Bears, Grams and cleaning stones...

Well the first piece of exciting news for this week was that Rupert got some mail! A very special piece of mail! It came all the way from Calgary from his buddy Wyatt! Our wonderful friends Todd and Brianne and their little guy Wyatt went to the Calgary Stampede and Wyatt being the selfless little boy that he is decided not to get a huge bear with his own name on it, but to get two smaller bears one with his name and one with his buddy Rupert's name on it! We were absolutely thrilled to get his own little bear in the mail this week. Rupert was so excited that the first thing he did when we gave it to him was... puke on it... yah that's right! He then got even more excited as he played with his bear that he puked again all down his front. Needless to say, the Rupert bear was a hit!

Rupert and Rupert just chillin...

And then our week got even better with an impromptu visit from Grams! It's so nice to live close enough for her to be able to come down for a day and spend some time with us! We did some Christmas shopping and spent some time just hanging out. It was quite wonderful. Rupert enjoyed playing with his Grams and giving her lots of cuddles!

We had a wonderful time together! Many of the things we purchased this weekend are secrets but something that I will share and am thrilled about is a new cleaner! I saw it on the show Steven and Chris and have been looking for it ever since... it's a totally biodegradable and organic product, which now that I have a baby around the house who puts everything in his mouth, is very important to me. It's called the Universal Stone. It's a clay type stone (in a container) and you wet a sponge and rub it on the stone till sudsy then you clean away! And it cleans absolutely everything you can imagine! Counters, floors, walls, wood, chrome, steel, bathtubs.... everything! And because it's full of natural products you don't even need to wear gloves! I am so excited to use it!

I will close with a couple of cute photos of our ever growing little boy!

Cute little teeth!

Forgot to post this photo of his cute little teeth!

Trains and things...

Grammie and Aunty Em came to visit us this weekend and we had a great time! It is so nice to have family close by, (we miss our family in Abbotsford though!) Colin and Em went out to see Where the Wild Things Are on Friday night and me, Grammie and Rupert went to Fabricland to look for some fabric for new curtains in Rupe's room. Found some adorable nautical stripes that will go nicely with his Beatrix Potter theme for now and will also be a jumping off point for his big boy room eventually.

Reeeeuuuuuupe! He loves giving kisses and hugs!

He also likes to pull hair :D

We bought an awesome electric train set off of a mom's shop and swap group on facebook. So we decided to set it up and try it! Grammie decided to make a little zoo inside of the tracks. Colin made a Big Ben tower and Aunty Em made an awesome tree out of lego! This was all done after Rupe went to bed...

Colin dubbed it, Rupert's Playland...

We sat Rupert down in front of it in the morning and turned the train on... there were a few tears but once he got used to it really enjoyed watching the train go around. Then he turned into a monster and destroyed all our hard work... oh Rupe!

I've mentioned it in previous posts, but our boy sure does love to play without his clothes on... such a happier boy!

Rupert's first bronco ride on grammie's leg... not too out of control, that will come in later years. Gave grammie's leg a real work out... our little 22 pounder!

Grammie teaching Rupert about stairs.

We had a great weekend with the Dyck ladies! Even got some Christmas shopping done! We are eagerly anticipating Christmas, had our first Starbucks drinks in red cups! I tried the new caramel brule latte... not a fan, I will stick to my white peppermint mocha thank you very much. Anyways, we had much fun, with great conversation, great shopping, great play time and great eats!

Curious?

Well our Halloween was nothing to write home about... we had a sick tired little monkey on our hands. Colin has had a flu/cold bug for the past week and we've been doing our best to keep it from Rupert. But Friday morning Rupert woke up with a fever. He did a lot of sleeping and was just not quite himself. However he did continue to eat so that was great! We tried butternut squash this week and he loved it. He would make a big gulping sound as the spoon got closer and then once it was in his mouth would say "mmmmmm..." Very cute! However produced some not so cute diapers!

Despite being a sick little monkey we took him outside for a couple of first Halloween pictures... some with his pumpkin and some in costume with daddy!

Our family of pumpkins...

A very sleepy little monkey

Friends of ours from church lent us a man in the yellow hat costume that they had made last year! We were super stoked! Ever since I found out I was pregnant we knew that our baby's first costume would be Curious George. Colin is a big fan!

Cute little monkey!

We didn't have very many trick or treaters which I was sad about as it was our first Halloween in a house where I could give out candy. I got super excited every time the door bell rang, but unfortunately that was not very many times. We took Rupert out for a little bit to show off how adorable he was in his costume... only three people in Walmart said he was cute... and that did not include the cashier... what????? Look at this kid... he is freakin' adorable! Oh well! :D

Well I guess we've got a whole year to think about what he will be for Halloween next year... any ideas????

6 months old!

Precious little boy! I can't believe he is 6 months old already... the first 3 months seemed to drag on forever but the past three have just flown by. Rupert and I had a rough start with him not wanting to breast feed, then him in the Children's Hospital with a urinary tract infection (man that seems like forever ago!), and then me with post partum depression... but I finally feel like we are figuring things out! And I know there is a lot more learning to be done on both our parts but am far more confident than I used to be and can finally say that I am enjoying each day with my little boy. He is such a joy to be around... He greets me every morning with a smile... I think God knew what he was doing when he matched us up as that smile can get me out of the foulest of moods in the morning!

Here's what he's been up to!

sitting up all by himself without falling over!

rolling over constantly, is not content on his back at all!

trying desperately to crawl, to no avail... but can pivot around on his tummy!

loves his milk to be nice and warm, sometimes I think it's too warm but he seems to prefer it that way

I still bundle him up for bed, he likes to be all snuggled in... has started peeking his hands out the top and playing with his soother when he wakes up until we get him.

has two teeth... sprouted the first one on Thanksgiving Sunday and the second came a couple days later with a nasty little cold.

loves his exersaucer... likes talking to the little boy in the mirror.



went to the pumpkin patch for the first time! Was during his nap time so he wasn't super excited, but was fun none the less!

his favorite toys are rings off of one of those ring stackers... and the stacker itself, a crinkly fish, a duck that quacks, and his cabbage patch doll named Otis Lee... every time he sees Otis Lee he gets a huge smile and starts chatting... Rupert also loves it when I stack blocks and put an animal on top!

he's starting to get more interested in other kids... will stare at them and try to touch them... especially their hair!

loves pulling hair!!!!!!!!! and glasses and clothes and anything that happens to be within his reach and it immediately goes into his mouth!

he has his baths in the big tub now... he's starting to play with bath toys as well which is so fun! He hasn't quite learned that he can't bend to far down to reach the toys without getting a face full of water... he's a good sport about it though.

loves playing in just his diaper, if he's cranky all I have to do is strip him down and put him on the floor and he will grab his toes and start chatting away.

plays in his jolly jumper often! He is a great bouncer!

will not go to sleep in the car or at church without his bamboo blanket... it's so soft and just soothes him when he's upset. We call it his "magic blanket" because it has wonderful soothing powers :D



gives kisses often in his own special way... grabs each of your cheeks and pulls you into an open mouth and just holds you there... lots especially for daddy!

thinks his daddy is the funniest person alive! Lots of laughs are always shared between them. Especially from prickly raspberries!



being outside is by far his favorite thing in the world. He is a very observant little guy and will just sit in his stroller or the bjorn and look at everything... he doesn't miss a thing!

we have started going to a ladies and babies group which he loves! He sits and watches all the big kids play around him.

always has smiles for the ladies! Men have to work a bit harder to get a smile, but ladies get an instant smile.

already loves his family! I really think he knows who they are just from his interactions with them. He just seems to enjoy them that little bit more and have comfort with them. I love that!

we have our bedtime routine of reading Goodnight Moon, singing Jesus Loves Me and a prayer, he used to be asleep by the time I had finished the story... but now stays awake until I put him down and falls asleep without a tear!

nap time we sing Baby Beluga and it is a favorite!

Rupert loves music! His favorite songs are, Baby Beluga, Slippery Fish, Bumpin' Up and Down, ABC's, and Twinkle Twinkle, and Don'tcha Know that God Loves You... they all stop the tears from flowing!

we watch Curious George and Sid the Science Kid every morning during his bottle... I think mommy and daddy enjoy them more than Rupert

our car music is Raffi, which is a recent thing, and I am glad as now I don't have to sing the whole car ride!

and finally... tried rice cereal for the first time! At first he was gulping it down... at long last his dreams had come true! But then as he swirled it around on his tongue he decided it was not for him and started spitting it out... :D So we will keep at it and see how it goes!





and for those of you interested... his current weight is 22 pounds... length is 28 inches... He is our big little boy!

I love my little boy more than words can say. I love watching him experience things for the first time and grow into a little boy! I am so glad that God has brought me out of the darkness that is post partum depression and into the light where I can enjoy my days with Rupert and delight in the things that he delights in or in the case of his rice cereal... doesn't delight in :D

Firsts...

First walk at Piper's Lagoon... a five minute drive from our house!

First jumps in the jolly jumper!

First tooth!

First bath in the big tub!

First birthday as a mommy!

First ride in a jogging stroller!

First time sitting up!

Followed my first fashion trend... thanks cousins Halle and Maya for keeping me hip!

I'm back!

Well my re-entry into blog land is way overdue but I am finally back! I realized that if I waited until I could take photos of every room just the way I wanted them to be I would possibly never blog again! So I will start with the living room and dining room and hopefully the rest of the rooms will be up shortly! So here are photos of our living room and dining room! Colin got his much awaited for tv... sadly there is no room for our beautiful armoire in our living room however it has found it's home in Rupes playroom where it fits perfectly.

We also inherited a beautiful dining room table and chairs from Colin's parent's neighbor's dad.... :D Much nicer than our four seater Ikea table!

You'll notice the cute white table with white lamp and white bulletin board and white computer... this is my zone... Colin tries to put his black accessories on it but they are just not welcome!

We love our new home and are slowly making it our own. It begins to feel more and more like home as each day passes.

We are also settling into the routine of our new life. Colin has started up youth group for the year and is really enjoying it! There's youth twice a week... a junior and a senior group. There's been a great turnout and a few new kids have come each week which is encouraging! Rupert and I went the first week and Rupert was in heaven! He loves big kids! However I paid for having him up and out for so long when we got home as he was pretty cranky. I hope to be able to go out more as he gets older. But for now we will come to big events and hopefully at least one other time in the month. I have also had the opportunity to connect with some youth outside of church/youth group so that has been nice as well.

I am also settling into the church. I have started attending the women's bible study on Wednesdays and the Ladies and Babies group every other Thursday! I love them both. Such wonderful women who have welcomed us with open arms. It is nice to get out of the house and be with adults! I have also been out for coffee and walks with some of the women at our Church as well which has been awesome.

There is so much to catch up on! So many firsts for our little family, first house, first time in the jolly jumper, first time sitting up, first tooth, first walk in the breast cancer run and coming this Sunday Colin will be preaching his first sermon!!!... photos will be coming but for now I will leave you with some adorable photos of the little boy sitting up in our first backyard!