Meeting the Baby Pandas!

Last week was March Break for Hannah and she had lots of fun with her friends at daycare.  She was the only other child besides Ange’s 3 so they were able to do lots of neat things.  Movie day, games, science class and a trip to the Toronto Zoo.  I took the day off work and surprised Hannah by going with them. 
As I was dropping her off at Ange’s I said, ‘I sure wish I was going to the zoo with you.’ 
Her quick response was, ‘Call your boss!’
I surprised her by saying, ‘I did!!  And he said ‘yes’!’  She started jumping around and squealing with excitement!  Love being able to surprise my sweet girl and that she enjoys the time we share together as much as I do.
We left early knowing that the zoo would be busy as the new baby pandas had just started greeting visitors a few days earlier.  We arrived before opening and as soon as we were in the gates headed directly to the panda exhibit.  We only had to wait about 30 mins. and they were worth every moment of the wait even though the babies were sleeping. 
The babies are 5 months old and are named Jia Panpan (male) which means Canadian Hope and Jia Yueyue (female) which means Canadian Joy.    They were absolutely adorable!!

Mom and the babies were inside while daddy was outside.   I think I have a new favourite animal!!

I hadn’t been to the zoo since Hannah was a baby as she goes a few times a year with Ange.  I loved seeing all the different animals!
Baby white lion
Cheetah
Orangutan
It was such a treat to spend the day with Hannah, Ange and the boys.

December 2014–A Month in Review

One of the exciting events in December was the evening my friend Deb and I went into Toronto to see Donny and Marie’s Christmas Show.  We had a great time and they are amazing entertainers!  If you ever get an opportunity to see either or both of them in person I would highly recommend it!

Hannah sporting her reindeer antlers after visiting Santa.

I don’t know what it is about this picture but each time I see this view it means something special to me.  It is Hannah walking to school with Ange, her boys and the other family that Ange cares for.  I cannot express how much Ange’s family means to me as Hannah loves being with them and she receives exceptional care!  There is nothing like the peace that is provided knowing that Hannah is being cared for so well!!  Thank you Ange!!!

Helping Grandpa decorate their tree.

Hannah was pretty excited the day she got to wear her pyjamas to school!  There are days I wish I could wear my comfy jammies to work!

Hannah is a great little chef and she was excited to help me prepare parts of Christmas dinner.  She peeled potatoes like a pro!  I giggled at how she lined them up before she began peeling.

Hannah received a new game called, ‘Disney’s Eye Found It’ and it’s been a lot of fun to play it together! 

After Christmas we traveled to Windsor to celebrate with our extended family.  Most of my extended family lives there so it’s great to visit with them!  Hannah with her second cousin Nathan. 

Hanging out with some of my cousins.  Loved this time we shared together!!

Hannah cuddled in with Uncle Tim.

2014 was a great year!  I’m excited to see what 2015 will hold!

So Many to Thank!

As we prepared for Hannah’s final days of JK by preparing thank you notes and gifts, I was reminded just how many people share a part of her school day and how important each of them were in making her school days hum along.

In the morning Hannah was with her daycare provider Ange for about 20 mins. as they wait for Hannah’s bus and then went back to her after school.

I tell you, on those windy, –20oC days last winter I felt guilty (and very thankful) for Ange who was willing to wait with Hannah to make sure she was safely on her bus.

The bus took Hannah to school where Mrs. C and Miss H taught Hannah so much!

After school Hannah would go back on the bus to her final daily helper – Miss Marcia. 

Because of the difference in the time from when Ange’s kids get out of school and Hannah’s bus arrived 40 mins. later, I needed to find someone to walk Hannah from the bus drop off to Ange’s.  We met Miss Marcia in October of last year and she has been a huge help to us and I was so thankful for her!  Unfortunately Miss Marcia is moving this summer so once again I will be trying to find someone to walk Hannah to Ange’s beginning in September.  I thought I had a lead on someone but that didn’t work out.  Please pray with me that God will once again provide a person to help us out in this way.  Who knew my biggest child care challenge would be the 5 min walk home from the bus each day?

Thank you to our small daily group of friends who ensured Hannah was well cared for each and every moment from the time I dropped her off until I picked her up almost 9 hours later!  We are thankful for each of you!

My ‘Go With the Flow’ Toddler!

Today there was a pretty big change in Hannah’s little life but she just went with it and was amazing!!

Hannah’s awesome daycare provider Ange is due to have a baby any minute (literally any minute) so for the next couple of weeks Hannah is going to be going to daycare at a friend’s place.  I’ve known Bonnie since she was just a kid herself and now she’s watching my kiddo! 

I’ve known this change has been coming for a number of months but for Hannah this is all new.  We went for a visit at Bonnie’s place last Friday night and had fun hanging out with her and her kiddos.  Hannah was a teeny bit shy at first but within minutes she was playing with Bonnie’s kids, running around and just having fun with her new friends. 

Last night we hosted an impromptu dinner for Ange and her family (if you can call hot dogs, salad and cheezies ‘dinner.’ :o)  It was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed the fresh air while eating out on the deck.  We weren’t sure if Ange was in the early stages of labour last night when I picked up Hannah so rather than have her cook we invited them over.  I love spontaneity and we all had a great time together!

After supper the ‘baby’ felt like ice cream so we all ventured to a local ice cream parlour.   Hey….who am I to deny a baby his ice cream before his big job of being born? 

It was a wonderful way to spend an evening together with friends!  We’re going to miss you over the next month Ange and family but wish you all the best and cannot wait to meet your newest addition!!

On a side note, this pic just made me laugh!!

Take one toddler who wants to show her friends every.single.one of her toys and 2 boys who are excited to see them and this is what can happen in a very short matter of time!  A good time was had by all though and truly, that’s all that matters!

So, back to today.

When I was getting Hannah dressed she mentioned wanting to go and play with Owen and Noey but I said that today she was going to Bonnie’s to play with her cousin Makenna.  She wasn’t too impressed at first and there were a few tears as she asked to go to Ange’s but over breakfast she processed things and was soon saying, ‘I go Bonnie’s house with Kenna!’  (This pic is of Hannah and Makenna with my niece Rebecca/Bec Bec when we were at my parent’s place a week ago.)

When we arrived at Bonnie’s I let Hannah out of the car and she happily began to walk (read: jump, skip, hop….Hannah doesn’t care much to ‘walk’!)to the front porch.  I managed to bring her back for a moment to snap the top pic above.  From there we moved into the house where she removed her shoes and was off!  Running and playing with the other kids and barely found time to come back for a hug and kiss goodbye.  When she did I snuggled her close and in a happy voice said, ‘I love you Shao Shao!  Mommy’s is going to work but will be back soon!’  She was happy which in turn made this transition much easier on Mommy too!

I went to the car without any tears (for me…she was fine!)….until I began to drive away and saw my precious baby girl standing at the front door and happily waving bye-bye to me.  The tears threatened but didn’t spill over.  God had answered the prayers we’d uttered on the way to Bonnie’s house and granted Hannah an easy transition.  God is SO GOOD!!

I did my best and didn’t call until about 3:00.  Bonnie said she was ‘awesome’ and they were having a great time together!  So happy!!  She said the only tears she’d seen were a few when she’d put her down for her nap but she soon drifted off to sleep and slept for an hour and a half. 

I picked her up shortly after 5:00 and she had a craft to show me and told me about their trip to the park.  I mentioned at the time that she’d be coming back tomorrow and she said yes with a smile on her face!

Bonnie, thanks for all your help with Hannah!  I know she’s going to love being in your home for these few weeks and I in turn car focus on work knowing that my sweet, amazing, precious little girl is being so well cared for!

Who Knew? The Makings of a Daycare Bag

The other day I was looking in Hannah’s daycare bag trying to find a pair of her sunglasses.  It suddenly struck me as funny at the sheer amount of things I carry back and forth for her each day.  Things she uses on a daily/weekly basis both at daycare and at home so back and forth they go.

This is what is in her bag as of right now.  (Well…since I took the pic.  If I was being honest I’d tell you that I found a scarf and pair of mitts in the bottom of the bag even though it is mid June.  Oops….guess I should clean it out more often!)

The items in her spring/ summer daycare bag are:

• sandals
• rubber boots for puddle jumping
• running shoes and socks
• water shoes for fun at local splash pads
• bathing suit for splash pads and sprinkler fun
• 2 hats – a girl must have options!
• 2 pairs of sunglasses: Tinkerbelle and ‘Hollywood’s’ – more options required
• a jacket for cool days
• splash pants to go with the puddle jumping
• Aveeno lotion for my itchy baby girl.  She has such sensitive skin, especially during the dry winter months

So this is it….for now.  Fall and winter bring a whole new assortment of goodies.  I’ll have to capture that later this year.  I know someday I’ll forget these moments so am thankful to be capturing them now.

Such a Blessing!!

A year ago I was able to spend 24/7 with Hannah while on maternity leave and I couldn’t imagine leaving her for an hour, let alone 8+ hours each day. How could I do that? How could we be apart? Who would care for her, love her, teach her and be there for her when I was at work? It was a place I just couldn’t let myself go and I spent months avoiding it in my head. The daycare I thought was arranged while I was waiting for Hannah didn’t work out but I am so thankful for how God used that friend to give my heart peace about daycare during the wait.

In turn, God provided Ange to care for Hannah and I am SO thankful that Hannah is in her home each day! Hannah absolutely loves it there and each morning is excited to go. She talks about her friends there all the time and when she finishes her breakfast many mornings she excitedly says, ‘Mommy! Ange’s house!!’

Ange is amazing with the kids and has such fun with them. Checkout my cute little bunny enjoying her Easter lunch last week.

Not only do the kids have an opportunity to go for walks each day and play outside, Ange takes them to many exciting places. Often 2 (or more) different days each week she buckles them into their car seats and off they go.

Playing a drum at a local children’s museum.

Monday Ange just had her boys and Hannah so she dared to take them to a local ceramics place to paint a special little friend. Hannah chose a little cat and painted it blue. What fun!

Thank you Ange! Truly I don’t have to words to say how thankful I am for you and the beautiful way you care for the treasure of my life while I’m at work!

One of the Best Parts of my Entire Day!!!

Oh how I love her!!! 

Daycare pickup is one of the very best parts of my days!  Not only does it signal the transition time from work to home but it’s the beginning of our evenings spent together and oh how precious they are!  Some are filled with swimming lessons, shopping or visits with the grandparents while other evenings we hang out at home reading, playing and just enjoying being together.

This is the amazing moment that happens every single day when I pick Hannah up at daycare.  Today my speedy gal took a minor tumble on the way to the door but this quick video captures her to a T!  She’s fun, loving, full of energy and runs everywhere!   I’m so happy that I thought to capture this special time of the day as truly it is amazing and I am forever blessed that it is my arms my sweet baby girl is running to and I am the ‘Mama!’ she is excited to see!!

PS – Ange’s face is fun to watch when Hannah takes her tumble.  I wonder how many times in a day she sees this happen?  I know it’s often here as truly my baby girl has 2 modes – run and sleep!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada and I have SO much to be thankful for!  First and foremost - my amazing daughter Hannah is here to celebrate her first Thanksgiving with us!!!

This week at daycare Hannah made this adorable little turkey and I almost cried when I saw it.  The tail feathers are her little hands and the body her foot.  This is a keeper for sure!  It is now proudly displayed on our fridge.

Over the years I’ve had a variety of children’s art work decorate my fridge but I can’t begin to explain how amazing it is that now the art work was made by Hannah!

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

Daycare Fun!

Hannah’s first week of daycare went really well and if I was honest I’d admit that it was better than I was prepared for.  Once again, God answered prayers in an amazing way! 

Here she is all dressed up and ready for her first day.

Here are some of the pics showing what it took to get the one above.  1/30 pics isn’t bad is it?  :o)

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I am so thankful that Ange encouraged us to visit for a number of play dates before Hannah started fulltime and also to leave her a couple of times.  It made this transition so much easier on her.  Mommy burst into tears once she drove away but Hannah was excited to play with her friends!

Hannah’s first day went really well and she did lots of fun things with her friends.

Snack time

Colouring

Ball pit

Slide

Car

Craft time where she painted the picture of an apple using an apple as a paint brush!

Her first piece of artwork which is proudly displayed on our fridge!

Another day this week Hannah came home with a bag of yummy chocolate chip cookies that they had made.  Mmm!

One lesson I did learn from Hannah this week is that there is a definite difference for her between enjoying daycare and dealing with the separation from mommy.  Before this week I always thought that if she was having trouble with mommy being gone that she wouldn’t want to go to daycare.  I was wrong about this.

Last weekend, even before going to daycare but after a week with Grandma and Grandpa, she was very attached to mommy when we were together.  Literally!  We went to a wedding on Sunday and mommy made the mistake of trying to go to the buffet without her.  She was with our great friends whom she knows and loves and whom we’d spent Saturday with but when I left the table she lost it!  I felt so badly for her because even though she could see me 30’ away she went into a deep, sobbing, frightened cry within moments of me stepping away from the table.  I know this cry as I’ve heard it a handful of times but each time it happens it breaks my heart.  In the past it was normally a night-time cry but this time I heard it during the day.  I quickly abandoned gathering my food and went back to the table to scoop her up.  She settled within seconds with her head buried in my neck and arms wrapped tightly around my neck too but in the short amount of time she had been crying it caused deep shudders within her that took a little time to subside.  Poor lamb! 

Monday she had a great time at daycare and in the evening we went for supper with my parents.  It was also a buffet so I took her up with me to get soup but then made the mistake of trying to run up quickly for crackers without her.  She was with my parents and since I was going to be gone less than a minute I didn’t think she’d mind.  I was wrong!!  When I returned to the table she was once again inconsolable and my parents were saddened and somewhat surprised to hear the depths of her cry and have not been able to console her at all.  They were trying desperately to get her out of her high chair as the sounds she was emitting was breaking their hearts!  As soon as I scooped her up she buried her head in my neck, threw her little arms around my neck and squeezed in tight but still continued to sob with such fear that it nearly brought me to tears too.  To know that I had caused this brought on the guilt but it wasn’t about me, it was about comforting and settling my baby girl.  After about 5 minutes the sobbing eased and although the body shudders continued for some time, she was safe, secure and once again by mommy’s side.  As with the day before when this had happened I found myself eating my dinner with a beautiful, protective, soft little arm wrapped securely around my wrist.  She was making sure mommy wasn’t going anywhere without her.

Although Hannah has been happy, happy to go to daycare each day with week and ‘paaaay’ (play) with her new friends she’s also deep down been dealing with our new normal of us being separated for hours each day and dealing with the anxieties that currently accompany it.  Friday was a little tougher for her at daycare as she could be found wandering to the front window and crying out for mommy but Ange would comfort her, draw her back into the activities with the other children and reassure her that mommy would be back. 

Naps are a work in process too as she is used to sleeping in the same room with me during naps and at night.  I am SO thankful that Ange is working with Hannah to establish her new routine rather than following an ‘agenda’ that would probably be the case in a bigger daycare facility.  After the other children are down for their naps Ange takes Hannah downstairs and holds her for her bottle then holds Hannah while breathing slowly and deeply until she falls asleep.  Hmmm…wish I’d thought of this as it is working wonders.  She falls asleep in about 5-10 mins and then she just places her on a sleep mat in the same room she is in.  Hannah is napping around 2 hours each day which is wonderful!!

I am SO thankful for God allowing Ange and I to meet years ago and that He has provided her to care for Hannah!  Thanks Ange!!

While we’re going through these changing times I’m making sure that Hannah and I spend a lot of bonding time together when we are together.  Each night we’ve gone for walks or to a store with her in the Ergo.  Being in a carrier is the way that Hannah feels safest so we’re spending lots of time this way and it’s working well for both of us. 

All this being said, Hannah has done amazingly well with the transition to daycare.  She’s happy to go each morning and there is nothing in the entire world like the feeling I receive when at pick-up she comes running with arms stretched open, saying ‘mamaaaaa’ and wraps those precious little arms around my neck. 

I am forever blessed by this amazing little girl and love her more than words can express!!!

Thank you Lord for once again answering prayers and for Hannah’s transition to daycare going so well!

**Update**

It's now Tuesday of the 2nd week at daycare and reality for Hannah has set in. She's happy, happy to go but the tears when I leave have started. It's SO HARD to leave her when she's crying but I know it's what I must do and that she will settle. For almost 10 months I was the one to comfort her 99% of the time that she was upset and now when she's crying in my arms and clinging to me I have to pull her away and give her to other loving arms. There is nothing more I want to do than to hold and comfort her but I know that if I prolong our goodbyes it will only make it harder. Ugh!!

I know this stage will pass too but it sure is rough leaving her when she's crying, calling out for mommy and reaching for me. Tears my heart strings!! I'm hoping for Hannah's sake (and let's be honest, for mine too) that this is a quick stage and that she's soon ok with me leaving again.

SO Much Harder than I Ever Dreamed!

I type this with tears in my eyes and empty aching arms as I’ve faced what many moms do and have left Hannah at daycare for the very first time. I know that she’s in a great home where she will be well cared for and loved but still, oh how I wish I was with her!!

What is she doing? Who is she playing with? Does she miss me or more importantly, does she know I’m coming back soon? I told her I’d be back soon and she happily scooted out of my arms to play but is the reality hitting her that I’m really not there at the moment? I truly hope she’s having so much fun that it doesn’t even register with her! I want this to be a fun time for her as very soon this will be our new normal as I return to work on August 16th.

I have a feeling she’s doing just fine and this time is much harder on mommy than it is on her. When I left her she was playing outside with the other kiddos and as I closed the gate she was looking at me but it wasn’t with fear or apprehension. More a look of, ‘Hey Mom. Where are you going? I’m going to play!’ I went into the house to write down my cell number and I could see her outside, happily pushing around a little lawn mower. It’s funny how certain images just ingrain themselves in our minds. Right now I see the pic of her little eyes meeting mine as I closed the gate and then I see just minutes later she’s happily playing with the mower.

Oh how thankful this makes me feel. She is happy. She is secure in my love for her and she knows that I’ll be back. Attachment was something we’ve worked very carefully on and I am so thankful for all the time we’ve spent together helping her learn that she is loved, cared for and mommy will always be here for her. Hannah is attached. She is secure and she knows that she is loved. And oh how she showers that love back to me! Is there anything sweeter than your child suddenly grabbing your face between their little hands and planting a precious, wet, open mouthed kiss on you? No! Nothing sweeter in the entire world! Or, the sweet, ‘I uve oo’ that spontaneously erupts from them?

Before receiving Hannah I remember reading blogs of friends who had left their child for the first time and found themselves sitting in a coffee shop, pining for their child. At the time I totally didn’t get it. I remember naively thinking, ‘Wow. Don’t you just want to run about and get all those things done that are easier without a little one to carry in and out? Aren’t you enjoying this little bit of freedom?’

I was wrong. Oh so wrong! As I type this I find myself sitting in a Starbucks parking lot just a stone’s throw from Ange’s place and checking the time about every 2 minutes! What a l-o-n-g hour this seems to be. Why am I in the parking lot? Because with my tear stained, bloodshot eyes I could only go through the drive-thru with my sunglasses on rather than into the store itself. Oh yes, leaving Hannah for the first time has been difficult but I know that she is in very good hands and that in just umm….21 minutes, we’ll be together again!

Thank you Lord for Hannah…the most amazing baby girl in the entire world! And thank you for providing Ange to care for her.

Now…it’s time to go back to my precious baby girl. Yeah!!!

UPDATE: Hannah did wonderfully and mommy survived!! She played with the other kiddos well and didn’t shed a tear. Way to go Hannah! Mommy loves you so much!