The Simple Life

Summer at the cottage is such a magical time and I am so grateful that I can spend most of it up here with Lily. Happy that our first summer together is up here enjoying a very simple life.

Yes, we have a few toys and a jolly jumper, an excer-saucer... but most of all Miss Lily loves the beach. She will sit in the sand sticking toes and fingers into the fine jewels and then look closely to see all aspects of it. Sure, she has had a few samplings and seems to like it but I have told her once she gets more teeth it won't be nearly as appealing.

The past week has been so hot. I love it like that up here as you can get away under an umbrella or cool off in the water. The trees around our cottage offer the needed shade during the hot noon hour.

Lily is now crawling everywhere. She has so much more room at the cottage and she gets a good workout crawling all the way to the kitchen when she misses her Mamma. Lily has 5 teeth now with her 6th trying hard to poke through. Boy I cant wait till it pokes through as night time can get a little challenging.

I am able to have some time up here with no visitors. It is usually only for a couple days but it is time that I use to hang out with other cottagers and their kids. We also spend more time on our daybed wrapped in a mosquito net reading some of her favorite books. Dora seems to be the front runner right now.

I am in the city for a day next week so I will upload a few photos of the past month. You will really see how Lily has grown but she has not grown out of that big smile of hers that melts my heart all through the day.

On the Island.....anyone out there?

We have been at the cottage now for almost a week but why does it seem so much longer?

Both Lily and I have fallen sick these past few days. It has been so trying to take care of her while I am with fever and my body aches. The good news is that Charlotte has been so patient with me and not demanding. We have skipped a few walks on the beach in favour of time spent in bed (all three of us).

The wet weather has changed to a beautiful sunny day today and the arrival of a good friend has increased my spirits tremendously. She is motivated by baby Lily cuddles.

I like to think I am a really good mom but when I am sick I second guess that thought. I am happy that there is always a light somewhere out there and it is only a matter of time that things start to turn for the better.

Now that we are both on the upside of illness we are looking forward to a great weekend and some time in the blow-up pool (well I will be on the outside of it).

On The Move

Lily is fascinated with dogs, big and small. She spent a few hours with a friends dog, Bella and it was love at first site. I have to be careful because now when Lily is with any dog she sticks her tongue out to greet them.

Lily loves the water and my kind neighbours next door to me bought her a blow-up pool that we use on the front lawn (Charlotte owns the backyard). So on those really hot days that is how she cools off.

Growing way too fast for my liking. The last 10 days brought two new top teeth, a solid crawl which has me watching her closely and just today she started to clap her hands palm to palm. And of course she has her first cold, caught from others at a play date.

Lily and I visited neighbours that I knew well when I lived on the east side of Yonge. There, Lily found the guitar and started to play. In the picture she looks like a sweaty musician.

Her first swing at the park was so much fun. She loved it!

Lily has managed to locate quickly and crawl to the dog trough. Her first visit she figured out how to take the dog bowl out. The next day she seemed pretty proud of herself that she was able to get to the bowl while it was full of food and while Charlotte was eating it.

So we are off to the cottage and while away the kitchen reno will continue. I am looking forward to the days ahead with the Mouse. Life has been too hectic in Toronto and I really want to slow things down a bit. I can't think of a better place to be.

Back Home to a Nice Rhythm

Time at the Cottage for Lily:

I can't believe I am saying this but....I am happy to be back from the cottage. I had an amazing week up there with soaring temperatures and the opportunity to get Lily in the water to kick and splash (yes it was warm enough). My friend joined us for the last few days with her 10 mths old and 2.5 yrs old. It was chaos! But a fun chaos with lots of laughs, walks to the beach and cocktails at five. The biggest comedy was all of us coming home in one car. The two babies and the toddler in the back (all in their car seats) and me in the passenger seat with Charlotte on my lap. Thankfully she was soooooo tired that she took to the floor at my feat. Thanks Andrea for all the fun and for the Impy...the big Impala that got us home safely.

I have photos of proof that we were in the water but alas, my memory card reader is not working so waiting is the game for pictures.

Lily's milestones while we were away:

• Crawled seven paces to reach for the House & Home magazine (takes after her mamma)




• Ate avocado for the first time
• Clapped her hands (well she was trying for palm to palm but it was more fist to fist)
• Swam with my help in the C.I. waters kicking her feet and splashing hands
  


• Played in the sand for the first time and even tasted the fine grains

Little Miss Mouse having fun in my sarong from Indonesia (circa 1996)

I think there is a lot more to look forward to this summer at the cottage.

Cottage Bound

I so look forward to the weekend that we open the cottage. We always try to open before the May long weekend so we can have some relaxation when we are up there for May 24. This opening will prove to be different with Baby Lily on board. Not sure how much work I will be getting done.

I am also looking forward to Lily putting her wee toes into the sand for the very first time and I think it will be warm enough on Sat and Sun.

The big hit this weekend will be for Charlotte to sprint up and down the beach, fetching her ball, swimming for a stick or if she is lucky finding something yucky to roll in. I really look forward to seeing her happy smile when she realizes we are getting close to the cottage (yes I am still talking about my dog).

Oh to be a dog in the summer....

My First Mother's Day

Today my plans were to go to Barrie to have a Mother's Day brunch with family and I changed gears and decided to stay at home as logistics were not in my favour. Then I thought I would pop over to my girlfriends as there was going to be a couple families there and their children. I adore my girlfriend's kids and knew it would be fun but my beautiful daughter had other plans for our first Mother's Day together.

Yes Lily decided to jump off the path of any predictable schedule and just do her own thing to keep me on my toes and to keep us both close to home. We made it out in the morning to walk Charlotte and see some snow fall but after that it was any one's game.

Lily would sleep for 30 min and then become wide awake for 90 min, then sleep for maybe 45 min and then be playful for 60 min ....you get the program. So we did not do anything but play and when Lily slept I watched snippets of a movie (as a treat), ate chocolate, looked at photos from our days in Vietnam and when she finally went down early evening she still kept me hopping for a good hour until she was really out.

I could play 20 questions but I am pretty sure it is her teeth and I think there is a tooth on the bottom that is getting ready to make an appearance.

The night before we had a special dinner with our adoption group for a Mother's Day celebration. I was thrilled to finally bring my daughter to the dinner as I went often before my trip to Vietnam. We had a wonderful time seeing everyone and Lily was delightful and when it got close to bedtime she just snuggled up in the sling and cuddled her mama. She is my Lil Canuck!!

 

P.S. Someone brought me Lilacs today and the smell is the most sublime scent ever to cross my nose. It takes me back to days as a young girl living in Barrie, in the backyard of my childhood home. We had a couple of Lilac bushes. My mother loved them so much and would always hve them in the house. The scent reminds me so much of her and of a time that was pure and free that I wish there were flowers all year round.

A Great Milestone

What a beautiful night sleep for both of us. Lily slept through the night without any feeds, from 8:00pm until 7:30pm and it was heaven for me to get eight hours. Now, I did wake up a couple times anticipating her cries and at one point I had to go check on her to make sure she was OK and of course she was.

Went to the paediatrician this week and Lily checked out just fine. Her weight is now 14lbs 4oz so we have gained 1.5 lbs in the last four weeks. She is even starting to get a bit of a belly.

Here is Lily with her favourite hairy friend, Charlotte.

In her new highchair after spitting most of her food out.

Check out the rooster hair!

Loving early morning walks with me and Charlotte.

A special visitor came from St Catherines on Wed. to visit Lily.

Emma, my girlfriend's daughter has been anticipating Baby Lily for months now and could not wait to finally meet her. Emma followed the blog and journey to Vietnam every day and would always ask, "when is Baby Lily coming home?" It was a wonderful visit.