I AM ONE!

Our little man is now one years old. It is crazy how quickly time has flown by.

We have had a very busy few weeks.

A couple of weekends ago we got to go down to Calgary and spend some time with Helen, Matt and the kids. It was a lot of fun. Helen taught Kai how to climb stairs, Bailey and Tyler were so great watching him, Simon and I got to help Matt with the Xmas lights... It was a great break. And we all love their new house.

I started back to work on the 24th of this month. It was hard and I shed a few tears quite a number of times. Kai got to spend the week with his Grandmaman and Grand-dad and his Auntie Mich. He apparently had tonnes of fun. I think it will be harder for Simon and I to adjust to me being back to work then Kai. He starts at his new dayhome on Monday, so we will have to see how that goes.

Kai had his first birthday party on the 23rd. It was crazy and he was spoiled. He was not overly keen on the cake. He smeared a bit of icing on his face/body and that was about it. He did not put his hands in it at all. I will say that a little bit of icing goes a long way though. Kai did get a bath before rejoining his party after his cake.

Kai got to visit Santa again this year. I am sure that he did not remember last year at all. He did not cry but was very curious. He had to check out his beard and had a very serious face. (The Santa at Southgate was awesome by the way) We did get some smiles once Kai noticed that Grandpa and Nan were watching him.

Our fella is now 24 lbs and 3 oz and is 31 inches tall. He is in the 90th percentile for height and 75th percentile for weight.

Now for our biggest news....KAI IS WALKING. He took his first unassisted steps on Nov 28, 2008. He was standing beside me and just started walking towards his dad. I will admit that I got teary eyed. He took a good four steps. Later that night he was a walking machine. He took ten to twelve steps across his grandparent's kitchen. We are in so much trouble. And to top that off I am very confident that Kai said Dadda.

Big thanks to Uncle Evan for watching over our little man this past year. We love you and miss you.

Playing in the snow

Kai had so much fun playing in the snow. Well actually he was just sitting in it as his snowsuit does not allow for much movement. We let him go without mittens for a bit so he could feel what the snow felt like.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all. We had the best time taking Kai trick or treating for the first time. And he was way too cute dressed as a pumpkin. Our first stop was at Opa's. Kai knocked on the door and got a full size Hersey's dark chocolate bar (his parents were very happy to split that one).

Then we headed to the mall. When Kai is bigger we will head outside for our trick or treating. Kai loved seeing all the people and walking with daddy. We only got a bit of candy as it will be Simon and I who have to eat it. Nan and Grandpa met us at the mall for a couple of laps. It was such a good time.

11 months

Kai is now 11 months old. Where does the time go? He is 30 1/2 inches tall and 23 lbs.

Life is a bit more challenging now that Kai is mobile. He pulls himself up on everything and is way too fast. He says "mum" now which is very sweet. Simon is working on "dad" with Kai. No luck so far. Kai loves his daddy very much. They play catch together and chase each other around. It is very cute.

And He's Off

Kai is becoming more and more mobile every day. He is constantly pulling himself up on furniture, toys and in his crib. He is very proud of himself. I am pleased that he is starting to be able to get himself down from where ever he is standing. It makes life a lot easier. Our little man is also walking with the assistance of his bright pink car. For the record, his new set of wheels comes from a very kind older cousin (who is a girl).

Man On The Move

Kai is a man on the move. He has started crawling and is getting to be quite fast. He is still super frustrated that he cannot walk yet but it won't be long now. He is getting better balance and has started to pull himself up on the furniture. Look out world, here he comes.

10 Months

The little man is now 10 months old. He weighs 22 lbs 6 3/4 oz and is 29 1/2 inches tall. He has 8 teeth now and is starting to work on more (I think so due the fact that his gums are totally swollen). Kai loves to examine his toys and is very curious still. Frustration is a big emotion for him right now. Kai is dying to be more mobile but lacks the physical skill. He wants to walk all the time (Simon and I have the backaches to prove it).

Our Trip Out East

On September 9 th we headed out east for a fantastic family vacation with my parents. We visited Montreal, Pembroke, the Quebec countryside and Quebec City for 2 weeks. Kai was a great traveller.

He had many firsts on this trip....first flight, first taste of a Fairmont bagel, seeing family for the first time. He was great on the plane. He had a lot of fun looking out the window with daddy. He did get a bit bored during the flight but was a real trooper.

We got to visit with my family including my Grandmaman who will be 90 this February. We took a trip out to Ontario to see Laura, Gabi and Steven. They really need to live closer. Gabi had lots of fun toughening Kai up. We were very touched to be included in a very significant moment when Steven proposed to Laura. I cried.

Kai was a very adventurous eater on our trip. He tried anything we put in front of him, as long as he could eat it himself. He does not like to be fed anymore. It was very cute on the flight home watching him eat his rye bread and cream cheese sandwich. He is still a big fruit lover.

Our trip to Quebec City was a real treat. Kai got to spend some quality time with Grand-dad while Simon and I took a carriage ride. It was nice to spend some time alone, looking at the beautiful scenery. Quebec City should be a must see on every one's list.

We went to the Biodome in Montreal and Kai had a ton of fun looking at all the fish and penguins. He was super excited.

The only thing that was not great about our trip was that Kai was teething the entire time. He got on tooth the day before we left and a second one the day we got home. He still tried so hard to be happy despite the pain. We are very lucky to have such a wonderful little boy.

9 Months

The little man is now 9 months old. He is 21 lbs 12 oz and 29 1/4 inches tall. He has 5 teeth and is currently working on some more. Kai is super busy and very curious. He has to inspect every angle of his toys and does not seem to miss anything. We are looking forward to a trip out to Quebec and Ontario in September. I am sure it will be quite the adventure travelling with Kai. He is still a major flirt and is very quick to smile at the ladies.

Lots of Summer Fun

We are having a lot of fun this summer. Kai has experienced many new things. Swinging, strawberries, ice cream cones, swimming in the lake, sliding. Kai and I spent 6 fantastic days in Sylvan Lake this month. The weather was awesome and we had so much fun. Kai got to play with his cousins and aunts and uncles. I got to have a bit of a break with the all the extra hands. My parents are the best.

Kai also got 3 new teeth while we were on holidays. They are all across the top of his mouth. Poor little fella suffered. By the time Simon came out for the weekend those teeth were in and Kai was very excited to see him.

It was so cool to see Kai try all the new experiences this summer. He loves swinging and sliding. We are going to have to make trips to the park now. Kai even loved the water. It was cold for the first few seconds but then he was having a great time, chillin' out in the waves.

8 months old

Our little man is now 8 months old. He has started to scoot across the floor on his bum and has waved once. It is amazing how much he has changed in the last month. He is now 20 lbs 10 1/2 oz and 29 inches tall. He is currently working on cutting another tooth (finally) and is as curious as ever.

We are all enjoying swimming lessons and have recently purchased a backpack carrier for Kai. He seems to enjoy going for walks up high on Daddy's back. Way more things to see.

I am a fish

Our little fella has officially started taking swimming lessons. Kai had his first lesson on Saturday and was great. In typical Kai fashion, he was very laid back floating around in the water. Simon was the parent in the pool with him and I think that Kai really had fun with his daddy. He was splashing and smiling. It was some good boy bonding.

7 months old

Kai is now 7 months old. He is getting so big. He weighs 20 lbs and 6 oz and is still 28 inches long. We are happy to report that he is very active and curious. Separation anxiety is just starting to develop and he has taken a few assisted steps (I don't think he really knew what he was doing but still).

Kai has also got to meet his great grandparents from England. Simon's grandparents have come for a visit and are quite smitten with the little fella. He has lots of smiles for them as well.

So big already

Our little boy is getting so big. He is now 19 lbs and 14 oz. We have moved him into a "big" car seat. It has taken some getting use to for all of us. Now when Kai falls asleep in the car, we end up waking him up to transfer him into the house. He is very good at waking up as soon as we get home. It does not matter if we have gone out in the car or with the stroller. He knows when we are home. We are now forced to put Kai in carts and high chairs when we are out. He loves it. There is so much more for him to grab at and try to suck on. For us, it means more planning.

6 Months Old

Our little man is now 6 months old. I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. He is growing up way too quickly. Kai is now 19 lbs 4 oz and 28 inches long. We are shopping for the next size car seat, not an easy task. He does not like to be in his old infant seat while we drive anymore.

Our little man is becoming quite the lover of food. He is eating all types of cereal now and lots of different veggies. We are working on mastering the sippy cup as well.

Kai went on his first holiday to Canmore with Nan and Grandpa. We just went for the weekend but it was lots of fun. Even though it rained the whole weekend, we did get out to Banff and Lake Louise. Kai was a great traveller.

My two front teeth

He has done it. Kai has two little teeth on the bottom of his mouth. He got them both back in April but they were too small to get a picture of. Now they are totally visible and sharp. He is starting to work on cutting some more teeth and likes to chew on our hands.

I got to celebrate my first Mother's Day this year. It was such a nice day. The three of us just hung out.

Kai finally got to meet his cousin Gabi this past week as well. And her parents- Steve and Laura. Gabi is almost one month older than Kai. Laura and I have shared all the wonderful and not so wonderful aspects of pregnancy and motherhood together. I just wish that they did not live in Ontario. It was so great spending time with them.

5 months old

Our big boy is now 5 months old. It is amazing how quickly time flies. Kai is 17 lbs 14 3/4 oz and 26 1/2 inches tall. He has one tiny little tooth that has poked out of his gums and another one that is starting to. Kai is now eating rice cereal and will be moving on to more exciting foods right away. It is just so crazy how much changes in one month.

Simon and I have had the pleasure of several new experiences as well this month. First off...teething. It sucks. We have survived round one and are rallying together to get through the next two years. Damn you teeth. We have both been "spit on" following a mouthful of cereal. Simon is much more successful than I when it comes to feeding Kai. He makes way better yum yum yum noises. We have seen the first of what will be many temper tantrums I am sure. Kai now arches his back and lets out a cry of protest when he is all done sitting on our laps. This has only occurred when he is tired and trying very hard not to fall asleep while drinking his bottle...so far.

We really cannot complain too much though. What has seemed like hell for us is really a walk in the park compared to some parents experiences. We have really lucked out with our little fella. He just rocks.

Such a big boy

Our little fella is such a big boy now. We went swimming today for the first time with Grandmaman, Auntie Mich and Sophie. Kai was great in the water. It did not phase him at all. He was totally mellow, just relaxing in the water. I will post photos once we get them back from developing. We took an underwater camera with us.

My Duckie Tub

Kai has had a few "first" experiences this past week. He got a new tub and had his first big boy bath. He loves his duckie bath. He started watching his first hockey playoffs with his dad. I have been shipped to the bedroom to watch TV as the boys get to watch the games in the living room on the big TV. He is also watching his first Masters with his dad. I have mentioned to Simon that all of their guy time lately has revolved around the TV and was told that since it is sports related it does not count as really watching TV.

Sitting and jumping around

Our little boy can sit. He is able to sit by himself for about a minute or more, as long as he is not looking up. It is crazy. He still has not turned over again on his own but he sits.

We got him a "jumparoo" the other day and he loves it. I was not too sure about having him jump in a door frame all the time in the old style jolly jumper. He almost hit his head a few times. The jumparoo is just like an exersauser but he can jump. Now I know he is jumping around safely.

4 months old

Our little man is now 4 months old. Time is going by way too quickly. Kai is now 16 lbs 5 3/4 oz and 26 inches long. Thank goodness we spent the extra money and got the infant car seat that is good up to 30 inches. He has grown out of so many cute outfits, so I guess a big shopping is in order. Sorry Daddy.

Kai loves to chat and is very quick to smile. He is also a big flirt. Always a smile for the ladies. We reached a milestone the other day when Kai rolled over from his tummy to his back. I know that he did not know how he did it but I was so proud of him. Simon and I keep trying to get him to do it again but so far we have not been lucky.

Wow

Just a quick note to say that our little man is now 16 lbs. He is a very active guy who has discovered the joys of the jolly jumper. Kai went in it today for the very first time and took all of 3 minutes to figure out how to jump. He went to town for a good 20 minutes after that. I think that we are going to have our hands full.

The little guy

Kai's personality is really starting to show. He loves to smile and giggle at people. Even when he is tired he still seems to be in a good mood. We are very lucky.

I have given up on the notion of a daytime nap for the little guy. He will sleep sometimes but ususally not for more than 20-30 minutes at a time. Just enough time for one REM cycle. He is great sleeping at night, so I really can't complain. I guess we just have to deal with it. He likes to be awake during the day and prefers to sleep at night. He will have a nap in the early evening and then go down for 6-8 hours before his next feeding.

It is fun to watch him discover his world. He like to grab his toys and put them straight into his mouth. He has discovered his knees and is starting to reach for his feet. It is a lot of fun to watch him play.

3 months already

Our little fella is now 3 months old. I can't believe how big he is getting. He now weighs 15 lbs and 2 ozs and is 24 1/2 inches long. He is a very active boy who is constantly checking out his world. I love to see him smile and hear his little giggles. He likes it when people sneeze. Especially if you have hair that flies all over the place. Dad may need to get a wig.

We are getting into our groove now. Things seem to be easier than a few months ago. I am use to functioning with less sleep now and Simon is great at picking up the slack. (sometimes with a tiny bit of coaxing) Kai is sleeping great at night and has been known to even take some naps in his crib during the day. He is chatting up a storm now. It is nice to pick him up from a sleep and hear him talking away instead of crying. I may be bias but he is a fantastic little man.

Such a big boy

Our little fella is now 14 lbs 4 oz. I cannot believe how big he is getting. It seems like just yesterday he was born and now he is chatting up a storm. He even has his favorite toys - the giraffes on his bounce chair. Kai has also discovered his hands. He loves to suck and chew on them. It is very noisy at night. I have a feeling that he will be moving to his crib very soon. I think that he is ready but Simon and I aren't just yet. I still love to look over and watch him sleep in his cradle.

Such a big boy already

I cannot believe that Kai is now 2 months old. He is growing like a weed. He weighs 12 lbs 15 1/4 oz and is 23 inches long. We survived getting our shots on the 23rd. I did not have to get any after all as I had my last inoculation in 2001. Simon was very brave and suffered a bit of a sore arm. Our little man did very well. He fell asleep soon after his shots (once in his car seat). Kai's shots were harder on Simon than him. Next time we will leave daddy at home.

Getting the low down from my cousin.

Kai is now 8 weeks old and has made friends with his cousins. Sophie is very fond of him. I have a feeling she will be a big influence in his life. Which should be intertesting as she is a very busy girl.

Kai has had his first experience with the flu. He was sick for several days and got a bit dehydrated. We spent an evening at the Stollery Children's Hospital where the fantastic doctors loaded us up with some Enfalyte to rehydrate the fella. Not that Kai was too pleased. I can confidently say that he hates the stuff. I don't think that it phased Kai too much being sick. It was very hard on me though. I did not sleep at all. I woke up with every noise, worried that he was vomitting. Surprisingly Kai slept very well during his bout of flu.

Next big first for us are Kai's 2 month immunization shots. Simon and I are going to be brave and update our immunization as well. All three of us are getting pricked on the 23rd. A family that cries together stays together.

6 weeks old and looking for the party

Our little fella is now 6 weeks old and he does not like to miss out on anything. Which means that he does not like to sleep during the day. We are lucky so far that he will sleep at night but he wants nothing to do with sleeping during daylight hours. (Which is why I am so behind in all my emails, photos and this blog.) He will sleep if we go for a walk or a drive. This is not so much fun during an Alberta winter. I am starting my new mom's group this week and I hope that I can get some tips from other mom's. He may not think that a nap is necessary but I do.

Kai is changing everyday. He has started to smile and will "talk" to us when we are playing with him. He is not a fan of tummy time but enjoys looking at the baby in the mirror. He has also become a very hungry hippo. It seems like we are constantly feeding him. It is amazing to see how much my son changes and develops with each passing day. I will admit that he has stolen my heart. And his daddy's too.