Post Three Hundred and Sixty Six and Counting...

The adjustments and adaptations continue. 

Today, the girls were home rather than at daycare, and Grandma spent the day with us - as support for me, and just 'cause she's Grandma!  We all did really well! 
I am managing to maneuver on the stairs a little better - as in a little less dragging my behind up them!  And I even managed a few tentative steps (crutches firmly in my aching armpits!) a couple of times today.  I have been continuing to exercise the joint, and am pleased to see the gentle progress I have made in the six days since "the accident".  Sheesh.

(Just a side note: I am going to list my "days" as "posts" now, seeing as I may not post everyday, that way there is no confusion between dates and numbers of posts... for all you pickier readers!) 

Day Three Hundred and Sixty Five and Counting...

We are all slowly adjusting to my limited capabilities.  We have been very lucky to have Oma and Opa to lean on for support this week, and for getting me through a most challenging few days.
The girls, of course, have adapted the quickest, just taking it all in stride.  And I am doing my best to try and follow their example.  I am exercising and massaging my damaged knee, and making certain to keep it elevated and iced often.

Just a little "cheese" and smiles for the camera!

For those of you who have been following along all year, you will note that I have suddenly reached my goal of 365 consecutive posts!  I am amazed and most pleased to have accomplished this!  It is incredible to look back at the year I have barely survived to the end of, and to see how much my little ladies have grown and changed.  I thank all my followers for your comments and continued readership.  I am planning to continue my blog, just maybe not every day!  I hope you will continue to follow our journey together, as my family grows and changes!

All the best for a safe, healthy and prosperous 2011!

Day Three Hundred and Sixty Four and Counting...

My girls indulged me with some little smiles for the camera... and some gentle cuddles!  Olivia is all about my boo-boo and being careful; Grace is all about being a big helper and doing what she can for me... when she is in the mood, of course.  Lucky me!

Day Three Hundred and Sixty Three and Counting...

I am starting to feel the loss of constant physical contact with my girls... Jeremy is quickly becoming the best seat in the house, and the go-to man for help.  I can't help but be a little envious...

But with a leg strapped up like that... well, I guess I just have to work with it.

Day Three Hundred and Sixty Two and Counting...

The girls spent a great deal of time playing with their new dress-up armoire from Uncle Rob and Aunt Natalie.  They filled it up with all sorts of things...

Sporting their new looks...!

Day Three Hundred and Sixty One and Counting...

Today, Oma and Opa came for our Christmas party!  The mood was rather somber, as the night before was spent in Emerg.  I managed to dislocate my knee.  I will spare you the excruciating details, and just say that I have been rendered useless.
So, instead of the fancy dinner I had planned, we had pizza and wings.  And honey, it was good.  Likely more due to the company we had than the food itself, but it was still a great time together.

The girls got lots of new clothes, which they were most happy to model for us!

Day Three Hundred and Sixty and Counting...

Merry Christmas!
Poor Grace wasn't feeling her best, and the anticipation of Santa's visit just wasn't helping her this morning, so we took pity on her and got up a lot earlier than we had secretly hoped to... and it was well worth the loss of sleep!

Grace was thrilled to see the gifts under the tree, and Livie dove right in, ready to begin the unwrapping!  Both girls were careful to put their gifts aside as they moved from present to present... it was fun to watch!  They were both very happy with their gifts!

And this afternoon, we were off to Grandma and Grandpa's house!

The girls were happily spoiled by their grandparents and Aunt Natalie and Uncle Rob... both in gifts and love and kisses!  Many thanks!  We had a wonderful day visiting and eating!  Nothing like the Christmas season to bring us together and just enjoy.

Day Three Hundred and Fifty Nine and Counting...

Jeremy and I have decided that we need a new family Christmas tradition of our very own.  Something we didn't do with our respective families growing up.  And then it struck us (in the form of a grocery flyer...)!  Our girls love seafood... so why not make Christmas eve dinner a seafood celebration?

So, for the very first time, as a family, we bought live lobsters and brought them home for dinner!

The girls were fascinated with the little guys!

And man!  Did they taste delicious!

And to honour two other family traditions that we have decided to hang on to:

Jeremy read the girls "T'was the Night Before Christmas" - his copy from 1979!

And, the girls got new Christmas pajamas to wear!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

And a most prosperous New Year!

Day Three Hundred and Fifty Eight and Counting...

Jeremy and I bought each other new phones for Christmas, and the girls are fascinated with them.  It could have something to do with the fact that they can do so much more than just talk on it...

Yes, they are watching a Goldfrapp music video...

Day Three Hundred and Fifty Seven and Counting...

Jeremy decided to break out the vacuum tonight and "terrorize" the girls!

There was lots of running around, screaming, and giggling!

Day Three Hundred and Fifty Six and Counting...

Since we had to move some stuff around in the living room to accommodate the Christmas tree, the girls dollhouse got tucked in between the armchairs.  It has created an interesting little space that the girls are quite fond of... and spend a lot of time in it, and fighting over it.
Luckily, for this photo, they were both happy...

Day Three Hundred and Fifty Five and Counting...

Every chance the girls have, they are asking to have the Christmas tree lights turned on.  And to make the tree even more special and sparkly, there are some special ornaments on it.  Jeremy's mom bought the girls some adorable stocking ornaments, and the girls both made ornaments at daycare.

The angel is Olivia's and the tree is Grace's.  Both handmade, and so special!

Day Three Hundred and Fifty Four and Counting...

In the midst of all the crazy holiday preparations and shopping insanity, its nice to just take some time and be together doing whatever.  As long as we are together, that is all that matters!

Playing nicely together... what a nice change!

And then shortly after...

 

It was time to play under the table...!

Day Three Hundred and Fifty Two and Counting...

Eventually, holiday shopping just becomes too much....

and crashing on the couch is really your only option!

Day Three Hundred and Fifty One and Counting...

Today was the girls' big Christmas concert at daycare!  Olivia knew something was going on, and she just wanted to party!  Grace, on the other hand, was very excited to sing for everyone - and see Oma and Opa, and Grandma and Daddy in the audience!
I wasn't able to get photos during the performance,  but I may score some from family or friends at a later date, and will post them then.
The ones I do have, are from the minutes beforehand, when everyone was working out nervous energy!  Interestingly enough, even though the girls were in separate rooms, they were both dancing with baby dolls!

This is Grace's special holiday dress, and she has been waiting since November sometime to wear it!

I have been waiting to get Olivia into this little number!  She was adorable in it!

Day Three Hundred and Fifty and Counting...

Even though Olivia was actually hiding from Grace in this photo... I think she may actually be scheming!  It would appear that she is looking for the best place to lie in wait... for Santa!

Day Three Hundred and Forty Nine and Counting...

The girls were in the mood to pose for me tonight!  Grace was channeling some sort of superhero mojo, and Olivia was just being... well, Olivia, I guess!

Wonderful side note!  Little Eli arrived last night and both mom (dad!) and Eli are doing well!  Welcome to the family, little man!

Day Three Hundred and Forty Eight and Counting...

As well as having a Christmas tree at home, there is one in the foyer at the daycare, where the toddlers spend some of their time playing.  So Olivia has been hearing various phrases since the middle of November about not touching the tree.
Tonight, I was reminding the pair of them to not touch the tree, when Olivia suddenly bent at the waist and muttered something.  Turns out, she was looking for her pockets to put her hands in!  She didn't have any, so I told her to put her hands on her bum!

And in an exciting side note... we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of my first nephew - the girls first (human) cousin - little Eli!  Hang in there, little buddy!  Can't wait for you to get here!  You can do it, Jenn!  You, too, Josh!

Day Three Hundred and Forty Seven and Counting...

The girls were so pleased to see that the Christmas tree was still up when they came downstairs this morning!  It was so cute!  Grace was concerned that we might have put it away when they went to bed!

And Grace was busy at big school today, too!  Paired with one of the "big kid helpers", she constructed this:

Some pretty tasty work!

Day Three Hundred and Forty Six and Counting...

The girls decorated the Christmas tree today!  They were so excited!  It was great fun to watch them carefully place each ornament, and then re-place each one!

Livie was pleased to "help" Jeremy with the lights!

The girls did a great job, and loved to see it all lit up when it finally got dark out!

Day Three Hundred and Forty Five and Counting...

Today was a special day for the girls!  We went to the kids' Christmas party at Jeremy's work... and a very special someone was there to visit!

There were lots of fun things for the girls to do, and a special gift for each of them from Santa!

And Santa was extra special this year!

Day Three Hundred and Forty Four and Counting...

Again today, we had some special guests join us for breakfast...

This is Grace's monkey Frank...

And Olivia's Hank (the striped one, of course!).

The girls' monkeys got their names shortly after Livie was born.  When we brought Olivia home from the hospital, Grace kept asking what her name was, or who she was.  I made a game of it, and said that her name was Hank.  And then I would introduce Grace to Olivia, saying that her name was Frank.  Thus, Hank and Frank were born.  And we just passed the names onto to their monkeys.

Day Three Hundred and Forty Three and Counting...

Having Grace start junior kindergarten has been a blessing in so many ways.  She has already changed so much in such a short span of time.
And while the academic aspects are wonderful, and her growing independence encouraging, there is one aspect that I am particularly moved by:

The girls miss each other so much when Grace is at school... and they have moments like these, where they are just happy to be in the same space, and close together.

It is wonderful.

Day Three Hundred and Forty Two and Counting...

Olivia was very much all about Daddy tonight... and it was adorable!

He had her in stitches!  It was wonderful to hear the two of them laughing together!

Meanwhile, Grace was hard at work!

She told me that she was working hard at her hard work!

Day Three Hundred and Forty One and Counting...

Snow.  Snow.  And more snow!

That top left photo?  My amazing neighbour, rescuing us from another two feet worth of new and drifting snow!  He saw me and the girls out with the shovel and took pity on us!

SO THANKFUL!

In the bottom left, you can see the height of the drift in the driveway... that is the drift that my neighbour saved us from!

And one more:

The snow at our side door!  I can't believe I dug my way through that...!

Day Three Hundred and Forty and Counting...

Our first snow day!  Wow.

And while the temperature allowed for some serious time playing in the snow, did we really need that much to play in?

The snow drift at my kitchen window...

The growing snow drift off the corner of my house!

And while it was frosty outside, the girls were happily playing (now dry and warm)!

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Nine and Counting...

Holy snow, Batman! 

The girls were in their glory!

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Eight and Counting...

I had a date day with my Grace today!  It was just what we both needed!  We started off with a new hairdo for Grace... going to see Tangled, so she got untangled first!  Her hair was constantly knotty, and she is not a huge fan of brushing her hair when it is knotty, so it was time for a trim.  Her hairdresser, Paul, was wonderful!  Grace really liked him, and he did a great job putting her at ease.

I caught Grace in mid-chew... oops!

Since we saw Tangled in 3D, we brought our glasses home to share...

Livie's made a great hairband!  And Jeremy... well... what can I say?

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Seven and Counting...

Something happened that just made my girls' day.  I wish it hadn't happened yet.  I am just not ready.  But my girls?  They just couldn't be happier.

Yes.  It snowed enough that they could eat it.

And my little ladies?  Happy little grazers.

Sigh.

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Six and Counting...

Just look at how tired my poor little loves are...

Such an exhausting week!

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Five and Counting...

Today was the annual Christmas dinner with my workmates and the board members from the church.  For Jeremy and I that meant a night out with no kids!
For Olivia and Grace?  That meant another evening with Kelly!  The girls were so excited to see her!  And we were content to know our girls were in good hands!

 

And she got the evening off to a great start... with a book!

Day Three Hundred and Thirty Four and Counting...

For Grace's birthday she got a Fancy Nancy kit.  She decided to break it out again today, and share with Olivia!  They certainly looked fancy!

Your highness!

Your majesty!

And Olivia was awfully happy to see Daddy tonight, too!