where we have been

the other day when i was trying to decide what to write for cohen's birthday i felt compelled to go back and look at what i wrote last year. it was then that i came upon this. i didn't remember writing it, but i suppose i did, and i liked what it said. i decided then that i would do the same post this year, the pictures that is, only when i had a minute to go through them all. the next day laisha posted jonah's birthday pictures, and referenced the same blog post of mine from last year, and i had to laugh. i guess it is true about great minds and thinking. it seems like a good tradition though, to lay it all out and have a look at where we've been and maybe to think about where we are headed.

there weren't as many photos to choose from this year, in fact some months were pretty slim pickins, so it won't be all toothy grins and clean faces, but then i guess that is closer to life anyway. here it is, cohen's year in review.

june

july

august

september

october

november

december

january

february

march

april

may

today, my two year old boy!

we came, we saw, we ate chocolate cake

i wanted to start this entry by telling you about the birthday parties my mom used to throw for me outside on our sun deck every year. i knew that words probably wouldn't be able to do it justice, and so i was going to start with a picture of me somewhere around ten with sun drenched skin and a pale blue halter dress sitting on rattan furniture, surrounded by friends and beautiful pots of flowers, eating hot dogs and drinking chocolate milk, but i couldn't find the picture, and so it turns out my words will have to be enough. what i wanted was for the photo to show you just how wonderful it was, how large a part of my childhood those parties played. my birthday is in august and i don't remember a year that it wasn't sunny for the party, maybe my mom remembers it different, but as a child my memories are nothing but fond. it was almost always the same group of friends that would come, as the years carried on our interests would change from my little pony to lego and then to music or boys, but one thing always stayed the same, us sitting outside eating hot dogs and laughing. this is what i always imagined it would be like when i had kids one day, sundecks filled with flowers and sun drenched skin, hotdogs and laughing. i was lucky enough to have a baby in the summer, my baby who isn't much of a baby anymore, but would i ever have the sun deck, the flowers? you may be tired of me talking about how much this place means to me by now, but it does. it is everything i wanted for us, kids playing hockey in the alley and neighbours that say hi every time they pass. i didn't know life could be like this in the city, we should have done this so much longer ago.

so this year we had a party, and it was outside and it was filled with sun drenched skin, potted flowers (although mine will never be as nice as my moms were, how could they be?) family, and friends that feel like family. we ate cake and splashed in a little pool made out in the shape of a dragon, and we laughed. it was perfect. i wished we owned this house, i wish that i knew that this was the first of many birthdays that will happen right here on this deck, but no matter where we go i hope we always have this, a plot of grass to call our own.

so happy birthday to the pooper! he is sleeping now, all partied out, no doubt dreaming of chocolate cake and water tables. i will leave you with some pictures and of course you know where you can see the rest.

in one word

i know i haven't been here in more than a month, i will come back one day, just wait. for now though enjoy this, which was inspired by marita's post of the same.

1. Where is your cell phone? somewhere?
2. Your significant other? computer (obviously)
3. Your hair? brown
4. Your skin? freckly
5. Your mother? fantastic
6. Your favorite thing? life
7. Your dream last night? forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? gin
9. Your dream/goal? contentment
10. The room you're in? front
11. Your ex? history
12. Your fear? flying
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? fulfilled
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? wealthy
16. Muffins? please!
17. One of your wish list items? housekeeper
18. Where you grew up? victoria
19. The last thing you did? sigh
20. What are you wearing? sundress
21. Your TV? non-existent
22. Your pets? many
23. Your computer? shiny
24. Your life? enormous
25. Your mood? neutral
26. Missing someone? always
27. Your car? rental
28. Something you are not wearing? tutu
29. Favorite store? TheRegionalAssemblyofText (and i still think marita needs to copy this idea in edmonton!)
30. Summer? beer
31. Where? anywhere
32. Like someone? sometimes
33. Your favorite color? orangebrowngreen (that is a colour isn't it?)
34. When is the last time you laughed? today
35. Last time you cried? today
36. Who will/would re-post this? friends
37. Whose answers are you anxious to see? anyones (let me know if you do it!)

oh and since i am here, ada was two months the other day and this is what she looks like now, people are saying she is beautiful, i guess that means she looks like me, right?



cohen is having his second birthday party tomorrow, look for photos and more coming soon!