Cindy, Matt & Our Furry Friends

Griffin 9 months, Robin 29 months

2012-01-23T18:52:00.000-08:00

He loves to smile for the camera!

Dress up time. Robin the cowgirl and I was a pirate. Griffin just watched.
Learning how to crawl up the stairs which he can now do all by himself. He practices 20 times a day. I'm looking on kijiji right now for a baby gate...can't take the stress.
It's getting harder and harder to get a picture of Robin without her tongue sticking out...must take after her Aunt Heather!
Sneaking a sip from big sis's water bottle.

Clearing off one half of the pond.
Robin's first time skating. She can go all by herself with the bob skates. Grandpa brought up the snowblower yesterday so now once the rain stops we should be good to go again.

Grandpa brought this guy home before Christmas. At first Robin was afraid but eventually she got brave and threw some snowballs at him.
Don't know why she has a wax ring on her head...I bet dad put her up to this...."Pretend you're a unicorn Robin."
In deep thought...
Our Controversial Christmas Tree. Thought it was on our property but later realized it was not...still need to go apologize to the neighbours! Oops.

Anyway everyone is doing well. Both kids seem to be growing so fast. Griffin is a busy little guy. Always on the move and getting into trouble. Robin still likes to think before she does anything too dangerous. They get along most of the time but Griffin will definitely have to get revenge once he gets bigger. He's taken a lot of abuse from bib sis...including a bloody eyeball and several head butts this week. I just keep telling Robin...some day Griff will be bigger and then we'll see who comes crying to mommy.

January Update-Upstairs Renovations

2012-01-23T18:07:00.001-08:00

Robin's Room BEFORE

and AFTER

Playroom BEFORE

Playroom AFTER
Computer Room BEFORE

Computer Room AFTER...still working on this one...

Dawn's Room BEFORE

and AFTER

Upstairs Hallway BEFORE

and AFTER...minus the wallpaper and pipes on the stairs!!!

It's been a busy month but the upstairs is getting there. We still have work to do on the computer room and haven's even started our bedroom yet but maybe this weekend. Still trying to decide what to use to cover the uneven plywood floors in Robin's room and our bedroom. Looking at vinyl planks but we'll see. The plan was to sand down the original wood stairs but realized the paint was lead so decided to just paint over it. Anyway it's fun fixing up the place and the kids seem to like seeing all the changes every morning when they wake up.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-22T05:47:00.001-08:00

What a great year!!!

Kitchen Renovations -Before and After

2011-12-21T19:50:00.001-08:00

This is the before...not too bad but the cupboards were starting to fall apart and the floor was rotten under the sink. You can also see the hole by the corner of the base cabinet....doorway to mouseland.

Our new kitchen is almost finished. Wow, what a project this was. Luckily my good friend, who happens to be the world's best handy-woman, came to stay with us for a few weeks to be our live-in contractor. She did an amazing job! And survived living with the Lottes clan for 3 weeks which deserves a medal on it's own.
My ideas for the kitchen changed several times once we finally got into the house to see it. In the end we decided to take out a bit of the wall between the livingroom and kitchen to open things up a bit. That was fun. Then we tore out the entrance-way which was blocking the stairs to the 2nd floor. And then painted and replaced the cabinets. It took us around 2 1/2 weeks. It was a little stressful sometimes with the kids trying to live in the middle of it all. But Robin seemed to enjoy watching everything come together. Anyway we've painted all of the downstairs and will start working on the upstairs during the holidays. There is a lot of wood floor that needs to be sanded and also a lot of crazy wallpaper that needs to be torn off.

Growing Boy

2011-11-06T08:04:00.001-08:00

Griffin is now over 17lbs and has a hearty appetite. He eats everything he can get his hands on!

Potty time at the farm.
Enjoying a nice, sunny day.

Happy Halloween

2011-11-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

Robin and Griffin had an exciting Halloween. We spent the weekend at Grandma and Gramdpa's house and got to visit with most of the family. Monday afternoon the both of them had to go in to the doctors for vaccines which we were a bit nervous about. We warned Robin ahead of time and told her she'd probably cry for a minute and that Griffin would cry for maybe 5 minutes which they both did. But all was forgotten when we got home and started getting ready for trick or treating. Robin was a pirate and Griffin a dragon. Robin ran from house to house and we covered most of the houses on the street. At first she was a bit shy but soon realized that saying these magical words...trick or treat...brought her lots of candy. She filled up her little pail
in no time and had to stuff a bunch in Daddy's pockets. We drove back to Ladysmith and the next day she wanted to go trick or treating again. I bet she'll be pretty excited next year when she sees all the pumpkins in the stores!

Farm Makeover

2011-10-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

Grinning Griffin can now sit up on his own and steal food from his sister and shove it in his mouth really fast!
front yard after cutting grass

back yard view with no burs

monster burs
half of pond

in the row boat at the cottage a few weeks ago.

More Pics from Ladysmith, Quebec

2011-10-17T16:53:00.001-07:00

Pics from our place in Ladysmith

2011-10-12T19:10:00.000-07:00

Monthly Update

2011-10-10T16:43:00.001-07:00

The weeks are flying by for the Lottes family. Only one more month until our big move! We spent the Thanksgiving weekend cutting grass and chopping down trees at the farm. We don’t have the keys yet so we can’t get inside to do any cleaning ahead of time but the outside looks amazing!

We’re also really enjoying our rental house in Ladysmith. It’s beautiful up here and Robin loves taking the dogs out for walks in the forest. It’s really nice to spend some time around trees again. I think after spending the last 4 years up North we forgot about how nice it is to walk through the forest in the fall and smell all the leaves. Robin and I go out looking for tracks and poop every day. There are lots of deer here and also wolves. We’ve found a few massive piles of scat that definitely didn’t come from any dog!

I’ve been taking lots of pictures but our internet is so slow that it takes hours and hours to upload them. Hopefully we can get something faster in our house.

Griffin and Robin are both growing so fast. It seems like yesterday I was sitting beside her crib in the hospital waiting and waiting for her to get stronger and now she's out riding on the 4-wheeler wanting to drive, hauling branches and chasing around the dogs. Griffin is the happiest little plump baby as long as he's watching Robin or the dogs. He's feeding himself cookies and anything else within reach!

It’s going to take a lot of work cleaning and gutting the place but we’re up for the challenge and have been spending every evening watching the DIY network….maybe that’s not such a good thing. But I think we’ve got enough friends and family with a lot of knowledge who can guide us on our reno journey.

Moving Day

2011-09-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

Today we're just getting things packed up in preparation for our big move to Ladysmith. We're renting a cabin/house for the next 3 months until we can move to the farm. It's been a long day but at least the kids are enjoying themselves! We'll either head up tonight or tomorrow morning.

A Place to Call Our Own

2011-08-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

So we started the day looking at places to rent and drove home with dreams of owning our own 110 acre farm. By 11pm we decided to call in the morning with our offer and guess what?....we got it! So now we have to wait until the end of November to move in but soon we will have a beautiful place to call our own!
View from the side lawn.
Apple trees.
View of inside barn. We need to put on a few side boards but the roof is in pretty good shape.

Barn on right and dog barn on left...I'm not sure what we'll use it for.

Valley View Farm

2011-08-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we took a trip with Oma and Aunt Heather and Cousin Lana to the Valley View Farm near Barrhaven. It's a great place for kids. We went on the tractor train ride through the corn field and had a nice lunch and ice cream for dessert. Robin loved the donkeys and the giant goat. I'm sure we'll head back for another visit in the fall.

Happy Birthday Robin

2011-08-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

n

Today was Robin's 2nd b-day....she's really growing up. We had a big party with friends and family and Robin loved chasing around the other kids. The biggest hit was the loot bag toys. I think the adults had more fun than the kids with them. Cousin Andrea made a beautiful Elmo cake that tasted delicious. It was a great day but I'm glad it only comes once a year!

New Kayak Cottage Fun

2011-08-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

Robin playing on the trampoline.
Grandpa Murray doing an original Robin portrait.
A snake with a messed up eye.
Robin all proud of herself in the new kayak.
Learning how to paddle.
Grandma Carol gets a turn an Finnigan follows along.
I snuck up on a young deer in one of the farmer's fields on the drive up. As soon as the deer saw me move from behind the hay bale it took off.
More Kayaking with Daddy.

Navan Fair 2011

2011-08-16T04:51:00.001-07:00

On Sunday we took the kids to the Navan Fair. This is Robin taking her first pony ride. At first she was too afraid but as soon as I told her Griffin would take her turn if she didn't want to go, she jumped right on and grabbed the horn. After that there was no turning back. Now all she can talk about is more pony rides.

Some of the heavy horses. I want one of these!

So that's where cow's milk comes from!

Robin's second time on a Merry-go-round.I took the rest up at the cottage last week...more HDR but toned down a bit.

Griffin is 4 months old today and over 14lbs! And Sunday is Robin`s 2nd birthday. These past 2 years have really flown by! Today we are off to Shawville, Quebec for Matt`s interview this afternoon. It would be awesome if he gets the job and we can stay fairly close to home. I also found out there`s a big Dry Land Dog Race in the town nearby so I can still have sled dogs after all! Our fingers are crossed!

Arboretum and Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa

2011-08-09T06:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took the kids to the Arboretum and Experimental Farm just off of Prince of Whales. It was a beautiful day and I got to experiment with my new Tokina 11-16mm. It's nice to have a wide angle lens again! I like the look of some of the HDR shots but obviously some are a little overdone. I'll have to keep practicing. We're up to the cottage so hopefully I can get some cool shots this week.

Growing Like Weeds

2011-08-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

Robin found an egg. She licked it and we told her that it was gross because eggs come out of chicken's bums...she replied "Egg Chicken Bum" and made a yucky face. I guess she understands!

Griffin is now 14lbs! And Robin 24lbs. Amazing to think they both started off as little pipsqueaks.
Griffin's first time watching Daddy do the dishes. Robin loved this.

Robin turning into an ice cube after swimming.

More fun with HDR

2011-08-07T20:22:00.001-07:00

I finally got a few minutes today to go out and do a few quick shots around the yard. I've been experimenting with the HDR technique and finding it pretty interesting. We had mom and dad's anniversary party yesterday and it was really nice. The new deck is almost complete...you can see some of it in the top photo. We've been so busy with that and the kids we haven't had much time to do anything else. So I'm hoping to go into Ottawa tomorrow and find a Tokina 11-16mm wide angle lens in stock somewhere because I just sold my 70-200. I'm still trying to sell my D300 and then maybe try and save up for the newer 70-200 VRII lens. Anyway we're still homeless and unemployed so really I shouldn't be getting anything but I need to have some fun! I'll add some kiddy pics tomorrow...and maybe some super wide angle ones too.

Deck Building

2011-07-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

Our latest project...building a 20'x20' deck. It took a while with all the rocks, flat tire, broken auger, killer heat...but we managed to get all the holes dug and all the sauna tubes in. Last night we had to run out and cover them all with garbage bags to keep the rain out.
Today Matt and I will spread some stone dust and then next weekend we'll pour the cement and hopefully get started on some nailing. Dad loves the Kubota...he even let Matt and I have a try. I want one too!

Meet the Family

2011-07-18T05:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we drove to Cornwall to introduce Griffin to my mom's side of the family. It was nice seeing everyone....especially my cousin who I haven't seen in 10 years! Grandma bought the kids a wagon to replace the one we left behind in Rankin. When we were having our house sales we thought Robin would have a fit watching all of her toys get sold but surprisingly she handled it well. She only had a melt down 3 times...the first was the Polaris ATV. She was pretty sad to see it go. Then the bread maker. She loves watching the paddle kneed the dough. The third was her red wagon. It was kind of sad selling it because it was finally warm enough to start using it and then she had to say goodbye. But by now she's forgotten about it, or at least doesn't seem to talk about it. Yesterday Daddy took her out in the bike trailer for the first time this summer and she loved it. I guess I'll strap Griffin onto me so we can do some family riding again.

Kia Rondo - A Family Car

2011-07-18T04:57:00.000-07:00

It's nice to see some green again!

I finally have some free time to post up pics...here they are...

We've been spending a lot of time chillin out at the cottage. Robin loves the water and big trampoline!

Everyone is doing well and adapting to the heat here. The dogs don't seem to bothered by it, but do enjoy the air conditioning in the house and new car. We bought a used 2008 Kia Rondo that seems to fit the whole family and all of our junk pretty well. It's got all the extras and drives so smooth. It beats the old Cavalier with the big hole in the floor, but I miss the days where I could jump into my little Firefly and drive for a month on $20.00 of gas.

Rainy Day

2011-06-14T18:14:00.000-07:00

The weather has been kind of miserable for the past couple of days so our outdoor play time has been limited. Robin has been finding new ways to amuse herself since all the toys are packed up. Moving sucks!!!

10 More Days...

2011-06-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Robin enjoying the nice weather.

We said goodbye to our Polaris this weekend. Robin was sad to see him go, but he's found a good home!
Helping Daddy blow out the candles.

Making a New Friend.

So we have 10 more days to get everything packed up. We've pretty much sold everything except for the dogs and kids. Looking forward to seeing everyone back home but sad saying goodbye to our friends here.

Spring is finally here!

2011-06-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while...as most of you know Matt and I have been busy packing and selling off everything for our big move back home at the end of the month. We've decided to pack it up and head home for a bit of time with the family. It will be tough leaving Rankin but who knows....with the lack of teaching jobs around Ottawa we might just be back before we know it! It's been a great 4 years but grandparents are getting anxious to spend some quality time with their grandchildren in person! We don't have any jobs lined up yet but hopefully Matt will be able to find something, somewhere in Ontario. If not, then we'll crash with Grandma and Grandpa for a while and figure out something...maybe just head to the cottage and live off the land for a year :) Anyway no matter what it will be an exciting adventure with the 2 kids. Lovin' up her little Bro.

Griffin is doing great. He's over 10lbs and seems to be getting more alert and stronger every day. Soon he'll be able to get his sister back for all the little "love pokes" he's been receiving lately.
Robin learning how to scale furniture...next we do rock climbing and bungee jumping.
Her first puddle!
Lost a boot in the mud.
Robin finally got to splash around in some puddles this week. The temperatures have finally warmed up which is nice but makes our usual walk in the field impossible with all the soft snow. We've had a crazy amount of rain in the last couple days which is helping to melt the snow but looking forward to it getting a little drier so we can use the wagon a bit more before we leave.
Practicing her ballet moves.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day

Robin trying to decapitate poor little Griffin....so far she hasn't been successful!
Where's Waldo???

Recovering

2011-05-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

Robin and I are on the mend and starting to feel better. Here are some shots of her on the trampoline....she wanted to wear her pumpkin suit.

Griffin is growing fast 7 pounds 8 ounces. He's a wonderful baby and seems happy and sleeps good at night so no complaints yet. Robin on the other hand has begun to have temper tantrums. Not sure if it's from all the changes, the sickness or beginning of terrible 2's?

What are we going to do with this hair??
My first attempt at making a stork pouch and then trying to use it as a photo prop. He slept very well in this when I put him in Robin's little chair.

Introducing...Glenna Garramone

2011-04-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest project. A video for a new friend...Glenna Garramone. She's up here teaching a camp cooking class for the Arctic College but also happens to be an excellent musician. We bought her latest CD, "Seasky-Starsong" and it hasn't come out of the stereo ever since. Robin loves the whale sounds at the beginning of the second track, "Rain in the Autumn". A couple weeks ago I shot a quick video for Glenna for an upcoming competition. She submitted the uncut version but I decided to fool around a bit and see what I could do in the video editing world. So....here it is...my first music video featuring the ever so talented Glenna Garramone.

http://glennagarramone.com/

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/glennagarramone

Survived Week 1 Without Daddy

2011-04-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

Robin getting used to handling her little brother. He's a lot squirmier than her dolls.
We've all been having lots of power naps to catch up on sleep.

We survived our first week home without Daddy and it wasn't so bad. Robin found new ways to entertain herself while I tended to baby Griffin's needs.
Chillin' out in her old rocking chair. Hopefully she wont mind sharing it with Griffin.
Griffin topped the scales at 6.8lbs this morning and has so far managed to avoid getting our cold. I shot the image below after having to give him a quick wipe down after he peed all over his face. Just googling the "pee pee teepee" now to see if I can rig up something similar.

Anyway Matt is off for Hamlet Day tomorrow so hopefully I'll get to take some more pics and get rid of this cold!!!

Sick as a Dog...Speaking about Dogs...

2011-04-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

Robin and I have been trying to shake a nasty virus for the past 4 days. We're both hacking up our lungs and sinuses are packed with snot. Poor little Griffin comes into the world and has to listen to us couching 24 hours a day. He's been sleeping the best out of all of us. Matt was a little sick but seems to be on the mend so I'm hoping Robin and I will only have to suffer a couple more days. I've never had it where the neti pot doesn't actually drip through at all. Oh well it will make the next few weeks seem all the more easier once we are all healthy again. Luckily Griffin doesn't seem to be affected. He's been gaining weight steadily and is up to 6.7lbs. I took a bunch of shots that I still need to look at so hopefully by the weekend they'll be up.

Today I got an e-mail from Shauna at the R.O.A.R. Squad (Rescue Owners Are Rockin') letting me know her write up on Mika and Nanook is live. Here is the link...

http://fidoandwino.com/2011/04/18/r-o-a-r-squad-cindy-and-matt-and-their-dogs-mika-and-nanook/

A couple months ago she contacted us about submitting some info on our rescue dogs, Mika and Nanook. She's working on a project that promotes adopting rescue animals. You can read all about it here...

http://fidoandwino.com/2010/04/16/launch-r-o-a-r-squad-rescue-owners-are-rockin/

Griffin Day 6

2011-04-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Griffin Day 5

2011-04-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

Today Griffin took his first ride on the ATV and got his first shot for Hep-B. He cried for only a few seconds and then nursed all his worries away. He lost a little weight and is down to 5pounds 11 ounces and has some jaundice so we've been sun tanning every afternoon which seems to be doing the trick. Robin and him still seem to be getting along all right. She's adjusting...I guess we all are. She loves to look at his belly button scab and see what surprises are in his diaper. Tomorrow is Matt's first day back at school so I get the two of them to myself which I'm kind of looking forward to. I bet Robin will miss her Dada though.

Griffin Day 4

2011-04-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

Griffin Day 3

2011-04-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

Griffin Day 2

2011-04-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

Griffin Lottes

2011-04-16T14:29:00.001-07:00

So he's finally here...I called the midwife at 1am this morning and told her contractions were getting stronger and closer together. She asked if I wanted to stay home a bit longer so we agreed I'd call again at 2am. Robin was already asleep and Matt finally had a nap just before 2am so I held off until 2:20am and called her back....and almost didn't make it to the hospital on time. The midwife came to pick us all up to head to the hospital which was a whole minute drive away. As soon as I went to get into the car I felt sick to my stomach and some serious pressure. I got out of the car and booted it up the stairs and into the hospital. I jokingly said I better damn well be at 10cm because the contractions I was having at home were pretty uncomfortable but I figured 7cm would be fine as well. Anyway we got upstairs and walked down the hallway to the room where I delivered Robin. I felt like I had to pee before settling down but nothing would come....then I felt a major urge to push so I ran back into the room with my pants down around my ankles and told everyone I was going to push. That got their attention!!! The midwife quickly called her assistant to come in and Matt had to yell down the hall to get a nurse to help out in the meantime. It didn't take long and out came little Griffin, weighing in at 6 pounds 1.5 ounces. At least he beat Robin's measly 3lbs 4ounces!!! Robin was awake to witness the whole thing. Not really sure what she makes of it all but I think she's starting to realize this baby isn't going away. She sat up on the bed with him and dad cut the cord and she said "Ah, cute baby" and was really interested in playing with his little fingers. If only she could have seen how tiny she was when she popped out! We got cleaned up and the midwife gave us a ride back home 3 hours later where we all jumped into bed and had a nice family nap....including Mika and Nanook, who were super excited to see the baby and sniff my butt for the next 10 minutes.
Anyway we're getting adjusted to the new member of the family and hopefully he's getting used to life on the outside. I'll try and get some good shots of him tomorrow once I get caught up on some much needed sleep.

Introducing....

2011-04-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

Still working on a name....

Last Gymnastics Class

2011-04-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Robin has been attending the gymnastics classes at MUI for the past few months. Here's a shot of her on the parallel bars...with a little help from Daddy.

Fun on the giant trampoline.

Great Grandma's Farm

2011-04-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

Today we visited Great Grandma and Grandpa's farm. Robin loved picking up apples for the cows. Great Grandma Anne drove the mule which was filled with apples and had the cows sprinting after her. We tried to get Robin to ride a cow but she wasn't too keen. She told us only horses are for riding.

Snow Bunnies

2011-04-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots of Robin and her friend, Keirwyn. After taking the girls out of the qamutik, Robin decided to pass out face first in the snow...Keirwyn seemed a little worried, but eventually Robin got up.

Here they're doing the baby snowsuit boogie.

Still no baby news....

38 weeks down and still waiting...

2011-04-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

Still no baby but it's officially considered Full-term!!! Who could have guessed we'd make it this far?! I guess all the sitting around and no dog sledding has helped keep this one in.
Feeling good though except for the carpal tunnel in my right hand/arm...which I'm told will go away after delivery. We're all getting pretty excited and a bit anxious. Hoping the baby comes on it's own pretty soon so I don't have to worry about getting shipped down to Winnipeg to be induced. I've been getting cramps for the past two days so hopefully wont be too much longer. We'll let everyone know any news ASAP. I'm sure my parents will be busy spreading the word!!! Anyone making bets on boy or girl??? The midwife guessed boy on Tuesday so we'll just have to wait and see.

36 weeks down

2011-03-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

I think mines a little bigger than Matt's these days!

Robin is pretty excited to meet the new baby. She's been talking to it and even tries to squeeze it out of my belly.

I feel like I'm turning into a hypochondriac...every morning when I wake up, something else seems to be hurting or swollen. Lately my right arm has been swollen and killing me. I think it's from all that crocheting so I've taken a break from that. I've also started to get some major pelvic pain. Feels like I'm falling apart so I'm getting pretty anxious to get this baby out and start getting my body back to normal...whatever that will be??! We took a lot of pics today but I'm too tired to edit the rest so I will ave a look and try and post more up tomorrow. Hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather!

New Friend

2011-03-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest completed project....meet Lia.
Robin showing off the new dress from Maxine.
Teaching Lia some yoga moves.
Still no baby. I'm feeling totally fine but have an appointment with the midwife tomorrow so we'll see what she thinks.

35 weeks & New Sweater!!!

2011-03-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

Robin sporting the new sweater Great Grandma Hazel knit her. It's so soft and adorable! I bought the headband on-line at Storks & Berries...her hair has a mind of it's own!
Great Grandma Hazel also made 2 new hats for the spring. Now Robin is really stylin'!

Showing off her attitude and new PJ's from Grandma Carol.
Having some fun with Daddy. March break at last!!!

Friday marked 35 weeks for this pregnancy. Maybe this time I'll be over-due!?! It's starting to feel a little crowded but only one more month to go...max. Robin has had her first real cold this past week and it hasn't been fun. She's waking up every couple of hours at night because her nose is so stuffy. But now her snot is starting to get thicker so hopefully it's almost over. I guess I'll be all set for the upcoming baby sleep deprivation. Daddy is on March break for the next week so hopefully the weather will warm up enough for us to get out sledding with Robin. Anyway it's time for supper so I better get going.

34 weeks Down

2011-03-11T05:41:00.000-08:00

Robin hanging with the pups.
Look Way Up!

She wore her life jacket in the tub last night and has now become obsessed with it.
Big hugs for great grandma's knit bunny.
Playing with puppets.
Stinky skunk.
Mika looking foxy.

So today I'm at 34 weeks and feeling pretty good. No back pains and had a pretty good sleep considering I'm up every 2 hours to pee. Hoping to hold out for 2 more weeks at least. Grandma Carol has her flight booked for the end of May so we'll be looking forward to that visit. Time to go walk the pups.

Last Test-Negative!!!

2011-03-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

On Thursday I had my final fetal fibronectin test and luckily it came up negative!!! I was pretty worried because Wednesday night I was having really sharp pains that wouldn't stop and I thought it might be labour but the test said negative so hopefully I still have 2 weeks which will bring me up to 35 weeks. We're starting to get excited and a little nervous but looking forward to the big day we finally get to meet this little addition to the family.

Cousin Lana

2011-03-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more pics from our visit home. Cousin Lana is really growing up fast.
Here's the gang hanging out with Grandma Marianne.
Cuddles with Grandma Carol.
Grandma Marianne and Lana at Kelsey's.
Robin mothering her doll, Emma.

The latest hat for a friend in Winnipeg.
Baby #2 is still waiting his or her turn to enter the world. I have my next and last test on Thursday so we're keeping everything crossed and will let everyone know how it goes. I had crazy bad contractions for most of the day yesterday but today not too many. I guess the shoveling yesterday morning was a bad idea...

Video-Highlights from Surprise Visit

2011-02-24T16:04:00.000-08:00

Surprise Visit

2011-02-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

On February 2nd Robin and I boarded a plane to Ottawa to give Grandma Carol a surprise visit. For the past month my dad, sister, Grandmother and I had been consulting each other everyday, making sure mom was still oblivious to our big plans. All the little white lies ended up turning into huge lies that had my mom thinking she was taking a week off of work to go on a romantic trip to Vermont with my dad. Poor mom. She was so excited about her "trip". She got her hair done and even packed a nice dress and bathing suit. I was starting to get worried she'd rather go on the vacation than spend a week with Robin and I. Dad assured me she'd rather spend time with us...I'm still not so sure. She's still waiting for her trip to Vermont!
Dad told her they needed to go pick up two pilots that were flying in from BC. This isn't unusual for him to do and she usually goes along so she didn't suspect a thing. As Robin and I descended the airport escalator, I saw mom turn to dad and say something. I still wasn't sure if she knew or not. As we came down I saw the look of shock on her face and then I knew for sure that she really was surprised. It worked out perfectly and was all worth it.
Anyway what was supposed to be a week long trip turned into a two week trip because of a blizzard in Rankin. But I'm glad I got to spend the 2 weeks and Robin had a great time too.
Here she is passed out with Grandpa Murray after a delicious meal at Great Grandma's house in Cornwall.
Piggin' out at Red Lobster.

This is the lighter amauti I made for the trip home. It has more belly room. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.
They made me trudge through the soft snow.

On the iphone, making an important business call.
Showing off the ring from the Hartman's and the locket Great Grandma gave her. The only way I could get both in the shot was to tell Robin to touch her nose...she doesn't know how to pick it yet!
Reading a book with Grandma Carol.
Mashing Grandma Carol's butt. Check out the super cute apron Great Aunt Cathy made and the new sweater from Great Grandma.
Chillin' with Grandpa Murray. MEC stroller still going strong.
"What the heck are these big, green things?"

A visit to Great Grandma Anne and Great Grandpa Harold's farm to see the cows.

A couple attempts at HDR.

Back home making some pudding for my Dada who I'm missed a lot! More pictures and video coming soon....

28 weeks down ??? to go

2011-01-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

Robin likes to talk to her younger sibling. She also loves to take out the stethoscope and listen to my tummy. I don't think she can hear anything but it's entertaining.
Feels like I'm carrying a basketball in there and I still hopefully have 3 months to go! Getting a little nervous because Robin was born at 29 weeks 5 days...Hopefully this one will stay in there!
Ready for blast off.
She loves the new Raven puppet almost as much as I do. Never more. Strawberry hat in the making...
Learning to use chopsticks.

Eating seaweed and showing off the new strawberry hat I just finished.
More kisses from Nanook.

Damn Cold

2011-01-27T06:31:00.000-08:00

A Year and a Half

2011-01-23T19:30:00.001-08:00

Washing up after licking the spoon.

Some studio shots from this weekend.

Robin loves her Padraig slippers. I just ordered her a bigger pair and got some for myself as well.
Helping mom make brownies...

Test #2-Negative

2011-01-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots from today...fooling on Photoshop.
HDR from our back window.
Introducing Robin's cousin Lana Oattes.

Mika keeping warm inside. Tomorrow's temperatures are supposed to be pretty cold (-64C!!!)

Also just found out Robin won the Stonz Wear photo contest and will receive a new pair of boots...yippee! Check it out...

http://www.stonzwear.com/stonz-photo-contest.htm?AdID=43

Also had second baby test today and it came out negative so 2 more weeks worry-free.

Amauti

2011-01-18T13:20:00.001-08:00

I finally got around to making Robin a little play amauti.

She gave her doll, Jodi, a ride.
Picture of completed Christmas hats. Hope they all fit!
Robin passed out in Matt's guitar case after a stimulated go at the Rubik's Cube.

She really enjoyed her first bubble bath. Here she is squishing the bubbles.

Dance Machine

2011-01-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

Video coming soon....

Test #1 NEGATIVE

2011-01-05T18:50:00.001-08:00

I finally got a shot where you can see some of Robin's new teeth. The thing on the left is a cracker!
Here is a big fat pregnancy cake I Robin and I made. We're still working on it.
She just can't get enough of the new boots her friend Keirwyn got her for Christmas.
Little Angel or Little Devil????
Yesterday I had my first fetal fibronectin test (tests for a pregnancy protein) and it was negative (means I won't go into labour in the next 2 weeks)!!! Hooray, no baby just yet! Since I had Robin so early I will have to have these tests done every 2 weeks and as long as they stay negative I can stay and have baby #2 in Rankin. But...if I get a positive then they're booting me outta here. I'm at 25 weeks on Friday so as long as I stay negative for 9 more weeks I can stay.

Before the Blizzard

2011-01-03T06:48:00.000-08:00

Practicing my HDR techniques. Blizzard is over this morning.

Christmas 2010 Video

2010-12-29T14:05:00.001-08:00

Mika and Nanook waiting for Santa.
Robin checking her heart beat. She was very excited.

Showing off her new doll and sweater Great Grandma Hazel made her.
The cow jumped over the moon.
Thanks for all of the lovely gifts.
Enjoying the warm temperatures and soft snow.

December 2010 Rankin Inlet Talent Show

2010-12-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

Here are a few short clips from last nights talent show. Matt's the one at the end rockin out on the electric acoustic!

Kid's Dog Sled Race December 2010

2010-12-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

Jammin with my Dad

2010-12-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

Father & Daughter Jam Session
Caught in the act...and looking guilty.
Nanook smiles for the camera.
Time for bed.
Rockin' out.
Singing along with her new toy from Opa in Russell.
A wet kiss goodnight.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2010-12-21T07:56:00.000-08:00

Bears and Body Painting

2010-12-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

Robin enjoying her finger paints!
Here are her warm, new Wigwam socks that go over her knees.
Matt comparing bear track to his hand.
Mika and Nanook's tracks look like lemmings compared to the bear.

Yesterday we let Robin get into the finger paints again. This time she was more interested in painting herself than the paper. It was pretty entertaining for us...and I think she was having fun too.

This morning we went back out to the bay to get shots of the bear tracks we found yesterday. Some were still visible but most were blown over. We've had bears in town for the past 2 weeks and everyone is on edge. A few have been shot after stalking some people but most have been scared away. Makes walking the dogs a little stressful but hopefully they will move on soon.

Santa's Little Helper

2010-12-10T14:48:00.000-08:00

We were listening to Michael Jackson this morning and Robin felt BAD!
She's taking dance lessons from John Travolta.

Getting good at taking decorations off the tree.

Belly is growing. 21 weeks down...hopefully 19 more to go!

Robin 2010 Video Preview

2010-12-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

Pig Tails

2010-11-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

Donkey and Cow up in a tree....

Daddy's Little Helper

2010-11-23T11:20:00.000-08:00

Check out the new hat Dad brought me home at lunch today.
My Grandpa works for this helicopter company.
Here I am being a couch potato, watching the Old McDonald Music Video.
Here I asked my mom to help me get into the Cheerios box. It was cozy.
Not sure what I'm pointing to here but my hair is looking pretty cool.
And here is me helping my Dad put together my new trampoline.

Wow! This thing is awesome!!!

Lottes Baby #2 Ultrasound

2010-11-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

Here are the first pics of Lottes Baby #2. I'm at 18 weeks now so he/she is still pretty small but so far so good...fingers crossed.

Our side of the road was clear but the neighbours across the street had some digging to do after our first good blizzard of the year hit.
Here is Robin surfing the web and also stealing my credit cards.
I caught her walking around with her little blanky.
She loves to help unpack the foodmail.
Wow...what are these funny looking things?
Man, apples are freaking heavy!

Here is the sound of Baby #2's heartbeat.

King Kong Baby

2010-11-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

Who enjoys the tower more???

She gives her Little Snoopy a kiss. I had the same one when I was a kid.
Here is Robin's new smile. She laughs when I show it to her on the camera. Beginnings of an attitude?

Firsts...

2010-11-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

Robin has finally decided to sprout a few teeth. This is a shot of her first one. It had just broken through her gums so it's kind of hard to see. She also has one of her upper fangs starting to come through.
Here she is brushing her single tooth everyday. She also flosses it.
Clean enough for a kiss???
Monkey and me. Monkey and me. Monkey and me. We went to see...
Potato mashers are deadly in the hands of a skilled Robin.
I finally grabbed the camera on time to get some shots of Robin taking her first wobbly steps.
She enjoys standing up now and can really launch that ball!

Here is a quick video clip of her walking on her own. Soon she'll be doing laps around the house with the dogs!

Princess Kleenex Box Head

2010-10-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

Here's sick little princess Robin with her Kleenex box and Salinex.
This cold had lots of snot and lots of coughing at night but luckily she is getting over it.

She's also starting to get her first tooth....seems to be the upper right fang. So there's also lots of drool and complaining.
We dressed Robin up in her pumpkin costume yesterday afternoon and visited some friends.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

Robin's First Sled Ride

2010-10-25T15:31:00.001-07:00

Robin's 1st set of wheels. She's so proud!
Robin has a sick obsession with house flies. Here she is pointing one out to Nanook and wants to feed it to her. Nanook's not too impressed.
The snow is finally here!

Looks like she's up to something but I couldn't tell what. She finally fits into the cute PJ's her Great Aunt Cathy sent her.
Here Robin is modelling some of the 2T clothes cousin Shanna sent.
Daddy took Robin for her first sled ride. She only fell out once! But she loved it.

We forgot to Mention...

2010-10-20T18:25:00.001-07:00

Robin's going to be a big sister!!!

Dress Up

2010-10-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures of Robin trying on her different Halloween Costumes.

Hatley Photo Contest

2010-10-12T06:48:00.000-07:00

Help Robin win a pair of Hatley Pj's, log in to Facebook and try this link. I'm not sure how this works but they said you have to click on "like" in the Hatley profile in order to vote. Then scroll down on the left of the page where it says "Fan Pic Contest October 2010". This is the picture I entered. If anyone gets this to work can you leave a comment here and let us know?

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=218111&id=14609394366#!/Hatley

Thank you :)

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-10-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

What can Robin get into these days???

Playing with Non-Toxic Markers is fun!
This is the new monkey face.....or cow saying "Mooooo".

Not sure what this face means?!

Anyway we took more pictures today so will post those up soon. Robin seems to be getting over her cold she's had since we've returned. She's been busy practicing her standing and we have a feeling her first "real" steps will come pretty soon....but we don't want to rush it. Hope everyone had a good long weekend.

Our Trip to Ottawa

2010-10-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

Our little garden gnome up at the cottage.
Robin learns to drive the lawn tractor.
What's for lunch???
I love the wind blowing through my hair.
Grandma entertaining me once again.
Here I am beating up my Grandpa.
This is my grandparents dog, Finnigan.

We found out I might be allergic to penicillin.

Here I am with my great-grandparents.

I'm learning how to drive the truck too.
Testing out halloween costumes. I'm not too impressed.

Here I am sitting in the roasting pot.
Another halloween costume possibility that I'm not enjoying.
Here I am with my Grandparents in Metcalfe.
This is my Aunt Heather and Uncle Adam. They're a bit crazy too.
Here I am with my Grandma Marianne.
And here I am with my Opa Fred.
This is me at the airport in Winnipeg, waiting to board the First Air flight to Rankin Inlet. I was getting anxious to get home and see my Daddy and the puppies.

Another Nice Day for Berry Picking

2010-08-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

A Day at the Beach-video

2010-08-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

How Robin Gets Around

2010-08-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

More Recent Robin Pics

2010-08-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Robin is part fish. Water draws her like a magnet! So far we've caught her playing in the toilet and also the dogs water bowls.
She has also discovered how to "share" her food with the dogs. Nanook gets a bite and then Robin gets a bite....
More shots of her in her party dress I found in Winnipeg at the second hand store.

Here her daddy is giving her some banana. Not sure why the screwy face?
"Look what I found under here!"
More torturing the dogs....
Peek A Boo....daddy made her a fort out of our food mail boxes.

One Rattle to Rule Them All

2010-08-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

My quest for the ultimate baby rattle/teether has finally come to an end. I've searched far and wide for months and months....actually it's been 1 year....but I've finally found it. It's not bright and colourful, doesn't have a fancy name, it doesn't vibrate or go in the freezer but it really works!

Presenting the...I'll call it "Baby Bone". They are hand made by the designer Britt Olauson, here in Canada. She designs furniture and very cool pieces of jewelry out of wood, and also baby rattles, thanks to her nephew. Here's her site... http://www.brittolauson.com/site/home.html

The rattles are made out of left over pieces of beautiful hard woods and contain little pebbles inside. They are sanded down and then a beeswax finish is applied which makes them 100% organic. They are nice and light and thin enough in the middle so babies can get their hands around them.

If anyone is looking for an original and useful gift for a baby, I'd highly recommend one of these. Robin loves hers and gnaws on it every day. I think Mika and Nanook are jealous!

You can contact Britt from her website.