Friday, October 28, 2011

Confession Friday (Halloween Edition)

I confess it is Halloween weekend! Very scary!!!! Booooooooooooo!



I confess tonight we are going to Boo Town at a local museum. Promises to be lots of fun with kiddos in costumes and fun games for the wee one to play.

I confess Ade is going as a Vampire this year. I know not very original but I was sick all week and just finally felt better yesterday so headed to Value Village to get him a costume.



I confess last night "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" was on. I love that cartoon.



I confess my favourite scary Halloween movie used to be the Excorist.



I confess now I am too much of a 'fraidy cat to watch scary movies anymore.

I confess my favourite Halloween candy is....oh who am I kidding it's all my favourite.

Except candy corn...yuck. Oh and also Sesame snaps! Seriously! Who likes those????



I confess my favourite Halloween character of all time is Gene Wilder in "Young Frankenstein." (Marty Feldman as Igor runs a close 2nd)



My second favourite Halloween character is Richard O'Brien as "Riff Raff" in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show. (Tim Curry is a close second as Frankfurter!)



I confess the last time I dressed up for Halloween was in 2004 when I went as this



and Yvan went as this



I confess I am wishing all you Ghosties and Ghoulies a Happy Halloween!!!!!!!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

It's Not All Rainbows and Unicorn Farts

Nope..it's not.

Contrary to popular belief or at least all the gushy blogging I have been doing lately.

It ain't all rainbows and unicorn farts.

It is much better! We are all happier.

But man, it is still hard.

I have been sick for the last week and a half. It is the first time since Ade has been home that I have been really sick (I don't count the PADS) with a cold or flu.

All I want to do is curl up on the couch under a warm, snuggly blanket and stay there until I feel better. Of course you can't do this with children in the house. Because they still need to be cared for. Who knew?!

I jest!

I knew! I just didn't realize how hard it is to drag yourself out of bed in the morning when your nose is leaking boat loads of snot and your throat is waging its own personal forest fire.

Wee one is particularly sensitive to my moods. He reacts to how I am feeling and since I have not been feeling well he has been "a handful" to say the least. He is also acting his age and it has been trying on my patience to remember that he is 2 going on 3 not 30!

In fact, last week I out two-year-olded my 2 year old. We were at our "Parenting with Music Class" and the cold was just starting to settle in and he was acting like one of the of the "Wild Things". He wouldn't sit still, ran rings around the other kids and shouted "NO!" at me the whole time. This is a class about bonding and attaching with your child through nursery rhymes...ya...not so much bonding happening on this day. Halfway through "Peas Porridge Cold" or something like that I couldn't take it anymore. After being headbutted in the chest and trying to keep him from climbing the walls, I stomped my feet, scooped him up, and ran out the door. I shoved shoes on both of our feet, grabbed our coats and hauled it out of there faster than you could say "Wait! Don't go!" He cried all the way home in the back seat yelling "singing" and I cried all the way home in the front seat while driving yelling "stop crying!" I was talking to myself!!!

Huge mommy fail!!!

We didn't go to the class this week because I just couldn't do it while still feeling sick. What makes it worse (or better you decide) is that the very nice lady who runs the class emailed me to say she understands why I left last week and that they missed us this week and won't we come back. She wants to "chat" after class and she let me know it is o.k. for kids this age to act out. They are just "testing boundaries". Um, I cried when I read that email because of course I know this but my selfish "me" forgot in that instant.

He is pushing his last molars too which we hadn't realized until yesterday and I noticed while brushing his teeth a little peek of white just through his gum that hadn't been there the day before. So, that probably explains the diarrhea in the diaper the last week. (That and he is probably fighting the cold I have).

Which leads me to my next MOMMY FAIL moment! Potty training!

I haven't a clue how to do this. I have read the books. I know I am not supposed to make a big deal about it. That he will train when he is ready!!! And I hear this all the time "How many kindergartners do you know who start school still in diapers?"

Well, I don't know any but that's not to say there aren't any!!!

What if my child is the first child EVER in the history of potty training to go to Kindergarten in a diaper!? It could happen.

I'm trying to make light of this but I can tell you I have shed many tears of worry over it. Who decided I can parent a child and teach him how to potty train!?? Because they were wrong! I can't do it! It's too hard!

O.k. I know you are all saying - "Calm down crazy lady!"

He is young I know this. He is not 3 yet. I know this too. But he was showing so much interest in the potty and was going quite regularly. Poop and pee and suddenly he won't go and won't even tell us when he has gone in his diaper.

I feel like I am the worst mother on the planet.

Again, being dramatic I know, but of all the parenting tasks in the realm of parenting this is the one I feared the most. I know I am setting myself up for failure by being this way and I don't want to be negative about it but I just feel like this is out of my scope of tasks I can complete.

I feel like I could climb Mount Everest without oxygen but don't feel like I can potty train my 2 year old.

Right! So there you have it!

Not all rainbows and unicorn farts!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Saturday, October 22, 2011

A Must Read Post

Nope, not mine!

Claudia is at it again.

Getting all smart in her writing!

One day when I grow up I want to write half this well.

But seriously! If you haven't already read it (which I am sure most of you have) than you please go do so now.

Part one is here.

Part One and Half is here.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

'Tis the Season.....

....cold season that is!!!!

I'm feeling like this today.



Yesterday at the gym someone asked me if I was sick.

When I said "Why do you ask?"

She said, "You look like someone who is getting sick!"

Wow, I knew I wasn't feeling well but I didn't think I looked that bad!

But sadly, by the end of the day I certainly looked and felt sick!

Went to bed early and then spent the day just taking it easy (and playing "Angry Birds" - DAMN those Angry Birds!)

Off to bed to get try and get another good night's sleep.

At least Wee One and The Hubby aren't sick!

Hoping my fellow blogger pals Cinn and Tova are feeling better soon!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Confession Friday

I confess I am feeling burnt out.

I confess the weather the last couple of days has been very drab and dreary!

I confess I was awake at 3AM...back to bed at 5AM...wee one awake at 6AM...diaper change, back to bed and thankfully he slept until 8AM.

I confess I am not looking forward to winter and the cold it brings.

I confess we went to a museum yesterday with some friends and it was delightful. The kids had a great time running around together. (Imagine, if you will, 6 kids all under the age of 3, old cars, trains and french fries)

I confess I have 2 pairs of pants to get hemmed but I just can't seem to get my act together to get to the tailor.

I confess I could use those 2 pairs of now that it is not shorts/skirt weather anymore.

I confess I am still in my pajamas and it is noon!

I confess I need a nap.

I confess this is the end of my Confession Friday.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Fall Family Fotos

We had family photos done again.

This time with my Momma as she was in town for Thanksgiving.

I love the last family photos we had done but I know I am not happy in them.

In fact, I had been crying pretty heavily right before that shoot.

The last 9 months, and who can believe it has been 9 months, have been a rollercoaster of emotions I couldn't have ever imagined.

It has gotten so much better. As you can tell by our Wordless Wednesday photo yesterday "The Silly" has returned to both Yvan and me. Ade is mastering the silly as well and fits right in with us.

To be sure there are still hard days.

Being a parent is a bigger job than I ever anticipated. It opens a whole new can of worry, guilt, anticipation, love, work, dishes and laundry then one can put in words.

This time I cry when I look at these new photos because I have fallen more in love with my husband because of his strength and love over the last 4 years.

My heart literally swells with love, happiness and pride when I look at Ade.

I love the family we are becoming.

What a difference a few months makes.

Here are some of my favourites!



























These photos are courtesy our fantastic friend Randeem at Randeem Andre Photography

Thanks Randeem for making it so much fun!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

You Are Now Entering....




THE WHY STAGE!!!!!!!!


It happened Saturday night while we were at our friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner.


It was about 6:12p.m. and we were sitting at the dinner table eating.


Ade offered up his first "WHY?"


After eating like a fiend the last few weeks, Saturday night he declined to eat.


Said he was "All done." very matter of factly and tried to leave the table.


He knows this is not kosher.


When we told him he had to wait for everyone to finish eating he said...


"Why?"


And the Why's have continued all weekend.


In his little, sweet voice he has been asking "WHY?" to everything.


And when you answer him, he asks "WHY?" to that question.


We had been told the "Why" stage would come shortly after the "NO" stage.


It was like a switch had been flipped.


The "WHY" switch!


We still get some no's but he is also using the word...wait for it......


"YES"


now and then.


Hallelujah!!!!


But we are starting to see how


the WHY Stage can be never ending.


Because you can ask "WHY?" endlessly!

Monday, October 10, 2011

A Lot to be Thankful For

Thanksgiving has been amazing!

We have had family here for a week. My Mama, cousin and uncle. The week was busy and super fun!

Sunday night we had 15 of my family members over for a traditional turkey dinner and it was delightful.

It was fun to have my mom here and share in the preparation and cooking of our delicious meal.

The best part was that Ade was here for it all. There was a childrens' table and he was sitting at it. There was much running, jumping, shouting and general silliness and he was right in there keeping up with the other kids.

It was so hectic around here that I didn't even have time to grab my camera and take a single photo. (I am very disappointed with myself for this) but here is what it looked like:

The baby in his high chair with a bib, dropping his bottle and plate every so often.

The toddlers at the kids table eating, bouncing,giggling and not listening to a word they are told.

The pre-teen bouncing around the room and the teenager on her phone texting her boyfriend and friends.

The adults sitting around the dinner table drinking wine and beer and laughing at the chaos happening around us.

Sigh!

We have so much to be thankful for!

Our health.

Our home.

Food on the table.

Good friends.

Loving family.

Ade.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Confession Friday - Thanksgiving Edition

I confess after a super, duper summer and a beautiful September, Fall has set in and it is raining cats and dogs today.

I confess we have family staying with us. Lots of family! My mama, uncle and cousin are here for the week!

I confess we are super excited to celebrate our first Thanksgiving with Ade.

I confess it is still crazy to me that Ade is really here!!!!

I confess it is going to be hard to contain myself for Christmas!! I LOVE Christmas and the last few have not been fun! THIS Christmas....well...it will be fun!

I confess my Uncle woke the household up this morning at 6AM whilst making coffee - too early!!!!

I confess our neighbour's rumbling truck warming up across the street didn't help matters.

I confess I am excited for Thanksgiving dinner. We are hosting my family at our house this year and there will be lots of kids running around! Including ours! Yay!

I confess I got my first dead hang pull-up this week. And then I did 2 more. I'm feeling strong!!!

I confess I went to Las Vegas last week for 3 nights with 2 of my favourite girlfriends and it was lots of fun!

I confess we saw The Jersey Boys and if you want to see an excellent musical this is the one to see.

I confess we saw Duran Duran in concert. I was a definite Duranie in my teens in the '80's. So much so that I had their posters plastered all over my bedroom walls. I wore a rock t-shirt with their smiling faces on it and a hat and I cried when their videos came on. I know! I was truly a silly teenage girl.

I confess I am wishing each and every one of you the happiest of Thanksgivings!!!!!

I confess I am thankful for family and friends.

I confess I am THANKFUL for our little family of 3 plus 2 dogs!!!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011