Slip Slidin' Away-ay-ay-ayyy

I first want to point out that these two bright pictures are very blurry - but it was such a beautiful evening that I had to turn the flash off and try to take some pictures in this beautiful light. They all turned out blurry. Hence you get the good pictures that are clear where it looks really dark outside - but try to imagine the whole night in this glowing pink haze. It was spectacular! Down at the small park and playground by our house there is a perfect little sledding slope. It was really busy when we first got there so we bided our time at the playground to wait for an opening. Lok at the difference between these swing pictures with and without the flash! Soon, one of the lanes opened up and we went for a ride! And another one and another one and another one and another one and...Scramble up the slippery hill and fly down in a spray of snow. Ethan got the hang of it quick.
They got going really fast, and I though Ethan might get a little scared - but each time they went down the hill he had the biggest smile on his face. The faster the better.The boys even got crazy and went head first. "Look out below!"

Snow Day

Overnight it got colder and snowed a lot more. And not sloppy wet snow - nice dry powdery snow - YAY! Troy went to work, and I loaded Ethan up into the backpack to go out exploring and take the dog for a walk. Self-portrait - note the Hallowe'en pumpkins still on my porch almost a month after they should be...
We walked down the hill to the forest and wandered around. Most of the trails were blocked by the branches bowing towards the ground from the weight of the snow. I took lots of scenery pictures - maybe I will do a post of the prettiest pictures once the snow is gone.
Cooper loves the snow. He runs around biting at the ground to get mouthfuls of it. Weird. Also - doesn't he look a little psycho in this picture? Mad dog! Mad dog! We love you Cooper.

Daddy came home after a couple of hours at work so we went back outside again. It is awesome how quiet everything seems in the snow - and peaceful - especially with no traffic coming down any of the streets.

We played and played and played. Ethan had a great time and now apparently is a big fan of the snow except for when he wipes out and does a face plant in it! The smile says it all...

Look Ethan, Snow!

This morning it started snowing. It was raining earlier and than the rain turned into flakes. We left the house to go run some errands - and we had to leave Wal-Mart in the middle of our shopping trip to get home because the snow really started coming down and it was all wet and slippery on the roads and our car tires are not so good.By evening - there was a good amount of snow on the ground. Even though it was soggy, heavy snow we went outside to play with Holly and Chloe in the backyard.

Ethan was a little skeptical (not impressed) of the situation when we first got outside.

After about 10 minutes of watching Chloe run around super excited about playing in the snow and building a snowman - he came around. Ten minutes later we went back inside because he had wiped out so many times and was soaking wet and getting cold. But we sure had fun!

Rain, Rain Go Away! We'll Go Out to Play Anyways!

Wow! It has been wet. Yesterday we made a break for it when the rain slowed to a drizzle as we were feeling pent up a bit inside.

We got all bundled up in our waterproof gear...
...and took the dog and the boy outside to play at the park.
Here he is working his new climbing skills:
So excited to finally be on top of the slide!
There were a couple of wipe outs in the mud and grass...

Than across the bridge and off to Starbucks to get mom and dad some Sunday morning coffee and muffins...

It took a while to get there - but the journey is ALWAYS better than the destination (even though the coffee was good).

Than home again to clean up and get on some drier clothes.

szus - not to be confused with jzus

Another fun-filled Saturday at the Robinson's house...
It has been raining really hard - too hard for us even to go out for a walk! That means it is bad! But Dad always finds something fun for us to do!
Guess whose shoes fit Cooper? Good puppy - he is so patient...and he wanted me to tell you he is also ashamed...

Higher and Higher...

You are getting to be a pretty good little climber, Ethan. It is your second favorite thing to do after ripping all of the items of the small shelf in this picture:

You are fairly careful when you are climbing or perching on something unstable. If it is solid, you bounce all over it (and sometimes off of it). If it seems a little off balance - you move more deliberately...
Once you get up on something - it is a never ending challenge to see if you can get higher or reach something you are not supposed to...
Sometimes I find myself just watching you to see if you can make it instead of pulling you down to safety. I am always amazed when you make it up and down all by yourself...and you always look so proud... This is you telling me all about your trip up the chair and looking out the window - aren't you clever.

Tuesday Fun

Now that I am working again - my mom comes over to watch Ethan for us on Tuesdays. It is a nice break for me and they have a great time together.

Here she is trying to get him to finish his lunch...

Uncle Axl and Auntie Nattie

This weekend, Uncle Axl and Auntie Nattie came over for dinner. We had appetizers and pre-dinner video games, and great conversation. We don't "entertain" very often - it is all about the coffee and drop-bys at our house - but it was nice to sit down to leisurely dinner and chat. About as close as you get to formal at our house...

They stayed after Ethan went to bed even, and we had wine with dinner and I had a really good time. I promise to have more people over for dinner visits from now on!
Next time I'll make Kraft dinner though! Anybody know any good pairings for that?

13 Months Old!

This month Ethan learned to run, and to say more words - that only few people understand, and he understands us all of a sudden! When we say, "Go get your shoes" - he does! I see a whole world of child labour opening up in front of us - that is if he is in the mood for co-operating... Shoes, juice, ball, backpack - I mean szuz, joos, buh, bapa...we're just glad he can start to ask for what he wants!

I have been working quite a bit - hence the lag in the updates...

So daddy and Ethan have had some more one on one time together, which they both love. There is nothing like watching them interact, I could do it all day. When I am working at the office I wonder what they are up to...it is always a lot of fun to hear the stories and see the state of chaos in the house after I have been away from them. When I am working at home I get to hear the chaos, and spy a little when I need to take a break from the computer.

Our house is the place of the "I'm gonna get you" chase game, squeals and emptying the contents of the cupboards repeatedly right now. Ethan is very curious, very busy - even for a toddler. He is really into his pointing gesture - to assist with acquiring items he does not know the words for, and he has started to see how things get put back together instead of just ripping things apart. He likes to put smaller items in bigger items and fit shapes together - this is the only time he will sit quietly for more than half a minute!

I find myself exhausted at the end of a full day with him - and I appreciate the balance of getting to work a bit away from him - which I was surprised at. At this point I feel like there is nothing more challenging, yet rewarding than life with a toddler. Every day I think about how lucky we are to be enjoying such a great life, even after an afternoon of whining and protests. Its like he knows how to turn on the cute and charming when you've just about had enough of him - and he burrows in for a rough snuggle. Ah, the delicate balance of life magnified each and every day for us. Thanks, Ethan - for being you!

Love, Mama

Hallowe'en

First, Mormor and my mom and I went to the rec centre for the Hallowe'en festivities.

I charged around the gym and checked out all of the activities and craziness going on.

Than, we came home to meet daddy after he finished work.

We went outside...
And got the pumpkins ready for carving when it got dark.
Mom cleans the guts out...and Dad does the creative stuff.
Than Papa Chris came over with his fireworks. We only set off a couple until our other friends arrived.

I went trick-or-treating at Fred and Karen's - and got a soccer ball, which I love...

Than our friends, the Mescheder's, came over - and we watched fireworks in the backyard and ordered pizza for dinner. Look at me and my pal Cason all dressed up!

Happy Hallowe'en everyone!