulous and, well, Ryan has that funny smile that he too often does' and the ever popular 'my face is too fat in that one'...something I have been trying to work on, but, as you probably know or can guess, it's ridiculously hard. But that's another story. The whole session was lots of fun, and our photographer very fun. She knew how to get the shots she wanted, though I am sure it helped that Camia is so stinking cute too. Camia did really well and was very co-operative. Here are some of my favourites:

Sorry, Hun, for posting with your silly smile, but Camia looks good :)

Sleep Baby Sleep

There is nothing quite so sweet as watching my baby sleep. And, almost 3 years later, she still has her trusty friend in the crook of her arm. Love it.

Adventures At White Rock

We also made another trip to White Rock, this time with M, S and J. Totally fun! All Ready to dig in the sand!

The water was way out to the pier,

so we spent a good majority of the time on the beach making sandcastles and digging for clams - which we buried again. It was also something to show Camia, that an animal lives in the shells. I broke one open for the girls to touch. We also found a star fish laying in the sand so we got to touch it as well. We found a puddle of water and layed it in the water, thinking that might be best for it. I actually have no clue if that was what it wanted or not.

Friends! I think I might develop this one and update the year old picture that is currently in Camia's room.

We had lunch up on the grass and at the end, we let the girls feed the sea gulls.

And then I took some photo's of Camia who posed for me.

Such a fun way to spend time with the girls!

I have finally come to the end of my posting for summer. And have decided that even though I worked 3 days a week, we still had a great summer with lots of stuff happening.

PNE

This year Mom and I with Camia made the trip out to the PNE for a day. The weather was gorgeous. It was also another reminder that my baby is growing us as she was allowed on all of the kids rides this year because she was tall enough. I thought for sure she wouldn't go by herself on any of them. I was wrong. As it turns out, she didn't want to get OFF any of them! The best part was watching her have fun. Mom bought her a ride pass, and we more than got our money's worth out of it. So Camia got to go on all of the rides. Twice. Definitely her favourite, I think.

She loved the slides, I love the smiles that were captured from that day.

A flash towards the future

This ride was hilarious. I laughed so much because there was one part that was crazy bumpy, and every time we got to that part, Camia almost split her sides laughing.

I love this photo. It portrays the love between grandparent and granddaughter. A special connection :)

Last year this was her favourite ride. It was one of the few she could go on last year. This year it was number 1 as well. Along with all the other rides.

Another things Camia especially loved was the barns. Seeing all the animals was special for her. She got to see calves and watched as Oma let the calf suckle her fingers

She got to see and touch a baby chicken as well.

Her favourite, I think, was the big huge white cow. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it, but it was massive.

Like last year, they had the barn where kids get to be farmers for a day. While it's supposed to be educational and there are people trying to explain to kids what each station is, it was a little difficult to try get a 3 year old to stay still and listen. I think the people gave up trying to explain things. Camia got to plant seeds and then 'harvest' the vegetable she planted.

She got to milk a cow and was curious how the 'milk' (it was actually water) got into the cow in the first place.

This year there was a fishing station, which was kind of cool. Camia got to grab a net and fish for a little while.

And her favourite was, of course, to ride the tractors again.

While at the fair, we checked out the market place and Mom bought this little train track for Camia. Camia and Ryan had fun setting it up together that evening after the fair.

Thanks, Mom, for a great day of fun again this year! Camia still talks about it. Every time she sees a bus, she is reminded that we took the bus to the fair after we went on the skytrain - an adventure all by its self.