This past weekend or two (and a Bachelor recap)

(making a valentine for dad) 

(drinking hot chocolate after a snowshoe) 

(milk at the coffee shop (aka Tim Hortons)) 

(he eats a lot)

(my dates on Friday evening) 

(eating grapes at the ski chalet) 

I had such a good weekend. On Friday we had a family date at our new local restaurant, Jungle Jim's (so classy, I know), and then Jon and I watched a lot of the Bachelor.* Then on Saturday Jon did a cross-country skiing race. It was a 17 km race on a cold, windy, brutal day, and Jon came in...dead last. It's strange because I have cheered him on for countless races (swimming, biking, running, skiing, etc), and he always finishes near the top. I loved that he came in last, because it meant he finished, even though it was hard. I thought about how someday Cohen might try to do something competitive, and maybe he will struggle. Jon will be able to tell him that it's cool to come in last, because it means you tried. As I waited in the ski chalet with Cohen, I could see that some skiers had opted out of the race because it was a super windy day. But Jon did it anyway, and I am so proud.

Other things that happened this weekend: Cohen and Jon went to a reptile show at the high school where they got to see a turtle and a snake. I went to a baby shower and brought meatballs (these were a hit). I did a workout or two (I love this one). We watched Birdman. Very weird, but good acting. Who doesn't love Edward Norton?

Read more bachelor stuff....

19 months

 (funny faces after a homemade chocolate popsicle)

This is what's up with our 19 month old:

- His words! He repeats everything we say. His favorite words: big truck, oh no, snow plow.
- Things he loves to do: wash his hands at the sink while standing on his stool, put stickers on everything, hide in closets (even better if we knock on the closet door), play in the snow, ride on his sled, press the button on the blender, drink from a straw.
- He is recently kinda picky about his food. He eats all the faux peanut butter off his toast, but won't eat the actual toast. Tonight we had spaghetti, and he would only eat the rice noodles that had no sauce on them.
- He also loves to run back and forth on the couch, getting dangerously close to falling off the side. He thinks it is absolutely hilarious when we tell him to be careful, or slow him down. He laughs so hard he falls down. He basically thinks Jon and I are super funny when we are trying to tell him what to do.
- He calls me "dad" and Jon "mom" all the time. I really think he knows the difference, but he just finds it funny when we act surprised when he reverses us.
- Jon and I are constantly saying how great this age is. Really, he is so much fun. We take him everywhere, and we always have a great time with him. He is the best.

An update on sleep training (or When your 17 month old throws his lovey out of the crib constantly)

Only someone with a 17 month old baby who is not sleeping well is going to want to read about this. But when this happened to us a few months ago, I didn't know what to do, and just like everyone, I googled after I checked all my usual sleep books. And it is really really hard to find advice about a baby who is throwing their lovey (aka transitional object) out of the crib every single time you try to put them down for a nap.  Cohen would throw his precious teddy out of the crib, then hysterically cry because he didn't have his teddy. So I have to write about it in the small chance it helps someone someday. 

 (sleeping angel baby)

To read more than you ever wanted to know about Cohen's sleeping habits, read on.

Lately...

(weekly library visit) 

(we got a Jungle Jim's last week. big news around here) 

(some snow) 

(gluten-free, vegan, nut-free baking is what we do these days. not easy) 

(giving our one and only pool a second chance. it is the hotel pool, and it's not awesome, but beggars can't be choosers i guess. the little dude likes it)

(trotting around the neighborhood. he refuses to wear his own mittens, but loves to wear his momma's) 

(relaxing and watching the plow go by) 

(shadow selfie. always pulling the dude in his sled. such a workout)

In other news, I just booked a trip to Miami in late April for my best friend's bachelorette. It's one of those sweet situations where pretty much all the girls we lived with in university are all able to go and all booked their flights today. And in much, much less exciting news, I received a delayed Christmas present (a Vitamix!!) last week and have been using it like crazy. 

Thoughts on one

We have been getting asked when we are having another baby since Cohen was like 6 months old. I get a lot of opinions and a lot of assumptions. People say that we have to have another because it's only fair to Cohen. He needs a sibling. And people say we will regret not having another.

There are lots of reasons to have two. And there are lots of reasons to have one. It will be cheaper (toys, childcare, travel, school, the list goes on and on). We will have more time for each other. We will probably be able to travel more (not just because the flights will be cheaper, but because it is easier to travel with an adult to kid ratio of two to one). I had some complications with my first pregnancy, so I am at greater risk (10-25% chance of major complications) for a second pregnancy. But for us, logic doesn't really come into play. We are just going with our gut on this one. Right now, we are feeling like one child is perfect for us. We love being a family of three. Maybe someday we will feel differently. Maybe we will be drawn to adoption some day. I have no idea how we will feel a year from now.















If Cohen is our one and only child, we know that we will have to work harder to make sure he has lots of playdates. We will probably often let him bring a friend when we do an overnight into town or go camping when he is older. We will probably be the family that always travels on holidays to visit with cousins. That all sounds really good to us right now.

Lots of people have shared their thoughts on having one (here, here, here).