It's tough out there on the farm

Next week, Joseph will be driving a tractor in Saskatchewan, so this week we decided he should learn how to hold his own bottle. His love of eating made it a quick lesson.

Gillian and Joseph take off tomorrow for a month-long adventure in Shaunavon, and David will join them soon. There will be lots happening out there ... Joseph's baptism, party for Grammie and Papa, visiting with relatives and friends, and, of course, farming. We look forward to posting lots of pictures of our adventures.

wonders of the world

Wonders seen today include:

1) James*

2) Therese*

3) Joshua*

4) Niagara Falls

5) Joseph's interest in ice wine**

* friends from Australia... they are wonder-ful.

** we'll start him on solid foods first.

incredible hulk

Look what Super Strong Joseph can do...

he did it him-shelf

Ta da! David made these shelves for us. Joseph models them below...

back in time

We forgot to write about Joseph's first concert! Bad parents. (Well, maybe bad parents for taking Joseph to a concert?) 

Matt Maher, whom we love (and danced to as husband and wife), gave a free concert (and we also love free) at Dundas Square in Toronto on May 17. So off the Kantors went. Joseph wasn't fussed by the loud music and, after posing for some photos (thanks, Richard!) fell asleep. Meanwhile, his parents loved the show. 

visiting Great-Grandma

On Saturday we had a morning walk with Great-Grandma Kantor at the Carmel Heights Retirement Home. The nuns keep beautiful grounds so we did some strolling, said hello to Mary, and enjoyed time with Great-Grandma.

 

artiste

Lily came over this afternoon to decorate our backyard. She did an excellent job - we highly recommend her services to anyone interested. She uses a variety of colours and gets the job done fast by using both hands.

 

friends 4-evah

That's what Ava and Joseph will write in each other's yearbooks. 

Today was a long weekend day, and we spent it with our friends Jeff, Maja, and Ava. We went for a (quick) walk with the black flies in Hilton Falls ("I don't like bugs that eat people," said one little boy we passed) and had a bbq in our backyard. And we made Joseph and Ava pose for a lot of pictures... as follows....

good things come in five

Five months! Can you believe it? David and I talked about it and we decided that, no, we cannot believe how quickly five months have whooshed by us. Every day Joseph makes us smile with all the amazing things that Joseph can do, now that he is 152 days old.

Amazing things like...

1) rolling. He likes to roll to the left and is still working on the right.

2) studying his toes. They are connected to his feet and they are fascinating.

3) spitting up. I think we've mentioned that before. 

4) laughing. He's considering peekaboo and whether or not it is funny. 

5) reaching and patting and pulling. He gently pats faces and roughly pulls hair.

6) melting. Our hearts. Aawwww.

hangin' out

Lily (and Andrea... and Baby) took us to the park today. Lily is an excellent overall playparker, tackling the slide, swings, and many dandelions. Joseph, meanwhile, displayed his greatest strength in the swing category, so we just hung out there. 

  

solids

We started Joseph on crunchy flower petals today. Dee-licious. 

mama's day

Dear Joseph, 

Thank you for being my son and, in doing so, allowing me to be your mom. It's only been five months, but I am having a great time. The best time, really. Life makes more sense now and I am glad to wake up every morning knowing that the only thing worth doing with the day is to take care of you. 

Did you know that, before you were born, I used to get on a train and ride into the city to go to work every day? There I would work with some very interesting and fun and creative people and we would make television shows that talked about our faith. Then I would get back on the train and come home to your Daddy. We would eat supper and talk about our day and tidy the house and do a number of little things that we thought were very important. I really thought my life was very good and very fun. 

But then I met you. And now all of those things that filled my life and made it very good and very fun, well, they are still important to me. But they are not even 1/katrillionth as important to me as you are. Now every morning I get up and take a few steps to your room and there you are. Together we play and talk and sing and change diapers and wipe up spit and eat snacks and go for walks and nap and make surprises for Daddy. Then when he comes home, we try to do all those things all over again so he can be part of it, too. And, with all of this, our life is indeed very good and very fun. 

You are very little. Just 27 inches long. And maybe about 12 inches wide. The exact size of my heart.  Which is growing every day. 

Thank you, Joseph.

Love,

Mommy

-------------

Dear Mom, 

I remember back to when I was little enough to be held by you in Church that I would sometimes dig my pointy chin into your shoulder. And you would try to shift me around because it hurt you. 

Now I know how that feels. 

Sorry. 

Yup, I am slowly starting to understand how it feels to be a mom. I am slowly beginning to understand what you experienced four times over. I am slowly recognizing the choices, sacrifices, and decisions you made to keep us all well and loved. Really loved. 

It's only been five months. You have 38 and 1/2 years on your resume. You are the president and I am the intern. May I please request a number of conference calls?

Thank you for the whole lot of things you have done for us. That list is very long. Pages. So I will sum it up by saying "everything." That's a lot.

I would like to be a mom like you... kind and generous and smart and a good cook who can time things right so the peas and the chicken are done at the same time. I would like Joseph to love me just as much as I love you. And that is a whole bunch. 

Happy Mother's Day, Mumsies. 

Love,

Gillian

hi, chair

We got one for Joseph. He likes to sit here and think about stuff.

steal of a deal

There was a great sale on babies today at the grocery store - one day only. I'm quite happy with my purchase.

go fish

Joseph tried swimming today. David and I were excited but Joseph... not as much. Perhaps he thought it was just a big bathtub. With other people. But he sure looked cute in his swimsuit.