Ginevra in July

Hey Humble Readers...

Her first helium balloon

Here we are at the end of another month, and that means that Ginny is another month older.  20 months now!  Holy cow...

Figuring out the crayons

Ginny was a very busy little girl this month.  A trip to a historic farm, a major road trip, and a medical discovery round out the significant events of the past few weeks.

*snort-snort*

Of course she loved the farm, even if my Beloved and I were more than a little disappointed with what it had to offer.  She was incredibly excited to see all the animals, particularly the pigs and the turkey (**shudder**).  She's also adamant that she's not into being on the swings this year, but the slide is totally fair game.

Hangin' at Timmy's w/ Uncle W!

I mentioned before about our little allergy scare with our wee sweet girl.  I had hoped that perhaps her intense reaction to mosquitoes was a one time thing, but since the initial incident, we've had to rely on the wonders of bena.dryl.  I'm not going to lie, I'm a tad concerned about what would happen if she got stung by a bee. 

She was a bit shy around her GG

Our trip to K-town, while challenging on many levels, was a great thing for Ginny.  She got to play with her cousins Oscar, Felix, and Z-man, and got a lot of attention all around.  Her vocabulary took a major jump while we were out there and we added all kinds of new words including Auntie, Uncle, pool, outside, inside, cakies (pancakes), grapies (grapes), and tons of people's names.  She's also often stringing two words together, like 'bye-bye Daddy' or 'grapies alle-alle' (all gone).  We did discover that she deals with a hint of motion sickness, but she comes by that honestly as Mummy still suffers from it at times. 

In the pool w/ Z-man

While in K-town, we learned that Ginny is still not a huge fan of the pool, although she loved it when Z-man pushed her around while she sat on a flutter-board.  She's a bit over-enthusiastic when it comes to my mom's dogs, but they learned quickly to stay out of her reach.  And she slept sooooo much better this trip (as opposed to Christmas) because we put her in my parents' office by herself. 

Z-man & Ginny

Her growth seems to have slowed, as is to be expected, with no great gains this month.  She was even able to fit into her swimsuit from last summer (if it had been a one piece it wouldn't have fit at all).  Her hair gets curlier every day, I swear.  And being a girl with poker-straight to wavy hair, I'm at a loss as to how to control it.  But it sure looks cute when she wakes up in the morning. 

Crazy bed-head

We're struggling a bit with getting Ginevra to use her fork and spoon to eat.  She'll have one good bite out of twenty.  I know at this point it's all about consistency, but I'm finding it challenging to not just take over and feed her.  It would go so much faster. 

Rockin' the bikini

I'm thinking that it's time to get a potty-chair for our wee girl.  She's still determined to take her diaper off if she's left alone in her crib for too long when she wakes up.  I think it may actually be bothering her to be wet, which is a good sign.  Any one with tips on potty training, speak up please!

No... I haven't seen your ice cream

She's recently gone into a clingy phase.  Whether it's the fact that she's envious of the fact that I have to hold Pippin so much, or if she's dealing with a bit of separation anxiety, she has to be right next to me pretty much all day.  And if I'm sitting on the couch, she's crawling all over me.  This is of note, particularly because it used to be Daddy who was the living jungle gym, but not so much any more.

I pulled out the bumbo for Pippin, but she seemed to think it
was all for her. 

Overall, July was a good month for our wee sweet girl.  She's had some adventures and there are more on the horizon.  I'm wondering what the second half of summer will hold for her developmentally.  There are areas where she could be further along, but mostly I'm just wanting to enjoy this time with her.  She's really so much fun... so silly and sweet (when she isn't being 'almost two'). 

Memorable Moment Mondays: On A Roll

Howdy Humble Readers...

The lovely ladies at PAIL Bloggers host a fun little bloghop on Mondays to give us an opportunity to share some of our memorable moments.  Please click over to check out what others are sharing, and to join in!

We had a pretty big memorable moment this weekend.  Wee Master Pippin decided that it was high time he rolled over! 

And of course, no one saw it happen...

Nope!  Not gonna do it now that you're watching!

I was napping, and my Beloved was watching some of the Olympics while Pip was doing tummy time.  I knew he had been getting close to rolling, much earlier than his big sister, but we weren't expecting it just yet. 

But, one minute he was on his tummy and when my Beloved looked back a minute or two later, there he was, on his back. 

Ginny offering some advice on the mechanics of rolling over

We tried to get him to replicate it while I had the camera, but of course Pippin wasn't going to cooperate with that idea at all.  Still, we had some fun with him trying to get those hips to turn over. 

I don't imagine it will be too long before he's going from back to front, as he's always twisting away from me when I change his diaper.

They grow too darn fast!

Not For Love or Money

Hey Humble Readers...

There is someone who I would not wish to be for all the money in the world, nor for all the tea in China. 

That person is Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.

I have to back up a little here.  I am a life long royalist.  I love that the Queen is my country's figurehead, and that the actual head of our government isn't the Prime Minister, but the Governor General who serves as the Queen's representative in Canada.  (I am not at all saying that I wish to go back to a time before democracy or our right to exist as a sovereign nation.)  I love the history and the larger global connection that we have to the royal family and to the Commonwealth.  I'm proud of the fact that our country began as a Dominion rather than a Republic. 

Princess Kate is, undeniably, one of the world's most famous women, and married to a man who for many years was considered the world's most eligible bachelor.  Heck, when I was younger (even though I'm several years older than the Prince) I confess to succumbing to a few daydreams about what it would be like to be married to William.  And like millions of others around the world, I stayed up all night to watch their fairytale wedding.  I drank tea, ate scones with marmalade, and Cadbury chocolate to commemorate the occasion.

And besides her impeccable and budget-conscious fashion sense, the one thing about Kate that seems to pop up in headlines is whether or not she's pregnant.  Did she avoid the fish course at last night's state dinner because of morning sickness?  Is that the beginnings of a baby bump? 

And most recently, a member of the British Parliament was quoted as saying she thinks that 'Kate is pregnant -- and that would be good for the economy.'

Excuse me? 

Talk about ridiculous, nosy, and not to mention the pressure that puts on Kate.  Could you imagine being told that your pregnancy would be good for the economy???  Isn't it enough that her child will be someday be a monarch?

As someone who dealt with years of questions, even before I was married, about when I would begin having children, I take offence on the Duchess' behalf.  She has only been married for a year and a bit, and she's still adjusting to her new role within the royal family.  Cut the woman some slack!

Later in the article I linked to above, a 'royal insider' claims that Will and Kate plan to conceive by the end of next summer.  If that is the case, I certainly wish them well and pray that they are able to do so 'the old fashioned way'. 

But what if they can't? 

What if Kate and William have to deal with some form of infertility?  What if they have to resort to ART in order to build their family? 

With parliamentarians already sticking their noses into Will and Kate's reproductive future, what will happen, God forbid, if they have to go through IVF?  How will the government deal with the creation of multiple embryos?  As some would see it, of multiple heirs to the throne?  And what if they choose to freeze some viable embryos?  What if they have frozen embryos left over after they are done with their family building?  How will the government deal? 

Of course, I have my own opinion.  As I'm sure you do.  The government shouldn't have any input whatsoever into what happens with regard to their family building, and decisions about remaining embryos should be, obviously, Will and Kate's.

What I'm pondering tonight is how would this be handled in light of the Rule of Succession.  Given that any child of the royal couple could potentially end up on the throne (particularly now that the British government and the Commonwealth are on the road to making changes to the Rule of Succession so that a first-born daughter would be heir over any sons who come after), just imagine the potential hub-bub!

Honestly, I have no clue about the laws around assisted reproduction in the UK or how they might or might not pertain to the royal family, but these are the things that were going through my head today as I watched the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in London, and reading Yahoo headlines. 

What are your thoughts on this crazy hypothetical?

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Odds & Sods

Hey Humble Readers...

Thunderstorms appear to be weather du jour.  We've had some major downpours over the last few days, and honestly I'm loving it.  After the heat wave we had before we went on vacation and the desert heat in K-town last week, I was so ready for some cooler temps.  Ginny has been enthralled by the heavy cloud bursts and the thunder.

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AF has shown up, and I confess she's kicking my ass.  All those women in my life who told me that cramps get better or at least easier to deal with after you have kids are lying sacks of dragon poop.  I'm in a lot of pain here, and tyl.enol isn't touching it.  Ugh.

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In other cycle-related news... last week I experienced the epitome of irony.  I had what I can only describe as the most incredible, copious EWCM.  Seriously, I have never EVER experienced anything like it.  I was always one of those women who had to do internal checks for CM in order to catch the scant amount of the good stuff I would get.  This was immense, and it lasted for two days.  Now, when our family building days are over I get enough to sink a battleship. 

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While we were in K-town, I saw a couple of movies, and they were polar opposites.  First, I went to see "Magic Mike" with my Mom and my sister.  While it was entertaining, and certainly drool-worthy, it had the crappiest script I've ever seen in a movie.  Honestly, I think they were ad libbing most of it.  Channing Tatum is lovely to look at, but this movie certaily didn't do anything to prove his acting chops.  I suspect that it will be up for a dozen Razzie awards next winter. 

The second movie I went to see was an incredible contrast. My Beloved and I had a date night while in K-town, our first since Pippin was born.  "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" was incredibly sweet, moving, and so beautifully acted by some of the best actors of the age.   Anytime you can combine Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, and Penelope Wilton (yes... Cousin Matthew's mother from Downton Abbey!) you get sheer genius.  If you haven't seen this movie, please do yourself a favour and go see it.

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We're planning on taking the wee-lings to a street performers festival this weekend.  Seeing as it's basically free, I'm hoping that it will be entertaining for all of us.  I want to expose Ginny to as many different fun, cultural, and educational experiences as I can.  With our budgetary constraints, anytime I can find something free, I have to give it a shot.

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If you are a praying type person, please send out some prayers for my Beloved.  He's getting frustrated with his job search.  He's in a tough spot right now.  While he's been applying for a ton of different positions, so far there have only been a couple of nibbles that would be a step backward for him or would require us to move which isn't an option at this point. 

He's sort of in a limbo area in terms of his qualifications.  He's worked for years as an accountant and a controller.  He's got far more experience than your run of the mill bookkeeper, and yet he doesn't have the accounting designations (like a CGA) to back it up.  A lot of job listings have said that relevant experience will be considered in lieu of having a designation, but he's just not getting the calls.  The obvious solution is to get him designated (there's a few courses he needs to take), but that costs money that we don't have.  He's feeling very discouraged. 

Memorable Moment Mondays: Vacation Detox

Hey Humble Readers!

The Gamgee clan survived an 11 hour road trip yesterday (with two under two), and now we are happily ensconsed in our comfy little hobbit-hole.  No one was too terribly traumatized from the long day in the car yesterday, and I am diligently working to get us back onto some semblance of a schedule.

The vacation was... interesting.  Awkward.  Uncomfortable.  I honestly felt like I was walking on eggshells a lot of the time.  But it was also important that we be there, if only so that I could verify my Mom's health (physical and emotional) and say my piece.   Sometime later I will give you all a bit of a clearer picture of the whole mess, but that's not the point of this post.

One of the better nights of the vacation involved me, my Mom, my sister and far too much alcohol...

The aftermath

and the first season of The Big Bang Theory...

and this...

found on Pinterest!

(Good Mummy disclaimer:  All wee-lings were accounted for and safely tucked into their beds before the games began.)

It's been more than two days since we did this, and I'm happily detoxing.  I don't think I'll drink pear cider coolers again for a while though. 

I know that this isn't the usual fodder for MMM, but it was certainly memorable.  Today is all about unpacking, enjoying a cool rainy day, and just breathing deeply.  Ginny is napping and Pippin is sucking loudly on his fist while doing tummy time. 

It's good to be home!

The Future of the Gamgee Clan (PAIL Monthly Theme Post)

Hey Humble Readers...

When I first saw the theme for this month for the PAIL bloggers... "so when are you going to have another baby", I honestly thought I didn't have much to say on the subject. 

My Beloved and I have always, from before we were even engaged, agreed that two children was going to be it for us.  Of course, if we had been blessed with twins the second time around, after the initial freak out was over, we would have been thrilled.  But as far as it was within our control, we wanted two. 

And now we have our two precious wee-lings. 

And I had a tubal ligation. 

And my Beloved is going to get 'snipped' later this summer. 

And then I realized that I do have something to say on the topic. 

Some of our friends and family think it overkill for both my Beloved and I to take steps toward permanent contraception.  And some in the ALI/PAIL/IF/RPL worlds might wonder why we are taking such drastic measures when we tried so hard for so long to get our take-home babies. 

And that's exactly the point. 

We tried hard.  We went through our own personal hell to get to this point.  After two losses, and two not-so-easy pregnancies, we are ready to be done with the family building portion of our lives.  (This doesn't mean that I feel I have outgrown the ALI/PAIL community.  But that's a different post, for a different day.) 

Add in the fact that my Beloved is soon to be 41 and I'm soon to be 38.  We aren't what you would call spring chickens.  With the added challenge of my high blood pressure, the surety of gestational diabetes being even worse a third time around, the increased anxiety that would be sure to haunt me again, and the horrible c-section experience I had with Pip... let's just say that I'm not ready to walk down that road again.

I confess there are selfish reasons too. I enjoy not feeling the need to restrict myself from things like taking ibuprophen when my back hurts, a glass of wine after dinner, or colouring my hair.  I like the idea of not having to take my temperature every day, of not having to be a toilet paper inspector, of not having that constant debate to pee on a stick or not, and not always living in the calendar 40 weeks from now.  I won't miss worrying about the length of my luteal phase, and analyzing every little twinge in my body.  And I refuse to be taking hormonal birth control for the next twenty years. 

Will I ever be able to note my period's arrival without a twinge of sadness?  I hope so.  I hope that someday it will be just the normal inconvenience it is for millions of women.  I hope that cramps become something to bitch about and not something to worry about. 

There's also a family history that we had to take into account.  There were 'surprises' in both our families many years ago.  The fact that my Beloved even exists is due to the fact that his father's vasectomy reversed itself.  And my bio-mom had two miscarraiges after her tubes were supposedly tied.  Even though both situations were likely the result of shoddy medical procedures, I don't think I could face another miscarraige and while an oops-baby would be just as loved and cherished, I know that it wouldn't be good for my physical or mental health to be pregnant again. 

That's why we chose to go with two such permanent solutions to birth control.

So, when some of the little old ladies at church ask when we're going to have our next one, or when my Grandpa jokes about 'number three', I tell them that we've stopped at two.  And there is almost ALWAYS that little grin that says 'ahh, but accidents happen'.  Yes, accidents do happen.  But my Beloved and I have done everything we can to ensure that it won't happen to us. 

My biological clock has officially been stopped. 

And I'm totally okay with that. 

Is This Thing On?

Howdy Humble Readers...

I hope you're all doing well, whatever your mid-July is bringing you. 

We're happily ensconced in the sunshine and summer breezes in K-town.  Things here are actually going pretty good for the most part, considering all the family drama we've had over the last couple of months.  I'm still kind of waiting fo the other shoe to drop, tho.  We'll see what comes. 

Ginny is so not liking the pool, and Pippin is being spoiled rotten by his Mama and his Auntie. 

Pippin also got to meet a very important person... his GG! 

Don't forget, there's still a couple of days left on the giveaway below.  If you have wee-lings in your life, the hats that she makes are absolutely adorable!

A Hobbit-ish Hat Giveaway!

Howdy Humble Readers!

I am soooooo excited to finally post this. 

I've shown you guys my limited knitting skills before.  Well, let me tell you, I CANNOT crochet.  I couldn't make a crocheted washcloth if my life depended on it (and trust me I've tried). 

Thank heaven my lovely friend Minta over at Life Family and the Pursuit of Sanity has some serious skills!

Minta has ensured that my two little wee-lings are stylin' this summer with some pretty awesome headgear!  And she has graciously offered up one of her beautiful creations for one of your little ones for a giveaway.

To enter the give away, all you need to do is pop on over to the Baby Hooked Boutique, take a look around,  and tell me in the comments here which of her adorable hats you love the most. (Ginny is rocking the little girl sunhat, and Pippin is looking stylish in the newsboy hat.)  And if you are a superstar, looking for extra entries, here are some options...

• Follow me in Google Friend Connect (or tell me if you already do)
• Follow Baby Hooked Boutique on Twitter (link on the Etsy shop page)
• Like Baby Hooked Boutique on Facebook

(please leave a separate comment for each entry... and you can have up to four entries!)

Giveaway winners will be announced on July 18th!

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The Hobbit-Ent family is heading out today for our annual road trip through the mountains.  K-town, swimming pool, and air conditioning, here we come!  I'll be trying to post semi-regularly while I'm away, but I hope you all have a great weekend!  I'll be back to catch up with you all on July 23rd.

Pippin @ 2 Months

Howdy Humble Readers...

We're melting here.  No joke.  The coolest spot in our condo is in our back hall and according to the thermostat, it's 30C.  I can't imagine what the temp is in our living room and kitchen.  Ugh. 

Rockin' the cool wet washcloth

Here's how our wee little mister is coping...  Actually this was yesterday.  Today, he's just in a diaper, but looking basically the same.

Blowin' bubbles!

As strange as it is to say, it's been two months since Master Pippin arrived in our lives.  He's growing like a weed, and he is a complete joy. 

Cuddling with Gramma

Developmentally, the big milestone this month has been the smiles.  He smiles for all of us now (is it wrong for me to rejoice in the fact that he smiled at me first?), and his smiles for Ginny are different than the smiles he bestows on my Beloved.  Of course, I have yet to capture them with the camera.

We're still working on getting Pip to sleep on his side.   The flat spot on the back of his head doesn't seem to be as pronounced as it was when we went and saw Dr. B a couple of weeks ago, but it still needs work.  He sleeps well at night most of the time, usually giving me a 4-5 hour stretch between 11pm and 4am.  After that he's usually awake and hungry every 2 hours or so throughout the day.  He sleeps a fair bit in the evening, normally from 7ish until 10:30. 

In the stroller

Like Ginny when she was this age, he hates, Hates, HATES tummy time.  When I hold him on my chest, or lay him on something softer (like the couch) he does well at lifting his head for a second or two and moving it around to see different things.  On the floor... well, if he would stop screaming for a minute or two, then maybe he would have the energy to give the baby push ups a try.

Hating the carseat almost as much as tummy time

Tomorrow night Pip goes for his 2 month vaccinations.  Hopefully his reactions, if any, will be minimal.  Ginny has always handled them well, so I'm crossing my fingers.  And on Thursday he gets to go on his first real road trip.  He will also be experiencing his first swimming pool and getting to discover the wonders of air conditioning!

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Be watching for a very groovy giveaway, coming soon to a hobbit-hole near you! 

Of Allergies & Antihistamines

Hey Humble Readers...

Remember how we all went to the wildlife park last weekend?  And how my Beloved, Ginny, and I got eaten alive by mosquitoes? 

Of course she got bit more than 25 times.  And the bites weren't going away for her.  They were getting worse instead of better.  The welts currently range in size from a dime to a toonie (about an inch).  On her wee little arms, legs, and back.  Please forgive the poor quality of the photos.  They were taken on my cell.

I spent some time online yesterday looking for examples of bug bites, thinking that maybe she got bit by something other than mosquitoes (ticks were foremost in my thoughts... along with the scary diseases that they carry).  Yesterday, some of them looked almost like bed-bug bites, which made absolutely no sense, and by this morning several of them looked like tick bites (the bulls-eye shape).  But what was throwing me was that Ginny was acting completely normal, not ill by any means, and this was now more than a week after she had been bitten.  She didn't even seem to be scratching at the bites all that much.

So, this afternoon we went to a walk-in clinic.  It turns out my wee girl is seriously allergic to mosquito bites, and potentially other bug bites.  She's now on oral bena.dryl and topical bena.dryl four times a day, in hopes of bringing the welts under control.  The doc mentioned that her eczema may predispose her to reactions like this.

Can I tell you, I feel like a big time Mummy-fail.  This is the first time I've had to seek out medical attention for her for anything other than a check up or a routine vaccination.  I know it's ridiculous, but I feel like I should have been able to protect her from this.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: A Glorious Summer Evening

Hey Humble Readers...

Here on the flatland we have been subjected to some wild weather for the last several days.  Ranging between scorching hot, to 100km/hr winds, to hail and torrential rains.  It's been extreme.  But tonight, it seems to have passed, and it is a beautiful summer's eve.  And it's quiet... so refreshing.  Tomorrow is set to bring on a new heat wave, although nothing like that which some of my friends to the south and east have been dealing with. 

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This week has been a bit challenging, energy-wise, as Pippin has hit his 8 week growth spurt.  Last night was certainly no exception.  I wasn't able to fall asleep until after 1am, and of course the wee little mister was awake and starving at 2:10am.  And then he was awake again at 3:30, at 4:42, and at 6am.  Thank the good Lord that Ginny went down for a nap early this morning, so I was able to get about an hour and a half of sleep. 

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I am happy to say that after two and a half days of serious discomfort, followed by two days of just feeling slightly icky and tender, my milk has dried up sufficiently for me to go without nursing pads.  No more pumping for me.  Other than the pain, I've had a couple of headaches and dizzy spells... I wonder if this process affected my blood pressure negatively or if it just made me a little 'off'.  I'm feeling fine now, and I'm sooooo amazingly excited to be able to sleep without a bra tonight!  BTW, the whole cabbage thing really does work... wrapping your bo.obs in cabbage leaves to relieve pain and engorgement.  It's amazing.  So the wee little mister got 7 and a half weeks of almost 50% breast milk.  I'm okay with that. 

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Because of my lack of energy, and the pain in my bo.obs for the last few days, I haven't done anything in the way of exercise.  I MUST get back in gear. 

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As a result of the crazy weather over the last few days, I think my tomato plant has bit the big one.  It had all kinds of flowers on it, and now they're all gone.  The leaves are all battered and looking pathetic.  Oddly, my two pots of herbs that live on either side of the tomato plant have survived just fine.  Go figure. 

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While we all enjoyed our outing to the wildlife park on the weekend, but sadly, my Beloved, Ginny, and I are all covered in mosquito bites.  Pippin managed to avoid them by being in the back of the stroller and being almost completely covered from head to toe most of the morning.  Even so, it was so worth it to see her face when we first saw the tigers. 

On the schedule for this weekend is to go to a local historic farm... Ginny will go nuts seeing a real cow close up. 

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An update on my parents:  While we (my sister and I) were marginally hopeful that things may work out, it appears that is not in the cards.  Every day brings a new and astounding level of frustration, hurt, and outright anger.  Our 'family vacation' in K-town this month is sure to be a barrel of laughs.  My sister and I are planning on drowing our sorrows in some spiked iced tea, as we are sure to be facing some pretty ugly moments out there.  Ugh.  I hate this. 

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Hoping that all my friends in the US had a fun and safe Independance Day!

PAIL: Memorable Moment Mondays

Hey Humble Readers... 

The wonderful ladies over at PAIL Bloggers have begun a fun little weekly blog-hop type of thing and I've decided to join in. 

Last week, Ginny and I conducted an experiment.  Ok, it wasn't a real experiment.  Perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a lesson in cause and effect. 

Using a pan filled with a thin layer of baking soda, vinegar tinted with a bit of food colouring, and an eye dropper, we spent a half-hour engrossed in fizzy fun.  Yes, she did try to eat the baking soda and the vinegar, resulting in some pretty hilarious facial expressions.
I did most of the eye-dropper-ing, just to save her cute little white skirt that she was rocking that day.  But I look forward to doing this again in the future, with a whole rainbow of colours to inspire her.

A Patriotic Hobbit

Hey Humble Readers!

Happy Canada Day! 

The Great White North is celebrating 145 years of being a sovereign nation, and I'm so proud to be a Canadian. 

We are known to be a quirky bunch up here.  I know that I'm no exception.

Yes, I say 'eh', and no, most Americans don't use it in the right context, even when they're mocking us.  No, I don't say 'aboot', I say about.  Some Canadians do have funny accents (but hey, have you ever talked to someone from Maine?  Their accent is just as funny!), and we tend to laugh at ourselves a little bit easier than other countries... in my experience anyway. 

Answers to other rather ridiculous questions that I have gotten over the years about my beautiful country...

• No, we don't live in igloos.
• Yes, we do have indoor plumbing and electricity. 
• Yes, it gets hot here.  It can easily break 100F in July and August.
• No, our national bird is not the mosquito.
• No, polar bears and moose don't wander down the streets of our cities and towns on a regular basis.  At least, not in most towns.
• Yes, we have a standing army and navy.  They have played key roles in almost all international conflicts that have taken place over the last 145 years. 
• Yes, we get summer.  And the only place you can ski in July is on a glacier on top of a mountain.  But you'll likely need a helicopter to get there. 
• Yes, our money is colourful.  We like it that way.  (And it in no way resembles Monopoly money)
• Yes we tend to say 'sorry' a lot.  We're a polite bunch, mostly.  Except for when someone refers to our country as cute, adorable, or quaint.  Then we get cranky.

And as a nation we most certainly love our beer.  Personally, I'm not a big beer drinker.  I prefer wine or coolers, but I do know a good beer when I taste it, and most brands of Canadian beer are far better than any of the mainstream American beers.  (Kokanee is the exception that proves the rule... blech!) 

The guys in this video have come up with a way to show their patriotism along with their love for beer. 

I give you 'The Canadian National Canthem'!  Enjoy!