Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Things I've learned this week

On cars

  • The recovery rate of stolen cars is less than 70% in Toronto. Yes bandits have made off with our car. Luckily we now have a rental while we wait the specified fifteen days before we are allowed to get a replacement. Who steals a car with two car seats? Not cool dude.
On food
  • If I make stuffed baked potatoes, my daughters will refuse to eat them no matter how much cheese is melted on top and even with all the yummy ingredients I throw in.
  • Lately I have almost become a vegetarian as I am turned off by most meat.
  • The longer I stay up, the more that I want to dive into chocolate.

On dreams

  • Strawberry giggled while she slept.
  • Buttercup cried out in terror "No! Nemo."
  • I keep dreaming that I am running either being chased or it is a race against time.
On underwear
  • When lounging in comfy pajamas for an extended period, I should first make sure that I am not wearing irritating underwear.
  • I was shocked that daycare told me that Buttercup is potty trained and ready for cotton undies. As per their request we ditched the pull-ups last week and I am doing more loads of laundry than ever. While I love that daycare has great belief in my daughter, I'm hoping that they know what they are doing because I'm losing my patience with the mess.
On happiness
  • Strawberry reading to me.
  • Buttercup cooing, "You're awesome mummy."
  • Binkywood gossip.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Recycled

Now for the really bad joke of the day:

Why was Strawberry sad?

Because her mom was in a jam.

(Thanks. I'm here all week.)

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If you are thinking about going to Blog Friends Fest, check out all the new information! Ooooh what fun... Plus there is a survey. When you add your thoughts ~ Presto ~ BFF will magically turn into the most awesome blogging haven in the East this July! Don't be scared away by my jokes. I pinky swear promise that I am much funnier after a few shots of liquor.

Blog Friends Fest

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Two's a Charm

No one promised that having babies was easy. Well maybe Paris Hilton did but she has yet to become a parent and will have a team of nannies to correct her mistakes when the time comes so we cannot go by what Paris may or may not offer up.

I have luckily already gone through the sleepless part of two and I am thrilled to pieces that we may be on the verge of being completely out of diapers. Saying things like that as part of a baby shower for some wonderful ladies that are about to give birth is about as smart as something that comes out of Paris Hilton. My apologies. Let's start this post over again.

Dear Mrs. Chicky, Mrs. Chicken and Her Bad Mother,

You are at that magical point in your family when you go from one child to two. I remember trying to get tons of special time in with my first born before the second one made her grand appearance. Little did I realize that Strawberry was not going anywhere. We still have plenty of time together to bond as I do with my youngest Buttercup. Everything seems to multiply when you add another baby to the mix. The fun, kisses and hugs, the plastic sea of toys, the laundry and the not so fun tantrums.

There is a time for adjusting to having another person in the family. These growing pains go by quickly. I barely remember how Strawberry would jump on my back and try to hug me with the tightest squeeze whenever I was holding Buttercup.

Being the older sister meant lavishing attention on the roly-poly new baby. Placing kisses on little toes can abruptly turn into a sudden jealous bite. It's confusing having this new sibling at first but the love comes rushing to the surface.

I remember worrying that if one woke up crying that the whole family would be crying a chorus of tears through the long night. Thankfully that was unnecessary worrying. I keep my children so tired that when one wakes up in the middle of the night, the other sleeps like a rock.

I quickly discovered that having two children means that you will always have at least one angel. Whenever one decides to act up, the other goes pie eyed with pure innocence and looks at the other like they could never display behaviour that naughty even if it was their turn five minutes ago.

As the little one learns all the same tricks as the first has mastered like holding their head up, sitting, talking, walking and running well then the real fun begins. Seeing my children happily play together is worth all those growing pains. Hearing my children sing together makes my heart just about explode. I can see their bond and know even though they are going to have plenty of trying arguments, there will be even more hugs. The two of them are going to be the other's anchor, cheering each other on and sticking together through thick and thin.

Life with two is a dance party. Load up your MP3 player's ladies and let the good times roll.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Warm and fuzzy

Kgirl wrote 7 lbs, 7 oz about the differences she's discovered in her daughters and the perfect love that she has for both of them. She wrapped her words into such a beautiful piece that I must present to her a Perfect Post Award.

The Original Perfect Post Awards 04.08

Having a child is awe-inspiring. My eyes and my heart opened. I think that in having a second child that I never realized that there would be more to discover. I probably assumed that I was doubling the love and the experience. It's within their differences that my world expands.

Over at Petroville and Suburban Turmoil you will find some of the best posts of April!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

No Kisses

Finally, after what feels like forever, I'm feeling better. Since I've been so run down and stressed I got not one, but two cold sores. So attractive. I want to hide in my house for a week. I'm embarrassed to even go to the coffee shop. I've been so busy that I've managed to hide behind my computer. Fortunately the awesome people that I work with have been delivering coffee and sustenance to keep me going.

I have been having a super hard time holding back the kisses to my girls. After few days of big hugs, I was struck by a revelation. I had not once stopped myself from planting a big one on my husband. While we are a touchy feely couple we are not kissy kissy. I think when I am healed, I'm going try and work on this. Kisses make everything better.

Since I am in hiding out mode, I received an advance copy of Petite Anglaise by Catherine Sanderson. I would love nothing more than to lounge in my backyard with a frosty beverage and devour this novel.

If you live in the Toronto area and would like your own copy email me at cmcreate[at]gmail[dot]com.

There is a bonus to this offer, as you will also get an invitation to a blogger's brunch launch party on Friday, June 6th. Say that three times fast and this is going to the first three people who are fast!

You can look for this book in stores as of June 17th and check out Catherine's blog petite anglaise.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Terrorific Tantrum

We started the week with a rough start. As you will soon see, that is a magnificent understatement. I was convinced that my life had turned into an Adam Sandler comedy and I have been keeping an eye out for the camera crew. This story would be funny if I wasn’t so embarrassed by my daughter’s unruly behaviour. When it's this bad, you have to laugh.

Before dawn on Monday, Buttercup woke up crying out for orange juice. I filled her request and stood beside her bed. She sleepily smiled at me, pointed and said, “I don’t like you.” This was a warning sign of things to come.

Later that morning, I couldn’t get anything right. Buttercup was getting more agitated. She wanted cereal but after seeing Strawberry’s pancake, she changed her mind even though she was close to finishing her breakfast. When it came time to leave the house she broke out the waterworks and tried to run and hide from me. I had to carry her to the garage and go back to lock up the house. Back at the car she had upset Strawberry with her loud display of protest. I found them both in tears.

For the life of me I could not get her to sit in her car seat to do up her seat belt. I drove the car out of our garage so that I could park in the lane way in order to manipulate the little monster. While I was driving she reached from her seat behind me and wrapped her hands around my neck and started strangling me.

I quickly pulled over and got out of the car. Hysteria had set in. There was nothing that I could do to punish her without sending both girls into a state of horror. I couldn’t get Buttercup to calm down. I tried every trick that previously had worked and nothing was flying except for the snot.

About twenty-five minutes of this and I had only managed to do the top strap of her belt. Thinking this was going to be as good as it gets, I decided to drive. I could hear her struggling and Strawberry animatedly let me know that she had pulled a Houdini. I stopped on a side road and ding, ding, ding: round two begins.

Top strap done up, I pull away on to a main street to be met with the same fate. I pull over even though this street is a high traffic area. I take Buttercup out of the car where we stand by her door on the road. She wraps her legs around me and clings like glue. Somehow I get her back into her seat and we are motoring again.

I pull up to Strawberry’s school very tardy. While I’ve separated myself from this disaster scene, both my girls are distraught. I try to offer hugs but the fight continues. Buttercup is trying to run away from me so I pick her up like a football. One of Strawberry’s good friends happens to arrive at the same time and they hold hands all the way to the office to get their late slips.

After I’ve hugged my four year old and sent her off to learn all the wonders of Junior Kindergarten, I try again to calm down my two year old. We stand outside the school and I become the negotiator. I am talking her down with distraction tactics. Finally I win and she lets me carry her a few blocks to her daycare. Her face is nuzzled into my neck the whole way. After giving her plenty of hugs and kisses while I offer explanations regarding her state to the caregivers, she looks up to me with the weight of sadness in her eyes. She doesn’t want me to leave.

And so, began our week.

Surprisingly the next morning everyone was a picture of happiness.

I don’t know how much more of two that I can take.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Evidence

She came to the city.

So we showed her a good time.

We had to share stories.

We took this time to bond.

We might have had a couple drinks.

They graciously smiled while my flash blinded these lovelies.

One of the most popular drinks of the night was Perrier.

The memories will last longer this way and the photos are worth a million bucks!

Sorry that I didn't capture all the beauties!

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