My Monkey

Can't see the tooth in this picture but its there on the bottom just poking through. His poor gums are all red and bloody looking. The top one is also coming through.

He loves sticking out his tongue! I think it feels good on his gums.

He loves stretching out until he almost touches the ground and then pulls himself back up as fast as he can.

`Mommy, I'm gonna walk to you!' is what he's thinking but he's got a ways to go!
On a sidenote, there are so many cute little sundresses and pink hats out there, where's all the cute boy stuff?!

Tooth

Finally!!! His first tooth is visible! Everytime he's been cranky over the past 5 months we've thought that maybe a tooth was coming. Finally, we can see why he has been up til 10pm every night this week! Only one corner of the tooth has broken through so hopefully the rest comes through and I'll get a picture of it:)
Also, he is now able to pull himself up at the toybox and he can move from the toybox to the chair and can stand without holding anything (for about one second:)). I think he will skip the crawling stage, he really does not like to be down on his belly as it sometimes makes him vomit. I don't like laying on a full belly either. Talking about his belly, its def. growing. He is now 22lbs.
I know I've been blogging a lot lately...I should be writing my final paper but I have no motivation. This is very unlike me as I usually get things done as soon as possible. True, its not due for 2 more weeks but once I finish it, it's done!!!!
Enjoy the sunshine all!

Crescent Beach

Tonight we celebrated Mothers Day with an annual trip to Crescent Beach with the Chapmans.

Our future phycologist (one who studies seaweed). He played with it and tried to eat it...mmmm, could be a sushi lover!

Kai was watching all his cousins running around and I think he really can't wait to get out there and join them without mommy having to hold his hand!

Kai with grandpa and grandma Chapman

Mommy, can we bring this stuff home? It feels cool!

Happy Mother's Day?

My reason for celebrating...

I was nervous about how I would feel today and I really didn't want to go to church where I knew they would celebrate it and everyone would say `Happy Mother's Day' etc but so far, so good. My sisters actually make fun of me for being the biggest crier in the family but I actually cry more from seeing beautiful things than sad things. So, I was actually teary eyed in church but it was from looking around at all the kids and thinking about what joy they have brought to their families. Talking about crying when seeing beautiful things, last weekend we went for lunch at Crescent Beach for the one year anniversary of my mom's passing and there was a suprise party next to us for a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. It was so precious to see them surprised and to know that they had a love that lasted 50 years! My sister Jantina started laughing that I was crying but I saw tears in her eyes too:)

So, to all those that struggle with Mother's day, whether you've lost a mother, a child, or are unable to have children, I hope that you will find something to celebrate on this day, whether it be someone or some memories.

Football

Here are some pictures from our game on Saturday. We play in the Vancouver Women's Flag Football League and I've been playing on this team for 5 seasons (missed one because I was pregnant) and its just a lot of fun. It's great because I drive in with the Langley girls (friends from work) and we get a chance to catch up on the way to practice or a game. Then, once there I can catch up with Vancouver friends that I know from UBC (and others that have joined our team). I guess its also nice because its just pure `Louise time' where I don't have to worry about taking care of our little guy and I know he's super happy at home with daddy. Oh ya, an extra 4 hours of exercise per week is good too!

Half time talk with our coach Robbie

Love playing in the sun!

Leah is our center and her spirals are always perfect for me!

Here I'm looking for Liz, she got 2 TD's and a convert in this game. We've got a double header this weekend and the weather is supposed to be pretty warm so we'll see how it goes! I have a feeling that I won't be able to play football much longer as it just gets harder to get out to Vancouver with Gary having softball on the same day and us having a kid and just one car. Maybe I'll have to join Gary in softball?! Oh boy...bad memories of a Dekens' family reunion where my mom was up to bat and hit a fly ball and I couldn't see properly with the sun in my face and it hit me in the neck. I'm scared of those baseballs.

Annie and Kaisie

Nothing like a good book...Kai has now started looking through books a little more instead of just eating them.

`Wrestling' with Opi...give em a few years and they'll really be good at it!

Daddy getting his daily workout in

Kai is thinking `Mommy, Opi is silly!'
Annie is thinking `Hey crazy Opi, look at me!'
By the way, having two exersaucers is awesome when babysitting the two of them. If I need to deal with one, the other is nicely contained and I know where they are. Nope, we're not rich, both are borrowed:)

Mom

Mom, I miss you. Tomorrow it will be one year since you left us here and I think of you every day. I think you would be proud of us in regards to how strong we've been and how we've all stuck together, but that doesn't mean we don't miss you. I wish that you were across the street so that Kai and I could visit. I wish that I could show you how cute he is because, he really, really is. I wish that I could hear you laugh one more time, you know the laugh where you hold nothing back. I wish that we could go on walks together and talk about how overpriced all these houses are. I wish that you could tell me what I was like as a baby. I wish that I could see you in the kitchen making some yummy muffins. I wish that you and I could take Kai for a walk. I really wish you met him mom, he's such a happy little boy. I wish I could give you one more super hug. I wish that I could hear you cleaning the bathrooms and singing away. I wish that we could have more tea times.
I thank you for the homemade recipe book you made us, whenever I use it, I feel like you. I thank you for teaching us how important it is to be nice and to smile:) I thank you for all those years of taking care of us (and 5 of us at that!!!) when we were young and for encouraging and supporting us as we got older. I thank you for a life time of amazing memories.
I miss you when I'm feeding Kai in the highchair because I think of all those years of you fed us. I miss you when people talk about being with their moms. I miss you when the family is all together. I miss you when I walk around the neighbourhood because I'm now doing the walk that you and dad used to do. I miss you when I find a good deal and I know you'd be proud. I miss you when Kai's being a pain in the butt and I wish you could take him for an hour. I miss you when Kai was sick because I wanted to call you. I miss you when I see a lady with your hair. I miss you when I see a lady with your petite figure. I miss you when I hear about Crescent beach. I miss you when I know that you'd be the perfect one to edit my papers. I miss you when I see the cherry blossoms filling your yard. I miss you when I see dad. I miss you when I see your recliner or your coffee mug. I miss you a lot.
I know you would've loved to have stayed for a bit longer, and I hope that somehow you still know what's going on here. Sometimes I dream about you and it's like you are really here. I miss you mom...we all do. You would've loved seeing Annika's first steps. YOu would've loved celebrating Jan's bday in her basement suite or hearing about her latest fiasco (you always loved her story telling, you'd always laugh so hard). You would've loved being there when Kai was born (I don't know how you did 5 natural births) and seen how big he was! You would've loved seeing Jackie and Tyler so happy together and guess what? She's going to Africa:) What about Trisha's job, you def. would've been proud of her.
Mom, I picture you in heaven just smiling and singing. No more cancer, no more pain. Pure happiness. I'll see you again.
Louise

Random Stuff From Today

Today, Gary had two softball games. He pulled his hamstring quite badly last weekend so he wrapped it up this weekend and played it safe. He's got bruising from the back of the calf up to the thigh...looks tough I guess. Then, I had a football game in Vancouver. It was our second game of the season and we won! Yay...glad to finally get a lot of completions, touch down passes and even a touchdown. Our defense was awesome and it was a lot of fun. Thanks to lil sis for watching cutie Kai.

Gary just installed a light/fan thingy in our bedroom so I'm excited not to sweat my brains out this summer.

Just wanted to let you know one of my favourite inventions ever: `Tide To Go' pen, so amazing. Wow. I kind of just want to stain my shirt just to use it again. Fortunately with Gary around, it gets a lot of use!

Half way done my course.....learning lots.

Kai learned to clap today, what a smartie.

Kai is enjoying kiwi.

Happy birthday to my dad who turns 53 tomorrow. Here's a collage of pictures of Kai and my dad when Kai was just a little baby. My dad made sure that Kai made it on important outings like Home Depot and The Wired Monk.

9 Months Old

(He's actually 9 months tomorrow but tomorrow is a busy day so I'm posting now)

Stats:
Height: 29 3/4"
Weight: 21.6 pounds
Fun: 10/10

He's not so into the crawling

He loves this animal book, its got lotsa stuff to feel in it (like rough `skin' and soft `fur')

His favourite place to stand is looking into the toybox. He has mastered standing using one hand and then using the other to dig through treasures.

When you press the ducks foot, it prays. Kai always looks at me like, `Mom!! Can you believe this stuffed animal is talking to me?!'

Wow. These past 2 months have flown by, unlike the last 2 months of pregancy which dragged on forever!! What has Kai done new this month? Let's see.
-He loves standing by holding on to anything
-He is not really loving sitting and playing with his toys anymore
-He has tried new foods and is eating a lot! (new foods this month were yogurt, whole peas and banana chunks and I forget what else:))
-He's not really sure how to feed himself, I gave him a bigger piece of bread today and he was able to feed himself so hopefully his pointer finger and thumb work out a system soon.
-He still has no teeth.
-He does not like being on his belly one bit which makes practicing crawling very difficult. He can crawl/push himself backwards or in circles.
-He is an angel in the nursery..phew.
-He loves going on walks
-He loves looking in the mirror
-He started giving hugs when he's tired
-He goes to bed at 7:30pm (usually although sometimes will wake up at 9:30pm and want to play for an hour) and wakes up at 7:30am
-He has one nap at 9:30 and the other at 1:30 (each one about an hour or two). He cries for maybe 20 seconds for these naps...what a dream!!!!!!!
I'm sure he does lots of other fun stuff but that's all I can think of right now. I'm really looking forward to him walking around...I know I better be careful what I ask for but right now he is needing a lot of entertainment and also, he's getting kind of heavy! I loved month 8, it was the easiest one by far and I guess the most enjoyable too. Looking forward to his 9th month!

New Running Shirts!

Gary and I can now dress alike. I bought 2 boxes of Vector because they offered a coupon for a free Saucony drifit shirt (valued at $40.00) from the running room. I wasn't sure what the expect as I have quite the variety of drifit shirts, but they are actually pretty nifty. It is extremely light and fits well, so, if you see a special box of Vector (has to be the specially marked smaller box, found that out after buying 2 big ones first!) you might wanna pick it up. Besides, Vector's a pretty good cereal (although multigrain cheerios are my favourite!).