April 4 - Easter Exictement

Aidan is starting to get pretty excited about Easter.  We've been getting a lot of questions about the Easter Bunny and Jesus.  We have never taken him to church yet, but he's definitely showing a curiousity in religious topics, so that may be something for us to consider doing soon.

He is very concerned about it raining on Easter because he doesn't want the Easter Bunny to get his feet wet.  He's got the whole hunt thing planned out and is giving Al and I rules to follow, which essentially lead to us giving him anything we find.  We have decided that we will leave the Bunny all of his plastic eggs from last year that he likes to play with.  I told him that if he leaves the empty ones, they will get filled again.  He liked the idea and saves me having to buy more and even better, saves me from having even more of the damn things lying around until next year!

April 3 - Big Brain

Today, I told Aidan he had a very good memory.  His reponse:  "I know, it's because I have such a big brain".  Confident much?  :-)

April 2 - School Pictures

Aidan recently had some vintage costume pictures taken at his school.  They turned out really cute!

April 1 - Great Weekend

Our Great Wolf Lodge weekend was great!  This was the weekend I had planned for last December, but had to reschedule because I was sick.  It was much busier than our last visit, since this time was a weekend, and we had a major Aidan melt-down Saturday at dinner, but other than that it was a really great time.  Aidan was a little under 1/2" too short for the 42" cutoff for the next level of slides, but he still had a great time on the kiddie slides and the big Wooly Mammoth family side (which last time scared the crap out of him), so I think he'll be more than ready for the next step up when we go back again.  He really loved the wave pool and would laugh his butt off every time one hit him.  He's already asking if we can go back again.  I think I may plan our next visit for December and be there to see Christmas theme stuff, which had been my intention last year anyway. 

March 30 - Surprise!

This morning we surprised Aidan with the news that we are going to Great Wolf Lodge this weekend.  He was so happy!  I can't wait!

March 29 - Passports

Today, I went into the Passport office and applied for my very first passport.  We're planning a summer vacation to the States, so we all had to get one.  I got myself all worked up over the details of the application and I was worried that I'd be in line for hours, based on what others had told me.  So, I was pleasantly surprised to get to the office and find no line at all and I had all 3 applications processed in about 5 minutes!  Now, I wait for them to be sent.  She said we should have them by mid April.

March 28 - My Parents Birthday Weekend

I've been offline for a few days and out of town visiting family.  To celebrate both my Mom and Dad's 80th birthdays, our entire family got together  on Sunday for a brunch.  It was so great that all of us (siblings, spouses and all kids) were able to be there.  I can't remember the last time we all got together, it seems we're always missing one or two.  I think this may be the first time since Aidan was born.  My brother took "official" photos.  I haven't seen them yet, but hoping he gets them sent out soon.

We also got a chance to visit my Mother-in-Law and Aidan was able to discover fishing.  Al dug out some of his old rods and took Aidan over to the river.  It was freezing and they had no baits or hooks, but he still had a blast.  I think we're going to give him the chance to do some real fishing this summer.

March 22 - Stubborn Much?

I think that all kids are stubborn by nature, it's all part of how they learn.  But when you couple that with a predisposition to stubborness, thanks to parents, it's something to see!

I have been trying to warn Aidan that that freakishly warm weather we've been having the past few days is not normal at all, nowhere near normal really, and that by the weekend it will be cold again.  Today was the start of the downard temps.  It was still nice, like mid teens, but not exactly shorts and eat outside weather.  Aidan disagreed and insisted it was nice enough to wear his shorts and eat supper on the deck.  So, I set up the table outside, we sit down to our meal and 2 bites into it, I hear "I'm cold".  So, back we go into the house and re-set up on the kitchen table.  It is soooo hard not to say "I told you so" in those moments, but lesson taught none the less. 

March 21 - Popcorn for Supper

I had a late lunch today and wasn't hungry for supper.  I fed Aidan some leftovers and after he went to bed, I made myself a big bowl of popcorn.  Yep, sometimes I'm lazy like that.

March 20 - Hello Summer

This year will undoubtedly go down as one of the weirdest weather wise and we're still only in March!

We ate on the deck and played outside tonight like it was the middle of July.  Craziness, which I know won't last and will make for lots of cranky people when normal weather comes back, but I'm still enjoying it while it's here.

March 19 - Traffic Cop in the Making

This mornings conversation on the drive into school went something like this...

Aidan:  "I think you're going faster than the sign say you can go".
Silence
Aidan:  "Well, are you"?
Me:  "No"
Aidan:  "Are you sure"?

Truth be told, I was going about 100 in an 80 zone.  I suppose I should count myself lucky that he didn't slap me with a $150 fine and a couple demerits.

March 18 - Passport Time

For the first time in my life, I'm applying for my Canadian Passort.  Because I only ever travelled to the US, I never needed one.  But, post 9/11 now requires that I do have one for that trip, so it's time.  We are planning our summer vacation to Lake George, so not a lot of choice.  That means all 3 of us need them.  So today we got our passport pictures.  I thought it may be tough for Aidan to sit with a straight face and stay still, but he did great!

So the pics are done, now to get the applications all filled out and signed and submitted.

March 17 - New Marina

We found a new home for our boat this summer.  Since Ontario Place is essentially closing down this year, we decided it was time to make a move.  Truth is, we haven't been thrilled with the OP Marina for a couple of years now, but have stayed because of the perks of being inside the park.  With the park closed, there is really nothing worthwhile for us there. 

We found a nice marina on Holland River that is a little over an hour drive away, but it's a country drive and not one into the city, so that's a big plus.  We'll have a covered slip and able to park right at our boat with enough shore space for a picnic table and BBQ.  There's a swimming pool and playground for Aidan there too.  I'm very excited!

March 16 - What to Wear?

The unseaonsably warm weather we're  having is driving me nuts.  It's still close to freezing at night, but getting upper teens during the day.  I feel like I need a suitcase to lug the 3 seasons worth of outdoor clothes for Aidan to school. 

March 15 - Dashers

Aidan has decided that he no longer wants to call his shoes running shoes, they have now been dubbed "dashers".  Why?  He says it's because they are so fast!

March 14 - 100 Book Challenge

Today, Aidan started his 100 book challenge.  It was inspired by one that they did at his school and he was enjoying it so much, he wanted to do one at home.  The general idea is you read 100 books together and at the end, you get a "prize".  Aidan loves to read, so I don't expect it will take that long to get through 100 books.  I decided to make it slightly more challenging by saying it has to be 100 different books and not his usual routine of reading the same book over and over again for many days. 

So, I did up a chart and we started the challenge tonight.  We are undecided on the prize.  He said he wants a popsicle party, since that's what they are doing at school.  I may just go with that and maybe let him buy a few new books too.

We'll see how long it takes to finish.  I'm predicting 2 - 3 weeks.

March 13 - Aidan Funny Quote of the Day

"When I'm bigger, I want to dye my hair the same colour as Daddy's.  Half black and half grey".

March 12 - Flies!

The warm weather is here and so are the flies!  Cluster flies, millions and millions of them.  OK, maybe a few hundred, but tons!  They drive us crazy and last year they lasted pretty much through the Spring.  I bought a couple of fly traps today, so we'll see if they help at all.

After school, Aidan decided he wanted to help sweep up some of the dead ones off the floor. He went around with the dustpan and handbrush and had a great time helping out.  He told me that he wants to get them all cleaned up so that I don't have to do it and I can have a rest.  He can be very sweet!  Unfortunately, I think the novelty will probably wear off before the flies are all gone, but I'll enjoy the help while it lasts.

March 11 - Final Ski Lesson of the Season

Last week was Aidan and my last parent & tot class, so I signed him up for a private lesson today to give him a chance to practice what he's learned 1-on-1 with an instructor.

He did very well.  He got tired about halfway through and the instructor said he was looking for me a bit, but other than that, he did well.  He's turning well now and was linking 3 or 4 turns together on the bottom half of the hill with no assistance.

I'm very pleased with how he did with his first year of lessons and I'm really looking forward to how he does next year.

March 10 - Clocks Ahead Tonight

The time change doesn't hit until 2am, but I'm already feeling bitter about the hour of sleep I'm about to lose.