Piano Recital

Today was Nathanh's piano recital...and he did totally awesome!

I was a bit worried because last year he didn't have a great experience.  Last year was one of my poor parenting moments, that I totally regret.  Nathanh was coming down with something and he said he didn't feel well but I figured it was a whole minute, maybe two, that he'd be on stage and really, couldn't he just power through?  Anyways, I didn't listen to Nathanh, he screamed the whole time and never ended up playing his songs at all.  When we got home I took his temperature and it was 103!  So yeah, not one of my finest parenting moments.

So I was a bit worried that somehow the bad memory of last year would replay.  Nathanh was a bit nervous and worried in the morning but we practiced a few times and he was definitely ready.  Somehow Erwin convinced him to have a nap before we left so he was well rested and ready. 

At the recital he practiced once beforehand.  He was still a bit nervous but he went up with his class and played their group ensemble.  When his turn came he went up and played his two songs really, really well.  I was so proud of him!  The best part though was seeing how proud he was of himself.  Nathanh can be quite shy and timid with certain things and performing in front of others definitely qualifies as something that would scare him.  He just lit up when he got back to his seat and proclaimed "I did it!"  Ohhh, so proud of him.

A Family Portrait

This one was done by Nathanh.  Over the years I have tried drawing with Nathanh but it quickly turns into him wanting me to draw things for him.  He thinks his drawing isn't good enough and no matter how much encouragement I give him I don't get too much out of him.  I was thinking about it again recently because I thought he should have some drawing skill / experience for entering Kindergarten.  I have never seen him draw a person and that is so telling in Kindergarten. Anyways, out of the blue yesterday, while I was making dinner, Nathanh wanted to draw.  So I got him a big piece of paper and his felts.  He announced that he was drawing Daddy.  When I heard this, I perked up and suggested a family picture.  Nathanh took on this challenge and did rather well, I thought! 

From left to right this is Nathanh, Thianna, Mommy with the brown hair and Daddy with the round tummy and spikey hair (Nathanh's words not mine!). And we are all holding hands!  I was so expecting his first people drawings to be circles with smiles and arms and legs coming out of the circles.  So, this was pretty impressive!

After dinner Nathanh asked for his picture back, I'd hung it on the fridge by then.  He said he wasn't finished the background.  I was a bit afraid he'd wreck the picture by over adding to it but I gave it back to him and he added in the waterfall.

So this is our family picture at Shannon Falls.  It is just pretend though because as Nathanh explained, last time we were there, Thianna wasn't with us yet.  The rainbow is the rainbow that you see in the mist (the dots) of the waterfall!  

This was a photo that Nathanh took of Erwin and I at Shannon Falls last winter.

"Stop Nathanh"

Okay, I'm a bit behind in posting - I'll catch up eventually!  But I didn't want to forget this little gem of a memory that happened today.

For anyone who is wondering how Thianna's English is coming along this pretty much sums it up.  

We were driving to Nana and Grandpa's house and Thianna was trying to tell me something...likely what song to put on or ask who was putting her to bed tonight...but Nathanh kept cutting her off with his own stories to tell.  So what does Thianna say?  "Stop Nathanh, Thianna turn talk to mommy". Yup, my girl can definitely get her point across!

Honestly her language is coming along just fine.  Her vocabulary is expanding quickly and never seems to hinder her speech anymore.  I am just beginning to hear words like - the, to, my - coming into her sentences.  I think the hardest part is understanding her.  Her pronounciation is coming but it is not the best, especially when she tries to speak as quickly and as fluently as Nathanh.  Thianna can also get frustrated when we don't understand her but it is less and less often, so that's good.

New Year's Eve!

Usually we go visit my sister for New Year's but this year my nephew was getting married on New Year's Eve so the whole family came down to the Lower Mainland for the celebration.

My oldest nephew, his wife and their new baby (yes, I am a great-aunt now!)  stayed with us for a few nights.  Another niece and her husband also stayed with us so we had a full house - which was wonderful!  Thianna got to meet more family members and she quickly warmed up to everyone!  

Thianna holding baby Ivy:) she liked the baby but needed reassurance that she was still my baby.  As independent as Thianna is, she still likes to pretend that she is a little baby.  She'll ask me to carry her like a baby sometimes and she asks "Thianna mommy's baby?"  Of course I make sure that both Thianna and Nathanh know that no matter how old they get, they will always be my babies:)

Here are some other great pictures of multiple generations.

Nana, Thianna and Ivy.  Thianna sure didn't stay the youngest in the family long!

On New Year's Eve we were all off to the wedding.  Nathanh had been asked to be  a ring bearer way back in July or August , I think.  But with no pressure.  Basically, they knew that he can be a bit shy so it was left up to him to decide if he was comfortable with it.  Over the months I asked him about it and at different times I got yes and no answers.  Anyways, about two weeks before the wedding I told Nathanh we needed to make a decision.  I told him it would mean a lot to Connor and Lauren but that no one wanted a fight the day of, so it was his decision.  He pondered it very seriously and finally said he'd do it if Thianna would do it with him and hold his hand.  Even Nathanh knows that she is the brave, outgoing one!  So here are the two cutest ring bearer and ring bearer assistant that you ever have seen!

Waiting for the big moment.

Walking down the aisle.  They were to walk down and exchange the rings with their cousin Taylor, for a bag of candy, each.  Before coming back to sit with Erwin and I.  They were pretty cute and did an absolutely perfect job:). 

We had a bit of an opportunity for some family photos after the ceremony.  I am still disappointed in my dress colour; I should have gone with my black and purple outfit.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day and a very picturesque location out at UBC.

Nathanh and his cousin Taylor making sure everything is ready for the speeches.

Thianna got to meet more cousins.

Thianna and her cousin Shannon.  This picture was just before the meals were served.  I had ordered Thianna the chicken, of course! And Nathanh the vegetarian option, of course again!  Anyways, Nathanh ended up sleeping on my lap through dinner and Thianna... When her dinner was served it was a rather large chicken leg, I asked Erwin to cut it up a bit for her so she could use her fork.  Next thing I know, she has (now remember she's all dressed up in her fancy clothes) picked up this huge chicken leg and is just biting into it!  So Erwin gets her to put it down and he cuts some up for her, wipes her hands and leaves her be again.  Next time I look up she has discarded her fork and is once again holding and biting into this huge chicken leg!  I wish I had a picture but Nathanh was fast asleep on me and we were in rather tight quarters.

Thianna and her cousin Robyn.  Thianna is missing Robyn lots now that she has returned to Spain.

And I can't believe I didn't get a picture of Thianna with Shaylene.  I'll throw in one of Nathanh though.

Cutie!

After dinner there was a candy bar available for snacking.  This was a hit!  Nathanh remembered about the candy bar from his cousin Jason's wedding and had been explaining the whole concept to Thianna for weeks before!  I don't think she fully understood until it was right I front of her though!  I was trying to slow her down as I didn't want her to be sick with too much candy.  However, Thianna is cute, resourceful and not afraid to befriend anyone and suggest that she just wants one (as she hold up her one finger) candy.  Nathanh heads my advice though and eats one healthy thing, then one candy, repeat, repeat, repeat!

Thianna especially loved the dancing portion of the evening.  I am not much of a dancer so I kept suggesting that she dance with daddy, who is much more into it than me!  But Thianna I didn't want to dance with daddy.  Luckily , she had enough young and energetic cousins around to keep her amused most of the night!

We had a fabulous night celebrating a new marriage and a New Year!  The kids were awesome...and more than ready for bed by the time we finally got home.

Needless to say, New Year 's Day started out with a big sleep in by all, 10:00 to be exact!  And later in the day we went for a beautiful, crisp walk.

Happy New Year from our family to yours!