Decorating Owen and Brandon’s bedrooms

Way back when Owen was born we held off on decorating his bedroom for a couple of reasons, first we didn’t know if we were having a girl or boy, second we were just becoming new parents and had no clue of anything baby related and third I was just too darn tired to think straight.  We didn’t do any actually decorating until we found out we were pregnant again with Brandon.  Then we starting thinking and made some huge changes in our home…as in finishing our basement, moving the office to the main floor and moving Owen into his new bedroom.  While we were doing all this moving around we decided we were ready to decorate; Owen was just over 1 year and was starting to show interests in trucks and cars and things that go.  We found a wonderful website that sells all things baby and toddler bedding…Nursery Depot.  We found a bedding set we really liked, ordered up the matching pieces and got decorating.  We didn’t go too crazy as I was pregnant and relied heavily on Sean doing the work, plus we wanted to make sure whatever we did would grow with Owen and give him opportunity to change it up if he wanted.  We painted a feature wall and hung some pictures.  We did get creative though and bought some canvas and letters spelling out Owen’s name.  We painted the canvas and added Owen’s hands and feet prints to the canvas, along with his name, then added a canvas on either side with stencils of an airplane and car.  We were very happy with the result and decided we wanted to do the same with Brandon’s room once he was born.  We had grand ambitions to do all this decorating in the first 3 months of Brandon’s life (this is when he would be sleeping in our room in the bassinet) but we found we were even more tired this time around and it came and went.

Finally this year we decided that in conjunction with Owen and Brandon moving into their new beds we would decorate Brandon’s room.  We found a paint color, picked up the canvas and letters to spell out Brandon’s name, found some stencils and I even found some wall decals that were themed to their current interests.  Owen and Brandon came with me one day and picked out the wall decals — Owen picked dinosaurs and Brandon picked Cars and Trucks.  Sean painted the wall in Brandon’s room with some help from Owen (Brandon and I baked in the kitchen).  That one night when Brandon couldn’t sleep in his room (because of the paint drying), Owen and Brandon got a REAL treat…Owen slept in Mommy and Daddy’s bed and Brandon slept in Owen’s really big bed — Mommy slept with Owen and Daddy was suppose to sleep with Brandon but once Daddy decided it was his bedtime, Brandon was not in the mood to share — so Daddy slept in Brandon’s room in the twin bed with the paint drying.

The next day we painted another coat and took the boys out to see Toy Story 3 with Uncle Derek, Aunty Colette and Zoe.  Owen stayed through the whole movie and very much enjoyed it; Brandon watched the first 20 minutes or so and then wanted to walk around.  Lucky Daddy got to sit in the lobby with Brandon sleeping on his lap.  Now everytime we drive past Scotia Place Theatre (Silver City, WEM), Owen tells us about how he saw Toy Story number 3 with Zoe on the really really big tv.

The following day we moved all the furniture back into place and headed outside to do some painting.  We laid out a drop cloth on the drive way and gave Owen and Brandon free reign to paint their own canvas’ as they wanted.  They thoroughly enjoyed it and it was nothing to convince them to let us paint their feet and hands for prints on canvas.

After the painting and clean up we headed up to their bedrooms and let them put up their wall decals.  Owen’s room was done first and he wanted all his decals beside his bed so he could see his dinosaurs when he went to sleep at night.  Brandon’s room was done next and Brandon was very gracious to let Owen help him with putting the decals up.  Brandon liked Owen’s idea and wanted all his decals beside his bed so he could also see them when he went to bed at night.  Now most nights after Sean and I put the boys to bed, we can hear them talking to their wall decals…Owen naming his dinosaurs and Brandon counting his cars and trucks.

Canada Day!

The Korsan family now have their first family tradition.  Last year for Canada Day Sean and I took Owen and Brandon to the legislative grounds.  There is so much going on with Jumpy Houses, Super Dogs, Chinese Cultural Demonstrations and of course the wading pools and Fat Frank’s hot dogs.  Last year Owen very much enjoyed the wading pool and watching the Super Dogs; Brandon last year was too young to enjoy much but slept in the chariot.  This year with both boys one year older we figured they would both enjoy it even more…and we were right.  To start out our Canada Day we picked out and put on our Canada Day tattoos.  Everyone got one and wore them with pride.  Owen and Brandon sang Happy Birthday Canada on the way to the legislative grounds.

This year as well Aunty Claudette and Uncle Phil came along with us.  We tried to do the pancake breakfast but by the time we got there the line up was so so long — good thing we stopped at Tim Horton’s before hand!!  We walked back to the wading pools and found a spot to put our things.  The boys immediately wanted to get into the water — brrrr chilly!!  I was kind of thinking, this year I brought a change of clothes (last year we only had the clothes on our backs and when Owen got wet it was a tough ride home) and water toys but didn’t think to bring swim trunks or swim diapers.  The boys happily immersed themselves in the wading pool; Owen stepped, splashed from spot to spot and Brandon got right in and waded through it all.  The water coming up past his knees making his shorts very heavy.  They happily wore their hats and sunglasses, after all, in the words of Owen, it was a beautiful sunny day.

We took a short break from the water and found a spot on the grass, got some hot dogs and had lunch while watching the Chinese Cultural Demonstrations; Owen loved the dragon dance and Brandon bounced to the music.  Owen even took a short break and rested on Daddy’s legs.

We went back to the wading pool for a bit and then the Jumpy House started to inflate, and there is no way to miss a Jumpy House!  Owen spotted it right away and wanted in.  We changed into our dry clothes and told them they had to wait in line for the Jumpy House.  They patiently waited in line, Owen jumped up and down while holding my hand and would point to the house and tell me all about the jumping he was going to do when it was his turn.  Brandon was excited because his brother was excited but when it came time to crawl in, Brandon made it only half way in before he changed his mind.  He would rather watch his brother jump then go in as well.  Maybe Brandon is just a little too young still…one day…


We were home just after lunch and Owen and Brandon were well worn out…Sean and I were treated to some nice long naps!

Deck Building

Landscaping, fences and decks are the things that keep us busy in the summer time.  Last year we helped Aunty Claudette get her fence, grass and rock in and this summer we are helping Aunty complete her yard, by building her deck.  The weekends in June were busy filled with helping to build the deck with Sean doing most of the work and the rest of us trying to help were we can and keep the boys out of his hair.  Owen has been really interested in helping out; he asks what everything is, how it works and wants to see.  He wants a tool belt, tools, safety glasses and a hat just like Dad.

We found some tool belts at Home Depot (one of the many trips) and we substituted sunglasses for safety glasses for now and as for tools, luckily the boys got a Handy Manny tool set for Christmas!  The weekends we worked were really hot and Owen and Brandon were really good about wearing their hats, sunglasses and waiting while I lathered on the sunscreen.  I think the heat was a bit much for Brandon, he opted to stay indoors and play — well maybe it wasn’t the heat but more like the opportunity to play with the toys without Owen around?! 

The deck is now complete with lots of summer left to enjoy it.  It’s a huge deck and low to the ground so low that Owen and Brandon can climb off and on, as the stairs and railing will come later.  Owen and Brandon love to run from the deck to the apple tree and back — racing each other!  Now Aunty just has to get a table and chairs for her deck so we can also enjoy her deck while eating lunches and dinners!

Another Milestone

Owen and Brandon have been going to a day home since I went back to work.  We love our day home and have been more than happy with our day home provider and the children there.  Owen made his first best friend and both Owen and Brandon had many firsts at the day home and since I had to share those firsts, our day home would be where I would want to share those firsts.  Over the past few months Sean and I both have noticed how much Owen has been growing up and we both were of the feeling that he needed more interaction with children his own age, more involvement with other adults and activities.  I looked into preschool but with two parents working full time, preschool is just not made for that dynamic.  I struggled with how to give Owen those opportunities all the while working.  Owen has been involved with gymnastics since he was 20 months old and really enjoys it, but since up until now it’s been a Parent and Tot class, he does not get the interaction with the children I was looking for.  Most other activities geared for 3 yr old’s happen during the week, in the middle of the day — again not made for our family dynamic of working parents.  Trying very hard not to get frustrated Sean and I turned to hope, hope that our decision to put Owen and Brandon on the waiting list at the YMCA day care prior to them being born (they both went on the list as Baby Korsan) would pay off.  I talked to the YMCA a few times over the years each time they would ask if we were still interested and each time I would say yes.  Our conditions were tough, we needed two spots at the same time, we needed Owen and Brandon to move from the day home to the day care at the same time.  The last time I talked to the YMCA, the impression I was given was that it was going to be tough to meet those conditions.  So like I said, Sean and I were turning to hope…

Well it paid off…The YMCA called us the beginning of June to say they had a family give their notice and this family just so happened to have two children of the same age range as Owen and Brandon, meaning they had two spots at the same time for us!  We took another tour of the place, this time with Owen and Brandon along, and we were all very happy to see it was still the wonderful place we remembered.  The staff and children and toys and activities were so great, this was the place that we needed for Owen to continue to grow and develop!  Oh and I can’t forget to mention the potty training…the cute bathroom with toilet just the right size and counter tops and sinks just the right height for little boys and girls just learning potty training basics!  I was so excited at the thought of how Owen and potty training should / would take off!  Owen is so ready to potty train, he just needs the time and consistency spent on him!  The YMCA staff reassured me they potty train in whichever way we find works at home…perfect!

The day home was closed for two days in June and so I took advantage of those two days and brought the boys to the YMCA to play for a few hours, to get use to the new place.  Owen did well, he loved all the toys and activities, the outdoor sandbox and the fact that he could cook inside and outside!  Brandon found it a little tougher, he cried and held onto my hand or leg, alternating every few minutes. 

The last day at the day home was sad for everyone, our day home provider had more than exceeded our expectations and we had all grown close.  This is the nature of this industry, children grow up and move on, but it is still sad.  Owen and Brandon started their first day at the YMCA on a Friday, a quiet day and the staff thought it might be a good day to start as they could each get more one-on-one attention if need be.  The drop off went better than expected; Owen was distracted with some toys and waved bye, Brandon cried but went to the staff.  Then both boys did not want to leave when we came to pick them up at the end of the day – a good sign, right?

The drop offs have been what you would expect with change; over time they will improve.  After a week of day care the boys have gone swimming, walked to the library, gone for a walk in a treed area, played with the water table, played outdoors a TON (filling their shoes with sand) and Owen has gone potty and stayed dry pretty much every day!  They go on field trips — this month to Fort Edmonton Park, next month a Jumpy House at the day care, they walk to the library and read books, they go swimming, there is Show and Tell and PJ day.  We are so happy for the opportunities, the growth and development the boys will get from the YMCA.

What a beautiful day for a picnic!

A few weeks ago, when the weather was warm and sunny, we spend the afternoon at Emily Murphy Park.  We had a picnic / bbq, and Owen and Brandon got to run rampant and be boys.  They each had a small soccer ball and spent hours kicking the balls and chasing them, all the while laughing together. They loved the huge green space to run and fall and get right back up — the grass is much softer to fall on than concrete.

We found a small playground a little off the beaten path and the boys enjoyed swinging and the slide.

There was ice cream for dessert, Owen loved it and so patiently ate the whole fudgesicle, while Brandon was more interested in the bubble maker.  Don’t you just love their hats?  They love their Thomas the Train conductor hats!  These hats are pretty original so I also love them because it is easy to spot Owen and Brandon in a crowd of kids!

The picnic was a hit and this will definetly be something we do again with Owen and Brandon. Maybe next time we can get some of Owen and Brandon’s friends out join us!

Biking

With summer here, we picked up a bike helmet for both Brandon and myself — we are hoping to have some days this summer to take the boys to the river valley and do some biking with them.  Last year we bought a bike trailer and Owen was old enough to ride around in it (Brandon had to be over a year old); Owen loved having Daddy pull him on his bike with Kosmo running beside him.  This year Brandon is old enough to enjoy the ride as well.   As well both the boys now have tricycles and it seems to be a new routine that each day we come home from day care, the first thing the boys want to do when they hop out of the van is go biking.  With this new found interest in riding their bikes means they need to be wearing helmets – Owen has figured out how to pedal and gets going pretty darn fast, he has fallen twice now on his bike.  Here the boys are getting all ready for their first ride in the bike trailer with Daddy!


Moving to big big boy beds!!

Bedtime, sleep-time, nap-time…the routine has slowly been changing over the past few months for us.  Brandon especially has been changing the way he likes to be put down to sleep.  It was rocking with a bottle of milk, then sippy cup of milk and then he would toss back and forth in your lap and was restless.  We spent many evenings listening to Brandon cry himself to sleep; it was tough.  Then we got an idea (mid-June), what if we moved Brandon to a twin bed?  Maybe he would enjoy sleeping more in a bed instead of a crib?  This idea started because we noticed Brandon loved being in Owen’s bed; Brandon would run and jump into Owen’s bed the minute Owen was out of it and he would cover himself up and smile such a big contagious smile.

The second crib we bought (for Owen when Brandon was born) converted to a double bed (the sides turn into a headboard and foot board).  We thought we could move Owen into a “big big” bed and Brandon into Owen’s “big” bed.  We talked with them over a few nights about the idea; being boys they were more intent on playing then listening.  We had Sean’s old double bed mattress and box spring — storing at Angie’s house — we thought we would bring it over and then over the weekend make the move.  Yeah we didn’t think that one right through….the moment Owen saw Daddy and Uncle Phil pulling a mattress and box spring into the house he exclaimed “IS this my NEW bed?  I want to sleep on it tonight?”  Keeping in mind it was a Monday night, pushing past bedtime…lucky for us Aunty Claudette and Uncle Phil were willing to stay and help us move the beds around, set them up and get the boys into their new beds for the night.  It was a hit, Brandon fell in love with Owen’s old bed and Owen fell in love with his very big bed — room for ALL his teddies now!  The slept all night, neither of them falling out and since then bedtime has been much improved.

We did also make another change to the bedtime routine…each night Owen and Brandon pile into Mom and Dad’s bed and get cozy for a couple bedtime books.  They love to be read to and Mom loves to read to them!  Mom pulls out all her favorites (Grandma H has been bringing some of them over too) and reads away!  What a wonderful way to end the day!  Since we’ve been doing the reading bit before bed, Owen has started to “read” to Brandon — too too cute!

Mommy and Daddy’s First Trip

Without the kids…..

So Mommy and Daddy have been talking about taking a short holiday for a while now, debating over a few locations that would be a short flight and could be done in a few days and then trying to figure out who and how the boys would be looked after.  Sean and I both felt we needed some time for each other and the grandparents and Aunty Claudette were very supportive about helping out.  How it started out….Sean received an email from the hotel we stayed at in San Francisco a few years ago (when Owen was just 4 month old), they were having a sale.  Sean emailed me and said, what do you think? I think, I can’t leave my boys, not yet, so I’ll figure out the flights and show Sean it just won’t work.  Wrong-o, the flights worked out and were quite a good deal, the weekend we picked happened to be free for everyone and our passports were still valid.  So after much worry over Owen and Brandon and much reassurance from everyone that they would be just fine….probably more fine that us…we decided to do it, book the trip.  So the day we went to book we received an email from WestJet Vacations.  There was a sale on flights to San Francisco.  Our flights were there and our hotel was there, for $600 less than we were going to originally book.  Okay so I think this is where all the stars aligned, it was just suppose to happen!

The day came, we dropped the boys off at the day home, I held back my tears and we headed for the airport.  I left numerous notes all over the house and bought way too many groceries but I wanted the grandparents and Aunty Claudette to not have to worry about anything but Owen and Brandon.  The flight to San Francisco went smooth and we packed light, we took the BART from the airport to Union Square to our hotel, the Prescott Hotel.  Imagine public transportation from the airport to the downtown core!  What an idea!

We walked to our hotel; I forgot about the hills….so many hills….San Francisco!  It was a very warm sunny day, warmer than we expected.  The weather was outstanding the whole time we were there.  The first day we were in San Fran we did some shopping and had dinner at California Pizza Kitchen – best pizza ever — and talked about how we wanted to fill our two days here.

Friday we saw Fisherman’s Wharf / Pier 39 and Alcatraz.  We hopped on the cable car from Union Square and took up and down all the hills, some hills so steep you had to hold on tight, to Fisherman’s Wharf.  It was another very warm day and so much to see.  We even found a store just for me….Lefty’s.  What a magical place, everything worked so well as soon as I picked it up….can openers, measuring cups, scissors, pens and notebooks…so much!  We took a chance and bought a pair of left handed scissors, we are betting that out of the 4 kids (Owen, Brandon, Zoe and Baby Stamp) one of them would be left handed!  Alcatraz was better than all the pictures you see and websites you read.  It was unreal and awe-inspiring to think that it was actually used as a prison and held some of the most dangerous and notorious “bad guys”. 

Dinner was at the Cheesecake Factory on top of Macy’s right in Union Square.  The food is outstanding and completely worth the wait — you usually wait close to an hour at any given time of day for a table.  Sean and I lucked out Friday night and got to sit outside on the balcony with a view of Union Square.  Dinner was wonderful and so filling and we discovered their Bellini’s…oh yum!  My feet were so sore and my legs so tired by the time we walked back to the hotel.

Saturday we decided to do the Open Top Sightseeing Tour of San Francisco.  It was a great way to see the city and the sights without trying to figure it out through cable cars and walking.  The city hall was beautiful with a green space in front and playgrounds for the children to use…I think I counted 3!!  Coit Tower was very cool, we “hopped off” to see this sight.  The painted ladies (beautiful Victorian homes) were quite a sight.  We hopped off at Golden Gate Bridge and took in the sight….the sheer size of the Golden Gate Bridge is overwhelming.  To think that it was built in the 1930’s and that there were people who had the “technology” and foresight to build something of this magnitude is awesome.  We walked the bridge until we were right over the water, looking one way you could see the ocean and looking the other way you could see into the bay and see Alcatraz.  It was really really windy and the wind was very very cool — imagine goosebumps but sweating in the heat all at the same time.  After some pictures, I was ready to head back…traffic whizing past on one side and deep deep water on the other side…my stomach was not feeling quite right.   We hopped back on the double decker bus and did one last trip over the Golden Gate Bridge and headed back to Union Square where we hopped off and had dinner…Cheesecake Factory.  Yes again, the food and Bellini’s were so so good!

Sunday was home time.  We packed up and headed to the BART back to the airport.  It was a quite morning on the streets and promised to be another hot hot day.  At the airport we ate pizza (another really really good pizza) and lounged around until boarding time….I read my book (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo — excellent book!!) and Sean worked on the laptop.  After landing in Edmonton we were very surprised to see Owen and Brandon, Grandma K and Aunty Claudette and Grandma and Grandpa H waiting for us.  The tears came and I wasn’t stopping them, what a wonderful surprise!  The boys were very happy to see us but also a little thrown with all the other people around.  The babysitters said the boys did exceptionally well, cooperating for everyone, eating a ton and making everyone laugh!

Excellent trip, much needed break, missed Owen and Brandon so much!  Check out Sean’s blog for more pictures from our trip www.korsanstudios.com/blog

Owen’s 3rd Birthday!

Owen is 3 years old now…on May 25th to be exact.  It is so hard to believe that it’s been 3 years already, to think that three years ago Sean and I were trying to imagine what life will be like with a baby, what life will be like to me a Mommy and a Daddy and will we know what to do, how to do it and when!?  Are we ready!?  Well three years later and we have Owen and Brandon (who will be 2 years old in September) and I think we do quite well as Mommy and Daddy, I think we are doing quite well in dealing with things as they come up.  I think you naturally pull from your own life experiences, what you’ve read and what other’s have given you as advice…you jumble that together and use that to do the best for your children.  And then you learn and grow from each moment — did they respond well to you in that moment, will you use it again or scrap it for something else.  All the while remembering that they are their own people with personalities and preferences too.  If all else fails, though, a hug and a cuddle in the rocking chair always cures whatever is going on!

Now at 3 years old, Owen is too grown up for us.  Owen has to do everything “all by myself”.  Owen is starting to show an interest in dressing himself and even picking out his clothes (Mommy is a little sad, as Mommy loves to pick out clothes!!).  Owen picks out his jacket and shoes and even remembers his hat, sunglasses and sunscreen (yes that is right!), if it is “a bright sunny day”.  Owen can even buckle himself into his car seat on his own; with Mommy or Daddy helping to tightened it up.  He feeds himself all his meals but still occasionally asks Mommy or Daddy to help.  The potty training is going very very well; we remind Owen when it is time to try the potty — one day Owen even said to me “thanks for ‘minding me Mom!”  Owen has moved to the toilet from the training potty; he pulls his step stool up and get on all on his own.  This spring we bought a tricycle for both Owen and Brandon and after a couple tries Owen has figured out the pedaling part and loves to ride his bike.  Once he gets pedalling, though, he really takes off and Mom and Dad have to actually run after him.  Both Owen and Brandon picked out bicycle helmets and know that every time they ride their bikes they need their helmets — as Owen puts it “to stay safe”.

Owen is 43.20 lbs and 42 inches tall and still growing.  Owen wears 4T bottoms and 5T or XS tops…and at the time of writing this is slowly moving into size small for tops.  Check out Owen’s section of the website to see how he has grown over the past 3 years.  Undeniably Owen’s favorite food is pasta, meatballs and garlic bread.  If you ask him that will always be his answer….and he really does love it.  I have an assortment of pasta and whenever we have pasta for dinner Owen and Brandon get to choose which kind of pasta we have — rigatoni and messy spaghetti are the popular choices.  Spaghetti sauce is not really necessary but sometimes on the side to use as dipping sauce.  Owen still eats most everything with the exception of eggs, he does not seem to like them, just like Daddy.

For Owen’s 3rd birthday we had a Toy Story theme.  Toy Story is a huge hit with Owen — Buzz Lightear, Woody, Bullseye, Jessie and all the gang and with Toy Story 3 coming out this summer it was very easy to find birthday presents and decorations.  There was a Buzz Lightyear pinata and balloons, it was tough to find a birthday cake pan but we found a sheriff’s badge and then Owen picked out a guitar as well.  We rented a Jumpy Thing for Owen this year; he has been in them a few times and loved it, so we thought he would have a blast having a Jumpy Thing for him and his friends…both the little kids and big kids.  The weather was tough that weekend, it drizzled and was cool and we debated all morning as to whether we should rent it or not…in the end Daddy and Aunty Claudette thought we should do it, so we did.  And it was a hit! 

Happy 3rd Birthday Owen!

Dinosaurs and Trains and Birthdays, oh my!

My niece Zoe turned 3 years old in May and she really has grown into a little girl.  From the little baby that kept her mom and dad up constantly to the little toddler who was shy around her Aunty and Uncle to now this little girl who has such confidence and big smiles for everyone.

We all went to Airdrie for Zoe’s birthday and since we were travelling we decided to make it into our first mini-vacation of the year.  We took an extra day and drove to Calgary to see the Calgary Zoo; specifically Dinosaus Alive, a special dinosaurs section where the dinosaurs move and roar, as both Owen and Brandon are all about dinosaurs right now.  Owen asked about the dinosaurs all the way to Calgary — who ever thought that putting a DVD in and hoping for a peaceful and quiet drive to Calgary didn’t meet our kids!  Owen chattered about dinosaurs, Brandon slept on and off and then the two of them played with toys, dropping them most of the time and needing Mommy to pick them up — good thing for long arms!

Once at the zoo, we headed straight for the dinosaurs, of course!  The first couple made Brandon a little unsure but soon enough he was feeling a little braver was able to get a little closer.  Only the first roar from the dinosaur made Owen jump, after that he was running right up to them, watching them roar and swing their tails, move their heads up and down.  At one point Owen laughed and said “Mommy, the dinosaurs is talking to me!” 

After the dinosaurs exhibit, we wandered through the rest of the zoo, specifically looking for elephants, monkeys and ice cream.  We got a quick glance at the elephants, didn’t see the monkeys but found ice cream.  It was a welcome break for everyone.  While Owen loved the ice cream and patiently sat and licked his cone till it was done, Brandon dropped his right off the bat (the cold ice cream hit his hand and it upset him) and would not look at it, touch it, eat another one.  Brandon opted for mini-Ritz and Goldfish crackers instead.

After the zoo we headed to Uncle Derek, Aunty Colette and Zoe’s house where we ate pizza for dinner and the kids played outside on Zoe’s birthday present — a play structure (those wooden ones with the climbing wall on one end, a ladder on the other and a slide and swings).  Owen and Brandon loved it and played all night (while Colette and I headed to the new mall — well new for me — CrossIron Mills).

The boys also enjoyed the many outdoor toys Zoe had; golfing, skipping rope and blowing bubbles.  It was a warm spring evening with lots of green grass to play on.

Saturday was a busy day, Uncle Derek, Zoe and the four of us went to Heritage Park  in Calgary to see Thomas the Train.  It was a special event where Thomas the Train pulled us around the train track a few times; then there was photo opportunities with Thomas (the boys were excited at the idea but once we were there, they didn’t like the idea at all!).  There were tents set up with Thomas the Train toy sets, temporarty tattoos and of course ice cream.  We were in the first group of the day and thank goodness we chose to do the first group, it turned out to be hot and busy at the park.

It was a busy morning with Thomas and the sun was out and hot.  The combination of all those things made for some very sleepy boys on the drive back to Zoe’s house.  They were asleep before we left the parking lot — Brandon was actually asleep in the stroller before we got to the van.  Owen and Brandon had their power naps in the van and were ready to go once we got to Zoe’s house — there was the slide and climbing wall and swings and toys to play with outside, no time for napping!

Late afternoon Zoe’s 3rd birthday party started up!  Owen and Brandon were too distracted with the outdoor toys to pay much attention to the gifts, cake and pinata; it took quite the coaxing and convincing from Mom and Dad to get them to stop and join in; but once they joined in they filled up with cake and candy and thought Zoe’s birthday gifts were pretty cool.  Zoe had a Tinkerbell birthday party with rainbow colored cake that Aunty Colette baked and a Tinkerbell pinata that Uncle Derek and Dave were brave enough to hold up for everyone to get a few pulls in before it burst open with candy and treats.

By dinner time you could tell Owen and Brandon were getting tired — they were crying over everything, irritable and Mom and Dad were slowly finding their patience was being tested.  We decided to drive home that night (well Sean decided he would be up for driving home that night); we figured Owen and Brandon would get a better sleep in their own beds and boy did they ever!  We were home by midnight, Owen slept till 7:30 am and Brandon slept until 9:45 am.  They were in excellent spirits when they woke up and by noon they were down for a 2 hour nap (skipping lunch) and then in bed for the night by 7:30 pm.   It was a busy two days that we all very much enjoyed but something Owen and Brandon are not use to….it caught up to us quickly. 

Since our trip to Airdire, Owen talks about Thomas the Train (and how he pulled us along the train tracks) and the dinosaurs (how they talked to him) and Uncle Derek’s house quite a bit now.  Brandon agrees wholeheartedly with Owen on every point!