Happy, Happy Birthday Armin!

I cannot believe our little guy is actually one years old!  Where does the time go, and why does it have to go so fast!  I really want Armin to stay little for as long as possible!  Although at his one year check up yesterday Dr. Wade said he was tall and skinny, so the chances of him staying small are slim to none!  We celebrated his birthday last night with Grandma Puzey, Grandma Debbie, Uncle Buck, Auntie Arren, Gilbert and Lily!  He was so happy to be the centre of attention, when we sang happy birthday to him his face had a look of complete awe, and then he broke into a huge smile!  After the song was done he clapped his hands!  For dinner we had spaghetti, he was so cute eating it, if he happened to get a noodle that was a long he slurped it into his mouth.  Calum too was cute eating his spaghetti, he couldn't quite get it to his mouth without all the noodles falling off his fork, so he devised a way to do it with as little mess as possible, or so he thought!  Armin's cake was really nothing fancy, the third child syndrome came into effect!  I just ran out of time, but it did turn out really cute and besides he liked to eat it no matter how it looked!  He was so dainty eating his cake, using only his thumb and pointer finder to pick up pieces and put them in his mouth, at one point he even tried to eat it simply by using only his mouth!

Presents were fun, typical one year old style...he was more interested in the packaging!  The gift we gave him was actually picked out by Calum, primarily with himself in mind, a ride on Mater toy!  Arren's family gave him a mega blocks Pirate Ship that he really seems to like, but it also really frustrates him.  There is a cannon on it and when you push the lever on the back the cannon ball shoots out, well, Armin can get the ball in but hasn't figured out how to get it out, he makes an annoyed grunting sound until someone comes to help him!  After all his gifts were open Calum says, "Armin you share me?"  I thought it was really cute how he asked, a few months ago he would have probably just pushed Armin away!  When Calum sat on the Mater toy he was so angry because it wouldn't move when he pushed the buttons!  Once he realized he had to manually move the car himself he had lots more fun!

Armin was desperately trying to take steps without any help!  The push toy Grandma Debbie got him seemed to give him the needed confidence!

Just like Emry, Armin loves Elmo!

It was a really fun night, and I am so thankful for Armin, he has been such an easy baby, and always so happy!  Emry and Calum were easy babies too, and they were also happy.  There is just something about Armin, maybe being the third child he has to just go along with everything, he is so easy going!  I look forward to what the next year will bring for Armin and for the rest of our family!

Expectations, Exceeded!

As tradition would have it we had our annual chocolate dipping day on Saturday!  It was so much fun with lots of laughs, and not so much fighting from the kids!  They are all growing up so fast and seem to really enjoy spending time with each other, even if they are a little hyper!  I am so happy all the kids are good friends, I see them all wanting to spend time together even as they get older!  Anyway, back to the weekend!  It started Friday evening when Myrna, Lalainia, Char, Rachel and I all went to Breaking Dawn Part One!  It was so good, but I knew it would be because of how closely they have followed the previous books, and they were all excellent too!  After the movie we went to Streetside Eatery for the yummiest turtle cheesecake, where our laugh attacks started!

Armin sat in his chair for 2 hours, and probably would have sat longer too, but he finally started to complain!

The grandkids carrying on the tradition and getting a lesson from Grandma!

I think Emry may have done more tasting then actual rolling!

Saturday morning we started rolling fondant at 8:30am and didn't stop until well after 6pm!  This year all the Puzey girls made 4 batches each of fondant so all we had to do Saturday was roll and dip!  We always seem to get into a rhythm and it continues on until we are completely cleaned up!  If there happened to be a little down time for one of us we would wash dishes or chop chocolate to be melted or switch trays when some got full, whatever needed to be done it always seemed to get done!  Last year we dipped 18 batches of fondant, this year we did 21 batches plus a batch of turtles!  And throughout all the busyness we even had some comic relief!  Rachel's middle finger would keep dislocating (not the comic relief!!), and Lalainia always cracked up over it (of course, she would only start to laugh once she knew Rachel was okay!!).  The kids provided us with lots of entertainment as well!  They would come into the kitchen several times throughout the day to help us!  And were they ever big helpers!  Cora stayed right with us the entire time except when she took a break to look after Armin.  Leah, Emry, Ashton and Bowen all tried their hand at rolling fondant and all did an excellent job!  Our chocolate's are all pretty much the same size this year!  I have to give credit to Jason, he took care of Armin for most of the day and I really appreciated it, although Armin is so good all you really have to do is make sure he isn't putting his fingers in electrical sockets or trying to roll down the stairs!  Oh, he did go over to little Jonas while he was in the exersaucer and give him a kiss on the forehead, although he now has one tooth on the top which he imprinted into Jonas' little head!  He just loves his little cousin so much, he had no idea his little tooth was hurting him!

Topping!

Chopping!

And dipping!

Armin and Jonas!  As of Saturday November 26th, 2011, Armin weighed 19.2 pounds at 12 months, and Jonas weighed 18.2 pounds at 5 months! 

Lots and lots of kisses!

It was truly a wonderful day, a weekend I always look forward to.  Even though it is a lot of work and by the end of the day my feet and back are aching, it is so worth it!  Not just for the yumminess after but for the time spent as mom and sisters!

Everyone played so good together! 

Best Buds!

Stopping only to eat!

There are actually more chocolates than seen here, there are some on the floor under the table and some out in the entryway, and more on the deep freeze in the garage!

Unfortunately Calum found where we put the chocolates to set, thankfully he has forgotten about them today and hasn't tried to get into the laundry room!

As a side note, while we were at church today the power went out half way through our Sacrament Meeting!  It was actually kind of neat!  I focused on the speaker better than I usually do, and I think it was because both Emry and Calum were scared into being quiet!  His talk was about the Plan of Salvation and how this Christmas season we really need to remember the true meaning and look past all the commercialism of the season!  At the end of Sacrament Meeting we sung Silent Night, and it was really meaningful singing it in the dark!  When we got home the power was still out, and stayed out until just after 7:30pm!  It was fun sitting in the basement by candlelight with the warmth of the fire from the fireplace!  Although the kids were a little bored we were able to find things to do!  Jared picked up his guitar and was playing soothing type songs, but when he started playing a Led Zeppelin song Calum said, "Ohhhh, cool!" and got up and started dancing.  He then found his little plastic Woody guitar and started to jam with Jared!  I really enjoyed sitting as a family even if we didn't "do" anything!  I am thankful for the land we live in, wind and all!  And I am thankful for the wonderful family I have!

Calum Says....

The things Calum says really crack us up!  Yesterday when we were out and about in Vulcan the wind was blowing so hard, when I put Lily and Calum in the van I asked if my hair was crazy, Lily said yes with a sinister little giggle, and Calum said, "You hair bootiful Mom!"

We are always telling Calum not to jump on the couches because they belong to Grandma and she would be really sad if we wore them out before she even got a chance to enjoy them.  Well, he very matter of factly said, "They not Gandma's couches, they ours!"  We had to explain that this is Grandma's house and she is letting us use her things until our house is all finished.  He was very adamant that this is our house!  When Myrna and I were making fondant the other day Calum was acting completely nuts, he was just into everything, truly like a little tornado going from room to room wreaking havoc!  I told him he had to settle down and be careful with Grandma's things so he didn't wreak anything, I reminded him that we are in Grandma's house and we need to be respectful of her things.  He said that it was Grandma's house, I was shocked by his answer since he is always saying that it isn't Grandma's house!  But when I continued to listen to his story I had to laugh to myself!  He said, "Up here is Gandma's house, down dere is our house!"  Little kids are way more insightful than we give them credit for!

His biggest thing is, "I not liddle, I bigger!"  He also is calling things funny names, a game is "Nomunom!", and when he wants to play Super Mario Bros. he says, "Nomunom Brudders!", and when he wants fire power he says, "Nomunom Power!"

He makes his d sounds a g sound, so for drink he says, "Grink", and he also makes his p sounds an f sound, when he says please, it comes out as "Fleese!", and when he says play it comes out as "Flay!"  But when we have him make a d sound he can do it, just not in a word, same with the p sound!  It is hard to correct him when it sounds so cute, we are pretty sure he will get it eventually but for now we will enjoy the cute little words he says before he grows up too much!

When he asks for something he is usually quite gruff with his demands, we always tell him to use his manners, so he will rephrase his demand saying, "Can I have a grink, manners?"  Sometimes he will put his little hands together and put them under his chin!  How can we resist?!

He used to call Emry, Emmy, now he calls her Emry, but he really enunciates his r, almost like he is rolling it!  He is a little chatter box, but I love it!  Emry is a chatter box too!  I really love listening to the things they have to say, and the things they come up with!

When I give Calum a kiss, he very quickly wipes it away but tells me it is still there!  When I was in the kitchen the other day he was sitting at the island playing playdough, and out of the blue he said that Grandma was grouchy!  She was just around the corner and over heard him, so she confronts him on it.  He gives a little evil laugh and says, "You is grouchy!"  She chases him and tickles him until he tells her he loves her!  He finally will, but as soon as he is free he says, "No I don't love you!" and runs away!  He makes everyone smile, and can brighten the gloomiest day!

He sings songs to Armin in the van if Armin is crying, his words usually are, "Armin, you my best friend!" over and over and over again!

Today when we went to Vulcan to have lunch with Jared he made Jared's boss laugh, a man I haven't seen smile in the 6 months Jared has worked at John Deere (not that he is grumpy, he just doesn't smile a lot!)  Anyway, I took the boys into the shop to get Jared.  Calum did his routine hand wash with Daddy in the bathroom (you have to step on a pedal to make the water come on in a trough style sink), the entire time Jared and Calum were washing their hands Calum was making little grunting like sounds because he thinks it is the coolest thing ever!  Just as we were about to leave the shop Calum went through the door into the showroom and I reminded Jared to punch out, the door closed and Calum was on the other side.  Did I mention that on the other side of that door is all the toy tractors?!  Well, after Jared punched out and we went through the door we caught a glimpse of Calum high tailing it to the door outside, and this is when we heard Jared's boss laughing!  Calum had clutched tightly to his little body a toy combine in the box!  Jared caught him and asked him where he was planning on going!  It was hilarious because he really thought he could get away with it if he could just get outside!  We then had to have a talk about stealing!!

His antics are so funny, and also so innocent!  I don't honestly think he does or says the things he does because he knows it will get a rise out of us, I truly believe it is just the way he is, and I wouldn't change one thing about him!

Mish Mash Moments!

This past week has gone by quickly!  Last Friday Myrna, Emry and I went into the Remembrance Day Service in Champion.  I was in the choir that Myrna was leading!  It was really nice, as it always is.  Those who risked their lives to give us peace and freedom truly is something to celebrate, and something to remember.  The last post played on the trumpet always brings tears to my eyes and tingles to my entire body.  And the poem "In Flanders Field's", when read always brings me to the moment when John McCrae wrote it.  This year at the service, this poem was read by a 10 year old girl, and it was really touching.

Emry had a nice long break from school this weekend.  She had Friday, Monday and Tuesday off!  Monday we headed to Coaldale with my mom to see my Grandma and Grandpa Scheibner, as well as my Auntie Bonnie!  It was so much fun and as always, was long over due.  It was nice to catch up with Grandma and Grandpa, and the kids had so much fun playing with Auntie Bonnie!  I have always admired my mom and her sister's, they always play with the kids, whether it involves dressing up and playing pretend or playing cars or building forts, whatever it is they are always willing to do anything!

Tuesday I again spent the day with my mom.  She just got a new horse, her name is Peggy and she is a Palomino!  Emry is obsessed with horses, yet she is also terrified of them.  Tuesday she actually got on Peggy and went for a little ride (little, because it turned cold that afternoon, the wind was wicked!).  Calum went for a ride too, and loved it.  I wanted to have a turn too, but decided against it because I was so cold!

Wednesday, I again got to see my mom, only she watched Calum, Armin and Lily while Arren and I did some work in our house!

Thursday, the boys and I went over to Arren's to have lunch with my dad!  It was nice to see him too, it has felt like a long time!  Calum totally ignored Grandpa Glen when we first got to Arren's, but before we sat down for lunch Dad was in Lily's room with the kids playing!  Before we left for Arren's I was walking down the stairs at home and as klutzy as I am I bashed my knee into the corner of the end table beside the love seat.  It hurt so bad that I let out a little yelp, Calum noticed and asked if I was okay!  After I stopped jumping around I said yes!  But as the day has gone on it has gotten much more sore!  When I went to put my jammie pants on I noticed why it hurt so much...the bruise actually doesn't look as bad in a picture or does it look as bad as it feels, but I was surprised to see such a big bruise.  I often have bruises that I am unsure of how I got them, if there is a door way, no matter how wide, I always seem to run into the edge of it as I walk through, or I happen to stub my toe on anything within a 5 foot radius!

It has been a fun week, and as always it has gone too fast.  Christmas is just around the corner, and I am so excited.  My one wish this Christmas is for us to be in our house, but I think I will have to wait for this wish to come true until next Christmas!  Even though the time goes by fast, it doesn't seem like there is quite enough time for Jared to get everything done that he has on the go!  The new corral system is taking a little longer than Jared had planned because it gets dark before he gets home from working at John Deere.  However, I know our house will get done soon enough, and I am happy for the home we get to live in right now.  I am thankful for the time we have gotten to spend so close to Mom and Dad Puzey, for all I have learned from them, and for all that they have done for us!