We had a wonderful visit with some of Drew's family this weekend: his brother Steve, our sister-in-law Lee, and Drew's dad Ron (and Lenny the dog). It was such a relaxed weekend, and a great time to connect for all of us. Of course, it really was all about Cadence.

Some pictures from the past week as well as this weekend's visit:

Uncle Steve and Aunt Lee helping with walking practice.


Best spectator sport ever.


Grampa and Cadence clocked a good deal of hug/snuggle time. There was also nose-pulling and glasses-stealing time, but I've decided to leave those pictures out.




Fun and games with Uncle Steve. This was the "funny hat" game. Good times.


The Gauley Men (and yes we decided to include the boy dogs as "men.")


Group picture: at the Glory Hole in Cobalt.


From sometime last week: Father & son having some sunglasses time while mom's inside cooking dinner.


Drew found a game to play with C. where he puts a napkin in a tube and C. learns to pull it out the other end. Of course then he had to eat the tube.




C. communing with Buddha. They look like good friends.

Not all that much is new around here. The ice disappeared off the lake this week, the last of the snow melted...we had a fantastically warm weekend but then I ended up with a cold and missed two days of work. So a trade-off I guess. But Cadence is doing as well as can be. He spent three days last week at the daycare where I work, and had a great time. He's still going one day a week to the babysitter's and enjoying that as well. So everyone's getting much more balanced, as we get the hang of things with a wee one.

Here are some pictures from the past week or so.

I've been playing drums in a band with some friends. Here's Terry hanging out with Cadence last weekend during our lunch break; Cadence and Drew came by for a visit.


Cadence and Tofu lounging in the sun



Last Saturday it went as high as 22 degrees! C. and I hung out outside for a while. He played on his blanket while I raked some leaves & dead grass.


Mmm. Cookie.

Uncle Neil, Backpack, Brunch, Sunshine

This weekend we finally got outside again--not fully spring by any means, but at least a bit of sunshine.

Here's a great picture of Cadence with his Uncle Neil, from Christmas--we just came across the pic and had to include it.


Some friends loaned us their baby backpack-so great! Here my boys are walking me to work on Friday.


Yesterday we drove out to Elk Lake for a Maple Syrup brunch with our friends Kerry & Warren and Cadence's friend Ian. Here we are getting everyone suited up before a short hike outside.


I guess Cadence liked his breakfast; he's actually snoring away here.


And when we got back Cadence kept me company as I took a few minutes to hang clothes on the line. Today Drew went out and bought a proper sun hat for Cadence :)

Milestones!

Over Easter weekend, and since then, Cadence has experienced a number of firsts. He started waving bye-bye, and just now as I was nursing him to sleep, he lay there, eyes slowly closing, his little hand opening and closing in practice. So cute. He also started clapping in response to either seeing someone else clap, or to being asked to clap. And, he's started to really get the whole finger food thing--he just picks up those pancake pieces like they're going out of style. Finally, last night he started to push himself backwards while on his tummy. This is the first tummy-related movement he's done; until now he's just rolled to his back the moment you put him down on his tummy. It's still quite slow, and more accidental than anything, but it's movement, and it's pretty darn exciting. Here are some pictures from the past few days.

Enjoying an afternoon story with Daddy.


Doing rhaspberries while playing with this week's toy from the Early Years Centre.


Fisher Price house from the Salvation Army. I think this is his current fave.


Clapping with mommy.


This is where I usually put Cadence while I cook dinner. I give him the tupperware cupboard, but this time he managed to slid over to the metal bowl cupboard and really spread things out. A drum kit in the making.


The Easter Bunny brought Cadence this blue hippo walker toy. He's not really ready for it, but is enjoying it nonetheless. Which reminds me of another weekend milestone: if you hold him up by the hands, until recently he'd just stand there, but over the past few days he's started moving his little feet to take tentative steps. Small steps, big changes :)


Looking at a book in his chair while I make dinner.

Just found more pictures!

Here are a few more from the past few weeks:

Good friends enjoying the morning sun together.


Note the presence of something in the mouth. Always.

Hoppy Easter!

Well here are a few pictures from the last while...no exciting posts because we haven't done all that much lately. Cadence had his first cold last weekend, and then Drew got it and is still a bit under the weather. Spring was here for about two weeks, and then today it was -21 again. Oh well. I brought Cadence down to the lake to play on the swings (forgot the camera). I think the big snowsuit and wind chill might have taken some of the fun out of it.

He's saying "mama" and "dada" and we think he knows what each one means. Also for the past couple of days we've been hearing him laugh, just because--a funny fake laugh. He's also getting quite adept at playing drums with his wooden spoon and anything that's around him. This morning he tried to play the Tofu drum, and Tofu just sighed and walked away. I think they're going to be good friends.



When he was sick Cadence lost his appetite, but would sometimes eat a bit if we held him in our lap.




We picked up this great bath thing at a rummage sale--50 cents! Our friends Sharilynn & James got one for Jordan, and said it revolutionized bath time. It's true. Keeps him nice & upright.



I'm finally driving the new car...and so smoothly that Cadence fell asleep! Last weekend we went all around town & some country roads while I practiced my driving standard.