5 Months

Here she is on her 5 month-iversary sporting her festive attire complete with pumpkin hat, trick-or-treat shirt and seasonally coloured top...

MOMENT: Proportional

Our little grower is proportionally healthy and holding near the 97th percentile for length, weight and head circumference. She has also accidentally discovered rolling and has sprouted not one, but two teeth!

On a Roll

More movement ... this time in the form of rolling. The bonus? It was caught on video...

Keva before her epic roll

MOMENT: That's Better

Keva isn't the biggest fan of being on her tummy. Her tolerance of it has certainly improved, but she clearly communicates (read: protests loudly) when she's had enough. On October 11th (Grandma's birthday), Keva took matters into her own hands and went from being on her belly, to happily being belly up. Sure, it wasn't intentional and was motivated by curiosity, but over she went with her doting fans there to cheer her on.

Giving Thanks

The long weekend of Thanksgiving gave us a lot to be thankful for...

Crisp bike ride with Daddy

Food for our feast

Colourful hike

A family to be thankful for...

MOMENTS: Moving and Making

Tavish's had a PD day on Friday giving us more time to play together. We took a ride on the only transit train here that day before having lunch with Daddy at his work and going for a family swim. Daddy used his bike to keep up with Tavish on his Strider-bike on Saturday. We dinned with company over three evenings (two turkeys) and created a separate seasonal craft for each host. We went to Kanata where Tom took the kids on a hike through his childhood 'hood. Then, most importantly, we gave thanks over dinner with Grandpa Mike. So many wonderful moments, but the highlight for me was when Tavish shared what he is thankful for. It went something like this:

Mommy: I'm thankful for the health and happiness of our family
Daddy: I'm thankful for the food we're able to grow, share and eat together
Grandpa Mike: I'm thankful that my family is healthy and safe
Tavish: I'm thankful for Keva and that I get to be her big brother

Picking Pommes

It's that time of year again-apples, apples and more apples all picked on our annual family apple-outing...

En route to the orchard on a tractor-pulled wagon

MOMENT: A Little Lady and a Ladder

There were two exciting new additions to our annual family apple picking trip: a new babe to add to the experience, Keva was great company; and a toddler who used a ladder to reach higher apples which, according to Tavish, are better.

Keva's first trip to the orchard

Loving the apples reached by ladder

Gathering with a new perspective

One for me, one for the bag...

Along for the ride for this year.

Pure sweetness ... and the apples too!

Phone Genes

I love to talk on the phone. Turns out, I'm not the only one in my family...

MOMENT: Gabbing with Grandma

Until recently, Grandma got quick hellos and the odd goodnight by speaker phone. Lately, Tavish has been requesting the phone for his ear and nestling himself in for a deep and meaningful chat with Grandma. Although it cuts into my chatting time with my Mommy, it's worth it to see them connect. It makes sense that he enjoys her because everyone knows that "a Grandma is a Mom with extra frosting"-anonymous.

4 Months

As un-luck would have it, we lost our camera. Boo. It had photos of Keva on her 4 month-iversary on her own as well as in the chariot for our run with Tavish (on his bike) to drop him off at school. Sniff. This photo of Keva is of her at 4 months and 1 week. It's okay, she was equally as cute on both days....

MOMENT: Busy Baby

On her 'birthday', we ran to Tavish's 'school', went to pilates together then for a family swim! This baby can keep up. Without further ado, here she is:

Hammock Hanging to Hammer Time

"Grandfathers are for loving and fixing things."
- author unknown

There really are so many wonderful perks to the neighbour being Grandpa. The unplanned outdoor meetings and the creative indoor play options are among the highlights. Both generally begin with a toddler enthusiastically disappearing to the other side of the fence...

MOMENT: Quiet and Loud

Tavish is an outdoor kid so from a parents point of view, these disappearing acts are especially appreciated when there is meal prep or other indoor distractions going on at our house. On this particular day back in mid-September, Tavish had disappeared and Tom had returned from work to join the kitchen/baby frenzy. When we stepped outside to ensure all was well and that our toddler wasn't over staying his welcome, we were met with this sight while peering over the fence...

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Meanwhile, back in the summer on a separate occasion of playtime together, things were significantly less tranquil. That Grandpa Mike certainly has a way of creating 'projects' and activities that speak to the interests of a three year old boy...

"Being grandparents sufficiently removes us from the responsibilities so that we can be friends."
- Allan Frome