Nee-naw goes the Fire Truck

March 23, 2012March 23, 2012 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 7 Comments

Lilly and I had the opportunity to go see Sai at the fire hall where he is a volunteer fire fighter.

We took a little tour of the trucks.

We have a toy fire truck at home that Lilly plays with all the time. She loves the noises it makes. A while back she learned how to say “nee naw, nee naw, nee naw” – yes that was the sound a fire truck makes 🙂

When we got to the fire hall she looked at the trucks and smiled but was a little hesitant to go touch the trucks.

Checking out Daddy’s helmet.

Lilly’s helmet 🙂

My husband walked her around the 4 trucks in the bay and the proceeded to open ALL the doors on the truck so she could check it out. (It was really cute).

Lilly looking in the “mirror”.

Towards the end, he put her in the driver’s seat and she didn’t want to get out!

Fun trip to see the “nee-naw” fire truck and Daddy!

Toddler Talk

February 24, 2012 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 4 Comments

It’s been really amazing to watch our daughter grown and develop over the last 20 months. In the summer she learned how to sign the word “more” after months of showing it to her. This fall she started to say a few more words and then around 18 months her vocabulary seemed to triple over night. We were kinda shocked as she’s our first and have no idea what to expect….ever!

She even said her first swear word – whoops!

The last two months her vocabulary has grown again. She will now copy and repeat what you are saying. This is good and bad I am learning.

Each night we say good night (night night) to the alphabet that is plastered around her room on single pieces of paper. A is for Armadillo, B for Bear, C for Camel etc. To my surprise one night she said Camel, another night she said Porcupine – or more like “pork pine”. She now can say Sheep and Turtle. Every day I am amazed at what she says, repeats and attempts to say. Tonight it was Octopus and Dolphin while playing in the bath.

She is also getting into multiple words: hold it; eat it, I love you – “laahh ou”. What’s also fun is when I ask her a question and she say’s “no” and shakes her head; “yes” and shakes her head yes. The sitter mentioned Lilly is saying “okay” a lot. While taking a bath tonight I asked Lilly if she was going to learn how to pee on the potty … she looked at me and said “ohhh kaaay”.

Today I came across a blog or tweet that mentioned “25 words your toddler likely knows”. Since I can’t find the actual blog that posted the link, I just googled the topic and learned that it’s everywhere!! Of course!

A list was compiled of the 25 most commonly used words and expressions by children at age 2:

mommy
daddy
baby
milk
juice
hi/hello
ball
no
yes
dog
cat
nose
eye
banana
cookie
car
hot
thank you
bath
shoe
hat
book
all gone
bye bye
more

After reading the list I realize that Lilly can say all of these and more. Thank you is more “thanks” but she still attempts to say it.

Everyday this little person amazes me (and her father). I’m just loving this part of being a parent and look forward to many more of these moments along the road of parenting our daughter.

What does your little one do to amaze you?

Love for Daddy

January 24, 2012February 25, 2012 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 3 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that my husband is away going to school in another province. He is studying to become a Paramedic.

It’s not easy being a single parent, working full time, taking care of the house and the dog.

It’s not easy being the Dad away from your daughter and wife, I am sure of that.

Last Wednesday (Jan 18th) I BBM’d Saï to see if we would skype at our usual time; he wrote back “won’t be able to tonight”. Bummer I thought, he must be busy. So off Lilly and I went to play. My mother was coming down that night to help out and after Lilly’s bath I noticed she pulled in the driveway. Then I noticed another car backing into our driveway – it was Saï. He was home – so much better then skyping. Saï was home for a week 🙂

Lilly was really excited to see her father. The hugs and kisses were everywhere.

It’s been great to have him home – helping with nappy changes, morning routine, walking the dog – it’s like we are a tag team getting it all taken care of.

It’s also been wonderful to watch them together; reading books on the comfy couch, eating dinner at her small table, learning and saying new words, playing with her “baby”, getting dressed for outside play.

I melt each time when she runs over to him and sticks out her lips for a kiss, or when she wraps her arms around his long legs for a hug or the laughter that comes from her when he’s tickling her or giving her “BEE-BO” a raspberry. SHE’S SO HAPPY!

This morning she woke up at 4am and we couldn’t get her back to sleep – so in the bed she came. I got up to get ready for work at 6:30 and they stayed in bed. When I came back to them still in bed she had her arms above her head snuggled right beside him – pure bliss. She woke up happy. When Saï picked her up from the sitters, she saw him and said “Daddyyyyy” – she was happy when she came home and she was happy at bath time.

I know it’s not easy being a single parent, I really don’t enjoy it and commend those who are.

Life. Is. So. Much. Better. When. We. Are. Together, as a Family.

What I am learning is how hard it is for that other parent who is away from their child. You miss a lot; reading books, new words/games, bath and bed time, laughs and giggles, daily hugs and kisses. So I have to remember when I AM having a hard day with Lilly – HE is not able to see her, play with her, help her, hug or kiss her. The good thing is I know this will come to an end and getting an education is important – I am really proud of you.

Saï, you are sitting beside me as I write this, and I miss you already.

xo I love you Saï.

I LAWU OU DADDY, Thanks for taking me out for a sleigh ride. xo Lilly Mae.

My Toddler Said ???

January 14, 2012January 16, 2012 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 5 Comments

First off, Happy 19 months to our little one – I guess I should stop saying little one as she’s really not little anymore. Well she’s a toddler and they are little people so it’s going to stick around for a while.

We were given a baby book before Lilly was born so I have been documenting (or forgetting to document) stuff that she has done. One thing I did write down is when she started saying words – around 8 months she started to say Da da and then at 9 months mum mum mum. Some of her first words were Banana – more like nannas and Hi (said with a soft voice). In the fall we noticed she was saying more so we started to write them down just to see what she was saying: apple, ahh choo, Hi or Hi ya, cheese, ear, ball, row row (row your boat) and attempts at Maclean – sounds like klyane.

Then her vocabulary grew in what seem to be over night in December. Saying cheers (clinging cups together, taught by Auntie Laura), bath, peeasheee (please), hello, knee, tooesh (toes), purple, yellow, eye, elbow and babeee. Each day she will try to say something new. By far the best one yet is “I lauw uo”…I love you while skyping with her Dad. Melt your hearts!

Banana’s are still nanna’s.

Friday morning we did our normal routine; up, eat, get dressed, play, get ready to leave the house. But today we had to shovel the end of the driveway as we had a little snow storm. No problem I thought, we’ll go out and I’ll bring her shovel and we’ll have fun! Well our neighbour down the road came and snow blowed us out, god love her. It was such a help. So, Lilly and I watched her “drive” her snowblower back to her house as Lilly was rather interested in the big machine.

We started to pack the car and in her comes shovel. {This is where you think she is going to say “shovel”….. nope, she did not say shovel}! We arrive at the sitters and I realized I forgot baby wipes and responded with “shit”. Now this is where my parents and family members will laugh as I was caught on video as a teenager saying “shit”. The big joke is who get’s to teach the word “shit” to Lilly. My brother Paul was REALLY wanting to do this….well…to bad so sad but Mama has done it!

We get out of the car and I hear ssshheeeit, sssheeit, ssheeit, sheit. There was nothing I could do but laugh and warn the sitter that my daughter may swear today and say shit. She laughed at me and said not to worry, I’ve heard worse from the little ones!!!