Just keep on trying

Daddy and I didn't want to give up on your skating lesson fiasco that I talked about on this post. Daddy had asked me to look for community centres around us that offered recreational skating so that he could take you again. You already learned the basics of raising your arms and learning to balance on your skates so all you needed was to practice on your own. You have a tendency to get frustrated easily when things don't go your way so daddy and I talked to you many times before today on never quitting when things don't work out. We were lucky enough that many of your favourite TV shows showed the characters skating. When I saw you watching those shows I talked to you about how even if they fell they didn't cry and they just got back up and tried again. I told you that if you wanted to skate you had to keep trying and never give up. I think that is the way to get through to you- repeat things over and over to you so that it brainwashes you. Keke. For example I would say, "Aidan, remember Justin (from the TV show Justin Time) fell when he was skating on the ice? And he didn't cry, did he? No… He got right back up and tried again. Aidan, it's ok to fall down. Everybody falls at the beginning. What's important is that you keep trying. Did Justin cry when he fell down? No… So is Aidan going to cry when he goes skating?" At this point you would shake your head and say, "No. I will not cry! I will keep trying!" I think that worked because you were totally eager when you went skating with daddy today.

Daddy actually took a day off today so he wanted to take you skating. The recreational skating was open at 6:30pm-8:00pm so we had to wait until then. The weather was horrible- it was raining and snowing at the same time and super windy.

Kendall all bundled-up in her bear suit at the skating rink.

Daddy putting your helmet on. He actually wasn't paying attention when he was buttoning your
strap because your skin got caught and you started shrieking/crying.

I had to calm you down. See the tears behind your cage?

There you guys are.
Kendall and I were sitting in the stands watching you guys skate. I had my coat over Kendall
because it was pretty cold.

I think kendall was quite warm. She slept the entire time :-)

At the beginning you were doing really well. You were standing up on your own and MUCH better than your last skating lesson. However, after a while you started getting a little wobbly. I took a video of you falling on the ice and you started hitting the ice in frustration crying out, "Bad ice!" Haha.

However, you didn't quit. That was the important thing. You got up and tried again. Here's a video I took of you skating on your own. This was the first time you did it on your own. I was so proud of you!

Advent Calendar: Make popcorn & watch a movie

Since you love watching movies I wanted to do another activity where it involved watching a movie. Daddy had taped a hockey movie on PVR so I decided to show you that. Plus, it was perfect because the movie that he taped was about a boy with magic hockey skates. You threw a huge tantrum on your second last skating class that daddy had to take you out of the class. He was so angry with you and let's just say you got in a lot of trouble that day. I didn't want that experience to traumatize you so I thought showing you this movie would be a good opportunity to teach you a lesson that even if you fall you should never quit.

Chocolate boy.

Look at that belly. You've been holding your bowel movements so you tend to look bloated by
the 2nd day.

Movie about to start.

Aidan gives the movie a thumbs up.

Popcorn all ready for you.

This little boy was also not a very good skater. He fell, but he never quit. What a perfect
lesson to teach you!

You were so happy watching your movie and eating your popcorn. It was a successful day :-)

Toronto halmi and halbi comes home!

Today your Toronto halmi and halbi came home after an almost 2-month vacation in Korea. I had to go with Kendall to pick them up at the airport in the morning so I missed your skating lesson again today. Last week there was no class and the week before I had a jewelry craft sale. Daddy said that you got a little bit better. There's another Aidan in your class who is a superstar. Daddy keeps comparing you to him, but I know every kid is different… Anyways, after I picked your grandparent's up I had to to out to lunch with my friends. I took Kendall with me and she was an absolute angel. She slept through the whole time I was the restaurant that my friends even forgot she was there! And we were there for almost 3 hours! Sometimes she can be an absolute dream baby. If only she could take the bottle better…

By the time I came home it was almost 4:30pm and starting to get dark. I took this picture of you and Kendall in the basement after we had dinner. Look how Kendall is able to hold her head up now. She can't do it for too long, but her neck is getting much stronger. I couldn't resist taking a picture of you and Kendall together. You guys are so cute!

6th skating lesson

Miss Canada? Don't worry, I'm not one of those moms that think their kid is the cutest. That's just what your Vancouver grandma calls you now. She keeps saying you are going to be a future Miss Canada. I'm sure she does that to get a smile out of you and it works! I think they all thought that you were much bigger than you really are so they were really surprised how cute and compact you were in person. Aidan is so photogenic and you, on the other hand, don't photograph so well. Your grandparents and Auntie Jane are so obsessed with you now and think you are the cutest little thing.

Anyways, the whole family woke up early to watch your brother at his 6th skating lesson in the morning. Aidan was super excited to show his grandparents him skating. I think the pressure got to him though. He fell on the ice many times and he cried in frustration. It didn't help that we were all pressed up against the glass taking photos of him. 

Aidan's teacher was dressed up as Spiderman! It's because Halloween is just around the
corner.

Auntie Jane held you while watching Aidan.

Oh no! You took a nasty fall and hit the ice face forward. It must've been painful because
you cried for quite a bit and actually kicked the red stand afterwards.

Your mood got better once the teacher gave all the students hockey sticks. You scored a
few balls into the net. Good for you!

5th skating lesson

Today was a special day because your Vancouver grandma came to watch you during your skating lesson. You were pretty excited because a few times you looked over at us and waved. Already I can see that you're getting better and better. You stood up on your own without daddy holding you and you even took a few strides on the ice. The teacher was teaching your class how to go backwards and he gave you all a hockey stick near the end to teach you guys how to hit the puck with your sticks.

Look at your form. You look like a miniature hockey player.

We started a tradition of going to McDonald's after every skating lesson because you love their pancakes and sausage. 

After skating we went to the mall where your grandmother bought you a whole new wardrobe as well as for Kendall. Thanks grandma!

Southbrook Farms

Remember how our visit to Southbrook Farms was a total fail last time? Well, we decided to quickly drop by after your skating lesson in the morning. This time it was a success. However, my only regret was not dressing you better for the outing. I thought we were going to go home to change before going there, but daddy wanted to go there early and leave early. So that's why you are dressed kind of grungy. It's always total chaos on Saturday mornings now because we have to wake up early to get you all ready for skating.

It was freezing cold so I wasn't able to take that many photos of Kendall. Daddy was holding
her, but even with a blanket it was way too chilly. He eventually went inside the Southbrook
store to wait for us.

You were very cranky after skating because you wanted daddy to hold you, but he didn't. I was
worried that you were going to just stand still and be all disinterested, but it was the total
opposite. You saw all these characters that you have read about or seen on TV so you were
running around like an excited boy trying to see it all. Here you are standing in front of
Spiderman. 

Look how happy you are!

Besides the cartoon characters there were a lot of scary-looking witches and other
ghoulish characters throughout the farm. They were actually pretty scary-looking.
I saw many kids crying because their parents made them sit with these characters so that
they could take pictures. You too were scared, but not enough that I was able to take some
quick snapshots.

Another shot of Kendall and daddy. Doesn't Kendall look cute as a button?

Aidan and mommy.

This is the closest you would go. I would too if I were you.
On a side note, what's that bucket you are carrying around in all the photos? It's the Happy
Meal bucket that you got when we went to McDonald's after skating practice. If it weren't
for that bucket we would have had a very grumpy Aidan.

Mommy, Aidan and a scary-looking farmer.

This was the best picture daddy could take of you by the pumpkins. You were just
too excited to sit still and pose for the cameras.

Look! There's Bert, Ernie and Elmo!

My happy boy~

Here is Mr Goof himself.

You were just admiring Goofy.

Aidan, the fireman.

Being silly that you are, you were trying to climb over the window.

They had a fake chicken coup and you were fascinated looking at them.

How tall is Aidan this year?

Exactly 3 feet!

Going down the slide. 

Posing like Bob the Builder.

Riding a red thingamajib.

Riding a green thingamajib.

Time to leave Aidan!

When we left the farm we had to do a few errands and both you and Kendall passed out in the car.