Our Extended Birthday Celebrations

The Ducklings 4th Birthday fell on a Thursday, so we began our birthday bash that evening with a lovely dinner (and cake) with Opa and Nana, as well as Grammy and Grampy who flew down from New Brunswick to join in the festivities.  Colin and Evelyn wore the birthday hats they made in school... Keith's went missing somewhere along the way.

Colin at his birthday dinner

Malcolm never needs a reason to party, but this one did happen to include homemade pizza and chocolate cake

Keith, sans chapeau

Evelyn thought it was "the best cake ever".  Thank you, Daddy!

The anticipation... I can't manage to sing and videotape at the same time, which is likely better for us all.

On Friday, The Ducklings went to the Carp Fair with Grammy, Grampy and Daddy and had a blast.  There were even a few rides....

On Saturday, they thoroughly enjoyed their birthday party!  Thanks to everyone who dropped by, especially Aunt Deborah (and Liam and Siobhan) for coming up with the brilliant "decorate your own party hat" craft, and for facilitating it.  I guess old habits die hard!  And Aunt Jane, for helping to keep a lid on the chaos.  It was wonderful to see so many of our friends and family.  

Nana and Evelyn enjoy their cupcakes

The Doctors Irving diagnose a serious case of too much fun

And after several rounds of hot dogs, hamburgers, cake and pies in various forms, chips and fries over several days (this is a given with 3 day long birthday binges!), we're moving on to Monday morning: back to school, work and sensible eating... once we make our way through the leftovers, of course.

Everyone had so much fun!  We missed Aunt Benny and Uncle Sepp, but we look forward to celebrating with them next year.

Hat Weather?! And Too Late For Love...

Really?!  

It's not even the end of September!

One of the most entertaining (and heartwarming) experiences of The Ducklings first weeks at school is listening to them learn the national anthem, which they sing every morning in class.  In fact, their interpretations of the lyrics (which are, admittedly, a little odd and archaic) have ignited more impassioned, fiery debates than most witnessed in the hallowed halls of Parliament.

They have the "O, Canada" part down, but what comes next is hotly contested.  Evelyn insists its "our home and natee law," and then, "too late for love".  Whereas Keith is - unsurprisingly - convinced it's "too pastry love"... or maybe, "to pastry, love"?  No matter how many times I tell them that it's "true patriot love", they don't believe me.  "Patriot" is not a word they know, whereas "pastry" is definitely a favourite.  They sing the bilingual version, so once they get to the French verses, the Ducklings become even more creative.   They have a reasonable facsimile of "Car ton bras", but "épopée" throws them for a loop every time, and they end up descending into fits of bathroom humour hysteria.

I honestly don't know how their teachers keep a straight face through an entire classroom of children doing the same thing....

First Days Of School

Well, it finally happened:  the day I was both dreading and anticipating for the past few years.  I remember noting to my sister in February, 2013 that we would both be signing our children up for full-day kindergarten in one year's time, and marvelling at that monumental shift.  I watched them walk out the front door on their first day of preschool last September, thinking that in one short year's time, they would be on their way to kindergarten and the beginning of a scholastic career, that - for better or for worse - would take us through the next 13+ years.  That felt big.  Really, really big.

In retrospect, it felt a lot bigger then, than it does now.  Perhaps it's because I when I look at my articulate, funny, active and - gasp - increasingly reasonable almost-four-year-olds, I can see that they are ready for this newest challenge.  I'm not sending my wee two year olds out into The World.  They've grown up so much, even in the past month.  Perhaps it's because I was proactive in getting them ready.  From the social interaction they practised (and struggled with, in cases) at preschool and every other opportunity I could contrive; to identifying and addressing Colin's sensory needs; to meeting teachers beforehand and getting used to our new routines (and lunchboxes!) well in advance, I did it all with an eye to Thursday, September 4th.  After that moment, it would be in their hands.  I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they'll be fine.  In time, in their own time, they'll find their way.   And, upon reflection, every milestone has unfolded like that.  You set the stage, you encourage, and then you step back and watch with a bittersweet mixture of amazement and conviction.  You can do this.

And so, when Thursday morning arrived, and they got up, got dressed, ate a big breakfast and walked out the front door with their backpacks on, it felt a little anticlimactic.  Edward dropped them off at their school door, and off they went - only one with a few tears.  An hour  later, the resource teacher left a message on our phone telling me they were doing beautifully.  They came home excited, and the next day they didn't even notice Edward leave.  The biggest tears have been over the exceptionally sad fact that we don't live far enough away to quality for the school bus.

I know there will be challenges ahead - already, we've had a boy who pushed on the playground, and another who chased them around at lunch.  And we'll see how they feel about it all on Monday morning.  But this is what it's about - learning about other people.  These experiences, good and bad, will bring our children's own values and beliefs into sharper focus.  This is something that Edward and I cannot teach them.  It isn't always an easy lesson, but it is an essential one.

First day of school.  Someone accidentally hit someone else with their overstuffed backpack.  And that someone else was not amused, although someone was trying to make amends.

Still not amused.  Still trying to make amends.  Still no good picture of the first day of the rest of their (scholastic) lives.

Such is life:  the drama you think will ensue and have prepared for, is usurped by the drama you never anticipated...

Three @ Four!

It's that time of year!  Party time!  Not to be confused with school-starting-time, which may only be a reason to party for me (more on that, later).

The Ducklings are turning FOUR!  We would love you to celebrate with us.

Where:  Our house
When:   Saturday, September 27 from 10am to noon

As usual, it's a very informal, open-house gathering with no RSVPs and cupcakes for all!  Best wishes, only.

We hope to see you then!