YIKES!

Where has the year gone? Back at the start of 2010, I really had the best of intentions for keeping this blog active. Perhaps I am just not a woman of my word. Perhaps, I'm just a busy woman who has to prioritize.

Back in March 2010, I had intended a blog entry about our family holiday. We took a cruise aboard the Carnival Dream. I'm not quite sure the trip was a dream (thanks to Carnival) but at least it wasn't a nightmare. I had so many wonderful stories to recap, but alas, held off while waiting to organize the 1000 or so pictures.

My best memories are probably of the plane ride to Orlando - thanks to the wonderful crew on Southwest Airlines.

The trip started with (ah ... it all comes back) a trip to the emergency clinic with our welcome to the US Healthcare System. We were hard pressed to find a clinic that would treat us without insurance (apparently, travel insurance does not count). Fortunately it was just a bug and a few days into the trip and the kids were feeling much better.

The DREAM really was a beautiful ship. The children seemed to enjoy themselves; despite the fact that Victor was terrified of being left at Camp Carnival. It did serve as quite the threat though ... "you better be good, or we're going to take you to Camp Carnival".

We did a build-a-bear workshop and brought home Crunchy-Crunchy and Little Black Puppy

We took naps on deck Weplayed mini-golf

Mark and I had plenty of time to partake in our favourite land/sea passtime - GAMBLING! Fortunately, we left the ship with more money than when we go there! The dining staff was just okay, certainly not up to par with previous wait teams that we have had. This of course, was compensated for with Aaron the Magician - he won over a scared little girl within seconds and everywhere she went; she was on the lookout for Aaron and asking for a magic trick! Sienna's favourite part of the trip - wearing a party dress EVERY night!

We stopped in Cozumel, Isla Roatan, Belize, and Costa Maya. I'm not sure we will cruise with Carnival again, but we've certainly created two little monsters who keep asking when we are going on our next cruise!

Yee HAW!!!!

2009 ended with Victor being totally obsessed with "Toy Story". For Christmas, Santa gave him an interactive Buzz & Woody action figure set. Although he loves his Buzz and Woody, he was quite upset that Santa gave him the "wrong" Buzz because Buzz's wings don't open. Poor little guy doesn't realize that Santa paid twice as much for a Buzz that talks. If his only requirement was a Buzz with wings ~ he needed to be more specific with Santa.

What was totally unexpected was how much Sienna would also grow to love the Toy Story crew. Christmas 2009 also brought gifts of Toy Story 1 and 2 DVDs from Uncle Al and REX the dragon from Uncle Drew (along with several Toy Story shirts and pajamas from Nana and others). Uncle Drew gave Sienna a Mrs. Potato Head and Victor received Mr. Potato Head from his sister.

Unbeknownst to us, we were quickly acquiring the entire cast of Toy Story. For Sienna's birthday, she has asked for Jessie the Cowgirl, Slinky the Dog, Ham the Pig, the Green Army Men, and the Aliens. Her goal? She wants all the Toy Story characters so that they can re-enact the movie.

Several of the gifts are on there way from Nana and Uncle Drew. Mommy and Daddy decided to buy her the Jessie Doll and the Aliens ("Farewell my friends, I have been chosen, I am going to a better place").

Recalling what an amazing Toy Story collection was offered at ToysRUs from last Christmas, last night we rushed over to ToysRUs to pick up a Jessie Doll and the Aliens Claw Game. The Toy Story Collection is not quite as grand now as it was at Christmas, and a Jessie doll was nowhere to be found. This was the only toy she wanted for her birthday, what were we to do?

We asked a sales associate if she could call another store (it's not like there are any other stores close by, but it was her birthday and I was willing to drive!). I was directed to the Customer Service Desk and lo and behold found a "manager" there. I asked about calling to another store to ask for a Jessie doll. She asks, "Jessie the Cowgirl?". I say "yes". She says "your're just in time, we just received a shipment and they are unloading the truck now .... I'm pretty sure I saw a Jessie doll back there ... let me go check". It was meant to be. We had a very happy little girl on our hands last night. To quote our 4 year old, "thank you Mommy and Daddy, this is the BEST gift EVER."

Look at me, look at me!

I regret not taking my camera last night, or I actually would have had a cool pic to attach to this blog entry. The children have officially graduated from Parent & Tot and are now swimming on their own. I was unsure how well this first lesson sans-parents would go, but the children did marvelously. I was surprised at how anxiously they were ready to get into water knowing that Mommy and Daddy were not dressed to go in the water with them. The pool has a zero entry wheelchair lane and both quickly ran into the water. They played for a few minutes before being called by their teachers. I think not having us in the water forced them to both try even harder. I think back to when they had their first parent&tot lessons late in September. Both were screaming at the prospect of putting their heads under the water. Last night, they were jumping of the side of the pool, putting their heads under water and learning to float. I'm so glad we didn't take lessons through the YMCA or parks and recreation. Heather's Cool Pool School is truly the way to go. If all goes well, according to Heather, the kids should be swimming on their own come summer. Every now and then, they became conscious of us sitting on the sidelines and watching. We'd see each of them peeking our way and smiling to make sure we were watching. As a proud Mommy, I couldn't help but cheer them on. I've truly been inspired by my kids. Hopefully its not too late to teach this old dog some new tricks. It's time for Mommy to learn to swim.

Can I See Your Willie Mommy?

Bathing time is always fun and with a little boy and a little girl, questions about nudity are fair game. As I was bathing Victor and washing his "privates" he looks up at me and asks, "Can I see your willie Mommy?". I chuckled and then explained to him, as I had done many times before, "Mommy doesn't have a willie. Only boys have willies and Mommy is a girl.".

He pauses and then thinks about this for a few seconds and says in a burst of toddler exuberance, "I have a great idea Mommy". Of course this was said in a tweety bird accent and sounded more like "I have a gweat idea Mommy". He beams "maybe you could ask Santa Claus to bring you a willie for next kwistmas".

I laughed and responded with the only thing I could think of, "Your're right - that IS a great idea".

Saddly, even Santa can't pull this one out of sack.