Home!

We got home, and right away the calendar was full, and we jumped right back into "life"! Matt and Vanessa came over after church, and they spent the afternoon dancing with Quinny. Matt always says that Q is the "most adorable child I've ever laid eyes on" and he also says that "no kid has ever liked me, until Quinnlyn". So I think those things make her have a special spot for him - he will do anything she asks haha. Such a lovely couple

I had plans to go out for dinner with Sharon to celebrate both of our birthdays... we wanted Greek food, and went to a little place downtown... that ended VERY badly. It still makes me mad and laugh at the same time. Basically we were accused of "planting" a hair... grrr... needless to say, we left in a huff! While we were there, these two were eating dinner together!

Aaaaand then we ended up meeting up with them, since neither of us were hungry anymore, but both wanted coffee. It was really nice to see my friend and to laugh lots... but what an insane night.

She was pretty pumped to be at Starbucks "Mommy, ME get Starbucks coffee!" So I get her one and she happily drinks her steamed milk.

Putting as many dolls as she could into her new baby high chair. I sent these to Auntie Hanna so that she could show Uncle Ian how much she loves her gifts from him and how cherished they are!

The babies rotate between being put in the high chair together and being put to "sleep" in the cradle haha! She LOVES these two wooden toys! At dinnertime, she has put babies in the high chair and pulls it up to the table so that the "babies eat with us!"

I saw this and saved it. How applicable to my little fireball made of sparkles daughter

Back to work. Saddest part about holidays being over! I'm working 12-18 hours a week these days - which probably doesn't sound like a lot to you, but when I am also the primary caregiver to Q, it's a lot. I'm tired. I had actually an interesting/frustrating conversation with my brother in law about SAHM (stay at home moms...) who "don't do anything" (not necessarily directed at me, just SAHM in general). I consider myself a SAHM because I am with her most of the time and only take shifts that work with her schedule and spend most of my time with her and doing all the things to keep our home running... but I am also working almost part time hours. The work is a tad boring sometimes, but it's great pay and I do enjoy it. But I wish I could quit and "just" be a SAHM. I just want to soak in this time I have with her, and work takes away from that (I know, how spoiled am I! It's not like I work that much!)

Watching Strawberry Shortcake while Dad sets up for Youth Group Night! While I work part-time hours, Jon is putting in more than full time hours with his jobs, yet we are able to make it work without doing childcare. It is quite the juggling game sometimes! Thankfully we have such an easy kid who we can cart around all over the place, and she listens well so that Jon can get work done! Mom, its time for you to just move here now and help us!! I will never stop asking you to move here ;)

Walking the trails around Chemainus Lake with Ashley and Mary and all the kids. Q started the hike on my back in the Tula, but about halfway through she wanted out so she could run with Alistair and Reuben, and Jake too :)

Ady was also up for most of the hike, but wanted down every once in a while. I felt so sad for her because she so badly wanted to be with the kids, but they are too fast for her. I would call Q back to come walk with Ady and she would, and they would hold hands and walk slow, but then Q would want to run again. I remember being in this stage with Q when Madi was so much faster and being sad for her then! It's hard to be the kid left behind! But soon enough Ads will be running with the rest of them :)

Happy Friends!

I loved this shot. It shows how loved Jake is in his new home.They love him and take such good care of him. I still really miss him and somedays its hard to not ask for him back. But I know he's in a really good place.

Snack Break!

Alistair really wanted to hold Q's hand - SO CUTE! They were running in this picture - look at Ady holding out her hand in the background. Awww!! Q did come running back when Adalee called her, but then Ady didn't want to hold hands anymore. Toddlers and their attention spans! haha

Seriously, how cute is this!!! Two curly haired kids. Love it.

Jon and Andrew planned a double date for the four of us, which was SO nice! We went to the new Tapa Steak House in Chemainus. It's about time we got a real, great restaurant! It was so good!! Jen said she was happy to have Q for a few hours, and their house is her favorite place to go, so that worked out well. Jen bought pizza stuff for all the girls to make their own pizzas for dinner

Q fits right in at this house. They are all so good to her. I was missing my family in January, after spending so much time with them, but Jen sending me these pictures was once again a great reminder that we are doing okay. I see how much time my nieces here and cousins at home spend with family and my heart aches for Q with no family around. But then I see this, and I am filled. She is so loved in this community by people who cherish her and families who adore her. Q, I hope you know and see and feel just how loved you are. I always say that I was "raised by a village" and that is so true - my grandparents and aunts and uncles and everyone in between played a major hand in raising me. Q is not. She is being raised solely by Jon and I, not a village, and sometimes I wonder if we need to be closer to family so that she can have what I had, and what her cousins currently have. But again, pictures and nights like this remind me that she is doing great. And while she may not have that village "raising" her, she does have an army of people who love her. She will know what living in community truly looks like, and that makes me happy. Being a parents is hard. So many doubts and questions sometimes!

Funny story... we picked her up that night after dinner (which was SO good! It was the first time we have ever went out for dinner kid free with the Easson's. It was awesome!) and she gets in the car and once Jon starts driving away she says "Soooooo guys, how was your dinner?" like a five year old! WHAT! We burst out laughing. What a kid!! She will also say to us sometimes "sooooo mama, hows your day?" I think its SO cute when she does that! What a girl.

Madi's birthday was on the 17th of January, so we drove down for that. I didn't take many pictures, sigh! But it was a typical kids birthday party! Went over good! Q walked in and saw that all the other girls were wearing dresses, and was instantly mad that she wasn't wearing a "party dress". I should have known and put her in a dress, but her love for them is so new, that I just forgot! She was wearing  a super cute outfit though, but it wasn't good enough. So she asked Auntie Care if she could wear a dress from Madi's closest and Care said yes so up we went to pick one out. Once she was "properly" dressed, she was happy as could be. Madi looked beautiful and was very cute! I can't believe she's three already! Time flies!!!

Q was so good at helping, and giving space and letting Madi open her presents by herself. She would bring the presents over and then watch very closely as Madi opened them and then back off if I thought she was getting too close. SO hard when they are so close in age and like the same things! We talked a lot about how it was Madi's birthday and thats why she got the presents and on her birthday she will get the presents. Made was so cute, thanking everyone for each present she opened!

Jon was bored and informed me later that he really does not like kid birthday parties because they are "way too loud" in his words, which totally made me laugh. When I have music on in the house, he walks in the door and says hi to us, and immediately goes to turn it down. He can't do loud things haha! But I thought it was fun. I think Q's party this year needs to be more low key. Why do I go so overboard?! Kids have fun no matter what.

A friend sent this to me on a day that was particularly hard (I have recently found out that four of my friends are pregnant and due right around the same time that I was. I am really happy for them, truly. Just sad for myself and still confused and hurt). I really liked it. Life is hard sometimes. I know that, I have walked some incredibly hard and twisty and difficult roads - anyone who knows any part of my story knows that I am no stranger to dark days. This reminder makes me feel better, because its true, my track record is 100% so far ;)

And to end with, I found this gem on my phone, clearly a picture that Q took of the cat herself haha!