Left Coast Mama » milestones

The First Week of School

Gwen — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:05:42 +0000

This is the first week of firsts for our household. This week we don’t have an afternoon kindergartner, we have a full day grade 1 student in the house. This graduation to full day has made some distinct changes to our family routine, especially in the mornings. Aidan now needs to get up and actually get moving in the mornings. No more lazy mornings for us. No more second breakfasts at 9:30 am for Quinlan. The only saving grace is that Aidan started a new routine about a month ago and now gets dressed as soon as he gets up.

First Day of School

7:00 am Anthony goes into the boys’ room and wakes Aidan up from a deep sleep. Today Quinlan wasn’t out of bed either.

7:15 am Anthony goes back into the boys’ room to make sure that Aidan is actually getting his clothes on and hasn’t gone back to bed.

7:30 am Aidan eats breakfast and I come up to get some tea and maybe some toast.

7:45 am start bugging the boys to get their shoes on while I make sure that the lunch I made the night before is in Aidan’s lunch box. Also make sure Aidan gets his teeth brushed.

Playing at School

8:00 am make sure the boys have their shoes on and Aidan went to the bathroom. Get my own shoes on.

8:10 am If we are lucky we are now leaving the house and are heading to school.

8:15 to 8:20 am Most likely the actual leaving time.

On the way home after the first day.

8:15 to 8:45 am Aidan talks the whole way to school about whatever he is going to invent/change in the future. Quinlan riding in the stroller (for now) also talks about whatever is on his mind at the moment.

8:45 ish am We get to the school and have a few minutes playtime before the bell rings.

Lining up to get into school. They can't wait.

8:55 am Line up just before the bell rings. The bell rings and Aidan’s temporary teacher brings the kids into the school.

Running around the Vancouver School Board Offices.

Sometime afterward Quinlan and I go on our merry way towards home. Next week on Tuesday and Thursday Quinlan and I will be heading to Douglas Park for preschool. This means Tuesdays and Thursday I will be bringing the car in the morning. Mondays and Wednesdays we will still be walking and heading straight to the aquatic centre for swimming lessons. I am determined to walk most days this year. Thursdays will be the full on car days because Quinlan has ballet on Thursday afternoons. Fridays I still intend to walk because Quinlan has no activities and Aidan’s piano lessons are not until 5:00 pm.

It is going to be a busy year!

"Read me a story?"

Happy Birthday My Beautiful Boy

Gwen — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:01:34 +0000

Six years ago I remember getting a game for Anthony and some chocolate for the both of us to make the most of our last free weekend. When my water broke that evening I knew that perhaps my plans for a quiet Easter weekend were not going to happen. That 24th March evening was a little uncomfortable, and while he had decided to come early, Aidan wasn’t really in a total hurry.

***

Aidan coming home from the hospital 6 years ago.

Aidan you are still like that, you do things in your own time. You are an incredibly curious boy, and I love the questions that you come up with. Your father and I are always challenged to find ways to answer your questions so that you understand, because you ask such complex questions. I love your use of language and vocabulary. You constantly amaze me with the things you say.

The Week Before Aidan Turned 5

Aidan I love that you have found your niche in theatre this year. Your acting skills have improved so much over the last year and your comedic timing is beautiful. You make your Dad and I laugh out loud. I think you are made for entertainment and I hope you continue to enjoy acting.

Aidan, I love that you are so willing to try new things and work to improve your skills. This year you have conquered your fear of putting your head in the water and you are well on your way to becoming a fish. You also wanted to try skiing and had a great time learning. I can’t wait to try again with you soon. You also are getting much better at skating. I love that you are so willing to learn to fall and you are getting much better. By this time next year you will be skating circles around me.

Aidan now.

This year you have gone from reading only books with pictures to reading small novels and now Harry Potter and some really cool books on whatever you want to learn. This has fueled you imagination and I love to watch you play wizards, or whatever comes to your mind.

Aidan, I love that you have so many inventions and plans for the future. The Aidan Company will be a great success. I love hearing about everything you think that the Aidan Company will do in the future. I love that you want to take care of your parents when you grow up.

Aidan I love how much you care about other people. You are mostly very sweet to your brother and there are times when you are the best brother in the whole world. I love that you think about things that make other people uncomfortable and want to figure out how to fix things for them. I love that are not afraid to ask about death and how babies are made even though I find it hard to know what to tell you.

Aidan, I am so glad that you are mine, or should I say, Aidan I am so glad that I am yours. I love you baby boy, Happy Birthday! I can not believe you are 6!

Some Things Aren’t Any Easier the Second Time

Gwen — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:21:10 +0000

I am well aware that Quinlan is his own little man and in a lot of ways totally different than his brother. I love that Quinlan share his brother’s sense of curiosity. I am a little less enthused that he shares Aidan’s and let’s face it, mine and Anthony’s, stubbornness and inability to do things on anyone else’s timetable.

His attachement to the soother is another blog post altogether.

With Aidan the big issues were sleep in the beginning, and toilet training. Of course Quinlan came along and there was a regression in any progress we made and I was sure that he would never be trained. One thing that was never a problem, or even a real worry with Aidan was transitioning from the crib to a bed. It happened because we needed to turn the crib into a toddler bed after part or the crib rail broke. He didn’t get out of his bed at all. He went happily to sleep and in the morning he slept late and called for one of us when he wanted to get up. It got to the point that we WANTED him to get out of bed on his own.

Quinlan is being as stubborn about the toilet training as Aidan ever was. I thought in the beginning that he would be a breeze compared to Aidan. Not so, if anything he is more stubborn. Quinlan has a sense of when he goes and he tells us right after or while he is doing his business that he wants a diaper change. He can hold for long periods of time and there are a number of nights when he wakes up dry and then REFUSES to go on the toilet. Anthony had him on the toilet one morning for almost 15 minutes before he let go. I am not sure how to proceed at this point. He doesn’t want big boy underwear and our rental carpets are bad enough without adding a toddler running around naked.

Me Play Drums By Myself!

I am not sure about transitioning Quinlan from the crib to a bed. I think Anthony and I are scared about what may happen, rather than what will happen. Will Quinlan be a monster to put down for a nap or to bed at night? Anthony and I are afraid to try at this point, though we really need to get a move on if we want him in a bed by the time we move, whenever that might actually be. So we are conflicted, do we change the crib to the toddler bed and go for it? Do we keep the crib as an alternative and use the bed under Aidan’s? I have no idea.

© 2011 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | No comments
Related: Bed Time, children, milestones, Quinlan, sleep, Toddlers, Toilet Training.

First Day of Kindergarten

Gwen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:18:03 +0000

Another milestone met by my eldest boy Aidan. Another milestone met by his parents. The much anticipated first day of kindergarten. I am excited to have Aidan in “real” school.

Aidan Patrick Floyd age 5.5 years

I wasn’t too sure how Aidan was feeling about kindergarten. Most of the time Aidan was quite happy to talk about going to kindergarten and today he finally asked me what would happen if he skipped school today. I laughed a little and asked him what he wanted to do instead. He said that he wanted to stay home and play. When I informed him that if he didn’t want to go to school we would have to set up a schedule of learning time with mommy every day. He very quickly remembered that his friends would be part of the school experience. This was the first real indication that Aidan was a little nervous about going to a new school. He was used to the kids from preschool and was a little sad that none of them would be a part of his new school.

Once we started the first day of school routine and the pictures on the steps out front Aidan started to get excited about going to school. The walk took us about 22 minutes and hopefully I will keep to my resolution to walk most days.

Aidan on the playground outside his classroom.

Aidan’s teacher seems nice and I was happy to get a chance to see how she works in the classroom and how she was with the kids. While I know from experience that things are not always the same when the parents aren’t around, she had a nice easy way with the kids. This is a good thing because between her two classes she has 44 kids to work with.

Quinlan on the new equipment.

I had a chance to sign up for a chat with Aidan’s new teacher and I was honest about where he is in terms of his reading ability and his tendency towards talkativeness/lecturing. I didn’t tell her that he is also adding and subtracting numbers at least up to 12 because I didn’t want to seem like I am bragging. I am so glad that she was excited that he is reading so well, it really reassured me.

I also have my first volunteer option for his classroom. When I offered to get some things for the classroom like kleenex, Mme. L asked me to make play dough. It is a good thing I have a very cool book with all kinds of recipes.

Quinlan making faces.

The walk home wasn’t as frantic and we took our time and got a celebratory hot chocolate from Starbucks. Both boys downed it very quickly and without mess. I was very impressed. We also managed to meet Monette and Malachi on the way home. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to chat as she was rushing to get another child from school.

When we got back to the house and changed Quinlan I took the boys out to the courtyard to play with the camera and get some better pictures of the boys. While I didn’t manage to get them together I did get some really good shots of Aidan for the first time in a long while. He actually didn’t have the “Cheese” face all the time.

This little boy was in fact saying "Cheeeeeese"

All in all it was a good day. Sunshine, walking, hot chocolate, playing on a new playground, meeting new people, a pirate ship shirt (without a tie), what can be wrong with that?

Aaaaaar!

© 2010 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | 6 comments
Related: Aidan, Education, Firsts, milestones, My Boys, Pictures, Pirates, playgrounds, Quinlan.

Olympic Torch Relay: A Chance For Aidan to Shine

Gwen — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:55:27 +0000

When Anthony and I moved to Vancouver almost 13 years ago we knew we loved the city, but plans for after his PhD were murky. When Vancouver got the games seven years ago all we knew is that we really wanted to stay and experience the games as much as we could. When Aidan was born we knew he would be almost five and this would be an even better experience and boy were we right. Aidan has been so excited about the 2010 winter Olympic Games, especially when we went down and got the boys (and us) some Canadian Olympic gear.

Aidan and Quinlan in their Olympic Gear

On Thursday we got the chance to see the Olympic Torch Relay up close in two spots. We decided early on that Quinlan, Aidan and I would go to Vancouver City Hall to see the torch and take in the atmosphere of anticipation. I was a little apprehensive because of the threat of protesters ruining it for everyone, but I decided to be positive and we invited some of Aidan’s preschool friends to go with us. Jasmine (Veronica’s mom) told me she was making a torch for Veronica and that inspired me to make a torch/magic wand for Aidan and Quinlan. I also realized that I had 3 white pirate hats leftover from Aidan’s birthday party last year so I made the 3 kids some Olympic hats. I think they were the cutest kids there. Thankfully Keiko (Shinto’s mom) was there as well since she had the working camera.

Getting Cookies and Hot Chocolate at City Hall

Aidan was so well decked out that he was tapped to be part of the pre-show. He and Veronica were picked by some of the city of Vancouver staff as the the “best red” kids. We asked that they let Shinto come up too since they were all together and we let him wear Aidan’s jacket. They were called up to the stage (the steps of city hall) and they ran through the gauntlet that the torch runner would go through. Aidan started his “Go, Canada, Go!” cheer.

Go CANADA!!!!

I almost cried I was so happy for Aidan. He always wants to be picked to go up on stage and he finally got his chance. They then ran back to cheers and clapping while they waved their flags and torches. It was the best feeling.

Running Back Through the Gauntlet to Cheers.

We then waited and the kids did the “Go, Canada, Go!” dance. We were very lucky and it didn’t start raining until just as the torch went by us.

Go Canada Go Dance

Look at the Torch!

Right after the torch went by, we had a quick hot chocolate to warm up and then Quinlan, Aidan and I headed up to UBC so we could see the torch as it came through. As a bonus we would get to experience it all together since we picked up Anthony at work. Unfortunately this experience wasn’t quite as fun since it was pouring and it was cold. It was a bit better for actually seeing the flame however, so I am not sure which was better.

By the Forestry Building in the Pouring Rain

Getting Excited to see the Torch Again

We didn't see the police escort at city hall, but here it is massive.

It looks like we don’t have any pictures of the actual torch, but we did get it on video!

I think all in all it was a fabulous way to start our Olympic weekend.

© 2010 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | 7 comments
Related: Aidan, Anthony, Firsts, Gwen, milestones, My Boys, Quinlan, Vancouver, Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

One Year and a Birth Story

Gwen — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:50:16 +0000

Last year this time I was a bit of an uncomfortable mess. I was ready to not be pregnant, but Anthony and I were a little worried that my mom wouldn’t make it here in time. I really wanted my doctor to be the one to deliver Quinlan and she was on call the Friday but not the Saturday and I had a feeling that I would be delivering sometime that week. I cancelled an appointment with my hairdresser because I wasn’t sure if I would make it or not, and it was a good thing I did. I won a ticket to a green family conference for the Saturday and I thought that I would try to go. Aidan and Anthony had Preschool Curiosity Club also on the Saturday morning and my mom was due to arrive from Halifax at 1 pm.

I didn’t think that Quinlan would take me so literally that I wanted him to be born on the 25th. I know I kept telling him that he couldn’t come until the 25th in the evening because then Nana would be there to take care of Aidan. We did have some back ups, but the few days before Tammy was away at a conference in Colorado, and we felt a little uneasy about calling Tomer and Carla in the middle of the night if we needed too. Anthony wasn’t sleeping very well that week either because he was so afraid I would have the baby and we wouldn’t have anyone to look after Aidan.

We thought we were in the clear. Saturday morning we all woke up, we knew my mom was in the air on the way here, I was feeling good and all of us had breakfast. The boys were going to drop me off at the Wall centre for the conference and all would be good. Then just after breakfast my water broke. It was 8:30 am and I should have called Dr. I then. I found out later that the switch over time was 9 am and she would have stayed for the birth with me if I had called then. I was still planning to go to the conference since there was no pain, but luckily Anthony decided that it would be a good idea to stay home and put Tomer and Carla on standby.

My contractions started at 9:30 ish and they kept getting closer together. The on call doctor told me to call him when they were 5 minutes apart. By 11 am they had gone from 8 to 7 to 5 to 4, and by the time we got through to him they were just coming with almost no time in between. Anthony called Carla, and when she said she was going to wait for Tomer to get back. She must have heard the very tense voice Anthony had and decided not to walk leisurely, but made it in just over 5 minutes running. Thanks god for that because things went really quickly from there.

Anthony and I got to the hospital at about noon and with the paperwork we were in pretty quickly. After being assessed they were getting me ready to go up to the nice delivery/staying rooms but decided that with the way my contractions were going and the dip in Quinlan’s heartbeat that they should get me into a delivery room right away. We got into the delivery room at a little before 1 pm and I had to push. There was no stopping it and no time for the epidural that I so desperately wanted. I am pretty sure that the nurse pulled a resident into the room because the on call doctor (I cannot for the life of me remember his name) was somewhere getting his scrubs on. Anthony had no time to re-park the car or find something else for me to hold other than his hand. Like the independent little cuss he is, Quinlan had decided that enough was enough and he was coming out right NOW! Crushing Anthony’s hand I gave another push and Quinlan came into the world at 1:10 pm.

There is no way we would have made it up to the posh delivery/staying suite. I would have had Quinlan in the elevator instead, he was that determined to come out. At 2 pm my mom’s plane touched down in Vancouver. It turns out that while Quinlan listened to the date I wanted him to be born, he was a little fuzzy on the time.

In looking back I can see in his delivery the type of personality that Quinlan has developed. He is so determined to do everything. He is curious, independent, and fast. He loves to be close, but he is also not afraid to go and explore. He is growing so fast and trying so hard to do all the things his brother does.

I can’t believe it has already been a year. My infant will be an infant no longer. My newest toddler. My 1 year old. But always, always, my baby.

© 2009 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | 5 comments
Related: 2nd Pregnancy, Aidan, Anthony, Birthdays, family, Firsts, Gwen, milestones, My Boys, pregnancy, 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.

First Day of Preschool in Pictures (Both Boys)

Gwen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:07:37 +0000

I may have been doing a dance yesterday thinking with glee about the first day of preschool, but this morning I was not nearly as excited as a certain 4 year old boy. It was hard to get him to stay still at all and the number of times if he asked me if it was time to go was well into the hundreds. Yes the hundreds might be a slight exaggeration but not by much. I did manage to take almost 200 pictures and here are some of my favourites.

To those of my readers who aren’t family, sorry about the glut of pictures. I had a hard time only picking a few.

Aidan Writing

Gwen — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:06:23 +0000

I am increasingly amazed by Aidan and what he is capable of. We have been working on the alphabet for a while now and I am trying to get Aidan to draw and write a bit more. It was always a struggle to get Aidan to hold the crayons with the correct hold. Yesterday Aidan decided he wanted to play with a stencil he saw while I was getting some other craft materials. He wanted to play with the letter so I let him. Today he has been playing with my stencils and by himself he figured out how best to hold the markers. I am so proud, not to mention stoked that he is having so much fun learning. Here is the proof. (I will post the video later.)

Learning and Playing with Play-Doh

Gwen — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:02:15 +0000

I have found the ~~perfect~~ ~~greatest~~ ~~messiest~~ most colourful toy ever. Play-Doh is a great tool for a few things. First Aidan has been playing with the small Play-Doh (I bought a 50 pack of small containers last year just before his birthday) for over an hour and for a good portion of that he was playing quietly by himself. I gave him a plastic knife and he has been cutting up a storm. He is getting very good at cutting with the “very sharp.” He loves to be cutting the Play-Doh as many ways as he can, and his technique with the knife is really improving.

We have been struggling a bit with Aidan and colours. I guess we just didn’t make it a priority before so he didn’t really care about the names of colours. We now use the names of colours for everything we do. Look at the yellow car, the grey truck, the green dragon. What colour is the truck, car, knife, plate? Aidan has been catching up and is almost 100 percent with his colours now. I know because he just spent the last half hour handing me small pots of Play-Doh and asking me to open the various colours by name.

Lots of Fun! (Glad I covered the coffee table with the plastic table cloth though.)