random thoughts and bits

There's a lot going on right now and I don't feel that I have the wherewithal to put it together in a decent blog entry, so here are some random thoughts and bits about what's going on now.  It'll be interesting for Ruby and Leo to look back on this some day and see what they were doing.... (and what they were doing to me!)

Ruby basically can't be trusted in a room alone with her brother.  She says she loves him and is sweet at times but she also seems to enjoy hitting, pushing, slugging and knocking him down whenever she can.  

Leo has a cold right now and wants me in his room with him every 45 minutes.  He's ok during the day but as soon as the night falls he gets more needy.  I suppose it isn't a far cry from every other night.  So, whatever.  

Ruby knows exactly when her bowels and bladder are moving but refuses to use the potty.  She rather enjoys going into a corner or small space to do her business.  She tells me to "leave her alone", covers her eyes and goes.  Again... whatever.   The fighting to take her to the potty and change her soiled diapers is getting very old with me and I'm quite discontent with the entire thing. 

Leo has started to blow bubbles while I feed him.  It's gotten to the point where I actually have to remove my clothing and put on an apron for meals.  I'm not kidding.  It's ridiculous.  Please don't come to the house at 7 a.m., 12 noon or 5 p.m.  

Ruby's hair is still an issue.  She has bangs but that hasn't solved the problem.  I can't understand why she hates hair clips and elastics so much but she's lost a lot of hair by pulling them out.
She may have a buzz cut one day.   

Leo can walk alone holding only one hand for support!

Ruby can remove her sleeping bag and get out of her crib all by herself!  She loves to do it and usually scares the crap out of me after her nap by showing up completely unexpected.  

Leo has officially slept for 20 consecutive minutes without standing up in his crib!  

Ruby has been sleeping since 7:30 p.m.  

I am going downstairs now to chat with my hubby before we retire to bed... probably within the hour.  

snow pants

Can I put my snow pants away now?
Apparently not.  There's another storm on the way.

The first day of Spring 2013 was a far cry from the same day last year.

March 20, 2013

Ruby and Leo entertaining themselves
as it snowed 10 cm throughout the day.

Later on, Ruby and I played outside and built a snowman.  

March 20, 2012

A whole year younger, Ruby enjoyed her snack outside - sans snow pants.

We played in the garden too.

Isn't it fun to see how much she's grown and changed in one year?  Leo was still a bump in my belly back then.  I remember walking with Ruby to McDonald's for her very first ice cream cone during the week-long heat wave last Spring.  I was sweating to death in my lovely support hose, twenty five pounds heavier than I am now.  It was a fun day and I can't wait to do it again with both kids on the outside of my body.  Hopefully that day will come sooner than later.  The longer days certainly make a huge difference.  I love waking up to the sun and having time to take the kids outside after supper.  Summer is definitely on the way..... before we know it the socks will come off for good and the snow pants will be long gone, packed away for another year.

P.S.  One baby is a piece of cake.  Two babies... not so much.  Kudos to all those moms out there who maintained their sanity while raising two (or more) kids at the same time.  It's not easy.  A special shout out to my friend Aimee who did it without the daily help of her mom, sister and other support.  Happy Birthday Aimee!  You're the greatest!  

9 hours

I did it.  I went away from home for an entire 9 hours.  When I returned everyone was alive, thriving and dressed for bed.  I consumed two delicious lattes and enjoyed some rather peaceful, adult conversation with my husband.  

Photo opp at Gateway Village, en route to Charlottetown. 

Ryan and I went to Charlottetown for the day to see his brother Trevor.  It was a quick visit but I didn't want to push it for the first time away from Leo.  I amazed myself by actually being relaxed and not obsessing about how everyone was doing.  I don't think we sent one email home all day.  I was just happy to get away.  It felt great!  AND... we're planning more trips!  An overnight trip to Halifax.... or maybe a weekend.  I really want to go away with Ryan on his next business trip so maybe Las Vegas or  Austria.  The sky's the limit really.  Babysitters please feel free to offer your services any time.  

Brackley Beach.  Frigid.  

Very Happy Laurie.

I really do need to relax and get away more often.  It's good for the soul.  Thanks to everyone who made it happen!  

standing room only, please

I mentioned the other day that Leo just learned to crawl.  Well, he's also pretty intent on standing up.  He pulls himself up on everything in sight and really likes standing on the stairs!

He made his way here this morning....

Here's evidence of my not-so-awesome parenting last week when Ryan was away.  Notice how both kids can't take their eyes of off the television.  Yes, I let Ruby eat breakfast watching the Wiggles.  She was quiet for 25 minutes.  It was pretty awesome!

secret powers

After two full weeks of night wakings, zero naps and bedtime battles I gave Ruby her soothers on Sunday night.  

She slept all night.  The next day she had a two hour nap.  Today she did the same.  

All this time that's what was causing her sleep disturbances.  She never asked for them, but she was very seriously missing them.  They have secret powers and I'm more than happy to let her sleep with soothers for another several months.  We'll fight that battle another time. 

I'm cool and I sleep with soothers.  Wanna fight?  

I can see the difference already.  She'll never get the 60 or so hours of sleep she lost during that two weeks back, but she's our cool little dude again.  

Mommy loves you Ruby.  Sorry for the upset.

the groundhog blues

Ryan's away again.  He was in Austria for 2 weeks earlier this month and now he's in Las Vegas.   For the shortest month of the year, February 2013 has probably been the longest and most challenging month of my entire life.

We're still chasing sleep around here and it's not just Leo with the problems.  For the past two weeks Ruby has decided she won't nap - ever.  I was hoping it would just be a phase but I've accepted it (.... not really).  I still offer the nap every day but every day she abruptly turns me down.  Because I'm awake with Leo every two hours throughout the night, I don't have the energy to push the subject so the negotiation is pretty simple.   Ruby wins.  She's winning at everything lately and frankly it has me worried.

This no-nap phenomenon started simultaneously with 1) her getting the croup, and 2) us taking away her soothers.  I can't be certain if any of it is related, I just know that Ruby is overtired and it's getting pretty ugly.  She's losing a cumulative 3 to 4 hours of sleep per day, (2+ hours in naps plus she's waking up early!)  We used to count on Ruby to sleep in until 8 o'clock.... but all of a sudden her norm is becoming 6.  Is she trying to kill me?   I think so.  She's cranky and overtired and the more overtired she becomes the earlier she wakes up (and the crankier she is).  She's even waking up in the middle of the night, which is something she never did before.  

Onto Leo.... 

He's become very active lately and is officially crawling.  I'm hoping that this increase in activity is what's causing his abnormal waking patterns at night.  That's what "they" say on the internet anyway.  Fingers crossed that one day out of the clear blue sky he'll sleep all night or at least give me a 5-6 hour stretch, OR at the very least get on a predictable schedule.

I know that some day in the not so distant future, I'll look back on these days and smile.  But for now, all I want is for Leo to sleep longer, for Ruby to stop whining and take her damn nap, and for Spring to hurry the F$%& up and get here!  What did that silly Groundhog say anyway??  I was too busy changing poopy diapers and negotiating M&M's for pees on the potty to hear.

We're still in love.  No matter what.

Hopefully my next blog will be more cheerful and include lots of pictures of outdoor fun!
We did go sliding this week but I didn't have my camera.  It was lots of fun!