A Whole Year Already??

Wow. What can we say? It feels like only yesterday that I was having painful contractions in the yard, in the van, in the elevator and in the delivery room.. Ah, memories...

Noelle was ceremoniously presented with her birthday cupcake and promptly snuffed the wick with her fingers - poof! like that! The shock is the resulting cry and kind of a symbolic way to enter her second year of life on earth (see pic at right). Last night she screamed through the wee hours - fever of 100F and nose running like a faucet. Ugh. Today I noticed 2 molars bulging their way through her bottom gums too, just to really add some variety to the pain into her little head. Poor thing. And to add insult to injury, tomorrow morning I'm taking her for her 12 month immunizations..

It's not easy being small..

Toddler?? You must mean "DAWDLER"!!

I suppose that somewhere between the 'toddler' and the 'school-age' kid comes the 'dawdler' period. The unmistakeable signs are all here -- such as taking 10 minutes to put on shoes; 2 hours to finish off a bowl of cereal (left out on the table for 'nibbling') and tonight's shining example...

Mission: Have a bath, Go to Sleep
Steps to get there: Bathing, Drying, Pyjama donning, Peeing, Story reading, Sleeping.
Estimated total time of Steps after bathing: 15 minutes

Actual Steps: Bathing; draining of tub; standing in tub while draining; rinsing body parts while tub draining; washing toes while 1 cm of water remains in tub; putting away tub toys in empty tub; drying hair in tub before getting out; getting out; being carried by Dad in fancy towel to show how 'cute' she is; unraveled from towel and running around hallway naked; running around living room naked on the pretense of 'looking' for her sleeping buddy (a stuffed elephant); naked child & elephant return to bedroom; going to pee; air-drying privates; deciding on which pyjamas to wear; arguing about which pyjamas to wear; asking 'mom' about which pyjamas to wear (I was putting the baby to bed at this point); pretending to put on pyjamas on while writhing on floor; writhing under Dad's hands in his attempt to put her pj's on; writhing under Dad's AND Mom's hands to get dressed; pyjamas on and deciding what book to read; wanting a cup of milk; drinking the milk; wanting another story from Dad; wanting a story from Mom; Mom reads a story; having belly rubbed/back rubbed/feet rubbed/head rubbed/faced tickled before settling into sleep; asking for a drink of water (getting a 'no' for an answer); sleeping (phew!).
Actual accrued time to sleeping from the draining of tub: 45 minutes
Observations: Amount of frustration directly proportional to level of Dawdle. Amount of silliness directly proportional to level of Dawdle also. Tonight was VERY silly.
Conclusions: Drink more wine...

The Chuckle of the Day..

It's been the usual emotional roller coaster of toddler hell today. But I think I'm adapting to it okay...Chocolate, is the drug of choice. I am looking forward to taking Kyra to her first swim lessons, starting tomorrow - so that'll probably be the highlight of the weekend I'm thinking.. Wish us luck! Oh, and Noelle is now saying 'hi' and waving. Really endearing, we must say!

Whilst driving to Costco today, and taking the slow & un-scenic route during stop-and-go rush hour traffic (what was I thinking??!), Kyra was gazing comatose-like out the window making the odd comment on planes, buildings, construction equipment and the like - when she all of a sudden, shrieked, "Oo, Momma! Look at the little kitty!! How cuuuuuuuuute!". I followed her gaze to a little patch of brown grass and had to stare really hard until I saw it. Then I probably laughed for an hour afterwards.. This is what she saw ---------

----I then had to explain that it's a Ground Squirrel, not a kitty. In her own stubborn-headed way, she twisted my explaination to something she could wrap her head around, "Right, Mum, it's just like a little cat but smaller."

:-)

Sunday...

I can't believe another week has come and gone. And it's certainly been a tougher one on record for me. Noelle has another tooth making its way to the surface (I didn't really want to EVER sleep again...really..) and I've taken Kyra to the Children's Hospital twice with what one would think was a bladder infection (no conclusive results..?? really aggravating..). So, amid screams and cries, we got through the week and we've all lived to see another! On the happy family front - we made a nice trip to the zoo to check out their new 'frog' exhibit; we made a pretty good sized snow 'fort' after a whirlwind storm; Kyra tried her first 'bubble tea' from the local Chinese market (she only gagged a bit on the tapioca/sago balls); we're going to our first birthday party of the year this evening.. Not a bad way to finish the week.

Kyra-isms, Double Entrendres, etc..

Before I forget most of these funny sentences/phrases that Kyra spews forth in all her beautiful innocence, I thought I'd better type a few down..

*(to Ernie at the closed bathroom door) Daddy? Are you getting off in there?

*(about some construction equipment she saw) We saw a lot of big hookers downtown today!

*Mommy, what is Off Uck? (Daddy!! Arrgh)

*(whilst in the yard today) Mommy, let's snow some throwballs!

*Don't get-for Baby Noelle! (I just CANNOT make her say 'forget', I've tried - loads).

*(when she was learning to talk) Can I have some meeps? (grapes)

*Limming Room - the room next to the dining room.

As she gets older, her phrasing becomes far more grown up but I'm fairly certain that she doesn't understand a lot of what she says. I'd use up this entire page with some of the stories she now tells - suffice it to say, everyday we stifle a lot of laughter!!

Bee-Emm (disclaimer*this article may offend those with prudent outlooks and sensitive stomachs)

So, not the most eloquent of titles but apropos for today... I've decided that one of the most talked about topics for new parents and the least mentioned would be the poop situation. Let's face it, it's a pretty big part of our life on earth and up there in importance with, oh, say, a heart beat. So, obviously when it concerns our kids - we place a lot of emphasis on knowing what's going on at that business end - including colour, volume, texture, frequency and least on the list, smell. As your baby gets older, colour moves down on the list (with smell, for sure) and frequency becomes the all important indicator of a good day. And when I mean good day - for us - I mean everyone is HAPPY. I cannot believe just how much NOT having a poop affects the mood of this household! Today Noelle was a crotchety little *%$@ until well after inhaling at least a litre of assorted dinner foods, when, with a grunt and a red little face, the diaper was filled and a happy, gigglepot emerged - phew! And as timing IS everything her big sister couldn't sit still, do anything without pouting or even eat dinner - that is - until a trip to loo was involved. Then I watched the beautiful butterfly emerge before my eyes, like the sun shining after a rain storm - everything had a rosy hue once again. Dinner got et (amid a flurry of compliments to the chef, I might add), pyjamas were put on without asking and bedtime went off without a hitch. All I can say is - I'm glad everyone's intestines are functioning up to par and the day is OVER.. I need a glass of wine now..

Some random photos this past month..

Kyra listens (or pretends to, I'm not sure) to a zoo phone.

The ever smiling Noelle in a rare crawling moment.

Showhome Hobby

Some couples go for dinner; some take romantic walks in the moonlight..We like to wander through showhomes.. In a way it's like playing house, I guess. We talk about where the kids would play, where the computer would go, what square foot would become Dad's space and such. I pretend to cook a 12 course meal in the model kitchen, commenting on the pro's & con's of the countertops and appliances' positions. We poo-poo black stove tops, test out the comfort of the couch and commend giant en-suite bathrooms with corner soaker tubs. It's our hobby, our love, our time to reconnect with why we're together and most certainly our inspiration for home renovations. We get some sort of buzz from these tours like you would from a glass of bubbly. After the girls are asleep we even cozy up to the house plans like a good novel and re-trace our footsteps, lost in dreamy "new house" thoughts... It's the kind of hobby that we can certainly both agree on! And it doesn't cost a thing..