Toddleristic or OCD??

It's funny, but I don't ever recall in all my minutes of babysitting experience just how weird a toddler can really be. I guess their little heads are learning/absorbing things at mind-numbing speed & capacity - so I suppose LOGIC is just another mind-numbing experience that they file away for better use later in life (some of us just completely file it..period). All this 'oddness' that I'm thinking about today pretty much began around the age of 2 with painstakingly lining up of all her Fisher-Price Little People on the foot of her bed. Tiny little queues of plastic smiling people. It reminded me of those looks into "Weird Homes" that a show took from a few years back on TV. Thankfully, Kyra outgrew this phase and has since moved on to lining up crayons, pillows and finally - cutlery! At least here's a skill that I can see useful for a future as an OR nurse or surgeon... At least she appears proud of her work -

All Hallow's Eve

So, Kyra's first REAL Halloween came & went. And as a newbie mom (I consider Newbie as someone that hasn't got a child in University..) I daftly figured that she wouldn't want to do the 'trick-or-treat' ritual that goes along with the spooky and sugar laden day. HA! She was so into going to strangers' doors that she was rather pouty for at least 15 minutes when I told her we weren't going until Grandpa offered her a chocolate and allowed her (well, she was bullying him anyway) to answer the trick-or-treating of other little ghouls, witches & fuzzy animals that paraded to the door. I did let her timidly call out to a few doors in her ballerina tu-tu until she got cold - thankfully not a flake of snow graced the sidewalks this year.. But let me tell you, we're ready for next year - I'm already planning the giant spiderweb, thunder sound-system and spotlights. Watch out! Halloween will become as celebrated as Christmas..Did I mention that there're about 54 days until that joyous occasion (I'm all a-tingle!)...

Shots!

Today marked Noelle's 6 month immunizations, hooray! We don't have to return to the health clinic for another 6 months..She did very well, remembering to breathe between screamings. Kyra was oblivious to all the goings on (as all caring sisters should be) and concentrated on colouring a halloween picture the nurse gave her. She's quite into colouring and drawing and painting lately - it's like a little artistic switch has just been thrown. And as any proud parent can say, we see some talent! ha ha. She does do a mean (and fairly recognizable) rendering of a happy face with lots of spiky hair. We're so impressed! Noelle's drawings aren't so impressive, as she merely attempts to chew the crayon at this stage. Which reminds me that her third tooth is making its way through her gumline. At this rate she'll be completely dentured by her first birthday! I guess I'd better introduce her to a toothbrush.. and a big steak!

A week of firsts!

It's been a fairly eventful month here at the Brown house! We saw Kyra spend a few fun-filled days with her Grandparents out in the mountains (her first time away from Mom & Dad!) and Noelle got her first succulent nosh of solid food AND her first 2 teeth in one week.. Pretty exciting stuff on the Mom-scale! Yesterday we did a trip to Heritage Park for Railway Days and we all enjoyed the 2 steam engines they had to ride on and all the model railways on display - including an entire LEGO city complete with Lego Calgary Tower and High Speed Lego Trains! Ah, it's nice to see that some people have time for their hobbies..

..From the home of the plague..

Today isn't a really good day to do this - I'm sick like a dog and fairly ornery, so I'll make it short! I can finally get both girls to sit still for some Kodak-y moments so there will undoubtedly be many more in the days to come.. That is, if I haven't sold Kyra to some gypsies by then. Sigh. I also have a few words on potty-training - pthththththththt! and BLAH! Any questions?

Time is Fly-ing!

It seems that it's taking me longer and longer to get to the blog page..possibly because we're getting busier! Phew! This week we've got a visitor from Germany, a camping trip to prepare for, a catering to do and a potentially ill toddler. What next right? Well, I get a call from Ernie (and calls during work always make me cringe) saying that he's on his way to the hospital to get some stitches (eight!!) in his pinky finger. ugh. Running screaming from the house is always an option.. But life goes on and everyone is okay.

Things I've learned this week..

Now I'm not altogether enlightened by having children but a lot of what makes me mad has sure surfaced since the arrival of them. The good thing about this is that I've found DEEP within myself a control switch that can be toggled as seen fit to repress the urge to explode - and I'm toggling a LOT lately. Each day that passes I thank Noelle for being such a good and easy-going baby, as I watch Kyra picking bits of playdough off and squishing them into a chair crevice or when she decides that she can't decide on something and argues both sides of an argument! It's exasperating and would drive anyone to drink I'm convinced. The flipside to these terrible twos (or just the 'years of maturation' - which sounds so fuddy-duddy) is the easy laughter that bubbles up from her chest and the big cow eyes that precede a "please can I?" question or the serious facial expression covered in spaghetti sauce. In spite of all this, I still manage to pick up a few new things from her.

I've learned this week:

• that crayon can be removed from almost anything


• that dishes can take just as long with a toddler rinsing them but with twice as much fun


• that make-believe cuisine can be presented as all manner of items


• that stuffed elephants enjoy tea parties


• that most songs have only 3 lines to be repeated over and over and over...


• that ice cream eating is an art.


• that in spite of eating chocolate twice, it is Kyra's FAVOURITE food.


• that shoes can fit just fine on either foot.

..and there's probably a million more things, but I'm a bit sleep-deprived from learning from the baby too! I do know for sure that when I finally do get to sleep at night, I sleep with a smile on my face knowing that I have a chance to BE a kid everyday now, and for that I'm grateful.