Christmas 2014.....

I thought I should post some photos of Christmas before we find ourselves halfway through the year! Blogging is proving exponentially more difficult to fit in with each new member added to our family :) so I apologize if you've been checking the blog only to discover again and again that I haven't found five minutes to add any photos ( Sorry Caroline! ) 

Anyway, Christmas was lovely! It was of course Silas'
 first Christmas, we also had Andrew and Anneka visiting from LA enjoying some nice cold Canadian weather. We tried our best to make the most of their time with us and they managed to fit in pond skating, snow tubing, cross country skiing, tobogganing and fat biking, which is no mean feat considering Anneka is not at all used to the cold and didn't even have a pair of winter boots or snow pants! The kids LOVED having them here and we all felt a bit lonely after they left. Next year...maybe we'll come to LA :) 

Seb goes pond skating.....

 Yesterday we went skating on the pond in town. I say we but I really mean Neil and Seb. I didn't think skating was such a good idea in my current stage of baby-growing and decided that sitting pond side with a thermos full of hot chai would be much better. Bel was in agreement so we watched the boys lace up and get on with it. 

Seb is about to embark on skating sessions with his class at school so we figured it would be good to have at least a bit of practise before he starts. I'm sure many of his classmates have been on the ice since before they could walk but better late than never! At first he was a bit unstable but within two minutes he'd abandoned the Zimmer frame thingy and was skidding about unaided.

Once Seb got going, Bel's enthusiasm for the whole idea suddenly increased and I think she wished she was skating too. Instead she slid around the ice in her boots doing a few spins and twirls with her tiara glittering in the sunshine :) I should mention that the weather was perfect! It was just above zero with lots of warming sunshine and barely a hint of wind. Absolutely one of those perfect winter days! 

I found a nice comfy bench spot in the sun, sipped on my Chai and watched all the happy skaters with a smile on my face. 

 I was surprised at just how much Seb enjoyed himself, even laughing and smiling (almost) every time he fell!

Seb tends to get frustrated easily if he can't do something right away and seems prone to giving up and getting upset so I was so happy to see his perseverance and enthusiasm despite quite a few tumbles. His skating improved really quickly, his stamina outlasted Neil and by the time we started to think about packing up he was looking nice and stable and had the confidence to go scarily fast! 

When he finally sat down and unlaced he was pooped but happy and he asked straight away if we could come back tomorrow :)