Keep on Growing

Somehow this space has eluded me over the last year. Life seems to have gotten in the way of life. Is that possible? Can you relate?

I am inspired today to return to some of the simpler things in life that make me happy. Sewing is one of them. Blogging, another, although it is surprisingly not that simple, what with photo loading that takes forever (my new computer may eliminate this problem. Fingers crossed.) and having to remember my password (it took me a good ten minutes and countless combinations of my typical password to get on here). But, alas, these are very small problems. I am learning this. And, so here I am, returning to my blog with the hopes of documenting life as it happens around here, and sharing it with you as we go along.

As I said, a whole year has passed since I was here last. Lots has happened in that time, as you can well imagine with changing seasons, growing kids, as well as the growing pains that come with life. The last year has offered me lots of opportunities for growth. You would think I could touch the sky with all the growth offered up to me over the last 12 months. Well, no, not that tall yet, but definitely carved out inside, made hollow, and filled up inside with more love and less fear.

In the time since I was here last, my kids have grown so much in so many ways. We use the door frame in the kitchen to measure the kids' height. One kid's on one side of the frame, the other on the other side. I just measured them yesterday, and man oh man, have they ever grown. It really is amazing. It also explains why they are always hungry, and grumpy without regular sleep. Aside from the lengthening legs, there has also been a boat load of emotional and developmental growth. My kids are very inquisitive, very intuitive, empathetic, emotional and sensitive. It makes for lots of conversations, lots of sharing of feelings, lots of opportunities for snuggles and endless problem solving.

My daughter's EQ (emotional quotient) far surpasses mine. She is five. This is what happens, right? Our kids learn life lessons around the same time that we do. I am learning to love and not fear at 34, my daughter is learning it at 5. I count her lucky.

My son, who is fast approaching three, is changing with every second of the day. It is hard to keep up sometimes, physically, mentally and emotionally.

He has been flirting with using the potty for way too long. I know it will happen. It usually does. In addition to thinking about using the potty, he has just decided in the last three days that he would like to sleep in a big bed. Very cool. Yes?! And also enough for my tender heart to ache a little bit. How is it possible that we are here already? It feels like yesterday that I met this sweet boy and now babyhood is quickly coming to an end. Upward and onward, I suppose. I am happy for his growth, his curiosity, his bravery in trying the new, but I was also a tiny bit happy last night when he decided that he might like the comforts of his crib over the big bed. He has decided to use the big bed for naps and the crib for sleeps at night. Sounds very reasonable. Sounds like the perfect transition for both of us! Now, as for potty training, I would be very happy if the thinking became doing, and if there was a very short and seamless transition from one to the other!

I am finding in the busyness of life that I have to set goals. I have to make the simple, inspiring parts of life a priority rather than an afterthought. I have started keeping a gratitude journal and write in it nightly, even when I am exhausted. It is part of my day. Keeping this journal helps me to see and experience and be grateful for all of the wonders of life. Being here in this blogging space, documenting my days as they add up to a life, helps me to focus on the simple, love-filled, beautiful things in life. It is my goal to be here more. I am looking forward to it.


Hooking up with SouleMama for This Moment today.

This is the Day....Sweetness

My little boy is 23 pounds of pure sweetness. 

He truly is delightful. 

He is funny.

He is cuddly.

He is trusting.

He is determined.

He is forgiving.

He is strong.

He is thoughtful.

He is game for almost anything and everything.

He is (almost) wordless, but so expressive.

He skied today for the first time.

It was awesome.

Hooking up with SouleMama for This Moment.

This is the Day....Grandpa, Won't You Be My Valentine?

It was my hope to post this last week, but the week got busy and away from me, and before I knew it Valentine's Day was a week behind us. This moment is much too special not to document it, even if it is week late.

Adelaide was asked by her teachers to invite ONE special person to come with her to school on Valentine's Day. At first impulse, she invited me and her baby brother to join her. But, with some more thought, she declared that she had changed her mind, that we were no longer her choice, that instead she would like to invite her Grandpa. Any disappointment I may have felt was quickly, instantly, replaced by a feeling of gratitude, for my dad, for Adelaide's emotional certainty. Adelaide's grandpa, my dad, is very special. He is very deserving of the invitation. And, according to Adelaide, he gives the best back rubs.

Adelaide picked out a special outfit days in advance and was thrilled to finally get to wear it. My dad wore red, especially for the occasion. He brought Adelaide a wrist corsage. She was thrilled. He was thrilled.

This is them just before they headed off for a morning of fun, together.

Gender Schmender

There is no doubt about it, this little boy loves his baby.

 

 

This is the Day....

It's a busy place around here. Hence my hiatus from this space for the last two months. With a four year old and 18 month old, our house is none stop GO. We are having lots of fun (more on this in a future post) despite, or maybe because of, the hecticness, and are enjoying the moments as they fly by. Our house is clean for a nano second, the piles of paper (mostly bills and crafts) are growing like weeds, the dishwasher is running more than it is not and I do about eight loads of laundry a week (between ski gear, three outfit changes a day for a little boy who loves to play in the sink, and cloth diapers). Today was our most chill day of the week. My sweet girl was at school, convinced by pizza day that it was a good idea! So, me and my little man had the house to ourselves. We played with cars, made music, ate clay and coloured. In the midst of it all, I threw in laundry, cleaned the kitchen and started the dishwasher (sound familiar?!). After a quick run to the basement to change over the laundry, I returned to the top of the stairs to the sight of this. I laughed with all my heart, I may have even snorted! Can you blame me?

***If this post makes no sense, has major spelling or grammatical errors or is just plain crazy, I blame it on the fact that it was written while two kids climbed on me and fought over who got to sit on my lap!

Hooking up with SouleMama for This Moment.

This is the Day.....Chest Deep in Bubbles

There is no better way to close off the weekend, and a long week of nasty colds, weakened bodies and fragile minds, than a giant warm bath of bubbles. My kids played, explored and laughed with all their hearts tonight. All of the last week just washed away. Thank goodness for that.

Hooking up with SouleMama for This Moment.

Non-Stop Talking, umm, Learning

Having our four year old home sick for the last two days means that our house has been full of non-stop talking for the last 48 hours. I have learned a lot!

Our conversations have gone like this....

1. This afternoon during some down time:
"Bub, I was thinking of putting some music on, but your singing is so nice, I don't want you to stop. Would you like to keep singing or have some music?"
"Music is good. I will keep on singing and they will sing back."

2. When daddy got home for lunch today:
"My bike has a flat tire."
"Why dad?"
"I guess I am having a day of bad luck."
"You're lucky dad, you're home with us."

3. At random, several times today:
"I have hockey sticks coming out of my ears and feet."

4. Yesterday morning, after having her first dream she could recount:
"There was a fire in my room. It was so loud. Were you out grocery shopping, mom? Didn't you hear the fire?"

5. In response to her little brother's increasingly mischevious ways:
"I think he needs a time out."

6. Today at lunch:
"The only thing I don't like is peas....I don't like cucumber."

7. During another random exchange:
"That's incredible! Incredible is a bad word. Do you think that?"

8. A sweet little snippet shared between dad and daughter today:
"Dad, I wish you were a girl so you could be mom."

9. Again, totally at random, but said with such sweetness I can't take it personally:
"I really love dad now. Remember when I didn't like his hair? I love him now. I love him the most. I love him more than you."

10. While singing this afternoon:
"O! Canada, we stand on R30 (a homeopathic cream we use). Mom, how can you stand on R30?"

Despite having a tired, sick, quick to cry kid by my side for the last 48 hours, I have had so much fun having my sweet girl home with me, always teaching me.

Hooking up with The Good Life for Monday Listicles and what you learned in 2012. I have learned enough in the last 48 hours to make at least a list of 10, a whole year could sink a ship!