Happy birthday Phee!!!

It doesn't seem like 2 whole years have gone by since I sent Matthieu off to a business lunch almost 3 hours away, thinking that my contractions were another false alarm.
It doesn't seem like 2 years since the boys and I walked all through downtown following a military band parade and I realised that those contractions may be the real thing after all.
It doesn't seem like 2 years since I took my camera bag and labour bag to lunch with Kokomis just in case.
It doesn't seem like 2 years since we laughed and enjoyed a relaxing lunch while I timed my contractions with my cell phone.
It doesn't seem like 2 years since I went from 4 cm to 7cm in less than an hour.
It doesn't seem like 2 years since I held on those last 15mins until Matthieu arrived as those contractions started to get uncomfortable.
It doesn't seem like 2 years since I gave birth 5mins after Matthieu arrived.

BUT

It feels like a lifetime since I meet this sweet, lovable little guy.   
It feels like a lifetime since I first looked into those sparkly blue eyes, full of joy and just a hint of mischief.
It feels like a lifetime that I've been surrounded by his happy, easy going nature.  His affection and his smile are infectious.

I feel like I've known him my whole life.  I feel like I've known him forever. 

Love you Phoopers!!

Almost 2

I can't believe that 2 years has passed already... such a 'coquin'  He loves a joke and is constantly testing me, but we have a lot of fun with him!!

He started going to playschool today.  He did really well and told and retold all that he did in his 2-3 word sentences.   Pay choo choo.  Fix-it choo choo.  Pay kits.  Fun.  Pippers.  Go back?   Translation: he played with the trains, fixed the trains, he played with the kids and had fun! and wore his slippers.  He wants to go back.

It was too early in the day to get any good pix so I'm going to have to stage his first day later, shhhhh!   I got a new cable for my camera today so here are some that weren't completely blurry, plus one of him painting the saloon doors for Sunday's party and a couple of him doing his favourite passtime... puzzles!!  Man, I can't wait for him to open the ones we got him for his birthday, I'm so bored of the ones we have :P

Sweet talk me

Aw gun
menana bret
horsey paws soh
Fa-a howp
Ninny
gurk
choo choo fain
pear-pane
pap-poh

If you haven't guessed by now, those are some of the words and phrases in Philippe vocab.  He says these in his high adorable baby voice and I just can't get enough ;)  Can you figure out what any of these are?  I'll give translations in a sec. 

Recently he's realised how to joke and tease so he's been so much fun.  He's forever standing up in his highchair so we are foever saying 'sit down, Philippe'.  So, I take the stroller with me when I pick up/drop off the kids at school.  He knows he has to be in it until the boys are dropped off or picked up, then he's free to 'wawk pease'  So one day Anthony saw the empty stroller and climbed in and then Philippe climbed on the back to ride.  Anthony turned around and got up on his kness to talk to him.  Right away Philippe yells 'seet dooown Ninny!'  It was sooo funny, and after he heard me tell anyone around who would think it was cute, he realised that he could make people laugh with it.  He's been just saying it out of the blue just to get a laugh :D

Aw gun-all gone
menana bret-banana bread
horsey paws soh-horse puzzle
Fa-a howp-Philippe help
Ninny-Anthony
gurk-yogurt
choo choo fain-choo choo train (so yes, this means he says truck, fu... well you know ;) )
pear-pane-airplane
pap-poh-apple

Of course, he says a lot of words bang on, like cookie, candy, cake... hmmm I see a trend here ;)

One Fun Filled Weekend

I just wrote a big long blog post, but my computer closed the window on me (it's been doing that a lot lately) and I lost everything!!  And I was 2 secs away from hitting save!!!  So here's the fast run down.

This weekend we had a surprise party for Jean-Laurent, he turned 65 over the summer and since it wasn't easy to get everyone together with people on vacation all over the place Marie-Noëlle planned it for Saturday.  He was really surprised and everyone had a great time together.  The kids always have a blast with their cousins and Matthieu and his brothers act like kids when they get together and I have to say that I love my SILs!!  How lucky I am to have 5!! 

Etienne (Jacques' godfather) and Violaine arrived just in time to come with me to pick up Jacques from school on Saturday morning.  V and I hid so that he could see Etienne first.  Well, he didn't see him because the sun was in his eyes and he even tried to walk around him.  We had a great laugh at that but he was soooo happy to see him!

That evening was the party and it was a lot of fun, but noisy and crazy.  Henar's brother Jesus (it's funny writing that since the Spanish pronounce it Hey-Zeus or something like that) came as well and since the Julien and Henar left early Sunday morning, we were all able to go through old photos and make up songs for a little presentation at the wedding.  He fit right in and seemed quite at ease even with all the noise.

Since Saturday was Matthieu's birthday, and it was overshadowed by Papy's surprise, we did sing to himon sunday.  We will officially celebrate his birthday this Sunday with Philippe.  We aren't doing anything big since we don't want to make everyone come all the way back, but if anyone is in the area, you are more than welcome.  I'll put the invite I made at the bottom, I'm scared to lose my post again by adding it now.  It's a cowboy theme and Philippe has actually asked for a horse cake and I found a fun and easy one to make ;)  Matthieu loves pie so that's what he's getting ;) Philippe went nuts over Papy's cake saying 'more pease' or 'encore pease' depending on who was listening to him.

Then Sunday evening, some of my friends had a virtual shower for Amber and me!!  It may sound strange, but it was probably the most fun I've had 'alone' in front of my computer!!  They all sent boxes ahead of time with gifts and yummy treats that you can't find over here.  We set up a time when we'd all be free and we chatted, played games, ate treats and opened presents.  I laughed until I had tears rolling down my face and started having BH contractions ;)  I'm so glad that this little moose got a shower.  It's always fun to celebrate a new life and these girls sure know how to party :D  Susan, Stacy, Barb and Linda, thank you from the bottom of my heart for these fabulous gifts and such a fun evening!!

OOPS!!

Forgot to put this photo up yesterday ;)

Cousin Sarah

Sarah was changing jobs and decided to take a month off between to come to tour around Europe.  We are so glad that she decided to take a few days to take a vacation from her vacation to visit us!  The boys adored her, I enjoyed her company sooo much and Matthieu tried to persuade her to buy the car he thinks is perfect for her. 

We went to the fair and out to eat on Saturday, but basically, she was just content to accompany us on our daily routines.  She was a bit tired of playing the tourist and the last thing she wanted to do was to see another pretty church ;)  It was perfect for me as well.  Often times when people come, I have to send them off to this destination or that and I only get to spend the evenings with them, in between visits to exciting places.  Since Sarah's been here before it was fine for her to just kick back and visit!!  We laughed like only Duggans can and she fit so easily into our daily lives, like only family can. Plus, it was so fun to have someone who wanted to look through my scrapbooks!  It's been since last November when someone else looked at my pages. 

There are a few photos of her teaching us all how to hoola hoop.  I put them in the Sarah album on the left. Philippe would put his arms in the air and yell 'more' and Matthieu would spin it around his waist.  The boys did really well and even I could do it on my hand, I'll try other spots once the baby comes ;) 

With her cute, funky haircut, the boys thought that she looked elfish.  Sarah thought this was great!  They had just seen the movie 'Arthur and the Minimoys' with a very elf like ,1000 year old, female character.  Jacques asked Sarah if she was 1000 years old :D  Here's a pic of Selenia from the movie and Sarah's version ;)