Santa's visit

After Santa's visit we noticed that there were were some footprints left behind

Oh look! the milk and cookies and even the carrot have been enjoyed!

Getting ready for Santa

Chomping on Rudolph's carrot
(the closest he's ever gotten to a carrot without a bribe!)

Here's a cookie for Santa, put it on the plate...ok mommy...just one bite first

Ok, here's Santa's second cookie, put it on the plate...ok mommy...just one quick bite

Here's our little elf with his plate of goodies for Santa

Daddy explaining to Nicolas that Santa would be coming down the chimney
 to get the cookies and milk and the carrot for Rudolph

Pyjama Man

Our family gets a visit from the pyjama man on Christmas eve. He comes when we're not home and he leaves new pj's for Christmas!

 Nicolas wasn't too sure about checking under his pillow for pj's he thought it was time for bed (notice the thumb)

The pyjama man found pj's that say "Daddy's Little Moose" on them!

 He got more into it as we went around the house looking under the pillows for pj's in mommy and daddy's room and in Gram-Gram's room.

Crazy Christmas Lights

On Christmas eve, we wanted to keep everything low key. We had an early dinner and then we made hot chocolate and grabbed a box of homemade Christmas cookies and drove around our neighborhood looking for Christmas lights. We found the house above not too far from our home! We thought that these kinds of houses only existed in TV land. Nicolas loves looking at Christmas lights, at every house, he calls out "Christmas Lights! Wow!"

First Snowman

Nicolas and his Daddy went out to play in the snow

and they made a snowman!

 Gotta love that smile

He's always eating the snow

we just have to make sure it's not yellow!

Christmas Baking

I'm so happy to have a little helper in the kitchen this Christmas! Everytime I take out the flour container or turn on the mixer Nicolas comes running!

Contrary to when we're eating, when we bake, he likes to taste everything...especially the flour!

Gram-Gram's Christmas Village

Gram-Gram worked on her Christmas village for more than a week, and once it was completed, she (we) couldn't wait to show Nicolas! So we all went to visit Gram-Gram on Sunday morning! Here's the tree and the village and the train and the...well you can see it's a big crazy village that Mom loves to do for all of her Grandchildren and her kids and anyone who wants to visit!

Nicolas especially likes playing with the train! Oh and all those little cars on the road there, he likes to play with them too!

Visiting Gram-Gram

Nicolas is very lucky to have his Gram-Gram live in the same house as him. He loves going to visit. This week was difficult for him because he wasn't able to go visit because Gram-Gram was working on a surprise for Nicolas. Every year Gram-Gram does a Christmas village under the tree. This morning the village was finally ready and we were so excited to show Nicolas!

Here's a video of the village and Nicolas hanging out at Gram-Gram's.

Gram-Gram's Christmas Village

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

The holiday season is upon us and I am so happy! We have waited so long to experience Christmas with a child and we're enjoying every minute!

Santa's little helper

Daddy and Gram-Gram went to buy the Christmas trees on Friday night. After Nicolas went to sleep, Gram-Gram put the lights on the tree and this morning we had a magical moment when Nicolas woke up. Mommy turned on the Christmas lights and Daddy brought Nicolas into the livingroom. He was so very happy! 

Seeing the tree for the first time! Love that smile!

We put on Christmas music and decorated the tree! Mommy was enjoying every moment and I had to try not to think too much about what was happening or I would turn into a very happy blubbering mess.


Hanging the first decoration on the tree...a moose of course!

The other decorations Nicolas put on the tree...they're all laying on the branches in a bunch - Mommy left them there!

On Saturday, it was Gram-Gram's work party and we were all invited - Christmas is for kids afterall! Nicolas was so excited to see his cousins and his Toota's (Tito &Tita). Everyone was having fun eating and playing and then all of a sudden we heard Jingle Bells and we heard that a special visitor was arriving! When he arrived, everyone clapped and Nicolas was sitting on my lap clapping and saying over and over Santa! The moment was perfect and I was so happy seeing him happy that I started to cry...poor Nicolas looked up at me and was totally confused. I told him not to worry, that mommy was just very happy. We went to see Santa...but the litttle boy that was called before Nicolas started to cry because he didn't want to see Santa, so when it was our turn, Nicolas was nervous and not interested in sitting on Santa's lap.




Mommy better get lots of tissues for the holidays!

Magical Snow Day

This morning we woke to a beautiful white winter wonderland. Nicolas' first snow! Mommy and Daddy brought Nicolas to the window in the livingroom to see the snow. He was so excited he kept saying "NO" (snow).



Seeing snow for the first time

I went onto the front porch and made a snowball for him to play with inside. Nicolas was so excited, he wanted to touch it and taste it...so we let him...and he ate the whole thing! He kept saying "Cold", but he wanted to keep eating it.


Mommy made you a snowball



what does it taste like?

After breakfast, we all got dressed up in our snowgear and headed out in the snow! We had a blast! He was so cute in his snowsuit...looking like a little starfish. He had fun throwing snow up in the air. Daddy had fun too, picking him up and throwing him in the snow.

 

trying to catch the snow







When we came inside, Daddy made some hot chocolate for us! We spent the rest of the day with a fire going in the fireplace.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed your first snowy day, my little moose.

A family dinner





 

Love that smile!

Tonight (November 15, 2011) we had a visit from Baboo, Bapa, Uncle Dan and Auntie Shell. We also had a special visitor Baboo's brother, your Great Uncle Rob. We had a yummy dinner, you ate roast beef for the first time (you call it uap - we don't know exactly what it is that you're trying to say).

Our little karaoke star

Both before and after dinner Baboo was having too much fun playing with Nicolas...she is so excited about being a grandma! We had to gently remind her that you need some time to quiet down after supper.  Baboo took these pictures...mommy loves all of them! That smile...Oh how I love that smile! You sang with Baboo and that made her very happy! I especially like the picture of you and your Bapa. 

a cute picture with Bapa (AKA Grandpa)





pee pee

Since we've been home...every day before bath, we put Nicolas on the toilet before his bath. We do a little celebration after he says he's done. Two days ago, Eric said next time we put him on the toilet, we need to have the little squirt bath toys go pee in the toilet...so, the next day, we put him on the toilet and then we made the little squirt fish "go pee". During his bath, Nicolas told me that the fish had to go pee...so I helped the fish to "go pee" and then Nicolas put his hands up in the air and said pee...so I put him on the toilet, and he peed!! We gave him two M&M's and did a big celebration!

Today, before the bath we did the pee routine, but he didn't pee...but after the bath, we put him on the toilet and while we were getting the fish ready to help him "go pee" Nicolas peed again in the potty! So, two days in a row he peed on the toilet.

Sometimes during the day he'll say "pee" and I think he's aware that he's peeing/peed/about to pee. We're not sure if he's ready to be toilet trained, we're going to keep going as we are and we'll try to follow his lead.

September 27

we went to petit lunes today...just you and mommy. You made some new friends! it was nice to see you playing with other little ones.

you met mommy's friend Ruth today...you were a charmer as usual! 

you are still giving us a hard time at lunch and supper. We are trying all kinds of different veggies and foods, but you usually won't try any new foods.

you are finally getting used to your puppies...Oscar is so excited  about having you home! you are starting to reach out to the puppies and pet them...you still pretend that you are afraid...but you're laughing the whole time.

September 23, 2011

You had a good sleep last night! you woke up around 5 and we gave you a bottle and then you slept until 7.

this morning you ate your cereal, and a banana and then mid-morning you had a mini-go yogurt! (you're finally getting some calcium.

You spent the whole morning playing with your Little People airplane and the little people that go in it. You also played with your Home Depot drill...mommy is wondering just how long the batteries will last.

Your first bottle

We had a  breakthrough last night...you had a bottle! You have refused to take a bottle since the first day that you were with us, but mommy sensed that since you have 2 episodes at night where you're not quite awake and not quite asleep that you were probably given bottles at those times when you were with your foster family.

Last night during one of those episodes when you were not quite asleep and not quite awake mommy took a chance to make you a bottle and you took it!! It made me very happy that you took it and that i was right that is what you needed!

You woke up at 6 this morning...and asked for another bottle! So far you've had an 8 oz bottle, some champorado (chocolate oatmeal) half a banana, and some of mommy's peanut butter toast with a few more slices of banana. After breakfast mommy was treated to a short concert of songs by you! You're too cute when you sing...you sing with such passion in your face and in your voice.

Mommy read you a story (the wheels on the bus) and you retold the story as mommy went along...pointing your finger and talking very animatedly. It was very funny!

You had two visitors today, Auntie Rachelle, and our friend Nicholas (aka picnic). You had lots of fun playing with Nick...he had you laughing and running and playing.

The visit was difficult for mommy and daddy because we were tired. We still need to make sure that we don't over do our visits.

Mommy was so tired that she went to bed at 8:00 and Daddy played with you and put you to bed around 9:00.

I lub you, baby!

First days at home

We arrived home at 7pm last night. We flew home from Vancouver and you didn't even see the inside of the plane! You slept through the entire flight from Vancouver to Montreal. Even through a diaper change. We had a limosine drive us home and we woke you up while we were on the bridge (about 15 minutes from home). We are so glad that we got a limo to drive us from the airport to home...it made coming home relaxing.

Arriving home a family photo with your "truck"

When we arrived in front of our house, you were just staring at the house. You recognized it from the pictures. Gram-Gram came out of the house to see you. We took some pictures in front of "your truck" and then we headed inside. As we walked up the walkway, a flock of geese flew overhead and you pointed and said "bird". We headed inside and you looked all around. I imagine that it was strange for you to see your house and your things in real life. We went into your room and you looked around and stared it was as if you were thinking "it's real".

After checking stuff out for a little while, we ate supper, Gram-Gram made a nice dinner of chicken, rice, mashed potatoes, and mashed carrots and turnip (daddy's favorite) you ate some manok (chicken) and rice but the rest...you left on the plate.



Here you are checking out your room for the first time



We felt good and so we decided to have some visitors come over Auntie "Shell", Tito Tim & Tita Charleen, and your cousins, Ty and Britney). After everyone left, you slept from 9 -11 last night were up from 11 until 2-3 and then slept until 5:30...we all were up at 5:30.

 

We played this morning you ate a pretty good breakfast you napped from 10-11:30 and we woke you up you were not happy with us...you cried (the first time since the first days we had you).

We got you dressed and we went to Wal.mart. It was good to get out! (Even you thought so!)

you liked your car seat! Daddy sat with you in the back to make sure that you were ok

When we came home, we all had a nap - it was supposed to be from 4-5 but we didn't wake up with the alarm...so it was from 4-6. You were even more upset with us that we woke you up the second time!

After a small supper, Bapa and Uncle Dan came to visit, and you watched your first hockey game. I think they may have stayed a little too long because at one point, you came over to mommy and asked to be picked up and closed your eyes and started to suck your thumb.

We went to bed at 9 you had a restless sleep between 11 and 3 and finally fell back asleep around 3 (it's now 4 and mommy is still awake).

You are such a funny and happy boy and we are so lucky to have you in our lives!

Today Daddy worked with you to help you to learn your numbers (you already know them...we just need more practise)

Mommy and Daddy taught you some new sentences today:
"I am smart"
"I am cute"

"I am funny"

And  you are all of those things! we love you so very much...I can't wait until tomorrow to see what fun it holds!

I lub you, Nico

The Playroom

Here's a picture of Nicolas' playroom...I can't wait until he's here and we spend most of our days playing in there!

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Today is the Little Moose's birthday, we are so happy to celebrate him and his life, we just wish that he could be with us. To keep us busy, we've planned some activities...I decorated your room last night with balloons so that in the morning, your daddy and gram-gram would be surprised! Next year, it will be you that will be surprised in the morning when you wake up surrounded by balloons on your very special day!