The Big-Kid Look

After trimming the hair out of Jaden's eyes more than once, it was time for a Big Boy Haircut. (Before)I wanted to wait until after his birthday because I knew it would make him look way too little-boyish. (After)And it does! The baby look is gone. And look, he even combs his hair!I think here he looks like his second-cousin Tim.

Kaitlyn's Drama Debut

Kaitlyn performed in her first play at school on Wednesday. She was Narrator #3 in "The Mitten" - en francais, of course. (That way we couldn't tell if the kids messed up their lines!)They were so cute and they did a very good job.

Jaden's Birthday Party

On Saturday we had a few friends and family come over to help celebrate Jaden's first birthday.There were presents of coursewhich his friends helped him open.As is tradition, Auntie Kendra made the birthday cake.Hobbes riding in the back of a dump truck. How cool is that?Jaden got to have his cake and eat it, too.(You don't want to know what his diaper looked like the next day!!!)

Jaden's First Birthday!

Hard to believe, but Jaden is a whole year old already. Little boys grow up just as fast as little girls.Since his birthday was on a Wednesday this year, we are having his party on Saturday, but we still had to celebrate on the actual day, too.Jaden was fascinated by the candle. He wasn't really sure what to do with the cake, so he mostly just mushed it between his fingers.When he did finally take a bite, he must not have really cared for it because he didn't take many more bites after that.He would rather share his cake with us than eat it. (Fine by Mom!)

Olympic Spirit

The Olympics have come to our town! Well, sort of. The Russian figure skaters are practicing at the local ice rink and on Saturday we went and saw two of the couples practice. Yuko Kavaguti and Aelxander Smirnov, and Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov practiced some of their jumps, spins and twists on the ice for us to see.Yesterday the Olympic Torch passed through our town, too. Being a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Olympic Torch, us girls decided we should go see it, while the boys stayed home watching the Super Bore, which is on every year.

The girls made their own torches, we got free flags and free Olympic Coke,we saw torches of Olympics-pastand our own Canadian Torchand we saw the Olympic Torch brought in to the stadium.A once in a lifetime sight.

Video of Jaden's First Steps

First Steps

Jaden took his first steps today! (Ok, Daddy and the girls saw it a few days ago, but this was the first day I saw it, so it's the one that counts :-) He's starting to get more brave, but it will still be a little while until he's really walking. He's growing up fast.

Clavin and Hobbes (Again)

Yesterday felt like the real Calvin was visiting my house. Jaden would get in to trouble in one place, so I'd drag him across the room, show him something he could play with and the next thing I knew he was into trouble again! Have the Terrible Two's started already? He's not even one! At least he's cute. I'm hoping for a better day today.

Fourth Christmas

What happened to Third Christmas? With about 35 people in the house and so much activity going on, people were spread all over, and sadly, the camera did not get used much. But good times were still had by all. Fourth (and final) Christmas was at the Walls house.
Presents were openedand Jaden's favorite part was the wrapping paper! Shocking.
This was the year of matching vestsand hoodies.The girls played Wii and decorated a gingerbread stable for the nativity cookies Auntie Kendra made.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Second Christmas

How many Chrismtases are there, you ask? Why, this year there are four! The first was with the Abrahams', the second is with most of the Froeses, the third is with the Stobbes and the fourth is with all the (local) Froeses. Busy, busy!The girls were very excited Christmas morning. Jaden - not so much.But after watching Rachaeland Kaitlyn open a few presentshe got the hang of it. His favorite toy was his new truck.After breakfast the Froese family came over for the not-so-traditional Christmas meal of veraniki, and to spend time together.Merry Second Christmas!

Calvin and Hobbes

Uncle Jeff was looking for a stuffed tiger that looked liked Calvin's best friend Hobbes.I hope this doesn't mean Jaden's going to grow up to be like Calvin!

First Christmas

We've had our first Christmas already. And it was Jaden's first Christmas! He shared it with his new cousin Elizabeth who is only a week old.The Abrahams family came over for Christmas fun, food and fellowship.And of course presents! Lots of those.Jaden doesn't quite have the ripping-open-of-the-paper quite yet, but he does have the eating-of-the-paper down!One down and still three to go!Merry Christmas!

Ice Skating

We kicked off Christmas Holidays with a trip to the skating rink with the Walls (well, most of them, anyway).The girls did really well for only having done it two or three times. Lots of fun!

New Niece

Elizabeth Lynn was born to Brian and Andree on December 13th, weighing 8lbs 13oz. They were home les than 24 hours later so we didn't even get a chance to visit in the hospital! But we saw them at home. I got to hold her and the boys, too.