Left Coast Mama » cute

Halloween, Pumpkins and Candy, Oh and a Birthday

Gwen — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:11:45 +0000

Halloween, next to Christmas, is my favourite time of year. I love to dress up, trick or treat with the kids and decorate. I have always loved carving pumpkins and decorating the house even before we had kids. The few years that the smell of raw pumpkin gave me a migraine were the saddest few years of my life and I resorted to carving up green and red peppers. Aside; the green peppers were very cute and the littlest trick or treaters at my mom’s house were enchanted with them.

When Anthony and I moved to Vancouver we lived in a condo for the first few years an didn’t get any trick or treaters, but we still carved a pumpkin. When we lived in an apartment we decorated and got a few kids. When we moved to the townhouse in Vancouver we really expected some trick or treaters. Now seven years later we don’t expect any. We do however get the place decorated, the kids costumed up and leave candy out for whomever decides to come while we go out trick or treating with our two boys. Halloween, though fun before the boys, is so much more fun now.

Since Aidan was a baby we have taken time before Halloween to take pictures of the boys in their costumes. I love this tradition and I really hope they don’t grow out of it. We also have gone to the Richmond Country Farms Pumpkin Patch for the last 4 years. It is a little expensive but the boys have a wonderful time. This year, like last year, we are having Quinlan’s birthday party at the Pumpkin Patch. It is a lot of fun and has music, a maze and of course tonnes of pumpkins. This year we are adding the Stanley Park Ghost Train to our traditions.

The best of our traditions is our trick or treating ritual. We go down to a housing co-op near our place that is right next door to an elementary school. We usually drop off candy to some of our friends living in the co-op and then go around. We take lots of pictures and let the kids stay out a little bit later than usual bedtime. This is the best place near us to trick or treat because the co-op goes all out. They decorate to the nines and all the kids in the co-op and nearby elementary school are there. We come home with a tonne of candy and have hot chocolate by candle light and jack o lantern light before bed. Once the boys are in bed it is chocolate o’clock for the grownups, just like it should be.

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Disclosure: I am participating in the Allan Candy Company program by Mom Central Canada. I received compensation for my participation in this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Allan Candy Halloween treats are all made in Canada and are peanut free and their line-up includes: Allan Intense Jubes & Jellies, Allan Chewy Rascalz and Allan Fruit Buddies.

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Related: Aidan, cute, Family Time, Halloween, Quinlan, Trick-or-treating.

Lists Are Made to Be Crossed

Gwen — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:06:44 +0000

On most days I have an idea of the things I need to get done. Sometimes I actually make a list so things can get crossed off and I can feel like I have accomplished something. Today was one of those days, and there were six things on the list.

1. Clean Living room,and Dining room

2. Vacuum

3. Take out recycling/garbage.

4. Put Cooler down in the storage.

5. Bring up some of the Christmas Decorations.

6. Take Family Christmas Pictures.

Luckily we were able to take care of all the list and I feel pretty good. Since we had to move all the furniture we even were able to get under the sofas clean. Anthony was able to take some nice pictures even though it was difficult to get the boys to stay still long enough to get the shots.

Finally a nice one of the four of us.

Mommy I want you to be a sled.

This test shot turned out nicely.

Still cute even though Quinlan isn't looking at the camera.

These guys are way too cute for their own good.

© 2009 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | 2 comments
Related: Aidan, Anthony, Christmas, cute, family, Gwen, Holidays, organization, Pictures, Quinlan.

Awe and Tears

Gwen — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:52:15 +0000

Both my boys love music and it plays a big role in their everyday lives. I guess that this isn’t a real surprise because music has always been a huge part of my life and Anthony’s. Not only was I a choir geek from early on, but both Anthony and I were band geeks. I still play the flute and sing all the time. I actually went to university for music for my first degree.

While I am not surprised at how much Quinlan and Aidan love music, I am surprised at how well they both dance. Neither Anthony or I have any particular dance style or dance rhythm for that matter. That is not to say that both of us don’t love to dance, we are just not very good at it.

Aidan likes to watch all the dancing shows with us and he makes me rewind different routines and tries to get down with the hip-hop, or move to some of the contemporary routines. Quinlan just has an innate sense of rhythm and when he hears a beat he likes he just moves. I can’t wait to see what he can do when he decides he can walk. Today he didn’t realize I wasn’t holding him up and he jumped up. I am constantly in awe.

I guess that is the way I should be. It is awesome to see your children take such pleasure in something as beautiful as music and dance. It is awesome to see you almost 1 year old move so instinctively. It is amazing to me that my baby is almost 1. He is moving away from his infancy to becoming a toddler.

I wasn’t sure where this post was going, but I am getting a little teary just thinking that my baby is not much of a baby anymore. He has teeth, he is taller that his brother was at that age. He is a little terror on the toys, and god help you if you have something he wants to eat, you might lose a finger. He also has the cutest little evil laugh or bleat of anticipation. It is the best sound I have ever heard.

I guess that is just the way it should be, awe and a little bit of tears.

A Few New Things

Gwen — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 13:33:58 +0000

Aidan has been growing by leaps and bounds in the last month both in body and mind. We left Vancouver with 3 pairs of shoes that fit and by the weekend of the first week they no longer fit. We brought out his Aunt PJ’s old tricycle and he couldn’t quite push the pedals all around because he was too short and a week later he can.

Language is another story where his grammar is exploding. Aidan has explored both plurals and possessives for some time but his sense of 1st, 2nd and 3rd person is just beginning to blossom. You know you are a geek when you mainly notice after he took a ding out of his Grampa’s floor the he said “I threw the bone.” He is also coming out with a number of new phrases including “Yes indeed!” Aidan’s sentences are also becoming much longer and more complicated. He understands the sequence of first, next and after, which just blows my mind!

The other (and last for this post) thing that has exploded is Aidan’s singing ability. Not an “erner erner” in the bunch. He now sings a medly of Twinkle, Twinkle, The Alphabet Song, Baa, Baa Black Sheep, Skinamarink, 5 Little Monkeys, Bingo and new today I am Slowly Going Crazy. I am sure you also see the irony in this.

Have a great one!

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Related: Aidan, cute, language aquisition, milestones, out of the mouthes of babes, Singing.

Big Trucks in the Sky

Gwen — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:37:00 +0000

Last night we had a wicked thunder storm while at Gramma and Grampa’s. Anthony is home in Vancouver so it is just Aidan and me here. Aidan did wake up as the THUNDER was very loud, so I brought him to the window to see the rain and lightening. As soon as he knew what was what Aidan curled up in bed with me and went right back to sleep.

When Aidan woke up he looked up at me and said “Big Trucks!”

I replied “Yes that is exactly what it sounded like. Big trucks in the sky.”

“Big trucks in the sky,” he repeated.

Yes indeed. Big trucks thundering in the sky and shaking the house. I am so glad we worked that out.

erder erder erder er

Gwen — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 03:55:50 +0000

Aidan has taken to singing aroung the house and in the car. A lot. He knows the usual classics like “Twinkle, Twinkle” “The Wheels on the Bus” “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes” as well as some less well known ones. He doesn’t always get the words all right but he tries and loves it. His rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle” goes:

Twinkle, twinkle little stir,

Erder erder erder er ,

Up above the wirld so high

Lik a dimond in the sye

Twinkle, twinkle little stir,

Erder erder erder er.

Or his rendition of Excursion Around the Bay in the grocery store the other day:

Oh me, oh my,

I heard the Ogre cry,

cry cry

HEY!

Or his version of “My Bonnie”

(Mommy or Daddy sings)

My Bonnie lies over the ocean

My Bonnie lies over the sea

My Bonnie lies over the ocean

So bring back my Bonnie to me

(Aidan sings)

Bring Back, Bring Back

to me to me

Bring back bring back

to me to me.

It is quite funny and the “Twinkle, twinkle” get other words in it like “qrstuv, baa baa Sheep.” I am glad to know that he can pick up that they are the same melody. He is also got quite a range and is well on his way to actually being in tune. He certainly has more than the very short range that most children have. I will try to get an audio clip for you sometime this week. It is quite cute and well worth the listen.

Cake is the New Breakfast of Choice

Gwen — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:53:02 +0000

Aidan is in his high chair, eating a carrot muffin, and muttering in a very happy voice.

“Cake!”

“Birthday card!”

“Cake!”

“Milk!”

“Birthday Cake!”

“Its a Birthday!”

“Thomas!”

I think he has figured out the links between birthday cards, cake, presents and saying happy birthday. (Only Aidan says “Happy Birthday card” instead.) Can you tell we had three weeks of birthdays in a row to help him out with the concept?

A number of Things

Gwen — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 04:36:07 +0000

Ok I like lists, so what. I have not been blogging as much as I want to so I thought I would do a bit of a catch up post with 10 new things that Aidan says and does. (Yes I will add some pictures.)

1 . Aidan has some new favourite words that he uses all the time. In fact I cannot walk about town without him saying, or yelling these words. “Truck’n the Truck’n the Truck’n!” with appropriate pointing of hand and fingers. “Its the Bus and the Bus the bus the bus!” He also sees “Trains!” everywhere, on books and lots of toys.

WPvideo 1.10

Aidan’s Favourite Words

03:26

Download

2. We went swimming at the Kerrisdale pool on Thursday. I know that Aidan loves the water and he loves his bath but I wasn’t quite sure how he would be in the pool. Luckily the pool was really warm and although he wouldn’t let go of me he was very happy to be in the water. We are starting swimming lessons in two weeks and I hope he will be much more comfortable in the water by this summer.

3. When we were walking back to the car after the swim we went past the Kerrisdale Seniors Centre that had a Canadian Flag flying out front. Aidan pointed to it and started saying “the flag the flag! ” He has a few small paper Canadian flags from the Canada day celebrations last year that he loves and likes to wave. So it isn’t too surprising that the Robeez slippers I got him today with the maple leafs on them incited “Cana!” or Canada in non toddler speak. I will link to the video Anthony took.

WPvideo 1.10

Canada Slippers

03:26

Download

4. On Saturday I let Aidan Finger paint for the first time. He was so cute and I will let you know that the Crayola washable finger paints are not easily washable from skin. The red really stained his face.

5. I know that Aidan is really into his toddlerness because he has master both the boneless toddler and the planking toddler poses that make it almost impossible to make your toddler do anything. You would think that he didn’t like going out in his stroller. Which is strange because we usually go somewhere that he likes. On the other hand if we go in the car he is absolutely ready to go.

That’s all for me tonight. Hopefully the boy will nap tomorrow so I can show you all the stuff I am doing for his “Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” themed party. I am thinking that having a child may turn me into a mommy who needs more than a glue gun.

Hair Cut at Home

Gwen — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:51:26 +0000

Anthony has been saying for weeks now that we need to get Aidan’s hair cut. Anthony also bought a home barber kit a couple of weeks ago. We decided that since the last time at the barber went so badly (think some vague horror movie with lots of screaming and crying and clinging,) we would try to get it done at home. I have done a bit of reading and most books will tell you to do it while the toddler is in the high chair and be prepared to do it over a few days. Anthony asked if I had taken some pictures tho celebrate my mad skills at barbering. I replied that I am not sure “skills” or “celebrate” are the right words. So here are some before and after shots of part 1 of I don’t know how many. (Sorry that the before is not actually a “just before” picture.)

Aidan with Hair in his eyes.

Aidan reaching for the camera. Ubiquitous shot for hime right now.

My favourite picture ever. He is so cute even with the bad haircut.

Pink Socks, They always Look Girly, Unless They Just Look Cute

Gwen — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:59:00 +0000

Ok, I know you now have “Black Socks” going around in your head. So do I, but in my head I am rewriting the lyrics to describe something Aidan did this morning.

Ok, here goes:

Pink Socks,
They always look Girly
The longer you wear they the warmer you get.
Sometimes they look kinda cozy,
but, Aidan keeps saying “I won’t steal them yet.”

Pink Socks,
They always look girly,
The longer you wear them the warmer you get.
Sometimes they look kinda cozy,
Now, Aidan’s decided “I’ll take what I can get.”

Pink Socks,
They always look girly,
The longer you wear them the warmer you get.
Sometimes they look kinda cozy,
Now Aidan’s stole them, I’ll be cold in a bit.

Pink Socks,
They used to look girly,
The longer he’ll wear them the warmer he’ll get.
Sometimes they look kinda cozy,
I know he is practicing, he’ll pull them on yet.

Pink Socks,
They used to look girly,
The longer he wears them the warmer he gets.
Sometimes they look kinda cozy,
I know he is thinking, “Yes, I did it.”

ALL BY MYSELF!!

Tags: Pink Socks, All by Myself, Cute