BUITELAARS in the Valley

Baking Birthday Cupcakes

2010-09-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow my little baby girl turns 2. I guess she is officially a toddler but in my eyes she'll always be my baby girl. Harvie and I are working so she is celebrating the big day at her daycare. As today was my "off" day we "made" some cupcakes together. We had celebrated her birthday this past weekend with our families. The baking set was from my cousin down in Bellingham and we put it to good use already. Did we have fun baking? Let the pictures tell you!

Good Bye Summer, Welcome School!

2010-09-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

I have been counting down the days until September 7th, which marks the beginning of a new school year. I have been anticipating the big day with great joy and excitement. For some moms going back to work is a mixed emotion event. For me, I am jumping for joy like a child awaiting their first day back to school. School is home for me. Staying at home the last two years was difficult for me. Don't get me wrong, I love Adrianna far more than I love my job. The love of a parent to a child is a beautiful indicator of God's love for us. Becoming a parent has taught me far more than any other event in my life. I have such admiration to the endless work of parents. But I also know without a shadow of a doubt that I am called to be back in my classroom. Adrianna loves her daycare which we call "play school". She eagerly walks to the door and waves good bye to me without hesitation. She is surely an independent little girl. Omi, her daycare provider, lovingly calls her Miss Independent. I rest assure that she is in a loving and caring place in wonderful hands of someone who genuinely cares for her. I am learning to trust others, after all raising a child takes a village. This makes me realize how important of a job I have. Other parents do the same to their school aged children. They entrust their children's little hearts and minds to me. What a treasure that is. I pray that Adrianna will experience love through others, just like I pray that my students will experience God's love through me. I pray that as my little girl grows up that she will be impacted by other adults who serve and love a good God. I can't be there all the time or be everything for her. That task is too big for me, but not for our heavenly father. My hope for Adrianna, for my grade three students, for Harvie and for myself is that we can learn more about God through our relationships with each other. Back to school, back to routine, welcome home!

First Cousin Sleepover

2010-08-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Adrianna had her first sleepover with her one and only cousin Adalyn. It was Marlen and Sue's anniversary and we were more than excited to have 3 month baby Addie for a sleepover. Although we kept both girls in different bedrooms, we still considered it a sleepover. With time, my hope is that they will enjoy sleepovers as much as I did with my cousins. Growing up school vacation was never complete unless we went for a sleepover at each other's places. My prayer is that these two adorable cousins will become lifelong friends.

It was so cute to watch Adrianna be gentle with her baby cousin. She imitated me the whole time. While I gave Adalyn her bottle, Adrianna did the same with her doll. Her dolls also had to play in the playgym and bouncy chairs. I thought Adrianna would be more jealous, but she was so precious!

What did I do during the 24 hours with two under two? Nothing but take care of them, that is a busy job! Even though I loved our time together, I think having one is enough for me...at least for now.

Will we do this again? Absolutely, if Uncle Marlen and Auntie Sue will let us, that is. We all love you little Adalyn, you are a beautiful and precious little girl. You are welcome here anytime!

Summer Camping

2010-08-10T09:23:00.001-07:00

We went camping in the Okanagan again this year. Great weather and great friends pretty much sums up the week long adventure. We went to two different campsites with two different sets of friends. We also squeezed a visit to Mission Hills Winery, which was right in between both campistes.

The first part of our camptrip we spent at Bear Creek with some of longtime friends. We started camping when we were all single and over the years we added quite the crew. The picture goes from youngest to oldest. It was very precious to see Adrianna try to keep up with this little gang!

Camping certainly makes a toddler quite dusty. A quick nighttime bath was a must each evening to remove all the daytime fun dirt.

But the hightlight was definitely the water. Although still cold for my Brazilian blood, a daily dip in the lake was a welcome cooling for the hot Okanagan weather. Even Adrianna enjoyed floating on the water. Hopefully she will come to love swimming in the water too!

Looking so much more like a child these days....

We rented a tent-trailer this year. I don't think we (or should I just say "I") will be going back to tenting. We are definitely going to be investing in something like this for next year. Adrianna and Harvie LOVE the outdoors so there is no better holiday for them than this.

Adrianna was in all her glory from the minute she woke up in the morning...but trying to make this little girl sleep when there is fun to be had outdoors was quite the challenge at times. We had to find creative ways for her to nap...

The second part of the trip was spent at Okanagan South. It's the third year we venture that way with some great work friends of mine.

The tradition continues...a visit to Summerland Sweets with a big ice-cream treat!

Spending lazy mornings at the beach...that is my kind of holiday. However with a toddler around, there wasn't much relaxing time for us. But it was still fun watching her enjoy beachtime her way.

Bins serve dual duty when camping!

It was a great family trip. It was well worth the days of packing and unpacking, organizing and reorganizing, laundry piles and extra pounds (camping food is great!). Summer camping, it had me a blast; Summer camping it happened too fast!

Priceless Smiles

2010-07-17T14:38:00.001-07:00

Feeling quite accomplished after trying to sit her doll and herself in one small basket...

This little smile melts my heart! So precious and sweet (and quite mischievous at times)!

Hopefully our upcoming camping trip can bring many of these smiles to both, Harvie and Adrianna. Although camping is not my idea of a relaxing holiday, I am looking forward to spending time with friends, catching up, not worrying about cleaning a house and maybe even some swimming in the lake.

Our Funny Little Girl

2010-07-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

This is our little girl at bedtime. What used to be the most challenging time of the day when she was a baby has become the most enjoyable now that she is a toddler. After her bath and bedtime bottle (yes, I know time to take away the bottles...) she becomes so much fun. At times we just don't want to put her down for the night, especially because on most nights Harvie has just walked through the door. Sometimes we know we keep her up too late these summer days, but that's the price we pay for enjoying some daddy time.

This is the reason I hold off folding laundry until Adrianna is napping or asleep for the night. If I leave the laundry basket anywhere within her reach, she begins to put on the clothes, regardless of whose it is...or if it clean or not. That's right, even her parents' underwear is fair game. I should really take a picture of that for her future embarassement! On a positive note, if I need a few minutes of peace and quiet, a filled (folded is even more inviting) laundry basket can keep this busy toddler occupied and engaged for quite some time.

Hup Holland, Hup!

2010-07-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

The World Cup soccer final match is only a couple of hours away. Some in our household have been cheering Holland since the beginning, some only after Holland beat the five time world champion, Brazil. The orange clothes have been worn for a while now, and I know at least one person in our home is hoping that orange will be the colour many will wear after today's game. Will Holland become the world champion for the first time? And, although still sad that it isn't the samba kings that are in this game, I am cheering for the dutchies...after all, I have a half-dutch little blondie in my life that kept pointing at the dutch flag over the brazilian flag whenever we would ask who the better team was or who would win the World Cup. That's right, we don't need a octopus to tell us, only a busy and adorable little toddler! The table of chairs were bought in honour of the dutch flag. I am not sure the more costly Ikea colours (over plain pine) would have been approved by Harvie had they been yellow and green....

Summer, At Last!

2010-07-10T11:56:00.001-07:00

We have been enjoying some hot weather this past week, much to Adrianna's enjoyment. The pool is set up and the backyard and deck has become our favourite places to enjoy the warmth and cool off from the heat.

A Surprise Little Visit

2010-06-28T15:45:00.001-07:00

At around 11:30am last Monday morning, we had an very unusual surprise visit in our backyard. Good think I was inside with Adrianna and our neighbours caught this shot from their back deck. Harvie had put some pineapple peels in the compost so I guess the sweet smell was just too tempting for the bear cub. The scary thought I now have is: Where is Mama Bear and when will I get a visit from her?

Father's Day

2010-06-21T13:33:00.001-07:00

Adrianna is definitely daddy's little girl. Nothing makes both, dad and daughter, happier than spending the day outdoors. So for Father's Day we kept it close to home and went for a little stroll in the woods to celebrate the day. We took the chance to take some father/daughter pictures to remember the day.

One thing is for certain, Adrianna, nothing makes daddy smile more than when you run to him and give him a great big hug, say "datty", or just do the little things you do that make you you! From the first moment daddy held you in his arms when you were born, you stole his heart and became his little princess. He loves you so much!

We took a peek at the carshow in Mission, which is held every year on Father's Day. Quite impressive!

I am so thankful for Harvie. He is an incredible father to our sweetheart. His kindness, peacefulness, gentleness, playfulness are truly admirable. There are certainly much I can learn from him. He makes me want to be a better parent, spouse, daughter and friend. Although this post is a little late, my Father's Day wish for you is that you will know and experience many blessings in this coming year as a Father. May Adrianna's first words of "datty" be one of many joyous moments to come. Know that we are your biggest fans!

Graduation, At Last!

2010-06-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

This journey began nearly four years ago. Back in the spring of 2006 I began contemplating pursuing graduate studies. After looking into various programs, I chose to apply to the SFU Field Programs Graduate Studies. The first two years I spent with a cohort in Abbotsford in a graduate diploma program called "Exploring Mathematical Literacy". After completing those two years, I debated whether or not to continue on with the Masters or just to graduate with a diploma. So much had happened, I had Adrianna and life had been forever altered. It was a hard decision, because I knew I couldn't go back to work, complete a masters, and take care of Adrianna (and Harvie, the house, etc). So I looked into a leave of absence from work and if that got approved (and I got accepted into the program) then I really knew this was my path to take. So it was, that in May of 2009 I began to purse my Masters of Education in Educational Practice (what a mouthful that is!). And, finally the end is here. After much $$$ and hard work, the graduation day came.

Joining the 4 step graduation program...

But before the gown return...the processional. It was a really long, but amazing experience!

Walking right passed Harvie during the processional...not planned at all! We didn't take Adrianna since it would be a long event for a busy toddler to attend.

After walking the stage, a picture moment with Shawn. We started the same graduate diploma back in 2006, took the same Master's program, but in different cohorts, yet stayed competitive all throughout the four years. I couldn't have had a better competitor and colleague in this journey.

And finally, my biggest supported and encourager through these last four years. When it all was too much for me, when I didn't believe in myself, when I needed someone to proofread and edit countless pages of teacher-research, when I needed someone to listen to my ideas, when I needed someone to build a model bridge, Harvie was there for me and with me. I couldn't have done this without Harvie. This degree is his as much as it is mine. Thank you!

And this is how I really feel! Yes, a little bit silly, crazy, and excited, but what more can you ask after so much reflective critical thought?

Where to go from here? That's too much for me to think about now. I am looking forward to going back to work in September (well, it all starts already in July...whoever thinks teachers have the summer off doesn't really know the profession first hand). I am teaching grade 3 this coming year, after six years of teaching grade two. I did teach one year of grade three prior to MEI when I first started teaching. I am sure there will be challenges, but I know that the classroom is the place I need to be next year. I feel incredibly blessed to have a job that I love in a profession that I know God has called me for. He has and will continue to pave the way for me in journey as a learner and a teacher. I look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead. And, just like Harvie's comment his graduation card for me, "Oh the places you'll go!" (Dr. Seuss). I rest in God's promise that he will take me to the places I need to go.

Mother's Day

2010-05-12T13:59:00.001-07:00

I do think the intention of Mother's Day was to have the mother have a special day where they perhaps take it easy and enjoy the day. I sure didn't take it easy but I certainly enjoyed the day. We went off to Vancouver for the annual Sun Run but for us it was more of a sun walk this year. The day was beautfiul and Adrianna loved being outside and watching the action from the stroller. Harvie walked the first and last km with her on his shoulders much to her delight. This Mother's Day was more of a treat for her and watching Adrianna and Harvie enjoy themselves that much is the best Mother's Day present I could have asked for.

After the race we headed to our favourite playground by Marlen and Sue's place and had a picnic with the Buitelaars. It was great to sit back and let Adrianna run around after she had been sitting in a stroller for a couple of hours.

Uncle Marlen also treasured some time with his niece...getting a little taste of what is in store for him any day now. We are awaiting the arrival of baby Joey...who seems to be extra comfortable inside and with no rush to enter the world outside. Come soon baby Joey, Adrianna wants to meet her first cousin soon!

I am so thankful for the joy and love that Adrianna brings into our lives. Although being a mom is the hardest and toughest job I ever experienced, it is one that is filled with treasurable moments that have changed me and will continue to do so. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Flower Girl

2010-05-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

Every little girls dream...to be a flower girl! Well, at least it was mine growing up. When I was three I had the honour of being my aunt's flower girl but unfortunately on the big day I stubbornly decided I wasn't going to walk down the aisle. Years later I had the chance of being a flower girl. It was a memory I still treasure...the white dress, the hair, the nervous butterflies in my stomach. For Adrianna, having the honour of being a flower girl came at only 19.5 months at my cousin Sandy's wedding on May 1st. We weren't sure she would actually do it, but I am proud and happy to report that she did it! Since it will be Harvie that may walk her down the aisle one day, he was the one standing at the back of the church and I was at the front. She didn't quite get the walking down...she ran down the aisle! She was supposed to walk with a little boy a couple of months younger. During the dress rehearsal she started off with him but then he took off and ran down the aisle. Well, not be be outdone by him the second time...he hesitated at first and Adrianna started alone. Half way down the aisle she turned around, looked back and saw him coming. That was her cue to run! She was going to win this race. The cutest part was when she got to the front of the church she turned around looked at everyone and started clapping, proud of her accomplishment! It was so precious that everyone started clapping! I only stopped the short video a little too soon to capture that beautiful moment. We took a few pictures after the wedding, but taking pictures of an active toddler is a challenging task! Here are a few of her big day...and of course Sandy's big day too!

New Beginnings

2010-04-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

New Life, New Start, New Beginnings. That's what Easter represents to me this year. Although we were sad to miss the Easter service because of Adrianna sickness, we still rejoiced in remembering that Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to you and me. I am glad we celebrate it every year because it reminds me to continually start fresh again, to surrender all that I have and who I am to the Maker and Author of Love. We enjoyed spending time with family this Easter. On Saturday we had a wonderful lunch at Marlen's place. They prepapred a wonderful meal and even made a special little pie just for Adrianna. This is probably the last get together before the arrival of the next baby Buitelaar. Harvie and I can't wait to become Uncle and Aunt for the first time and meet Adrianna first little cousin. Baby Joey (how we all call the little one for now) is already deeply loved by us all. On Sunday we had the Peters extended family gathering. Adrianna enjoyed running around the kids while they searched for their Easter baskets. She didn't quite find hers this year...even though it was on plain sight! But she did spot the chocolate bunny once we gave her the basket!

I also rejoice in the fact that I am finished my Masters of Education. This is the bridge model for my presentation that Harvie and I put together. Yes, I couldn't quite do this one myself, Harvie's engineer skills came quite handy. Marlen also helped us out by finding some drawings we could use as a model. I used the metaphor of "Bridge Building" to weave my paper and presentation together. I have to say that I have a new found appreciation to the design process and other engineering terms. It was really neat to finally understand a little more of Harvie's world. This past week I started dealing with the aftermath of finishing a masters. The living room and dining room have served as my study room. I can finally see the top of the dining table again...but there are still many piles of papers, articles, and books to deal with. It will take another week to get it all organized, filed, and cleaned up. And then, there is the rest of the house which was somewhat neglected the last couple of months. I am looking forward to the next couple of months where I won't have studies on my mind whereever I go.

Adrianna has recently began to play more with her toys. It's so beautiful to watch her line up her animals, stack blocks and build towers, and play with her tea set. I am trying to expand her attention by playing with her, but she is quite busy and likes to move from one thing to the next very quickly. She has finally gotten more teeth, with her pre-molars (I think that's the name) just breaking through these last couple of weeks. This next month I hope to wean her off the bottles (or at least only keep the before bed one). We'll see how that goes.

This past Sunday we met Marlen and Sue in the Tulip field in Burlington. We haven't taken too many day trips with Adrianna because she doesn't sleep well anywhere but her own crib. It was a very warm day. When we got to there, Adrianna didn't quite know what to do with herself...she LOVES flowers and I think she was so excited to run from place to place and admire the beautiful vibrant tulips. I was even amazed, who knew there were so many varieties and colours? Of course, we loved the orange ones! She didn't take a nap there even though we put her in the stroller and walked the perimeter of the field. It wasn't until we were heading home just before five that she finally slept in the car for half an hour. We had such a good time and it reminded me that sometimes I have to let go of trying to maintain her nap schedule to have a fun family day. We need to start having more of days like these and I look forward to having them more often this summer now that my weekends are not spent up at SFU.

We are heading to Seattle for the weekend with Adrianna. We are celebrating finishing my studies (hopefully for good) and Harvie's birthday. Seattle is a special place for us. Harvie lived there for three/four years while we were dating and we have many favourite spots we like to hit while we are there. This is the first time we take Adrianna along and we hope she likes it just as much as we do. On our ambitious list: Outlet Malls, Seattle Zoo, Downtown, Wild Ginger, Zeenas or Thai Tom, a park or two, getting my ring cleaned and checked, and just spending time together the three of us. Let the weekend begin!

March

2010-04-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

Adrianna is now 18 months old. Although she is now considered a toddler, she is still our precious baby. She is doing well, growing and developing with each passing week. She has had some weight gains and recovered her percentile (50% weight, 70% length, 90% head) which makes me feel more at peace when having one of our meal battles. Yes, she is still a picky eater, but it is getting easier. Her number one passtime inside the house is looking at books. Harvie decided to build her a little wall with her big books and she loved it...now I have to build the little wall each time she sees these big books...

She also loves to be active, even inside the house. She can be found climbing the couch, pushing the stroller around, jumping on pillows, playing on the stairs or emptying the cupboard that still are not toddler proof. The latest fascination is playing with the broom.

I am glad that my final paper is handed in. I have my final presentation on April 10th before I can say that I am finished. It's been a long year of trying to read and write when Adrianna naps. To get some writing done, Harvie and my mom pitched in to take Adrianna for part of the day away from the house so I could focus. Not that Adrianna minds, since she loves to visit both sets of grandparents. She even has my mom going down slides with her!

Harvie continues to be incredibly busy with work. It's been a challenging couple of months trying to balance work and family. We treasure the moments we have together, mainly on weekends. Every now and then, he manages to get home before 7:30 just in time to kiss Adrianna good night. And, once in a while, even in time for her bath...

We are thankful for the opportunities that we have with work and study. We try remembering that even though these are challenging at times, that through it we learn and grow. I am looking forward to the end of the month when I no longer have studies in my mind. Harvie will continue to be busy through the summer and fall until construction is completed. But, we also pray that this is just a season for Harvie. For now, we just look forward to the Easter long weekend when we together can remember Jesus' sacrifice and celebrate his everlasting gift for us. Easter blessings to you all!

The 2010 Olympics

2010-02-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

It's certainly exciting to have such an international event close to home. We are in the second week of the Winter Olympics and have certainly enjoyed it. It has been hard for Harvie to focus on work when just outside his office stands the burning flame and a sea of people. For me, it's been hard to focus on cutting down my paper in half...I have written just under 100 pages but need to cut it down to a maximum of 50 pages. So what to do? Put it all on hold, take in the Olympic moment, for the it will be gone too soon. I ventured down to Vancouver to meet Harvie Friday afternoon with the other thousands of people. It was an adventure to remember. What a sight it was to see Vancouver! Here are some of the pictures Harvie has taken over the last week.

These were the top 6 highlights of our Olympic Adventure according to Adrianna...

Topping the list as #1: The Playground at Yaletown! I know, not an Olympic event, but for our little toddler it sure was. Her laughter and smiles deserve a gold medal!

#2: The flowers on the walkway in Coal Harbour. Flowers are one of Adrianna's favourite things. Her word for flower is "tsi" thanks to my mom always pretending to sneeze when Adrianna points at a flower.

#3: Visiting Daddy's office and running around the maze of cubicles. It was a good thing the office was quite empty...

#4: Being entertained by the crowds of people.

#5: Sitting on Daddy's shoulder for the majority of the time (hard to see anything sitting in the stroller).

#6: The train adventure! And what an experience that was. It was incredible busy on the way back and she refused to sit on my lap. She sat on the floor and was thoroughly entertained by the people around. Even though she stayed up past her bedtime, she was such a joy!

So, with less than one week left, we are cheering for Canada! Go Canada go!

Busy Life!

2010-02-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Well...what have we been up to? Life just seems to be passing us by these days. Harvie is incredibly busy with his work, working long hours and even on weekends. He will continue to be this busy until the end of March. I have had some Saturday and Sunday classes and jave been trying to work on my big paper. I have only nine weeks left on my masters, but there is much to do before I can say I am finished. My paper is due on March 29th and my presentation April 10th, 11th, or 17th (date not yet assigned). Adrianna has been keeping us very busy too. Active doesn't even begin to describe our little princess. She is in love with walking and the outdoors. Since the weather has been so nice, we have left the house in the mornings for a long walk and going to the park most afternoons. I am very thankful that she has been cooperating and taking one longer nap midday. I quite like the one nap thing...it gives me a longer block to write my paper and more time to enjoy the sunny outdoors (sunny at least for now...winter has to arrive sometime!). Here are some pictures of Adrianna enjoying the park...

First Steps

2010-01-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Finally, after months of waiting, Adrianna is learning to walk. During the Christmas season she began demonstrating interest in walking. Because she is such an independent little girl, she did not welcome any help from us. One day, Harvie just put the little walker in front of her (we had tried it time and time again) and off she went!

After a couple of weeks of using the walker, one day without us paying much attention she took three steps at my mom's place. The same day, at home she took six steps. We got the camera, and waited, and waited. Sure enough, she did it again.

Here she is again, just before her bath. I don't think it will be long now until she is walking!

Christmas Celebrations

2009-12-31T11:41:00.001-08:00

Christmas is a time of celebrations. Celebrating Jesus' birth. Celebrating God's gift to us. Celebrating with family, friends and food. Christmas is receiving God's love wrapped up and given to us through the birth of a child. I love Christmas and part of it is giving gifts to those around me. I see gift giving as a symbol of Christmas because of God's gift to us. I give with love, I receive with love. Gift giving is partaking in the miracle that Christmas really is. It's sharing love and joy, wrapped up in a present.

We celebrated Christmas early with my family. My dad and brother headed down to Brazil for Christmas. My cousin and her family came from Bellingham to join us. Adrianna was very entertained by the three boys. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures, but my cousin did. Unfortunately, her camera wasn't working well, so these are the best shots.

The presents that are the biggest hit in our house: the Little Tikes Wheels from Oma and Opa Buitelaar and the Princess Tent from Oma and Opa Duck.

On Wednesday, December 23rd, we celebrated Christmas with Harvie's family. We had turkey dinner first. This is the sixth year we host the Christmas dinner and each year we improve it a little. This year we added ham to the feast. It was great to be together and catch up. Next year we'll have another little Buitelaar around the table with the arrival of Marlen and Sue's little one in May. We are thrilled for them! Sue is beautiful pregnant and Harvie and I can't wait to become aunt and uncle for the first time!

Adrianna chose to eat goldfish crackers instead of the delicious meal. She doesn't realize what she is missing out on!

We couldn't resist and buy a Christmas gift from Adrianna to her cousin to be. As soon as Sue opened up the gift, Adrianna was eager to play with it. Thankfully I had thought ahead and bought one for her too. Sophie the giraffe has become one of her favourite toys now.

A cozy sweater from Oma Buitelaar.

And the big present from all: her own set of wheels!

It was quite the hit! She kept going in and out of this part of the car. It kept her happy past her bedtime, quite a challenging task at times!

Of course with two engineer brothers, they tried to put the car together right away. But they don't make it easy to put together...it becomes quite comic to watch, but not so fun for those putting it together. It took Harvie a good portion of Christmas eve day to make all the parts fit together!

Cozy sweaters for Oma and Opa Buitelaar...

December 24th, Christmas even morning. Harvie stayed home and before having breakfast, Adrianna just coudn't wait until Christmas day to give her present to daddy, a duo-blokus game, a vest/tie/shirt combo and some Rafaello chocolates. Harvie surprised me with beautiful earrings inside a box of hedgehog chocolates.

December 24th, Christmas eve, we got all dressed up and headed for a beautiful candlelight service at our Church. It was the first time we spent Christmas even just the three of us and I love it! It was quiet, calm and relaxing. (After finishing this post I realized I hadn't fixed the red-eyes...oh well, too late now!)

December 25th, Christmas morning comes with presents for the little girl. We all stayed in our pajamas for the big event. Adrianna was excited to rip the paper, more so than to see what was inside. Each gift was first seen as a place for sitting. Good thing there wasn't anything breakable!

Slowly, the gift wrapping was ripped...

But first, before enjoying its contents, let's jump on the box a little more!

Every little girl needs a doll for Christmas!

No, the little spoon is for your doll!

Ahh, a kiss for the new doll!

I think Adrianna likes her Christmas gifts!

After church and Adrianna's nap, we headed to my mom's place for a late lunch and more presents. First we called my dad in Brazil to wish him a Merry Christmas. We certainly missed Jeff and my dad on Christmas day, but we know he is enjoying his time with family in warm Curitiba. Aunt Jeni spoiled Adrianna with the Barbie camper. It will match the Barbie camping family she gave Adrianna for her birthday. Aunt Jeni is building Adrianna's Barbie collection. She is one lucky girl!

My mom gave three different dog stuffies to Adrianna, each one welcomed with a big hug, kiss and cuddles. Why is it that they receive her affection and we have to beg for it?

Now, the best gift of all. Harvie got a mooning Santa from my mom. Adrianna was cuirous and entertained by it.

On Sunday, December 27th, we had the Peters Family Christmas at Aunt Lydia's place. It was so nice to celebrate with the big family, enjoying a delicious meal and the chaos of opening gifts with eager children. Adrianna received books and stuffies, two of her most favourite things! My cousin Sandy took pictures during the gathering, which I'll post later.

On Monday, December 28th, Harvie's airport group had a holiday dinner at Gotham Restaurant. We took Adrianna along and she was the life of the party. Thankfully they had booked the private room. Adrianna spent most of the time crawling under the tables and walking alongside the perimeter of the room.

Adrianna decided to help out the staff at Gothams by taking down the Christmas decorations from the tree.

This is the fun Adrianna had while we ate the main course. Oh the fun a toddler can have!

We hope your Christmas was a joyous one. We hope the love and peace of Christmas follows you into the new year. May we spread God's love into 2010!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-12-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

Let's start with the most important...Christ's birth. Thanks to my Aunt Cindy's present to Adrianna last Christmas, we took out from our "Christmas" bins this little "play" cloth nativity scene. I tried to "explain" it to Adrianna...here is how Adrianna understood it...

Oh, these cloth figures, I think I will try tasting it...

Oh, and the stable, this is what I can do with it! Maybe next year I will try telling her the story again...

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree! Protecting the tree from a curious toddler takes creativity.
.

But she finds her own creative ways to get close to it!

What a sight it must be for a little one, to have a real tree in the house.

A visit with Santa...

Harvie's work has a "family" Christmas party every year. This year it was up at Grouse Mountain. He ventured out with Adrianna, a diaper bag, snowsuit and accessories, stroller, courage and patience to the party without me. I had this semester's final class and had to miss the great event. Looks like it was fun...so much to see and do! A taste of Mr. Winter Wonderland.

Lucky for me, Mr. Winter Wonderland made a visit this past Sunday. Yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Where's the baby?

Christmas tree is decorated. Presents are mostly bought, some are even wrapped! Our winter village is up. Christmas cards were sent. I hope the cards find their way to your home. May you find the peace, joy and hope of Christ in your hearts. Oh, come Emmanuel!

Christmas Season is Here!

2009-12-10T18:54:00.001-08:00

Christmas season has arrived! Christmas tree is up, cards are sent, shopping nearly completed and elf mission accomplished! (Until I figure out how to attach it again to the blog, here is the connection)

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/U7xCb3p5fSbdIEwM

Farewell October Leaves, Welcome November Winds

2009-11-03T09:53:00.001-08:00

The October leaves have fallen and we've been almost tooy busy to fully take in their beauty. Harvie has been working many hours in various projects. I have been working on my masters. I had the opportunity to TOC in the classroom I am doing my field work for an entire week. I took Adrianna to daycare the entire week. I had a little glimpse of what a working mom's life is like, and let me tell you...it's a busy one. It reaffirmed that the decision to take a year off to complete my studies was indeed the right one. Anyways, I'll let the pictures do the talking, after all a picture is worth a thousand words...

This is a picture from the MCC Sale back in September. We have a Friday dinner tradition that my grandfather began years ago . Going this year felt a little bit sad because it was the first time I went that he wasn't there. I missed it last year because I had just given birth to Adrianna. We did have a great time and Adrianna had a little taste of traditional Menno food. Yummy!

To balance out our Menno-Dutch influences, we headed out to the opening of the New West Dutch store for some good croquetes and dutch cheese. We couldn't resist the photo opportunity...
Now, this is one exciting place to explore, don't you think so?

This is what Adrianna thinks of cuddling in with someone:

One of Adrianna's favourite things to do: head for the stairs and climb, climb and climb. She is trying to learn making her way down, a little more frightening for mom!

Enjoying the beauty of fall...

On a sunny Sunday afternoon we went to the pumpkin patch. It was the first for Harvie, Adrianna and myself. Adrianna was feverish that day so she didn't want to smile for the pictures...a little fresh air is just what she needed, she just didn't know it!

One of our few family pictures... (I've noticed that most only have one of us)

This was our first really bad nose bleed with Adrianna...poor little girl met the the kitchen floor nose first one morning.

I've learned that one must secure a Halloween costume early on...all the cute ones were sold by mid-October. Thanks to Andrea, Adrianna was a cute kitten. Unfortunately, our little kitten was starting to get quite sick (with croup we later learned) and rather than going trick or treat, we headed to ER in order to administer something to make her breathe easier.

The November winds are upon us. The weather has changed and with that the fall-back of our clocks. What used to be a the best night of the year for me, is no longer. Little ones just don't appreciate an extra hour of sleep like we do. Adrianna's bedtime is now 6 o'clock, keeping her up longer than that just seems cruel. Especially when she's had croup that now developed into bronchitis. Poor little girl, hasn't slept well for a few nights, and neither have Harvie and I. We are both under the weather too. November winds, please blow away quickly and let the Christmas season emerge with warm greetings and blessings of health not only for our household but to all!

First Birthday Celebrations

2009-09-29T15:25:00.001-07:00

A year's gone by,

How time has flown,

We can't believe

How Adrianna's grown!

She's such a joy

And so much fun,

Oh my! Our baby's

Turned One!

Unknown Author

September 16th, 2009

It was morning of Adrianna's first birthday. Harvie stayed home in the morning to celebrate the grand occasion. Of course, it is the one day that Adrianna decided to sleep in, but we waited patiently for her to wake up. The first order of the day: open birthday presents! It took her a little bit of time to figure out what was happening...she kept crawling away from the wrapped gifts towards her usual toys. So with a little help of her mom, Adrianna discovered that there was something underneath the paper worth some attention...

And once it was all unwrapped and out of the boxes the fun began...

What do eat for a birthday breakfast? Cupcakes of course! Although Adrianna wasn't quite sure of what to do, she did have a LITTLE taste of cool whip and cake. Yes, even cake and cool whip did not make our little girl eat...

On Sunday, September 20th we celebrated her birthday with a family gathering including both sides of the family. She enjoyed a lunch with her cousins first (or as Gabriel calls is...cousuncle and cousauntie, after all they are my cousins).

We enjoyed a last summer burger barbecue for Adrianna's birthday...

...and cake for dessert. This time Adrianna ate a little bit more of her cupcake.

Then it was time for opening the wonderful and thoughtful presents from her loving family. She is well stocked up with toys, books and clothes for a while now! She got a Barbie set from Auntie Jennie, an early start for her Barbie collection. And, she even received her first cheque, an addition to her college fund from Uncle Marlen and Auntie Sue. Thank you for the generosity of all!

Sharing a moment with Auntie Sandy...while having a little taste of a book.

And the moment Uncle Jeff has been waiting for an entire year...holding Adrianna without her screaming! We have made some great progress this year. Yes, Adrianna, he may look scary and act funny, but he loves you!

Adrianna,

You're as cute as a bug

So precious to hug

A darling child

Who's nice to be near.

So.. hope turning one

Is happy and fun

And takes you along

To a second great year!

Author Unknown

12 Months

2009-09-15T15:02:00.001-07:00

This past month, Adrianna has not only mastered the art of crawling, but has become very confident in her ability to "furniture walk" and even crawl up the stairs. Although she understands the word "no" quite well, sometimes she chooses to ignore it. Especially when approaching all the buttons on the electronics, much to Harvie's dismay. We had to start to child proof the house and slowly we are figuring out what we still need to do as she explores and discovers the many different things around her. At the moment she has a fascination with the fridge, dishwasher and the pantry. It's amazing how quickly she crawls when one of them is opened. She is becoming very playful. She loves to play pekaboo, clap her hands, play ball with someone and have books read to her. She loves to look at books herself, but needs to be supervised because at times she confused the edges of books with food. Adrianna has a remarkable liking to dogs, much to our surprise. Her smiles and squeals when she sees dogs are incredibly precious. I always said I would never had a dog for a pet, but watching her eyes shine around dogs is slowly chaging my heart. Maybe my heart will overpower my mind. As for challenges, Adrianna is finally not throwing up anymore. She continues to be very difficult with feeding, and as a result has only gained one pound in three months. The doctors are not concerned at this point, so I guess I should relax a bit on the feeding thing. She is now 20 pounds and 31 inches...making her long and lean (unfortunately they don't make baby clothes that are long and lean). She hasn't quite figure out that she is too big to crawl through certain places...funny girl!

I am back at school, taking another semester at SFU towards my masters. This semester I am also going into a friend's classroom to complete the field work part of my studies. It should be a pretty busy three months ahead, but hopefully Adrianna will cooperate and take some good naps so I can read, write and research. Harvie continues to have more than his share of work at his job. He is working on a project for the Abbotsford Airport and is able to be home in the mornings once in a while when he has a meeting in Abbotsford. It's so nice to have Harvie home a little more, if only once in a while for the morning. Most days he leaves before either one of us is awake and comes up for 7 pm just in time to kiss Adrianna's good night.

It's amazing how a little one changes life. Dinner out in Vancouver was a regular event before she came. I would head out after school on Friday, shop on Robson till Harvie was finished work and we would eat out. That doesn't happen very often anymore. This month I headed out that way again, thanks to my mom's babysitting services. It was great to reconnect with Marlen and Sue and hear all about their Europe adventures. Thanks for a great dinner and night out!

As tradition have it, Marlen had is annual birthday bbq at the beach. Adrianna was already eager to go last year. On the way there last year my contractions increased, but sure enough they slowed down once we got there. This year Adrianna made her full appearance at the bbq!

What is summer without a beach and gelato? We headed out one afternoon to White Rock. It's so close, but it's the first time Adrianna ventured that way. It was beautiful and we ended the outing with a great gelato that even Adrianna enjoyed.

This past month we invested on a season's pass to the zoo. With Adrianna's love for the outdoors and animals we thought we would get some great use out of the pass. Already in one month we paid it off. I went three times, two of which with Harvie. The first time I went with Pam and Lyra, the second with Marlen and Sue and the third time we met Kevin and Sheri there. We still need to see Shadow, the bear. We are planning to head to Seattle's zoo as well in the next year since the passes give us entry there too. Check out our little biker chick on Kev's beautiful bike at the zoo's parking lot! One year and the training wheels are already off.

We had our first, and I am sure not our last, trip to the emergency room. We were at a bridal store in Chilliwack with my cousin Sandy who is getting married (Adrianna will be one of the flower girls!). As Sandy was trying out a beautiful dress, Adrianna crawled over to the mirror, found something, and before any of us knew had something in her mouth. When I rushed over to see it, all I saw was a metal type of pin on a pearl. My first thought was an earring, but at a bridal store it could also have been a sharper item like a pin. So off to the ER I went, with my cousin Becky to keep me calm. Two hours later the doctor showed me the x-ray which displayed an obvious earring. Two days later, it made its way through Adrianna's digestive track and into the garbage it went. The doctor thought it would be an interesting memory keep, but I wasn't about to clean and keep it. Yuck! If Adrianna wanted earring I think she found a very creative way of letting us know! Through it all she was incredibly cute, laughing and entertaining all in the ER waiting room.

One year! What a milestone! We are planning a birthday party with our families this coming weekend for our little girl. We look forward to celebration. We feel so blessed by her smiles, giggles, and playfulness. She is a gift from our heavenly Father. Thank you, God for giving her to us. May You bless her this coming year with your love, joy and faithfulness. May we be your vessel of love in her life and may we teach her about your faithfulness each and every day. May we live with your joy this coming year, remembering that the blessings we have are from you. Happy Birthday my dear little one!

11 Months

2009-08-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

Adrianna is finally crawling! It was so cute watching her figure out how to move around. She had some very interesting and awkward ways at first, but seems to be getting the hang of it now. She has learned to pull herself up and is pretty quick at it. She seems to rely on her head to put herself in the crawling or sitting position. She is so much fun to play with these days. She loves to laugh, make faces, chat, and squeal. Silly girl!

Eating has been a challenge once again. Adrianna has decided she no longer wants to be fed by anyone...making meal times a war of wills between her and me. I am trying to get her to eat soft pieces of food but she seems to think the soft pieces are better used for squishing and playing rather than eating.

A rare moment...feeling cuddly after waking up from a nap...so precious!!!

This month Adrianna outgrew a couple of her favourite toys...the swing and the exersaucer. Just in time for the first birthday where I am sure she will replace it with some new toys!

Adrianna loves to pull herself up...but already got a couple of bruises on her forehead because of it! It sure hasn't stopped her! Falling asleep has become challenging at times since she is constantly standing. Now that she has figured out how to lay down by herself it made the whole sleeping thing easier. Hanging on and kissing the orange monkey is a daily ritual.

The adventures await outdoors...

But look at the fun I can still have indoors! (so much for a folded basket of laundry!)

I had my proposal to finish up by August 10th. Glad that is done! Harvie helped out by taking Adrianna to visit his parents for the afternoon. Adrianna is definitely loved by her opa and oma!

We went to the Agrifair in Abbotsford with Adrianna. It's amazing how much we enjoyed it...simply because of Adrianna's delight as she watch...and even touched (to the dismay of the poor donkey, her favourite) the animals. She got a little confused with feeding the lama...she tried to eat the grass herself! I think a trip to the zoo is in our plans for the coming month.

We had quite the summer heat wave out here in July. It set record high temperatures. We definitely put our ACs to good use and tried to keep cool by going to the waterpark with friends and using a little pool in our back deck. Adrianna loves the water...just like her mom!

We went to a wedding barbecue for one of Harvie's work friends. Adrianna fell in love with the dogs and even enjoyed getting licked by one. We went of a hayride, saw some calfs, posed for some pictures and had some yummy summer food. She did love the day...despite her face in the picture!

We retired the baby bathtub for good now. Bathtimes continues to be a highlight for Adrianna. Check out her funny face...

picture pending!

Harvie enjoys working in the backyard on the weekends. He planted a little vegetable garden and we have already enjoyed zuchinis and tomatoes. I am looking forward to the leeks, grapes, and squash in the coming months.

The last month of her first year of life is upon us. I will try to treasure this month as it certainly is a special one. Amidst the challenges from day to day are many moments of joy and laughter. When I look back at the first six months it's pretty amazing that I recall the good and seem to forget the bad. It's the blessings that touch my heart and make the lasting imprint in my heart. I think God intended it to be that way. He carries you through the tough times and after it is all said and done, it's his love, care, grace, and faithfulness that you remember. Parenthood is definitely the toughest, most challenging thing I have ever experienced, but more importantly it is also the source of the greastest joy and love!

10 Months

2009-07-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Ten months old...I have come to realize that time quickly goes by when it comes to little ones growing up. I am trying to treasure each stage Adrianna goes through. I love her smiles and babble. I see her personality evolve with each passing month. She got her first two bottom teeth this month, replacing her toothless smile with little white tidbits. Although she is not crawling yet, she is moving in her own way. We never know how or where we will find her in her crib. Her favourite sleeping position is now on her tummy.

I started my two week course for my masters. My mom has been extremely generous and is taking her holidays from work to take care of Adrianna during the two week summer course. What a blessing that is! As for the classes...I can find better ways of spending a hot summer day. Harvie has had more than his share of work. He is trying to balance his worktime with his playtime. We treasure every moment he is here with us and know that when he is away he is thinking of us. His little girl is always very excited to see him when he comes home and eagerly seeks his attention the minute he walks in the door.

We celebrated Father's Day in June. It was Harvie's first Father's Day and Adrianna made sure it was a special one. She found a perfect card for her daddy and gave him a mug with her picture for the office. We hosted a family bbq for my dad with alot of filet mignon, guarana, a little bit of other sides and a DQ ice-cream cake.

We went out for Tawainese food with Harvie's family to celebrate Father's Day, Sue's birthday and graduation. After lunch, we went to the Buitelaar's house and while Harvie and Marlen picked blueberries with his parents, Sue and I went for a walk with Adrianna so she could have a much needed nap.

On the July long weekend we went camping as a first family mini-vacation with some great friends. This year is the second year of the Okanagan Lake camping trip. Last year I was seven months pregnant. It was definitely different camping with a little one. She did great most of the time, only having some troubles falling asleep because of all the heat and activities going on. We shared a trailer with our friends Nancy and Todd and their toddler Ethan. Adrianna loved interacting with Ethan and even let him hold her hand on a long morning walk the two husbands took with the little ones while leaving the two women to sleep in. She loved the mango ice-cream at Summerland Sweets.

The weekend after camping we went on a family getaway just the three of us to Whistler. It was our first attempt taking Adrianna to a hotel and restaurants with just us. We were pleasantly surprised that we were able to go out for dinner both evenings with her. She loved the pool in the late afternoon and enjoyed the peak to peak gondola. She needed a nap while we were at the top of Blackcomb so we ended up doing some 3 wheeling with our Bob stroller. We were quite amazed that she slept as the trail was quite bumpy.

Enjoy the sun and warm weather...and if you are down the equator, hopefully you'll still get some sunny warm days between cold ones!

9 Months

2009-06-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty busy month here. I have been busy with my studies this past month and now have a little bit of a break until mid-July. Harvie has been incredibly busy with numerous projects and proposals (what recession!?), spending long hours at the office, working on the train and even some evenings and weekends at home. Adrianna has been busy too, playing and exploring the world that is within her reach. She is not crawling yet, making life easier for me at home when I have to study. But she is starting to get frustrated by her inability to move, so I am thinking crawling or some sort of movement is not too far in the future for us. She can stand with support and loves to look out the window. The outdoors are certainly a hit for our little girl.

We enjoyed a bbq with my cousin and her family. The boys enjoyed playing with Adrianna and her toys. They told us all about their adventures while visiting and traveling in Brazil. It sure made us miss it and we began dreaming of possibly going ourselves next year...

My cousin Becky got married this past month. She is my mom's twin sister's oldest daughter and very much like a younger sister to me. The ceremony was very beautiful and the bride looked stunning. The reception was a blast. Adrianna had her first taste of staying up late and did very well considering that all her routines were disrupted that day.

My mom had selected the dress for Adrianna for this wedding before she was even born. She fell in love with it and we went back to the store after she was born for my mom to purchase it. At first Adrianna wasn't really too impressed with the dress, but she did fall in love with it after all.

Thankfully at the reception, she took a nap and was able to stay awake for the program and the start of the dance. Adrianna had a very special dance with her daddy during the song "My Girl". It melted my heart watching the two of them on the dance floor. There is such a special bond between Harvie and his princess.

The day after the wedding, Harvie went to the opening of the Golden Ears Bridge and had a great time with friends and family. I woke up sick that morning and decided it was best for me and Adrianna to sleep. I was looking forward to it and was dissapointed that I missed the one of a kind event.

Summer is fast approaching and we are planning to go camping on the July long weekend with friends. We are looking forward to the lake, bbq, camp fires, smores, ice-cream...and the list goes on. We are hoping Adrianna enjoys camping and is able to sleep in a different setting. Let the good times roll!

Our 8 Month Apple

2009-05-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

Do you know the saying: "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree?" Well, in our household, the apple didn't even fall. My family keeps on saying "Adrianna is so much like you". Not only in her appearance, in her personality as well. It was pretty early on that we noticed her looking just like me when we looked back at the few baby pictures I have. But now, with her personality emerging more day by day, we can definitely see how her ways are not too different than my own. It's really kind of funny. For one thing, she has a "personal bubble"(with a pretty big diameter...). She's very particular in who she lets in, and is not one for cuddling, much to Harvie's dismay. The times she will spend on our laps are few and far in between, so we treasure and soak in every moment. She also needs her "alone time"....she usually prefers being on her own than being held. She is happiest on the floor, in the jolly jumper, in the exersaucer. She hasn't learned to crawl and is yet to get her 1st tooth. I NEVER learned to crawl and got my first tooth after eight months. As for sleeping, she loves to be on her own in her crib with her blankies, one on each side of her face. She needs a dark room, very much like me...I can't even handle the small green LED light on the light dimmer switch! She's a picky eater, just like me. However, she LOVES her rice cookies, I must have cookies EVERYDAY. And every time I get frustrated with her strong-will and stubborness I am reminded by those close to me that she is indeed my daughther in every sense of the word. It's really kind of funny to think that we can look and be so much alike. All I can think is that I hope the next child will have a little more of Harvie's relaxed and easy going personality and enjoy some good cuddles. For now, we are just so in love with our daughter and enjoy discovering more about who she is with each passing day. Here are a few pictures of what the last month brought in the Buitelaar household.

Harvie ran in the Annual Vancouver Sun Run. I "strolled" the 10 km with my friend Tracy and her Adrianna's friend Abigail. Adrianna slept for the first two kilometers and enjoyed people watching for the remainder 8 km. This has become a tradition for us in the last years. It is Harvie's sixth Sunrun, my third, and Adri's very first!

Adrianna has three meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. She nurses five times a day, and maybe once during the night. The two food combinations I can count on her eating are papayas with cereal and avocado with plain yougurt. The worst reaction this far has been asparagus...she kept on spitting it out! She'll have to learn to like it as Harvie and I both enjoy it quite a bit!

Her favourite activities are jumping in the jolly jumper and taking baths. She loves her bath toys and this past month she finally got a grip on them. She also loves to kick and tear her play gym apart. One of her enjoyments lately comes from taking her socks off every chance she has.

It's taken a while, but she can now sit on her own with confidence.

She is quite a chatter box these days. We have tried to capture it many times, but our little girl is still a little camera shy. This is the so far the best video.

She continues to love both opas and omas, but when it comes to Uncle Jeff...it's one look and she cries. Harvie's family came over on one Saturday to celebrate Harvie's birthday. We spent the following Sunday with my family celebrating Harvie's birthday and Mother's Day.

Harvie made my first Mother's Day special with my favorite dinner, a funny card and some chocolates. And, to mark the special occasion we tried out a photo session of our own.

Adrianna enjoys the outdoors. Harvie is certainly glad about that. He is already dreaming of all the things he will do with Adrianna in our backyard.

She likes TV...just like me! She MUST have the control of the remotes.

And finally, after months of dreaming about this, I can finally read to her at bedtime. We had tried this time and time again, but she would cry and scream. We learned that reading to her is best when she first wakes up from her naps. Lately though, she has liked one short book just before bed.

I started my masters. I had two classes already and many reading and writing assignments. It will be a busy year, but hopefully I can count of some good naps from Adrianna so I can get the work done. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to stay home another year, be able to take this masters, and still have a job that I love for the following year. I will need to go into a classroom to get my field work completed, but thankfully I have good friends that are more than willing to open the doors of their classrooms and let me in.

Harvie is very busy with work. Fortunately there is less travel involved...for now; and he still manages to get the early train home most days, walking in the door around 6:13pm, just enough time to bond with his girl before she sleeps. He's starting to get involved with planning work for the 2010 Winter Olympics, which should be an exciting once in a lifetime opportunity.

That's all for now. We are looking forward to the warmer weather and spending more time outdoors.

7 Months and Counting

2009-04-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Adrianna is seven months old today. In some ways I feel that we have passed the half way mark...but then that's only the first year! I am enjoying this stage so much more than the first six months. She is more interactive, fun and in some ways much easier. Sometimes I wonder if that is simply me becoming more used to my new role as a mom. It certainly was a tough transition as times, but I am enjoying it and finding fulfillment with it more and more.

I have enjoyed preparing her food and look forward to introducing each new item every few days. She has finally found a formula that she is happy with...soy from concentrate. Thanks Jacquie for that tip! What a relief...for a while I thought we might never find something that would work for her. I am giving her one bottle in the late afternoon and one at bedtime, a mix of formula and breast milk. Slowly she will transition to all bottles and all formula. I can't believe how long I have nursed her...it was certainly a challenge for the most part, but I am glad I did it. My goal is to have her completely weaned by mid June, for the summer.

This past month she has woken up quite a bit at night crying...not sure what that is all about! I miss those nights where I could count on a full night sleep...praying those come back soon. As for chatting it up, rather than animal dying and underwater sounds now she has become quite the blabber. It is so cute to hear, especially when she is in her own little world chatting with who knows who.

Adrianna has learned to sit by herself, but is still a bit wobbly. Soon I know she will master that skill. She loves to stand up when we hold her hands. When we are driving, she is often trying to get out of her sit, pushing herself forward. She hasn't realized that it's a loosing battle as she is buckled in. It's quite funny to watch.

We measured her head this week when she got her shots and we found out that her head is in the 97 percentile...wow! She certainly has the dutch baby head! No wonder I had to retire some shirts simply for the fact they won't go over her head.

We celebrated Harvie's dad's 86th birthday this month. We went to "de Dutch" restaurant for some good panakuken. Adrianna sat for the first time in the restaurant's high chair, ate her lunch, socialize a bit and even took a nap. It was a great outing indeed!

We spent Easter with my extended family at the Warkentim's house. It was a wonderful meal of chicken and salmon. I wish I had taken pictures of her in her beautiful Easter dress...before she threw up all over it. Good times! Maybe we will put it on this weekend and take another picture, minus the jacket and with the shoe decision made.

A while back we moved Adrianna's little bathtub to the big bathtub in the upstairs bathroom...so she can splash all she wants and not get the whole kitchen wet. We have to be careful with the washcloths these days...if we don't watch it she will grab it and suck the water out of it. Yuck!

Reading books has become very interactive...as we read she grabs the book making it difficult to turn the pages. I just love reading to her.

We've taken her to the park in those warm days this past month and placed her in the swing for the first time. I have a feeling going to the park will become routine for us in the coming months.

Harvie has been quite busy with his work this month and it will become even busier next month. It is certainly a blessing that Harvie has a lot of work these days, even if that means later evenings at the office. When I watch Harvie and Adrianna, my heart simply melts. She is daddy's little princess.

Soon Harvie will experience a little more bonding time with Adrianna on Saturdays. I am starting my masters on May 2nd. The one year program is through SFU and on most Saturdays, which is perfect for our schedule. Between my mom and Harvie, Adrianna will be in excellent hands and I can focus on my studies, at least on Saturdays. I am taking a one-year leave of absence from my job at MEI for the coming school year. My return work date will be the end of August 2010, when Adrianna will be almost two years old. Everything fell into place rather quickly...got accepted into the program, it was on Saturdays, and the work leave was granted. All the domino pieces fell down in the right places....I can certainly see God's hand in all of it. I will be a student and a mom for the next year, but I will certainly miss being a teacher. The masters will have a field work component which I am hoping to complete at MEI in friend's classes, so I will continue to have a taste of teaching. I am looking forward to what's in store...a little nervous, a little anxious, a little joyous. It's back to school time, at least for me!

Our 6 Month Not So Little Girl

2009-03-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Our precious Adrianna is now half a year old. Sometimes we watch her sleep in her crib and marvel at the miracle that she is. It's amazing to think that we are a family. She has enriched our lives and expanded our love. How can you love someone this much? Yes, she is our gift and we treasure her in so many ways.

This past month, Adrianna has enjoyed the jolly jumper...what a great investment that was! She is delighted and full of smiles everytime we place her in it. Although she has not yet rolled over entirely, she is able to sit a bit. I think she has realized that if she rolls over that would place her on her tummy, a position she strongly dislikes.

As for food, she especially likes the yellow sweet potatoes; however, water is something she is yet to like. She just closes her lips really tight when water comes around. Funny little girl.

No, actually she is not so little...she is in the 90th percintile for length, measuring 27.5 inches and weighing 17 pounds and 2 ounces. This is quite something, since she has been so difficult to nurse the first five months. I have yet to find a formula that she is willing to take. She knows what she likes, how she likes and when she wants it, so scheduling Adri has been and continues to be quite a challenge. No week is like the other around the Buitelaar household. Just when we think we have her all figured out, she decides to change it around. It sure has taught be to be more flexible these days, a lesson that has been hard to learn.

Her hands continue to be her favourite source of enjoyment. We are hoping that soon she'll dicover her feet...just for something different. She is beginning to play more with her toys these days which has been neat to watch. It's amazing how long we can sit and just watch her as she explores the world around her.

We are looking forward to the next 6 months and the many changes and new things Adrianna will learn. I am amazed at how much I am learning from her as well. As she changes, I change. As she learns, I learn. It has been a life-changing adventure this far, one that has brought our little family closer. We embrace the changes, and adapt the best we can. Adrianna certainly has become quite the princess in our house, but with that smile, how can we resist?

5 Months

2009-02-16T17:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 5months Adri! This past month can be summarized with one word: COLD. No, not the cold outside of the house, but the nasty colds going around this season. Adrianna is finally getting better after two different colds lasting over two weeks (still great to experience some happy smiling moments throughout it all). Harvie and I have also spent much of last month with colds so we're looking forward to saying goodbye to winter (...or hello to a warm sunny beach destination?)

Adri has changed in so many ways already and from what I hear the next few months will bring even more changes. One of the biggest change is that she is so much happier these days. She is able to lay on the floor happily for what to us seems like a really long time, much easier than having to hold her upright to stop the crying! Her sleep patterns have become predictable for the most part and she manages to take charge of her own feeding schedule, why would she want to be on mom's schedule anyways? She has become more playful and interactive. She especially enjoys putting soft things in her mouth, sticking out her tongue, kicking her legs and attempting to roll, and making new noises over and over again.

She has had her first meals of rice cereal...most of it landing outside her mouth, of course! The new high chair in the kitchen will really come in handy as solids become more a part of the daily schedule. Can't wait to see Adri's first reactions to bananas, avocado, sweet potatoes......what will her favourite be?

My parents have been so incredibly supportive. Adrianna has successfully spent four Friday nights at oma and opa's house, a welcomed tradition for mom & dad! Harvie and I have enjoyed escaping on Friday nights, knowing that we can sleep well at night since our little gir is in great hands. We're building up our social life....slowly. The first free Friday night we went straight home to catch up on sleep. The next 2 times we managed to have dinner out with a couple friends. Soon enough we'll be up for dinner and a movie, but for now catching up on sleep is helping us keep our sanity! Adri has even spent Saturday mornings watching cartoons with Opa and cuddling with Oma, whenever she decides to. Yes, our little Adri is strong-willed but no doubt has captured the hearts of her oma and opa. I feel so blessed to have them so close. My heart simply melts when I watch them with her.

2009-01-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

A New Year Begins

What did 2008 bring us? The biggest change in our lives to date...our sweet little Adri! It was last year early in January that I found out I was pregnant. We were completely excited and enjoyed the months leading up to her arrival. There were some concerns at first, but once we heard her heartbeat at 8 weeks we were relieved and began looking forward and preparing to this next stage in our lives. Being pregnant was much better than I had thought it would be. Yes there was some morning sickness and discomforts but all in all it was pretty good (minus the two lasts weeks were I was just ready to explode!). The birth, well, after four days of contractions and more pain management medication that I can remember, Adri entered this world. The first month is really a fog and I think we are finally coming out it. It's really amazing how something so small can make such a drastic change. The change...has been challenging at times, but we wouldn't trade her for anything.

Since our last post, Christmas came and went. Adrianna loved the Christmas lights on the tree this year and I am sure that by next year we'll have to be carefull with her fascination of the ornanments. She was certainly spoiled this Christmas by family members receiving the biggest and noisiest gifts you can imagine. Check out the reaction she gave when we opened her present from Uncle Jeff named "The Singing Annoying Thing"...the name and reaction say it all!

She also received an adorable outfit from Uncle Marlen and Autie Sue. We took the first chance we had to dress her up and have a photo session with her and luckly she cooperated!

We usually spend Christmas eve with my family. We have a tradition to end the evening watching a movie, usually one that someone got as a gift. This year we watched "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" one of my dad's favourite movies. We have hosted the Buitelaar Christmas ever since we got married. It has now evolved to a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings. It's always a hit! We also may have started a new tradition...to end the evening playing a game of scrabble. Harvie and I will need to practice all year (which we already have started) to try to be a match to Marlen and Sue...the game is on!

Our little Adri is now 4 months old. She weighs basically 15 pounds, almost double her birth weight. We know she has grown in length since many of her 3 month outfits no longer fit which is kind of sad because she was given so many cute outfits by family and friends. She continues to sleep well at night. Christel, a friend of ours, lent us a exersaucer and we eargerly tried it on January 1st. Did she like it? Well check out first reaction...

She has also increased her enjoyment of spending time in the bumbo, but tummy time only lasts a couple of minutes and then the discontenment begins...but we keep on trying!

I have a love for children's book and if you have ever seen my collection you would know that already. So, it's only fitting that I read to Adri every day, and it already seems like she has a favourite called "I Know a Rhino". I have tried to read "We're Going on A Bear Hunt" on many occasions, but I think she is still a little scared since I read "with too much emotion" according to Harvie. He brought home a bath book for Adri after one of his trips and it has become a bath ritual to read it to her...also with some emotion!

Like mother, like child...she loves to spend time in her bed. Sometimes I am not sure how long she has been awake since she often wakes up and just lays in her crib. That makes trying to plan for her next nap a little more of a guessing game. Also, perhaps she will follow the tradition of coffee and chocolate for breakfast once she is old enough...nothing is better than starting the day with a chocolate or two!

Her feedings continue to be an immense challenge but thanks to the calmness and persistance of my mom she has now successfully taken the bottle every day since Saturday for one or two feedings a day. It was nice to hear from our doctor that it is very uncommon for a baby to have this many issues with feedings. This was incredible affirming to me since it finally put an end my feelings of inadequacy. There has been so many feedings were she would be screaming, I would be crying holding her close to me and Harvie would be by my side saying everything will be ok. The comfort I had is that I knew at those moments God was right there surrounding his loving arms holding me tight in the assurance of that he gives you the strength and calmness to deal with whatever comes your way. I could hear him whisper "I am your God, trust in me, rest in me...this too shall pass"

The doctor also said it is great that she began taking the bottle and that I could start thinking of introducing rice cereal already. It's has been so hard to know what is best for Adri and for me. So after a couple months of long cries, prayer and support and encouragement from Harvie and my mom the decision has been made. We are transitioning to the bottle this coming month. I will continue to pump as long as my milk supply is there and we will probably need to introduce formula in the coming weeks. Who knows, she may like formula and the bottle more since she has been so unhappy breastfeeding. Happier baby...happier mom...happier husband!

What will 2009 bring us? A growing child, messy feedings, stinkier diapers, a child proof house, sleepless nights with the appearance of teeth, a first family trip, and leaning evermore on God's strength as we try to parent Adri the best way we know how. Thank you for family and friends who have been an incredible source of support these last months...God has blessed us through you in so many ways...from time, meals, clothes, baby stuff, words of encouragement and affirmation. Know that we are thankful and that we acknowledge how much you have given us. May God bless you this new year and may you be a blessing to people around you!

Round and round...and round...and round...we go

2008-12-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

A little fun at the company Christmas family party!

Not a Newborn Anymore...

2008-12-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

With the passing of another month...comes a new blog update! It's hard to believe our little Adri is already 3 months old. So much has changed since those first days. She has been sleeping like an angel through the night, a true blessing from God! Her nap schedule is slowly becoming more predictable, making the days a little easier to manage. The smiles have turned to small giggles, especially in the mornings at wake up time. The wake up time has become the most precious time of day. Many mornings we walk into her room to find her already awake to our surprise. Then comes the next twenty minutes of cheer joy in her eyes as we unwrap her and she begins to kick and smile as we watch her enjoy life. It is the best part of the day with our litttle Adri. She has also began to "talk" to us, protesting this or that or chatting it up. Sometimes she even sings along to "Jesus Loves Me" as mom puts her to sleep. She is such a gift in our lives, and we thank God for our precious daughter. All the challenges and struggles of parenthood (and there have been many along the way) melt away when we look into her piercing blue eyes and her beautiful little smile and realize that she belongs to our family! As Harvie is the photographer of our family, basically all the good pictures have Adri and me (I will try improving my photography skills). Enjoy some of the pictures of the last month in the Buitelaar household...

Dressing up our little princess always comes along with a photo session...until Adri begins to cry trying to tell us enough is enough!

Her favourite bath activity is kicking a rubber ducky around. What a change from the screaming baths we had during the first month!

As for rolling over, we better keep a close eye on that as she has already turned sideways many times.She enjoyed a couple of play dates with her friend Abigail...even though they already had some trouble sharing the toys on the play gym :)

Adrianna was "bapticated" :) at our church on November 30th. Many thanks to all the family and friends that came out to celebrate it with us.

Harvie's work had a Christmas party for families at the Burnaby Village this past Saturday. Adrianna had quite the eventful day. On the way to the party she threw up in her lovely dress, she sat on Santa's lap and got a gift, had a snooze while we toured the village, had two carossel rides, and a screaming fit all the way home (too much excitement for one day!).

A Merry Christmas to All! May God bless you this season with joy and peace through his Son, Jesus Christ. May you feel His presence this Christmas in your hearts and homes.

2 Months Young

2008-11-18T21:53:00.000-08:00

Ah yes.....the blog....must update the blog. I guess it's only fair, since we've enjoyed peeking into our friends and families lives through their regular blog updates! Well, rather than spend time writing, let's follow the photo-journey of how life has changed in the Buitelaar household as we hit the 2 month milestone!! Our precious "Princess" certainly rules the house these days......Bath time has become a pleasure rather than a challenging chore.......

Capturing the first smile on camera (by proud mom) just makes our hearts melt......

Watching our Adrianna lounge, smile, sleep and stretch have become favorite activities.......

Of course staged photography is the other favorite activity, how can we resist........

Daddy time, enjoyed equally by Adri and Daddy, is always entertaining to say the least.......

Ofcourse Halloween came and went, just wait until next year when we hit the streets for candy....

Getting outdoors daily is certainly refreshing.........

Mommy is only getting started with dressing up her daughter............

And finally, becoming a "family of 3" is sounding more natural by the day!

We can't wait to see what the next 2 months bring!!

And then there were 3

2008-10-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Yes, the long awaited post to the blog :) Of course all you parents will excuse us for taking so long, life definitely picks up pace once a newborn is added into the mix, wow! So, we'll keep the words short and leave lots of room for photos this time around!

Introducing Adrianna Louise.....our precious daughter.....

First 24 hours. The new Abbotsford Hospital rocks (especially the nurses!)

Looking so tiny in her new home.

All we can say is.....thank goodness for family!!

Mommy time.

We couldn't wait to take the four-generation photo!!!

Eeyore, one of her best friends....she just doesn't know it yet!

Time to dress up the baby.

And then there's activity time!

This is the outcome of an awesome baby shower! Thanks to some very generous family and friends, we can open up our own baby store :)

That's all for now....back to sleep.........

T-Minus 12 Days....

2008-08-31T22:12:00.000-07:00

September already, where did summer go?? We're just as puzzled as you! It's never flown by quicker. We're excited (and a bit nervous) to realize the due date is fast approaching. At least Harvie is now back with no plans to travel to LA until well after the baby is born. The weekly trips were getting tiring, he's so happy to be back home. It's been great to have some more balanced routine in our life!

August began with a trip into the Alberta rockies to witness Marlen and Sue get hitched. The boys went white-water rafting, the girls relaxed at the spa. The scenery was beautiful, weather was great, people were tons of fun and the Alberta beef tasted perfect! Congrats Marlen and Sue, it was a wedding to remember!!

We made a short trip to Lake Louise the day after the wedding along with Harvie's parents and aunt from Holland.

Our summer weekends together were often spent with family or friends. From BBQs/picnics at the lake, to sailing, to some competitive bocce ball matches. Sherry even managed to swallow half a water melon and fit in with her friends!

It's time to start wondering who the baby will resemble more! I guess looking at our baby pictures will help us know what to possibly expect.

Oh, the beach life!

2008-07-29T23:21:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe how quickly the month of July has passed us by. Here we are again, at the end of the month, just squeezing in a blog entry. As Harvie comes and goes from LA, I seem to have more time to update our blog these days. I think once the mini-me enters our life we will have more exciting updates to blog about, or so we are told by friends!

The month of July began with a camping trip to Okanagan Lake with some friends. I know what you are probably thinking...Jackie camping, and camping pregnant? I, Jackie am proud to let you all know that I had a wonderful time and enjoyed almost every minute of it, including the nightly visits to the washroom...we had the furthest spot from the washrooms of course! The only part that wasn't enjoyable was getting the stomach flu on the last day...but I survived to tell the tale!

This is a Burkinshaw's tradition which we were very excited to enjoy as well. Getting a huge ice-cream cone in Summerland in the middle of the afternoon is just what you need after spending a few hours around the lake. The only tough decision of the day was choosing the ice-cream flavour. That's as hard as life gets when you are camping in the Okanagan! We are looking forward to going again next year!

We enjoyed picking blueberries at Harvie's parents' house this month. They have the best blueberries around! Harvie's mom and Sue helped us pick blueberries and Harvie's dad surprised us when he came out with an ice-cream pail already picked for us as a gift! We should have enough blueberries to last us through the winter.

I also went to visit Harvie in LA for our 5th wedding anniversary in July. It was great to see where he has been spending most of his time lately and to meet some of the people he works with.

While there, we enjoyed Manhathan Beach the most...it has become a favourite LA beach for Harvie and now myself as well. This is a great brunch place just steps from the beach, I even tried their omellette and really like it!

It was a very relaxing four days, but even though the weather wasn't hot enough for a swim for me, Harvie took a dip in the ocean anyways.

I am now 34 weeks pregnant, which is hard to believe! We are certainly enjoying watching and feeling the mini-me kick and be active. We are looking forward to meeting this little one more and more each day. The next six weeks are probably going to be the longest ones, since the baby room is mostly complete. This past Monday I went shopping with my mom for the day in order to be ready "just in case". Sometimes I am not sure who is more excited, my mom or me! My parents have been so generous, already spoiling their grandchild with a stroller and many blankets and clothes. It is such a blessing to have both sets of parents around. We are very thankful for their love and support as they anticipate being grandparents for the first time. Life will change as we know it in about six weeks, but we can hardly wait for the adventure!

The Heat is On

2008-06-29T23:22:00.000-07:00

Here we are, 25 hours left in June, and YES - we've just made the deadline to get our monthly posting in (not in time to avoid the blog police though). Summer's been great so far; it's been awesome getting together with family and friends for BBQs and walks.

Harvie's been back and forth to LA for work, a little smoggy at times, but the short trip from the airport to the beach has been an added bonus (the escape from the office is the tricky part...).

Jackie's packed up much of her Grade 2 classroom, a bittersweet chore, but is without a doubt looking forward to the next chapter of family life. If anything, hauling the mass amounts of books was a good workout for Harvie :) Good news is we've decided on the baby room color and slapped on a sample coat just to make sure we made the right decision. (yes, Harvie won the color battle)
Hope you're all enjoying the summer. We've made one of our best investments in a while, the AC is cranked after a few unusually hot days. We're really excited for our upcoming Okanagan camping trip, should be adventurous @ 30 weeks pregnant! See you in July...

Dutch Baby

2008-05-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well, we’re at 23 weeks, guess that puts us in the 6th month, and if you’ve seen Juno, that means the mini-me definitely has fingernails. It was great to see Marlen and Sue lately, who treated us to a dinner at the always awesome Mission Springs Brewery. Not sure about the deep fried mars bar, but the margarita pitcher was tasty. The Dutch Baby mix was a cool gift from them. We tried it out this weekend, it held up to its name, big and puffy! Thanks!

Happy mothers day to all the moms out there. We celebrated ours at Indian Buffet with the Buitelaars, and homestyle Brazilian bbq with the Ducks. It was also fun to decommission our guest room and put together the crib. We'll still be more than happy to have you stay over as a guest, you just might not get the same room anymore!

PS - If you haven't voted yet, make sure you scroll to the bottom and vote!

Who made up the word "blog" anyway...

2008-04-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

As if E-mail and Facebook didn't keep our online lives busy enough, we've decided to enter the world of blog. So here is our first post, we'll keep it short and sweet, and dedicated to baby-Buitelaar for now. You might even see the odd vacation photo thrown in, that's just us coping with reality....we are switching gears from travel and freedom to family responsibilities!! No doubt it will be lots of fun in its own way.

Here is the "mini-us" at 18 weeks. We were excited to see a little hand up by the face. For the rest...well, looks like a drumstick or something! We've decided to keep the sex of the baby a surprise. I guess the odds are pretty good, 50/50 chance. You make your call....

.....participate in the poll below!!