Three months

~ Three Months ~

• I love to suck my hand and blow bubbles.
• The world around me is so exciting that I don't want to waste a second nursing.
• My play mat is exciting and I will lay under it batting those fun little danglies for nearly an hour.
• I love to watch the world around me from someone's arms but it mellows me out, so if you are trying to get a smile out of me, give me a kiss or talk to me.
• I love cooing very loudly and smiling at people's faces and my toys.  Once I even giggled.  Sorry, mama missed catching it on her iphone.
• I really, really want to sit up.   I can't see a thing when I'm on the floor, so I am working my ab muscles these days.
• My eyebrows get really red when I am tired.
• I love to sleep a lot at night but don't really have fun getting there.
• Cribs are over-rated, I love sleeping in my car seat more than anything.
• I love music but not when I'm tired so stop singing to me after I yawn.
• Don't mistake my pout for unhappiness.  It's my neutral face.  I am the happiest baby around: A big brother who protects me (most of the time), rocks me to sleep and goes "shhhhh" when I cry, milk and lots of sleep.  What's there to complain about?
• Nicknames: Maggie, Magpie and Snouty Pout, Thing 2.

The Beaches

This past weekend, my dear friend Mandy (who I met in BC, but now lives in Ontario) drove many many hours all the way to Toronto to visit us.  Weren't we lucky!  She spoiled us with gifts and love and good conversation.  I can't begin to say how much I love having this intelligent, thoughtful and loyal friend in my life. And apparently, we get to have her around a lot more since she will be moving to Toronto!

We took her on a little jaunt to see some of the sights around Toronto, in particular 'The Beaches.'  We had lunch and sauntered the main street, went the park and finally the beach.  I have to say it was really special to spend the weekend with this girl and I was also incredibly thankful that I had her around with two little ones--especially when at the end of the day, as we were heading home with two overtired children on the verge of complete meltdowns, the stroller broke and wouldn't fold so we could get it into the car.  After every attempt to fix it, we just dismantled it as much as we could by taking the wheels and seats off and wedged it into the trunk.  I was worried for a while we might have to find some shop we could ditch it in until Jordan could pick it up in his truck.  We were a sweaty mess by the end of it and just hoped both babes would pass out in the car on the way home.  And they did, lucky us.  Which meant we were able to spend the car ride and then some just catching up on the details of our lives.     

There were so many places we could have taken Mandy, but it will just have to wait until summer.  But we are hoping we made her love it here as much as we do! 

Mandy indulged Gabriel by letting him eat all of her olives.

Ohhhh... some of my favorite spring flowers!!

Welcome to Toronto (shortly) my dear friend.

You might also like:

• Life in Toronto
• Smock: Embrace your inner artist. 
• The Junction & Family.
• Wandering around in Apple Orchards.
• The AGO
• A Warm Fuzzy Weekend.
• Toronto's Christmas Market.
• The OOAK Toronto
• A Little Date with my Littlest Guy. 
• My Sister.
• The Pre-Baby Bucket List: A "Babymoon"
• Family Skate Date.

Smock: Embrace your inner artist.

So my cousin took me to a cafe in Roncesvalles this past week, and I have to say that I LOVE everything about Smock!  If you live in the West end of Toronto, love art and have a little of your own who does, you will absolutely love this place.

We've been spending a ton of time at indoor gyms this year, which are wonderful and wear Gabriel out.  But there is something about spending all morning in a windowless warehouse in the middle of no. where. with overly bright walls that serve mediocre (read: sketchy) food.  While they keep us entertained, they sort of kill my artsy soul.  So it's places like this that make me believe there is more to this city for kids (and their parents).  If only there were more places like this!

I mean, my cousin and I actually got to sit and drink coffee while Gabriel played.  Once given a marble, he played on the marble wall for about an hour straight while I nursed Magdalene.  We stayed so long that we had a snack AND lunch.

Not sure what I love most: the neighborhood, the ease of parking right outside (on the street), the delicious, fresh and often healthy food and coffee, the green garden wall covered in plants, the vintage-y appeal, the toys for tots or the art centre located at the back.   It appeals to all my aesthetic sensibilities in every way.  In addition, they offer art workshops for kids and mommy classes in the basement.  This place is meant for kids (and their mamas). And it was definitely busy in there!  Busy enough that I would say it would be worth investing in another location even.  This is the kind of thing us mamas eat up.  Really.

Thanks Becca for another fabulous find!  

 You might also like:

• Bowling with Nana & Bumpa
• A Little Date with my Littlest Guy.
• My Sister.
• Family Skate Date.