Happy New Year!

Sorry for the delay in posting but for those of you who know me personally, you know that both Grace and I have been quite sick and there's been a few things going on with my family that have just kept me preoccupied.  However, I'm back but still catching up on posts.  Here are a few pics from New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.  A Dutch tradition for New Year's Eve is to cook Oliebollen, a kind of Dutch pastry.  Delicious!  My dad spent time preparing the batter and cooking them, and we all enjoyed gobbling them up over the course of the evening.  Some of the older kids decorated a ginger bread house.  Not sure how much candy actually got on the house, I think most of it went into their mouths!  On New Year's Day we had our annual family get together, with all the cousins and aunts and uncles.  It's loud and busy and everyone eats a lot and Grace seemed to fit right in, not bothered at all by the big crowd of 40+ people!  I put her to bed after dinner and good for her, she slept right through everyone laughing and carrying on!

Laughing with Grandma

Yes, that really is underwear on their heads!  I picked them out!

                                         One for the house... one for my mouth....

Even when you're dressed in your best dress, a girl's still gotta play right?!?

High intensity game of Jenga between Kristin and niece A

Always trying to help out!

My girl takes her eating seriously!  Sometimes you just gotta get naked!

Christmas 2012

Christmas.  What can I say?  Becoming a mom has been the best gift ever and sharing Christmas with Grace made the holiday even more special this year.  We spent Christmas eve at my parents with Lynda and Eddy and the baby.  My brother Bill and his family came over for a while too and we all sat around and chatted.

Wrapping into the wee hours of the morning!

All for the new babies!!!!!  Except that one Canadian Tire bag which is for my dad who said he didn't care about wrapping paper!LOL

Christmas morning we got the early phone call from my nephew D. meaning it was time to make our usual trek next door to my brother's place where the kids opened their gifts and we all relaxed with coffee.  Grace took it all in watching the kids. She opened her gift with a little help from her cousins.  Grace received a cuddly lady bug pillow toy which Maggie the dog quickly claimed as her own.  I think Grace will have to learn to share!

"I've always wanted a box like this!!  Thanks!"

Hmm, I wonder if Grace would share her milk...

She said no, darn.

We then headed home where baby K opened his gifts.  I'm sure in the near future he will enjoy the toys but on Christmas morning, he mostly just ate the paper!!!  And the toys!!!

Yummy paper....

Yummy book....

Grace was a little more adept at opening the gifts but she too was more interested in the paper and packaging than any particular toy inside the package.

A sleepy morning smile.  Merry Christmas Grace!

As I was searching under the tree for the last few gifts for Grace I noticed a package addressed to Mommy. That Grace is so sneaky sometimes!!!!  She must have gone shopping without me!!

Grace is so thoughtful, she bought a lovely ornament craft for us to do.  I need to take her handprint in plaster and make a tree ornament with it.  How cool!  She also got me a calendar to help me get organized.  She knows me so well already!!!!

How cool that Grace found this calendar for me!

She found her stocking and checked out all the goodies inside.  Apple juice, mum mums crackers, and blueberry puree!  YUM!

We went to church and Grace looked like a princess, dressed in her most special Christmas dress.  I took her up to the crib scene after Mass and got the best photo I could of a little girl who was over-dressed, over-tired and over-excited! LOL!!!

Carolyn and her family arrived in the afternoon and we ended the day with presents, a great dinner and lots of family conversation.  Overall a great time had by all!

17 Months Today

Sorry, but I have a messy kitchen, laundry to fold, a video to watch for public health coming on Thursday and I've been at my parents' place most of the evening.   I won't get a chance to sort through the Christmas photos tonight and post them.  My computer is just too slow.  But, I will give you a sneak peek at my girl in her Christmas dress, a beautiful dress passed down to me from a friend.  My little sweetie is 17 months today!  Yeah for her!

Moonlight Magic in Our Town

This is a post I wrote early in the Christmas season.  I didn't publish it right away because I needed to get the photo from my friend Heather.  I'll give you a chance to see it and then I'll fit it chronologically into its place.  Tomorrow I will hopefully get some time to publish our Christmas photos.  It seems I'm always a week behind in everything I do these days!!! LOL

My town hosted a Moonlight Magic evening recently where they light the tree at the Town Hall and then people wander around to various events.  There are carol singers and hot chocolate.  Marshmallows being toasted on open fires.  Horse-drawn wagon rides and real live reindeer to check out.  They also have a Santa spot outside, where children line up to tell Santa their deepest desires and parents stand around snapping photos of their lovely darlings sitting on Santa's knee.  So I absolutely have to partake of these festivities now that Grace is here!  Even though Grace still has no idea who Santa is, what a reindeer might be capable of on Christmas eve, and can't drink hot chocolate or eat marshmallows, still I have to go.  So I called up my friend Heather and off we went, kids bundled up in strollers.  It was a beautiful evening and we had a good time wandering the streets.  Eventually we get in line for our chance to talk to Santa.  Grace waited as patiently as she could, really she did.  But the wait was long and eventually she started fussing.  Heather kept our spot in line and I started walking Grace in the stroller to keep her occupied.  By the time it was our turn to see Santa, here's what I encountered.  So precious for her first Santa visit!!!

Visiting Santa

We visited Santa twice before Christmas, once on our own and once with my sister and her baby K.  Here is a picture of Grace checking out Santa for the first time.  She's not too sure about the guy!

Dear Santa...

I was sharing the story with a friend the other day and she suggested I include it here.  So, here it is!  If Grace were to write a letter to Santa this year, here is what I think she would say.

Dear Santa,

Hi, my name is Grace and I am 16 months old.  I can't speak in words yet so my mom is writing to you for me.
I think I have been a good girl this year, even with all the changes it has brought.  It's been a tough one for me, moving to Canada and getting to know my new family but I like them and think I will settle in for good.  
I always eat my lunch and dinner and I'm trying hard to get the spoon in the bowl.  I have worked very hard at listening to my mommy speak English and I know lots of words and tricks now.  I can shake my head yes and no, and lean from side to side.  I can raise my arms up and blow kisses.  I've learned to climb the stairs all by myself and I can walk from the couch to the chair at Grandma and Grandpa's house!  I try really hard to go to bed on time and mommy says I am doing a good job of trying to stay asleep.  This week I learned how to wave good-bye when people are leaving.  Sometimes I wait till they are already out of the house and driving down the street before I start to wave, but then, I wave like crazy and mommy laughs. 
So, I think I have been good and would like to tell you what I want for Christmas.  I know children don't get everything they ask for, even from Santa, but please try to do your best, just like me.

I would like a new walking toy.  The one I'm using right now is almost worn out!!!  I move around the house a lot!
I would like my own remote control because mommy always hides the ones she has on top of the couch where I can't reach yet!
I would also like my own phone.  Sometimes mommy talks on the phone and then I have nothing to do so I climb up her leg, but a new phone of my own would be more fun I think.
I think I would like a puppy.  I have started to like Grandma and Grandpa's dog and now I think we should have one too!  (Mommy may edit this request out before sending if off to Santa!)
If you could, I would also like my birth mom and all the people back at Xuzhou SWI to know that I am doing great.  I am happy and healthy and am loving my new home here in Canada.  I even like snow!

I think that's it!  Thank you Santa and just so you know, you are on our front door and mommy lifts me up every day so I can kiss you!
Love Grace

Snack is Hard Work!

Just like the post title says, snack is hard work sometimes!

All Mommy Wants....

A good friend brought over an early Christmas gift for Grace.  Thanks Mary!  It was just too funny and oh so true......

However, on a more serious note, you all must know that I have already received the best gift of all, becoming a mom to the most beautiful girl in the world!

This is the ornament that I found to commemorate Grace and I's first Christmas as a Forever Family.  It's hanging on a small tree alongside several Chinese hand-painted glass ball ornaments, one from every year that I waited for Grace and two lovely First Christmas ornaments that my parents gave me recently.

Merry Christmas everyone, may the light of Christ be always in your heart and your blessings be great now and in the year ahead.

Holder of the Stuff

Grace and I spent some time at Grandma and Grandpa's last weekend, gathering greenery for the urns outside our front door.  Grace only had one job to do, to be holder of the stuff.  I'm not sure she is ready for full time employment yet....

Christmas in the Park

Grace and I have had a busy few days, Christmas shopping and enjoying the season.  Last night we were in Peterborough, listening to the sounds of my nephew's band.  Grace did a great job of staying awake and enjoying the music, clapping excitedly after each piece.  It was so cute to watch her enjoying the music!  We stayed overnight and had a nice visit with family.
Tonight we were supposed to attend an Advent Mass where my nephew's class was to sing Christmas carols.  However, he was sick and not going to be there, so we chose not to go to the church service and instead got bundled up and went to Christmas in the Park.  It was a mild night, so right after dinner, I changed Grace into her pajamas then bundled her into her snowsuit and off we went.  Our town hosts a lovely display of lights and holiday vignettes in a small park with a stream running through it.  It's quite beautiful and although Grace is a little young to really take it all in, it was a lovely walk just the same.  I may take her back a second time when there is actually some snow! And the best part of it all was... we were still home and in bed by 7:40!  Grace of course, not me!

It's a little hard to tell, but that's a beautiful Nativity scene behind her

It's not clear but that's Thumper and Bambi in the background.  Still figuring out the new camera!!!LOL

Mommy Time!

I got a few moments of "un-Grace-ified" Mommy Time last week!  So thankful to my mom and dad, who were kind enough to watch Grace for not one, but three events last week.  I had a dentist appointment one day as well as a retirement lunch for a good friend and colleague at a fancy restaurant and while I could have taken Grace, it was nice to be able to sit at the table and not have to face sideways in my chair, to feed her in a high chair.  I also had my work Christmas party, a house party where we all had a great time.  I couldn't believe how strange it felt to be out without her.  Good, but strange.

Happy retirement Norma! I actually got to wear a necklace this day!!!

Acting silly at the Christmas party!

P.S.  I have been working on lots of Christmas related posts lately.  I will try to get them all posted in the next few days, hopefully before Christmas!!