Happy Birthday Laika Juniebelle

Today marked Laika's fifth completed journey around the sun.

Laika is learning to read and write.  She is excited about kindergarten and totally finished preschool.  As we left her end-of-year barbeque I felt a weight in my gut when I told her, "That's it.  You will never be back in preschool.  You just move forward.  Next Kindergarten, and then Grade 1, but never preschool again."  Oh man.  It's so hard.  Again this year they sent a CD full of pictures home from preschool, and again there was a picture of our little girl with a tarantula crawling up her shirt.

For the past 7 years we have lived 300 metres from a free waterpark - complete with waterslide.  Leif has never gone down this slide on his own - until yesterday after Laika did it 10 times by herself first to prove to him that it was fun and safe.  "Come on Leif, it will be ok.  Your head won't get wet!" the same encouragement happens at bedtime when the kids need to run downstairs to put on PJs.  "Leif, don't worry, I'll go first and turn the lights on for you."

Laika is determined and talented, she's been riding her bike without training wheels for a year now, and she is fast and careful.  She can swing across monkey bars that are higher than what I can reach and she continually tries things that are new.  She is stubborn and feisty!  She can climb the tree outside our house and is quickly 30 feet up.  She plays well with big boys and little girls.  She can dress her little sister all by herself.  She changes her own outfit at least 4 times a day.  She sings pretty songs that she makes up on the spot and she invents new words to make rhymes.  She still wants to marry Leif and tells him once a day how handsome he is.

Laika is an 'imaginator' and tells many interesting stories.  Her favourite is that she wasn't allowed to play at preschool.  Apparently they brought out a special desk for her every day and while the other kids were playing she was busy working on 'math equations', 'science projects', 'reports' and 'homework'.  I'm not allowed to ask her teachers about this though (they might have forgotten about it).

Laika is a precious, beautiful person and today she is five years old.

We love you Laika.

I've been busy!

Oh Man!  Long time no write! 

Moving is a big and busy job, and once you get out of habit of writing . . .  well you get the idea.  Here are a few stories and pictures to make up for it.

Magic Hat
About a month ago the kids and I, along with Grandma and Grandma N were going to take a fun trip on the new train that has a station right outside of our building.  We got all dressed up in boots and mitts and winter coats.  As we were making the final preparations to go outside Leif moseyed over to the couch and looked out the window.  "I'm tired.  I think I'll just stay and rest while you guys go."  We coaxed him a bit and then decided that he and Grandpa could stay home.  The girls would go.  I put on my hat and we went into the hall.  Suddenly Leif popped off of the couch and ran to the door.  He had changed his mind.  Once outside Grandma asked him what had happened.  "Well, I was kind of tired, but when I saw my mom put that cute toque on and I got all excited and wanted to come!"

Magic Tricks
We have been uncovering old toys as we pack up the house.  One such toy - a magic ball and cup set.  Leif is quite excited to do magic.  This is how it normally goes.  "Ok.  I'm going to do some magic.  It's important that you don't pay very close attention though."  -or- "OK.  You see this ball?  You see this cup? Ok, I'm going to put the ball INTO the cup.  You see it?  OK.  Now turn around and just close your eyes for a second."


Meat Lover
We bought a whole roast chicken.  As I stood in the kitchen carving it up I asked, "Who wants a drumstick?  Who wants a thigh?  etc."  Leif shouts out, "I want the Head."

Surprise!
I had taken the kids to aquarium and was scrolling through the camera checking out the pictures they had taken.  Octopus.  Red fish.  Jellyfish.  Attempt at Monkey.  Erik taking a shower.  Erik in the shower again (NSFW) Video of Erik taking a shower.  This is what happens when you leave a camera lying around within reach of a tech-savvy 6 year old.  Better Erik than me!  They have been deleted now, (but once SEEN never UNSEEN!)

And here's a little picture of a little bit of our new home.  It is shaping up day by day.  We are almost done unloading our storage unit.  We still have not rigged up a pulley system from one floor to the next or bought the kids their beds, but don't worry there is still time.

Flying through the Holidays

We're in the car and Laika is kindly doling out little treats to Tineke.  You can't give her the whole container or it will be dumped.  All is going well.  Then Laika starts shouting, "NO Tineke!  Bad Girl!  Bad Girl!"  I say, "Oh Laika, don't yell at her.  Just don't let her get it.  But we don't say 'Bad Girl'.  We don't call you Bad, or Leif or Tineke Bad.  You are not Bad.  Sometimes we make Bad choices, but we are never Bad.  Tineke is not a Bad Girl, she is just making a Bad choice.  OK?"

Laika listens somewhat patiently and then says.  "Ok mom.  But NONE of that is important right now.  I'm trying to solve a PROBLEM right now."

We're at a restaurant and for dessert the kids get a choice of Chocolate, Strawberry or Vanilla ice cream.  Laika chooses Vanilla.  About halfway through she decides, "Next time I will definitely be getting Chocolate."  I say, "But I thought you preferred Vanilla?"  She licks her spoon and replies, "Well.  I prefer FRENCH Vanilla.  This is just plain Vanilla.  It is not quite as tasty as the French kind.  So I will not be ordering this again."

And lastly . . . we are leaving Butchart Gardens after having seen the Twelve Days of Christmas display.  We are noticing the 12 Drummers Drumming as you exit the Garden.  Laika starts loudly whining and hyperventilating.  She is about to cry.  We don't have a clue what has instantly upset her.  "I didn't get to see THEM!  I didn't get to see THEM!"  

"What didn't you get to see Laika?"

The 11 Vipers Viping!  I didn't see the Vipers!"

Well.  We all missed those.  Maybe they'll add them in next year.

Christmas Day 2009

OK here are a bunch of lovely photos taken on Christmas morning.  Thanks so much to my wonderful husband for setting up flashes and capturing these moments so vividly.  I am running on reserve battery power and am in bed - so, not going to say much.

Just that we had a wonderful Christmas!  There is nothing like watching the kids get so excited.  They had been waiting for this day since November 1 (when they could no longer be excited about Halloween!)

Jingle Bell Rock

 . . .  Leif and Laika and I are playing on the carpet and listening to Christmas carols.  Jingle Bell Rock comes on (Brenda Lee's version).  Leif and I start singing along and Laika does a bit of a little dance.

Then she sits down on my lap and says, "Why is this even called Jingle Bell Rock?  It's not really rockin' music."