Jumping and Shaking

Just a clip from our last session at Sneaker Snappers ...
Mom ... now you can understand why Cadence was 'shaking' the table cloth ... it's her favourite activity!!!

Growing up ...

Here are a few other shots from the weekend. It amazes me to realize how quickly Cadence is growing up ...
Tonight she shocked me. We were laying down watching In the Night Garden as we always do. The phone rang but as this is our bedtime ritual I wasn't about to answer it and Cadence herself appeared to ignore it as well ... or so I thought. After the rings ceased, she quietly got up and a moment later she was standing over me handing me the phone ... how smart is that????
She is just the most amazing little person in the whole world ... just ask me!
Anyway, on with 'the show'!
Here is Cadence 'mowing the lawn' with her new PINK bubble mower ... we shopped til we dropped at Toys 'R Us this weekend. Bring on those airmiles!

And here she is, with her adorable little leather sandals, playing in the dirty sand. She is a magnet for dirt, puddles, etc. ... you name it ... but ... she will be the prettiest tomboy EVER!! Oh, and as for the sand at the end of MY driveway ... sore spot here! Once again this year, I spent a decent amount of time sweeping the dirt off the road in front of our house and driveway (like all the retired folks on the block). And then ... the street sweeper comes by and dumps it right back in front of only one drive ... MINE!!!! Yeesh!

Look who can now open and reach into my makeup and hair accessory drawer. Is it any wonder I can't find my mascara or favourite lip gloss?

Stage one potty training ... hoping I've bought my last big box of diapers! A girl can dream right?

Poor little soul took a not so little dive. She insisted on applying the ice pack all by herself. She's one tough cookie!

The Earthquake in China

I have yet to comment on the devastation that has and continues to take place in China as a result of the earthquake. I'm not really sure why ... perhaps it's because I like to keep things light, or because China has had so much negative publicity recentlly, or because it seems so far removed at this point in our lives. Whatever the reason, you should know that Cadence was born and adopted from Sichuan province ... it is a huge part of her history and it bears some acknowledgement ... finally. Sichuan is a very large province and luckily my daughter's birth city, foster home and social welfare institute were unharmed in this trajedy ... many other children, parents and citizens were not so fortunate. Please take time to think of the newly orphaned children as well as the parents who are now finding themselves without their child ... it is heartbreaking.
There are many horrific and telling photos that have been shared in the media ... I don't need to share them again. For a softer look at the situation CLICK HERE . The fourth photo really leaves me with a sense of awe.
Oh, how lucky we are!

Group 249 Get Together ... Almost!

On Sunday we were fortunate to have had the opportunity to reunite with 2 other families from our travel group. This is difficult to do considering Kim and Derek live in BC! The last time they were in Ontario was just before Christmas ... Sean, Cadence and I were on our way to the Soo so we were unable to meet up with everyone then and unfortunately this time around, Lisa, Geoff and Olivia were overseas ... Hopefully in time we will all be able to come together!

I must tell you, it was BEYOND adorable to see the three girls running and climbing and playing together ... such a huge leap from our first days in China! Nine months has gone by and the girls are all doing GREAT! They are spunky, energetic and happy little girls ... little girls ... unbelievable!!!

They spent a great deal of time in the sand box ... in their pretty dresses no less, as well on the climber and slide apparatus and chasing bubbles. They even got in on the game of bocci with their dads!

Much thanks to Hoda and Faisal ... our exceptional hosts who went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. It was just a fantastic day for us and expecially for Cadence!

Here are some of my favourite pics from the day:

Our Last Sneaker Snappers

Here are some photos of Cadence at her last Sneaker Snappers group. One of the MANY things I will miss when I head back to work in the fall is the opportunity to be able to take her to these kinds of social outings. There just aren't alot of things scheduled for toddlers after school. We will be doing gymnastics in July, but it is a very short program. Hopefully we will be able to continue come fall ...
Oh, and for the record, the tiara definitely fits ... a little crooked, but it fits!

Teacher's Helper

Yep ... she's catching on early!!!

Sneaker Snappers Continued

The 'graduation' certificate ... congratulations Cadence ... we are soooo proud of you!!!
Love,
Mom and Dad

Order up!

We took Cadence out for dinner tonight ... only on account of the fact that as I began to prepare this evening's meal, I realized I was missing 2 of the 3 main ingredients!  Anyway, the little character actually ordered her own meal ... that's right ... she ordered, "num, num!" ... all by herself!  AND to drink ... "mawk, pees!"  Which, obviously, would be, milk please.  It cracked me up ... very timely I might add ... I'd spent a good portion of the day listening to her new 'growl' noises!  I think I should get that on video so you could witness the not so soft side of Cadence. She is an absolute cutie though ... we couldn't resist giving in when she grabbed Sean's sleeve with both hands and started pulling and saying 'PEES' ... headed in the direction of the play area. Discipline .... what is this word you speak of??????

In House Arm Wrestling

Cadence wins ... every time ... hands down!!!!

It's Gettin' Hot in Here!

But don't worry, I WON'T take off any clothes! Yes, the furnace is fixed! Now the phone is outside, in the sun, where I hope it will dry out ... I dropped that in the pool an hour ago! Yep, it's gonna be an interesting week ... think I'll refrain from driving anywhere for a few days!

Old School

Let's go streaking!

I'm hoping my 'regulars' got a chance to view this video ... I thought it was pretty cute!
I decided to pull it, however ... you tube is a highly public forum and I am well aware of how many lunatics and sickos are out there and so ... you can understand why I wouldn 't want any real 'strangers' viewing my daughter in this light!
Thanks!

Victoria Day

I love long weekends, especially when I am working for a 'wage' ... BUT there is a HUGE downside around here ... the fireworks! I do love them, they hold such a romantic quality, however, I have a dog ... a lovely, small, white bichon, who was my baby for the first 10 and a half years of our marriage, who DRIVES ME CRAZY on these long weekends! It is not his fault ... he has HIGH anxiety when in comes to loud cracks (thunder and fireworks mostly) and displays it by panting, trembling and quite often ... incontinence AND that, I can't take! So, tonight as I sit and enjoy a glass of wine while I blog, he and my husband are somewhere deep in the recesses of the basement trying to hide from the noise ... I wish them luck!
While we're in the basement, I need to share the next 'issue' ... the furnace! It appears to not be working! Now, the weather is expected to improve by the middle of the week ... so ... what do we do in the meantime? Could we actually try to get away without heat for the next three days? We do have the fireplaces and a couple of space heaters???? I will ponder that over the next 24 hours and see what I can come up with ... in the meantime, if you have any suggestions ....
So, today was sunny enough, but still cold. We did manage to get out a bit ... we took Cadence to school to hang out in the gym and run around the halls while Sean reorganized his classroom. We spent some time outside painting on the driveway and really just hung out ... nothing out of the ordinary. Next weekend we are looking forward to heading to Oakville to meet up with our travelmates ... we can't wait! I am dying to see how the girls look after 8 long months ... be sure to check back for those photos!!! Oh, definitely a reason to make that next purchase (to heck with the furnace I say!).
It is amazing how I can read all about Cadence's expected milestones and 'troubles' and how they can suddenly appear ... immediately! For example, yesterday she began to attempt to climb out of the crib. She is also growling alot more when something doesn't appeal to her or she has no interest in complying with our requests ... yep, she is definitely, without doubt a typical toddler ... yay for us!
Well, that really is all I can think of right now ... here are my 5 favourite photos for the weekend:

Long Weekend ... of Misery!

Well ... if you concentrate on the weather side of things that is! Although Friday was decent, yesterday and today were especially miserable! Poor Cadence ... we can now see how important getting out and enjoying the fresh air is for her ... and us! We were pretty well couped up in the house yesterday so today we ventured out ... it was quite pathetic really. Our main goal was to get some fresh seafood for dinner but since it was just about lunch time, we decided to treat Cadence to Wendy's ... there really was nothing better to do with a toddler on a rainy Sunday afternoon around here. To be honest, she didn't really enjoy it all that much so it was off to Johnny's for some salmon and crab rangoon. Fortunately I remembered the 'aquatic' store across the street ... that turned out to be our big event of the day. Cadence spent about half an hour checking out every fish tank imaginable. Actually, it was a good alternative and something she really enjoyed ... how sad! She is now down for a nap and the rain is continuing to teem down so ... I'm off to curl up with a good book, something I haven't done in quite a while!
And ... for those who may be keeping track ... Cadence is 18 months today ... a whole year and a half old!!!

Tilt your head for this clip ...

Okay ... I forgot that videos cannot be rotated on playback so .... you'll just have to get a little crink in your neck if you want to watch this one! It was the only active footage I got today.

First Phrase

This week Cadence uttered her first phrases ... "Bye, bye dadda" and "Bye, bye peepee"! In some literary circles these might even be considered complete sentences ... oh yeah ... can you say, GENIUS!!!
A few shots from today as I continue to contemplate a new camera ... any suggestions?

Cool chick:

Cheese:

A 'moment' in the hat:

Finally!

This day comes filled with many mixed emotions. I am GRATEFUL, so very grateful to be Cadence's mom! I treasure and take delight in every moment with her ... I NEVER imagined I could be brought to tears simply by the amount of love I have for my daughter. She is everything and more! I truly feel like the luckiest mom in the world!
On this day, however,there is also a small part of me that can't help but remember the years of pain and anguish I felt about not being a mom. It was a lonely place and the pain of that will always be a part of me ... For those still waiting, I get you!
I must also take a moment to share my deepest gratitude to the woman who gave Cadence life and me the opportunity to be a mother. Without her, my dream could not have been realized ... may she take comfort in knowing that Cadence is loved beyond reason......
'Nuff said!
So ... how did I spend this, my first Mother's Day? Well ... the day started in bed with my girl ... she even hand delivered me a card. How great is that!

There was an offer of breakfast in bed, but with Winston and Cadence sharing the space ... I thought better of it!
Cadence also helped me unwrap my present...I could never have imagined that I would be in the market for a family ring one day...but low and behold, here is the first piece of what will become my family ring:

I have long admired my good friend Nancy's ring ... she was kind enough to share information about it. It is called a 'fusion ring' and is created by a series of rings that fit together in a variety of ways. It will take a number of 'occasions' before I can call my ring complete, but I am happy that it is started. Thank you Sean!!!!
The remainder of the day was spent just hanging out and 'playing' AND my girl gave me quite a present herself ... a full TWO hour nap ... yippee!!!
We then went out for dinner.
Here's Cadence before we left:

Here she is after:

Not bad considering we had italian huh!?
What can I say .. it was a GREAT day!

Catching Up With Photos

It is faster for me to just add photos to new posts rather than go back and try to insert them. Hoping to be all caught up by this evening ... even hoping to add some video clips! Enjoy!

The dreaded, but adorable shoes:


The efforts of my 'workout':


A couple of Sneaker Snapper activities:



The pool that is NOT warming up:

Yahoo!

Okay ... things are not fixed but I was able to find a 'tool' that will work (until I get the new camera!). Here are some photos at Tots @ Play:

Converse, Cars and 'Sharks'

Last night for dinner and this morning for Sneaker Snappers, mommy chose to put Cadence in her pink Converse' lendies' from Gweny.  They ARE adorable, but Lisa ... I would have appreciated an owner's manual with them!  Man are they tricky to put on ... especially when said toddler is laying down, rolling around ... it's torture!  But I must say the end result is ... beyond cute!

A few people have asked if and how I've been losing weight ... okay, first of all ... I haven't really, but second of all ... I like to call it the 'Dress a Toddler Fitness Regime'.  Truly, I break out in a sweat EVERY time I dress Cadence.  Do you think there is a market for MY workout video???

At Sneaker Snappers, Cadence (and mommy) tried out the newest, coolest ride-on toy ... the Plasma Car!  Seriously, it is FUN!!!  You can check it out HERE  or wait for my video clip ... whenever I get around to fixing things!  Apparently Costco carried them ... for a day ... before they were sold out at a fraction of the cost.  If you ever see one and you are in my geographical city ... let me know or get me one ... PLEASE!!!

Mommy was able to give Cadence her first 'ponytail' today!  Wouldn't it be nice if I could've added a photo here > ... too bad!   

And tonight ... Daddy encountered his first 'big, brown shark' in the bathtub!!!  Better him than me!

Toy Banishment

I have now removed all hard edge toys from the chest in the great room ... which is pretty much ALL of the toys ... at least the good toys!  They are safely stored in Cadence's new makeshift playroom in the basement where she can jump, run, spill and throw things to her heart's content!  She still has books and some things to enjoy upstairs as well as the foam blocks I've just ordered from Costco ... that and the tv!  I think this is going to work out well for all of us ... I'll be less stressed about obsessing over the clutter that one views upon entering our home, Cadence can have full run of the basement with no fear of damage and daddy and mommy can really escape when the other is playing with her in the basement!  

Today was cold!!!  Yep ... blame the weather on us ... it was pool opening day!  What a joke! Cadence, as I predicted, was immediately drawn to the water!  The life jacket is going on tomorrow the second she steps off the deck!  We are in for a battle, but it is for her safety and it is a fight we are willing to take on!

We took Cadence out to dinner tonight ... she was on fire with personality!  High fives were flying everywhere, she was answering the waitress VERY enthusiastically and flirting with all of the customers.  Our server thought she was 'hilarious' ... and well dressed (looking like a GAP ad) ... well, duh!!!  Let's just say, she got a great tip ... loving my baby goes a long way!

Gosh how I wish I had photos to share ... do you actually read this stuff????

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Cadence has finally made it to the point at daycare where ..... she'd rather STAY!!!!  The nerve!  Of course I am happy that she is happy there, but there's the other part of me that feels a tad bit rejected ... this is normal ... right???

At Tots class today, Cadence made a 'flower garden' painting with her hand prints ... so cute!  She is totally into the 'arts and crafts' activities that Miss Eileen does every week ... we just might have a budding artist on our hands!

The weather has been discouraging to say the least, so we've been spending all our time indoors. Cadence is beginning to really enjoy certain programs on tv.  Months ago she would 'tune in' when ever there were musical segments ... only lasting 2-3 minutes.  Now she sits and actually focuses and really watches.  Favourites are ... Dora, obviously, Diego, Ni Hao Kai Lan (the one that first held her attention ... coincidence? ... I think not!) and In the Night Garden.  Last night she was laughing like crazy as Igglepiggle made tiddles appear.  Sean and I and Cadence watch this show religiously at 7:30 every night ... it is part ... no ... KEY ... to our night time routine!  Let me just tell you this is the MOST ridiculous thing I have seen on tv ... EVER!!!  I am convinced the writer must be on something ... something good!  Although the idea is for Cadence to be lulled to sleep, Sean or I are usually the ones doing a fair number of head bobs and fighting sleep.

Here's hoping for some action outdoors tomorrow!

Still No Answer ...

I have yet to determine what the problem is with regards to loading photos onto our computer.

I've been a little busy ... now that the floors are all fresh and new and shiny ... I've felt the need to

tackle the rest of the house ... including moving couches around in the basement and laying the carpet from upstairs downstairs to create a makeshift playroom ... no more hard edge toys in the great room!  I've just got one more section to deal with and then Cadence is good to go!

As far as continuing to update ... I'll have to save drafts and post them when I get the photo issue resolved ... after all, that IS what you come here for!

Day Two ...

Cadence and I spent the day as nomads ... displaced from our home once again. She spent the first couple of hours with her little friends at Sandy's and then we headed out to meet the gang of Tots at Play. I have some photos I was hoping to share but my camera or computer is not cooperating!!! I'm secretly hoping it's the camera ... this would force me to HAVE to purchase a new one ... something I've been dying to do, but amazingly have resisted ... trying a new thing ... being practical (which is absolutely NO fun I might add!). From there we headed out to purchase some chemicals and then had a lunch date together. I was planning to take Cadence down to the waterfront for a walk (and hopefully a nap), but she actually didn't make it! I ended up parking by the water ... with dozens of seniors ... and actually pulled out a trashy novel I haven't been able to pick up for months. Truthfully, I could have fallen asleep myself. Cadence crashed for a full hour and then we headed home to check on the progress ...
Our guy was just doing some final touch ups to the trim so we headed out to the park for a little while. Once home, I attempted placing furniture back in their spots, but Cadence would not allow me to do so without her assistance ... frankly, her assistance made the job twice as difficult so I gave up and gave in to Elmo!
After dinner, Daddy took Cadence for a little walk into the woods near our home where they came upon a wild turkey and then he gave her the night time bath. This gave me about two hours to do some of the clean up and moving of stuff ... at this point in the evening ... late ... I am happy to report, I am just about done! Everything is in it's place except for the china and stemware ... not too bad I'd say! BUT ... I am exhausted! I can hardly wait to get the carpet organized downstairs so we can start to get back to a normal routine!!!
Well ... I'll try loading those photos again tomorrow ... with any luck ... I'll be at Future Shop before the day is out! Heehee!

One Down ...

So here's what things looked like by lunch time:


All I can say is that this process was a LOT more stressful than I could have imagined. The noise was ridiculous and the smell a little nauseating, which meant I obviously had to ensure me and my girl were out of the house ... for the entire, extended day. Not an easy task by any means! We ended up at the park, visiting our cousins, playing at our neighbours and even out for dinner. Poor Cadence (and mommy) only got to have a quick 20 minute catnap in the car ... in the driveway of my sister's home, where construction is at a peak. This led to her basically crashing at bedtime ... thank goodness! It gave Sean and I time to move some stuff. Here is what things looked like at 7:00:


To make matters worse ... I'm not entirely sure about the colour! Don't get me wrong ... I like it, I just don't think some of my furniture goes with it now ... oh well ... it's done and there's no undoing it! Perhaps once everything is in place I'll feel okay!
I do have to say, at night, I love it!
Well ... it's now Day 2 and things should be complete sooner ... can't wait for that!

The Official Documents

Here they are!

Ready, Set, Go!

We spent the weekend moving the furniture and, with the help of a friend, pulling up the carpets, and now we are more than ready for the wood to go down! Of course we never could have gotten the job done without our 'little helper'!