Here We Are Again...

Well, actually, here I am, wondering where time has gone again. July 5. Exactly 2 weeks after my last post. I have pictures. Lots of 'em. Just no time where I feel like blabbing in an online journal. Actually...Time? I've got that. Commitment? I seem to lack that. I'll take a moment (or 2...or maybe 3...) to fill you in on what's up in our corner of the world.

Camia's been developing, still changing quickly, though not as quickly as it used to be. It's kind of hard to explain, but it almost seems as though she's been a completely different person...almost older...since she turned 3. She still carries Uh-Oh around, but we are working on weaning her off him. She for the most part either leaves him at home or in the car when we are out. She is no longer allowed to have him in the stores. We are working on keeping him in bed, but so far that has not been accomplished. It's cute, because when we tell her to leave him behind, she quickly takes a short cuddle and a few sucks of her thumb before she lays (or drops) him on the floor. She has become lippy, but I am justifying it by thinking about how I talk to her. 'Why can't I have that Mom?' 'Because I said so'. So now she has it where if I ask her how come she can't pick up her clothes or how come she is done playing, or anything of the sort, her response is 'Because I said'. If we ask her something like 'can you please put your seat belt on?', her response is 'I am!' We are trying to get her to respond with 'yes Mom/Dad' instead, and trying to teach her what is and is not appropriate verbage for her. If anything, it is teaching Ryan and I to be aware of how we speak and what we say to her or, more accurately, how we say things to her. One of her favourite lines is 'No, not today'. This comes out when I ask her things like 'can you please put your shoes on so we can go pick up Dad'.

She is quirky, and hilarious. Tonight Ryan went to sub for Oranje, playing goalie and Camia said 'But, Dad, I wuv you! I need you here! But you will come back, right?' It makes me smile. I think she shares her Dad's sentiment when our conversation continues 'where's my daddy?' 'he went to play soccer' 'Again???'

Camia has a deep love for all - or almost all - things furry with 4 legs. Our neighbour has a dog that she loves dearly.

And my parents have cats and kittens that she has grown a soft spot for. The orange one is 'My favourite, Mom'

I have also started work again, this time 1 day a week to help my mom out at the greenhouse.

I am happy with 1 day, and find it much easier to manage than 2 days, especially with the driving to and from Abbostford, something we've been doing lots of lately what with birthdays, anniversaries and brothers visiting home. I joked with my Dad that we should move in with them since we are there so regularly. I don't think Dad thought it was too funny. Camia has been loving being in the greenhouse and on warm days she sometimes is treated to an ice cream cone that she manages to get everywhere.

While at the greenhouse, someone found a frog and brought it to where we were working. Camia was not too impressed with it, but was willing to hold it for about 1.2 seconds before she flung the thing clear across the greenhouse.

After a while of waiting patiently, summer has finally graced us with its presence and we've cracked open the summer clothes bins. We've been wearing shorts and tanks and flipflops and sandals all week now. Along with summer came VBS which I enrolled Camia in this year. I was told she would have a blast. No one was kidding. She can't get enough of it. I wonder if this will be the same come Day 5. As a result of her being a member of the church and only 3, I was under the impression that I had to volunteer my time in VBS. So, I crawled out of my little shell and am working in the kitchen this year. I am grateful that the organizers made an exception this year for me as I am not willing to lead anything this year and I've been told that there is a waiting list for the kitchen. For this I feel guilty, but am so glad that this is where I can start out as I am not the social butterfly my darling daughter is. Even though it's only day 2 and only half days, I have noticed positive things in Camia. She has been playing so extremely well on her own so I can still get things done around the house after being gone all morning. (Currently she is in love with her Polly Pockets.

She is in love with the kitten that came with one of her sets)

My not-so-little-anymore 3 year old:

I watched her through the windows at VBS playing with other kids and doing crafts and listening to stories read by her teacher. It's been a great experience for both of us. Camia needs interaction with other kids and craves attention that I can't always give her. Seeing her in this atmosphere and feeling so positive about it makes me consider sending her to preschool when she is 4. Even though I feel that preschool is glorified daycare, I think she would have fun and it would give her the interaction she needs. We'll see. For myself I am excited for her to go to school and be involved in her school. I think. Sometimes it does seem quite overwhelming since I often would rather observe and listen than actually put in my two bits. I do have to admit, though, that as casual as this was, I was a bit emotional and sometimes it took a bit for me not to shed a tear or two. sob. My baby is growing up. I must share a story of what happened on her first day, though....I spent the afternoon explaining to Camia the luxury of a washroom and a toilet and that we are not cavemen and women and we don't carry clubs since she felt yesterday that a toilet was not necessary. Her teacher informed me that she used the grass as a lu and did #2. I suppose it's better than in her pants, and when you've gotta go, you sometimes just really gotta go!!

Another thing that comes along with summer is hanging out in friends backyards and playing in the pool and sliding down a home-made water slide. Such fun these girls have together!

Hopefully we can still visit as often when you move further east, M! I am sad that you are moving, making my commute to visit you about an hour, but I am thankful that it is not the 12 hours that almost happened! I am so excited for you and your 10 acres! Woohoo for land, though that was not something you lacked already...so I guess this means woohoo for more square footage in living space!

We also attended grad ceremonies this year, first for the kindergartners and then for grade 7. I didn't get any great shots from the kindergarten grads - I used my new camera with produced no great results. I should have just brought my SLR. Camia loved to be with her cousins and sit with them whenever she got the chance.

While we waited for the closing assembly to start, Camia occupied herself in the kindergarten room, playing house and talking on the phone. She will fit right in here :)

July 7

As for the sewing projects that I was going to try get done this month, I am not sure where my head was at. With VBS and camping, this month was shot even before it started. So, I am bumping my July project to August. Instead, I spent my time this week trying - trying - to stay on top of the house, and really try to enjoy the little sun we've had. Yesterday was one of the warmest, reaching temperatures of about 26 or 27 degrees. So, yesterday I packed a cooler, grabbed a few toys and headed to the beach with my mom and sister.

It was breezy, but still warm. I fried. Since I've been pregnant I have not burned skin that has previously seen the sun (I burned the top of my thighs when last year I ditched my boy-short bottoms and went with the brief style bathing suit). Yesterday I burnt the top of my back, what was exposed, quite badly. I don't mean to complain, but I am feeling pain through my whole upper body, like all the way through it. I imagine it will peel soon. I kind of am looking forward to that because then the pain will be gone. Hopefully.

Anyways. Besides the beach, we've been hanging out in the back 'yard' with the pool set up.

Camia plays, and I am blessed with the luxury of reading my book. A fabulous book I started on Monday and am almost finished (ahem. my house still is mayhem. My book is far too good, and the weather has been far too favourable for me to worry about toys scattered all over, 1 toy on each of my 14 stairs (Camia's newest infatuation - putting 1 toy, shoe or thing on each step) and dishes that really should have been washed yesterday. That basket of laundry? It can wait. The sun does not visit very often. My book is called "Her Mother's Hope" by Francine Rivers. I don't usually enjoy Francine Rivers, I've only ever completed 1 of her books "Redeeming Love" - which was also fabulous - but am completely enthralled with this one. The sequel to "Her Mother's Hope", "Her Daughter's Dream" is on my short list of books to read, but I am waiting until my Mom finishes it so I can borrow it from her. I also finished "Levi's Will" by W. Dale Cramer and while it took a bit for me to get into it, I was not wanting to put it down by the time I was finished. I am really enjoying reading right now about Amish customs and lifestyle, and this book fit right in with it. It is based on a true story. I am over the fluffy book stage and am more interested in ways of life, with real life stories, because the fluffy stuff is not real and makes me begrudge what I have been richly blessed with - A fabulous husband who loves me like no fluffy book can ever portray and a beautiful daughter who brings me happiness like no Karen Kingsbury book ever will. Fluffy books make me wish for things that I don't have and things that are not real at all. The books by Francine Rivers have a bit of fluffiness in them, but the stories are more real, and take place in another area which captures my attentions, the 1800's to the 1950's. Especially the 1800's.

On another note, my parents back yard is becoming a lake again. Though it is not as it has been in the past, it still brings many memories of rowing a boat and spending hours swimming in the water.

My grandmother headed to Ontario this week to visit her children and grandchildren and asked that I get her a family photo to send along with her so she could show us off to my family I never see. So, that is what I did.

I couldn't help but take some photo's of our sweet little girl as well.

July 8

Today VBS is done. I have mixed feelings about it as it was a good experience for both myself and Camia. I did notice today that Camia was kind of finished and was a bit more clingy, though she still had fun. I think. :) There was closing assemblies this morning and seeing Camia do her thing up there with the preschoolers, singing their song and dancing with the music tugged at my heartstrings. I am going to be SUCH a wreck when Camia goes to kindergarten! haha. Here are some pictures of Camia at VBS.

And, Finally, Ryan and Camia had a bit of fun last night. It's a good thing she does not weigh more than 31 lbs!