simple pleasures

Simple Pleasures…

Waking up before everyone else and enjoying a hot cup of coffee and magazine in complete silence.  Watching birds frolic at the feeder.  Getting dressed for your day not including socks in the outfit.  Entering a room to find this….

I've always had a difficult time just relaxing and not doing anything at all.  When the sun in out, I feel like I should be outside enjoying the sun… doing something productive.  Especially on a weekend.  When it's snowing, I think I should be outside enjoying the snow… shovelling or making a fort.  I think it's gotten worse since having kids because I want to make sure they're doing something too.  And, let's face it, there's never a shortage of chores on the list. 

Last weekend, the sun was out and I had my usual guilt on about everyone not being out there enjoying the much anticipated warmer weather.  "We should be riding out bikes… going on a hike in the woods… playing at a park" were the thoughts in my head.  Then I turned the corner and found both kids having a fabulous time reading a book with Ryan.  They were captivated and in complete silence.  Ruby, of course, was dressed in princess attire and Leo, our snuggle bug, was cuddled up on Ryan's back.  It was beautiful.

Truth is, the kids don't want to be on the go all the time and reading a book with their dad is doing something.  Looking back, I can remember several instances where I struggled to get the kids dressed and outside to do something or go somewhere.  When it takes 2 hours to convince a child to get ready (and practically gives me a nervous breakdown in the process), I gotta think it's not worth it.  I'll remember that next time.  It may be a challenge but I'm going to go with the flow enjoy not having to be anywhere or do anything at all.  

Hey… you can learn a lot from kids!  

Thanks Ruby and Leo.  

I love you more than a million ice creams!  

Mom  oxox

the Easter Mommy missed

I just put away the Easter paraphernalia and cleared the tulip petals from the mantle.  I completely missed Easter this year.  From Thursday after work to the crack of dawn on Tuesday, I was in bed with the Energizer Bunny of fevers!  It just wouldn't give up!

I missed my mom's Easter Dinner on Friday, which was also Auntie Robin's birthday celebration.  The kids and Ryan did go and enjoyed the games, fun and food.  I got a doggy bag which included the most delicious piece of birthday cake…. lemony coconut and whip cream… YUM!  It was divine!  Perhaps it was extra delicious because I've been avoiding carbohydrates as of late…. so that little blast of sugar was super fine.  Mmm…. just thinking about it makes me salivate.

Before heading to the Dr.'s office on Saturday, I managed to muster the energy to get some eggs decorated.  We did pretty good!

This garland was a project from a week or so ago…

I had almost given up on Easter arriving on schedule this year, so with much regret, we sent Ruby to my parent's house on Saturday night for a sleepover.  I was feeling so awful that I just couldn't imagine hiding eggs and having any fun with the kids the next day finding them.  I figured we would do the Easter Bunny thing on Monday, hoping the kids would never know the difference……

This is the breakfast that I finagled for Leo…. although he didn't much appreciate it.  I thought it was ok.  ?

Mostly out of guilt, I think, by bedtime Saturday night I decided that the Easter Bunny just couldn't be late so we got Ruby home first thing Sunday morning and they kids had their egg hunt with the rest of the nation.  I watched from the couch and took a few photos…..

For the second year in a row, we noticed a drastic change in Leo's behaviour after eating chocolate eggs (basically for breakfast).  The bad behaviour continued into the day, so… next year, the chocolate is gone.  We're going to get creative around here on Easter and start a new tradition that doesn't include chocolate.   I think we'll all be happier as a result.

So… after cleaning up the tulip petals and pollen….. I'm glad to say this Easter is over.  Let's move on to Spring now please.

all about February 2015…...

…. it Felt long.  Getting blasted by back to back winter storms seemed fun at the time but the excitement wore off after storm number three, 150 cm of snow and very cold temperatures.   I think we have almost 500 cm out there now and regretfully, it's not over yet.

….. Entertainment was on the menu as Ryan and I made it to the Capitol Theatre not once, but twice!

….. t'was a Bad flu season.  The kids both got sick and so did we!  More than once, in fact.

….. Ryan went to Graz.

….. SUccess!!  Leo wears his eye patch for amblyopia treatment on a daily basis.  The girls at daycare got it on him first attempt so he wears it all day from 9 - 4.  The minute he sees one of us at pick-up, it's off.  The Ophthalmologist says his eyes are improving already, which is wonderful news.  The hope is to get his 'lazy eye' balanced in strength with the good one.  At that time, if it is still turned in, we will consider surgery.  I still haven't managed to get a photo of him wearing his patch.  It's on my list of things to do.  He's onto his second prescription with his glasses and they are strong!  My boy can't see.  Scary as I can't relate because I've never needed glasses.  I did buy my first pair of reading glasses a while back, but they are just for reading the small print on medicine labels, etc….

….. SAdly, his transition to a Big Boy Bed hasn't been as successful.  Despite our best efforts and the creation of a new fictitious 'sleep fairy'….. he's only been in that bed for about 3 hours alone.  We're running out of ideas and patience on this one.

….. Ruby has also developed a sense of independence when it comes to clothing.  She started swopping what I had laid out the night before for skirts or dresses so now I just put out skirts or dresses to save time.   She can get dressed totally by herself and at night, puts her dirty clothes into the hamper.  Good girl.   She particularly likes her fancy clothes and recently went to daycare in her Christmas best!  I say 'why not'!  Give those dresses some miles or they'll just go to waste.

….. Yes!!  I haven't changed a diaper in about, well honestly I can't remember.  It's been at least 6 months, maybe 8.  We donated our entire stock of diapers and pull-ups to the daycare before Christmas and haven't looked back!  He's pretty independent with the task as well…. leaves the room for a minute and comes back gleefully announcing, "I pooped".  "Well who wiped your bum, Leo?"  "I did!"
OK then.

So there you have it.  I had a lot to catch up on and probably missed some major points, like this for example:   Leo has developed an early determination in regards to his clothing.  Ruby didn't protest my clothing choices until she was well into her fourth year but Leo insists on picking out his outfits every day and tries to dress himself 50% of the time.  It appears as though he strongly dislikes matching pyjamas and prefers switching things up.  Why not?  Go Leo, go!

Lastly, before I go,  Ruby has a funny streak.
While it's proving difficult to get on camera… here's a sneak peak.
I love you Ruby.  You're adorable.

Here are some more random shots from February….

Leo's first visit to the airport to see Ryan off to Graz. 

Snow. 

Valentine's Day lunch

Valentine's Day breakfast. 

And here's Leo before his bed was set up.

See you in March!
ox

winter storms

It appears as though Winter has decided to come and settle down here in these parts.
Silly me.  I thought we might just get off easy this year.  Up until 7 days ago we basically  had no snow.

Here's what we got up to on Tuesday, January 28th…. during the Blizzard of 2015.

7 a.m. Dress-up party.

Decorating the gingerbread men that survived Christmas.

There was no fight over stickers…. really.  (yes there was.)

Paint.  

Play Doh cookies.

Paint.

We really need to get Leo some dress-up clothes of his own….


For some reason this formatting isn't allowing me to go back to a regular paragraph so after about 15 minutes of trying… I"m done.  Until next time.  :)  Or… until after tomorrow storm…..

her name is ruby

Ruby Tuesday (born on a Thursday) went to the clinic yesterday for her pre-school immunization shot.  I didn't even mention it to her until about 3 days ago because, to be honest,  it could have gone either way.  But, this little lady surprised me.  From the first mention of it, to going there, waiting in the waiting room, walking to the office, to getting the needle, she was a real trooper.  I am completely impressed with my little girl right now.  Three hours post needle her arm really started to hurt and she got drowsy, as the nurse said she may.  However, some Advil and a warm mom by her side all night and she was back to her sweet self by morning.  

As Ruby and I sat in there in the waiting room, a couple of tiny babies came in and I was tossed back in time to when Ruby was little.  We used to sing her this silly song…. "her name is Ruby, doodley-doo, …… ".  It was silly but we all loved it.  Once upon a time, long, long ago… in a land far, far away……. I was planning my very first girl's night out.  The thought of my going out for 2 hours and leaving Ryan home alone with Ruby to fend for himself was a bit stressful for both of us at the time (if things were only so simple now - oh the naivety of it all makes me laugh out loud!!!).  Anyway, we had this genius idea to make a video of me singing that song, just in case things went ape shit.  I think it's on our old computer so (luckily for me) I can't share it now… but man, that was funny. 

After bravely taking on the needle, the nurse gave Ruby her choice of stickers.  She picked a Strawberry Shortcake one and placed it on her hand.  The nurse then asked if she would like one for her best friend.  Ruby shyly responded 'yes' and the nurse grabbed a second sticker, exactly like the first one.  It was at this moment when my heart skipped a beat and I felt a tiny rush of joy that reminded me of why we had our kids so close together, (because I sometimes think we were totally and utterly in sane.)  When the nurse tried to give Ruby the second Strawberry Shortcake sticker for her best friend, Ruby said, "Leo's not a girl, he's a boy."  

Here's my little Ruby now, 43.5 pounds and 4 years + 4 months old.  

Downtown in awe of the skating rink at City Hall.

Loving her kitty cat towel.  

Eating snow.  Her favourite food. 

Thawing out at the cafe after a sliding trip at Centennial Park.

Making play dough cupcakes, pre immunization. 

Lovely cupcake.  

After the needle, sticker on hand.  

Silly, sweet Ruby, before the arm started to hurt.  

You're growing up so fast Ruby.  We love you to pieces and are so proud of you.  

-MOM.  oxox

a lot of work

Most of the decorations are packed up and put away for another year.  By midday tomorrow you won't be able to tell anything out of the ordinary even happened around here.  Christmas will be, once again… a distant memory (that took up a lot of energy!!)


!@#$%^&*()_  …… fast forward 30 hours…. to now.  

……………….. What was I thinking?  

The tree has nothing on it but still takes up 1/6th of our living room.  The mantle is strewn with cards… some upright, some not so much.  The stockings are still hung but with not much care at this point.

Our tree this year was one of my favourites of all time.  Due to an unforeseen event at the tree farm, this tree was chosen in record time.   Apparently, Ruby's in the "I'm 4 and I can throw really big fits" phase so we literally chose the second tree we laid eyes on.  We were in the car driving to the place longer than we were there, looking, cutting and hooking the tree up to the van.  It was actually funny.  Poor Ruby.

…………………fast forward 3 hours…….

OK.  It's done.  The tree is out.  The rest lingering around will have to wait.  Until exactly when I cannot confirm at this juncture.

So… Christmas was pretty awesome.  Leo sort of understands about Santa but watching him walk about in a daze on Christmas morning was proof enough that he's just not quite getting it 100%.  As per usual, everybody got spoiled.  I feel that we need to start teaching our kids some life lessons.  I'm not exactly sure how I'll get them involved, but I want to make a difference in someone else's Christmas by volunteering, donating toys and or doing whatever I can to help the less fortunate.

The weather this year was pretty awesome too.  No snow.  I used to think Christmas would be better with snow but I've seen the light.  Snow just sucks.  I'll take none over some any day.

Oh my gosh….. Ryan and I had 5 full days off parenting duty over the break.   At this point, it seems a distant memory but it was amazing while it lasted.  The kids stayed in Sackville and we enjoyed going to bed when we were tired and sleeping unit WAY after the sun came up.  We had civilized conversations and meals when we wanted to.  We went to the gym randomly and didn't do any chores. We went out for dinner to celebrate our 6th anniversary and woke up (a little groggy) after hitting two New Years parties and ran the inaugural Grant's Resolution Run the following day.  Ah.  Just thinking about all the freedom makes me giddy.

Ruby loves her dress up shoes and Leo seems to like his dinky cars the best.  I think the moral of the story is that the simple things, the little things, are what make the strongest impressions.  For this coming year, I'm going to make an effort to make the little things count.

P.S.  It's quite possible that play dough grime currently resides on every surface of my home.

Christmas is a lot for work.
(but it's so worth it).

Until next year… Ho, Ho, HO!
oxox

the kids' first flus

Our entire family just recovered from a powerful flu virus.  It started with Ruby, then Leo, then me (and my mom on the same night), and finally Ryan.  I can't remember having felt so bad in a long, long, long time.  It was the first flu bug for both kids and both were terrified of throwing up.  What a strange sensation it must be to experience nausea for the first time.  

With Ruby it came on slowly but suddenly, if that's possible.  She was fine for the first 30 minutes after waking up, but by breakfast time she became quiet and it was obvious something was very wrong.  She didn't know how to express her feelings but knew enough to tell us she was going to have to stay home from the Y that day.  

Leo's hit suddenly.  If it had been 15 minutes sooner, we would have had a horrible incident at the Superstore.  Thank God that didn't happen.  When he irrupted, a large bowl of noodles he had eaten for lunch was revealed and it just kept coming.  Poor guy.  He was completely shocked and weirded out.  That was the first of three pukes on had on me that day.  Leo's not so good with the bucket and the toilet for throwing up was out of the question.  

While the kids were back to themselves within 9 hours, the grown-ups took a little longer to recover.  We're bigger after all.  

Sweet Ruby napping during a 30 minute reprieve.  

We set up a bed here for Leo.  

Me and Leo before his next episode.  

Ironically, since Leo started at the Y, they've only had 2 days together due to all the absences!  Hopefully we have illness behind us for a few months and can look forward to a lovely Christmas with Family and Friends!  

I can't wait for Christmas this year!

Yippee!