15 month update

I realized I hadn't updated for a while, but life has been busy.

As the leaves are turing colors and falling off the trees the end of another summer is here. Fall always felt like a new beginning for me, as from the time I was 5 until 34 every fall marked the return to school, either as a student or as a teacher. It is strange to mark this change in season without a drastic change in routine.

I am being a SAHM again this year with Anna and Alex. I feel very fortunate that it makes sense for our family to do this. I love that I get to see all their milestones and that I get to be their main caregiver. I know not all parents are as fortunate as us, and not all would make this choice even if they could. I love this time I get to spend with them and wouldn't change being with them for the world.

Anna is our little monkey, she loves to climb up ,over, onto and under everything. She is on the go from the time she wakes up until she crashes in her crib. She has been walking for months now and is balanced on all sorts of terrain from long grass, to rocks to carpet. She has mastered going up stairs and will walk down them if she has a hand to hold. She has a lovely toothy grin now, with 12 teeth (including 4 molars). She loves to give kisses, to ask "whas dat?" and to chase the cats.

Alex is our sensitive little boy. He has always taken longer to warm up to strangers than Anna and that continues. He has become very accomplished at walking, but still finds rough ground and hills to be a challenge. He prefers a smooth surface. He is very quick at scurring up stairs now. Anna has a few months of practice on him though, so it is no wonder she is more stable outside. Alex has the same 12 teeth as Anna plus one of his eye teeth. He is working on the other 3. Alex loves to take things apart and to study how they work.

For the last 2 months Anna and Alex have added a 3rd baby into their "gang". Amelia spends 3 days a week with them and they just love her. I am enjoying looking after Amelia and would consider perhaps adding another toddler into the mix sometime in the future if the right one comes along.

This summer has been very busy with trips to White Point, to the Valley and to Cape Breton. Somehow we have not done all the things I wanted to do though. Ah well, there is always next year.