A little late publishing these sentiments but I’m finally getting these thoughts written which have been on my mind so much these last few days.

Although I fell in love with you more than eight years ago, it was eight years ago that I first held you in my arms. Eight years ago that I became a mother and you made that role easy to embrace. Those eight years have passed in a heartbeat but I remember so clearly those first moments, minutes and days.

And as I feel this younger sibling of yours awaiting his or her moment to be held, I reflect often on those moments eight years ago. I marvel at how our family has grown, how these years have past, how we’ve survived the moments of joy and the moments of sorrow that have accompanied them.

As I’ve watched you grow over these eight years, I feel as though you’ve watched me grow as well. Wisdom, maturity, humility and faith are areas we’ve both grown in over these years. You’ve taught me at least as often as I’ve taught you. You’ve challenged me, stretched me and pushed me to better, for which I’ll always be grateful.

The wisdom and knowledge that you have at eight never ceases to astound me. The faith and trust that are so naturally woven into your choices encourage me endlessly. Your beauty and confidence fill me with courage.

You are determined, strong, generous and kind. You give gifts from your heart without fear or hesitation. You are a natural leader. You dream in colour and love to laugh.

I’m so thankful for these eight years. Thankful you have shared so much of yourself, thankful you have made a mother of me, thankful you have brought so much richness to this family of ours.

Much joy, discovery and love to you, Elizabeth, as you begin your ninth year. We look forward to all it holds.

We are basking in the lost sense of time that vacation brings and I’ve suddenly found myself on eve of Wednesday’s yarn along. I’ve been enjoying extra time to knit and read during these restful days although you may notice I haven’t even gotten started on two of the projects I was hoping to cast-on over this past week.

I have cast-off on my Winnie Cooper, though. Finishing, blocking and sewing on of buttons are all that remain for the first birthday sweater of the summer. It will be a bit late as the birthday is nearly over but what’s sweeter than a gift you weren’t expecting arriving a couple days late? Right? I’ll show it modelled on the birthday girl when I have it completed.

For our trip down to Victoria last week I decided I needed to cast-on something fun and off of my “required knitting” list. Svenna has been showing a whole host of sweet little sweaters in the puerperium pattern and I couldn’t resist casting one on for our baby to be. I’m knitting it in Fisherman’s Wool and loving how it’s coming together. It is such a sweet, simple, free pattern and I have already have plans to knit a second one in a bright colour – perhaps an orange?

I’m still reading Simplicity Parenting and thoroughly enjoying it. It rings so true and puts words to many of the thoughts and practices that we value in our family. I haven’t gotten deep into it yet but I’m already boring everyone with quote after quote. More than anything I’m finding it is helping me let myself off the hook for not wanting our little people enrolled in endless activities, surrounded by endless toys and bombarded by endless distractions. I’ve never felt good about any of those things but have occasionally allowed myself to feel guilty about it in the face of society’s expectations. I feel like this book is settling my soul a bit on that count. I may have more of a review to offer next week but so far I’ve been nodding in agreement with the author’s words.

And that’s it for me now. I’m off to give goodnight kisses to the birthday girl (and her siblings), nibble an extra slice of birthday cake and finally knit the swatch for the next birthday sweater I keep mentioning.

For more yarn along post, visit Ginny at Small Things.

I feel like these days I have a lot of pictures but not a lot of words. We are having such a wonderful time here. Relaxing (some of us, ahem, more than others), enjoying and exploring. I’ve been so blessed by the extra rest this time is offering me. My body feels so much better than it did when we first arrived, my mind has more opportunity to daydream about the little jumping bean we are all so anticipating and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to finish a small task and then sit down without the thoughts of a houseful of other tasks to complete first.

The kids are having the time of their lives, waking Grandma and Grandpa earlier each day in anticipation of the day’s events and going strong from dawn til dusk.

Tomorrow is a special day for a very special oldest sister. Birthday preparations have been happening all week and I almost have her birthday sweater ready…it may be missing its buttons and blocking but I’ll get the last button band finished tonight. She helped me make her cake today – her request was a vanilla cake with brown sugar fudge icing. It sort of makes my teeth crawl to think of all that sweet but we’re going to serve it with whipped cream and hope that softens the sugar blow.

We have a few other hopeful plans for the rest of the week- counting on the rain to stop first. There is a favourite dairy farm (with some milking for willing hands), strawberries that have just come ripe for picking at a local u-pick (hooray!!), a trip to visit the falls and a little more beach time.

Here’s a bit of how we’ve been spending our days…

trips around the house

baking with lemons and bananas in a kitchen so much roomier than mine at home

reconnecting with an old friend

building modern engineering marvels

hanging diapers to dry in the sun(!!!)

enjoying some familiar flavours

and some grandma and grandpa treats.

Oh yes, they have been special days.

The kids were in the care of grandma and grandpa. They may not even have noticed us leaving. Dan and I escaped for the day. A whole day.

We set out for Victoria, a 2.5 hour drive from my in-laws. I cast on a baby cardigan I wasn’t supposed to be knitting(thanks to a friend who kept teasing me with hers). We chatted. I only asked for a snack once.

Before we went downtown for lunch at this favourite vegetarian restaurant; before we wandered this favourite store; before meeting some of our favourite friends for awesome conversation; before joining them for take-out from this favourite noodle shop; before watching the sunset on my favourite long day of the year…we stopped, in a day of favourites, at one of my very favourite places.

It’s a special strip of road separating a lagoon from the ocean.

We parked and walked across to the lagoon beach were we sat watching Great Blue Herons, Caspian Terns and many different types of gulls.

Then we crossed the road to sit gazing out over the Pacific.

I breathed deeply of that most wonderful ocean air and my soul exhaled a few times.

After a rather long silence Dan turned to me and asked if I was enjoying myself. Oh yes, I was.

It was a great day.