July

Calabogie Bound! - July 31, 2010
We spent the last weekend of our holidays up at Calabogie. It was a awesome. It brought back wonderful memories of my childhood and the kids had a blast. We spent pretty much the entire time outside - all that fresh air does a body good. We played, we swam, we fished, we canoed, we floated, we splashed...and that was just the first day!

Brrrr...hard to believe it's the end of July - July 30, 2010
I had hoped to take the kids back to the water/sand park at Andrew Hayden Park, but the weather turned quite cool today. Instead we met up with our good buddies the Roberts and the Holts and spent the morning in another area of Andrew Hayden Park. We played at the park, had a picnic and walked around by the water.

Valley View Farm - July 29, 2010
The next stop on our vacation was to spend a couple of days at Uncle Drew and Auntie Glenda's. We packed up our stuff and head to their house in the morning. Once we unloaded the car we got ourselves organized to go to Valley View Farm. It's a great place for the kids. There are things to climb, animals to see, sand it dig and trains to ride!

Again...not a great picture of all the cousins, but at least they are all in the same shot (zoned out watching TV)!

A quiet day around town - July 28, 2010
Oh Meesha...what a good "kit cat" as Milo calls her. You would never know there were four cats in the house as three of them make themselves pretty scare when kids are about. But the newest one - Meesha - just wants to be loved. She lets the kids pat and poke and she just takes it. Both boys loved to love Meesha.

We met up with Uncle Drew, Auntie Glenda, Ben and Mia at a park between the two houses. Unfortunately our visit didn't last long as rain clouds rolled in.

Auntie Laura was also in town for a visit so she popped by for the afternoon to see the kids and we got a bit of a chance to catch up. Kaden got to help make dinner and he and Auntie Martha were perfecting their "smashing cracker" faces. Hysterical!

Roberts Reunion! - July 27, 2010
We really miss our best buds since they moved back to Ottawa, but it was like no time had passed since we last saw them. We got to see their new digs and manage to brave the heat long enough to check out their local playground and water park. Milo is still unsure about the water, but he's happy as a clam in the sand now. The other kids happily got soaked and then took to the playground. Kaden is becoming a super climber. Milo of course found the steering wheel.

Our littlest climber was able to get himself up on Auntie Martha's chairs, but hasn't quite learned that chairs are for bums. He's relaxing here, but could more often been seen standing giving you the "I know I shouldn't be doing this, but you're too far away to do anything about it" look. Kaden discovered a drum set belonging to Uncle Cliff's nephew as well as a stereo and a stack of CDs in the room he slept in. Hours of entertainment. He even got Uncle Cliff to join his band!

Eviction Day - July 26, 2010
It took me a while to find Milo - and there aren't a lot of places he can go at Nanna and Poppa's, but he was apparently practicing his sneaky tactics for the future. Luckily there was only one empty in the box. I guess he's figured out what he's supposed to do. I wonder what he'd think if he actually got a taste?!

Some long-time Cremma watchers might remember Kaden and the shampoo bottle.
Here Milo demonstrates his repetitive behavior with something he has obviously witnessed (once in a while)!

There is an awesome park not far from my parents - Brewer Park. Not only does it have numerous play grounds but it has a two-tier water park. Fun!

Well - it wouldn't be a trip to Ottawa if we didn't bring some germs with us. We arrived healthy, but the boys woke up sneezing this morning. Within ours of the first "outbreak" we took our eviction notice and left for Auntie Martha's. Unfortunately we still managed to get my dad sick just in time for his Alaskan cruise - sorry Poppa!!! The boys fortuantely didn't succumb to much of a cold so we carried on our vacation from a new locale! Auntie Martha was well-equipped for the kids - they splashed in the water and then got to watch a DVD outside. What a treat!

Things that Go! - July 25, 2010
Nanna and I took the boys to the museum of Science and Technology. Kaden remembers this museum as the Train Museum - any wonder why?!

Kaden goes for a ride...
Fortunately I don't think he has much redneck in his blood ;]

In preparation for dinner with Uncle Drew and his crew Kaden helped Nanna on a trip to the grocery store. It's hard to get all the cousins in one picture, but I tried to catch a few in action.

Preparing for our ROAD TRIP! - July 24, 2010
The boys and I are vacationing in Ottawa this week. After packing the car and catching up on some reading, we awaited the arrival of Auntie Martha who amazingly flew in from Ottawa so she could help me on the long journey home. THANK YOU!!!

Just 'cause - July 23, 2010
There's no real reason for these pictures other than I'm a snapaholic and I love to watch my two boys play together...or at least beside each other.

Kaden's office... - July 21, 2010
Kaden is dropping his nap. I knew the day would come and we did make it until he was almost 3 and a half so I can't complain, but he happened to pick the week when I actually had some "real" work to do! So after his quiet-relaxing-time in his room he joined me at the table. He brought out his own "work" to do at "his office". Pretty cute company.

Boys in the Backyard - July 20, 2010
Kaden got to start practicing his t-ball skills. I can't remember why Milo's diaper is off (probably required a change), but baby bums are cute regardless of the reason. Back in the house the boys enjoy some skin-time before needing to dress for dinner!

A bicycle (trailer) built for two - July 18, 2010
We bought a bike trailer last summer when it was on sale at Canadian Tire. Of course, Milo was too small and we had the bike seat on the back of the bike for Kaden so it has sat in the box for a year. I figured it would be fun to finally get it out so that I could have another way for the boys and I to get out this summer. It was remarkably simple to set up so after some playtime in the front yard testing the boys' patience we took our new ride for a spin. It was a hit (despite their expressions to the contrary).

Rattray Marsh - July 17, 2010
Today we walked a different path through the marsh. Instead of heading down to the rocky beach we kept following the boardwalk, then gravel path, then sandy beach to somewhere between Rattray Marsh and Jack Darling Park.

Something new for everyone - July 12, 2010
I admit that some days I start the day wondering what I will possibly do with the boys that day. Today we cracked out the finger paint. Kaden loves to get goopy. Milo was pretty suspicious. I forced the first finger into the paint pile. He pushed it around a little and then said "all done"! We'll try again another day. Later in the day I filled some balloons with water and some with air. The kids had fun running around the yard with balloons and Kaden enjoyed throwing the water-filled ones around to see if he could make them break.

Milo is getting pretty adept at going down the slide on his own.
You've got to keep an eye on him though as he's also getting pretty good at going up!

Keeping cool at the splash pad. - July 11, 2010
There is a little gem of a splash pad behind the community centre near Grandma and Pa. It's not the nicest in terms of surrounding amenities (ie no swaths of grass to sit on), but each time we've gone the past two summers we have had it almost entirely to ourselves. Milo is getting more use to playing in the grass and in the sand and even near the lake (not quite in it yet), but he doesn't yet care of fountains of water spraying down on him from random spots in the ground! He likes the idea of following Kaden and pushing the sensors to set the water in motion, but there was a lot of following Craig or me around saying "up please" and whimpers of displeasure. He'll soon be a splash pad champ like his older brother, who is still somewhat hesitant to really immerse himself in the larger fountains, but who loves to push the buttons and run around regardless. Milo eventually found comfort in another form of water - namely all of our water bottles.

That night we had dinner at Gran and Grandee's house. The kids were spoiled with gifts from the Grans that are to remain there for future visits. Each child's gift was specifically chosen with each kid in mind (Kaden = guitar, Braydon = helicopter, Milo = wagon) and each kid was very excited about their own gift. And then...they were even more excited about whatever somebody else had! The night was filled with negotiations and trades!

Dots and DQ - July 10, 2010
Milo discovered the joy of the bingo stampers today and both boys got their first taste of DQ. Yum!

It's too hot to play outside! - July 9, 2010
The bright morning sun is so nice, but SO hot. If we don't get outside to play first thing it's just not worth it. The heat and humidity is stifling. So today we checked out a new play gym (Might Jungle). It was a lot of fun. Not too big, but there weren't many kids on this day so we had the run of the place. There's a climbing structure, slides, a ball pit, a bouncy castle, and ride-on-toys. What more could you want?

Milo gives the bouncy castle a whirl.                                                        Kaden enjoys the freedom of falling into a pit of balls.
           

Good thing Milo got a taste of the bouncy castle solo. His next exposure was more like the ring at wrestle-mania!
Look at those knees Kaden launches with! This is pretty typical behaviour for the two of them (yeesh, boys), but I'm usually much more
stern with Kaden to lay off his little brother. Is it any wonder he rarely heeds my warnings when Milo is laughing the whole time?!

There are a lot of times where I say "poor second child" in response to things Milo has to endure, but one benefit is that he is exposed to a lot of things (namely multi-media and sweets) that Kaden never had at his age. Normally Milo is found lurking around the table trying to peek over the top to see what is on the screen, so today was a milestone as he got to watch the music DVD from a chair. Look at that unwavering focus on the screen!

Summer Soccer - July 7, 2010
We signed Kaden up for soccer again this summer. Last year's "Me and My Dad" soccer was hit or miss on his participation and interest. This year he was on his own on the field with Coach Steve and the other kids. It was great. He was really excited about going, really liked his coach and had fun participating each week. We managed to break Daddy out of work early so that he could come and see Kaden on his first night. It was a got one - check out the sweaty curls on Milo! See if you can spot Kaden in the crowd...he's number 18 ;]

The ground of kids in this soccer session were 3-5 year olds. I think Kaden may have been one of the younger ones,
but despite being one of the more enthusiastic he was definitely one of the slowest!
Here you can see our soccer star in action.

Welcome Ciara!!! - July 6 and 7, 2010
It has been a year and a half since we moved from BC and just as long since we've seen our good friend Ciara. She arrived in town a couple days in advance of a Guiding camp she was helping to staff in Guelph. She has never been to Ontario before and only had a small window to visit. What better way to entertain her and the kids than a trip downtown on the Go Train and a ride up the elevator at the CN Tower?! Of course, being from BC Ciara is not at all acclimated to the humidity of Ontario (I'm still trying to get readjusted myself). So after sweating it out downtown, we retreated to the backyard and soaked our tootsies in the pool. Refreshing.

The following day we took Ciara down to our beach to play at the park and in the water. All the fun in the very hot sun was too much for our little man. He didn't even manage to finish his snack before he passed out on the walk home!

Sunday Funday. - July 4, 2010
Why do I like Sunday's so much...because Daddy is home!!! It's shaping up to be a long hard summer for Craig at work, so we try to make the most of the day we have him at home. Today we went to explore some new waterfront in Port Credit. A walk along the water lead us to Starbucks for our snack and then back to the park for some play. Tucked away beside the playground is a pretty waterfall to boot! Later that day we were invited up to Grandma and Pa's for dinner and for a visit with Auntie Susan and Uncle Terry. Despite living in the same city we don't often get a chance to see our extended family. It's nice when the opportunity presents itself. Speaking of presents, Auntie Susan had been storing gifts for all the boys since their births! What a great way to end the day with some new books and toys. Milo was especially interested in Braydon's new lego-type tow truck. Can you see him making the sign for "more" as Uncle Chris starts assembling the pieces! Our little wheel lover in action ;]

Summer Sun = Beach Fun - July 3, 2010
The boys and I head to the beach - this time armed with sand toys. Milo still isn't a big fan of the lake, but he's starting to get the idea about throwing rocks (he picks them up and then drops them) and he's much more comfortable in the sand.

A little peace amongst the weeds - July 2, 2010
We managed to get a garden started along the side of our front walk this May and then we started to clear the front yard in preparation for grass. Well, between Craig's schedule and the weather we managed to remove the jungle that was there and in its place we created a weed-infested moonscape. The front yard must leave some of the neighbours wondering, but to give them some hope we started to create a little front yard "oasis". Here's a little taste of what's to come...

HAPPY CANADA DAY! - July 1, 2010
Our first Canada Day in Port Credit. What a treat to find out they have a Canada Day parade at a kid-friendly time (all other parades I've hoped to attend are usually smack in the middle of naps). The four of us donned our red and white and took to the streets to celebrate with our community. First stop was a trip to Memorial Park where we got to take a ride in a miniature train. Next it was off to get some pre-lunch ice cream and wave our flags with the masses on the parade route. No...we didn't deprive Milo of ice cream. Despite his very sweet tooth he was anti-ice cream today and just wanted to mash (and occasionally eat) blueberries. After the parade we headed to the mouth of the Credit River for a patio lunch at the Snug Harbour restaurant. A really fun start to the day.

Later that day we hosted a Canada Day BBQ in our backyard with our extended Ross family. Not too many pictures were snapped...unless you count all the ones taken by Kaden (I only included the last one to give you a taste of his subject matter)! Good food, good company and good weather. A good day.