Baby J's First Birthday

Yesterday we celebrated J's first birthday. It is hard to believe one year has already flown by.

For her birthday breakfast we had chocolate croissants, scrambled eggs, and strawberries. Yum!

In the afternoon J and I went shopping. She always likes to get out and see the sights. Unfortunately she would have nothing of having her photo taken for a passport. Sad. Travel plans are on hold.

We had a grand turkey dinner and all the fixings. I know what was I thinking? It was delicious. For the record next year dinner on a birthday will be much simpler. J loved the cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Dinner definitely required an outfit change.

And then while I was icing the cake J decided to explore while we were both presently preoccupied and pulled the pile of presents off the chair on top of herself. Bang! And then tears. Oh dear! After some comforting and hastily finishing icing J opened her gifts and we enjoyed a slice of cake. And then bath time which is always fun!

Look at her excitement as the wrapping paper comes off. 

Happy Birthday my beautiful baby! I love you always!

Merry Christmas!

This Christmas was quiet for us as L worked. I missed my family especially when family began calling and texting to wish me a Merry Christmas. 

When I was younger one of my favorite things to do on Christmas Day after opening presents and Christmas dinner was to go tobogganing with family. I took J for a little sleigh ride on Christmas Day. Each day it is not too cold and we also have snow I try to take J for a ride in her sleigh. 

She is super cute all bundled up! 

Today L was off work and so we celebrated Christmas today. We made pancakes and bacon for breakfast. 

After we opened gifts. 

J received the sweetest set of wooden blocks made by my nephew, a fun farm set from family in Ottawa, a nativity story book, ocean wooden puzzle and cute outfit from my parents. From her grandma we ordered the sweet Starfish Minimoc's that we had our eyes on as her grandma also loves shoes! 

Unwrapping presents was so much excitement for J that she was plum tuckered out after and needed a nap. 

If your reading this mom thank you for the awesome knitted mittens!! I totally love them. 

We have guests coming for New Years so I spent nap time organizing my books that I had yet to unpack! I love having guests come to visit. It lights a fire under me to get my house in order. Oh and having guests is fun on its own accord too! I am really excited for their visit. L shoveled the front drive. After J woke and we had lunch J and I went for a another sleigh ride around the park. We had just come in from the cold when L decided we should go out. We went out to run some errands and discovered that many of the businesses were yet closed for the holidays, return library books, and have a coffee. Now as I am writing this J is having her second nap and L is shoveling the deck. This evening we plan to watch a movie together as a family. 

How did you celebrate Christmas this year? Was it a traditional Christmas? or something other? 

Did Santa bring you everything on your Christmas list? 

What traditions make Christmas special for you?

Merry Christmas everyone!

 I hope you had a wonderful holiday filled with laughter!

Christmas cookies

Yesterday I baked Christmas cookies. 

I made this sugar cookie recipe and sugar cookie icing recipe . I highly recommended it! Here is my review that will convince you to try this recipe too!  It was super easy to mix up the night before and refrigerate overnight. Then while the baby napped in the morning I rolled it out and baked. I remember when I was little cutting the shapes for Christmas cookies was so fun. At other times we must have super sized our recipe and it just seemed to go on forever, rolling and cutting and rolling and cutting. This recipe makes just the right amount. At times our attempts at rolled and cut cookies was just a sticky mess. I thought this recipe was extremely easy to roll. Even so it took me a pan or so to figure out the thickness. Also no longer than 7 minutes or they brown. At first I thought they tasted a little plain, like biscuits but the icing is super sweet so with icing these cookies are perfect. If the cookie itself was any sweeter it would be too sweet. The icing is really wonderful. It's the right consistency and decorations stick. I wondered if the icing would harden so I could stack and yes I am happy to report it did! I will definitely keep this recipe as a holiday decorating cookie. I am looking forward to when J is older and we can have fun decorating Christmas cookies together over the holidays. 

 

Tears

 Tonight is the eve of our beta test to find out if there is any HCG coursing through my veins from our IVF treatment earlier this month. There isn't. I tested several times already with home pregnancy tests. I'm that kind of girl. I can't wait the two weeks to find out. Each time hope does a little skip and dance. Maybe, just maybe, but no. Even so I have continued to take the medication that would support a pregnancy until the beta confirms what I know. 

I am heartbroken. 

Sad. 

Tears fall for one that will never be. 

Today my heart is heavy. I wish it were not so. I wish this story had a different ending. 

"Occasionally, weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have." -John Piper