2011 - Goals Reflection

I set a pile of goals for myself in January of 2011. Now, I need to assess what I've done.

These were my 2011 goals:

1. Lose baby weight sensibly.
-Well, I'm not as heavy as I was last January. I have been able to go down a few pants sizes. However, there's more work to be done. Hopefully, when Claire is weaned, I will be back to my happy medium

2. Eat more vegetables.
-I think we did this. I tried hard to say "yes" to the side salad and "no" to the fries... didn't always work out.

3. Vacuum more.
-It helped that we bought a snazzy new vacuum last Boxing Day so, this was easy!

4. Cloth diapers both kiddies and potty-train the Schmoo.
-Both kids are in cloth diapers most days. They get disposables at the sitter's. Simon wears underwear 40% of his life. He'd be potty-trained if we operated on my will-power alone. Unfortunately, I have a head-strong toddler who'll figure it out eventually. (I have a feeling Claire will be trained soon after Simon so, this may be my last year of diapers... fingers crossed.)

5. Nap every so often - because I can.
-And I do! Yesterday, I had a good solid afternoon nap. This should be everyone's goal! :)

6. Find another cool concert to go to with my honey.
-Can't say we did this unless the free concert in the park on Canada Day counts. I need to try again on this one!

7. Recycle more... buy less.
-Still working on this. It's hard to back out of consumerism in a consumerist society but, we are trying.

8. Create practical items and gifts to reuse.
-Did this! My gift bags rocked! I loved making capes for the kids. The owls for Claire's B-day favours were a hit. I have a few plans for 2012... as long as I get some time to sew!

9. Have more family dance parties.
-This was pretty easy. Both kids have some pretty stellar baby moves. I don't want to talk about their parents.

10. Take the family on more travel adventures.
-Ottawa was awesome. It was a big risk and it paid off! Our Clear Lake/Winnipeg trip was pretty awesome too. I can't see us getting too far in 2012 but, we'll venture somewhere this coming summer.

On the go

... and she's on the move. She's a little tentative but determined. Look out world; Claire is on the loose!

Boxing Day

After an extravaganza of delicious food, thoughtful gifts, snuggles, fancy dresses and family time, it's so nice just to have a quiet, at home day. Our only venture out was to go and visit our "Someday House" and a short walk when the kids wake up. Forget about braving the crazy Boxing Day sales, I have all I need right here! (Besides, we bought our Boxing Day washer/dryer combo online.)
Hope all was merry and bright for you and yours!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. Our 3 day Christmas fiesta begins tomorrow morning. I can hardly wait!
Enjoy your friends, families, food and fun!

Teacher Gifts

Since 2002, I have been happily teaching kids. I can count a dozen high schoolers who bought me a Christmas gift. Each time, the gift was thoughtful and it meant something for that student to go out of his or her way to give me something.
This year, I am a e. school teacher. Today, I received my first "teacher gifts". Some parents were very thoughtful and generous. For others, I wish I could tell them "you shouldn't have" because really, they shouldn't have. Although, I am now the owner of snowmen salt and pepper shakers.
Seriously, if you have to give something tangible, coffee, chocolates, homemade baking is nice. I got a Chapters gift card that I am super excited about. However, I'd rather that you go to a site like this and use your money to give someone something meaningful. I'm sure that after a few years of teaching, e. school teachers have a rather large collection of mugs and would prefer your money going elsewhere. I know that I sure would!

Recovering

Today, we're on the mend.
In the past few weeks, we've experienced the stomach flu and then Round #2 of the stomach flu. Basically, this meant comforting barfy babies in the middle of the night multiple times, changing their sheets multiple times and then disinfecting myself multiple times. This also affected childcare... blech! I don't wish any of that on any of you.
I think we're better. (Fingers crossed). We're all a little extra sleepy and whiny and clingy and lacking appetite but, I haven't had to deal with any adverse bodily fluids since Friday.
On the same note, I finished Christmas baking (at my Mom's - away from my petri dish of a home). Last week, we baked all Saturday with the ladies from Trev's family. This past Saturday, we baked all Saturday with the ladies from my family. Needless to say, my freezer is FULL!
I finished stuffing gifts into the Christmas cloth bags that I made and I've decided that I'm a genius. Wrapping was uber slick! I really recommend this neat trick to all of you who feel crafty (straight-line sewing; if I can manage, so can you).
Next up on my countdown to Christmas list: elementary school Christmas concert. Eeeek! Good thing I really have nothing to do with it sauf showing up and doing crowd control. Simon's Sunday School concert is this weekend and I'm pretty pumped.
After that, I have cards to get in the mail, my contribution to 2 Christmas dinners to make, stockings to wrap and stuff and I think I'm done.
What do you have left to do on your Christmas list?

Welcome Christmas

I love December. I love advent and the focus on Christ's arrival into the world. I love baking with my favorite ladies (and, do we bake!). I love setting up the tree, drinking "Snowman milk", eating all the above-mentioned baking, planning for and shopping for surprises to put under the tree. I love all the get togethers with special people and late night cheer. It's been a blast introducing my kiddos to the Christmas spirit.
New to my Christmas traditions will be my first elementary school Christmas concert since 1993 (good thing the Arts Ed. teacher is in charge and not me). Also, this year will be Simon's first Sunday School concert. We're all practiced up but, I do anticipate a frozen little boy who won't know what to do at all... along with the rest of his class. I love that!
I've also concluded that we do SchoolLite in December in elementary schools. I'm not experiencing the project/paper marking marathon by Christmas tree lights that I'm used to. I do, however, have to carefully tread the landmines of grade 6 girls as I prepare Secret Santa for our class. (I am also choosing not to do any holiday themed bulletin boards because, really, do we have to?)

'round here

The flu bug bit bad.
Work, kids, clean, cook, nurse, homework, bed... rinse, lather, repeat.
Sad, neglected Fergus.
Houseplans and playdates on weekends.
Lots of Christmas stuff in the works.
Tis the season for too busy and yet... little hands make me stop and soak in happy humming, exploring and playtime.


PS - Thanks for the pics, Auntie Andrea. Once again, you are amazing!!!

Growing Pains

As I carefully stapled the paper to the bulletin board for the first time in my career, my colleague popped her head in my class and told me that I was "cute" because I obviously was a bulletin board amateur. I laughed because that's the reaction that I have when nervous but, the high school teacher inside me felt like crying. Seriously? Making fun of a colleague during her first week? Granted, she also lent me all her borders.
After one week in an elementary school, these are the differences I've noticed:
a)Bulletin Boards - Are we competing? Seriously, why do e. teachers put so much time into those suckers? I think that my high school classrooms were lovely and very visually satisfying and I never had to staple stupid paper to the walls!
b) Recess - Complain all you want about having to supervise every now and then but, I LOVE recess. I even don't mind the fluorescent vest I wear so that I can be seen on the playground. I like the actual break in the mornings, I like getting outside (and this week's been brutal) and I like being able to call my babysitter, go potty or make a photocopy.
c) Helpers - The girls in my class all want to help me do everything. If I really want to accomplish something with all these helpers then, I need to plan for it. Blech...
d) Lack of freedom - "Am I allowed to use a pen?" "Can I write my name on the corner?" "Do we underline the title?" "Can we store our papers in binders instead of duotangs?"
-Honestly kids, do what you want. As long as you hand your work in, keep your notes in some order to help you study and everything is legible, I DON'T CARE.
e)Interviews - Yep, after a week, I have interviews. I've prepared like a fiend because, unlike high school where I see about 16 out of 110 students' families, I get to meet every one of my students' parents.
e)Kids are short and weird - In the hallways and on the playground and in my class I keep seeing little, little people doing weird things like lay on the ground, tantrumming, picking their noses while walking, etc. This does, however, beat walking down high school halls and seeing too much cleavage, canoodling and sneaking smokes.

Week #1 is done and that, in my mind that is the hardest hurdle. I've learned a lot this week. I miss high school but, I'm preparing to hunker down, don my florescent vest and call this school for little people home for a while.

Happy Birthday, Claire Berry

Happy Birthday, Claire Berry. It's hard to imagine that just last year, we were waiting for the go ahead to take you home from the hospital. I was so unsure about what life would be like with two babies and I had know idea who you were yet.

I'm still getting to know you and I'm thrilled to watch you learn and grow. You're a sweetheart. You like kisses and cuddles and you love to sit in my lap to play. You're independent. I can leave the room and find you playing all by yourself. You can be a little fiend - you bite, pull and pinch and you drive me nutty sometimes. You have a good sense of humour and it's easy to get a laugh or a grin out of you. You adore your brother and you spend as much time as possible trying to do what he's doing... much to his chagrin. You're a hungry little monkey and you want to try everything. You're adventurous - it doesn't take you long to warm up in a new place and scoot all about.

You are everything I have ever wanted in a daughter. I love you, Little Berry!

Reworking that Routine

Routine has become the new theme to my life. I need to establish a getting the Schmoos up, dressed, nursed (Claire) and out the door before 7:15 am. My baby-sitter is establishing new routines with her 6 little munchkins. Claire needs to catch on to a napping at the baby-sitter's routine as she's one sad Princess when I pick her up. I need to figure out how to keep house and keep on top of all my prep (this is what happens when you HAVE NO EXPERIENCE TEACHING GRADES 6/7 - you have no idea what you should be doing the next day... blech)!
This is our new life... we just need a bit of time for re-adjustment.

Positives:
-My students are super nice.
-Simon napped yesterday and has potential to nap today.
-Our babysitter is AWESOME!
-My staff is nice.
-I love texting the babysitter with my lovely iPhone.
-I only work part-time - how the heck do full-time Mommies manage?

a hootenanny

20 people in our little house all celebrating the fact that Claire will be one this coming week. It was an 'owling good time. I'm glad my kids are born in totally different seasons so I don't have to have parties back to back.

Bruised

I'm still feeling pretty bruised and vulnerable. I cried at SuperStore today while picking up some sippy cups. There will be a ton of memories that will be triggered by little things for the rest of my life. In time, I'll learn to manage them. For right now, I'm resigned to cry in public places for random reasons.

We're starting to get better health wise too. This cold really knocked Trevor and I on our feet. Some days, I wish that there was a way for Mommas to take sick days too. I would have LOVED to sit on my couch, drinking hot apple cider and reading my days away like I used to when I took sick days. That was another world.

This is my last week of maternity leave. Claire will be one soon. Shocking, isn't it? I'm savouring all the little "stay-at-home" Momma things that we so love. I let Claire linger longer while nursing in bed in the mornings because that won't happen come Monday. I played hard with Simon in the snow during Claire's nap time. We indulged in our favorite grocery day lunch: sushi. We went for a walk to see the flags and loved the new sparkling snow. I'm hoping to clean my house top to bottom one last time while I don't have homework calling my name. Other then Wednesday (when I need to go to work to prep), we're going to celebrate our last full week together until Christmas holidays. I'm excited to do our favorite things all week long.

My Bossy Big Sister

All this summer, my friend Laurie struggled with cancer and chemo and the effects of the chemo on her body. Last night, she went to be with the Lord.
Since I was 19, Laurie has filled the role of "bossy big sister" in my life. We took ballroom dancing lessons and "cruised Albert" as single girls. I remember soaking in my parents' pool with her before my first "date" with Trevor. I remember giggling on the phone with her shortly after her first date with her husband. We LOVED that our boys were also friends before we found them. There were lots of Kaiser nights where we stayed up far too late. Laurie and her husband helped Trevor with his engagement prep and were lurking in the parking lot to congratulate us. Both of them stood up for us at our wedding. She was the one who connected us with our first house and now, our new house is a hop skip and a jump away from her house. We'd talked of endless summers on the deck watching our kids grow up. She was one of my regular phone calls when I was lonesome on mat leave and I knew I could always walk over to her place with Simon when he was a demanding infant.
I'm going to miss my friend so, so, so much.

Happy Halloween, folks

Simon caught on to the trick or treat game and thought it was the best thing ever. Claire carried a small box of Smarties from house to house and was content just shaking it.
The kids are asleep. The trick or treaters are done (I'm guessing close to 35 this year).
Trevor and I are nursing head colds.
Oh yeah - I raked up bags 21-26 of our leaves today. I think I may have 8 bags to go and then our yard will be done.

Little Nugget

Today, Trevor brought me this little nugget home.
I'm still stunned and I'm still squealing my excitement.
With work around the corner, I want easy access to my kiddos. My baby-sitter is very into texting so, I'll be able to check on them at recess and before I go home so that I know how they're doing. This will ease my anxiety quite a bit. Also, it'll be great to have a phone in case of any commuting emergencies.

I've never had a cell phone with a plan before. We have my Mom's old phone and we do "pay as you go" for trips and I used to have a sweet Nokia (bought at the turn of this century) that I also did "pay as you go" until I was told my phone was obsolete. This is my first "real", grown up cell phone. (I'm 32.) I have no idea what to do with it. I'll be a grandma texter for a while.

I'm excited to be a part of technology of the 21st century.
My husband ROCKS!!!

Teeth + Tantrums = Tylanol + Time Outs

Yep - I have two little people in my house. Claire is a teething fiend. Normally, she's a ray of sunshine but lately, she's a clingy little mess. Simon is testing boundaries and pushing limits like a normal 2 year old. This has lead to consequences and the introduction of the time-out mat.
Yesterday was Simon's day to not shine. Today is Claire's. Can I call dibs on tomorrow, kids? I just want to be held, read to and have my favorite food prepared.

With going back to work just around the corner, I'm going to spoil them a little more and snuggle them a lot closer.

My Austrian Connection

I went to Bible School in Austria when I was 19 and when I was 23. I was young, naive and in love with adventuring. My first time there was for Fall School... a semester of Bible teaching during the fall semester. I learned what love isn't (I had a disastrous long-distance relationship with... eek... a wrestler and I had a crush on the tall Albertan boy that sat next to me in the Lecture Hall), I redefined what my home and Canada meant to me, I deepened my relationship with Christ, I drank alcohol for the first time and my world opened up to new ideas, people and possibilities. Every fall, I think back to that time of blissful innocence when the I was standing on the cusp of adulthood.

I went back later, with Tim, for the Summer adventure program and I hiked my heart out. Once again, I learned what love is not (the cute Southerner on my team), how to rely on Christ in the midst of chaos and that I could really push myself above and beyond my what I thought. It was a perfect place to prepare me for my first year of teaching.

Every year, I order myself a pair of Austrian slippers, or "cottage shoes". Yesterday, I got them in the mail and slipped them on my feet. I remembered my adventures, the Alps and the friends I made and I smiled. (My feet also sighed with pleasure - Austrian slippers are AMAZING!)

(I bought Simon a pair when I was pregnant with him - because of his casts and then his feet, he never could wear them. Claire, however, wears them well. The above picture is of my ratty last year's slippers and her adorable baby ones.)

(If you ever want to wear the most amazing slippers ever, check out the Austrian Online Shop. Order me a Milka too!)

A important link

I'm not sure how to write about the heartbreak my family is experiencing right now. We're preparing to lose a beautiful and amazing friend. I can barely process that this is really happening.

I keep reading and rereading a post she wrote in 2008. Here's the link. I'm taking some comfort from her words.

Caped

I finally got around to making Simon's Halloween cape. He's going to be Captain Canada (this was almost as easy as letting him be Tigger last year). I also made Tigger a cape and a little play cape for Claire. (If you want an easy sewing project - check out this free cape tutorial.)

The kids and I got the flu shot on Thursday and we haven't been the same since. Simon must have caught something from his sweet cousin and I think the flu shot triggered it. Now, we all have it. Blech! I spent the day feeling yucky as well as feeling like I was being held hostage by my very emotional toddler who cries at the drop of a hat. Fortunately, Claire's reaction is to cuddle... that's so much more bearable then yelling.
Simon's on the mend and I think Claire and I will be fine as of tomorrow. I'm thankful to be feeling this way on a weekend when Trevor's around to pick up the pieces!

Bagged

One of my 2011 goals was to do a create practical gifts to reuse. I succeeded. I made 100 cloth bags for my sister-in-laws and me. That's a pile of sewing, a pile of cloth and now, a pile of bags. I happily gave them away during our Thanksgiving feasts. I'm delighted with the thought of not having to wrap much of anything FOR THE REST OF MY CHRISTMASES!!!! (except for stockings). I'm also excited that I was able to do something for three lovely ladies whom I love a lot.
(Special thanks to my mother-in-law who helped me cut and serge those bags and to my Momma who helped me with fabric selection.)

Now, I need to hunker down and sew Simon's Halloween costume and a pile of taggie blankies to get me through another year of babies.

What kinds of projects are you up to? (And, how much has Pinterest made you feel like there is soooo much more you should/could be doing?)

Where's my Maid?

"My housekeeping tasks fall on the same day for every job I take: on Monday, I oil up the furniture. Tuesday, I wash and iron the sheets... Wednesday is for scrubbing the bathtub real good even though I wipe it down really good every morning. Thursday is for polishing floors and sucking rugs.... Friday is heavy cooking for the weekend and what-have-you. And every day is mopping, washing clothes and ironing shirts... and generally keeping things clean. Silver and windows, they're as needed." (p. 47 The Help by Kathryn Stockett)

I read those lines last night and I wiped my brow because I was tuckered out just thinking of all that housework. Yeesh - I'm happy if I get the floors cleaned twice a week, the bathroom cleaned once a week and the laundry done every 3 days. Of course, we do a general tidy every night but, that's just so we can walk through our house without kid debris.

Today, I finally washed the windows (inside). Trevor's going to do the outside sometime this weekend. Those maids of the 60s would be so ashamed of me...

(PS - Just started The Help and it's as fabulous as everyone says. I may even watch the movie if the reviews are good.)

Fall

I'm luxuriating in my free days of playing, sushi eating and park going. Claire's hit a sweet spot where she naps (sans me) for a while in the afternoon. I can leave Simon to his own devices (sans paper books) in Quiet Time and I can do little projects and clean the house (hahahahaha!).
When I turned the page of the calendar the other day, my anxiety about going back to work ramped up a bit more. Eeek... just 1 1/2 months left of sweet Momma bliss.

Quiet Time Trouble

Simon stopped daily naps when Claire was born. Slowly, he's weaned his naps down to 1-2 times a week. This week, he hasn't napped at all. That hasn't stopped us from giving him Quiet Time. Usually, he sings, reads his books, plays with his animals and does weird 2-year-old things.
Yesterday, he ripped 2 library books to shreds. Eeeek! Major Momma disappointment!
"Simon ripping books, Momma!" was how he gleefully explained it when I entered his room.

After a chat about how that was bad and my removal of all his paper books from his room and a talk about how I had to pay for those books, I had a sorrowful Simon.
Today, I gave him a sticker activity book and a MagnaDoodle to keep him entertained. I'm about to walk into his room to see how that went over. I heard lots of chattering and singing so - I'm hoping for the best.

What do/did your 2-year olds do during their Quiet Times? I'm looking for some ideas to help keep the destruction at bay.

Stranded

Claire and I come late to church to accommodate her napping needs. Trevor and Simon go early for Sunday school. This week I remembered Simon's library books (only a month late). I stuck my keys in the book bag (I also wore a dress - haven't done this is a long, long time).
When we went to leave church, I realized that my keys were still in the book bag that was on it's way home with Trevor. We called to let him know. Since he was playing in the yard with Simon (waiting for us), he didn't get my messages right away so, Claire and I were stranded at church for a little bit. We ate baby cookies, played in the shade and ripped petunias to shreds. We were rescued in time for lunch and naps.
This may be a reason for the both of us to finally cave and get cell phones... and yet - they are such a pain to charge, pay for and remember to bring.

the Momma bubble

I used to be quite knowledgeable about current events. I used to have great work stories (at least I thought they were great) and I used to have a pile of other adults to share information with.
Lately, I'm realizing my life is kind of a bubble... a Thomas the Train, FB, laundry all the time kind of bubble. Unless you want to hear all the details of my kids' lives, I've really got nothing to say. Sigh...
There's really nothing wrong with this because a) it's a season in my life and b) it's temporary. However, it's weird to feel boring.

10 (and all those stats I'm going to want to remember one day)

I see this little imp of a girl emerging. I see it in her mischievous grin, the way she coyly looks at others to lure them in and then lunges back to Momma and I can hear it in her newly found "talking" as she tells us what for on a regular basis. She's beautiful, she's determined and she's mine and I'm soooo proud of her.
Claire - age 10 months
weight - Momma guesstimates 20-22 lbs
clothing size - 12 to 18 months
vocabulary - Mommommommom, Dat, Cat, Nuuuah, Imo (Simon)
mobility - still bumming around, can stand for 3-8 seconds, learning to pull up on people and objects
sleep status - morning and afteroon naps (~1 1/2 hours each) - requires some cuddling for the last half of her afternoon nap (of course); nights are pretty good; morning typically comes between 6 am and 7:30 am
favorite foods - chocolate, ice cream, cheese (good thing she has Wiens metabolism), any kind of berries, yogurt and bananas (she out eats Simon at most meals)
cute things she does - LOVES kisses; snugs up way too close to Simon in the bath; LOVES Bob and walks; loves pictures of herself; enjoys flap books and pull-tab books; likes Baby Einstein; gets super excited when Trevor comes home; Fergus is her boyfriend

Oh my goodness... she's going to a one year old soon... really soon.... ahhhh!!!!!

Summer of 2011

Older people, especially ladies, tell me to savour these moments with my kids. This summer has been pretty perfect. This is how I want to remember it:
-Splash Park or other parks almost daily
-coffee for me and cookie for Simon and a nap for Claire
-reading stories to Simon on the Canada chair while drinking chocolate milk
-Simon's sneaky places and peek-a-boo tree
-teething on crab apples
-lots and lots of BBQ
-grocery shopping in the dark (the power went out but, everyone kept shopping - weird)
-picking endless amounts of dandelions for Simon to play with (and Claire to eat) on our "Bob" walks
-Fergus runs free
-loads of family time
-sushi lunches (my kids' favorite)
-maple leaf treats from 711
-Simon's "Big Boy Bed" success

I wish I could bottle up this summer and take it out in 10 years in February to savour all over again. I guess I'll just have to lap it up now!

9/11

A decade ago, I drove to school wondering about the plane that crashed into the Twin Towers. I listened to the radio and couldn't make heads or tails of what had happened.
My co-op (I was interning) and I tried to disseminate the news as it came in and share it with our students.
For P3 - we took our kids to the library so that we could watch CNN coverage on the TV.
I remember a lot of shock and silence from those grade 11s as we sat there.
One of our modified History boys predicted that the US would use the terrorist attacks as an excuse to go after Saddam Hussein. I still marvel that what he predicted came true.
This was only the first week of my teaching career and yet, it was such a formative day.

Today, I remember.

Crafty

Claire's starting to sleep the night (cross fingers). She's also starting to let me put her in her crib for her afternoon naps. With Simon in Quiet Time, this leaves me with a little bit of free time in the afternoons. Do I clean the house? Bake? Sit with my feet up and drink chocolate milk? Plan for my teaching job? Prep supper? Do laundry?
Well... I do a little of that.
I also get my craft on. A little sewing and a little digital scrapbooking and I'm a happy lady.
It just feels good to set a little goal, do some menial labour and voila... something I've created.
I'm not all that great. I'm kind of a slap-dash kind of girl but, I'm having fun and making stuff.
Yah for me!
(Thanks Claire!)

Adventures in his Big Boy Bed

Saturday, we switched Claire over to Simon's crib and Simon into a Big Boy bed. Claire was in a hand-me-down crib that I was comfortable with her in until she started to move (which is now)... I wanted her to be in Simon's crib by then. Simon inherited Trevor's Super Single bed (from back in his super single days). We haven't put up the frame, just the mattress on the floor.
Since nap times have really become "quiet times", nothing much has changed. Oh... except Simon can wander his entire room wreaking destruction wherever he goes. Mostly, he just reads books and sings on his bed.
Last night, after being up way too long with Claire (we made her cry it out - we're mean like that), I heard a huge thud. I checked the monitor and didn't see Simon's sleeping body on his bed anymore. Somehow, he'd fallen off. However, since I also didn't hear any crying, I figured I'd better let sleeping toddlers lie. In the morning, I checked the monitor again and, he was back on the mattress. It looked like he had just crawled up from the floor and fallen back asleep. Good for him.
(I guess, Claire, that's why we're teaching you to cry it out now - so you can solve sleep problems on your own in the future.)

Confessions of a Sunday Heretic

I've always been a faithful Sunday church goer. Part of it is that church is a good way to re-connect to Christ weekly and in a communal way. Part of it is social. Either which way, I love going. I love my church and the people there.
However, this is the 3rd week in a row that I have "skipped" church. Today, I miss it.
Claire naps at 10 am. I like her happy and not cranky so, I like to ensure good naps for her. Church is on summer hours until next week and it starts at 10 am. That means, I have to choose between church and a nap. Normally, this would just mean choosing a cranky baby, sticking her in the nursery where she's happily distracted and letting her pass out in the car on the way home. Except, because it's summer, there are no nursery workers. That means that if I go to church, basically, I am going to the nursery to play with my cranky baby.
What's the point?
I did it for a few Sundays and I was just frustrated. All I was doing was hanging out in the nursery (usually looking after a few other people's kids as well as mine) and the price: a very cranky baby and then, a very cranky Momma. There was not the benefit of enjoying church to counter-balance.
I'm a little peeved that only 4 couples signed up for nursery duty from mid-June until mid-September. Sure, it's one thing if they're not around however, if their bringing their kids to the nursery week after week, why didn't they sign up and share the load a little?
So, today, I'm sitting at home with my napping baby. I did laundry. I cleaned up morning dishes. I did a little landscaping. I'm feeling a little heretical but, this too will pass.

Baby Blues

Levi and Claire - almost 7 months and 9 1/2 months.

Washing Desks in a Sunny Room on a Thursday Made me Smile

Today, I entered my 10th classroom (I've had admin who likes to play "Musical Classrooms"). I put up some bulletin boards (wow - elementary school teachers are a bit weird about these - I'm more of a poster girl), did some basic set up and cleaned my desks. I was excited to have some time alone in my class because that meant I was able to pray for each of the 22 students that will walk through the door on Tuesday.
My replacement teacher and I met for a bit and then, I went back home to my sweet kiddos who were getting to know and becoming re-acquainted with our amazing baby-sitter.
It feels weird to not be starting up the school year. It feels even weirder to only have 22 students for a full year (I'm used to around 100 a semester). It's also pretty strange to be in an elementary school with short people.
Ah - times they are a changin'...

Library Rant

After an indoor picnic lunch date with Trevor, I took the kids to the downtown library because we were downtown already and it was raining (not conducive to the park). There was so much I wanted to say to the other mom who was there with her 3 girls. Thus, the rant.
Dear Lazy Lady at the Library,
Taking your kids to the library on a rainy day is a great idea. I love that the library is free, has thousands of cool stories and a plethora of toys to share. However, there is a sign that asks that all children under 10 years old be supervised by an adult. Supervision, my dear, means paying attention to the antics of your children instead of watching YouTube videos on your portable media player. That way, when your oldest daughter forbids a 2-year-old from entering the LEGO castle because he's a boy, you'd be aware of how awkward it is for his Momma. And then, when his Momma tries to reason with your little lady, she is sassed. (Really - who sasses a stranger holding a baby?) Also, when your 3 snooty little girls start taking toys away from the cute little 9 month old sitting so nicely, you should discipline them and not smirk at her Momma as she cries. Lazy lady at the library - you suck!

End of rant - now I feel better!

City Parks Review - 2011

One of the best parts about teaching is that I will always have my summers. One of the best things my kids and I have found to do in the summer is to hit up parks. Here's my review of our more frequented (or less frequented due to a poor review).
Candy Cane Park
A lot has changed here since I was a kid. Gone is the grungy wading pool and unsafe candy canes to climb (who's idea was that?). There is a snazzy new goose but, the slides are a little too steep for my kiddos. Simon LOVES the bus and the slide area. Claire LOVES the baby swings. Both kids can be highly entertained for hours here. This park often requires the use of Claire's Bjorn so that I can chase after Simon. This is by far one of our most favorite park. We're giving it 5 out of 5 stars.

Kinsmen Park
We spend a lot of time at this park because it's a good walk. We also get to go by Auntie Andrea's and visit with her if possible. Simon LOVES the spray pad. We wish it had softer turf (like Rick Hanson) because the asphalt hurts when you fall. Claire likes it when we let her meander through the puddles but, she's not a big fan of the actual splashes. The equipment is great. Both kids have things to do. Simon loves crawling up and sliding. He's also a big fan of the little house and teeter-totter. Claire is our little swinger and she also feels pretty important when we let her stand in the little house. It'll be interesting to see how often we get to this park once we move. It's a definite 5 out of 5 stars.

Kiwanis Park
We went here once to check it out. The equipment was much to challenging for my toddler and I was nervous carrying Claire up the play structure. The slide was too steep so, we didn't stay for long. We did, however, enjoy the Mac's across the street and the waterfall nearby. Right now, it's a 2 out of 5 but, it has potential for when my kids are older.

School Parks
Since kids have been out of school, most school parks are pretty empty. We've taken advantage of their slides. Most school parks we've been to are pretty good but, they lack baby swings. They are a good option when we need a change. Most school parks rate a 3 out of 5 for us.

Rick Hanson Park
We did venture north this summer and we checked out the RH Splash Park. Simon really like holding on to the hose but, he was frequently pushed out of the way by bigger kids. It was really busy and, the play structure was fun to climb up but, Simon didn't LOVE it. It was such a large play structure that I had a hard time keeping track of where Simon was while carrying/entertaining Claire. Once again, I think this is a great park but, I don't think I'd like to go back until the kids are older. It's a 4 out of 5.

Marina Park
The park at the Marian has a super location. The kids both loved hanging out by the fence and watching the geese. The play structure was pretty good and I really liked the rock formations. We'll probably go back as the kids get older. I'll give this a 3 out of 5.

We've been to other parks but, these are the ones that really stand out to us. I'm sure things will change up a lot by next year when I have 2 adventurous movers.
What's your favorite park and why?

Peeky eyes in Toronto

I felt excitement radiating from my children. Their eyes reflected the beam of the flashlight as we stood in Simon's closet, which he was referring to as Toronto. As we searched for "peeky eyes" in Toronto (the closet), I realized we were entering the wonderful world of imaginative play.
Simon spent most of the evening "flying" to Toronto (where the Rider game was). He asked me to come along and then pulled me into his closet. He was kept babbling about "peeky eyes"in Toronto and needing a flashlight to see them. We laughed so hard together that my sides hurt. Claire was thrilled (because she was included).
Finally, we're starting to leave behind the world of chewing, and emptying containers and getting to the good stuff: the world of imagination. As a drama teacher, a former improv participant and avid daydreamer, I have been longing for this since Simon was in utero. Bring on the search for peeky eyes, the random trips to other places, make-believe and anything else Simon (and eventually Claire) can imagine. I am pumped for this kind of play.
I remembered my improv rules and, rather then say no to or re-direct Simon's ideas, I prompted him to build and explore. This led to even sillier ideas and even more laughter.
Who knows where we'll go tomorrow...
(By the way, the Toronto idea was inspired by the Rider game. I'm sure that Simon, Claire and I were the only happy prairie people talking about Toronto tonight.)

9

Claire,
You're 9 months old today. You're an incredible little lady. You eat solid foods with wild abandon (resulting in raspberries and banana always in your hair). You want to go, go, go even if that involves dragging your poor Momma around by her hands. You want to be a part of everything and feel hurt if you think you're being left out. You can sit and play by yourself for chunks of time (which comes in handy while I run Simon to the potty or administer time outs). You show your tongue when we ask you to, you give me hugs and kisses when I ask you to and you do this great hand dance when you hear music.
You think you can walk with your walker (I hold your shirt from behind) and your goal is to either chase Fergus or Simon. You love walks in the Bob. You're starting to pester your brother by touching him to get a reaction (and boy, do you get one - I can see the entertainment factor). You're a stinker when it comes to naps because you LOVE to be held but, your night sleep is pretty stellar.
I love to dress you up in dresses and girly clothes. I love putting your hair in piggies and sticking in pretty little clips. (Our biggest fights tend to come from me doing your hair or you trying to eat your clips. I think hair fights are common for Mommas and daughters.) I love your giggle and your ready smile.
You're a lot of fun, little lady!
Love, Momma

Tresspassing

Last night, we went exploring with the kids. We drove out to our "Someday House", climbed into the frame and toured the main floor and peered into the basement. Trevor and I drove away feeling so pumped. We both dreamed of the house in our sleep. I know it probably won't be until next summer when we make our big venture to the north west but, it sure is fun to see our dream becoming reality.

Generous

We have an overproductive crab apple tree in our backyard. I don't do a thing to it (except pick the weeds at it's base) and it always wants to give me a million little crab apples.
One year, I made some desserts with the apples. Most years, Trevor has lawn mowered them. Some years, I pick them up so as to not attract the wasps.
This year, however, Simon has discovered them.
"Simon pick apples."
"Simon eat apples."
"Simon is super apple man."
"Simon give apples to Baby Claire."
"Momma pick apples off tree for Simon."
"Momma say Gross."
"Simon Gross."
He eats so many apples (rotten and not rotten) that some of his diapers have been atrocious.
Claire likes to bite hard and suck. She's teething and this seems to make her happy.

I get to pick weeds in peace.
Thanks, crab apple tree. I'll miss you, your blooms and your fruit when we move to the Someday House.

Little Gangster

When we picked Fergus (our cat - I know, it's been forever since he's shown up in a blog post), we chose him because he's beautiful. We ignored the snuggly little female who purred on my lap. Instead we chose the Ferg; his reaction to this was to hiss at us. We thought that was cute. We should have taken it as a sign.
Fergus is an alpha male. He's aggressive and he likes to dominate.
We've finally given up and we allow Fergus to wander the mean streets to his heart's desire. This has lead to a very contented, snuggly and sleepy cat when he's home and inside. Outside, he's a beast to be reckoned with.
Other cats in the neighbourhood totally kowtow to him. He's the alpha male on our block and the other kitties tuck in their tails and skirt around him when he's lounging in our front yard. The other day, he was carrying a nearly dead adult bird in his mouth. Fergus had caught a bird?
This is my confession - I let my cat wander. (We've all been a lot happier about it.)

Yuck!

Last year, when I introduced Simon to food, I couldn't get over how GROSS he was. Claire is now at the GROSS stage. I hate, HATE, hate the floor cleaning that I do daily. Sticky fruit, star puffs and who knows what else all over. There's two of them and, they team up against me.
(Someday, I'm going to miss this!)

Life's a Beach

Happy long weekend, folks! We took the kiddos to the beach yesterday. It was really windy (precursor to a very intense summer storm) but, we loved being mellow, eating "bips", trying out a new slide and wallowing in the sand.

Blink

Maybe it's because she's the second child but, Claire's babyhood seems to be disappearing in the blink of an eye. Today, I put her hair in pig tails for the first time and I swear she aged. Then, she proceeded to spend the rest of the afternoon (it was a short nap day) driving Simon's little car. She gets this little glint in her eye, cocks her head, and moves those little feet as fast as she can. She's pretty fast too.
She's trying to wean herself (any advice on this - I'm not really ready to pay for formula so, how do I keep nursing until she's one?) and all she wants to do all day is walk, walk, walk (assisted, of course - my aching back!) She's wearing 12 month sleepers (she's pretty skinny in them but, she's definitely long enough) and I've put away most of her 6-9 month clothes.
She has 2 teeth and that's changed all of her expressions. Gone are the days of gummy smiles and now, she bares her teeth at us and sticks out her bottom lip to express an array of emotions.
She's a sweet little live wire. I can hardly wait to see who she's becoming!

Quiet Supper

Every other Wednesday evening, I leave the house and go off on my own for a "quiet supper". Usually, this is a meal at a nearby mall, an ice cream cone, a trip to the library, a walk around the mall and a delicious hour of reading a book. No feeding little mouths or wiping little faces or meeting anyone's needs. It's delightful.
In total, I usually spend 1 1/2 - 2 hours away from my kids. It's a wee sanity break in a busy, blissful little world.
I'm so thankful to have a wonderful husband who realized my need and provided me a way to meet it.

Away

Boardwalk walking. Beach sitting. Wading with a toddler. Wet towels drying in the sun. Playpen sleeping. Book reading. Outside eating. Picnics. Ice-cream delights. Family visiting. Oma and Opa story reading. Catching up. Anniversary-ing (5 years). Being spoiled. Sleeping in.
We loved being away.