I'm Officially Old ...

I'm not even 30. I have only 1 child.
And today we picked up our new minivan!!!
I will spare you all of the details. But, the long and short of it is that our beloved Sunfire was not doing so well.
It was only 6 years old, but I bought that car almost immediately after getting my license. The poor car has been driven into parking garage poles, parking metres, garbage cans, drive thru signs, etc.
Oh, and my beloved husband (not me) has rear ended someone in it.
And, we kind of stopped doing regular oil changes. Routine maintenance kind of went by the wayside too. We wanted a newer car. A better car.
And then we test drove mini vans.
It was love at first test drive.
Matthew loves that there are 5 seats for him to choose from. And, if we ever decide to have quadruplets we're set!!!!
He also loves the roof racks. So does Mike. I don't quite get the roof rack appeal but who am I to argue?
I'm just a little scared about my driving ability. I had mastered the parallel park in the Sunfire thanks to using mirrors. In fact I can parallel park most cars. Vans ... we'll have to see. I was a little too worried to even go through the Starbucks drive-thru today. (despite the fact that I could show off my power windows. I know - I'm a dork!
And, as for Matt ... He's still quite content riding his "motorcycle" (usually he wears a helmet)

A Day Off ...

So what would you do on a day off?
If you were me you wouldn't take it easy. No. Not all All!
First of all, I woke up early - not my usual 5am, but about 6:30. Thank goodness because our alarm clock is broken.
And then the day went from there.

Once I'd drop the boys off at daycare (Matt) and work (Mike) I went to visit a new daycare. I'm really happy with our current daycare and I'm not about to switch him. But, this daycare is new, and I wanted to check it out. I've been debating what we will do when Matty is in junior kindergarten and I wanted to see some options. (this place has a full day school program). Anyway, it was really nice. I think if it had been open when we were looking at daycares it would be have been a tough choice between that and what we chose. It was that nice. And they have fair rates.

But, the visit was nice and quick so I called my sister to see what she was up to. She was having coffee with one of my nieces and her friend and daughter. So, I went to join them for a coffee. It was a nice surprise visit and there was a lots of excitement outside with fire trucks and ambulances outside.

And then , the highlight of my day, a visit to the dentist! It's been way too long since I got a cleaning and I finally booked one and actually went. It really has been 5 years since I have had my teeth cleaned. I really hate it. But this experience went just fine. I had a great hygeniest and after we chatted a bit she suggested that we split it into 2 sessions and skip the flouride treatment (since that's what I dread). So all in all it was fine. Apparently dental technology is vastly improved since they now have some water device that eliminates all the scraping. And, she didn't discover any cavities. Phew.

So ... of course the day continued when my mom met me and we went for lunch and then a couple of hours of shopping at Costco. Would you believe my mom had NEVER been to Costco? Seriously. We had a nice time. It was quiet there so we were able to shop quickly and enjoy it.

And, then I finally got home to have a break and then suddenly decided to make shepherd's pie. So, i went to the grocery store and then whipped it up before I picked up the boys. I actually fell asleep after dinner.

Really, tomorrow. I will take it much easier!

Work

I don't tend to post a lot about work.
It's not because I don't enjoy work. In fact, I really enjoy my job. I'm one of the few people who can say that she has a great boss, and all the "bosses" on up to our CEO are people that I enjoy. And, a lot of the people that I don't directly report to, but I work with or around, I mostly like them too.
I also like my job.
But here's the thing. My job was sort of kind of lacking in definition for awhile. I love having the kind of job where I never know what's coming next. I would HATE it if I could tell you what I will be doing every minute of every day.
But, I got a little frustrated by not having one specific project that was mine to sink my teeth into and have some control over.
So I brought this up - a few times.
And voila - I got more responsibility.
Are you prepared to laugh???? I got handed the job of webmaster for the new intranet site we're developing. Seriously.
I'm laughing because figuring out how to put a link in blogger took me months. If you're wondering why you are not on my side bar, it's likely because I find it difficult and usually screw up the code and have to get my husband to fix it.
So, when my boss told me my new responsibility I had one of those moments of sheer gratitude that someone had that much belief in me and yet sheer panic that this was something I could NOT do. I didn't have much time to think about it because I ended up going to meetings and being thrown into the deep end of things.
That was a month ago.
And ... I'm loving it.
I should explain that I don't do the technical stuff. I'm still slowly learning the difference between searching and browsing and what a portal is. I never understood the importance of a site map and now I do. And I'm figuring out programs that I have never used before.
And then today I had a conference call. And that conference call was one where I had to make decisions and judgement calls and set up timelines without my trusty boss (and, admittedly really good friend, but in this case that's an aside) sitting there agreeing with me.
And then there was a moment - the technical guy started talking about analytics, and discussing the role that google analytics could play. And in that moment I realized that I understood. And I was able to contribute.
And I even made some good points and suggestions.
And today I realized that sometimes I don't give myself enough credit. There are some things I'm good at and I pride myself on them. But, sometimes I limit myself and think I can't do something. And, it takes being thrown in to realize that fears can be pretty stupid.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think I'm going to quit my job and become a website designer. But, I do think that I'm going to embrace some of this technology and realize that I need to limit myself a little less.
And really, one of these days I'll update those links.

Seniors Night with Our Preschooler

We thought tonight was kids eat free night at our local buffet restaurant.
Suffering from all of us being starving, a meeting that we had to go to directly after work, and the knowledge that we had neither fresh dinner food nor clean dishes we decided to pack it in and go out for dinner.
About 2 minutes from the restaurant Matthew told us he would rather be at home or at McDonalds. But we persevered. We're all about kids eating free.
Too bad it was SENIORS night.
Let me paint you a picture.
We walk in. The place is packed with seniors there for a good deal. Seniors who believe that children should be seen and not heard.
We enter with a precocious three year old who decides to announce that he is wearing UNDERWEAR because he is a BIG BOY! He then proceeds to carry a booster seat throughout the restaurant to where we are seated.
And then when we release him to the buffet (with the instruction to stick with us and not push) he makes a very artistic beeline to to whipped cream display narrowly avoiding several people with canes.
Both Mike and I tried to chase after him not being able to so easily avoid the seniors and ended up shouting across the buffet section "WALKING FEET AND DON'T TOUCH" while praying that he did not shove his hand in the whipped cream.
This was all in the first five minutes.
The evening wasn't all that bad.
Once Matt calmed down and realized that he was scaring the elderly he relaxed. He started to listen to us and stayed in his seat. He had a lovely chat with the waiter. And the entire restaurant probably now knows that he is toilet training and wears big boy underwear now. He thankfully didn't have an accident.
And bonus! The waiter didn't end up charging him for his meal so I guess it was kids night after all!
And, oh yeah. Day 2. He's doing really well using the potty. He talks about it non-stop. He is proud of himself.
We're pretty proud too!!!

Toilet Training - Day 1

So by some miracle, Matthew has bought into this whole toilet=big boy idea.
I am getting excited.
Day one of the toilet training challenge went really well. It's like he decided to cooperate with us today. He got out of bed and went to the potty without an argument. And then he chose his underwear (it was a bob the builder day).
He not only tried to pee twice before we left, but when we got to the GO station he decided that he wanted to try out the train station bathroom. (actually, it was surprisingly clean).
He did really well all day.
He had a couple of accidents, but all in all he was into it. He went to the bathroom by choice, and was pretty excited to be wearing his Cars underwear at the end of the day.
So we decided that we are going to give him a pretty cool reward this weekend. If he stays consistent with his training (by that we mean he doesn't fight with us or his teachers when it's time to use the potty, and if he doesn't purposely have an accident) then on Saturday he gets to go on a GO Train ride.
To Matt GO train rides are one of the coolest treats in the world. We've decided that we'll hop on the train in the morning, maybe grab ice cream or lunch and then come back home in the afternoon. Because I have a monthly pass I can bring Mike on the train for FREE (on a weekend) so it's actually a really cheap and fun treat. The other great part of it is that the CNE is on in Toronto, so there will be lots of other kids on the train. I know it's a bit of a hassle usually, but Matty can be a little noisy or crazy and it won't really matter. I like that.
Besides ... I'm sure he will be THRILLED to use the potty on the train. When we took the train to Montreal I think the visit to the bathroom was the highlight.
I know this will be a long road to being potty trained, but I have to admit, I'm kind of looking forward to the end result.

Breastfeeding - Don't like it? Suck it.

For the last few weeks I have been following the stories (this is an excellent summary) about breastfeeding mothers and some of the challenges they have faced. From a local woman being asked to cover up at a YMCA pool deck to a Canadian being kicked off Facebook for showing a picture of her baby nursing to a woman in the States being asked to cover up at Appleby's and finally Bill Maher's opinion of it all - it seems that breastfeeding has been in the news a lot.

Personally breastfeeding was a funny stage for me. I found it very personal. Some of my friends would show me pictures of their babies at the breast and though I thought the pictures were lovely I never took those pictures myself. Of course I was comfortable taking my top off when I was home with just my baby or my husband and baby. But if anyone was there I was covered.

Still I was not hesitant to breastfeed in public. Give me a nursing blanket and I was good. I got to the point where I would nurse in malls and restaurants. I liked the freedom. Matt ate a lot. If I only breastfed in the privacy of my home, I would never have left. The child ate on the hour.

Bottom line - I think that the protection of breastfeeding mothers is extremely important. And, I can honestly say that I was never asked to leave a location or not attend any event due to having a nursing child.

So when all of this latest controversy came up I was sympathetic but I couldn't exactly relate.

That is until a couple days ago when I received an e-mail. Someone I know is getting married and wanted to know if I would still be breastfeeding at her wedding (when my future child is about 8 weeks old). I had an honest answer - I don't know. I'm not sure if I will nurse baby #2 or if I do for how long. But, I assured her, it's not like I would whip out a boob while she was walking down the aisle. I wasn't sure how else to respond. She's never seen me in the role of mother, so I guess she felt justified in asking me about my breastfeeding habits.

But apparently, my understanding was a little off - her response was that the infant is not welcome - so unless he or she can go without nursing (for close to 10 hours when you add in travel time and the length of the wedding) I have been asked to uninvite myself.

I am shocked. I am outraged. And quite honestly I am surprised at the utter tackiness of the request.

Sorry - if you are too shackled to your infant don't bother attending. Not welcome.

The bigger message to me - breastfeeding will ruin "my day" and you must be kidding if you think you would bring a newborn with you. So, do me a favour and wean - or bottle feed - or pump ... but don't bring that appendage that you may be sustaining with your breasts. That would be uncouth, and "other guests wouldn't understand".

The more I think about it the angrier I get. A wedding is a one-day event. Am I supposed to wean my child - and possibly affect this child's health (not to mention my budget and let's be honest my post-partum weight loss) so that I don't potentially ruin some bride's day? And does this person really think that I would ruin her day by doing something she deems inappropriate (breastfeeding) or letting my child scream?

Her response - that obviously this is any issue so she has to talk to her fiance about it. Why - to ask his opinion on whether or not i should wean my child???? To see if her words were offensive. So that he can give a verdict on whether or not someone you just effectively uninvited is now welcome?

Her issue, really is that she doesn't want any children there. As I said to her, there is a huge difference between a child that needs to be near its mother to survive and a family that isn't willing to shell out for a babysitter.

Truthfully, I understand that she doesn't want children there. And, perhaps my assuming that it was understood that a newborn who is exclusively nursing was inappropriate. But, to bring breastfeeding into it - and to ask me not to come if I am???? Disgusting. Inappropriate and downright tacky. And yes, I did reply. In a lengthy e-mail. And, as far as I know she is no longer talking to me. And, as much as I care, I kind of don't. Because there are some things I'm willing to stand up for - such as the right to breastfeed - and the fact that if you have a problem with it, or with me, say it nicely. Don't send me an e-mail implying that my thought of bringing an infant to a wedding is a joke.

Welcome to 2007, friends.

I get it - I truly understand she doesn't want my child there. And believe me I have already let her know that we will not be there. But as for me and my breasts - that is my business and no one else's.

Wish Us Luck

As discussed by Matt's daycare teacher and myself, tomorrow is Day 1 of potty training.
What? You think you have read that we were potty training before.
That's right. You have. But, I have potentially the world's MOST stubborn child. And he likes his pull ups and diapers.
He knows when he has to pee and poo. In fact he will tell me when he has to pee and poo. He just refuses to do it in the potty or toilet.
And this stubborn streak is getting worse.
When we say big boys wear diapers he says "well, I'm a baby."
And on and on.
I'm thinking the toilet training may kill me.
Mike and I are well aware that this will put a strain on our marriage. So, we're hoping we get this done pretty quickly. It's all hands on deck and the diapers are being hidden.
Bedtime only - though he doesn't need to wear a diaper at bedtime. He is always dry in the morning.
I have a feeling that these next few weeks will be a battle of the wills. Fun.
We went to Walmart and stocked up on toilet paper and underwear.
I'm thinking we probably should have stopped at the liquor store too.
The one thing they told us is that we need some sort of bribery treat. Guess what we chose? GUM! I know. I think that may make us somewhat bad parents. But, it's the only thing that works. Well, that or a bottle of chocolate milk, but I'm pretty sure that there's something wrong with rewarding our preschooler with a bottle for being a big boy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is rainy and yucky and none of us feel like doing much outside of the house.
So, I have decided to bake today.
When I say I've decided to bake - I mean BAKE.
I don't mean my usual habit of buying a muffin mix and adding an egg. Nope. I went out and bought ingredients, and I started whipping stuff up.
So far I've made banana bread (and Matty was an incredible banana masher). I've peach/blueberry crisp, and I've made chocolate chip cookies. It turns out that Matthew loves baking with me.
Between the mixing, the sampling and the rolling of cookies we have been in major production this morning.
Meanwhile, Mike has been finishing up our bedroom. He's done sanding and now he's painting the part of the room that I couldn't do because the dry wall goo had to set and dry.
It looks like by the end of the weekend we will have full stomachs and a re-done bedroom.
And, in the middle of all of it I plan to take a nice long nap and enjoy the peace and quiet that comes with a lazy Saturday.
Matthew has decided that he wants to chill and watch television today. Normally I try to get him out and active. But, today ...
I think it's the perfect day to eat popcorn and watch some favourite tv. Sometimes he snuggles up with me to watch a favourite show. Sometimes Rosie cuddles up with him to watch tv, and sometimes he's been pulling his toys out and just enjoying life.
Maybe this isn't the best parenting tactic. But, honestly, I think it's what we all need this weekend. There are always other weekends to get out and do stuff.
I had actually debated going to the CNE today, but I realized that the last thing in the world ANY of us feel like doing. So why try???
Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow I'll be spending the afternoon at a wedding shower, a very cool shower for a childhood friend that I rarely get to see - and I can't wait. And, though I probably shouldn't admit this, I'm also excited because she's the world's most amazing chef at a pretty well known restaurant, and her catering company is catering it ... yummy!
So here's to quiet summer days and a little relaxation.
And, if anyone wants some baking ... you know who to call!

Grrr ...

I try not to be bothered too much by people who are just annoying. However.
Do you know what really bugs me? People who are overly judgemental and don't know what they are speaking about.
I had a conversation with someone about kids the other day. It came up in conversation that when I had my child it was a difficult time. I don't talk much about it. Really, I'm not one of those people who wants to share their birth story.
But it wasn't pretty. I don't dwell, but it still angers me a little. What I will say is that having a tough birth (and I know I'm not alone) made for a tough start as a mom.
I had anticipated being that mom who has coffee with her friends while her adorable baby sleeps in the stroller next to her.
Ha.
The first time I had a post-baby coffee outside of my home was when Matt was 6 weeks and my mom took me out to Starbucks. He screamed so much that I insisted on going back to the car because so many people were staring.
My point is this: before Matthew I was the type of person who was up for just about anything. I rarely take a sick day. I was just a generally strong person.
This child has been kicking my butt since day one.
And, I'm a better person for it. I'm way more empathetic and kind. I'm grateful.
But, this person told me that no matter how hard the birth is, it's all in the attitude. If you decide you can get up and go out and conquer the world you can.
It's all in attitude.
Who cares that breastfeeding is hard - you're just a wimp.
Usually I let these things pass. But this really annoyed me. Today I am still annoyed. I feel much better having written this. But still.
Grrr....
Keep your opinions to yourself.

3k ... woo hoo!

Last night Matthew and I decided to go on a bike ride. Well, he went for a bike ride and I walked/jogged and stopped a lot according to his pace.
It was fun.
My sister mentioned that my nieces wanted to see Matt, and I've been trying to get back to working out consistently. So, I figured that we may as well walk to their house. I learned from running that their house was exactly 3km away from us, so it was a really nice running distance for me. (I know, for some people that's a warm up).
I figured that now that Matthew really likes riding his trike, or as he calls it his motorcycle, it would be a fun adventure.
It really was.
We took about half an hour - which is pretty good considering that we walked through every.single.bus shelter, looked at several different cars, and sang about 20 rounds of B-I-N-G-O and Old Macdonald.
I have to admit, by the time I got to my sister's house I was feeling pretty good about things. We had a fun walk, we sang, we hung out - and I was getting coffee when I got there.
Little does my sister know that we will likely do this over and over and over again. Luckily she has a van with a car seat that fits Matt perfectly, so we were able to throw his trike in the trunk and she drove us home.
It was pretty nice.
And, I'm really impressed that Matt was able to go 3 k. In all honesty, I think he would have happily ridden all the way back. That child does not tire.

Corn Muffins ...

I've been on a bit of an eating healthy quest.
I wouldn't call it obsessive, but I've been encouraging my family to eat healthier. We've had tons of fruit and vegetables lately and we're trying to make sure that our bread is whole wheat not white, etc.(10 trips to Ben & Jerry's in 7 days is the exception to this!!!)
So, when I was in the grocery store the other day I decided it was time to kick my new found Tim Horton's muffin addiction. For the last few weeks I'd been ordering a chocolate chip muffin when I got my decaf coffee.
So, I decided to buy the organic corn muffin mix.
Yum yum.
Okay, so I have to admit that I didn't really make them organic because you're supposed to add an organic egg and organic oil to the mix. (should have read that part). But whatever. My heart was in the right place.
Matthew helped me whip up the muffins, and I promised he could have one for breakfast.
So, today I got up nice and early and cut up strawberries for him. And then I got him a muffin.
I went back into the kitchen and I heard a blood curdling scream. I ran out thinking maybe one of the cats had hurt him or something.
There he was sobbing. Before I could even ask he shouted between sobs "Mommy! You gave me yucky food. whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhy?"
The poor child looked like he had been poisoned and was so disgusted by these muffins that he needed to immediately spit it out.
Oops.
I think I'll stick to cereal or maybe find a new package.
So much for going healthy!

Paint, Dog and More about Moi

We continued on our quest to update our house this weekend.
On Saturday we tackled our bedroom. By tackled I mean Mike cut chunks of our bedroom wall out in order to move electrical work. At one point we could see outside. It was a little unreal. The purpose of moving the electrical was to build a new closet for our bedroom.
While Mike built, I primed and painted about 3/4 of our room. It was FANTASTIC to get rid of the horrible pink walls. Or at least 3/4 of them.
The other quarter will be painted soon, once the dry wall mud (?) dries and Mike sands. We still haven't figured out if we're going to get a closet system (with all of the shelves, etc) or if we want just basic rods. Oh! The decisions. For now Mike's clothes are still all upstairs in the current bedroom closet (which will be closed off at a later date). And all mine are downstairs in my lovely closet. Baby steps.
I'm honestly the most excited about hanging my vermont artwork. I showed the photos to my parents who were really quite impressed with them.
And, what did Matthew do while we were doing our home renovations? He went on two different hikes with my parents. So, he had a good weekend too. That, and Treehouse did a great job of entertaining him.

Speaking of television ... we recently got DVR which is kind of like tivo. This means that we can tape all sorts of shows - and all the episodes of the show. Here's something most people don't know about me - I LOVE Dog the Bounty Hunter. (don't ask - though there are loads of closet Dog fans out there). And, since we've been recording every episode I've been watching it a lot. So much so that I've had dreams that I'm being hunted down by Dog and Beth. And I keep dreaming Leland is my best friend. I KNOW. Weird. I actually woke up pretty hysterical on Friday night because I was so scared by the dream. I must stop watching this show!

And, Finally ...


One of the best things about blogging, I think, is learning more about other people. It fascinates me to read their opinions and interests. So, when AndreAnna of Diapering Madwoman offered to ask me some questions - I was game. Here are her questions ...

1) You're a working mom like me. Do you find yourself defending this choice often or do people accept the path you've chosen?
I've found myself defending this less and less as Matthew gets older. When Matt was little and I first went back to work it was really hard on me - and so I think every time someone commented I was totally hurt and felt I had to defend myself. I also think that when you're around other moms who are also deciding what they will do everyone shares their opinion. It's a little daunting.
As I have become more comfortable with it I've realized that if someone has an issue with it that's their problem. I think no matter what choice you make (stay at home, work part time or work part-time ... not to mention your child care choice) if you are confident in it people will leave you alone.
Plus, I've also surrounded myself with other moms who understand my decision. That's not to say all my friends have chosen to go back to work, but thy have embraced the decision they have made and don't judge.
But, I am truly in awe of SAHMs!!!!

2) What is your favorite form of exercise?
Good question! I enjoyed running a lot - not in the sense that I'd become a marathon runner, but I got an amazing sense of achievement from it, and occasionally an adrenaline high. I've taken a break from it for some, shall we say, personal reasons, but will hopefully take it up next spring.
I LOVE yoga, and I think I'll start it again in the fall.
And, while I'm on the topic, I LOATHE pilates and suck at any classes that involve much rhythm. I can proudly say that I was so bad at step class that I actually have thrown teachers off. I love the idea of group exercise, but I think I frighten people.

3) What kid show do you hate and wish they would stop airing?
Big Comfy Couch - I cannot stand "Lunette and Molly, a clown and her dolly ..." I really, really can't. The whole show bugs me. And the bizarro stretching clock thing she does is frightening. Plus, her ten-second-tidy up involves throwing things under the couch which is a ridiculous thing to teach children. She needs some bins or something.
Do you even have this show in the States?
Otherwise, Max and Ruby. Do not get me started.
I have to admit, I love WonderPets and sometimes watch with Matt because it's cute.

4) Do you like being a Canadian? Anything the US offers that you think you miss out on? (Other than fluff?)
I love being Canadian. There are some great things that I really appreciate like good health care, and gay marriage.
However, I love Vermont. I'm not sure if that really answers your question, but we don't have a province here that is equal to Vermont. I think if I could I would move there. And, I know my family would come visit because they love it too. I actually have debated buying a timeshare at Trapp Family Lodge - I think it may be one thing I would regret not doing in the future. I love it that much.
And, fluff!!!
(actually, my husband says that we do have fluff here, it's just that I was raised by a health nut mom and a marshmallow hating dad, so as if they would have even thought to buy it!!!)
Oh, and of course CHEESECAKE FACTORY!!!!!

5) Are you a girly girl or more of a tom boy?
This is easy. I am a total girly girl. I love pink, I love makeup and jewelry and clothes and shopping. I really didn't like gym class. I hate things like camping and climbing trees and building stuff. I'm definitely a girly girl!

If you'd like to play, here are the rules, copied from AndreAnna's page.

Interview rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post containing your the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Friends

I've written a lot about my friend Ginny on my blog.
I truly believe she's the mom friend that everyone needs - the one who seeks you out, helps keep you sane and doesn't judge you on your decision.
The thing is, what made our friendship so easy at first was that we lived so close to each other. We lived in the same condo, on the same floor. We could pick up the phone and literally meet in the hallway 30 seconds later. So much of our experience was common - we shopped at the same grocery store, we attended the same playgroups, we had the same issues with a crazy property manager (who tried to make us sing Abba at Christmas parties).
And then things changed.
Within a couple weeks I moved out of the condo (not for good) and Ginny went back to work. Then I went back to work. Then I moved back to the condo. Then I moved away from the condo. And now Ginny's family is (finally) moving out of the condo.
Phew.
It's been a whirlwind friendship. And, of all the friendships I've been in, ours has probably seen the most growth literally and figuratively. We've gone from mothers agonizing over whether formula and soothers were tools of the devil (we learned better) to mothers debating whether it's better to put your child in afterschool care or daycare. We discuss the merits of the schools our 3 years olds will attend and whether my son biting me means I'm a bad mother or not.
We've also grown as women. I see both of us as more secure, confident women than we were when we first met.
There's lots I can say on my blog knowing that I won't be judged, but a lot of it I don't say out loud to many people. Ginny is my human sounding board - the person who I know may not agree with me but will most certainly not judge me.
So last night we got together.
Her mom lives near me - and Ginny was in town. I had a free evening. Our kids were taken care of, and so we met at Starbucks.
And, over lattes we shared a bunch of laughs, and reminisced a lot. We talked about the big next steps in her life (moving to a house!!!) and some of the choices I'm making in mine. And, I realized that right now we are at SUCH a different point in our lives in some ways. But, I also realized that as much as she played such a role in my life when we were at a similar point, being at different places and celebrating the differences, and the experiences and the changes with someone who may not be there with you, but certainly GETS IT is pretty freaking wonderful.
The truth is, we don't see each other nearly enough. We can go months with a quick little e-mail just to say we still exist or a hello on Facebook. But, when we do see each other I realize that the friendship we have is the kind that can withstand the craziness of life and making seeing that person just pretty cool.
So, Ginny, congrats on selling, and buying and being where you want to be. I couldn't be prouder!

The Good Things ...

So this week we have been continuing on in our quest to beautify our home. I think as fall approaches and we know it will get cold, we want to make sure the space will be nice for us. (dorky, I know).

Last night we put together a gigantic bookcase. (Expedit from Ikea). We bought all sorts of storage boxes in our brown and pink theme. And then I got extra creative and had these little tins that I put on alternate shelves. We put some magazines on one shelf and I think we're going to put more of Matt's books on another. I'm loving it!!! I'll take pictures when we get all of the crap out of the dining room.

My sister is also dropping off a piece of furniture to me tonight which I will show off when we reorganize the spare room - but that's none too soon. Still, I love seeing stuff come together in our house. It's pretty exciting.

The other exciting thing was that I created my own artwork. I've been really wanting to get some nice art for our bedroom. But, the problem we have is we don't really agree on a lot of stuff. We do both like nice photographs.

So, when I was going through all the shots I took of Vermont, I realized that some turned out beautifully. I never would consider myself a photographer, but when you are somewhere that is absolutely gorgeous, as Vermont is, it's kind of hard to take a bad picture.

I had taken pictures at sunset as well as daytime. So I had a large assortment. I sent them off to be developed into 8x10's.

Surprisingly, the 8x10's turned out really really well. So, for $12 we have artwork. We're going to find some nice frames and that will be the art for the room. Mike thought about enlarging one to a really big size and hanging that. We'll see. But, I love the idea.

I can't wait to show all of the pictures.

Tonight, though, I'm taking a break from all my redecorating to go for lattes with a good friend who I don't see often enough. Is it horrible that I cancelled my dental appointment to hang out with her? Ummm yeah. But as penance I booked a new appointment on my day off next week, so I can feel appropriately guilty then. However, in fairness, it's hard to get to see Ginny since we moved - so it's worth it.

Miscellaneous

Oh how I miss Vermont! This is my sister and I at Ben & Jerry's with our kids. Every year we take a picture here. They go back to when I was about 6 or 7. I think that one day I will write a letter to the people at Ben & jerry's and tell them how much we love them and how we go every year. This ice cream lid has always been there - since I can remember. And, did you know that including scoop shop sales this is the most popular ice cream? (Cherry Garcia is their number one pint seller - FYI)
This is the current state of my hallway. Do you like all the wood? All the boxes? This weekend we are tackling the project of our bedroom. Our current closet sucks - so we are walling it up and creating a nice new large closet that will run the entire width of our room. And we are painting.
The current colour of our room is this horrible pinkish/dusty rose colour. It's horrible. I have decided that just putting up a couple of coats of primer will be far better than living with this colour any longer. To add to the horror of the room is that the woman who lived here before us was a smoker and so the walls are yellowy. (who smokes in bed anymore?) we've tried washing the walls, but the best way to cover smoke is with paint. So that is what we will do.
We also have a firm rule of "no cats in the bedroom" (I'm allergic) so hopefully our room won't be cat hair filled.
After we do our room we're turning our attention to the spare room. But, I'm not sure when. We may get inspired and go for it - at least prime it. But, who knows.


Finally ... The memes. Her Bad Mother posted all the contents of her "bag" (read: purse) and encouraged her readers to do the same. I thought this was kind of fun. And, since I love a good meme - enjoy!

I'm going to from back to front (kind of)
1) My purse. I have many, but this is the one I use most. It holds everything.
2) Back Left - My wallet (Matt & Nat) it's small. I love it
3) Next to wallet - glasses case for prescription sunglasses
4) Next to case - my Coach change purse. Love. (from my sis)
5) Next to change purse - memo from GO Transit apologizing for delays
6) Second Row from Back left - my Blackberry/Crackberry - I love and hate this
7) Tylenol
8) Sunglasses that belong in their case
9) Glasses case (with glasses)
10) Pass for work with pig-like picture of me on it
11) Lypsyl
12) Postcard from Vermont from Matthew to Kalysta - I mailed it this morning!!!
13) 2 Pens
14) A gum wrapper
15) My social girl candy. This makes me laugh - they say on them "I'm an Open Invitation" - and they are cherry flavoured. They were a gift from my parents who didn't read that closely. They make me laugh.
16) change that belongs in my change purse
17) front middle - a second cup 2 for 1 coupon and some wadded up receipts and an old cold pill
18) Photo lab photos from my sister. She's very organized. The pictures are adorable
19) My 2 Shinylicious lip glosses. My current favourites. LOVE.

FINALLY - Haley Tagged me for a meme about my middle name

Basically you just post a relevant fact for each letter of your middle name. As you should know - my middle name is Dawn (as in Laural Dawn). Easy Peasy.

D - daring
A - adventurous
W - wacky
N - noisy

There you have it. And ... I am tagging 4 people since that's how many letters are in my middle name. And, these are people I've never tagged before (or have I?)
I tag: AndreAnna, MandyPoo, MammaLee and Sam

A little less Drama, a little more Laughter

Thankfully the major biting spell in our house is almost over.
I'm not sure what prompted it, though the suggestion that it may be because Mike didn't go on vacation with us or the fact that I've been extra emotional lately may have triggered it.
Who knows.
What I do know is that thankfully Matt has retracted his teeth and is becoming the three-year-old we know and love.
And he's back to his crazy self.
The last couple of nights we've been going on walks. I know I should be at the gym again, or even running, but it's been so nice out lately and I haven't felt like going to the gym. I want to be outside. And, since Matthew is loving riding his trike it has made going for walks much easier.
Believe it or not, 99% of the time Matt listens when we tell him to slow down, he knows not to ride on to the road, and he's not really capable of riding faster than we can run. So, it makes for an enjoyable walk.
Last night's walk/ride was to Starbucks. I was craving an evening coffee - and since I never drink caffeine in the evening, there aren't that many tasty decaf choices out there. And, I thought it would make for a perfect distance which it did.
But, the funniest part of the trip was watching Matt on his trike. He is now attempting to do various tricks. So, he'll stop, pick up his trike like he's doing a jump, and then plop it down. Or, he'll do a crazy spin. Or he'll wobble back and forth. Half the time Mike and I were cracking up. It was so cute.
And, I think I'm also learning with Matt that he needs to be tired out in the evening. We are sometimes guilty of letting him watch tv while we do various things. But, I think we need to get him outside enjoying the weather.
He's already told us the next subdivision he wants to ride through, so I think we may try it out.
Mike wants to get a bike for himself. I'm thinking next year he and Matt will probably be able to go for some bike rides together.
Personally, I can't stand bike riding. So, maybe I'll jog along behind them.
(okay, who am I kidding. Maybe I'll make a cup of coffee and read and let them have some father/son bonding time... so much nicer)

Clean

For the past few weeks I've been on this clean streak.
The problem that I have, which it seems my husabnd and son both have, is that I'm not a naturally neat person.
I have this issue where I'd love a clean house, but I have a hard time achieving it. Mike swears he doesn't see it, and Matthew takes great joy in creating messes all around him.
I'm fine with a house not being perfect. I like people, and myself of course, to feel welcome and comfortable to put their feet up and relax.
But, lately, it's been a lot less comfortable and a lot more messy.
The problem is that we aren't that organized, and so it's really hard to put stuff away somewhere where there is no place to put it. It's making me CRAZY.
So, I'm starting a rather aggressive plan to get this place in shape. I'm sorting, organizing and throwing out.
In fairness, we have lived in this house 8 months, and we have been in transition for the past few years, so we have lived out of boxes a lot. We've accumulated lots of junk.
Lst week I re-did the kitchen and put in a nice new cupboard. Our big plans for re-doing our kitchen are on hold for a bit, so I thought I could at least make some small changes.
Next step - basement.
While Mike took Matt to his parents' place for the day I cleaned, sorted and organized ALL of Matthew's toys. I threw out several bags of broken toys. I spent literally hours. And today I'm tired! But, I'm off to do laundry. FUN times!

Oh The Eyelashes

Last night I went to a Mary Kay party.
It was really quite a nice evening. There were 4 of us trying out glam new looks. We looked beautiful (okay maybe I looked a bit tarty, but whatever).
So, the Mary Kay lady was telling us about the eye makeup remover they have. (It's really good stuff by the way). I was drinking coffee while she was discussing the benefits of this eye makeup remover. Interesting information.
And then she told a story about how she had this client who burned her eyelashes off and how she kept using this eye makeup remover and the minerals in the eye make up remover made her eyelashes grow back.
I choked on my coffee.
Is this funny to anyone but me.
I could hardly hold in the giggles.
I was sitting next to my sister who was like "what's so funny?"
I had to reminder her of when I was missing eyelashes. Why, you may be wondering, was I without eyelashes?
That would be because I trusted my sister to wax my eyebrows. But, when she wasn't paying attention she dripped wax on my eyelashes, and along with my eyebrows came a few lashes. Ouch!
But, funny.
When I recalled that story she started to laugh too. In fact everyone started to crack up (at my trauma, people! You're laughing at my trauma. I kid. I was dying by that point).
All I could think to myself was who would have thought in that agony of having your eyelashes ripped out that you should use your mineral enhanced eye makeup remover to encourage eyelash growth.
And that thought made me giggle even more.
My friend sells Mary Kay. Next time I see her I will have to mention the benefits of the eye makeup remover. Good stuff. I'm thinking I should have some on hand for the next time Beck helps with hair removal.

My 3 Year Old Is Kicking my Butt

Seriously.
I'm beyond tired these days.
I thought that when the "terrible twos" were over and before the f*&%ing fours" began there would be some peace, a nice respite from the terror that can be my son.
I was sorely mistaken.
So, here I am, entering my fifth month of parenting a 3 year old, and I am seriously exhausted. I have tried being strict. I have tried being nice. I have tried ignoring. I have tried bribing. And NOTHING works. Nothing.
One minute he's the sweetest child in the world. He's hugging me and kissing me and telling me how much he loves me. I love that. And all is right with the world.
Then suddenly he turns. And because this insane child. Something sets him off and he goes wild. It's like if I don't work with his schedule and do what he wants then he attacks. Literally.
He has starting biting again. And it hurts.
I tell him no - he bites.
I say it's time to go - he bites.
I offer him candy - he bites.
I'm covered in bruises and my patience is wearing thin.
And it's not just me. Mike feels the same way. Every time Mike turns around Matthew is biting him too. It's gotten to the point where we compare bruises at night. It's not fun. And, keep in mind he's in daycare ALL DAY.
And so on it goes. But, it doesn't help that lately I've been tired and cranky and trying to cut down on caffeine.
So basically, my child is kicking my butt. I'm sure I'll sort this out one day. But today I'm just venting. Cause really, there's not much else today. If anyone has a solution (other than copious amounts of alcohol) please let me know ...

Back from Vacation

I'm back from vacation - 8 days with my son, my parents, my sister and her family.
I'm exhausted.
There's so much I have to talk about. There's the beauty of the mountains, the fun I had with Matthew and my family, the things we did, the meltdowns that occurred, the yummy food we ate and how I cannot imagine being a single parent to a 3-year old.
But, I'm tired.
This week wore me out.
Specifically, travelling by rental car and via train from Vermont to Toronto (in 13 hours) with heavy baggage has kicked my butt and rendered me exhausted. And, of course I came back home and decided to reorganize the kitchen. (don't ask).
Maybe tomorrow I will download some pictures, and talk about my travels.
But for now I will leave you with some of the highlights:

• Our first night of swimming - the kids found those rings that you throw in the water and then dive for. In her excitement my sister threw it to me, missed completely and whacked my mom in the head. Once we knew my mom was okay, my mom, sister and I could not stop giggling over my dad's comment of "it's okay, dear. Becky didn't mean to hit you. We all know she has horrible aim."
• Matthew and Kyla discovered that I could burp words. We were all floating in the pool, right before bedtime and they would give me a word and I would burp it for them. Hot!
• We went on the Ben and Jerry's factory tour 2 times, and went to Ben and Jerry's 10 times. (Matt went 11 times). We didn't have ice cream every time.
  
• I now have an ice cream cone tattoo on my ankle (it's airbrushed - not permanent)
• Matt having a new found obsession with the word "butt". Really - where did that come from?
• Walking on the recreation path. Who knew my child loved nature so much?

Okay. I'm done for tonight. Pictures to come.