Pursuits of Happiness

Happy Birthday Julia!

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T22:18:00.000-04:00

Overheard

2011-08-23T14:54:00.002-04:00

Clare: Mum, can you read me this book?
Me: No, Clare. I'm going to have my rest time now too, just like you. Can you read it yourself?
Clare: But I don't remember the words!
Me: You can look at the pictures and imagine the story.
Clare: That's not how you read!!

Talk to you soon,

B.

Nostalgia

2011-08-10T11:07:00.003-04:00

It turns out that this month will be my 6th Blogiversary. Is that not completely weird?? It seems pretty weird to me.

I only noticed it because I went back into the archives to look at old photos and footage of Clare. People keep asking me whether Clare was like Julia is at this age and I have absolutely no recollection. Thank goodness for this blog, otherwise, every single memory I have of Clare as a child would be inaccurate!! I can barely remember her as she was then. I look at the pictures and its as if she and I were both two other people. So crazy. If you'd also like to see what Clare was like when she was Julia's age, you can visit the September and October 2008 archives.

So, I was reading my first post wherein I comment that I have neither cellphone or car. Today I own both a cellphone (on my 2nd model, I think) and car (still the first car I've every owned). It's interesting because I've spent a bit of time this week feeling down about how I never seem to make any real progress -- that we keep getting kind of stuck without making any improvement. For example, that I'm still living without baseboards in the living and dining rooms and I'm still living with a hole in our 2nd floor ceiling. But then I got reminded. Firstly, I visited my 'list of things to do around the house' and realized that while there are some things that haven't gotten checked off the list yet, that I have in the past year or so checked off about 5 or 6 other things that I'd forgotten about. Now, visiting the archives, I'm reminded of how much has changed in just these 6 years. I have a car and a cell phone. And kids and a house - a house that we own just about half of, I think, which is actually pretty amazing for only 5 years into our mortgage. And a new job. There are some other kind of more subtle things too. I think Rob and I have an even better relationship than we did back then - which is pretty cool, since we were already pretty good back then. And of course, the girls. I mean, that's just a whole other dimension.

I dunno. I guess I could still be upset that things aren't happening faster. That the light switch in the kitchen isn't fixed. That there's no light in the dining room. That everything needs to be painted. But I think I can see that we're getting there. It might just take us another 25 years.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Menu for July 23rd - July 28th

2011-07-25T19:31:00.003-04:00

Just a mini-menu this week. There hasn't been as much cooking around here as usual, what with the crazy heat and all the summer parties.

Sunday - Grilled Steaks, caprese salad, buttered peas
Monday - Chicken cutlets with red pepper ragu, green beans, rice with parsley
Tuesday - Club sandwiches with avacado and corn on the cob
Wednesday - Spaghetti a limone with spinach
Thursday - Take-out

Talk to you soon,

B.

Teeth!

2011-07-25T19:19:00.001-04:00

Julia sprouted not 1 but 2 teeth today. Yay! She won't show them, which is one reason why there is no photo (they are the two front teeth on the bottom).

I think there's a third tooth following very close behind.

Talk to you soon,

B

Some photos from the vault

2011-07-24T19:30:00.000-04:00

I meant to post these photos over a month ago. Well, better late than never. Clare loves to play around with my sunglasses. And so, the girls were hamming it up one Saturday when their Nana and Poppa were visiting.

Rockstars!

Ahh.. kisses.

Overheard

2011-07-15T15:56:00.002-04:00

Me: Clare, after we're done at the park we need to go home and have lunch and get ready for nap time. Julia needs a good nap this afternoon.
Clare: But Muuuummm! I haven't had a good nap yet! Julia already had a nap! When's my turn for a good nap?!?!

Sweet!

Talk to you soon,

B.

Julia Gets her Groove On

2011-07-10T19:52:00.003-04:00

On Friday, Julia learned to clap her hands together. She's been practicing, and practicing, and practicing. Now, she'll even do it on command or by subtle suggestion -- or when Usher's playing on Clare's radio. Check it (recommended viewing with volume turned up):

Talk to you soon,

B.

Friday Night Cocktails

2011-07-08T13:41:00.002-04:00

I didn't write about last weeks cocktails. Last week was Canada Day so we were drinking rye and gingers. More accurately Canadian Club and Canada Dry Gingerale. Gotta have a theme, right? Plus, Rob was tired of all the fruity girly 'crap' I'd been feeding him.

Tonight we're drinking Vodka Orange Slush, as described here.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Homemade Soft Drinks

2011-07-08T13:20:00.002-04:00

I made the yummiest concoction this week! It was pretty much inspired by this ginger-beer recipe and this ginger lemonade recipe but I did it kind of my own way and went a little 'off book'.

First, I made a ginger 'tea'. I made a big pot of it, like I do in the winter when I'm making a ginger tea -- boiling about 2-3 inches of ginger root (peeled and chopped but not crazy chopped) in about 4 cups of water. Then I poured the tea into a glass container and put it in the fridge.

I didn't sweeten it because I wanted to be able to sweeten individually (I try to avoid sugar some days but other days not so much). So I separately made a sugar syrup (2 cups sugar, 4 cups water until sugar is dissolved) and put that into a glass container and into the fridge.

Then, I made a pitcher of lemonade the way the guys do at Jet Fuel. I posted about that recipe before over here. Except that instead of adding only water, I added about a cup of the ginger tea and then topped up with the water to fill the pitcher. Wham! Ginger-lemonade! Been drinking cups and cups of it!!

Ok.. but it gets better. So - Rob comes home and he takes the Ginger-lemonade and makes a 50:50 mix of the ginger-lemonade and soda water (or maybe 75:25). Wham again! Even better than the 'flat' ginger-lemonade.

Ok.. so then I made yet another drink. I took the ginger syrup and mixed it with varying levels of sweetness (sometimes no sugar at all) with the club soda. HOMEMADE GINGER ALE!! Good golly! It was so amazing.

I've often heard about the deliciousness of homemade soft drinks. I enjoy the 'italian sodas' you can get at Second Cup, but they were still a little too sweet. This way worked out so well. And also Rob and I can have separate control over sugar levels.

I think I'm going to try to make some other flavoured 'syrups' or 'teas' for us. Let the Googling begin.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Overheard

2011-07-08T09:48:00.000-04:00

There are a collection of pictures in the hallway at Clare's daycare that the kids have drawn. There's a sign that says that the pictures are what the kids drew to show what they did on the weekend. Clare's picture is dated June 20, 2011 but hers is the only one that doesn't have a teacher-written description on it. So, I ask her:

Me: Clare, is this your picture?
C: Yeah.
Me: What's happening in this picture?
C: Nothing.
Me: But, it's supposed to be a picture from your weekend. Did you draw a picture of what you did on the weekend?
C: No.
Clare's teacher: I ask her all the time, how her weekend was and what she did. All she'll ever tell me is 'I slept. Then, I woke-up and watched tv. Then I ate breakfast. Then I got dressed. I stayed in my jammies until after breakfast' If I ask her what else she did, she just says 'nothing' or 'I don't know'"
Me: Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's her favorite part of the weekend.

Sigh. I think she takes after her Dad.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Blueberries

2011-07-07T20:04:00.000-04:00

This is the 'after' shot. Julia's enjoying her solids and likes blueberries, as you can see. Here, her face matches her dress!

It's amazing - this photo was taken only a couple of weeks ago and already she's a much tidier eater.

New Clothes - Julia, Day 4

2011-07-07T19:59:00.000-04:00

The new kid got a pile of new clothes. Here's yet another outfit. Possibly my favorite. I think she looks great in navy and the little white flower detail is fun.

It is usually remarked how Julia and I look alike. Clare seems to look like Rob and his family and Julia me and mine. So the casual observers say. And the casual observers are incredibly consistent.

I think genetics is an amazing thing and I think both my kids look neither like Rob or like me, really. However, when Julia smiles, I start to see what all the others are seeing. She smiles like me and like my Mum. And even though it's kind of like bragging, I do think Julia has a fantastic smile. Lucky for us, she LOVES to smile. We get to see it all the time.

New Clothes - Clare and Julia

2011-07-04T22:45:00.000-04:00

Matching denim rompers!

This blanket set-up is what I've been putting down on the floor so that when Julia's having tummy time and she gets frustrated, she doesn't smash her nose on the hardwood. However, she's gotten to be a pro at rolling over. Now, if she's frustrated about being on her tummy, she just rolls on to her back. She kind of laughs at me then - like 'sucka! you can't make me crawl!' I've got the last laugh though. Now that she's so good at rolling over, she actually doesn't seem to mind being on her tummy and even rolls herself that way to get to a toy or get a better view of Clare.

Sisters. Clare is trying to play the 'sleeping game'. She pretends to sleep and cuddle with Julia and I'm supposed to come nearby and make a loud noise to 'wake' her up. As you can see, even during the sleeping game, she isn't very still.

New Clothes - Julia, Day 3

2011-07-03T23:22:00.000-04:00

Shirt and shorts by OshKosh, from Gymboree. The shorts have some super cute orange decorative buttons on them .. kind of 'sailor buttons', you know? You can't see them in these pictures. The hat is one I bought her and matches really well with this particular outfit. It's from a store called Snug and is made in Canada by Snug as a Bug. We have a few Snug as a Bug items at our house.

This is the face that Julia makes when the sun is too bright and shining in her eyes. The funny thing is - she sometimes intentionally looks at the sun and then makes this face. It's like she thinks its hilarious.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Marineland!

2011-06-30T20:44:00.000-04:00

She barely ate, she was totally exhausted and even had a power nap in the stroller during our 'lunch break', she got a little cranky, but mostly she had an amazing time. She wants to go "again and again and again and again."

My Baby Brother is a Highschool Grad

2011-06-29T21:46:00.002-04:00

This is my baby brother. Today he graduated from highschool. I got to spend a couple of hours at his graduation ceremony tonight. I love him and am really proud of his accomplishments. He's going to be heading off to Fleming College in September. Way to go, Mackers!

New Clothes - Julia, Day 2

2011-06-27T14:37:00.002-04:00

Orange sherbert, seersucker dress with teeny tiny pink flowers on it (that you can hardly see) but that work perfectly with her hot pink cropped cardi.

Friday Night Cocktails - Kid Version

2011-06-24T19:11:00.003-04:00

Clare's been asking for pop with increasing frequency. The thing is, we mostly only ever have club soda around here. Though, she has tried ginger ale, Sprite, and Coke on various occasions. Still, we try to keep her sugar intake to a minimum. So, the other day, when she asked for a 'fizzy drink' I decided to make a homemade something that, while it contains sugar, is a little less sweet.

The whole idea is based on something I saw at Jet Fuel and basically tastes like Limonata.

To one glass, add the juice of two squeezed lemons or a couple of tablespoons of bottled lemon juice. Add to that the amount of sugar or honey that you feel comfortable with (I probably add about half a tablespoon) and then roughly a quarter to a third of a cup of hot water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour this over a glass of ice (or shake in a martini shaker with ice) and then add enough club soda to get the right flavour.

Clare usually 'helps' by doing all of the stirring or shaking. She seems impressed with the whole 'show' of making it up. And if Clare could write this blog, she'd tell you that making this drink is great because it's just like 'Mummy and Daddy's drink'. She'd also insist that the correct number of ice cubes is 3 because that's how old she was on her birthday. And she prefers white sugar to honey.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Friday Night Cocktails

2011-06-24T19:09:00.001-04:00

Tonight we're drinking Coco-coolers thanks to a gifted bottle of Malibu Rum (sorry Cyn, I can't remember if it was from you or from your parents!).

Talk to you soon,

B.

New Clothes - Julia, Day 1

2011-06-24T18:16:00.002-04:00

It's hard to see the outfit in this photo. It's a white blouse with pink trim and an embroidered hippo on the bottom corner with pink and white animal print denim shorts.

I think my favorite part is how cute the open back is.

You can kind of see the pink embroidered hippo in this shot and you get a peek at the shorts. But be honest, you're really just looking at that smile, aren't you? Coincidentally, this outfit goes very well with her one summer hat and the little hoodie that is a hand-me-down from Clare (who was too small to wear it in the appropriate weather)

Menu for June 20th - June 26th

2011-06-23T20:04:00.002-04:00

Monday - Buttermilk "Fried" Chicken (oven-fried), corn on the cob, grilled flatbreads, sauteed asparagus and peppers
Tuesday - Leftovers eaten picnic style before Clare's soccer game
Wednesday - Spaghetti with chickpeas and broccoli and pesto
Thursday - Breakfast for dinner: scrambled eggs with garlic scapes and tomatoes, toast, sausages
Friday - Wonton noodle soup with bok choi
Saturday - Salmon, dill potatoes, grilled tomatoes and zucchini
Sunday - Father's Day, Take 2 (I'll explain later)

Talk to you soon,

B.

New Clothes - Clare, Day 2

2011-06-23T20:03:00.002-04:00

Also OshKosh and my Mum's favorite. I love that there are a built in pair of shorts under that skirt. Clare did her own accessorizing.
(also, please ignore the pile of clothes behind her)

New Clothes - Clare, Day 1

2011-06-22T10:47:00.002-04:00

My Mum and brother went shopping last weekend and sent up some clothes for Clare and Julia. Them getting these nice new outfits was conditional on photos. So, here we go!

By OshKosh; Pink tunic/dress and floral print capri leggings. Something about theses leggings makes them look even cooler from faraway than up close. This was the outfit Clare grabbed out of the bag and immediately put on (even though she had been wearing something else).

We Love Polka dots

2011-06-21T15:26:00.000-04:00

Baby's got some cool cool shades.

Recent Photos

2011-06-21T15:05:00.001-04:00

A couple of days ago I noticed that the girls were wearing coordinating outfits. They both looked nice and so I decided to capitalize on that opportunity and get some photos. I haven't retouched the colour or anything. At this point, I can't even decide which of these three is my favorite!

I don't know what was so interesting.

Clare loves to give Julia hugs. Luckily, Julia loves to get them.

I took a bunch of photos and this one is the only one that had both kids looking at the camera and Julia not sticking out her tongue.

Solids

2011-06-13T22:01:00.002-04:00

Julia started eating solids a couple of weeks ago. She wasn't 100% sure about it at first. But she's diving in with gusto now!

She's tried apples, bananas, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, blueberries, oatmeal, brown rice cereal, barley cereal, avacado, and some mixed vegetables.

With any luck, I'll get to editing some of the video we took of her first eating exploits sometime soon.

Take care,

B.

Overheard - The friend version

2011-06-13T21:29:00.002-04:00

Clare came to see The Show on Sunday. A young friend of Clare's who is the son of my friend, another PushPULL dancer, (we'll call him G.) also attended and they sat together. From what I was told, someone that G. knows came over to talk to his Dad and at an appropriate lull in the conversation, this was overheard:

G: "Excuse me, Ann* this is Clare. Clare, this is Ann*"
Clare: ....

* I can't remember the actual name of the guest that G. was introducing Clare to.

Clare, as is her way, completely ignored poor G. So, I have decided that we need to work a little harder on manners around here. Clare often hides behind her shyness. This morning, even, she was so grumpy about getting to daycare that she didn't even say good morning to her teachers. I had to threaten to cancel our story-time if she didn't speak up.

To her credit, most of the time she'll respond appropriately if I nudge her a little. She is usually great at saying "Please" and "Thank you" and knows to say "Thank you" if someone pays her a compliment. I haven't started insisting that she make eye-contact yet, like some of my friends. I consider it a victory if she's not hiding behind me.

Before hearing this story of G. I had started getting Clare to introduce Julia to people (including another little friend of hers. L. who was also around at The Show on Sunday). It's an excellent technique for getting her to talk to people she's feeling shy around. She loves when people talk to Julia and loves to show her off and loves the attention she gets for having a baby around. I'm just going to have to start capitalizing on the opportunities more carefully!

Talk to you soon,

B.

Overheard - A Series

2011-06-13T21:06:00.002-04:00

Overheard 1:
Clare: "Sorry, Boss!"

She says this regularly now. It originally came from an episode of Thomas the Tank Engine. Somehow, she's figured out how to deliver it in just the right circumstance with the appropriate level of sarcasm. It's the delicate understanding of sarcasm that she has already that surprises me most, and yet, should I really be so surprised??

Overheard 2:
Clare: "You've got to be kidding me!"

Another popular phrase around here. Usually following something like "Clare, could you please hurry-up with breakfast, we're running late" or "You can have more meat when you finish what's on your plate".

Overhead 3:
Clare: "Julia, you can be a doctor when you grow-up, if you want"
Me: "That's an interesting idea Clare. Maybe Julia would like to be a doctor. We'll have to wait and see. What do you think you'd like to be when you grow-up?"
Clare: "A field runner."
Me: "Really? What does a field runner do?"
Clare: "She goes like this and then jumps like this and then catches the frisbee. Did you see that Mum? Running like this.. but on the field."
Me: "Well, you know, you could be a field runner AND a doctor when you grow-up, if you want"

Menu for June 13th - June 19th

2011-06-13T21:02:00.001-04:00

Monday - Grilled chicken and salad
Tuesday - BBQ pork tenderloin, lemony polenta, garlicy kale
Wednesday - Philly cheesesteaks and crudite
Thursday - Ravioli and sauce
Friday - Ginger tofu and quinoa salad with chickpeas
Saturday - Potato leek soup and leftovers
Sunday - Father’s Day Surprise

Talk to you soon,

B.

Like Frozen Pudding - as good as gelato

2011-06-08T23:04:00.001-04:00

On Sunday, I made these. So perfect for summer heat. So perfect for Tech Week of the show. So glad that Clare has forgotten about them.

Go make some. They are unbelievable!!

Talk to you soon,

On the Radio

2011-06-04T19:07:00.002-04:00

I'm going to be interviewed during the Evi-dance program on CIUT Sunday morning at 9am. Check it out -- 89.5 FM Sunday June 5th.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Recent Photos -- Julia

2011-06-04T15:36:00.002-04:00

Her eyes have continued to change colour, despite my earlier guess that they were done. The colour of them still generates a lot of conversation from strangers in malls, coffee shops, and on the street.

Julia really likes her thumb. She looks like this half the day.

More Julia

2011-06-04T15:20:00.000-04:00

This series of shots was taken in late April and early May. I can see that she's a lot bigger now but her face seems mostly the same to me. And yeah, she's almost always in her Bumbo.

On the Go

2011-06-04T15:16:00.001-04:00

The girls really like to be on the go. Clare prefers to ride in the stroller and have Julia in the carrier. Not sure how many more pounds Julia can put on before I refuse outright. For now, they take turns.

Also - these photos were from nearly a month ago, when it was still cold here in the mornings.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Menu for May 29th - June 4th

2011-06-03T22:00:00.002-04:00

Because one of my friends says that she's beside herself, not knowing what we've been eating these days. I'll try to be more diligent.

Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Sausages, coleslaw, grilled zucchini
Wednesday - Picnic dinner: boiled eggs, cheese sandwiches, tomatoes,
Thursday - BBQ chicken, mashed potatoes,
Friday - Spaghetti Bolognese
Saturday - Chickpea and tofu casserole
Sunday - Steak on spinach salad

Talk to you soon,

B.

Julia -- 6 months old

2011-06-03T19:35:00.003-04:00

It's just about time that I write a little something about Julia, don't you think? Our baby turned 6 months old last Saturday. Can you believe it? I cannot.

Julia is a delightful girl and I like her a lot. She is generally pretty easy-going and smiles easily. She's quite content to just hang around as long as there is something to see. And by something to see, I mean just about anything that's moving. Now that she's older, she's also reaching and grabbing at the things that are moving around her.

She prefers to sit-up rather than play on the floor. It took her a while to learn to roll over. She can do it now, almost any time she wants to, and yet she mostly just stays put or spends the entire time on the floor trying desperately to transition from lying to seated position. That, she can't do on her own yet. She's almost sitting unassisted but is normally either in her Bumbo or on my lap or in the stroller.

Julia is extremely social. We'll see how it goes when she's older but I don't detect much shyness. And she likes action, to her detriment. It's tough getting her to sleep sometimes because she's so fascinated by the world around her. While, I don't get the sense that she finds all the excitement overstimulating it does prevent her from falling asleep sometimes. It seems like he's having so much fun that she just doesn't want to sleep.

Speaking of sleep, there hasn't been a lot of it. Julia can fall asleep on her own (some Mum's are impressed by her ability to fall asleep) but she just will not stay asleep. She usually wakes up after a 30 minute nap and is ready to go again. We've worked a lot on getting her to stay sleeping but our methods are failing us. The only really sure way to keep her sleeping for an hour or two during the day is to sleep beside her. Julia loves co-sleeping. She also prefers sleeping on her side with her donkey on her head. Don't ask why we know this. Nighttime isn't as bad since she'll sleep anywhere from 2 - 5 hour stretches. I guess because we're co-sleeping with her. I haven't figured out what the pattern is that increases the odds of getting a 5 hour stretch instead of a 2 hour stretch. I get a little grouchy sometimes over her not sleeping. It's hard to get anything done during the day if she won't nap. At the very least, when she's awake she's not too demanding or too clingy.

So, allow me to make a list of some of Julia's accomplishments and traits:
- Can hold a seated a position for about 30 seconds or so
- Holds onto fingers and stands on her feet
- Can roll over from front to back and from back to front
- Lights up when she sees me, her dad, or any friendly face but especially brightly for Clare
- She talks a lot. a lot. A LOT. For now, it's obviously just babble, but so so soon.. oh boy.
- Feeds herself rice cereal
- Does not like bananas or peas and is indifferent to apples
- Really likes to drink from a sippy cup already, even though she's only tried it a couple of times
- Loves to cuddle with her donkey
- Splashes in the bath and tries to put her face in the water and tips her head back to get her ears wet
- Has convinced our cats to let her pet them
- Gives hugs and kisses. Real ones. It's amazing
- When she is excited to see you, like when Rob comes home from work and she hasn't seen him all day, she smiles a huge smile and reaches her arms out for you to pick her up

The truth is that Julia has integrated seamlessly into our family. Clare adores her, she adores Clare. I guess we're kind of typical second time parents in how laid back we are this time. There aren't as many photos of Julia, not as many blog posts for her, and the time is passing by without too much notice of each of her 'milestones'. It seems less like moving from milestone to milestone and more just like a continuum. We're just sitting back and watching it all unfold.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Friday Night Cocktails

2011-06-03T19:14:00.003-04:00

Inspired both by Mad Men and the "Behind the Bar" series on "Design Sponge", Rob and I have been enjoying some fun Friday night cocktails/mocktails lately. I'm in charge and I haven't been super duper on the ball, so it doesn't happen every Friday. Rob's a somewhat reluctant participant, since he'd be just fine and might even prefer a simple beer but I'm starting to really enjoy it. I would love to make it a habit all through the summer.

Anyone have any favorite cocktail recipes? For our purposes, cocktail could mean any cocktail/mocktail, a 'fancy' drink whether alcoholic or not.

What we've tried so far:

Summer Pineapple Strawberry Cooler
Campari and Soda (though, I think next time I'll try the Americano)
Baileys Blended (6 oz Baileys, about 1- 1.5 cups of ice)

Talk to you soon,

B.

Mother's Day

2011-05-18T15:16:00.002-04:00

I had a really nice Mother's Day. We did, just about, nothing. Rob cooked French Toast for breakfast and we generally hung about the house (mostly outside though). We got take-out for dinner because on Sunday we have to eat dinner at 4 so that I won't have a belly full of food when I start rehearsal at 6 and at 4 we were still a little full from the french toast at brunch. Crazy, I know. Anyway, the fact that EVERY Sunday my family tolerates eating dinner at 4 so that I can leave them at 5 for about 5 hours is really a kind of a treat for me every week. And Mother's Day was no different, except that I also got this awesome necklace. I have a really fantastic family.

Incidentally, I can't tell you my surprise to see that McDonald's what completely PACKED on Mother's Day. Does nobody cook for their Mum anymore?

And lastly - apologies to my Mum who got a measly phone call this year (well, and a 2nd granddaughter .. but she's nearly old news now and was kind of more like a birthday gift). Hopefully, I'll make it up to her very very soon.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Ronnie's 50th Birthday

2011-05-11T19:53:00.000-04:00

It was Ronnie's 50th a few weeks ago. I made a cake. It was Guiness Chocolate Cake, with whiskey ganache, and Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Frosting. And of course, chocolate cookie crumbs as 'dirt'.

Building Forts

2011-05-11T19:46:00.000-04:00

Clare and I built a fort together out of the furniture in our family room, an old blanket and some pillows. Then we coloured. It was fantastic! (Her outfit is a favorite of hers. Not so much a favorite of mine.)

Julia in her Bumbo

2011-05-11T19:35:00.000-04:00

Julia is almost always in her Bumbo. At least for now. Lately, she's taken to reaching around for things while sitting in her Bumbo, causing her to nearly fall out. She can almost sit up by herself and is pretty wiggly when she's on the ground. My guess is that it won't be long now before she is mobile. I bet she won't even look back at her Bumbo as she takes off.

It's Show Season!

2011-05-11T18:23:00.000-04:00

Our annual show is approaching. Let me know if you want tickets!

Talk to you soon,

B

My Cure for the Blues

2011-05-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

Some days I feel a little bogged down in the details, in the housework, in the minutiae, in the diaper changing and feeding every two hours. Today is one of those days. When I'd like to take a tiny vacation from my daily life, just for a little bit. It's not really a bad feeling because I really love the people in my life and where I am in the world and all of it. While surfing around and avoiding my chores, I came across a link to a TED Talk. It was great!! I'd almost forgotten about the TED Talks. Nothing like listening to someone really fabulous talk about something amazingly brilliant and well thought-out and complicated to remind me that I am more than just a feeding, changing, mothering machine.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T07:59:00.001-04:00

I pretty much feel like the luckiest Mum in the world. I'm so proud of my girls already and so excited to see them grow. Thanks kiddos for being such blessings!

Menu for April 10 - April 16, 2011

2011-04-14T23:04:00.003-04:00

Gah! I can't believe I forgot to post this on Monday after I finished it. It's been a busy week. We're tired around here.

Sunday - Grilled cheese sandwhiches
Monday - Spaghetti and pesto with sundried tomatoes and olives (pantry spaghetti sauce)
Tuesday - Barbecued (yay!) steaks, baked potatoes, creamed spinach
Wednesday - Lentil soup, roasted eggplant and hummus tartines
Thursday - Salad Nicoise
Friday - Nana's Mac and Cheese
Saturday - Take-out

Menu for April 3 - April 9, 2011

2011-04-11T09:56:00.002-04:00

As I mentioned, there were a lot of Southeast Asian foods last week. With a couple of exceptions.

Sunday - Leftover curry and basil beef
Monday - Souvlaki, rice, green beans
Tuesday - Pho Ga
Wednesday - Rice and beans and fried eggs with enchilada sauce
Thursday - Pad Thai
Friday - Even more, leftover pad Thai
Saturday - Eating out

Talk to you soon,

B.

The View From Here

2011-04-08T09:34:00.002-04:00

This is my view today. I'm in the kitchen baking and Julia's hanging out with me.
Cow lick and all.

Dinner Party

2011-04-03T13:10:00.002-04:00

We had a couple of friends over for dinner last night. It's the closest thing to a proper dinner party we've had in a little while. It took me waaay longer to cook than I thought it would, so dinner was a bit late. Normally wouldn't be too big a deal but the kiddos were getting hungry and a little cranky. I haven't prepared a dinner party in a while, so I forgot how long it takes to put together something a little more complicated than what we normally make for dinner. Once everyone got to eat, it turned out pretty well.

We made Pad Thai, Basil Beef with Eggplant (loosely based on this recipe), and Yellow Curry Vegetables and Tofu.

I definitely still need some practice, but I am getting better at preparing Thai food. And I have enough leftover lemongrass, lime leaves, Thai Basil, and Thai chilies that we could probably eat Southeast Asian food all week! Not that the family would be interested in doing such a thing, but I'm seriously tempted to make Pad Thai for 2 weeks straight, until I perfect it.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Overheard

2011-03-29T09:02:00.002-04:00

Clare received a postcard in the mail yesterday from some of her (our) friends who had been visiting Asia. The postcard was a shot of Bangkok and the note on the back gave a nice account of their trip and also said that it was very very hot in Thailand - that they'd visited some temples etc.. to escape the heat. In response to the card:

Clare: I don't want to go there for lots and lots. It's very hot there and it could burn my fingers!

Talk to you soon,

B.

Here we go AGAIN!

2011-03-27T12:32:00.001-04:00

Overnight, three election signs popped up - just in one small block of my street. I guess we're really doing this, then?

Sigh.

Talk to you soon,

B

Menu for March 27 - April 1, 2011

2011-03-27T08:00:00.003-04:00

I'll be out of town this week for a couple of days with the kids but Rob will be home. I thought of making him prepare the menu for the week, so you could see what he's eating while I'm away. But, he promised to eat nothing but grilled sandwiches every night I'm gone. Maybe that's not so exciting. Saturday we're having some friends over for dinner and I'm not sure what I'll make yet. Our dinner guests prefer Italian and Thai food but since they get to eat like that often, I'm thinking of making something different. The salt-crusted fish in my latest "Fine Cooking" looks pretty delicious...

Sunday - Leftovers
Monday - Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
Friday - Roasted Shrimp, lemon couscous, green peas

Talk to you soon,

B.

Sisters!

2011-03-22T20:46:00.000-04:00

Clare loves to pose for photos with Julia. Clare loves to play with Julia (and Julia's bunny). This morning, Clare was waving her hands out in front of Julia to get her attention and Julia reached out for her, leaning way over. I get the feeling that Julia can't wait to start playing with Clare.

Beautiful

2011-03-22T20:44:00.000-04:00

Gotta love this face!

Menu for March 21 - March 27, 2011

2011-03-22T18:42:00.002-04:00

Sunday - Dinner at my Mum’s
Monday - Mushroom stroganoff, kale chips, tomato and cucumber salad
Tuesday - Pulled pork sammies, coleslaw and tossed salad
Wednesday - Take out
Thursday - Lentil soup, bread, quiche
Friday - Beef stew, roasted winter vegetables
Saturday - Souvlaki, pita, rice, baked veggies

Talk to you soon,

B.

"Art"

2011-03-18T10:05:00.002-04:00

Getting ready to go out in the morning, I usually lay out all of Clare's clothes so that she can get herself dressed. One day last week, Clare says "I want to make a 'Me'". This is her 'sculpture'.

The Face

2011-03-18T09:54:00.002-04:00

I'm just as likely to see this face on Julia as I am to see the smiles and giggles. Clare was the same way. I have to say, though, I think Clare gave me this look more. So, what, I just birth 'em this way? It's in the blood? In the genes? I swear, my kids just come out of the womb with this look. Can't WAIT 'til they're teenagers.

Julia's Eyes

2011-03-18T09:40:00.000-04:00

Julia's eyes, I think they might have stopped changing colour. If this is the colour that they're going to be .. wow.

If Julia were a Star Wars Character

2011-03-15T10:03:00.001-04:00

If Julia were a Star Wars character, she'd be Darth Vader. She sounds just like him today. The poor kid has caught every cold that her big sister brings home from daycare. My pleas of "Don't kiss the baby!" and "Please stop touching and hugging Julia!" fell on deaf ears. Julia's had 3 really bad colds in her 3 month existence already. This one has her really congested and her lungs are all raspy - hence the sounding like Vader. I'm posting lots of pictures of her today to remind myself of what she looks like when she's not miserable, drooling, and crying.

(At her development check-ups I get asked when she first started reaching out for objects. I can never remember. Sometime before this picture was taken, clearly!)

Eating it up

2011-03-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

We play this game where I pretend to eat her face and then she pretends to eat my face. She thinks it's hilarious.

Julia Smiles

2011-03-15T09:53:00.002-04:00

Julia's been smiling for a little while now but I had trouble getting it on camera. This is what happens when I peek around the camera to make silly faces at her to try to get her to smile and then snap the picture as soon as she does...

Menu for March 14, 2011 - March 20, 2011

2011-03-15T09:43:00.001-04:00

Monday - Roasted chicken, buttermilk herb coleslaw, tossed salad
Tuesday - Lentil soup and monte cristo sandwiches
Wednesday - Tamale pie, sauteed kale
Thursday - Irish stew and roasted winter vegetables
Friday - Eating Out
Saturday - Eating Out
Sunday - Mushroom stroganoff with spinach salad

Menu for March 7, 2011 - March 13, 2011

2011-03-12T15:24:00.003-05:00

I normally prepare the weekly menu on Monday morning and post it two seconds after I've completed it, but I actually prepared last week's menu on the previous Saturday and then never got around to posting it. Here we are --

Monday - Penne with spinach, olives and pesto sauce
Tuesday - Pancakes, bacon, and fruit salad (Shrove Tuesday!!)
Wednesday - Chicken pot pie from The Best Recipe
Thursday - Pork schnitzel, mashed potatoes, zucchini
Friday - Burgers, fries and salad
Saturday - Leftovers night
Sunday - Chili-lime ground pork and bulgur, tomato salad

Talk to you soon,

B.

Menu for February 28, 2011 - March 6, 2011

2011-03-01T20:53:00.002-05:00

I didn't post a menu for last week because, actually, the kids and I were away almost the entire week. Rob happens to think it's a bad idea to tell the blogosphere that you're on vacation. So.. there ya go. This past Sunday was Julia's baptism and we made some food but - as I mentioned in an earlier post - people brought food, mostly. Lots and lots of food. There were a lot of leftovers. A lot. We've been eating them for lunch too.

Monday -- leftovers
Tuesday -- leftovers
Wednesday -- Pulled pork sandwiches, roasted sweet potatoes, and corn
Thursday -- Chicken noodle soup, bread
Friday -- Take-out
Saturday -- Pan fried dumplings, fried vegetables,
Sunday -- Roast beef, roasted potatoes, creamed spinach

On Joe Pastry this week, Joe's been making a Paris-Brest. Now I totally want one, or something similar. I think there is some pastry cream and choux paste in the works for this week too.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Julia's Baptism

2011-02-28T10:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was Julia's baptism. She was lovely. Even her big sister thought she looked really pretty and told her so. Like Clare, Julia was baptized during Mass at the church in our neighbourhood. We had a small luncheon afterward back at our place.

In so many ways, the day was really wonderful. It snowed overnight a really light and fluffy snow and then warmed up during the day, so the trees and houses were covered in a thick dusting of white but it wasn't cold. It was my favorite kind of winter weather - the kind you don't usually see in Toronto in February. Julia was alert through most of the ceremony and the Mass. During the first part of the rite the Priest had to rub a small amount of oil on Julia's chest. He got a little close to her neck and she totally giggled. While still a fairly serious looking kiddo, she's always happy.. and giggling at the Priest seemed to be exactly what I'd expect from her.

All of the kids in attendance were excellent at the church. All of them demonstrating patience and good manners - Clare included. And they all played together really well at the lunch too.

The thing that mostly had me feeling all warm and fuzzy was the community we had with us. A baptism is really a community event. It's kind of like Julia's one-month party. It's nice to look around and see the friends and family who are in her life, these people who will help us shape the kind of girl she's going to be. And even better - the people who come to our house and are comfortable there - bringing food, or making tea, or relaxing and making themselves entirely at home.

We asked our friend Marylynne to be Julia's Godmother and my brother Christian to be her Godfather. I'm certain that they'll be excellent role models for her as she grows up. ML to remind her to be good to her Mum and Dad and Christian to remind her to travel, live life, and be herself. A good balance, no?

Here we all are - parents, godparents, and the babe

The babe of the hour!

Talk to you soon,

B.

Triple Threat

2011-02-28T09:56:00.001-05:00

Singer

Actor

Dancer

Overheard

2011-02-27T22:39:00.002-05:00

Overheard on quite a few occasions, but most memorably today, at lunch after Julia's baptism, with about 20 guests present:

Us: It's just about time for lunch, can we say grace and then we'll eat?
(Everyone gathers. Silence.)
Clare: Daddy, say thank you for Bunny. Please, Daddy. Please say thank you for Bunny.
(Rob starts to say grace)
Clare: Don't forget Bunny, Daddy!

I don't think any of us kept a straight face. Most often at dinner these days, she asks us to say thank you to many of her treasures but Mr. Bun is never missed.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Menu for February 14, 2011 - February 20, 2011

2011-02-14T11:56:00.002-05:00

This weeks dinner is a little light. We're getting take-out for Valentine's Day and then my Mum will be cooking for us on the weekend, if our plans hold-up. On Sunday, I have an early rehearsal, which means that I'll end up grabbing something on my way there and Rob and the kiddos will have to fend for themselves. That'll mean "instant-dinner" for them. We keep a few items on hand for these sort of days. It's often stuff we've made ahead and frozen. Sometimes it's take-out. Sometimes its just leftovers from during the week. Sometimes it's a ham and cheese grilled sandwich. Kind of a scavenger sort of night that often involves cleaning out the refrigerator and/or freezer.

Monday - Pho and Bun from the local Vietnamese restaurant
Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner: Waffles, sausages, fruit salad
Wednesday - Roasted pork tenderloin, polenta, minted green peas
Thursday - Enchiladas, rice and beans
Friday - Calzones and salad
Saturday - My Mum is cooking
Sunday - "Instant dinner"

Talk to you soon,

B.

Menu for February 7, 2011 - February 13, 2011

2011-02-07T12:46:00.001-05:00

Monday - Breakfast for dinner: bacon, eggs, toast
Tuesday - Mediterranean chicken, bulgur, snap peas
Wednesday - Roasted, stuffed acorn squash, spinach salad with goat cheese, mushrooms and onions
Thursday - Lentil soup, fresh bread/gruyere toasts
Friday - Steamed fish, rice, chinese veggies
Saturday - Steak, yam frites, brussles sprouts
Sunday - Kevin’s Scarborough Fair chicken with rotini

Talk to you soon,

B.

Overheard

2011-02-07T12:42:00.002-05:00

This one is for Goo Ma, Evey, and any other Top 40 fans out there --

C: I'm gonna dance dance dance dance. On the floor. With my pants pants pants pants. 'Cause it goes on and on and on. Yeah. I throw my hands up in the air sometime, sayin' Ayo, lets go, I'm gonna start a break and live my life, sayin' Ayo, baby lets go. Gonna rock it out, gonna dance tonight, gonna light it up, like its dymomite. I went out once, and again twice, gonna light it up, like it's dymomite. Sayin' Ayo, baby let's go

- lyrics to Taio Cruz's Dynamite as interpreted by a 3 year old. Oh My!

Talk to you soon,

B.

Overheard

2011-02-03T10:08:00.002-05:00

C: Mummy, can I have a Mikado?
Me: A Mikado???
C: No! a Bucatto.
Me: A Bucatto???
C: No!
Me: Can you describe to me what you're asking for? I'm not sure what you mean.
C: It's round like a circle (draws the shape with her finger in the air), it's green and black, and you cut it like this (shows again with her hands) and mash it up to make green dip.
Me: Oh!! An avacado, a-va-cado.
C: Yeah, that's what I say. A vacado. Can I have some vacado?

For the record, there was absolutely no visual reference for this conversation that might have given me a clue. The context was Rob and I putting together our grocery shopping list while Clare and I were eating lunch. I thought she was asking for something immediate but it turns out this was her request for what she wanted Rob to pick up at the store for her.

Talk to you soon,

B

Eyes

2011-02-02T14:48:00.000-05:00

Julia's eyes have started to change colour. When she was born they were such a deep dark blue. I'm starting to see flecks of brown in them now. And this happens to be one of the only shots I took that day that didn't also include snot running from her nose. She's had a cold.

Julia - 2 Months Old

2011-02-02T14:44:00.000-05:00

My Sleeping Girl

2011-02-02T14:40:00.000-05:00

I love to see my girls so peaceful. I realize that I'm not the only Mum who feels that way. I also know that you aren't supposed to let your baby sleep on her tummy. She was supervised!

Menu for January 31 - February 6, 2011

2011-02-02T13:28:00.002-05:00

Plans got a little foiled last week. Or should I say, that our plans are flexible enough that we just kind of went with the flow near the end of the week. So, two of the meals planned for the end of last week got bumped to this week, while we finished up leftovers and goofed off over the weekend.

Monday -- Stromboli (sausage, kale, parmesan, provolone, red pepper, onion) and salad with apples and pecans
Tuesday -- Meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, zucchini
Wednesday -- Eating out for Chinese New Year
Thursday -- Butternut squash soup with quinoa salad
Friday -- Spinach ravioli and red wine marinara sauce, snap peas, cauliflower
Saturday -- Mediterranean chicken en papillote, bulgur, kale chips
Sunday -- Superbowl party!! We'll be bringing jalepeno and cheddar corn bread

Talk to you soon,

B

Sewing Project for the New Year

2011-02-02T13:14:00.001-05:00

I hadn't really said anything about it too much because I was afraid I'd fail - but I did make one New Year's Resolution this year. I think I've posted before about how at this stage in my life, I just don't feel the urge to make a bucket list or a life list or even resolutions for the new year. I'm just more interested in living as well as I can each day as it comes. More or less.

Well, I heard about this idea that someone else had for their New Year's Resolution and I adopted it. I modified it a bit to suit my style - but here it is. I resolve to do something nice for at least 12 people (one per month) as a way to stop and say thank you. I'm not sure that anyone says 'thanks' or 'I really appreciate you' enough. Each thing will be fairly simple, I think. Some cookies, maybe a handwritten note.

Well, this sewing project was the first of my 'Thank you's'. My friend Liz is going on a trip to China in February and really wanted a nursing cover but didn't want to spend a lot of money on one. So, I visited the nearby fabric and notions shop, picked up the supplies, and made this nursing cover for her. I used the tutorial from Blisstree. I'm really happy how it turned out. It's even got an inside pocket for stashing a little cloth or nursing pads or something.

In addition to this project, Clare and I baked some Magic bars and some Saltine Toffee for a kind neighbour who found my cell phone after it fell out of my diaper bag, found 'home' in my address book, and called me to tell me that she'd rescued it from the snow.

Rob says that when it's his turn, he wants cookies. Such presumption!

Talk to you soon,

Drowning in Clothes

2011-01-31T11:08:00.002-05:00

Is it just because we now have three girls living in our house? I feel like I'm absolutely drowning in clothes. We're at a critical stage right now with each of us girls managing about 2 entire wardrobes. Julia has outgrown the smallest size of clothes, so we've brought the bigger size into rotation but I haven't properly washed and boxed up the smaller stuff. Clare's in the same situation – outgrowing the size 2 clothes, so size 3 is in rotation but I haven't yet boxed up her size 2 clothes as I sort through what's still wearable and what isn't.

Well, then there's me. I'm wearing some of my pre-pregnancy clothes but not all of them. I've got stuff everywhere. Maternity clothes and elastic waisted pants mixed in with some of my more 'generous' other clothes. And it's not just the pants. There are two whole sets of undergarments – some that fit now, some that used to fit that I hope will fit again someday. Two whole sets of shirts, again, the ones I can wear now (there aren't many that fit AND are long enough to hide the elastic-waist pants!) and the ones that I'd like to be able to wear soon. Not to mention an entire class of clothes that I don't want to get rid of but I'm not wearing now: dresses. Can't breastfeed easily when you're wearing a dress. There are piles of clothes all over the place that I'm trying to sort through every day. There just isn't room in the closets for all of this!

And don't even get me started on trying to find a matching pair of baby socks in all this mess.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Menu for January 24 - January 31, 2011

2011-01-24T11:06:00.002-05:00

Good Morning! The menu this week is flexible. Rob's parents are here and I didn't consult with them first, so I think there might be some changes depending on what they feel like eating. We'll see.

Monday: Egg foo young (vegetarian version), snow pea leaves with scallops, rice, "goh" of various types
Tuesday: Roasted pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, squash
Wednesday: Eggplant and veggie green curry, rice
Thursday: Split pea soup, fresh bread, carrot and cucumber sticks
Friday: Take-out night/Date night (Rob's parents are staying with the kids so that Rob and I can have date night.)
Saturday: Meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, crispy roasted kale
Sunday: Stromboli, quinoa salad

Talk to you soon,

B

Overheard

2011-01-24T10:30:00.003-05:00

Overheard at breakfast:

Clare: Look, Mummy, there's a 'C' and an 'A'.. just like in Clare
Me: Yep, you're right. A 'C' and an 'A'. In fact, C-A-S-H-E-W-S. That spells Cashews.
Clare: No Mummy! It says N-O-I-X D-E C-A-J-O-U. That spells Peanuts.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Another Hat

2011-01-23T20:15:00.001-05:00

I made this hat for Clare back in the Fall. I took her to the local yarn store and gently guided her toward a few nice skeins of yarn. Of the few skeins I showed her, she picked this one. I really like this yarn. Of course, for Clare, it's purple.

(Yarn is Mirasol Akapana, 1302 - Royal Purple. Can't find the pattern right now. It was free online)

Look What I Made, Part II

2011-01-23T19:53:00.001-05:00

.. the girl and the hat. The hat is a bit too small for Clare but a bit too big for Julia. Clare doesn't like it though.

Look What I made

2011-01-23T19:52:00.002-05:00

.. the baby and the hat. Not the best angle to see the little ears on the hat but a nice shot of JuJube nonetheless.

(Debbie Bliss, Baby Cashmerino 015. Free pattern from The Purple Purl: "Heirloom Baby Bonnet - with Ears" by Kate Atherley)

A Girl Bakes a Cake for Her Mum

2011-01-23T19:47:00.004-05:00

This is one of my favorite things!

Menu for January 17 - January 23, 2011

2011-01-16T22:28:00.004-05:00

This week is full of family favorites. We've got guests visiting who have requested some of their favorite things that we make as well as two birthday girls who get to choose their birthday dinners.

Monday - Chicken fingers, french fries, peas
Tuesday - Homemade pizza/Make-your-own pizza and salad
Wednesday - Slow cooked pork ribs, polenta, asparagus (or what catches our eye at the market)
Thursday - Butternut squash soup and fresh bread
Friday - Baked fish (whatever's on sale), rice, Asian greens
Saturday - Eating out (J's one-month party)
Sunday - Macaroni and cheese (my Nana's recipe) and birthday cake

Talk to you soon,

B.

Happy Birthday Clare

2011-01-15T22:52:00.000-05:00

Birthday Cake

2011-01-15T22:44:00.001-05:00

The cake didn't turn out quite as dramatic or as fanciful as I had envisioned. If I hadn't felt so rushed, I know that I could have done a better job. But, my little girl said "ooh Mummy, I love it! I love it!" I count it among my successes. Even better was that she spent about and hour with me in the kitchen this morning making the icing and assembling the first few layers. We had fun and I loved having her company.

Clare's favorite colour right now is purple. Should have made more of the purple butterflies. Regardless, she ate every single one of those bugs. She's the birthday girl, so she's allowed, right?

The inside of the cake. It was a tall cake.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Menu for January 10 - January 16, 2011

2011-01-12T11:56:00.002-05:00

Monday - Grilled ham and provolone sandwiches, chips, veggie sticks and hummus
Tuesday - Chicken cooked in red wine, roasted butternut squash with walnuts, steamed broccoli
Wednesday - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, braised zucchini
Thursday - Chinese noodle and dumpling soup
Friday - BBQ pork, BBQ duck, rice, gai lan
Saturday -
-- Lunch: lentil soup, egg salad sammies, green salad, salt-cure salmon, cream cheese and crackers, birthday cake
-- Dinner: take-out night (my night out)
Sunday - Chili and cornbread

Talk to you soon,

B.

Menu for January 3 - January 9, 2011

2011-01-12T10:53:00.003-05:00

Rob has requested that I keep posting our weekly menu plans on the blog so that I have a record of them that we can refer to when we need ideas or more importantly, to remember what some of our favorites are.

Here's the menu for last week:

Monday - Roast pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, gingered carrots
Tuesday - Poached salmon, rice, broccoli
Wednesday - Lamb pita sandwiches with couscous and sauteed celery
Thursday - Frozen lasagna (made a double batch last month and put one in the freezer)
Friday - Leftovers night
Saturday - Take-out night
Sunday - Fettucini with shrimp and spinach in a garlic, lemon, and oil sauce

Talk to you soon,

B.

5 A.M.

2011-01-12T06:12:00.002-05:00

5 A.M. is not an appropriate time to start the day. Especially not if you've been 'sleeping' most of the night while sitting up. Apparently, being held like this is the only way your Julia could get comfortable.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Overheard this morning

2011-01-04T14:12:00.003-05:00

Me: Clare, you can't take all of those SillyBandz you just shoved into your pocket to daycare. Bracelets aren't allowed at daycare. Can you put them back in your jewelery case?
Clare: Oh, ok. I didn't know that. (starts putting them away, then dumps them on the floor, then starts colouring)

(5 minutes later)

Me: Clare, it's time to go to daycare. Julia and I are ready to go and your Diego episode is over.
Clare: But, Mum, I'm working here. (continues to colour in her book)
Me: No, no. It's not time to do colouring, it's time to go to daycare. Let's go, come on.
Clare: Okaaayy (she stands up and starts to get ready to leave). Mum, please don't give me a hard time. When I'm working, I need to do my work. I need to do my work and I was working, just now. Please don't give me a hard time about going to daycare, Mum. No hard time.
Me: Umm.. ok, Clare. Sure thing.

Ok.. seriously?? She's not even 3! What's it going to be like at 13?! Oh, man. Can't say that it's all her fault though. I'm pretty sure she's heard me say very similar words before. I really need to start watching myself.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Christmas 2010 - The Julia Edition

2010-12-30T18:26:00.002-05:00

Julia in her new Christmas party dress

Julia in an outfit from Celine

Christmas Morning 2010

2010-12-30T18:19:00.002-05:00

Clare came downstairs to presents and the living room full of people pointing cameras at her. Then, she went back upstairs. She did, in fact, come back down again and open up all her gifts.

New mp3 player (the kids music player called Sweetpea3) competing with a musical train from the land of Sodor. And new Christmas pajamas.

From Santa - a Thomas and Friends board game.

From Santa and with help from Mumma - 'polishes'

Ice cream is yucky

2010-12-30T18:09:00.002-05:00

"Mum, can I have a tomato? Tomatoes are yummy."

"I just want it plain. Don't cut it, just washed, please"

"No thank you, ice cream is yucky"

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

2010-12-13T09:39:00.002-05:00

So, last night we watched "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" on CBC. It was Clare's first time seeing it. I thought that she'd love it - since she loves the song so much. I think we were only about 15 minutes into the movie when she starting tearing up a little. Right around "All of the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Rudolf, play in any reindeer games". Rudolf was sad and we were talking about how he was sad because the other kids were making fun of him for having a different looking nose and how it's not nice. And that was it. She started getting upset. Clare didn't want Rudolf to be sad. "He wants his Mummy and Daddy! Where are they, Mum? Where are his Mummy and Daddy?! He's sad and he needs his family!" Of course, it's right at this point that Rudolf wanders off and gets lost. We had to really sell the "Misfit Elf" as Rudolf's friend to make her feel better and promise that by the end of the story, he'd find his family again.

Then this morning, I was watching the Season Finale of Season 1 of Glee (I'm totally behind). And even though I KNOW that there's a Season 2 and even though the little twist at the end should have been obvious for, like, weeks of episodes - sigh - I was totally weeping.

So, I guess I can't give Clare too hard a time about crying over Rudolf. Or for finding the Abominable Snowman scary. I mean, I can't watch Dexter right before bed or else I have nightmares. Incidentally, it's not until I actually watched this movie with my extremely impressionable daughter that I noticed how mean Yukon Cornelius, Rudolf, and Hermey are to Abominable. That one was tough to explain.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Gingerbread House

2010-12-09T21:06:00.001-05:00

Look what we made! Gingerbread house making is one of my favorite holiday traditions and one of the few traditions I don't have to give up this year as I learn to juggle the post-surgery recovery, the toddler, and the baby (even with the loads of help I've been getting, it's still taking some time to figure it all out).

Clare and I had loads of fun, and I didn't have to stay up late baking to make it happen. I paid Zellers $10 and the house looks awesome and I might just do it again next year.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Julia Louise Ho

2010-12-07T20:48:00.003-05:00

Julia was born on Sunday, November 28th at 8:03 pm. She was 6lbs 14oz and despite the concerns in the 2nd trimester, her head is perfectly proportioned to her body. She's a lovely and charming girl.

She came to us just a little bit unexpectedly. I was guessing that she'd arrive a little early but not two weeks early! As well as surprising us with her timing, she surprised us with the way in which she chose to enter into the world. Labour with her was an entirely different experience than with Clare. The labour story follows from here, so if you'd rather not hear it -- stop reading now!

Labour started very early on Sunday morning but contractions were very irregular and very far apart. It stayed that way most of the morning. Around noon, I took a nap, since I was ridiculously tired and from then to around 4, the contractions almost completely stopped. At that point, I figured that I'd better get up and moving around to try to get things going. I walked around the house a bit and it seemed to do the trick. Contractions were regular - 2 to 3 minutes apart - and a little bit stronger though I could still talk through most of them. By 5, we could see that Clare was getting sort of curious about what I was doing and what was happening so we called Karen and asked her to come over to keep an eye on her. I stayed upstairs, so that I was mostly out of sight. Our midwives arrived a little after 6. Esther took one look at me and suggested that we go to the hospital, but I requested that they check me. I really didn't want to get to the hospital and find out that I wasn't even dilated. The contractions had been so mild, that I wasn't convinced I'd made much progress. Boy, was I wrong! I was around 7 cm! It was also at this check that Esther noticed that things weren't quite right. It seemed as though Julia was not engaged and was possibly breech. We needed an ultrasound and maybe an obstetrician. We left for the hospital.

As soon as we got to the birthing room, I sensed that something was up, because everyone was moving very very quickly. The OB came in, did the ultrasound, and sure enough - she was in the breech position. Worse was that they couldn't really tell, or at least it seemed as though, she wasn't quite bum down either. Without any more information, the safest thing to do was to deliver by c-section. That was the OBs decision and it was supported by our midwives. I was a bit confused at first but as soon as I understood that Julia's safety was at risk, it really made the choice quite simple.

I got whisked off to the OR and was given a spinal block and was prepped for surgery. One of our midwives was able to stay with me and one stayed with Rob. He wasn't allowed in until after the prep. That seemed to take forever. The support I got from Esther was again, absolutely fabulous. It was amazing to have her there the whole time, talking to me, talking me through all the steps.

After the OB had made the incision and could see what was going on in there, it was clear that a cesarean was the only way Julia was going to come out. She had her legs and feet tangled in the umbilical cord, she was feet first, and something (we're still not quite clear on what the OB said it was) was in the way of her head turning and coming out. The poor girl really had no way out. I hope this isn't some kind of omen about her future sense of direction!

After the delivery, Rob got to hold her right away but I had to wait until I was all closed up. From there, we moved into recovery and then, eventually, into a room. The first night at the hospital was nearly sleepless. The second night we got a private room and a bit more rest. And on Tuesday around lunchtime we were sent home.

Since then, I've been recovering well. The first few days seemed really hard and I was quite frustrated with my progress but now, I feel pretty good. I suspect I'll be feeling almost normal in another week.

And that, my friends, is our story!

Talk to you soon,

B.

More photos

2010-12-07T20:44:00.001-05:00

Dave and Sarah

2010-11-02T19:00:00.002-04:00

Here is one of the reasons that I was so bad at posting in September. I was busily preparing test cakes etc.. for this October wedding. This is Dave and Sarah's wedding cake. Underneath all the ivory buttercream frosting is two tiers of spice cake with maple buttercream and one tier of chocolate cake with hazelnut buttercream. Yumm!

Flowers were provided by Cool, Green, and Shady.

Talk to you soon,

B.

Halloween

2010-11-02T18:54:00.001-04:00

I know, I know.. it's been months and all you're getting is a few pics. Well, that's all I've got to offer tonight. Well, that and just a quick note to say that things are good here. I'm getting bigger every day. The itching has stopped. And last weekend I had a very cute Winnie the Pooh living in my house. Clare had more fun trick-or-treating than I ever guessed she would. I think for her it was especially fun that Adam and Naomi joined her in the door to door party!

Talk to you soon,

B