1. Yoga. I've been doing yoga every day for almost a month. It wasn't a resolution, I don't even think I had considered it at new years; it just sort of happened. I have a long way to go, and am definitely not flexible, but it's been really nice to carve out 20-30 minutes a day to do something good for me like that. David is very supportive of it and even lets me sneak away while the kids are still awake sometimes!
On Yoga with Adriene's videos, she always has her dog Benji in the room with her. Nearly every single time I go upstairs to do yoga Sherlock tags along. Love it!
2. Independent play. Dom is the ultimate independent player. I know I've mentioned it before, but he spends 2+ hours straight in his room every day playing all by himself. It was nap time, but now 90% of the time he chooses to have "Quiet time" instead. He asks us to bring a particular toy or group of toys into his room (usually cars), and he goes to town. He makes up stories and has dialogues with his toys (usually he calls them by Paw Patrol names and makes up Paw Patrol stories), and zooms his cars around. He lays down and reads books for long periods of time, stands up to look out his window, and occasionally crawls into bed and has a snooze. I think it creates really great self-awareness and independence knowing he can choose to sleep if he's tired, and he can be okay to play by himself. To this day (knock on wood), he has never once complained about us putting him in his room for quiet time or tried to sneak out early.
Emilia is also entering the age of independent play, but that's hard, because Dom is always around. She's trying to assert herself as she wants to figure things out for herself. The last two days she's locked herself in the corner with some puzzles and yells NO! at anyone who tries to come near her. She just wants some peace and space apparently haha!
ALSO they are both really into their sensory bins (rice buckets) and stickers right now, and will play for a long time without throwing rice.
Thank you Aunty Ashleigh for the fun sticker sheets!
Dom using his tools to "fix our table"
This is Emilia asserting her independence and having immediate regret. She demanded I put on her sweater, puffy vest and jacket HAHAHA!
"Could she BE wearing any more clothes?!?!"
Put himself to sleep one day near the end of quiet time :)
3. My Shutterfly book! I managed to get my 2019 book done in time for the free photobook coupon a couple weeks ago! I love these books. I don't include a lot of info (that's what the blog is for), but it is a fun snapshot of our year.
4. Outside. Since before we moved in I knew I wished our yard had main-floor access, but it doesn't and it's tiny so we have to make use of other areas around our house. The spot our unit is situated is right close to a green patch and has very little car traffic out front. We have spent lots of time out there lately playing with some Christmas gifts, and the tried & true outside toys they love!
Lately
Instead of writing two separate posts and posting on the same day, or trying to come up with "thankful" items for all the pictures I want to post, I'm just going to combine posts here. Here are some more pictures of life lately! There are a lot of photos in one week... NEW PHONE FOR THE WIN!
Ya-yow! (Airplane)
Dom's BMW. He's still too nervous to go in/drive it, but Emilia was a champ haha. Dom enjoyed cheering her on from the sidelines.
She returned the favour by cheering Dom on while he played hockey with Dad!
Proof of Mom. I've been trying to slow down and let Dom help with cooking when he wants to (which is often...). Easier said than done.
Scott and Ashleigh gave everyone some frozen pizza dough balls at Christmas-time, so we thawed one of those out. Very authentic!
Our yummy BBQ Chicken Pizza! (Rectangular because we have a rectangle baking stone :)
These kids spend a lot of time in their jammies....
Isabella was baptized last Sunday, so we took the opportunity to take a Chickaletta group shot! I think everyone is in this one! 14 kids and 7 mother hens! What will our group photo look like 5 years from now?!
We finally (FINALLY) got rid of our Christmas tree. It was out on our balcony for a month before Dave finally did his annual "chuck it off the balcony" and broke it down so it fits in the compost bin. Considering we got it at the end of November and it's just been outside for the last month it was in great shape still! I felt a little sad that it had to die (my inner Phoebe made an appearance).
Completely their idea. I had to restrain from hovering as he jolted her around in that thing.
We went for play and pizza at my parents' place. They are confined upstairs almost completely as their whole main floor is being renovated. It's cozy, but it works.
We are totally turning a corner in how these two play. It's lots of fighting, but also way more cooperative playing than there used to be. It makes my heart fuzzy to hear them creating games together.
We took advantage of the empty kitchen by bringing Dom's hockey sticks along!
Above-mentioned green space right beside our place.
Love her <3
Now that I'm taking so many more (decent) photos, I may have to post more than once a week!
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