What a first summer!!!

My first summer as a Daddy was awesome!! I wouldn't trade it for anything, yeah it had it's ups and downs, but the ups way surpassed the downs. One thing I know for sure is that no matter how much you tell yourself that things don't change much, they do. The one thing that has changed the most is our relationship, it seems like we never get much time for each other and the ability to effectively communicate takes a big wrong turn at the end of the day when you're both tired. The one thing I constantly catch myself doing, and feeling very guilty about, is thinking that while I am at work things at home are all fun and play. I definitely take for granted how tiring it gets to be caring for and tending to a human being who can't tell you exactly what you need. It's not just naps and bottles, there is all the household things thrown in amongst it all, and once teething starts...I am very appreciative and grateful for everything mommies at home do, and I think that maternity pay should be the equal to what their working wage was prior to their leave. (Editor's note: NO I am not in the doghouse, nor was that a feeble attempt by me to get out of said doghouse, that is my heartfelt, rambling way of trying to say I love and appreciate my partner.)



Now onto the summer fun stuff; we kicked our summer off with a trip to Plato Island Resort at Quesnel Lake to show Vanessa and Ava where I spent my childhood summers fishing and camping with my Gramma and Grampa B. We had a great time, and it definitely brings back great memories of a great childhood. Upon returning from there we went on an excursion with Ava's Grandma and Grandpa Thompson to Nat Bailey stadium where we took in a nooner at the Nat for my birthday and then to Montana's for my favorite meal...RIBS. These excursions are definitely way more do-able with a happy baby such like Ava. Later on in July my cousin Jason and his family visited from Ottawa and my family and I went to have dinner with him at MY gramma and grampa Thompson's, was really good to see them. On July 24 Vanessa, Ava, and I treated my dad to an evening game at the Nat followed by a fireworks display, it was stupendous and Ava was so cute as she covered her ears during the fireworks. We were even treated to a great game of baseball.

August brought us more nice weather, and we spent the first 2 weeks housesitting for my mom and dad while they tootled around in their truck and trailer. It was in this 2 weeks where Ava really started to show her personality, cooing a lot more and she rolled over for the first time on August 4th and she is now spinning around on her belly and squirming to try and get things within her grasp. I predict she'll be crawling by 6months...now if I could just get her potty trained. On August 21 I thought it would be a good idea to take Ava and Vanessa to their first ever PNE experience, I learned a lot that day:

1) Don't undertake such a big adventure without any breakfast...or lunch for that matter before leaving into the city.

2) Parking costs $20 if you want to be within 20 minute hike to fairgrounds. There is a reason the kind residents let you park in their alley for $10 (see below).

3) Just because someone is one block from the fairgrounds offering you $10 parking doesn't mean it's close as they ask you to follow them, then they walk 15 blocks to their alley.

4) Don't believe everything you see on the news DEEP FRIED JELLY BELLIES ARE DISGUSTING. So far the only obscure things that are good deep fried are turkey and ice cream.

5) After seeing my uncle "Buffalo Bill" Beaulieu run his new pig/duck racing venture, I am very confident in my decision to have him co-MC our wedding.

6) Above mentioned lack of protein causes usually overprotective mothers to seriously lapse in judgment and allow complete strangers hold our baby...thankfully she replied with a terse "NO" when asked if it was alright to "...just go over there..." with said offspring.

This summer also saw me "teach" Vanessa how to golf, and then have her show me up in a tournament. There was a trip to White Rock followed by a nasty tissue infection requiring IV therapy for me, visits to my friend Bob who is bravely battling Oesophageal Cancer he's looking a lot better and he brought me back Mickey Mouse ears after taking his family to Disneyland. There was a trip to our wedding venue to view it in bloom, followed by a jaunt over the new Golden Ears bridge.

Well that's all for now, I am rambling and have probably lost a reader or two by now, there are some new pictures of Ava up on my facebook, for my FB friends. I'm not going to make any promises as to the next blog, but thank you to my reader(s) for your patience, and I'll try harder.

Doug