Whew, what a week. Actually, it's hard to believe we've spent a week here already. It is usually about this time that we start hunting through the house, looking for all the things we have spread about in order to pack up and head back to Saskatchewan. It's really, really nice to know that I can put that off for another two whole weeks! That means that I can spread even more stuff around this place and spend more time looking for it the night before we leave.
Anyway, we are here and enjoying ourselves thoroughly! Much has happened since we packed up the Vue and headed east. The drive itself was a little trying. It's a long way from Regina to Sioux Narrows --about eight hours in total. Well, add a couple of hours to that for diaper stops, caching (that's a GPS thing, totally David's domain), eating breaks and dog walking adventures. We stopped in Broadview (two hours from Regina), in Brandon (two hours from Broadview), in Winnipeg (two hours from Brandon) and finally ended up in Sioux Narrows, where Grandpa and Grandma met us on the road. Unfortunately, Sophia had just woken up from a very brief nap and was not too happy about still being in the car and that there were new faces to deal with. She promptly broke down into red faced tears. What a welcome, eh? David took her out of the car seat and walked down the road with Diane and Arthur, which calmed the babe right down. Needless to say, we were all VERY HAPPY to be at the cottage. It was an incredibly long day for us all.
On Friday, we spent some time getting settled, playing in the sand and water, and David and Arthur started planning the deck addition (there are two decks,and a connecting piece was needed). Every cottage trip must have a project of some sort. Sophia and I searched out the hammock...
By this time, Haley wanted to make sure that I was not going anywhere and that if I was going somewhere, she was going with me.Uncle Adam and Auntie Kristine joined the fun on Friday night. Sophia was a little shy to begin with but took to the two of them pretty well. I think Uncle Adam caused her a little confusion, for once there was a man hanging around without facial fur. Hmmm....a very strange occurrence that is for sure.
One of the things we do very well at the cottage is eat. Eating is very important as it supports our efforts of all things cottage...be it building, swimming or just generally lazing. Dinner tends to be the most important meal of the day. On our way out of Winnipeg, we stopped at a little farmers market and picked up some fresh Manitoba corn. Now, Sophia has decided that she really truly wants to eat whatever we are eating...this is good. It makes picking her meals so much easier. She points, and grunts and food appears on the plate! Anyway, I was just going to cut the corn off the cob for her. But no, that wasn't good enough. She was not satisfied until she had the entire thing for herself...
Another new adventure took place on Sunday...Sophia got her very first fingerpainting session. I decided that such a potentially messy craft should take place in a easily cleanable location. So I put a happily diapered baby in the bathtub and offered her the paints. We had paint everywhere. On the walls, all over the tub, on hands, knees, feet, legs, diapers and in hair. She loved it! Unfortunately for me, I picked the only bathtub lacking a handheld shower! So I had to carry a paint laden baby across the cottage to the bathtub with the shower and hose off the child. Then I had to clean the tub. Sigh. But boy was it fun for Sophie and I.
A fingerpainting masterpiece!
After the fun.Our friends, Lia and Vijay, live half the time in Winnipeg (their's is a complicated, split province marriage, which I won't get into here). Usually, we are guaranteed at least one yearly visit, as Lia and Vijay either drive from Winnipeg to Edmonton, or vice versa. This year we put a kink in the plans by being in the cottage. So we said, "why not come to the cottage?" So they did. They spent Sunday night with us and we had a great time catching up. Vijay joined in the deck construction fun, while Lia and I had a good talk. Later there was swimming, sailing (without any wind, which makes it difficult-- Vijay ended up pushing the boat back to the boat house!), eating, tubing and a good game of Settlers of Cattan. All in all a good visit was had.
Watching Uncle Adam, Auntie Kristine, Daddy and Vijay swimming.
Lia demonstrating the polite way to hold your cob of corn.
Sophia's version.
Checking out the touchable bubbles that Grandma bought for Sophia. Way too cool.
Everybody checking out the deck construction progress.
Viajy Daniels, Lia Daniels, Tricia, Sophia and David. A successful cottage visit! We miss them already.Yesterday we decided to take Sophia out on her first boat ride of the season. Really, this was to see how well Sophia took to not only being on the boat but also how well she would wear her life jacket. There were to be no boat rides without the life jacket. Well, mostly the life jacket wearing went okay. The only problem is that it is front heavy. So every time Sophie tried to walk, she would get a couple of steps and then topple over forwards. Now, this is funny only to the adults watching the child trying to walk. Sophia on the other had found it frustrating and the fact that all her monkeys were laughing added insult to injury. She ended up crying her little eyes out. Only being carried by mom seemed to help the humiliation. Anyway, we took the obligatory pictures. In the end, the boat ride was a huge success and she loved every minute of it...from waving to other boats, to chatting to the loons.
Holding on for balance. Can you see why she was a little forward heavy?
Askew but happy
Checking out the scenery with Grandma G. The wind happily blowing through her hair.
Contemplating life with Grandpa G.
In the end, Haley truly reflects the correct cottage way of being...Till next week!
Sophia giving loves to her birthday bear. We had Jennifer Eastwood create this special bear for Sophia's first birthday! Can you see the joy? Thanks Jennifer!
We thought we would start Sophia thinking about career options early. Here she is practicing for her future as Chairperson of Iron Chef Canada!
Sophia's first split lip. She has since gone on to split the place between the upper lip and gum, but this was the first mouth injury. All teeth still intact, just a lot of blood. Basically, more traumatic for the parents than the child.
Tricia's cousins Cheryl and Stan, who actually live in Hawaii, sent Sophia her very own Hawaiian dresses. Here she is modelling her blue one. They are absolute beautiful on her and big enough that she might be able to wear them next summer. Here's hoping.
Random pics taken as Sophia was motoring around the house. 
Training for Muscle Man Canada. Starting small of course. Gotta work up to pulling Semis.
A new game at dinner is bite and bounce the spoon. Here is the during picture.
And this is the after...yes, there is yoghurt up her nose! Nice, eh?
Sophia is learning to eat with a fork. She started this at the cottage. Generally speaking, she'll eat more of what's infront of her if it is offered on a fork, either speared by an adult or herself. She's getting quite good, actually!
