Nana's been AWOL!

Yikes! Has it really been over a year since my last post?  Nana has indeed been AWOL.  Of a sort.

Now that the little love of my life is growing older (nine years old today!) he is developing a social life of his own.  This is all wonderful of course, but our visits now are more 'scheduled' to fit in with the social calendar of a busy little boy.

This past year was filled with lots of wonderful (I hope) memories.

Some of Aidan's favorite things to do were...

Playing in the fall leaves

Making a Snow Angel...

...and a Snow Man (of sorts!)

And there were swimming lessons

And hanging out with Papa

And hunting for Easter Eggs

 Summer holidays brought lots of trips to the beach and swimming pool, as well as...

Hangin' out at Nana's ...

...sharing popsicles with Nana

 July brought around another birthday, number eight...

A school trip to the pumpkin farm in October...

 ...and a 'Ninja Turtle' Halloween...

Christmas 2015 was one for the record books.  Usually knee deep in snow and wrapped up for the cold wintry weather, last Christmas Eve was sunny and warm.  So much so, we were able to enjoy our tea on the porch...no snow...no coats...just lots of sunshine.

Christmas morning, and 'Santa' made one little boy very happy...

Alas, all good things must come to an end.  The snow and cold weather arrived soon after Christmas, as we knew it would.  While on Christmas school break, Aidan got to experience his first 'live theatre'.  A trip to Toronto, meeting up with 'Nana Carol' and cousin Emmet, to see a Christmas Pantomime!

As a child growing up in England, I have very fond memories of the excitement and anticipation of my trip to the Christmas Pantomime, so it was a lot of fun to be able to introduce Aidan to what I hope will become a new annual tradition for him too.  

Aidan's great-nana was Irish, so of course, Aidan loves his mashed potatoes.  To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, we enjoyed a dinner of 'bangers and (green) mashed potatoes...

Hard to tell, but they really are green!

We signed Aidan up for soccer lessons this spring.  It was a great introductory class and (most importantly) lots of fun...

Ready to 'play ball'

And now summer is here!  Today was the last day of school.  It's shaping up to be a very busy summer, with two weeks of day camp, more swimming lessons, and a trip to Niagara Falls with 'Nana Carol' and cousin Emmet.  The four of us should have a blast getting soaked on the 'boat trip to the falls', as well as the 'walk behind the falls'.  Somewhere in the rest of summer, we plan to spend some time at 'Nana Carol's' cottage as well.  Making memories!

Today, the little love of my life turned nine years old!  Hard to believe how quickly the years go by, but I love being a part of every stage of his life, new interests, new talents and accomplishments, and lots of questions!

Relaxing on the porch

Chocolate Birthday Cake...of course!

Happy Birthday, my beautiful boy!  Here's to the next nine!

My, how time flies!

I can't believe my last blog post was September 2013!  It's not like the little love of my life and I haven't been busy!  I have no excuse other than I've been one very busy nana!  So, time to play a little 'catch up'...

Aidan's 'Halloween' Tree

Before we knew it, summer was just a memory, and October had arrived.  Out came the 'Christmas' tree, now transformed into the 'Halloween' tree, with orange lights, pumpkin garland, and thirty one little treat bags, one for each day of the month.

Aidan and the Scary Pumpkin

The pumpkin's carved and one excited little boy has an afternoon snack on his very own Halloween placemat, (made by nana, of course!)...

Aidan's Scary Halloween Place Setting

Well, at least I didn't have to make a new costume.  Aidan so loves his 'Toothless the Night Fury Dragon' costume I had made for him earlier in the year, he decided he had to wear it on Halloween night...

Aidan the Scary Dragon

We had a little time to enjoy the beautiful fall leaves...

 

 

And spend some time in the garden feeding the birds...

 

 

 

Before the 'Ice Storm of 2013' arrived just one week before Christmas...

 

 

Luckily, a lot of the ice melted before Christmas Day arrived.  Aidan was very excited to receive some games and an air hockey table from his nana and papa, as well as a stocking full of treats from Santa.  All dressed for the festivities...

 

Santa Nana & Rudolph Aidan

Aidan got to sing...'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth (well, sort of)...

Our very own 'Toothless'

It was a long, icy cold winter.  Once the snow arrived in early December, it stayed until early April.  We tried as best we could to feed the birds as they huddled for shelter from the snow and wind  in the branches of the pine and cedar trees.  Much to our surprise and delight, on one of the coldest days of the winter, we were blessed with a visit from five robins perched in one of the cedar trees.  They had come to eat what berries were still on the tree...

Beautiful Robin!

Before we knew it, it was February, and time to think about St. Valentine's Day, and all that yummy chocolate.  Out came the 'Christmas tree' transformed once again with white lights, garlands of hearts, and fourteen treat bags, one for each day, until Valentine's day arrived...

Where's the chocolate, Nana?

Aidan's great-nana came to stay for a few weeks before moving into a retirement home nearby.  They enjoyed spending time together playing tiddly-winks...

The 'Tiddly-wink' Champs!



Aidan and great-Nana



The next celebration to come along was St. Patrick's Day!  Of course, the little love of my life had to come to nana's house for a special St. Patrick's day supper!  We all donned our fancy socks, and enjoyed a dinner of green potatoes and peas, washed down with green water and followed with shamrock cookies and mint chocolate chip ice cream. (Of course, nana got to have a wee dram of Jameson Irish Whisky, to help her sleep, of course!)...

 

An Irish Leprechaun!

Yummy Green Potatoes!



And so here we are.  The snow finally melted (almost!) and the warmth of the sun returning once again.  The spring-like weather becons us outdoors, and so what better place to spend a sunny afternoon than the nearby wildlife sanctuary...

   Aidan loves to feed the birds that swoop down from the trees and take the birdseed out of his hand...

What a joy to be alive, to feel the warmth of the sun, breath the fresh air, see the world come alive all around us...

 As we await the warm, sunny days of summer, we make plans for all the things we hope to do together.  Days at the beach throwing rocks into the lake will likely take up most of our days, but plans are in the works for time at Nana Carol's (my sister) cottage, as well as taking in the production of 'The Lion King' (both with cousin Emmet) Nana can't wait! And maybe a trip to Niagara Falls.  A busy summer is in the forecast!

And a promise from nana...I'll be back here soon with lots more 'ramblings'!

! 



 



There goes Summer! Here comes Fall!

Yesterday was Halloween, and I can't believe it's been three months since I last wrote about my little grandson! 
Summer was long and very hot, with lazy days spent at the beach or at home in the pool.  Anything to keep cool! 
In August, we did manage several early morning trips to the blueberry farm for our annual berry picking, where Aidan usually eats more berries than go into the buckets!

Nana...help!!

September finally arrived, and with it a return to school for Aidan, this year to senior kindergarten, and all-day classes.  It's been an adjustment for us all!  
Both momma and Nana are enjoying the extra time in our days, but we sure do miss spending our afternoons together.  Aidan is loving school, and has 'come out of his shell' and is now much more social with his classmates, and enjoys learning new words, along with music and gym classes.

September took Nana off to France and England for a holiday (more on that amazing trip later!)  I thought I'd miss the little love of my life, but I was so busy enjoying my new adventures every day, I didn't really have much time to miss anyone!
Being away for three weeks, it took almost that amount of time to 'catch up' on life when I returned home...mail, housework, ironing...all the things hubby just doesn't think need attention!
Then we all got bronchitis!  Yet, we 'soldiered on' through the coughing and total lack of energy, to play in the falling leaves and enjoy the cool, crisp days of fall. 

                        

Somewhere along the way, I found the time to make Aidan's Halloween costume for this year!  While he still loves his garbage trucks, there are other interests these days (thank heavens!)  Dinosaurs are currently dominating his free time, and so nothing would do but he would have to be a dinosaur this Halloween!

Together we made treats for his classmates, and off he went to school with his costume in tow, where he and fellow classmates got to parade around the school and visit all the other classes. 

After school, and too excited to eat supper, he awaited nightfall... 



Is it dark yet?

 

Let's go!

 Then it was back into the costume and off into the night to trick or treat.  The weather wasn't the greatest, with light rain and winds, remnants of Hurricane Sandy, but we didn't let that 'put a damper' on the evenings festivities!  After sharing some treats, it was off to bed for one tired little boy! 

Oh, I did manage to make a little Halloween surprise for my daughter as well...

How cute is that?!  You can find the 'how to' instructions, courtesy of Camilla Fabbri at Camilla Fabbri Designs

I hope all the little goblins out there in blogland had a wonderful Halloween!

I'll be back soon with tales of Paris........ahhh!