Pool party

Isabella enjoying the backyard pool. Took a little getting used to, but now she loves it. Stella likes having a giant water dish.

Camping with baby 101

Isabella's a beach babe

Lake Ontario

Here are a few things we learned about camping with the baby:

1) a crawling baby is hard to contain at the campsite...lesson learned camp before they can crwal or after they can walk.

2) 90% of the crap you stuffed into the car at the last minute will not get used

3) buying a tent trailer seems like a REALLY good idea

4) babies eat sand and don't like the great expanse of open water. this makes going to the beach a frustrating endeavor that requires more stuff than you can carry and lasts about 20 minutes.

5) it IS worth all the hassle

Here are a few photos of our adventures at Sandbanks Provincial Park:

cooking dinner the first night

the beach across from our campsite

Wild Kingdom

We have furry and feathered friends afoot.

Exhibit A: Field mouse (or vole?) nesting in our BBQ cover. note babies.

Exhibit B: Robin nesting on our porch light.

The wee beasties seem quite at home. We'll let them wean their young before charging rent.

Spring is in the air

We had a lovely trip to Charlottesville. No crying on the plane or anything! Isabella flirted with the pilot and the flight attendant and the neighboring passengers and the ticket agent and the security personnel........must teach her how to play hard to get.
Nonna and Poppy seemed to notice that Katrina was there maybe once or twice. They were totally charmed by Isabella who was in full-on ham mode with her notice-me cheesy grin. Aunt Gina and Uncle Thomas bravely offered their home to the visiting masses despite feeling sickly. Thanks guys! It was great to see you in your native element. Hush hush about the tacos though, we wouldn't want to rub it in that Stephen didn't get any (tacos).
Isabella grew another fang while in Virginia. Thank goodness we're done nursing! She looks a bit like Dracula's wee spawn.
Upon our return to Bowmanville we discovered that Spring has arrived in earnest now. Trees are leafing out, grass is green, and the hum of lawnmowers can be heard throughout the neighborhood. A robin has established a nest on our front porch above the light. Stephen would like access to the house limited to the garage so as not to disturb her. Katrina is not interested in playing second fiddle to bird. Hmmm, wonder where Isabella gets her stubborn streak?
The shrubs planted last year in a late pregnancy, pre-delivery frenzy are, in fact, NOT dead. Most of them need to be re-sited, but all are looking happy and healthy despite significant neglect. Katrina's vegetable patch is sprouting and looks to produce a bumper crop of radishes. We're still not quite sure why we planted quite so many...who really eats radishes anyway?
Stella has a new friend across the street; a german shepard puppy. She thinks he'll be a good snack.
Baby horses are due imminently. Stephen has started wearing ear plugs so that he doesn't have to listen to Katrina go on and on about them anymore. He will be happy when foaling season is over and he can go back to showing only mild interest in Katrina's ramblings. Katrina is ready for fly-fishing season to start.
That's all for now. Pictures to follow when forwarded from Nonna. Katrina forgot her camera this trip, oops!

Let there be blog:

Hello to all!

Thanks Auntie G for setting up this blog for the internet unsavvy Mannings.

We are getting ready for our trip to see Nonna and Papa in the 'ville. Apologies in advance to Delta passengers en route BUF to JFK to RIC....there will likely be screaming (at this point it's not clear exactly who will break down first: Mama or baby).

Isabella is still trying to make it through the night without disrupting the entire neighborhood in the wee hours of the morn, but alas, has not yet been successful. We think she is not really all that interested in complying with the sleep training program: early rebellion, perhaps?

We're enjoying the spring here, now that it has (finally!) sprung. Vegetable gardens have been established out back; we'll see if Katrina's thumb is as green as she would like it to be.

That's all for now. Teething baby cryeth.

Finally, we have a blog

Welcome to our new blog! We can't wait to start posting pictures of Isabella.