Hello Loyal Readers!

Hello, loyal readers!! I apologize for the extended delay in new posts - I promise more posts and pictures are forthcoming!

We've moved into our new apartment and boy is it wonderful! Yes, it took me three days to scrub from top to bottom, 12 hours each day or so. Yes, I still gag a little when I look at the nearly 30 year old stove. But, regardless, its ours, its bigger, and the rent is cheaper. When all is said and done, this is a great move for us. But don't get me started on carrying groceries up THREE FLIGHTS of stairs.

The weather here in Canada is delicious the last few days! It has been above 20*C ( around 68*F) the last week, and yesterday it reached 27*C ( 80*F). While I am well aware that the low 80's is not even WARM by Floridian standards, it IS a day at the beach for Canada! ( Not that we have a beach here in Edmonton. Lake beaches are not really beaches. Lakes have shores. Not beaches. Doesn't anyone understand???? )

We've made the decision to move Mila over to formula. It was literally heart wrenching for me. If you look at the bath pictures, her arms are so skinny and her chest is bony. Scroll down to the park pictures, and you'll see long, skinny legs with painfully bony ankles. At least, thats how it looked to me. After much deliberation and talking to various members of my parenting group, we decided to start the transition to bottled formula.

It would be nice if she'd take it more easily from us, but so far the only person who can get her to chug a 4 oz bottle in 5 minutes is Alex's mom. My reservations about leaving the kids with her have now reached NIL. Both my children prefer my MIL. Exactly what does that say about my parenting? ( The kids love grandma. You should hear Robby talk about Grandma & Grandpa in Florida, and how they flew on an AIRPLANE to come see him when Mila was born. They stayed in HOTEL! They brought him puzzles! They are absolutely the best people! Yes! )

Robby continues to do well and is growing so damn fast. I'd like to put bricks on his head to stop the upward motion, but I don't think that would do much for the mental ability. Robby's new ability is to annoy someone SO MUCH that they give into his demands.

Robby: Can I have a juice, please?

Me : You've already had one this morning. You can have another at dinner.

Robby : I want a juiiiiiiiiiiice!

Me : Too many juices give you big diarheaa. Remember? You don't like that.

Robby : JUIIIICE! I'm really FIRSTY! Please Mommy?

Me : I said "No." Robby. How about some water?

Robby :No water! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Say <>" Alllright! "

Me : Robby! I said, NO.

Robby : Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Juice! Please can I have a juice? Juice? I'm very firsty! Say " Allllllright! " Say " Okaaaaaaayy, Robby " Mommy Juice! JUICY! JUICY! Pleasssssssse can I have a juice? I didn't have a juice yet! Mommy! Mommy! JUIIIIIIICE!

At this point Robby generally recieves the asked for juice because I simply CANNOT listen to that any longer. He's not exactly whining, per se, but he's.... wheedling. Pleading. And the ability to exactly duplicate my exasperated, eye rolling, totally-giving-in-to-toddler-demands tone of voice and body language is uncanny! And really, really funny.

Yesterday, we all headed to the park. As soon as we UNPACK the car charger, I'll be posting pictures. Until then, loyal reader, you'll just have to make due with text posts.

Unless your ability to wheedle and connive is as good as Robby's.