That's Where You'll Find Us...

When we're not eating, sleeping or doing physio, we're outside. Thank-you Lord for giving us back the sunshine and warm winds. Thank you Trevor for building our beautiful new step where we soak up the morning sun. Thank you Used Baby Clothes/Toys sale for the smooth new stroller.
Hmmm... I LOVE spring!

As an educator, I've always valued students who have come from well-disciplined homes. When you tell these students what the expectations are, they meet them. When you set boundaries, they obey them. In contrast, I've also taught quite a few young men and women who have never been told "no". Their parents seem to give in to their every whim and demand. As a teacher, this has always made setting boundaries and giving expectations a challenge.
Now, I am a parent. I have to say the word "no" to my little man. We've begun the discipline process and it's been an interesting start.
Simon throws food off the side of his high chair. At first, I was just annoyed. I hate picking off orange slices, toast bits and anything else he doesn't fancy off the floor 3 TIMES A DAY! I decided that it was time to say "no". Whenever he throws food or makes the motion to throw food, I take his little hand and say "no". Actually, I don't even need to take his little hand anymore, I just give him a look and say "no". He totally knows that he's done something wrong. He purses his little lips, turns red, pouts and lets out a sad little cry. It's crazy to think that I have the power to devastate him with one little word.
It takes all my acting powers not to bust a gut and laugh hysterically at his little outbursts. He knows he's in trouble.
Now, when he starts to throw, he'll catch himself, look at me and give me the food piece. This doesn't always happen but, it's a good start.

Thrifty

Sometimes, the stereotypes do apply. My Mom's Scottish (and Swiss, etc.) and my husband's a Mennonite. I am thrifty or cheap or tight-fisted with my cash. I think I come by it honestly. I like to buy next year's winter outfits in the spring, when they're on sale (and summer outfits in the fall). I always head to the back of a store first because that's where the bargains are. I'm addicted to sites like BabySteals and used"City" sites. Also, I LOVE used baby clothes and toy sales. Today, I went to one.
After perusing the clothes and toys, I'd picked out a laundry hamper full of cute stuff (for just over $30). The piece-de-resistance was an all=terrain jogging stroller for $40. Don't get me wrong, I like our Peg-Perego. This stroller just gives me some terrain options and could allow for me to jog (or walk really quickly) again.
I think that, even if I win the lottery (which is highly unlikely seeing I'm too cheap to buy tickets), I'd still enjoy bargain hunting.

A Step Up

When Trevor and I started hanging out (way back in 2000), he was a newbie computer science student. We lost track for a bit and then reconnected at the beginning of my second year teaching (2003). By that time, Trevor had had enough of all things java and had quit school to work full time.
We started dating.
That winter, Trevor began his Business Admin degree with Human Resourcing as his focus. He finished up in 2005 and we got engaged. Trevor began a term contract with the fed. gov't working for the Dept of A. It was an okay gig. It helped us buy a new to us car, a new to us house and few other incidentals along the way. The only thing was was the job sort of sucked the life out of my man. He continued along processing forms and dealing with disgruntled people for 3 years. Blech!
Finally, after a lot of exam writing and interviewing, he was able to get a temporary job with the feds working for the Dept of S. He was a Human Resource Consultant. Finally, a job where he was challenged and could use his degree. He loved it. Only, it was still temporary.
Trevor continued to pursue permanent gigs with the feds. He finally was hired for one with the Dept. of H only, it was a few levels down from where he was with the Dept. of S. It was a bit of a risk but, Trevor took this job for the security of something permanent.
Yesterday, he was given a promotion and is back to Human Resource Consulting! YAH!
He's been working to get to this spot for a long time now. I'm so proud of his perseverance and determination!

Simplicity

I've been asked by a few women how I'm enjoying mat. leave. A few moms have shared with me that they found their own mat. leaves to be boring. Somedays, the repetitiveness of looking after a little person can get to me. Most days, I LOVE being a stay at home Momma. I love the little routines that Simon has. I love the toe tickle that comes with changing his diaper. I love the excitement in his eyes when I lift the lid of the ottoman so he can play with his toys. There's a lot of joy in this kind of simplicity.

Smug

I have to admit, the first few months of Simon's life, I resented the other smug new mommies and daddies who would ask me, "is he sleeping through the night?". After I'd sadly reply "no", they'd go on to tell me about their little Pookie Bear who slept through the whole night since Day 1... or something along that lines.
In July, Simon slept 6 hours straight... 3 nights in a row. I thought I was getting somewhere. Alas...
Today, I am feeling a little smug. It's been almost a week and Simon has only gotten up once at night. Every other night, HE HAS SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT! Who is this baby?
I've been afraid to write these words. I'm still afraid that Simon's agent will read these words, call him on his Fisher-Price cell phone and inform him that he has been letting all of babyhood down... that he has to step it up and scream a little more at night. Knock on wood, people. I'm crossing my fingers that this new pattern holds.
Have I mentioned that when Simon sleeps, so do I? The world is so much brighter now that I've slept through the night... for almost a week... for the first time in 10 months.
Gotta go... have some dancing for joy to do!

Wormy

Dear Simon,
I have to explain something to you little buddy; your parents are book worms. If fact, your Momma was probably the wormiest of all book worms when she was younger. It's more fashionable for an adult to read but, when I was kid, carrying around Dickens and Hugo weren't the epitome of cool. (I don't think your father was much better... I live with his book collection; he had to start young to have that many books.) The reason I am confessing this to you is to help you understand why we go to the library so much. It's because I'm a book worm and... it's free!
Don't underestimate the power of FREE, little man. That will get me places any time. We can peruse all the soft cover, hard cover and board books that we want. I can even read to you for 20 minutes and I don't have to buy a thing. Someday, when you're older, we'll take out DVDs and maybe even some CDs. Also, there are some cool programs there that we can participate in.
Right now, you are in the Mother Goose Story Time. It's fun. We sing songs like "A Mare Named Dapple Grey", "The Grand Old Duke of York", etc. We also get to listen to a story, play with a puppy puppet and dance with shakers. FOR FREE!!! I love it! It's also nice to have someone else read the story for a change.
Thanks for putting up with all the trips to the library. I hope that you enjoy them. I also hope that the book worm genes have been passed on. It's an amazing thing to slip into a book on a yucky day and get caught up in another world.

P.S. - Thanks also for the amazing sleeps you've been having these past few nights. I feel like a whole new woman! Keep it up... please.

Keys, Please!

16 years from now, this might be a reality. Unfortunately, it'll go by faster then I can imagine!

That Magic Spark

Last night, I watched the Finale of the Bachelor (my guilty pleasure). I watched with some very sweet ladies and enjoyed way too much food (another guilty pleasure). Of course, the girl I didn't want to win, did. I felt the way I imagine I would have if Canada had lost to the US in hockey and only came home with the silver. In the end, I was left pondering relationships, marriage and the world's view of love.

On the Bachelor, Jake and Vienna kept talking about a "magic spark", "butterflies" and "fairytale". At first, I wondered about whether Trevor and I still had that "magic spark" because my stomach does not do somersaults every time he walks in a room. Then, I wondered about our tiny little bungalow, baby, mortgage and crazy cat and I'm not sure it qualifies as a fairytale as discussed by the Bachelor couple.

After much more thought (I had a severe bout of insomnia last night - that's one of the after affect of 10 months of sleep deprivation), I marveled about how deep my love for my man is. It goes beyond fairy tales and butterflies. I'm glad that I'm married to my best friend. I couldn't imagine the past 10 months of sleeplessness with anyone else. He's my partner. He's the guy who cheers me up when I'm rocking back and forth and crying convulsively because Simon is screaming at me for the 2nd hour straight (this was much of August and September - Simon does not do this anymore). Trevor's been my rock and defender when I've put my foot in mouth and embarrassed myself for the umpteenth time. Trevor's the guy that I put on eyeliner for once a month so that I feel attractive again. He's also the guy that hugs and kisses me despite the huge bags under my eyes and Hitler-like cold sore under my nose.

So, congrats Jake and Vienna. I hope you enjoy your butterflies and fairy tale ending. However, if you want your relationship to work out, I hope you two can encounter reality with grace and positivity.
I'm so thankful for Trevor. It's funny how a cheesy reality show can remind me about how much I love my man and how wonderful he is.