Chloe & Marley

Canmore Photos

2009-08-22T11:51:00.000-06:00

Some photos from Canmore and Banff. The weather was great and it was the most relaxing little holiday we've taken in a long time. We acted like tourists and just hung out and took in the sites.

More park photos

2009-08-22T11:24:00.001-06:00

Marley is not nearly as agreeable with my photography these days. I seem to remember an extended ban on photos from Chloe around this age. This seems to be the best I can get of her unless she's in a swing. To be honest, this is what she looks like most of the time regardless if there's a camera present. She's a Wagner, what can I say?

Summer Photos

2009-08-20T21:23:00.004-06:00

I'm a slacker I know. Here's a few photos from the park a few weeks ago. I have thousands to get to but these caught my eye and I thought I would share. Chloe doing yoga on a baseball diamond....in rubber boots.

Mexico

2009-05-13T09:55:00.004-06:00

One month later and I've finally gotten around to editing our photos from Mexico. You can see them here if you like. There's tons, probably too many for anyone to actually look at but if you want to sift through you'll get a sense of what Mexico was like for a family vacation. Everyone is healthy upon return and the girls were great. Can't really ask for more.

Click on the little album on the right and it will take you to this link:
http://picasaweb.google.ca/chloeandmarley/2009MexicoJPEG?feat=directlink

Little Walking Bird

2009-02-18T23:02:00.004-07:00

Marley is now our little walking bird. She's been practicing for a week or so and now seems to have come close to mastering walking. She can pivot which is a sure sign that before too long I'll be chasing two kids instead of one. Some bad photography of her first real steps that weren't her REAL first steps but I was at a meeting when she decided to take her first steps so they don't really count.

Ikea Rules

2009-02-18T22:57:00.003-07:00

Ikea does rule for many reasons...and now they sell hats which makes them rule even more. Niki found these when we are at Ikea and we both bought a stack of them. Marley has taken to the birthday hat and actually puts it on every morning and parades around in it. If I could wear a cake on my head I would too I guess...

Marley's New Room

2009-02-18T22:52:00.002-07:00

As mentioned, Marley now has a new blue room. It only took me three weeks to pick the right blue. We all like it though, especially Marley. When I can't find her, she's in there sitting in her chair thinking she's cool. And clearly, she is.

Family Day

2009-02-18T22:46:00.002-07:00

So nice to have a holiday in the middle of February. Kevin again spent most of the weekend painting the bedroom in the basement. I didn't get the girls out of the house for him this weekend so he had to fight off the girls interrupting him every 2 minutes. Chloe got to roll and paint a bit and Marley says 'wow' everytime she walks in the room. We headed to the Legislative Grounds for Family Day which was actually pretty fun. Horse rides, face painting, ice sculptures, skating, magicians...and hot chocolate. Oh yeah, and the family of course!

A Day in Leduc

2009-02-18T22:42:00.001-07:00

Kevin repainted Marley's room a few weeks ago. I offered to help by getting out of the house and taking the girls with me...we headed to Leduc for a day with Grancy and Grandpa and the girls had a great day. A few shots from Grancy's house....

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-18T22:12:00.003-07:00

Valentines Day would not be complete without a school party full of sugar and sweets. I can't believe the amount of junk food these kids haul home from these parties. Anyways, Chloe was thrilled of course and thought Valentines Day was pretty cool...

Some bad shots

2009-01-27T23:48:00.005-07:00

Clearly I've been ignoring my camera. I need to get back on the saddle and have my camera out every day. Here's some shots from December. I love the out of focus crappy photo of Chloe because it's totally her...

Special Helper Day

2009-01-27T22:40:00.005-07:00

Back in December it was Chloe's special helper day. They bring a parent to help out at school and they get to be the special helper and bring something for show and tell. Chloe was very excited and had fun. In the car on the way home she informed me she would bring dad next time...

Contact Me

2009-01-27T09:12:00.001-07:00

A few shots of the girls I took hoping to get something for my website. They never get off the phone it seems but when I try to get them to take a photo with a phone everyone's shy...

New Photography Website

2009-01-26T08:15:00.003-07:00

Well after much staring and fussing, my website has been relaunched. Check it out when you have time. I like the clean lines of it though I'm not sure of the images I've used but I had to post it just so I would stop obsessing. Have a great week!
Here's the link: http://www.heatherwagnerphotography.com

Marley's Birthday

2009-01-16T14:10:00.001-07:00

2 days before Marley's first birthday I broke my foot. I didn't know it was broken until the day before her birthday but I had to get an air cast and was in a bit of pain so we postponed her birthday party. My family came over on the weekend to celebrate and then we never really did a big party. Marley didn't mind and since we still have pictures, she won't feel neglected when she's older.
A few shots from her party, party that wasn't a party....

Little Declan

2009-01-16T14:07:00.003-07:00

I haven't posted in two months and I'm posting photos of Declan? I guess so, he's so darn cute. Marley freaks out when she sees him and they really do love each other. It doesn't last long, as they end up fighting over a ball or whatever but I think it's just a really complicated relationship that only they understand.

I'm such a bad blogger

2009-01-16T14:00:00.003-07:00

Can anyone tell I lose interest in things after a while? Hence the sewing machine in the basement, the box of unglazed pottery in the garage,....maybe I'm ADHD.

Here's some photos of Chloe I took before Christmas. I've been working on launching my new photography website but am not wanting to take on a lot of jobs with my other work I'm doing so I've been holding off a bit.

Here she is....

A few more fall babies

2008-11-10T21:02:00.002-07:00

Not sure why, but the photos are uploading in the opposite order. Be creative to get the concepts....

Declan and Marley

2008-11-10T20:58:00.003-07:00

They really do love each other. They gurgle happily when they see each other and seem to have found a way to play together even though they don't really know how. I love how Declan pulls her hood then she takes off on him and eats his leaf....oh babies.

Centennial Park

2008-11-10T20:37:00.003-07:00

Fall was so beautiful this year. We hit Centennial Park more than once for some fall shots in preperation for some client shoots. A few from one of our visits...

Last Batch...

2008-11-10T20:00:00.002-07:00

More John Janzen Nature Centre

2008-11-10T19:59:00.001-07:00

I know I'm horrible

2008-11-10T19:44:00.003-07:00

I just don't have any good excuses why I haven't been updating my poor blog. Here's some updating from the last 2 months! Before school actually started we got the kids together for some shots at John Janzen Nature Centre. Here's the results!

More of the Cornfield

2008-09-18T10:10:00.005-06:00

The Edmonton Corn Field

2008-09-18T10:10:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago we checked out the corn maze south of Leduc. Grancy and Mike met us and explored with Chloe. She loved the animals and of course getting a ride through the corn maze.

Stephanie's Sweet Sixteen

2008-09-07T21:46:00.001-06:00

Gorgeous Stephanie is sixteen. She's our neice and I can't believe she's this old but that seems to be a trend with me. Stephanie has reached icon status in our household, Chloe is absoloutely enamoured with her and names all her little toys Stephanie. Luckily Steph is a good sport about it. A few shots from the party. I haven't gotten through all of them yet so expect more at some point..

A few more from Banff

2008-09-07T21:42:00.003-06:00

Banff

2008-09-07T21:37:00.002-06:00

We never really go to Banff when we're in Canmore. It seems crowded and there's nothing really there for us. We decided to hit Banff for an afternoon (and eat at the McDonalds there which is so much better) and take the girls to the Banff Springs. I even jumped in a few photos which scared me but at least my girls will know I actually existed when they were young.

Canmore

2008-09-07T21:33:00.001-06:00

I know...I've neglected my blog again. I'm working on it. A few weeks late, here are some photos from our week in Canmore. It was so nice to get away and relax in the mountains for a few days. We're so fortunate to have that option. We had great weather and hung out like tourists which we don't usually get to do.

Kelowna

2008-08-09T15:06:00.002-06:00

Marley and I were able to go to Kelowna for a few days to catch up with my grandparents. Mom and Kevin came too. It was a great weekend and grandma seems to be feeling much better. I can't believe how young they both look, I can only hope I look this good when I'm in my eighties. A few shots from the weekend.

A few more from the lake

2008-08-09T15:02:00.001-06:00

At the Lake

2008-08-09T14:59:00.002-06:00

We had a nice time relaxing at the lake. No phone, no TV, no computer, no sewing machine. I wanted to bring my sewing maching but Kevin said no. Chloe loved swimming and going for walks. I read and hung out with Marley most of the time. A few shots from our weekend at Moose Lake.

Niki got a camera

2008-08-09T14:53:00.001-06:00

When I bought my sewing machine it was stated that Niki would need to buy a camera so that I could help her with photos and she could help me sew. She got her new camera for her birthday so we tested it out on our willing little subjects a few weeks ago. I'm so behind on this blog its sad. And no, we dont' intenetionally make them match all the time....but it's so cute, isn't it?

Dave & Christi

2008-08-04T23:31:00.003-06:00

I have finally finished editing the wedding photos for Dave and Christi. The wedding was so much fun, the wedding party was gorgeous and great to be around. They made my job so easy. Here's a few of my favorites. I couldn't get into my photography website so had to use picassa to post the photos. See the slideshow on the right to get to it.

The Muttart Conservatory

2008-07-08T08:20:00.003-06:00

The grounds at the Muttart are brilliant. I was kind of sad we had never been there before. Great views, nice green space, picnic tables....it's worth checking out.

More from the Bennett Centre

2008-07-08T08:19:00.002-06:00

The Bennett Centre

2008-07-08T08:14:00.002-06:00

A girlfriend of mine is getting married this weekend and I agreed to do the photography for her wedding. As part of preperation, I dragged the family for a rainy visit to some local city sites for some test shots this weekend. Chloe picked her own outfit. We've been arguing about everything lately so I was just happy she agreed to come and couldn't care less what she was wearing....These are from the Bennett Centre downtown.

Showtime

2008-06-17T20:12:00.002-06:00

Their act was called the Happy Sparkling Ballerinas and that really was what they were. I can't say enough about how proud I was of all of them but especially chloe. There was a time not long ago where she would cry if we went to ballet and now she's a true little ballerina. She was good too, even though I'm biased.

Happy Sparkling Ballerinas

2008-06-17T20:10:00.002-06:00

Here she is with her little ballerina friends. She was a bit nervous at first but had no trouble staying in the 'green room' with her new best friends. They were all so cute, I was teary all day.

The final product

2008-06-17T20:06:00.004-06:00

Here's how she looked after some glamming up. I love these shots, she's so happy with her hair and make-up. I remember doing this for ballet when I was little and thinking we were so hot!

Getting Gorgeous

2008-06-17T20:04:00.003-06:00

Chloe's ballet recital was on the weekend. She was so gorgeous. Some shots of her getting ready for her big performance.

Our Turkey dress

2008-06-03T18:14:00.002-06:00

I bought this dress for Chloe from this lady on Etsy who is in Turkey, hence the Turkey dress. Her work is so nice and she is such a lovely lady. Her shop is here. She emailed me last week out of the blue saying she loves me. She doesn't speak good English....Anyways, here are some shots I love of Chloe looking beautiful while Kevin paints the fence. It's painted now, it was a lot of work of him but as we near Chloe's birthday party all these things have to get done. It's like this every year, June is full of work and then we can enjoy the summer....hopefully.

Water Babies

2008-06-03T10:38:00.002-06:00

Apparently Chloe can swim....well. I missed all this since I don't own a bathing suit but Kev and her go 3 or 4 times a week to the pool and somewhere along the way she became a swimmer! I went to watch her a few weeks ago and was very impressed, she can actually hold her breath under water and swim the length of the pool. Marley tolerated it but wasn't thrilled with the whole process.

More Lounge Suits

2008-06-03T10:03:00.001-06:00

More lounge suits for the girls. They look better in real life. Marley hates the grass and seems a little disgusted with outdoors in general hence the sour face.

The rag quilts

2008-05-22T17:06:00.002-06:00

When Chloe was born my mom made a rag quilt for her. It's insanely soft and cozy so when Marley was born I had to have another one for her. Now i have FOUR, and Marley sleeps with 2 at all times. She lays on one and lays under another. She loves to hold the frayed edges.

Matching green jammies

2008-05-22T17:00:00.003-06:00

A few more of the girlies together. I love when they match and luckily so does Chloe. The easiest way to get her to wear something is to buy or make a matching set for Marley. I'm sure we'll both tire of this soon but in the meantime....

Both girls

2008-05-07T13:31:00.003-06:00

I don't often get any shots of the girls together. As well documented, one of them is usually undressed or too grumpy for photos. Here's some that aren't great but at least they're clothed and relatively happy. Yes, Chloe is dressed as a cowgirl in some of them....

Hunter's Birthday Gift

2008-05-07T13:28:00.002-06:00

Yes, it's a month late. I had made a skirt set for Hunter's birthday in March but apparently it was more of a sausage casing and she couldn't walk in it. So I tried another one with a matching set for Chloe including little headbands. I didn't see Hunter in it so I dont' know if it fits but Chloe likes hers. It has the cutest little bikes on it...

Marley is six months

2008-05-07T13:20:00.002-06:00

Ah, how time flies. Little Marley is already six months. Here's a few shots of her being six months on the weekend. They look the same as the ones of her being five months from a month ago.

Another peasant blouse

2008-05-07T13:14:00.003-06:00

I'm not sure how many peasant blouses chloe needs but I have this thing where I like to make a pattern 3 times to really get it. So here's the second and third little tops I made her. She actually wears these because they're easy to get on. They're easy to make so I love them but i used cheap broadcloth for the blue border on one of them and it looks kind of strange.... The pink one is a different pattern that was torture because of the ties on it. Who knew ties could be such a drag? She picked the fabric though so she actually wears it. Is this turning into a sewing blog?

Courtney Courtney

2008-05-07T12:58:00.002-06:00

Another cute Etsy shop. I fell in love with these T-shirt dresses. I have ordered lots, they're great for kids to run in but still feel twirly. Chloe would never wear this one because she thought people would laugh at the rooster (what? rooster's are so cool!). Finally convinced her to put it on and she got lots of compliments so maybe she'll work it into the rotation of ugly sweat pants and tank tops that she seems to favor. By the way, I didn't ask her to make a mad face, this is just Chloe being Chloe. Luckily it works for photos. Her shop is here.

Bella Sera Baby

2008-05-07T12:52:00.003-06:00

Another cute shop from Etsy. I ordered this coat a while ago but it didnt' fit Chloe properly. It fits now with a tank top and it's so cute. I wish I could make these. It's reversible too, how great is that? I've ordered other stuff from her as well and the quality is awesome. All Chloe's little pinafores are from here. Her shop is here.

Chloe had a haircut at Beaners yesterday. I got talked into the 'girls package' which meant curls, braids and sparkles. You know, all that girlie crap. Seemed like a good time to take some photos.

Little Gnomes for Vaelan

2008-05-05T21:24:00.003-06:00

I love making baby clothes. It's so fun to cut a tiny little bit of fabric and make pants....it's so cute. It's hard to find fabric to make things for little boys but I loved this Heather Ross fabric with gnomes on it. I made a lounge suit and a few burp cloths for baby Vaelan. Also a few shots of the first peasant shirt I made for Chloe. As you can see she actually seemed to enjoy wearing it. She likes things that are easy to get on so elastic necks are perfect for her.

New photos of Chloe

2008-05-03T21:38:00.005-06:00

I managed to get a few good shots of Chloe last week without any cheesy grins, thumbs up or coy poses. She did strike a tree pose a few times but that's just her inner yogi.

Another sewing project

2008-05-03T20:31:00.002-06:00

I made another lounge suit for Marley. Did I mention we like to lounge in this house? This one was really easy and the fabric was super cheap so i like it even more. The little kimono top is a pattern from my new favorite book: Bend the Rules Sewing. Marley modeling her new wears. The cute top is handmade by Niki.

Looking out our front door

2008-05-03T20:27:00.002-06:00

I mentioned how we've been cursed with a snowy April. I took some shots to document the severity of it. Our front door had two feet of snow in front of it. I had to warn Niki and the kids to bring boots and perhaps snow shoes to come visit. Gotta love spring in Edmonton.

Oh my, it's May!

2008-05-03T20:21:00.003-06:00

I've neglected my blog. Apparently people are actually reading it and there's nothing to read so my apologies!

At the risk of this turning into a baby item and sewing blog...I had these gorgeous little play balls made for Marley. Of course I got them on Etsy. Her shop is here. They have a little bell in them and they're super cute. Chloe and Jaxsen like them as well and finally we can play ball in the house without visiting Roger (the X-ray technician at the Emergency Centre in Sherwood Park...we know him by name). Yay!

Spring was here

2008-04-21T09:23:00.004-06:00

It's gone now, but spring was here last SUnday. It was great. The weather was nice and we all celebrated in our own way. Kevin cleaned the yard, Chloe cleaned the windows, Grancy took Marley for a walk and I showered. Oh the memories. It's winter again though. We are buried under a ton of snow. I can't believe how much snow, I went to take photos yesterday but got scared of the snow drift outside our door. I can't even get the paper from the mailbox. Here's some shots from LAST Sunday which seems like a really long time ago.

\

T-Shirt Pants

2008-04-21T09:07:00.004-06:00

I'm not sure if I used to wear REALLY tight T-shirts or if they all shrunk, but I have an abundance of shirts in my closet that don't fit anymore. Not even close. I found a tutorial on how to make them into kids pants so I thought I would try it. They turned out really cute and they're nice and soft for Marley. I used a shirt that I bought in Hawaii 2 years ago from 88 Tees. They don't let you try anything on (what???) so they convinced me to buy a youth size 12-14 which I haven't worn since I was a youth sized 8-10. What was I thinking. I found the tutorial here, they have lots of cute ideas and I should probably buy their book.

Jolly Marley

2008-04-14T19:14:00.004-06:00

Marley loves both the exersaucer and the jolly jumper. She took to the jolly jumper immediately, doing her own little river dance. Chloe gets me to put on Hannah Montana and dances around while Marley bounces. It's so cute. She loves it when Jaxsen and Chloe dance together and chat with her while she's in there. Kevin hangs her in mid air while we figure out where to hook her on the monstrosity and she just hangs there happy as a clam.

Marley is five months.....already

2008-04-14T19:10:00.003-06:00

Little Miss Marley is already 5 months old. Scary I know. I took some shots of her but she has been so snotty, slobbery and such that she didn't look like herself to me. That's probably just her changing into a bigger baby. She's been an awesome little baby, we love her.

Niki's Cute Kids

2008-04-14T11:23:00.004-06:00

The last of my March photos that i've been behind on. Here's some shots of Niki's cute kids. She might make me take them down as I didn't get permission which is not cool. Hopefully she doesn't mind, they're so cute I had to show them off. Declan and Marley are 2 months apart in age and Lily and Chloe are 3 months apart in age. Niki and I are both huge nerds who love fabric so it's a good match. We actually arranged for babysitters so we could go to FABRICLAND for a big sale. You know you're a nerd when.... The store is chalk full of people and smells like smoke, strong perfume and a hint of cabbage. We were the youngest people there by about 30 years and for sure the only 2 with babies in the joint. Fun, fun, fun.
I'm noticing that my photos are using a lot of clarity when compressed. I'll have to take a look at using a different program for that.....

Easter Suit

2008-04-14T11:19:00.002-06:00

I forgot to post Easter photos. They're the exact same as last year, so I didn't pay much attention to them. Scott, Lee and Grancy came out for an Easter Egg hunt and we talked to Kevin and Andrea on the webcam. I made a suit for Marley which pretty much fell apart in the wash machine and will never be worn again. Here's her loving the exersaucer.

Oilers Fan

2008-04-14T11:16:00.003-06:00

Kevin, Scott and Lee took Chloe to an Oilers game (when they were still playing). I had my doubts since I detest the walk from the car, the crowds of people at Rexall and thought the noise would be too much for her. Apparently she did great, cheering and yelling for 3 periods. She fell asleep on the way home though, which never happens. Kevin bought her some gear which looked surprisingly cute on her.

Baby Vaelan

2008-04-14T11:11:00.002-06:00

Kathy had a baby boy one month ago, his name is Vaelan. He's adorable and wrinkly and really furry. We love him. He was one month old yesterday, which is scary. I took some photos when he was 4 days old but haven't really seen him much since them as we've all been so icky and sick.
Here's the gorgeous little one.

Mail from Mexico

2008-04-13T00:27:00.003-06:00

Kevin and Andrea got the cutest matching dresses for the girls while they were in Mexico. Chloe loves hers. I haven't tried Marley's on yet, she spends most of her days in jammies covered in drool. Here's the cute dress. I told Chloe if she let me take her photo she could jump off the couch. Safety first!

What to wear with a purple skirt

2008-04-13T00:20:00.004-06:00

I slaved making this great purple skirt for Chloe. Well, I think it's great. I actually carried it in my purse for a week to show various people who didn't care. I asked Chloe to try it on so I could take some photos of it. She opted to peel off all her clothes, put it on and then accessorize with some striped socks. Not exactly the ensemble I had in mind when I was making it. She then proceeded to do what appeared to be some sort of Mexican rain dance while I tried to take a photo. I cut her head out on purpose....
She wore it for 70 seconds, peeled it off and kicked into the forbidden corner of our bonus room where the fish, dog toys and hula hoop live. Motherhood is so gratifiying.

Spring in the Suburbs

2008-04-13T00:12:00.002-06:00

It finally hit springtime temperatures yesterday. I knew this because almost everyone on our street celebrates warm weather by washing their vehicles. Kevin commented today that the neighbor had been washing his car for 3 hours. I looked out the window and realized he had been washing his car for 24 hours...seriously. At one point yesterday another neighbor drove his car over to stand with the car washer to talk about strategy i'm sure. Maybe it's because we drive one company vehicle and a hand me down, but we just don't wash our cars. My car always smells like nuggets and coffee but I clean it by cracking a window and driving faster.

Here's some shots of Chloe wearing a lounge suit I made her. She hasn't worn it since...but it is very springlike.

Snowy Sherwood Park

2008-04-06T13:37:00.004-06:00

Nothing like waking up to a snow storm in April. It snowed Friday night and we're back into the deep freeze. Seems like a good time to post a few more photos from the ski extravaganza a few weeks ago. Kevin is so fun with the kids. He yells at them and chases them and throws them in the snow while I stand on the side yelling 'be careful, watch the skidoo, is anyone cold?, Kevin be careful of her knees!!!'. Good times. Marley was the only one who looked the part on the ski hill. She had on a cool ski suit while the rest of our family was mismatched and straight from winners. Thanks to Baby Mya for the cool (or warm I should say) duds. It was a lot of fun and I'm hoping Uncle Bob will take Chloe skiing next year once she has a cool outfit of course.

The story behind these Robeez

2008-03-26T11:15:00.002-06:00

On the day I had Marley, I was reading about crazy ladies who would be starting labour and have this urge to grab an axe and go chop down some stump they had had in their yard for ten years. I totally thought they were freaks. But when my labour started, I phoned Kathy to confirm and phoned Kevin and told him to come home. I didnt' know what to do next. I was locked in the bathroom and came out to find Chloe had teepeed the whole bonus room in toilet paper. Not just a roll, but a dozen rolls of TP all over the place. I didn't want to clean it up and I was feeling strange so I grabbed Chloe, got in the car and went shoe shopping. I had it in my head that I had to have shoes for the new baby and off we went to find the perfect pair. The whole time we were gone I was having contraction but didn't care, I was on a mission involving shoes. So call it temporary insanity or whatever. Now when I read the stories of women cleaning their freezers out while they're in labour, I get it. Here's the aforementioned shoes and some hoochie pants I made for her (low rise, skinny pants....perfect for babies, right?).

4 Months

2008-03-26T10:54:00.003-06:00

Well she's almost five months but I'm a bit behind on my blog...
Here's some four month photos of Little Miss Marley.

Tshirt Dresses

2008-03-26T10:19:00.004-06:00

I saw these cute T-shirt dresses in Etsy and had to order them. I got one for Mya for her birthday and one for Chloe. We like them so much I've ordered more. It's an easy way for chloe to wear a dress (which she insists on) without getting crazy caught on everything in sight. And the BUMBO that Kathy got us is getting a lot of use. It's this strange little seat that babies can sit in. I thought they were strange when Chloe was a baby and never bought one, but Marley loves it. Just sits and hangs out while she watches Chloe....so cute.

Happy Birthday Hunter!

2008-03-26T09:28:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was Hunter's birthday. I didn't pay much attention when I was talking to Christy, yes we'll be there, the usual birthday party. But part way through the day I got a kind of sad feeling! I must be getting old. I remember when Hunter was born and how we went and saw her she made my heart hurt just holding her. I used to watch her every Tuesday when her mom golfed and it was so cool just to hang out and watch her do nothing. And now she's six...I can't believe it. Just two weeks ago we went to the ski hill to watch her and Christian ski and it was awesome. They are both so good, tearing down the hill like demons. She's grown into this sweet, caring little girl and Chloe idolizes her and we're okay with that. To think six years ago I was holding her in the hospital and yesterday she left me a phone message,'Auntie Heather, where are you? My party is starting NOW!'. And then when I phoned her back she says,'It's you AGAIN?'. Oh how time really flies. Here's a few photos of my favorite six year old neice - we love you Hunter!

Cute Blocks

2008-03-16T22:26:00.002-06:00

My obsession with everything Heather Bailey continues. I had these little soft blocks made for Marley's room. I like them more than she does but she likes to suck them and squeeze them. Megan made them in Marthas Vineyard and we're kind of friends now. She's totally encouraging me to sew and I took a bunch of photos for her website and blog. I love Etsy. Here's the blocks and of course Marley.

Second Project

2008-03-16T22:23:00.003-06:00

I'm always loving the little lounge suits on Etsy because the girls and I like to lounge. This is my first attempt at one for Marley.

Sewing Machine

2008-03-16T22:18:00.004-06:00

I bought a sewing machine. This would explain why I have ignored the blog for two weeks! With inspiration from Niki and Viki (I'm serious), I'm muddling through some projects. Kevin decided I was spending too much money on Etsy so I'm on a mission to make some things on my own. And I have nothing but time anyways, right? Here's my first project for little Mya.

Little ORANGE shoes

2008-03-03T09:51:00.006-07:00

I love getting mail. This could explain my addiction to etsy. But there's nothing better than getting unexpected mail! It totally brightens my day. Uncle Kevin and Auntie Andrea sent gifts for the girls last week which included these cool orange shoes. I just love them and want a pair for myself. Chloe got a little purse that she's been sleeping with...need I say more? Thanks so much for the cool gifts. Kevin, I'm on the webcam...be in touch when I get it!

The girls at 3 months...AGAIN

2008-03-03T09:41:00.004-07:00

When I found this photo of Chloe I couldn't resist putting it together with the new one of Marley. Yes, my photo skills have improved a tad since 2004. Anyway, compare away.

I need a carpenter

2008-02-27T10:10:00.003-07:00

Mike....I'm talking to you.

I want to make another background for taking photos. Kathy next door is due to give birth any day. We had a false alarm last week which was full of drama...Anyways, I think I'm more excited about her having the little one so I can take photos of a real newborn. It's too hard to take photos of your own newborn. Everyone told me that but I thought I'd be able to do it. You just can't pull it off.

I need a frame to wrap and I'm sure Mike can make one for me for a fraction of the cost so I think I will wait and see if he needs some computer help, then we can trade services! Some photos of Kathy due to give birth anyday. I hate that you can't even tell she's pregnant...Marley and Riley gravitate towards her since she's been pregnant. Riley won't leave her alone, it's very cute.

Florida

2008-02-27T10:06:00.003-07:00

Kevin was in Florida last week. We weren't....need I say more? Thanks to Grancy, Scott and Lee for coming by to supply coffee and company. Chloe gets sick of staring at me by 4:00 and when her dad doesn't come home from work the evenings are very long. Here's some shots of Chloe's newly adopted pose. I call it the waitress....

Happy Birthday Uncle Scott and Kevin

2008-02-27T09:58:00.005-07:00

It was Uncle Scott's birthday last week. Luckily, we let him and Lee bring over dinner and cake, cook dinner and do the dishes. Lucky guy! Lucky his birthday is only once a year...
Happy Birthday to Uncle Kevin as well. We tried to call but got voicemail, I hope you got the message. Lee and Chloe did a nice sticker collaboration for Scott on the window since we opted to not get a gift or card. I think it's funny that when I finally got around to take a photo of it the kids were chucking snowballs at it!

Chloe at 3 Months

2008-02-20T22:50:00.003-07:00

A few comparisons of the girls around the same age. All I notice is how much better my photos are now... how sad is that?

Fresh Air.....Finally

2008-02-20T22:46:00.001-07:00

Chloe and Jaxsen decided to head outdoors for some well needed fresh air yesterday. While their clothes were drying they decided to play doctor since I took the opportunity to dress them in matching scrubs. Ummmm, they don't really fit anyone anymore but they're still cute from the waist up.

Rude Awakening

2008-02-19T20:14:00.005-07:00

How poor little Marley usually awakes from her naps.....

Grancy and Marley

2008-02-19T18:22:00.003-07:00

Grancy came for a visit on Monday. She snuggled with Marley most of the day. Our plan was to take a picture of Marley to compare with a picture of Chloe at the same age since we still can't decide who exactly she looks like.

Chloe's Fan Club

2008-02-19T18:19:00.003-07:00

Chloe is quite the performer. She puts on lots of concerts that we all sit through until she tells us to clap. As you can see, Kevin isn't nearly as impressed as Marley. I love the look of joy on her face as she watches Chloe do 'her moves'.

Just Photos

2008-02-19T18:17:00.003-07:00

A few shots of Marley from the weekend. It was supposed to be a family photo session but the others bailed. Marley can't run from me yet....

Marley's registered for preschool...

2008-02-15T12:29:00.002-07:00

No, you didn't read that wrong. Marley's registered. Chloe? Not so much. At the rate I'm going I'll have them starting school at the same time. Apparently I'm the only mom in Sherwood Park who thought 8 months was enough advance to get into preschool. I mentioned it to my 'friends' (I don't know their names but we hang out for a half hour every week) at ballet that I need to start looking for a school for Chloe. They looked at me like I was growing a horn out of my head (which ironically I am, but my doctor says it's fine...ewwww). I made a few inquiries and the hotspot in town said they may have room for Marley in 2011. Yep, that's right. I showed Kevin another option and he immediately noticed the bible studies which worried him. At this point as long as we find a place with windows and a door I'll be happy!

New backdrop

2008-02-13T20:04:00.004-07:00

The distance from my little subjects was all wrong but I couldn't wait to try out my new backdrop that Kevin made for me. He hates doing things like that and to make matters worse I had this great idea that we could hang it in the front foyer when I'm not using it. Kevin has a real problem with hanging things....A few shots of the girlies being girlies. I know, a good mom would be rescuing Marley from the fall but she likes her little falls into the couch. She just boogies into the corner for some peace and quiet.

What the Pilsbury commercial doesn't show you....

2008-02-13T19:59:00.003-07:00

Since I'm still trying to act like a mom to Chloe, I bought premade cookies for us to bake for Valentines Day. Her and Jaxsen were all excited so we baked them up and tried a few. It all went just like the commercial until I went upstairs to put Marley down for a nap. I came back down to find 2 chairs pulled up to the counter and a near empty plate of cookies. I asked Chloe if she ate the cookies and she said, 'yeah, just a few'. I couldn't get mad since she was honest with me, but seriously, they ate a whole package of cookies!

Shouldn't he be holding her purse?

2008-02-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

The look on Jaxsen's face cracks me up. As Chloe is reading a Valentine card that she made for Marley, Jaxsen waits patiently so they can play hockey. I think this is good boyfriend/husband training for him, I can totally see him holding her purse while she shops someday.

But mom, we need a pet!

2008-02-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

Last week during the cold snap, Riley ran away. Oh the drama. It started with my morning phone call to Kathy to see if Jaxsen wanted to come over to play. She says he does but she doesn't to bring him over. I suggest he just walks over, we're only next door. We discuss. We decide they need some independence and should start walking next door (though we both know we're just lazy and still in our jammies). We decide on a version of Marco Polo, she'll send him out the door and I'll call for him until he's safely arrived. I explain the plan to Chloe. She too is worried, why isn't his mom coming? Is he okay? I can tell she too thinks we're lazy but I tell her to wait by the door. We fling open the door and start calling for him. Chloe throws out some words of encouragement, 'come on Jaxy, you can do it, you're a big boy!'. He's not coming. Finally I see Kathy dragging him down the driveway. Riley sees them too and goes flying out like the Walmart greeter. He pees all over the snowbanks and rolls in the snow while they scurry up the driveway. Kathy and I are calling him in but he's not quite ready. I grab his leash and run out to coax him in. I offer him a WALK and shake his leash. He stops and ponders then he too realizes I'm lazy and haven't walked him in 4 years. He then turns around and runs down the road like a bat out of hell. Kathy and I discuss but I play the Marley's sleeping card and assure her that he'll be back soon. I send her home. In my mind I know that in 7 years Riley has never come home on his own. We always have to send out search parties usually including vehicles, leashes and treats. I'm kind of worried but Marley's sleeping, right? Chloe asks where Riley is and I say he's gone for a bit. She freaks out and says, 'but Mom, we need a pet!'. Duh. Then Kevin magically phones and after hearing our pickle says, 'so who's going to get him?'. 30 seconds later I'm running down the road in someone else's boots yelling for Riley. He finally emerges from the path and I turn around and start running up the hill so he'll want to chase me. He passes me in no time flat...he's cold. I'm out of breath after the first house and my lungs are on fire. I tell myself it's the cold air and finally make it home. The kids are so happy to see Riley that I'm sure he'll do this again for the warm homecoming....oh the drama.

Heeeyyyyy.... sit on it.

2008-02-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Many of you may remember the ongoing photo strike of 2006. Chloe refused to let me take her picture and there's several months where the only photos I have are of her running away or screaming at me to stop it. We fought through and she's come a long way. Unfortunately, she's now reverted to this Fonzie pose whenever I whip out the camera. We had yoga on Friday and she looked so cute I asked if I could take her photo. She immediately struck a pose with her thumb up and then went and put her toque on and struck the same pose for me. I don't know what makes her think that's the best way to pose but I blame Scott for some reason.

I can't help I'm nursing.

2008-02-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

Chloe's quickly learning the ways of the world. Last week the 'big kitchen' emerged from the basement and Chloe and Jaxsen have been cooking up a storm since. I noticed that Jaxsen has been doing all the cooking so I asked Chloe why she wasn't helping. She said 'I can't help, I'm nursing'. Upon closer inspection, I realize she's got something/one shoved up her shirt as Jaxsen slaves away making her grilled cheese. She comes by this honestly as I've been saying this for 4 years now. Just when you don't think they're listening!

Scary Love

2008-02-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

This should be called rough love....Chloe loves Marley. She hasn't been jealous at all and goes out of her way to amuse her and be affectionate. Marley also likes to watch Chloe do anything. When the kids are playing, Marley likes to sit on the couch and watch them. It usually goes something like this...Chloe swoops in with teeth clenched, grabs Marley's head like a football and says 'Oh you're so cute aren't you my little june bug?!'. Marley is accepting the mauling but a little scared at the same time. Chloe yanks her closer and gives her a very aggressive kiss and then runs away. Marley sinks slowly over but always ends up smiling from the attack.

Chloe and Marley

2008-02-05T22:57:00.001-07:00

A few more of the two of them and the pillow that I love. I love them so much that I'm having a duvet cover made right now to match the pillow I got made for Chloe's room. She doesn't even sleep in there but I do so I thought I may as well have a duvet cover that I love.

Marley Pillow

2008-02-05T22:54:00.000-07:00

I got the cutest pillow made for the girls. I'll have to dig out the ladies shop address. I picked my own fabrics to match up with their rooms and they turned out so nice. I got ones made for Hunter and Christian as well and she did a great job. They're my new favorite gifts for little ones.

Marley in her swing

2008-02-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

Little Marley has learned to love her swing (thanks to Andrea for the loaner). The little fishies amuse her and bring on not only cute little smiles but these brilliant sounds that we all love...

Big Muscles...

2008-02-03T12:56:00.001-07:00

Marley has big muscles, or so Chloe says. She threw herself off the couch last week and her doctor commented that she's freakishly strong. She likes to sit and look around and can move around surprisingly well for a 12 week old. She loves lying to do push ups on her tummy.

Sleepy Marley

2008-02-03T11:15:00.001-07:00

Little Marley can sleep pretty much anywhere. This is one of our only outings in the cold to Auntie Kathy's next door. She's sleeping on the leather couch....comfy.