6 months

My dearest Ev,

Today you are 6 months old. It's hard to believe that from everyday forward you are closer to a year than newborn but time is moving at a rapid pace. You are loved dear little one, you are so loved. I have felt a deep connection with you since you were just 2 blue lines on a stick, perhaps because I already knew what was to come and the wonder a child brings into your life or perhaps it was because of the special something you've brought into our family. I never thought I could love someone as wholly as I love your brother but you've come along and blown that theory right out of the water. I fell in love with you the minute you were held above me at 12.12pm on Valentine's Day. It's such an appropriate birthday for you. If you ever ask me one day what you were like as a baby (I'm not sure you will, it's not a boyish thing to ask but if you do) I will tell you this. You were calm and aware. So calm that you would lie still on your tummy and just stare at whatever had caught your eye. You would sit still on my lap and just watch your world. You gave smiles away so easily but to make laugh was something usually only reserved for your brother. In the first 6 months of your life I could count on my hand the number of times you cried. It was almost never except for your 6th week of life after your week long stint in hospital. You wouldn't let anyone but Mummy touch you and you howled for most of that week, earning yourself the nickname "cranky Evvy". Now, looking back I think it was your way of telling us you'd had enough, you had made up your mind that everytime someone touched you it was to perform some horrible procedure, poke and prod. You didn't understand and you just wanted peace. Mummy was peace, everyone else was not. That week in hospital changed my life. I've never come  close to anything as tough and heart-wrenching as that week and I am so thankful you are with us and as healthy as you are. I laugh because that nickname seems like such a joke now, my placid natured little boy. Despite your ever clam presence you have a little spunk about you and your latest trick is to arch your back when Mummy tries to load you into the car seat. You give me a cheeky smile and a little insight into what your toddler years will be like. You also pull the funniest little faces , scrunching up your nose and you practice blowing raspberries all day, you've also learnt to click your tongue. You are a very "oral" baby and everything is straight into the mouth for a little explorative chew. I read you a book the other day and you were more interested in eating it, this is entirely my fault as I can also count on one hand the number of books you've been read. Your brother had been read to endlessly since birth and knew that books were for looking at and turning pages, not chew toys. I'm sorry my darling and I'm now attempting to rectify this and retrain you into a love of reading books not eating them. For the record, Mummy will win. You are now starting to form a strong bond with Daddy and your brother. You look at your brother with such adoration and I'm so happy to say the feeling is mutual. Your brother smothers you with kisses and hugs and you are so unperturbed by the roughness of his affection. You know it comes from a good place. Daddy time is fast becoming the highlight of your day, especially your bathtimes, you seem right at home in the water; the bath or pool, which must be a gene passed on from your parents. You love to suck on a washer and make a protest when it's taken off you. You also love to bounce on the trampoline with Daddy and Bud. You continue to love your milk and I continue to lug around your 9ish kilos. My favourite thing you do, is reach up to touch my face when you're feeding. You love to wrap your fingers around mine and for me to kiss them. You always stop feeding and give me a smile when I do this, I could near well explode with happiness in this moment. Just like Bud you are proving you won't sleep in public places, there is too many exciting things in this world to want to sleep. You love the baby carrier and that's the only way Mummy can help you off to sleep when we're not home. You love home and I think you're here to show Mummy and Daddy a new simplicity in life we've never enjoyed before. Just being home and with each other. We took you to a friend's for dinner and when you walked into that noisy room the bottom lip dropped and it was too overwhelming for you. Little hands grabbed at Mummy's shirt tightly. We are almost ready to start solid food and you are getting more mobile by the day. You've even slept through the night quite a few times (in your own cot) from 8pm-6am. You always start the night in your own bed with your beloved "Lambie" just like your brother, you adore that sheepskin. If you wake in the night we bring you into ours, which brings great comfort to the both of us. You've always slept so well from birth and apart from a few disturbed nights post-vaccinations, you know the nights are for sleep.  You are a soft, calm and peaceful spirit been born into a house of wild adventure but I know we can learn from each other and we'll find that happy medium, one that allows your soft spirit to flourish in only the best ways. In your 6 months of life you've brought insurmountable joy to us and it feels as though you were always here. The transition from a family of 3 to 4 has been so easy because of you, sweet Ev. You are the perfect fit and each and every new day with you I fall more and more helplessly in love, we all do, Daddy, Bud and even Sue has shown she doesn't mind you're here. Thank God you're so healthy and strong. Thank God you're here.

Your ever loving Mummy.

We had a little half-birthday photo shoot.

Classic Ev. "I'll just lie and watch the action"

These two boys are the best of friends already.

The happiest baby boy. 

Goings on in July.

I have the greatest of intentions of making more regular blog posts but alas life gets in the way. The general looking after two young children and the watching of Keeping Up with the Kardashians has been taking away from this great intent and To Dear my former self, what did you do with all your time before you had two children or children at all? You thought you were busy then. Ha. I would just like to say get over yourself, YOU. WEREN'T THAT BUSY.

Oh, I got them hairs cut. I'm really regretting this decision. I've NEVER been one to regret a haircut before and my hair has been all sorts of crazy throughout the years. I just don't know what it is about this one? I have actually stopped looking in the mirror in the hope one day, in a few months I'll wake up and like the reflection again. Maybe it's getting older?  I don't have that many years of youthful look left and I'm starting to see the result of countless sleepless nights from small children. Now, I've gone and ruined myself more with this haircut and when looks weren't at an advantage anyway. Damn it. Live and learn I guess. 

So here it is, July, in one post. July started off with a lovely visit from some Aussie friends, they were travelling through Canada and since we live in such a cool part of it, they decided to stop in. We spent the weekend showing John and Tiarne through Jasper and the surrounds. Canada decided it had had enough of the "warm" weather and treated us to a chilly little weekend. The hot-tub proved to be major hit and the boys woke up Sunday with pretty sore heads from a few rums in the tub. 

A few snaps from our Jasper explorations. 

Attempt number 42,100 at getting a nice picture with Buddy. I actually secretly love these failed attempts, they really show his personality, always too busy for a picture. There's life to be lived Mum! 

We went on to Maligne Canyon, a gorge that runs through Jasper NP and was quite spectacular. The concrete paths and tourists detracted from the experience though. 

Love a man who babywears! 

John and Tiarne at the Canyon.

Travelling with kids, always the adventure.

Our lunch stop in Jasper town. 

 Ice-Cream at 13 degrees, I must be acclimatising!

We then went on to the Jasper Tramway. This is the highest cable car in the Canadian Rockies and for the times you get good weather at the top, the view is spectacular. This was not one of those days, however.

We showed J and T around town and took them down to the Beaver Boardwalk. Like any good Aussies they hesitated a little when they saw the cougar and bear warning signs. For Australians, just the thought there's something on the land that can eat you is a little uncomfortable (for the record; there was a Grizzley attack just a week ago, at a camp ground near us and there's currently a few trails in Jasper closed due to Grizzley charges.) Being aware and educated is your best bet to avoid any harm.  

Thanks JL and Tiarne for coming to stay, we loved having you and we loved just being able to speak naturally for the weekend without copping weird looks for saying things like thongs, no worries, sangers and cheeky rumbos.

This little crumpet, continues to charm his Mummy everyday.

The following weekend, as a family, went on a little hike in Jasper, the weather was just beautiful and nature needed to be enjoyed. 

This male Elk was roaming around the side of the road. In terms of Elk, this is about as good as it gets, the size of the Elk is measured by the number of "points" on their antlers. In hunter's terms this is a 7 by  7, a very good prize. Hard to believe that these are hunted, it's also hard to bite my tongue in a town/province full of hunters. These beautiful creatures will lose their antlers come the end of Autumn to conserve their energy for Winter. He will grow an entirely new set come the following Summer. 

A few snaps from the hike. 

A resourceful Daddy changing a bum.

The money shot.

Susie girl enjoying the Rockies.

After our hike we had a play in the Athabasca River (the River pictured behind us), the water at the edges was cool but the water no less than 5 metres in was freezing, I mean feet numbingly freezing. If you don't enjoy the feeling of having feet you can walk the entire length across. 

Bud's little friend Nolan had a birthday in July. He had a superhero themed party, Bud is yet to really get into the super hero thing so when we said he had to dress as a superhero it was kinda lost on him. A few youtube videos and a quick browse of some cool costumes later and he was right into it. Of course he chose to be "The Flash". This kid has an undying love of the colour red, so this was a natural choice for him. He was so so so excited leading up to the party (glad my love of parties is rubbing off on someone), anyone would have thought it was his birthday. He suggested making some cupcakes to take as well, his skills in the kitchen are improving weekly and he LOVES cooking. He made these entire cupcakes; cracked eggs, measured flour, you name it. After a tutorial from Mummy he iced most of them and added sprinkles too. A proud Mummy moment right here.

Token brother shot. 

 The FLASH!

 Token Mummy shot.

 Super E enjoyed the party too.

 The birthday boy.

I can't believe we are now well into the second half of the year and E is approaching 6 months. We are approaching our 4 month anniversary in Canada too. What do they say? Time flies when you're having fun!

Just some pics of the boys (for family) to finish.


Little E, the sweetest of the peas.

My Bud. Such a gorgeous natured little boy. I hope he always stays as loving, kind and caring toward others as he is now.