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!

Sister's & Nana's Together Forever!

I have a sister.  We both have amazing daughters.  They each have a beautiful little son.  Our grandsons!  My sister and I...we are Nana's together, and sisters forever!

There's almost five years between us, me being the eldest.  We grew up with many similar influences in our lives, but also some very different ones.
I don't have many memories of my sister's arrival into this world.  'Back then' we didn't know, and we weren't told where babies came from.  They just showed up out of nowhere (though yet another five years later when my brother was born, we were told where he came from - he showed up in the midwife's blue bag!)

We weren't taught how to love each other.  We weren't shown how to care for each other.  It wasn't explained to us that we should treasure each other.  It's not anyone's fault.  It's just the way it was. It was the times.  It was a common belief that siblings naturally fought and argued with each other.  I think the grownups figured it was something kids just outgrew as they got older.  And in some ways they were right. 

As we grew up and moved through our lives...the loves, the relationships, the friends, and the kids...we did figure it out.   How to love, how to care and how to treasure each other.

My beautiful niece gave birth to her little son almost four years ago.  My beautiful daughter gave birth to her little son three months later.  My sister and I are Nana's to two adorable little boys!  The little love of my life calls my sister 'Nana Carol' and the little love of my sister's life calls me 'Nana Mari'.  All along we both thought we'd like 'our boys' to be girls...we thought about all the wisdom and power we would pass along to them.  Stuff we'd figured out from our own life experiences.  But we were both graced with little grandsons.  They will learn of our wisdom and power just the same, and grow to be amazing men. 

Emmet & Aidan

How blessed we are to have our little grandsons to love and cherish.  How blessed we are to have our beautiful, strong daughters.  How blessed we are to have each other! 

My sister is my best friend.  She is my confidant and advisor.  She is there for me always.  She raises me up.  She makes me laugh (so much!)  She listens to me rant and scream if I need to.  She is thoughtful and kind and generous.  She is indeed the wind beneath my wings.  I love her muchly.  I care for her deeply.  I treasure her presence in my life every day.