This is the living room toy box - which seldom houses toys (our girl typically squirrels them away in kitchen drawers, closets and various other cubby holes - or strews them about the floor). This must be one of the first times that our girl has actually put something in the toy box...
Grandpa arrived on Saturday: much to his grand-daughter's delight and excitement. His arrival brought gifts for all: walks, cuddles and stories for our girl, a professional contractor for dad, and a box of chocolates for mom (thanks, grandma!). However, this may have been the first and last bit of recreation that grandpa enjoyed: no sooner did he park the stroller than we had him pick up a hammer... he has been in the basement ever since....
Our daughter has inherited her dad's love of film, and is crazy for the cool projector that Papa bought her for Christmas. The projector reads books, while flashing little movies on the wall or ceiling. Very cool...
Daddy has been calling our girl "Princess Child" or "Princess Baby" since day one... and the title seems to have stuck. She loves her crowns, and she alternates between these dollar-store treasures throughout the day. As you will notice in the first photo: she sometimes even wears two at once...
Our girl seems to be suffering from a bout of season confusion. On this Saturday morning, she was wearing her winter hat (there is always a hat of some sort on her head that she has smuggled from the hall closet, and often a scarf as well) - and running about the house kicking a beach ball with her yellow Crocs. They say the chinooks affect us in funny ways... 
I'm extremely proud of my Christmas cactus... I have a decidedly brown thumb, but my christmas cactus (who has been my constant companion of seven years) has been blooming like this for the last two months. This poor plant was starved for water and light for more than a month between residences two years ago, and has needed re-potting for the last five years (a roommate's grandmere took pity on it and re-potted it during a visit to the squat we were living in during law school) - and yet it still loves me. 
Our bright-eyed one year old niece is going to be a big sister to TWO siblings in June... and my brother Bryan is going to be a father of three under two. A thoroughly daunting prospect for the expectant parents - but very exciting news for this auntie and uncle!
this pink retro kitchen was a gift from Santa, and he would be very pleased to see how much it is loved by our girl. It is full of all manner of food, from fruit to onion rings. (The fruit is carefully washed in the sink before being distributed to all tea partiers). Her kitchen is truly much better stocked than her mother's!
We had the pleasure of enjoying Grandma for a while in Calgary during a stopover on the way to 'Ole Blimey to welcome Auntie Jane's new baby into the world. As you can see, she was lavished with plastic donuts and invisible tea. Some synthetic hotdogs and latex cheese sandwiches were also consumed during this calorie-free picnic...
Our daughter has embarked on a rigourous training schedule to secure a part in Disney on Ice. She's starting with plush, character slippers, but we're certain that ice skates are not far off...
This brown-eyed prince turned three on Saturday - rumour has it there was blue chocolate cake with Smarties for all the partiers. Happy Birthday Charlie boy!!
Special birthday wishes to you Renee on what must have been a very memorable birthday. We celebrated your day by once again oooing and aaaahing over your wedding photos and raising a glass to your everlasting happiness and health. You were truly glorious on your wedding day, and on ours..... we love you!
Our favorite flower child is having a birthday today! This photo was taken at Taryn's wedding (it was a hot Kelowna afternoon and I was very pregnant!). We love you Brenda and hope you have the most perfect day: being lavished with love by all ....
This happy family of four has a further reason to smile! The fourth member has made his debut: and he's a fabulous red-head that courteously arrived just prior to his due date, but rather unkindly weighed over 8 pounds. Congratulations Uncle D and Kimeeloohoo on the lovely little persons you have added to the world...
Happy Birthday Uncle B! Wow, 3-0! I remember you and the J-man competing with your brothers in living room breakdance contests like it was yesterday... and now you're a husband, embarking on a new career, and a father of (nearly) two. Can't wait 'til my 30th....
During our holiday at home, Daddy and our girl have had a wonderful time creating art: using crayons, finger paints, play doh, aquadoodle and the new art easel from Santa. The sessions were not without their casualties: art was created with purloined ink pens on my new calendar and our dining room chair is a multi-colour crayon canvas...
The christmas extravaganza started at Uncle B and Auntie Mariam's house on December 22. We were welcomed from our long trek north with a full turkey dinner, presents and, best of all - COUSINS. This christmas, Christmas songs, Christmas trees and Cousins were our girl's favorite festive things (gifts didn't even make the top ten - if only they could be two forever....!)
Daddy's birthday party was a intimate gathering attended by his two girls - with chocolate. Of all the partygoers, Dad was the least excited by the chocolate. His favourite were the cocoa-flavoured kisses that were being lavished by his two girls (I had considerably less chocolate on my face)...
