My Boy, Who's Four

I know, I know - I'm a tad bit tardy in writing about my son's fourth birthday. Seeing how this event may possibly have been the highlight of his year, I can't let it go by without at least some commentary and photos.
Like last year, I got together with my friend Jenyfer to plan a joint party between Brandon and her little girl Kahlan. Unfortunately the best date we could get for a party was Sunday Nov 21st. And even though we had to wait a few weeks for the party with friends, we still found a way to celebrate his big day. For better or for worse, Brandon is well aware of birthdays and how birthdays bring presents. Brandon absolutely loves opening presents. So on Nov 10th, we started the day by opening gifts. Jamie and I had got Brandon the present de jour, which was "Rescue Bots". He was so excited to see them that we had to tear him away for fun at the pool. We took him to Westside Recreation Centre where they have a huge indoor slide and wave pool. Brandon loved it there! Especially the huge slide :-)

After a couple of hours at the pool it was home for quiet time. We needed to rest up for our dinner party at Leanne's house. Leanne happened to invite us over for dinner on B's birthday. She's got two little girls - Jade is Brandon's age - and she was also invited Anj and Peter, who have two little kids of their own. The dinner invite worked out perfectly as we were able to celebrate his birthday with friends. For cake, I brought exactly what he asked for - a Spiderman ice-cream cake. Yes! Score for Mom.

The day of K and B's party finally arrived. Jen had booked a party room and gym for the kids. She decorated the party room in a Tiki theme (very cute) and the kiddos played with balloons, ate pizza and decorated their own cupcakes before hitting the gym for an hour.  I don't mean to brag but I think the party was a huge success. Smiles and laughs were all around.

So what does it mean for Brandon to be four? Well every day he gets a little bit more independent. He puts on his own hat and boots. He puts on his own pants, socks and "space pants". He still has trouble with shirts but we're working on it. He doesn't sit at the table with a booster seat anymore. He announced that he's a big boy and just doesn't need it. He's starting to enjoy music and he has his favourite songs on the radio. He knows his letters and his counting is getting really good (even though I heard "forty-teen" the other day). He took ski lessons last month and now he skis with his Dad on evenings and weekends that are warm enough. He loves to go sledding. The bigger the hill, the better. He seems to be fearless when it comes to sledding. As usual, he's also saying things that crack me up.
Like when I went to throw out some paper, he said "Wait Mommy don't throw that out. Those are the "un-structions".
Or the other day, he was using his camera to take a picture of Jamie. Jamie stuck out his tongue at the last second and when Brandon tried to play back the photo he said "oh Daddy, you broke the camera!" Haha.
My favourite was when we were driving home from Shawn and Christine's house one night. He asked "Why don't Shawn and Christine have any kids?" I said "Well they talked about it and decided they didn't want any children". Brandon said "but you did?" I said "Yes, your Daddy and I decided we wanted a baby and when you came, you were perfect." That's when Brandon replied "Yah, you went to the store and picked me out of a box and brought me home." Ummm . . . yes, something like that!
I'm so proud of the little boy Brandon is becoming. He's gentle with other kids (i.e. no hitting or biting) and he's very thoughtful. He'll often offer to share his treats when he hasn't even been prompted. He stills loves cars and trucks and our cat Finch. His favourite food is ribs and his favourite colour is blue. Oh and did I mention? He's also the light of my life ;-)

Remembering Afi

I was in Mexico, getting ready to leave for the airport and go home when I learned my Afi had passed. I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. My sole surviving grandparent, who had no illness or known health issues, died unexpectedly on Thursday Dec 5th. He was 89.
It wasn't until I got home and saw my Dad that I learned what had happened. Apparently he had spent the day at a Christmas party. He had been in good spirits, eating and singing. He was with my Uncle Kris and Aunt Colleen. They had wanted to spend time with him before leaving to enjoy the holidays at their home in Arizona. They said he sat on Santa's knee and asked for a beer for Christmas. After the party he went to his room for a nap and there he drifted off to wake no more. Truly a remarkable (and peaceful) ending for a man I considered to be remarkable himself.
 I know little of Afi's early days but my impression was he came from humble beginnings. I also felt he was a bit of a fighter but that was a necessary part of growing up and getting by in London in the early 1930's. Later I know he served in World War II and was stationed in Iceland where he met my Amma. He married her there and brought her back to England. They started a young family before immigrating to Winnipeg. I know he was resourceful and good with his hands - I believe he was a car mechanic at one point. I also know he was smart. Not only because of his quick wit and fast jokes but because he became a tax account and helped local farmers with their returns.
For me I remember my Afi as someone who had a real passion for having a good time. He loved to sing, he loved to dance, he loved even more having an audience. He could tell great stories and always had a joke or two in his back pocket. He loved to drink beer, he loved his legion and he loved to gamble. The very first bet I ever laid was at a racetrack with my Afi. I must have been about seven or eight years old. All day he put his money down on 5 and 7 but they never came in and it never seemed to bother him. He just liked cheering on the horses and watching them round the bend.
I remember he loved to fish and he loved to play cards. I remember doing both of these things with him.
When I was 19, I had the great fortune to be invited on a trip to Iceland with my Afi and Amma. I saw first-hand how everyone there loved him. He was the life of the party, the center of attention. I also had the lovely experience of going to the church with them where they got married. Both deep in memories, I watched their faces as they smiled at the site around them and then at each other. Afi was also the one to introduce me to Icelandic ice cream. He told me it was the best ice cream in the world and though I haven't sampled ice cream the world over, I believe he's right on that one.
I remember visiting Afi in his home the summer after Amma died. He was so sad and he told me he often saw her walking around in the house. He admitted then he wanted to drown himself in booze and perhaps join her. That was the only time I saw him vulnerable, not laughing and not joking around. I was happy for him when he met Josie and came back to his old self again.
And his old self was singing and dancing and telling jokes and stories. I will always love and appreciate his lust for life. I think I will always miss him too. His quiet ending was the most any of us could have asked for. Rest in peace Afi. You are loved. xoxo

. . . and even now I can hear him singing

                            " . . . this is my cheese smeller,
                                    cheese smeller my darling dear
                                   and zhat is what I learned in my school
                                   yah, yah! . . ."

And Then it Was 10

Around the same time Jamie and I were packing our bags and leaving for San Francisco (the first week of celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary), my friend Britney announced she was getting married in Mexico. It was her hope that we could be there for her wedding.
When it came to deciding where to go for our second week of vacation this year, Mexico was on our list. It wasn't that far away - about a 4.5 hour plane ride, it was warm, affordable and we did get married there ourselves only 10 short years ago. We made a plan to have a luxurious Mayan Riviera holiday and attend Britney's wedding while we were there.
On Thursday Nov 28th, my parents arrived in Calgary to watch Brandon for us one last time (Jamie and I have decided we'll celebrate family holidays from now on). Early Friday morning, my Dad drove us to the airport and we were on our way. Upon arrival, as planned, a beautiful Cadillac Escalade was waiting to pick us up. I knew right then that this was going to be a fabulous holiday.

The ride to our resort - The Secrets Maroma - was only a quick 40 minute drive away. Admittedly the resort didn't look that impressive when we pulled up but the bell boy opened my door and said "Welcome home Señora Fontaine" and I was hooked. Because we booked "the Preferred Club" they quickly whisked us away in a golf cart and took us to a separate lounge where check-in was effortless. After the paperwork and with a glass of champagne in hand, our personal concierge Fabiola showed us to our room.  For this trip we decided to book a swim-out suite. Our room was beautiful and the swim-out was everything I hoped it would be, which was warm and mostly private.

From then onwards our trip was just a lovely experience. The resort itself was large, clean and well laid out. Our building was in the perfect location - close to the beach, the pools and the Preferred Club lounge (where they made the best cappuccinos ever!) The resort was adult only and very quiet. Most people there were celebrating an anniversary or a honeymoon and it lacked a party vibe. Not to say this resort was boring because it wasn't. While there we had an amazing couples massage, we enjoyed private beach cabanas, we saw two very good shows, ate at Mexican fiesta night, met other nice couples, and danced at the disco.

What sets this resort apart from others is not the outstanding service or truly wonderful food but rather the beach it sits on. Maroma Beach has been voted one of the world's top ten beaches and it's easy to see why. The sand was white and sugar-soft. It also stretched as far as you cared to go either on land or in the sea. Oh and the water! So warm and the most beautiful turquoise blue. Jamie and I spent a lot of time either playing in the water or staring at it :-)

The day of our anniversary was on a Wednesday. We celebrated 10 years by renting a private beach cabana for the day. The day was lovely and warm and the service we received from staff was wonderful. That evening we got all dressed up and headed out for dinner at the French restaurant. We ordered a nice bottle of Mexican wine (who knew they made wine?) and chatted about our amazing holiday and how relaxed we felt. After dinner we watched a rock show in the theatre that was surprisingly good. Later we went back to our room and swam in the pool, enjoying the stars while drinking champagne. Did I mention I also received a gorgeous ring as a gift from my thoughtful husband? Yep it was a wonderful day.

The next day was Britney's wedding. We left our resort to see her get married at the Dreams Puerto Adventuras - about 45 minutes away. The day was hot and the wedding gazebo was perfectly set on the beach. She made a beautiful bride and her ceremony was short and sweet. After the vows and some cake, Jamie and I grabbed some lunch while family photos were being taken. Around 3:30 we made our way to the lobby for a surprise reception. We all climbed into a shuttle and headed back to Maroma Beach (yah for us) to enjoy a sunset cruise catamaran boat ride. It was truly a lovely experience. As the sun set, we sipped on wine and enjoyed some tapas while we sailed right passed our resort. After the cruise we dined on a private beach beside the marina. Speeches and the first dance followed and then all-too-soon, it was over. Jamie and I grabbed a cab back to our resort and enjoyed another late night swim in our pool.

The morning saw us one last time at the beach where I tried desperately to ingrain the smell, the heat, the sound of the waves and the feel of the sand into my memory. I must have done a good job because if I close my eyes and concentrate I can take myself back there and, for a minute, feel as content as I did for those few special days.
A special thanks goes out to my parents for being good sports and taking care of Brandon for us. Apparently it was a terribly cold week in Calgary and shovelling snow ended up being on the agenda. Sorry!
I'd also like to give a heart-felt thank you to my husband of 10 years. Thank you for your love, your friendship, your patience, your acceptance and your never-ending support of me. When I'm with you I feel like a better version of myself - a better mother, a better friend, a better person. The past 10 years have seen us blessed with great jobs, a nice home, wonderful friends and a beautiful family. May we always be so happy and so blessed. I loved you the day I married you, I love you today,  I will love you always. Thanks for loving me ~ your Jen xo