This afternoon we bought the little guy a superball with a cool turtle and beach scene on the inside. As I was loading him into the car, he threw the ball and it rolled out of the parking lot, across the highway, and to the door of the store where we had bought it. It was like a game of Frogger trying to get across the street to retrieve it. Baby boy howled with laughter as the ball chase unfolded. Lucky for him, the ball made it home safe and sound.
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You have to see this hilareous video on toilet training on You Tube. Normally the little guy can't sit still to watch a program for more than 10-seconds at a time. This one kept him interested the whole way through. He was laughing, singing along to the music and, when it was all over, he started yelling "bye-bye- pooh pooh!"
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Toddler travel
I've written about traveling with a baby in the past. Now that my baby has turned into a toddler, I think it's worth revisiting the subject.
On the way to our hometown last week, we had a bit of a nightmare flight. Because it was the long weekend, the plane was full and we weren't able to get an extra seat for the little guy. When he was smaller this wasn't as big a deal. Now that he's an ants-in-his-pants toddler, it is an ordeal with a capital "O".
The woman sitting in front of us hated us! Even though we were being very careful not to jostle her chair, the little guy kept on jumping around on top of us, and shifting around to get comfy. Even the slightest nudge of daddy's long legs caused his knee to bump the grouchy lady's seat. Every time this happened she would get more and more agitated. I don't know how many times she shot me the stink eye -- too many to count (and it wasn't even my leg bumping her!). I told her we were trying our very best not to shake her chair, but I guess our best efforts weren't good enough. A nice Air Canada flight attendant came over to have a "talk" with us. As loudly as I could, I explained to her that we were doing everything humanly possible to contain our energetic 19-month old. I even suggested that, if the lady in front of us was irritated, she could put her seat into the upright position to allow my husband who is 6'4" tall a bit more leg room. The flight attendant gave me one of those "I'm just doing my job" kind of looks and asked us to try our best. Thank goodness the little guy eventually fell asleep!
All this to say, my first word of advice is to make sure that you don't get on a full flight. And, second, ask for an extra seat! The airline staff will be more than happy to give you a bit of swing space. Frankly, it is in the best interest of every person on the plane that your toddler is happy and comfortable. On the way home we had an extra seat and it was smooth sailing! Everyone thought he was a complete joy! And he is (usually)!
Other advice:
- don't give your toddler tap water, even if you aren't traveling to exotic locals. Our little guy had traveler's diarrhea for several days because of the water change. Like we don't deal with enough poop in our day to day lives!
- The whole no-liquid/gel rules for carry-on luggage do not apply to children under the age of 2. Go ahead and bring on board your bum cream, applesauce, and full to the rim sippy cups.
- When on the road, bring lots of snacks. Double the amount you think you will need because, if your toddler is anything like mine, he'll eat out of boredom.
- Borrow equipment - car seats, strollers, cribs. Dragging these things sucks. There is just no other way to say it.
- Get to the airport early. You'll need every spare second you can get for feeding, changing diapers, and letting your toddler burn off some energy before getting on the plane.
- We severely broke our little guy's bedtime/nap routine while we were away. I think that's okay. After all, it was a vacation, right? But keep in mind that you will pay for this upon your return. Our son has been tossing and turning at night, and then not wanting to get up in the morning. So my advice: get back into the routine groove immediately. This will save everyone's sanity!
And, finally, have fun!
On the way to our hometown last week, we had a bit of a nightmare flight. Because it was the long weekend, the plane was full and we weren't able to get an extra seat for the little guy. When he was smaller this wasn't as big a deal. Now that he's an ants-in-his-pants toddler, it is an ordeal with a capital "O".
The woman sitting in front of us hated us! Even though we were being very careful not to jostle her chair, the little guy kept on jumping around on top of us, and shifting around to get comfy. Even the slightest nudge of daddy's long legs caused his knee to bump the grouchy lady's seat. Every time this happened she would get more and more agitated. I don't know how many times she shot me the stink eye -- too many to count (and it wasn't even my leg bumping her!). I told her we were trying our very best not to shake her chair, but I guess our best efforts weren't good enough. A nice Air Canada flight attendant came over to have a "talk" with us. As loudly as I could, I explained to her that we were doing everything humanly possible to contain our energetic 19-month old. I even suggested that, if the lady in front of us was irritated, she could put her seat into the upright position to allow my husband who is 6'4" tall a bit more leg room. The flight attendant gave me one of those "I'm just doing my job" kind of looks and asked us to try our best. Thank goodness the little guy eventually fell asleep!
All this to say, my first word of advice is to make sure that you don't get on a full flight. And, second, ask for an extra seat! The airline staff will be more than happy to give you a bit of swing space. Frankly, it is in the best interest of every person on the plane that your toddler is happy and comfortable. On the way home we had an extra seat and it was smooth sailing! Everyone thought he was a complete joy! And he is (usually)!
Other advice:
- don't give your toddler tap water, even if you aren't traveling to exotic locals. Our little guy had traveler's diarrhea for several days because of the water change. Like we don't deal with enough poop in our day to day lives!
- The whole no-liquid/gel rules for carry-on luggage do not apply to children under the age of 2. Go ahead and bring on board your bum cream, applesauce, and full to the rim sippy cups.
- When on the road, bring lots of snacks. Double the amount you think you will need because, if your toddler is anything like mine, he'll eat out of boredom.
- Borrow equipment - car seats, strollers, cribs. Dragging these things sucks. There is just no other way to say it.
- Get to the airport early. You'll need every spare second you can get for feeding, changing diapers, and letting your toddler burn off some energy before getting on the plane.
- We severely broke our little guy's bedtime/nap routine while we were away. I think that's okay. After all, it was a vacation, right? But keep in mind that you will pay for this upon your return. Our son has been tossing and turning at night, and then not wanting to get up in the morning. So my advice: get back into the routine groove immediately. This will save everyone's sanity!
And, finally, have fun!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Off, off and away!
We're off for the long weekend. The little guy is very excited about going on an airplane to see Amma.
Stay tuned for the tale of our weekend adventure!
Stay tuned for the tale of our weekend adventure!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Breaking up is hard to do...
Which is why, despite my previous blog entry, I have not deactivated my Facebook account....yet. I still think I might do it, even though some of my "friends" have been trying to convince me otherwise. Someone suggested I only put my initial instead of my full last name. I tried this, but Facebook was on to this trick and wouldn't let me change it. Craziness I tell you....
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Back to real life...
- M baby (as he calls himself) gave me a good-bye kiss yesterday that started off as a "mmmmwhah" kissing noise and then transformed into a "roar." The roar is becoming his trademark these days.
- When I dropped him off at daycare last week, there was a giant tent set up in the backyard. This just about blew M baby's mind! A moment later we heard voices coming from inside. Could it get more exciting than that? Well, just as the little guy was moving in for a closer look, out popped the head of a 14-year old girl (a very cute 14-year old girl, I might add). Just when he thought life couldn't get any better, the girl waved him inside. As it turned out, there were five teen-aged girls inside the tent. And, a television. Holy cow! This was just a little too overwhelming for him. The second he was inside the tent, he burst into tears.
Later that day, when hubby went to pick him up, some of the girls who had slept over the night before were still there. By then, the little guy had charmed them all to death. He had them securely wrapped around his little finger. They were feeding him watermelon on demand, and had even given him a new, spikey hairdoo. The tears from the morning had transformed into one big grin extending from ear to ear....
- We went on a big adventure bike ride on Sunday, making stops at two playgrounds. And we stopped to buy BBQ pork buns and some other Chinese baked good that was filled with lotus seeds. The pork buns were fantastic, but we ended up feeding the weird dessert buns to the ducks.
***********************
Back to real life...
- M baby (as he calls himself) gave me a good-bye kiss yesterday that started off as a "mmmmwhah" kissing noise and then transformed into a "roar." The roar is becoming his trademark these days.
- When I dropped him off at daycare last week, there was a giant tent set up in the backyard. This just about blew M baby's mind! A moment later we heard voices coming from inside. Could it get more exciting than that? Well, just as the little guy was moving in for a closer look, out popped the head of a 14-year old girl (a very cute 14-year old girl, I might add). Just when he thought life couldn't get any better, the girl waved him inside. As it turned out, there were five teen-aged girls inside the tent. And, a television. Holy cow! This was just a little too overwhelming for him. The second he was inside the tent, he burst into tears.
Later that day, when hubby went to pick him up, some of the girls who had slept over the night before were still there. By then, the little guy had charmed them all to death. He had them securely wrapped around his little finger. They were feeding him watermelon on demand, and had even given him a new, spikey hairdoo. The tears from the morning had transformed into one big grin extending from ear to ear....
- We went on a big adventure bike ride on Sunday, making stops at two playgrounds. And we stopped to buy BBQ pork buns and some other Chinese baked good that was filled with lotus seeds. The pork buns were fantastic, but we ended up feeding the weird dessert buns to the ducks.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Full sentences - here we come!
Language development is amazing! It wasn't long ago that I was talking about the little guy's first words. He's now built his way up to four syllable words (e.g. Watermelon, helicopter). And, in the last week or so, he's starting putting "a" in front of his nouns (a car, a door etc...). As well, he's been stringing together the elements of sentences ("pool water out!").
A lot of his frustration over communicating has started to melt away. He can now express his feelings and desires in an understandable way. I can now ask him what he wants for breakfast and he'll tell me loud and clear. Usually it's toast or "shreshas" (Shreddies - his new favourite food). And the other night he completely shocked us by saying "I don't want to" three times in a row when daddy suggested it was time for a bath. He can now tell us, with key words and gesture, when he wants to go outside, if he wants to go for a bike ride, and what games he wants to play.
Every night I engage him in conversations about his day. I remind him of the fun things he did, the things he saw, the people he spent time with, the food he ate. His eyes absolutely twinkle with joy at reliving these experiences. He'll repeat back the most meaningful words to stress the things he liked most. His days are always so much more interesting than mine :-)
A lot of his frustration over communicating has started to melt away. He can now express his feelings and desires in an understandable way. I can now ask him what he wants for breakfast and he'll tell me loud and clear. Usually it's toast or "shreshas" (Shreddies - his new favourite food). And the other night he completely shocked us by saying "I don't want to" three times in a row when daddy suggested it was time for a bath. He can now tell us, with key words and gesture, when he wants to go outside, if he wants to go for a bike ride, and what games he wants to play.
Every night I engage him in conversations about his day. I remind him of the fun things he did, the things he saw, the people he spent time with, the food he ate. His eyes absolutely twinkle with joy at reliving these experiences. He'll repeat back the most meaningful words to stress the things he liked most. His days are always so much more interesting than mine :-)
Sunday, June 17, 2007
My love affair is over
It was a glorious three-week fling. I joined Facebook out of curiosity to find out what the hype was about. I soon found myself with a list of 51 "friends" -- some who I found, some who found me. I was absolutely giddy, catching up on 15 or more years worth of gossip. Heck, I even had an online chat with my first boyfriend!
After a few days I was hopelessly addicted to Facebook. I couldn't wait to open up my email to see if someone had "poked" me or had written on my "wall". Instead of reading the newspaper, I was reading the mini news feeds that the people on my friends list were posting next to their profiles. I spent countless hours browsing through photo albums, linking to blogs, and marveling at how much people had changed (or hadn't changed). I bantered back and forth (or rather "wall-to-wall" in Facebook talk) about life then and now.
When I realized that some of my "friends" had hundreds of other "friends" and I only had a dozen or so, I started feeling like a big loser. It was like being in high school all over again -- just one big popularity contest. Or that's what I thought until I realized that building up a list of friends on Facebook was like rolling a snowball. It just gets bigger and bigger as you come across more contacts. One friend may lead you to three more friends, and then those friends lead you to more friends, and so on and so and so on.
I started my search for friends by checking to see if any of the people in my email address book were registered on Facebook. I turned up a good half dozen here. After that, I began looking through online yearbooks where I was able to find people from my high school and college days. Heck, I even found some people from elementary school. Those were the really cool finds. Catching up with these people made the whole Facebook experience worthwhile.
Then I dug through my friends' friends' list (anyone on Facebook will understand exactly what I mean by this) hoping they would lead me to other long lost acquaintances. Instead I found a bunch of my co-workers that I see virtually everyday. I though, "What the heck?" and added them. Whether in real life I would actually qualify some of these people as "friends" is questionable. But I wanted to see how far I could go, how many people I could actually find.
Yesterday I saw the light. Actually I heard it on CBC radio (isn't this always the way with me?). They were talking about the dark side of Facebook. It was then that I started asking myself, what on Earth am I doing? Why am I putting my personal life on display so carelessly? If my hubby is reading this, he's thinking to himself "I told you so." What he had been telling me all along was affirmed by the media.
I was watching and being watched -- and not just by my "friends." Although I can't prove it, I'm pretty sure that someone out there is getting rich by selling my information. And who knows what other unwholesome ways my personal details are being used.
So my dear friends, I'm hanging up. Please don't take it personally. My new motto is a true friend is a friend for life. And I know exactly where to find all of my true friends.
After a few days I was hopelessly addicted to Facebook. I couldn't wait to open up my email to see if someone had "poked" me or had written on my "wall". Instead of reading the newspaper, I was reading the mini news feeds that the people on my friends list were posting next to their profiles. I spent countless hours browsing through photo albums, linking to blogs, and marveling at how much people had changed (or hadn't changed). I bantered back and forth (or rather "wall-to-wall" in Facebook talk) about life then and now.
When I realized that some of my "friends" had hundreds of other "friends" and I only had a dozen or so, I started feeling like a big loser. It was like being in high school all over again -- just one big popularity contest. Or that's what I thought until I realized that building up a list of friends on Facebook was like rolling a snowball. It just gets bigger and bigger as you come across more contacts. One friend may lead you to three more friends, and then those friends lead you to more friends, and so on and so and so on.
I started my search for friends by checking to see if any of the people in my email address book were registered on Facebook. I turned up a good half dozen here. After that, I began looking through online yearbooks where I was able to find people from my high school and college days. Heck, I even found some people from elementary school. Those were the really cool finds. Catching up with these people made the whole Facebook experience worthwhile.
Then I dug through my friends' friends' list (anyone on Facebook will understand exactly what I mean by this) hoping they would lead me to other long lost acquaintances. Instead I found a bunch of my co-workers that I see virtually everyday. I though, "What the heck?" and added them. Whether in real life I would actually qualify some of these people as "friends" is questionable. But I wanted to see how far I could go, how many people I could actually find.
Yesterday I saw the light. Actually I heard it on CBC radio (isn't this always the way with me?). They were talking about the dark side of Facebook. It was then that I started asking myself, what on Earth am I doing? Why am I putting my personal life on display so carelessly? If my hubby is reading this, he's thinking to himself "I told you so." What he had been telling me all along was affirmed by the media.
I was watching and being watched -- and not just by my "friends." Although I can't prove it, I'm pretty sure that someone out there is getting rich by selling my information. And who knows what other unwholesome ways my personal details are being used.
So my dear friends, I'm hanging up. Please don't take it personally. My new motto is a true friend is a friend for life. And I know exactly where to find all of my true friends.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
18-month check up
I took the little guy for his 18-month check-up this week. He now weighs 22.5lbs and is 87cm long. Very tall and very skinny. He conveniently came down with a low grade fever that day and got to skip his vaccinations. Lucky guy! To him a trip to the doctor is like a trip to the toy store -- so many cool things to look at. I'm
The doctor asked me if he could say at least 5 words, to which I laughed and said "more like 200!". Although he's shy about speaking in public, he never stops babbling at home. He repeats pretty much everything we say now. We have to be extra careful now not to use any bad words....Of course I never use any of those! :-)
I was also told it was time to start potty training. That could be a disaster...a very messy one at that. I can't trust him to run around the house diaperless for five minutes without having him go off like a fire hose. Although I must admit, he is very interested in the toilet, and LOVES talking about pooh-pooh. Maybe he'll be a pro (although somehow I doubt it...). We're going to buy him a little potty this weekend and try it out. If he's not ready, we can try again when he's older.
We're also going to buy him a big boy bed (an organic one for reasons discussed in an earlier blog entry). His legs are getting too long for his little crib. Wish us luck with the transition!
Prognosis: fit as a fiddle. Wylie as a coyote.
The doctor asked me if he could say at least 5 words, to which I laughed and said "more like 200!". Although he's shy about speaking in public, he never stops babbling at home. He repeats pretty much everything we say now. We have to be extra careful now not to use any bad words....Of course I never use any of those! :-)
I was also told it was time to start potty training. That could be a disaster...a very messy one at that. I can't trust him to run around the house diaperless for five minutes without having him go off like a fire hose. Although I must admit, he is very interested in the toilet, and LOVES talking about pooh-pooh. Maybe he'll be a pro (although somehow I doubt it...). We're going to buy him a little potty this weekend and try it out. If he's not ready, we can try again when he's older.
We're also going to buy him a big boy bed (an organic one for reasons discussed in an earlier blog entry). His legs are getting too long for his little crib. Wish us luck with the transition!
Prognosis: fit as a fiddle. Wylie as a coyote.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
IMPORTANT: Please read
I read another scary story about plastic sippy cups, that really freaks me out. There is a new metal sippy cup on the market called the Klean Kantine. If anyone knows where you can find them or order them in Canada, let me know. You can order them online, but shipping is really expensive.
Speaking of scary things, I read a study that linked SIDS to the toxic off-gassing of mattresses. I had been toying with the idea of buying organic mattresses for us. Reading this article sealed the deal. We've gone organic already in our eating, cleaning and painting, so why not in our sleeping?
Now that I've made my public service announcement and scared the living daylights out of everyone, here are a couple of more pictures of baby boy....
The Mayor made this special little chair just for me. Am I lucky guy or what?
Hi!
Speaking of scary things, I read a study that linked SIDS to the toxic off-gassing of mattresses. I had been toying with the idea of buying organic mattresses for us. Reading this article sealed the deal. We've gone organic already in our eating, cleaning and painting, so why not in our sleeping?
Now that I've made my public service announcement and scared the living daylights out of everyone, here are a couple of more pictures of baby boy....
The Mayor made this special little chair just for me. Am I lucky guy or what?
Hi!
Friday, June 08, 2007
These boots are made for walking!
The only thing better than clomping around in my over-sized boots, is clomping around in a tee tee toga, with my favourite hat, daddy's cell phone and my stuffed bird.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Our little outdoorsman
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Once again daddy came home beaming with pride about the little guy's artistic talents. An early childhood educator was at playgroup this morning and couldn't believe how advanced his brush strokes were for a child of his age. She was simply amazed. I guess only time will really tell. I can't wait to see the piece of artwork in question. I'll have to photograph it and put it on the blog for others to comment on.
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This morning baby boy was up to his old trick of sucking water out of his sippy cup and then letting it drizzle down his shirt, onto his pants. I hastily changed his clothes, in a rush to drop him off at daycare and get to work.
In retrospect, the pants I chose were probably not the best -- but they led to some good amusement at the park this afternoon. As he trotted around the playground in his oversized pants, they began sliding down, skateboarder style. So low, in fact, that when he bent over to pick up a stick, we saw a full moon! Apparently it wasn't just his pants that were loose... I just about killed myself laughing!
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It was one of those days where you could really tell I was a mom. I went to grab my cell phone out of my purse, and instead pulled out the Elmo phone. How it got in there is beyond me (I think a little someone may have planted it there this morning). I contemplated taking it into meeting with me today. It would have been funny to say, "Sorry I really have to take this call -- it's Grover." :-)
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
New photo series!
I think it's about time that I posted some new pictures of the little guy on my blog. Here is the first in a long series to follow... Tune in regularly to see new ones.
This one was taken back in March or April (I think) when my mom came to visit. Grandma is so hilarious!
When he accidentally fell in the colander, daddy came to the rescue. But not before I quickly grabbed the camera and shot these hilarious pictures.
This one was taken back in March or April (I think) when my mom came to visit. Grandma is so hilarious!
When he accidentally fell in the colander, daddy came to the rescue. But not before I quickly grabbed the camera and shot these hilarious pictures.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Amma visit highlights
Amma left today, after a 6-day fun-filled visit.
She decided to look after baby boy during the day to maximize bonding time with her one and only grandson. At first baby boy wasn't too sure about the change of routine. But he soon came to realize that hanging out with Amma was pretty sweet! Not only did she smother him with affection, they did all sorts of cool thing together like watch boats, feed the ducks, play at the park, hang out in the market, build towers, blow bubbles etc... But all of these activities couldn't hold a candle to the fun they had playing with buckets of water. When his bucket was empty, the little guy would shout "ready" and Amma would run and fill it up again.
Since their infamous "water day" he pretty much wants to play in water all the time -- whether in the bathtub or with the hose. In fact the first three words out of his mouth this morning were "Appa" (his pronounciation of Amma), "happy" and "water." He's also become very fond of the word "wet" and "rain."
Besides the water, we had a really good time in the country this weekend, exploring some cute little towns. (as a funny aside: In the car, I asked the little guy what his name was, and he replied "M baby!")
For hubby and I Amma's visit offered some much needed respite. In addition to doing a lot of the housework and shopping, she babysat. We went out on our first date since September 4 (I'm not kidding). And, we got to sleep in on the weekend while Amma played with the little guy. Bonus!
It was a pretty sad good-bye today. "M Baby" kept saying "Appa? Appa?" when we got home, wondering where she had gone. You can tell he really misses her -- and so do I. Come back soon, Amma!
She decided to look after baby boy during the day to maximize bonding time with her one and only grandson. At first baby boy wasn't too sure about the change of routine. But he soon came to realize that hanging out with Amma was pretty sweet! Not only did she smother him with affection, they did all sorts of cool thing together like watch boats, feed the ducks, play at the park, hang out in the market, build towers, blow bubbles etc... But all of these activities couldn't hold a candle to the fun they had playing with buckets of water. When his bucket was empty, the little guy would shout "ready" and Amma would run and fill it up again.
Since their infamous "water day" he pretty much wants to play in water all the time -- whether in the bathtub or with the hose. In fact the first three words out of his mouth this morning were "Appa" (his pronounciation of Amma), "happy" and "water." He's also become very fond of the word "wet" and "rain."
Besides the water, we had a really good time in the country this weekend, exploring some cute little towns. (as a funny aside: In the car, I asked the little guy what his name was, and he replied "M baby!")
For hubby and I Amma's visit offered some much needed respite. In addition to doing a lot of the housework and shopping, she babysat. We went out on our first date since September 4 (I'm not kidding). And, we got to sleep in on the weekend while Amma played with the little guy. Bonus!
It was a pretty sad good-bye today. "M Baby" kept saying "Appa? Appa?" when we got home, wondering where she had gone. You can tell he really misses her -- and so do I. Come back soon, Amma!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Bargains galore!
I had always heard that the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale was an event not to be missed. But in all my years living here, I've never gone. Until today, that is. I went with $15 in my wallet and came home with $10 in change even though I bought: a toy dinosaur and a huge bag full of clothes for the little guy (MEC fleece pants, rubber boots, 2 pairs of summer pjs, a pair of shorts, and two REALLY nice button up shirts. Not bad!
Of course we had to wade through a lot of junk before making these finds....But it was so much fun. The whole neighbourhood goes all out for the event. There were bands playing music, people selling homade hot dogs, lemonade, and baked goods on their driveways. The idea is to donate 10% of the proceeds to charity -- and I'm sure most people give more.
Of course we had to wade through a lot of junk before making these finds....But it was so much fun. The whole neighbourhood goes all out for the event. There were bands playing music, people selling homade hot dogs, lemonade, and baked goods on their driveways. The idea is to donate 10% of the proceeds to charity -- and I'm sure most people give more.
Friday, May 25, 2007
The best part of my day
I have a stressful job and, at times, a stressful life. The best stress buster I've found to date is a trip to our local park. Now that the weather is warm, the little guy and I stop there every day on our way home. And, every day, the same flock of kids, parents and caregivers descend upon the park at about the same time as well -- like geese around a pond.
When I open the park's gate, I leave all of my stress on the other side of the fence. Park time is play time. It is our time to run, jump, and climb; to dig in the sand; to chase birds and squirrels; to visit with our friends; and, to eat snacks on the park bench.
Best of all, park time is about spending quality time with my son after a long day at the office. I know he looks forward to it as much as I do.
When it's time to go home for dinner, it's reassuring to know that it will all happen again tomorrow at the same time, and same place. I guess you could say that my park is my sanctuary.
When I open the park's gate, I leave all of my stress on the other side of the fence. Park time is play time. It is our time to run, jump, and climb; to dig in the sand; to chase birds and squirrels; to visit with our friends; and, to eat snacks on the park bench.
Best of all, park time is about spending quality time with my son after a long day at the office. I know he looks forward to it as much as I do.
When it's time to go home for dinner, it's reassuring to know that it will all happen again tomorrow at the same time, and same place. I guess you could say that my park is my sanctuary.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The things that make me wonder
Every morning, driven hopelessly by my caffeine addiction, I stop at Starbucks on my way to work. And almost every morning I see "Jesus guy" sitting on a bench in the corner. This guy is always robed in clear plastic bags, with a sign on his back that says "Jesus is power." He doesn't wear shoes, but rather ties cardboard boxes around his feet. Sometimes I see him walking around downtown. Every time I look down at the cardboard under his feet I think of clown shoes. People always veer away from him on the sidewalk, as is nature to do when someone appears a bit "crazy."
Most mornings I see him sitting at Starbucks, often chanting his prayers aloud. I'm not sure what language he is speaking -- my guess is that he is from an African country. He is obviously quite devoted to his beliefs. But every time I see him, I note the coffee cup on the table in front of him. I always wonder if, like me, he is a coffee addict. Or maybe he drinks tea or water. I am dying to know what this guy -- who swears off shoes -- drinks in the morning. Does he spend $1.75 or more on a cup 'o joe or do the friendly Starbucks employees give him freebies when he stop by?
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Other things that make we wonder:
- why some men comb-over bald spots. Just shave it off already!
- why people will wait in a 10 car line-up with engines running to save a few cents on gas
- why not everyone loves Turkish delight as much as I do
- why the reality television craze continues
- why do we work 5-day work weeks? Shouldn't the world be set up to maximize time away from the office?
- why do women who live/work in close quarters menstruate at the same time
- why do people rush through the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and ignore all the other artwork along the way
- why do people think running marathons is fun
Most mornings I see him sitting at Starbucks, often chanting his prayers aloud. I'm not sure what language he is speaking -- my guess is that he is from an African country. He is obviously quite devoted to his beliefs. But every time I see him, I note the coffee cup on the table in front of him. I always wonder if, like me, he is a coffee addict. Or maybe he drinks tea or water. I am dying to know what this guy -- who swears off shoes -- drinks in the morning. Does he spend $1.75 or more on a cup 'o joe or do the friendly Starbucks employees give him freebies when he stop by?
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Other things that make we wonder:
- why some men comb-over bald spots. Just shave it off already!
- why people will wait in a 10 car line-up with engines running to save a few cents on gas
- why not everyone loves Turkish delight as much as I do
- why the reality television craze continues
- why do we work 5-day work weeks? Shouldn't the world be set up to maximize time away from the office?
- why do women who live/work in close quarters menstruate at the same time
- why do people rush through the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and ignore all the other artwork along the way
- why do people think running marathons is fun
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
We're on a roll
First we got the house painted from top to bottom. Then we did a mini bathroom reno with a funky "round" look - round mirror, round lighting fixture, round patterned bath matt, very cool faucet with round handles. The only thing I wish wasn't round was my reflection in the mirror...:-) Man am I out of shape right now!
Now that we are on a roll with the renos, we want to keep up the momentum. Next on the list: back splash for the kitchen, modern carpeting on the stairs and upper floors. After that we want to hire a carpenter to build shelving and drawers in baby boy's room
(which he still doesn't live in!)
Once we're done, we may never want to move! Or at least maybe not for another few years...
Now that we are on a roll with the renos, we want to keep up the momentum. Next on the list: back splash for the kitchen, modern carpeting on the stairs and upper floors. After that we want to hire a carpenter to build shelving and drawers in baby boy's room
(which he still doesn't live in!)
Once we're done, we may never want to move! Or at least maybe not for another few years...
Probiotics rock!
Thank you Dr. Sears for introducing me to the wonderful world of probiotics! Baby boy's wicked case of diarrhea (12 + times a day!!!) has cleared up thanks to a few doses of bacteria filled yogurt. Doesn't sound too appetizing, but it actually doesn't taste that bad. Probiotic yogurt is recommended for stomach viruses and all sorts of other ailments. But, like all things in life, buyer beware. Not all probiotic milk products are created equally. I did some research and came across this article on CBC Marketplace.
Probiotics (also available in tablet form) are also great for nursing mothers -- especially ones who are prone to yeast problems.
Probiotics (also available in tablet form) are also great for nursing mothers -- especially ones who are prone to yeast problems.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Natural healing
Although no one ever says it straight to my face, I know a lot of people think it's odd and even "unnatural" that I still breastfeed my 17-month old son. My mother is a perfect example. Every single time I speak to her on the phone she asks me if I'm still breastfeeding. When I say "yes" she never utters any words of encouragement. She simply says "uh-huh" and then proceeds to tell me stories that have a "pro-weening" slant.
I know that there is gossip behind my back. Jokes about how I'll probably keep breastfeeding him until he's nine. Ha Ha... Go ahead and gossip and laugh if you really think that it's funny that I'm so interested in my son's health and well-being. Breast milk is full of antibodies that help to strengthen his immune system. I know that there are lots of healthy babies and toddlers out there who aren't breastfed. That's great. But this isn't about them. It's about me and my son and what is best for us.
This weekend, my breast milk kept my son out of the hospital. He vomited all day on Saturday and was weak, listless and dehydrated. He refused to eat or drink anything but breast milk. In between nursing sessions, I had to drop feed him water and electrolyte fluids. He was so sick that I called telehealth and spoke to a nurse. When she found out that I was still nursing she said "Good, keeping doing it. Breast milk is easy for him to digest and will prevent him from getting seriously dehydrated."
On Sunday, he was still weak. The vomiting had stopped, but he had a fever, headache, mild diarrhea, and was still somewhat dehydrated. He wouldn't stand up, and was like a limp noodle. All he wanted to do was sleep. We managed to get him to eat a bit of food. But, again, the only thing I could get him to drink in any quantity was breast milk. I called telehealth a second time because I was worried about his excessive limpness and sleepiness. Again a nurse reinforced that I should continue to breastfeed.
Today, he is gaining his strength back. He is tired but cheerful, and not nearly as dehydrated.
At times like this, I'm really glad that he still chooses to breastfeed - "choose" being the operative word. It won't be long until he weens himself -- he's already starting to head in that direction. But I'm going to let him make the decision.
I know that there is gossip behind my back. Jokes about how I'll probably keep breastfeeding him until he's nine. Ha Ha... Go ahead and gossip and laugh if you really think that it's funny that I'm so interested in my son's health and well-being. Breast milk is full of antibodies that help to strengthen his immune system. I know that there are lots of healthy babies and toddlers out there who aren't breastfed. That's great. But this isn't about them. It's about me and my son and what is best for us.
This weekend, my breast milk kept my son out of the hospital. He vomited all day on Saturday and was weak, listless and dehydrated. He refused to eat or drink anything but breast milk. In between nursing sessions, I had to drop feed him water and electrolyte fluids. He was so sick that I called telehealth and spoke to a nurse. When she found out that I was still nursing she said "Good, keeping doing it. Breast milk is easy for him to digest and will prevent him from getting seriously dehydrated."
On Sunday, he was still weak. The vomiting had stopped, but he had a fever, headache, mild diarrhea, and was still somewhat dehydrated. He wouldn't stand up, and was like a limp noodle. All he wanted to do was sleep. We managed to get him to eat a bit of food. But, again, the only thing I could get him to drink in any quantity was breast milk. I called telehealth a second time because I was worried about his excessive limpness and sleepiness. Again a nurse reinforced that I should continue to breastfeed.
Today, he is gaining his strength back. He is tired but cheerful, and not nearly as dehydrated.
At times like this, I'm really glad that he still chooses to breastfeed - "choose" being the operative word. It won't be long until he weens himself -- he's already starting to head in that direction. But I'm going to let him make the decision.
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