When I think about what it means to be a part of the community, my mind wanders to one place: the park. Here we have met friends and neighbours, networked on parenting issues, and spent countless hours just playing and relaxing.
Ever since the little guy was a baby the park has been the epicentre of our neighbourhood. Pretty much every single day we stop in for a "play play" on our way home from daycare. All of us - baby boy, hubby and I - look forward to going there to unwind at the end of the day. I find there is no better place to disengage from work (or daycare) and reconnect with one another and with our park friends.
The park has a long, proud history. People often tell me stories of how it has changed and evolved over many years. It is naturally shaded with big, beautiful trees. It's fenced in so no one has to worry about their children running on to the road. It is located behind a seniors residence, making it the most safely guarded park on earth. If there was ever any funny business one of the residents would be sure to know about it. In short: it's perfect.
Earlier this spring I organized a park cleanup event. I was amazed at how many people came out to lend a hand. Within a couple of hours the park was spotless. And we all had a blast. While the parents raked, swept and cleaned the kids run around and played. I'm definitely make this event an annual tradition!
Yesterday they turned on the water on the splash pad. Just one more reason to love the park. When summer days get hot there is no better place to cool down.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wanted words
The little guy's vocabulary is growing by the minute, including some words he's invented on his own. Here are a few expressions he uses when he doesn't like something:
"No scrontching me!"
"Stop blinking me!"
"Don't flimmelflam me!"
"I don't want you tronching that!"
"No caughting me!"
He always gets his point across, even if he makes no sense at all.
"No scrontching me!"
"Stop blinking me!"
"Don't flimmelflam me!"
"I don't want you tronching that!"
"No caughting me!"
He always gets his point across, even if he makes no sense at all.
Friday, May 23, 2008
I'm sick as a dog
I guess my luck ran out. Somehow I managed to dodge several colds, flus, stomach viruses etc...over the last six months. Even when baby boy sneezed in my face or used me as his personal kleenex tissue I stayed healthy as an ox!
The cold I have right now is in my lungs and I have a really junky cough. I was really looking forward to running a 10 k race tomorrow, but that's not going to happen. Which sucks royally because of all the training I've been doing these last few months to prepare for the race. I'll have to look for some other races to run once I'm healthy again.
Oh....And to my boss who dragged his butt to work when he was sick and contagious and is responsible for my general malaise, I just want to say thanks a lot.
The cold I have right now is in my lungs and I have a really junky cough. I was really looking forward to running a 10 k race tomorrow, but that's not going to happen. Which sucks royally because of all the training I've been doing these last few months to prepare for the race. I'll have to look for some other races to run once I'm healthy again.
Oh....And to my boss who dragged his butt to work when he was sick and contagious and is responsible for my general malaise, I just want to say thanks a lot.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Where did the icicles go?
Almost everyday the little guy asks me where the icicles are. I explain about how the icicles melt into water in the spring when the weather gets warmer, yadda, yadda, yadda. He sort of gets it, but not really.
Today, he developed a new icicle theory as he was running his fingers through my hair.
"Mom, you have icicles in your hair!" he proclaimed.
I'm making an appointment for a colour job tomorrow....
*********************
You know that he's getting too old to nurse when he starts asking, "Mom, can I have chocolate milk?"
**********************
There is a silly sound that daddy and the little guy like to make that goes something like this: "fuff fuff fuff fuff fuff."
The other day he told daddy, "I seen a fuff." Daddy asked him what it looked like. He paused and thought about it for a moment and then replied with great certainty, "It looks kinda like a frog. It sits on the log."
Today I learned more about the mysterious fuff creature. Apparently he's quite difficult to spot because he hides on logs. And he kind of makes a pig snorting sound that's kind of scary. But if you happen to come across a fuff don't worry - he assures me that they are actually quite friendly.
Today, he developed a new icicle theory as he was running his fingers through my hair.
"Mom, you have icicles in your hair!" he proclaimed.
I'm making an appointment for a colour job tomorrow....
*********************
You know that he's getting too old to nurse when he starts asking, "Mom, can I have chocolate milk?"
**********************
There is a silly sound that daddy and the little guy like to make that goes something like this: "fuff fuff fuff fuff fuff."
The other day he told daddy, "I seen a fuff." Daddy asked him what it looked like. He paused and thought about it for a moment and then replied with great certainty, "It looks kinda like a frog. It sits on the log."
Today I learned more about the mysterious fuff creature. Apparently he's quite difficult to spot because he hides on logs. And he kind of makes a pig snorting sound that's kind of scary. But if you happen to come across a fuff don't worry - he assures me that they are actually quite friendly.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The case of the missing cupcake
The only thing that a 2-year old hates hearing more than "no" is "you have to wait." The little guy can't handle waiting for his turn to play with a toy, waiting for rice to cook on the stove, or even waiting for an elevator. So you can just imagine how difficult it was today when he was told he had to wait for a cupcake at his friend's birthday party. There were two huge trays of beautifully decorated cupcakes, with candies and sprinkles on top, sitting exposed on the park bench. We had to explain to him that we had to wait for all of the kids to arrive to sing Happy Birthday before he could choose one from the goody pile. Oh my was he ever frustrated.
Soooo.....the second hubby and I had our backs turned, baby boy crept on over and stole a cupcake as well as some of the garnish off the top of a few others. To avoid creating a scene, we decided to let him eat his cupcake even though the birthday song had not yet been sung. When he continued to try to pillage from the goody pile we gave him a firm, "No!" to which he yelled loudly, "You can't say no!!!!"
************************************
Any time we place anything hot on the little guy's plate he commands, "You blow on it!" When I try to show him how to do this himself, he gets really mad. "No mom, you do it!" he says. I guess this falls under all other mom duties as assigned.
************************************
I just finished reading a truly wonderful book called Tender at the Bone by former New York Times restaurant critic, Ruth Reichl. This book is about her childhood and early adulthood years and her journey to becoming a food critic. As with her other books, Tender at the Bone has recipes sprinkled throughout (I've tried a couple of them and they are remarkably good). I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an appreciation for food, as well as anyone who would find comfort in knowing that there are mothers out there who are crazier that their own. I've also read Reichl's book Garlic and Sapphires about her experiences working for the New York Times. It's really good too.
I've just begun reading her other book Comfort me with Apples. I'll provide a review for that one as well when I'm finished.
Soooo.....the second hubby and I had our backs turned, baby boy crept on over and stole a cupcake as well as some of the garnish off the top of a few others. To avoid creating a scene, we decided to let him eat his cupcake even though the birthday song had not yet been sung. When he continued to try to pillage from the goody pile we gave him a firm, "No!" to which he yelled loudly, "You can't say no!!!!"
************************************
Any time we place anything hot on the little guy's plate he commands, "You blow on it!" When I try to show him how to do this himself, he gets really mad. "No mom, you do it!" he says. I guess this falls under all other mom duties as assigned.
************************************
I just finished reading a truly wonderful book called Tender at the Bone by former New York Times restaurant critic, Ruth Reichl. This book is about her childhood and early adulthood years and her journey to becoming a food critic. As with her other books, Tender at the Bone has recipes sprinkled throughout (I've tried a couple of them and they are remarkably good). I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an appreciation for food, as well as anyone who would find comfort in knowing that there are mothers out there who are crazier that their own. I've also read Reichl's book Garlic and Sapphires about her experiences working for the New York Times. It's really good too.
I've just begun reading her other book Comfort me with Apples. I'll provide a review for that one as well when I'm finished.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Malaria Bites!
Today the little guy got invited to a birthday party. But instead of bringing presents we were asked to donate bed nets for children in Africa to protect them against malaria (only $7 each). What a great idea!
To donate to this great cause, visit www.malariabites.net and click on "buy nets."
To donate to this great cause, visit www.malariabites.net and click on "buy nets."
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
How does your garden grow?
This morning I pushed baby boy to daycare in his stroller. It was a glorious, sunny morning and both of us were in fine spirits. Along the way we admired all of the flowerbeds in bloom. The little guy pointed at all of the interesting vegetation and impressed me with his plant knowledge.
"Look, tulips!" he yelled excitedly every few feet or so. He also pointed out every daffodil, lilac bush and dandelion.
What blew me away the most was that he could rattle off the names of different types of flowers, it was how interested he was in knowing what they were all called, and in differentiating one flower from the next.
As we were leaving daycare this afternoon, my caregiver's husband was in the front yard. We got on to the topic of flowers (of course) so he gave the little guy a tour of their garden. He introduced him to the prairie crocuses, the periwinkles, the cactus, a thyme bush etc... Baby boy sucked up this knowledge like a sponge. On the way home he started pointing out periwinkles along our route. And he started asking me the names of other flowers, to which I responded stupidly, "I don't know what those ones are called." I'm going to have to start doing some research so we can learn the names together!
Maybe he'll develop a green thumb like his Amma.
"Look, tulips!" he yelled excitedly every few feet or so. He also pointed out every daffodil, lilac bush and dandelion.
What blew me away the most was that he could rattle off the names of different types of flowers, it was how interested he was in knowing what they were all called, and in differentiating one flower from the next.
As we were leaving daycare this afternoon, my caregiver's husband was in the front yard. We got on to the topic of flowers (of course) so he gave the little guy a tour of their garden. He introduced him to the prairie crocuses, the periwinkles, the cactus, a thyme bush etc... Baby boy sucked up this knowledge like a sponge. On the way home he started pointing out periwinkles along our route. And he started asking me the names of other flowers, to which I responded stupidly, "I don't know what those ones are called." I'm going to have to start doing some research so we can learn the names together!
Maybe he'll develop a green thumb like his Amma.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Meant to be?
I recently opened up a fortune cookie and it said, "Accept the next proposition you receive." The next day I was offered a job, so I decided to take it (something I would have done even without the fortune).
I've been working for the same department for seven years, so I definitely think it's time for a change.
It's funny how sometimes life just points you in the right direction. Right as I was feeling the itch to find a new job, the phone starting ringing. It was as though people had read my mind or something. All at once I got swamped with invitations to write tests and to come in for interviews. It's actually pretty bizarre.
There were some issues with my HR file at work recently (long, complicated story). I had been fretting about how I was going to resolve them before starting my new job. And , again, it was the weirdest thing. My phone rang and an HR person from my department called to tell me they had just audited my HR file and had noticed some issues. Bang! Just like that, the problems that I'd been trying to resolve for 10+ months were resolved. And, to boot, she informed me that I was going to get an extra check for 2 days of missed pay right before my maternity leave started.
I guess it must be fate, or the stars aligning. Whatever it is, it sure feels good!
I've been working for the same department for seven years, so I definitely think it's time for a change.
It's funny how sometimes life just points you in the right direction. Right as I was feeling the itch to find a new job, the phone starting ringing. It was as though people had read my mind or something. All at once I got swamped with invitations to write tests and to come in for interviews. It's actually pretty bizarre.
There were some issues with my HR file at work recently (long, complicated story). I had been fretting about how I was going to resolve them before starting my new job. And , again, it was the weirdest thing. My phone rang and an HR person from my department called to tell me they had just audited my HR file and had noticed some issues. Bang! Just like that, the problems that I'd been trying to resolve for 10+ months were resolved. And, to boot, she informed me that I was going to get an extra check for 2 days of missed pay right before my maternity leave started.
I guess it must be fate, or the stars aligning. Whatever it is, it sure feels good!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
So beautiful!
Yesterday we walked by a construction site an saw a very impressive looking backhoe.
"You see the backhoe?" the little guy asked me excitedly.
"Yes, look at that big backhoe," I replied, trying to mimic his enthusiasm.
After pausing and looking at it for a moment, he looked at me and said in a tone deep with emotion, "It's sooooo beautiful!"
"You see the backhoe?" the little guy asked me excitedly.
"Yes, look at that big backhoe," I replied, trying to mimic his enthusiasm.
After pausing and looking at it for a moment, he looked at me and said in a tone deep with emotion, "It's sooooo beautiful!"
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Catching up
Today I had a very interesting conversation with the little guy. It went something like this:
Me: What did you do today?
Him: I saw ducks. Ducks sleeping....ducks hiding...ducks swimming. They say "quack quack."
Me: Did you see the ducks at the park?
Him: (interrupting) I said "Bye-bye seagull. Have to go get Ava!" (pause) Duck was sleeping under his elbow...Swimming on his bum.
Me: So you saw ducks and seagulls. What about squirrels?
Him: I seen only a little bit squirrels. I didn't seen any horses.
What a little conversationalist!
Me: What did you do today?
Him: I saw ducks. Ducks sleeping....ducks hiding...ducks swimming. They say "quack quack."
Me: Did you see the ducks at the park?
Him: (interrupting) I said "Bye-bye seagull. Have to go get Ava!" (pause) Duck was sleeping under his elbow...Swimming on his bum.
Me: So you saw ducks and seagulls. What about squirrels?
Him: I seen only a little bit squirrels. I didn't seen any horses.
What a little conversationalist!
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Baby boy update
I really haven't been keeping up with my blog lately. Chalk it up to the nice spring weather and an addiction to online Scramble.
So here's a bit of an update.
Baby boy is starting to show signs of potty training readiness. Immediately after he pees or poohs he tells us, and insists that we change his diaper right away. Sometimes he throws himself on the floor and yells "Mom change my diaper!"
Another sign of readiness has been his interest in wearing underwear. "I wear underwear," he brags to people, even though this isn't true. But since he's expressed such an interest I decided to buy him a three pack of Curious George big boy underwear the other day. He immediately wanted to try them on. The first pair lasted about two minutes before he spilled water all over himself. The second pair lasted 10 minutes at most. I guess my instructions about not peeing in them fell on deaf ears. Oh well, it was worth a try I guess!
***********************************
When baby boy was sick, he had a low grade fever that would come and go. My caregiver was telling me about one of these fevers when I arrived to pick him up. On the way home, in his "looking for sympathy" voice he said, "I have a beaver mom."
***********************************
Every night when I'm brushing his teeth I sing the little chicken song. For those who aren't familiar with it, it goes something like this:
Well I had a little chicken and she wouldn't lay an egg
so I ran hot water up and down her leg,
so I ran hot water up and down her leg
and the crazy little chicken laid a hard boiled egg
hard boiled egg, hard boiled egg, the crazy little chicken laid a hard boiled egg
Well I had a little chicken and she wouldn't lay an egg
so I ran egg beaters up and down her leg,
so I ran egg beaters up and down her leg,
and the crazy little chicken laid a scrambled egg
and so on... (other verses include running garbage, King Midas, cocoa etc. up and down her leg.)
Baby boy loves this song and likes to request all sorts of items to be run up and down the chicken's leg. My favourites include:
- Sushi
- a horse
- firetruck
- a teetee
- pooh pooh
**************************************
Daddy took the day off on Friday and he and the little guy went on some big adventures. At one point they came across a cave. Daddy said, "I wonder if any critters live in the cave."
Baby boy was very interested in the prospect of seeing a critter. "What does a critter say Dad?" he asked.
*************************************
We've been meaning to buy the little guy some bubbles for the past couple of weeks. But whenever we've at a store we either forget, or they don't have any in stock. Yesterday, we went to the market to pick up some hanging flower baskets for the deck and a few groceries. As we were leaving the house baby boy said "No groceries!"
When we arrived at the market he told daddy quite emphatically what the purpose of the shopping trip was: "We're buying flowers and bubbles."
So here's a bit of an update.
Baby boy is starting to show signs of potty training readiness. Immediately after he pees or poohs he tells us, and insists that we change his diaper right away. Sometimes he throws himself on the floor and yells "Mom change my diaper!"
Another sign of readiness has been his interest in wearing underwear. "I wear underwear," he brags to people, even though this isn't true. But since he's expressed such an interest I decided to buy him a three pack of Curious George big boy underwear the other day. He immediately wanted to try them on. The first pair lasted about two minutes before he spilled water all over himself. The second pair lasted 10 minutes at most. I guess my instructions about not peeing in them fell on deaf ears. Oh well, it was worth a try I guess!
***********************************
When baby boy was sick, he had a low grade fever that would come and go. My caregiver was telling me about one of these fevers when I arrived to pick him up. On the way home, in his "looking for sympathy" voice he said, "I have a beaver mom."
***********************************
Every night when I'm brushing his teeth I sing the little chicken song. For those who aren't familiar with it, it goes something like this:
Well I had a little chicken and she wouldn't lay an egg
so I ran hot water up and down her leg,
so I ran hot water up and down her leg
and the crazy little chicken laid a hard boiled egg
hard boiled egg, hard boiled egg, the crazy little chicken laid a hard boiled egg
Well I had a little chicken and she wouldn't lay an egg
so I ran egg beaters up and down her leg,
so I ran egg beaters up and down her leg,
and the crazy little chicken laid a scrambled egg
and so on... (other verses include running garbage, King Midas, cocoa etc. up and down her leg.)
Baby boy loves this song and likes to request all sorts of items to be run up and down the chicken's leg. My favourites include:
- Sushi
- a horse
- firetruck
- a teetee
- pooh pooh
**************************************
Daddy took the day off on Friday and he and the little guy went on some big adventures. At one point they came across a cave. Daddy said, "I wonder if any critters live in the cave."
Baby boy was very interested in the prospect of seeing a critter. "What does a critter say Dad?" he asked.
*************************************
We've been meaning to buy the little guy some bubbles for the past couple of weeks. But whenever we've at a store we either forget, or they don't have any in stock. Yesterday, we went to the market to pick up some hanging flower baskets for the deck and a few groceries. As we were leaving the house baby boy said "No groceries!"
When we arrived at the market he told daddy quite emphatically what the purpose of the shopping trip was: "We're buying flowers and bubbles."
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