Trip back to Charlotte!

At the beginning of March, we returned to Charlotte for the first time since moving away and enjoyed a wonderful trip.  It was so good to be back with family and friends and familiar places.

James Robert celebrated his birthday all week, starting with a celebration at Meme and Pops house where he was reunited with his best buddy, Harry!

On his birthday, we took  him on a train ride into uptown Charlotte and at his request we ate at chik-fil-a where he enjoyed his first ice cream cone. I think that was a highlight of his trip! 

Mat and I stole away to Charleston for a day trip and enjoyed every minute of the glorious sunshine- I also hit the 24 week mark of this pregnancy! 

We had the best time with Grandma and Grandpa and James Robert was over the moon with all the attention! 

We were able to catch up with lots of friends, welcome new babies and revisit our old favorite places.  More about James Robert's train birthday party is here.  

February 2016

February came and went in a flash.  There were snowy, icy days that forced many cozy, warm indoor activities.  We did manage to explore a new trail in our area, venture to lake regularly and celebrate Valentine's Day all month long with baking (it may or may not have had anything to do with being pregnant).  

January 2016

2016 kicked-off with a spectacular month.  We reached milestones in this pregnancy- hitting the 20 week mark and learning the gender! We also enjoyed wonderful family time with visitors and visiting.  From frozen lakes to waterfalls, skiing and an ice hockey rink in the back yard, it's safe to say we're doing our best to embrace the winter... last year at this time, I wouldn't have believed I would be typing that sentence.  

James Robert's First Time on Skis

While in Michigan, James Robert went skiing for the first time.  After about a 20 minutes on the bunny hill with Dad, he was ready for a lesson.  And within an hour, he took a chairlift up to the big hill and whizzed all the way down.

It was remarkable to see how well he took to it and how much be improved in such a short time.  He was fearlessly waving and kept his hands up while skiing next to his teacher down the hill-- it earned him the new nickname "ski racer" around here.


We can't wait to take him again!

Winter Up North

Northern Michigan is beautiful anytime of year; if you can brave the cold, winter has a special splendor.

We visited over a long weekend in late January and were treated to  a frozen landscape, white with snow which provided plentiful opportunities to enjoy winter activities.

Within the first hour of being there, James Robert took his inaugural sled and tested out the frozen lake.

The evening sunsets were the most picturesque time of day and despite my numerous attempts, I couldn't adequately capture the blue of the sky.  Standing out on the lake you almost couldn't tell where they sky ended and the ice began.

The snow was the perfect consistency to cut blocks and make a fort.  Mat really outdid himself with this afternoon activity and James Robert was in heaven. 

We're so thankful for family with such an open door to visitors and who takes care of us so generously.  James Robert absolutely loved having one-on-one time with this Nana, Baca and Great Aunt Kris and Uncle Peter.  

Aunt Nikki Turns 30!

Aunt Nikki came to Toronto, for the first time, in late January.  While showing her around the city, we helped celebrate her 30th birthday!

A trip to the St. Lawrence Market filled our Saturday morning and fueled the birthday cooking and baking to come.  

On Sunday, we drove to Niagra Falls.  It is about an hour from our house.  The last time we visited was in the Spring, so this was a totally different experience.

 The falls are remarkable in the winter if you can brave the cold.  The area closest to the largest waterfall is covered in a a layer of thick ice and the wintery mist is absolutely beautiful. 

We're so glad that Aunt Nikki came to visit-  we hope that the trip made her 30th Birthday especially memorable!

It's A Boy!

One of the most memorable moments of the new year, so far, was learning that baby #2 is a boy!

We bought a gender reveal cupcake for James Robert which proved to be hilarious; he was a bit confused at first:

But eventually, he realized that the frosting in the center was indeed blue.

We couldn't be more excited to welcome another little boy into our family.