Random Grannie/Grandad's Visit

Nurse Grannie, Doctor Dylan, Sick Patient Barney.

After the patients were attended to, they were thrown off the couch and told "Bye-bye"

He really has to work on his bedside manner if this is something he wants to pursue.



Nurse Grannie taking her work VERY seriously...



Better bedside manner with Diego



Dancing in Whistler

Just came out of no where- Dylan dancing to a stupid song I made up while eating... he thought it was the funniest thing EVER !

It was too big to load here, so you have to go see it on youtube... follow the link....it's really cute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juB2nPOM-9w

AND for more dancing....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EnIQCA5skU

Ohhh he's so cute !!!

Whistler out take

Hey fool-

get out of my shot, I'm trying to capture your artful display of supermarket salads...haha

Missing....

Next week I'll be blogging about Grannie and Grandad's visit. 

Including our trip to Whistler.

BUT

today something else has come up.

Dylan has been sick for the last 3 days-

he woke up with a barking cough that hasn't gone away. 

Sometimes he coughs so hard he throws up. 

He's sleeping with me, and waking every hour. 

He's fighting Tylenol. 

He won't let me take his temperature

although I'm sure he's had a fever on and off. 

During the day he's

touchy

crabby

and

easily cries. 

I think the illness

and

the combination

 of the house being so quiet

is a bit much for him this week.

He's randomly asks about Grannie and Grandad. 

He refers to Grannie's spot in the car,

and asked me to draw Grandad today. 

I asked him if he wanted soup today-

he said for Grannie too?

We went to Walmart last night,

he asked if Grannie could come too.

It was similar when we left Calgary. 

 He said he didn't want to go home,

he wanted to stay at Grandma's house. 

When we asked him if he'd like to go to gymnastics

 (which he loves)

he said "no, Grandma's house"

 

He's lonely. 

He wants me to play with him every second of the day. 

He cries if I'm doing something and and can't come. 

 He says "please mommy play,play, play" 

Like he's begging. 

Because he's older, this transition from leaving both sets of Grandparents is much harder. 

He has the capacity to understand now what is happening, but it also makes it harder.

 

Poor little boo.

Makes me sad that he's so lonely.

We've completed our foster parent assessment and are approved.  I think having a foster child will be good for Dylan. 

But I do wonder, especially in light of this week, how will he adjust if/when the child leaves?

<sigh>

morphing into a big boy

I've been editing photos on photoshop and re-organizing photos now that I have an external hard drive to store all my photos on. 

This was one in a series of shots I took of Dylan.

He's so photogenic- he's so cute ( I know I'm bias)

He'll be 2 1/2 years old at the end of June.

We are heading towards 3.

How can that be?

T-H-R-E-E ?

Really?

Hold on

Let me do the math...

Yup.

If that's not startling enough, this picture, of our beautiful baby boy is.  When I see it I feel like I'm looking years and years into the future. 

Into a time when he goes to school.

When he picks his friends.

When he won't hold my hand anymore.

When he goes out to play- without me.

When he doesn't mispronounce words.
When he doesn't call me "mah-ee".
When we actually miss changing diapers.
When we miss little boy snuggles.
When he doesn't cry little boy tears.

When he knows more about science than I do.

When he doesn't think the world revolves around our little family.

When he is really a BIG boy.

This picture is almost like a computer composite of what he's going to look like in years time. 

It's wonderful, weird, beautiful, and kinda sad.

Our little boy is really growing up.

(insert squeaky voice that instructs you he is a BIG boy !)

And the next picture in the sequence.... back to looking like our little boy.  Weird.

Last 7 weeks re-cap

We were in Calgary......

I did some photo shoots that were awesome !  The boudoir marathon was my favorite !  I'm always surprised that I enjoy that style of photography so much, but I really do !

Dylan played with his cousins and tried to hug and kiss and cuddle them- sometimes successfully, sometimes not. 

He's become such a huggy little guy. 

When he was little he wasn't affectionate.

We persisted.

We hugged.

He fought.

We kissed.

He pulled away.

We cuddled.

He ewwed.

We finally broke him !  (haha) He's given in and become such a huggy lovely little guy- it's awesome.

 He spent lots of time with Grandma and Grandpa.

(why he more helpful in their kitchen,

and more destructive in my kitchen?)

Mmmmmm Peanut Butter Lid

 Kendra visited... we did what we do best- watched trashy TV- this time on the computer. 

<disaster date !>

(who took this pic by the way?  I don't remember it being taken)

Diego "graced" my parents with his presence.  I don't think my mom felt too graced when he licked her freshly made pan of rice krispie squares.

Whoops !

When we came home I don't think Sasha felt "graced" by his presence either.... can we say battle for dominance?

Break out the vacuum, cuz the fur really flew !!

....... to be continued tomorrow.

When I was a kid, I can barely remember anyone staying at our house.  If they did, where did they sleep?  Not a clue.  Family from Medicine Hat must have stayed at our house- only I don't remember.

Because Mat and I live in a city where we have NO family, we have people stay with us regularly.  In the time we've lived in this house, the "guest" bedroom has changed location three times.  After having Mat's parents here for a month, it got me thinking...what kind of hosts are we?

I always wonder, were they warm enough?  Did they have enough to eat at supper?  Did they feel comfortable to help themselves if they were hungry?  Did they think my bathroom was dirty?  Did they notice that I don't sweep my floors enough?  Did they notice that sometimes the litter is really really stinky?  Did they get stuck watching crap they would never watch on tv at night?  Did we do enough things?  Did we sit around the house too much?  Did we go out too much and spend too much money on "stuff"  (lunches, dinners, activities, etc)  Did we take advantage of a guest's generosity?  And in general, did they feel WELCOME in our home.

Some of those things matter a lot, and some don't.  (sorry bout the cat litter, we really can't do much more- it's the curse of three cats)  We don't send out comment cards, we don't give frequent lodging coupons or discounts, and most people are too kind to say that you or your place sucks.... so how do you really know?

Maybe I do need comment cards.... Dear: Guest- thank you for staying at Ziebart-Cook enterprises, please complete this quick survey and in return you will be rewarded with.....


Endless kisses from this face.

Ohhhh Hello !  Remember me? 

I'm back to blogging after an extended break to indulge in "grand-fest 2011"  The biggest grandparent festival to hit Dylan's life !  almost 7 weeks of uninterrupted grandparent fun !  Grandfest began in Calgary with my parents for 2 1/2 weeks of uninterrupted fun.  It hit it's height with a special one of a kind 4 for the price of 2 Grandparent weekend.  We picked up Mat's parents in Calgary and Dylan had all 4- yes 4 grandparents at once.  Which I actually think is pretty amazing cool experience for Dylan considering none of us live in the same city.

We had to take advantage of this event. 

It's been a while since I blogged- busy busy

(more to come about that later)

Dylan was very fortunate to have both sets of grandparents together in Calgary this month, so a photo shoot was in order.  I know these will be photos he will cherish for many many years.

What do 11pm, 1 am, 1:50 am and 3:10 all have in common???

UH-HUH.  Little muffin and I were up at all these times- and at 3:10 for good.

Yippee !!!

He's been a bit "off" the last few days, and now it's official- he's sick.  He's got a minor cold.

Just before his nap today he asked me to "ow ose"

(blow nose)

The weird and the wonderful in our lives......

Dyl loves Sushi

(oh ya, it's gonna get weirder, hang on)

Copies how I lay in the bath- with a face cloth over me.....

 Sticker Mania... it started by me putting ONE sticker on his cheek.....he got carried away....

 Funny faces

 He set himself up here one afternoon when I was sick on the couch.....

Guess what we watched?

Yup, Golden Girls.  

It's good for the soul.

 

 Thanks for packing things up Mat.... but I'm a bit skeptical here... bad pic, but it says "pork" and then he crossed it out and wrote veggie (as in veggie dogs)  He knows I'm a vegetarian, but has often told me to "put a little pork on my fork" ( Alberta Pork Slogan)  Hmmmm.

 Does foolishness run in the family ???

Ummm YA !!!!!!  

I rest my case with this photo of Mat

AND finally.........

The

ONE

 time

I appear in a photo-

Mat takes the most

unflattering

picture

of me possible. 

 Thanks Mat.  I'll remember that....

 YES, I'm wearing white socks with faded black pants and a darker black sweater ! 

BACK OFF !!! 

:)

Ok- head count.  Who reads this blog?

I always enjoy blogging... but sometimes I think ....

should I bother?
who actually reads it?
what's the point? (except to keep grandparents updated)

So please, if you read me, can you just leave me a comment saying you do?  Go down to comments, you can be anonymous, don't have to say who you are, just say " I do"

Thx !

Grandparent time is about to hit OVER DRIVE !  After months of not seeing either set of grandparents, Dyl will be seeing Grandma and Grandpa next week, and Grannie and Grandad the first week of May.  There will even be an overlap where he will have ALL 4 grandparents at once !  Wooh.  How will he cope with this amazing treat?

I've been saying that they will all see a major change in him since the last visits.

There is no doubt he's a little boy.

He says funny things.

He has a sense of humour

He is learning to count

"won, too, fife,siss"

not sure where three and four went.

He takes showers himself.

He asks for the window to be rolled down in the car

He picks what he wants to eat.

He has a stubborn streak

He adores certain things- not just likes, but adores.

He HAS to sleep with a minimum of six hundred teddies.

We've always called three teddies "sleeping babies" - he now uses the term.




(and Daddy Barney isn't even pictured here, so add a 3 foot barney to this)

 

The other night we tucked him in with lots of teddies... and as I was leaving his room, he said  "too sleep babies" I just said yes and left.  Then as the door closed, he cried.  I went in and asked what's wrong, he said again " too sleep babies- mommy room"

Then I remembered- the two blue sleeping babies were on my bed.  He was specifically asking for them. 

Awwww.

He won't sleep without "daddy barney" who is three feet tall.

He says ni ni when you leave him in his bed.

He says "ove ew" back when you say love you.

He has started to smell everything.

We were in superstore today getting groceries and I asked him if he smelt anything....he made a face where he crinkled his nose and wrinkled his lip. 

 I laughed and asked him again to show me the smell face. 

So next time you see him, ask for the smell face- it's cute.

He cries when his friends leave our house or we leave their house. 

Once after a playdate he cried in the car...

"more Jayce house..."

He wanted a treat in superstore today... and I pretend chastised him... I said... " Dylan Matthew Brandt !!"

He said

"no Matthew Brandt"

haha

If you ask him his name, he will say

"Din Cook"

He picks himself out in pictures- even baby ones.

and he picks his nose... constantly....

He pretend burps and then says "din burp" and laughs

He's become a bit of a cuddler.

F  I   N  A  L  L  Y  !!!!!

He is very sensitive to hurt right now.....

He cries if he gets hurt and you have to kiss whatever it is better.

He reads along with certain story books.... you stop, and he fills in words.

He would read 24/7 if he could.

He knows when to turn on the charm... just wait and see....

He's just the cutest little thing ever.

Should I go on?

What stopped me from blogging this week?  Dunno... probably just life.  Here are farm pics that I promised- only 4 days late. 

Oh wait, the story behind it... OK, so last weekend we heard from our neighbour that a farm out in Heffley Creek was having an open house.  Well an open barn actually.  Sheep.  Now who loves sheep?  Yup, Dylan adores sheep.  In fact he doesn't even refer to them as sheep- they are called Shauns. 

Why Shauns?  If you don't know, google Shaun the Sheep- and prepare to fall in love like Dylan did, like I did, like Dyl's daddy did... and on and on.

So we trekked out there, Dylan with one of his Shauns to go take a look....

Dylan so enjoyed going.  He made friends with the sheep, and even got so excited about the real sheep, that I found THIS on the floor of the barn......

Tsk tsk....

NO
 it's not ours,

NO
 you can't have one of your own,

YES
 it's fun,

 and

NO
you may not
go
behind the garbage cans
at
Carrie and Donna's house
with your
 TWO
girlfriends........



Watch this one twice.

We are singing head, shoulders, knees and toes.

Dylan loves it, but is just a half step behind.

We are constantly amazed at his ability to learn, understand and incorporate new things into his everyday.

ISN'T HE ADORABLE?

For the second weekend in a row we made the 90 minute trek to Kelowna so Dylan could play at the Energyplex.  Unfortunately Kamloops has nothing like this :(

Dylan loves the climbing, running, jumping, bouncing and sliding.  The only thing Dylan doesn't like..............

IS LEAVING!

Here we managed to capture a bit of a blur of him going by!

I don't think we'll be going back next weekend because our knees hurt from all of the climbing and crawling. All the climbing, maneuvering and crawling through the four levels of tubing is a good workout!