Reading over my last post reinforced the opinion I developed when writing our family Christmas letter – for all I write in my blog, much seems to be left out. I think that the letter I eventually sent out does a much better job of telling the story of 2007 for our family. I’ll share it with you below.
Hello!
I won’t start by saying that 2007 was another busy year, not that it wasn’t, but because it is becoming apparent that all our years will be busy ones.
Reid started out the year in a new class at daycare. She was proud to be in the Junior Preschool class in a different building from the babies and toddlers. The play area is larger and the program is structured more like junior kindergarten and Reid took to it like a duck to water. A good portion of January and the beginning of February were a write off as Ken and I both contracted pneumonia. As miserable as we felt, it was a relief that Reid remained healthy throughout. By the end of February, we were feeling better and managed to take in Winterlude activities and even got Reid on skates on the canal a couple times. I had to skate, too, which was an adventure in itself after a decade or so without putting on skates.
In March I attended a conference in San Diego and brought Reid along with me. We flew through Detroit and Aunt Karin joined us for the flight to San Diego and watched Reid while I was at the conference. Before the conference, though, we went to Legoland, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Tijuana and to the San Diego Zoo (many times). Karin and Reid took a harbour cruise and spent a day at the beach as well as exploring other parts of the city.
We got back to Ontario just in time to spend a couple of days with Ken before he flew to France. Ken had been involved in the identification of the First World War soldier who was reburied in April and so he was in France to provide information to members of the media. He also provided historical information to the soldiers who were part of the Vimy commemoration. Reid saw Ken on television while he was away and she was excited to see him. I wonder if she realizes that not all fathers appear on tv.
Ken and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in May. It’s hard to believe that a whole decade has passed! Reid would say that the highlight of her month was seeing Bob the Builder live at an Ottawa mall. It might have made a bigger impression if Reid watched the show on tv but the spectacle was impressive alone. We also took a trip to the Bowmanville Zoo, which is smaller than the zoo in San Diego, but met Reid’s need to see wild animals.
Reid and I took our first train trip together in June. I hadn’t been on a train since I was pregnant with Reid and had to recline my seat in order to put the tray down in front of my big belly. I am happy to report that we didn’t have that problem or any other as we travelled to and from Toronto. I was speaking at a conference and Karin was able to meet us to watch over Reid. Of course, we went a couple of days early so that we would have time to play tourists. We went to the Ontario Science Centre, the Royal Ontario Museum and twice to the Toronto Zoo. Karin took Reid to Casa Loma as well, though Reid’s report of that day was more focused on the Band-Aid she got when she scraped her knee in the garden.
Reid turned three in July and seems to have left babyhood behind her. Ken also celebrated a milestone birthday but I’m not allowed to be more specific than that. Reid and I started a mom and me gymnastics class and Reid’s daredevil streak and love of balancing were put to good use. At Ken’s suggestion, I attended at conference for women bloggers in Chicago. Reid flew down with me and Karin and Shea drove to meet us. We were so impressed with Chicago! We were there 4 days but could have filled that many more. The highlight for Reid was a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo there is a theme to this year and we topped it off with dinner at the Rainforest Cafe for a magical day all around. The Children’s Museum was a popular place, too, though Reid didn’t like the Shedd Aquarium as much as the Birch Aquarium.
Reid and I were riding the trains again in August, this time for a trip to the Dundas family reunion and then a week of camping at the Wheatley Provincial Park with Melissa, Dylan and Zachary. Reid was able to confirm that she much prefers uncooked marshmallows, no matter what I say, and the kids made a point of getting as dirty as possible each day. Reid, Ken and I went for a ride on Thomas the Tank Engine in August and Reid has since watched a few episodes of Thomas on television. She certainly wasnt as star struck as some of the little boys we saw.
In September, though, Pam, Mom and I took Reid to see Toopy and Binoo at a local mall. Toopy and Binoo are on Reids favourite tv show and she was mesmerized from the moment that they appeared on the stage. It was a bit scary to see how enraptured she was but it was good to share in her excitement. Reid joined a gymnastics class on her own and also left me behind at Kindermusik. Three seems to be the age for abandoning your mother.
In October, we took Reid to Scotia Bank Place to skate on the ice where the Senators play and participate in some other activities at the arena as part of a United Way event. Reid had a blast, except for the picture session with one of the hockey players since she seems to have an aversion to men in red. As for me, I never realized how large NHL ice surfaces were until I was mid-way through a circuit hunched over while supporting Reid. Reid was an elephant for Halloween and enjoyed trick or treating. Over three excursions, she covered about 12 houses.
November was milder than usual and that worked out well for Reid and me as we were able to get the annuals pulled from the garden before the weather got too cold. Dont ask about our vegetable patch, though. Reid took November to get used to the new daycare class that she had been moved into in late October. She developed a little bit of the swagger that high school seniors have as she is now in the Senior Preschool class, which makes her one of the big fish in the little pond. The dark evenings and a few work-related commitments for Ken and me, combined with the usual lessons, made the month fly by.
We began December with a trip to Wheatley to celebrate Christmas. Having done two trips over the Christmas/New Years week for more than a decade, we decided that we just couldnt manage it any more. I think that Reid will enjoy Christmas and New Years days more if she travels for one and is at home for the other. If any of you are near Ottawa on January 1st (or any time of the year), please let us know and wed be delighted to have you over.
Merry Christmas and all the best for 2008!