I have no time to blog. Really, none. I have all kinds of interesting things to post about (okay, only until I start typing and realize they're not so interesting) but no time to do so.
In fact, I am not entirely sure I am capable of completing a thought this week. My poor husband, who is now in his 3rd week of being home with me, is somewhat perplexed by my inability to focus on anything for for than 24.6 seconds.
He is, however, starting to comprehend that 24.6 seconds is about .356 of a second more than my children usually give me to think about anything.
Anyhow, I am - as per usual me-ness - digressing from my intended post. Because I can't type the little hobbled together bits in 24.6 seconds.
So - what I am trying to tell you is:
1) Marc got a job!!!! Woo Hoo! Yee Haw! Much cheering and jubilation. It is the job he wanted, the one he has been interviewing for since January (yes, JANUARY people!!). The one that took sooooooooooooo long to get through every step of the interview process for, the one that seemed to have another step every time we thought it was over. He has a letter and everything. With a signature. PHEW. And he starts 2 July, so we have a few more weeks before he starts.
I am so proud of him.
2) Friday is our 10th wedding anniversary. 10. Wow. So, in honour of such a momentous occasion, we are driving to Montreal on Saturday morning (early early early...), dropping the kids at my mum's and then hitting the road for Quebec City. Where we will spend 3 nights in a lovely little hotel and eat far too much food and hopefully drink even more wine. And I bet there will be lots of desert. Lots and lots of it.
This is where my short attention span is of benefit - if I could think about our trip for more than 24.6 seconds at a time I would be so excited nothing else would get done all day. Nothing.
So - on that note I am going to say goodnight. Because this post? Took way more than 24.6 seconds.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Did someone cut a few hours off the day?
Marc has now been off work for... um... 11 days.
I am loving having him home, I am thrilled with what we are getting done around the house, I am ecstatic at not having to do the school run every morning and sometimes waking up to a cup of Timmy's (French Vanilla, yum) on my night table some mornings.
Not to mention getting to hang out with my honey.
I am just trying to figure out where all the hours are going though - should my house not be tidier? Should dinner not be easier to make? Should there not be plenty of fresh fruit and veg in the fridge since I will have more time to do things like grocery shop?
Um, yeah. Not so much. My schedule? Gone right out the window. (I know - the thought that I had a schedule is hard to swallow - but really, I did...)
Oh well... this too shall pass, surely far sooner than I am ready...
I am loving having him home, I am thrilled with what we are getting done around the house, I am ecstatic at not having to do the school run every morning and sometimes waking up to a cup of Timmy's (French Vanilla, yum) on my night table some mornings.
Not to mention getting to hang out with my honey.
I am just trying to figure out where all the hours are going though - should my house not be tidier? Should dinner not be easier to make? Should there not be plenty of fresh fruit and veg in the fridge since I will have more time to do things like grocery shop?
Um, yeah. Not so much. My schedule? Gone right out the window. (I know - the thought that I had a schedule is hard to swallow - but really, I did...)
Oh well... this too shall pass, surely far sooner than I am ready...
Friday, May 16, 2008
Hello 4
(This post has been kicking around in my head for a few days... Julia turned 4 on Tuesday.)
Dear 4,
Nice to meet you - I actually planned to write this as an introduction letter for 3 to give you in the hand-over, but as usual I was behind schedule.
I've been thinking a lot this past week about 3... about how she was when she arrived a year ago and how she was as she was leaving. 3 had a huge year. We moved continents. She went to nursery school. She learned to stand up to her brother. She even went as far as learning how to aggravate him, which is not one of my favourite things about the past year.
They are teaching them sign language at 3's nursery school (she knew all the letters to T - that was last week's letter). She could sing the Hello song in English, French, Spanish and Korean. Yes, Korean. She even introduced her friends to the Hello song in Luxembourgish last week. They may call on you to help out with that 4.
3 learned to go to school and let Mama leave without crying. She learned how to go to friends' houses for playdates and let Mama leave without crying (at this point Mama was the one who sometimes felt like crying). She made a best friend who wasn't part of our family. She took swimming lessons and went to swimming camp over March break - alone. Without Mama, Dado or Stu.
3 liked to be carried. Liked to cuddle - something I am hoping that you do too 4, because cuddles are important. Mamas sometimes need their cuddles in the evening to make up for some of the ones we don't get during the day anymore because you are so busy out there exploring, learning, spreading your wings.
The day before you came 4 Dado built the bicycle that 3 thought you would need. It's a pink and blue and purple with white tires and training wheels. I thought it would take Dado a long time to build it, but it didn't, and 3 saw it in the driveway. She hopped right on and... off she went. As if she'd been doing it every day of her life.
That's when it really hit me that 3 was ready to go and that you, 4, were waiting in the wings to take her place. I have to admit that I felt a little weepy... 4 is so much closer to a big girl than 3, so much further from a baby. 3 was getting heavy enough that I sometimes had trouble carrying her. I am hoping to be able to carry you for a lot longer.
You'll be happy to know that 3 did a lot of work in the last couple of weeks on things like talking to people - friends of mine, other mothers at school. All of a sudden she had a voice and wanted to tell people things. I think she was shedding her shy exterior for you.
I watched 3 go to sleep for the last time and took her picture (yes, while she was sleeping, and yes, with a flash. She didn't move). I sat and watched her for a while, with her little body sprawled across the bed, her little cheeks flushed and mouth a little open. I could still see 2 and even a bit of 1 in her.
The next morning there YOU were! All bright-eyed and bushy tailed and "Hi! I'm FOUR!!!" You are a little larger than life at the moment. The excitement of being you, being 4!!! You talk as if there is an exclamation point after every word, you have had such a great few days.
I hope you enjoyed the barbecue we had on the evening after you arrived. Our neighbours, some of whom had not seen 3 much over the long cold winter commented on all the new stuff that you, 4, can do. Some of the things that I am still getting used to, now that you are here, 4.
It's going to be a big year for you. We have summer camp - this is the first summer, except for the one when 0 was around, that I will be home. I am looking forward to it (for the most part). You start soccer on Monday. You are almost finished nursery school, and you will have to say some goodbyes. You will go to swimming camp again, and karate camp.
And then in the fall you will start school. Real school, with big kids and all. You're going to take the bus and everything - something that really excited 3, and I am sure you will like too. Not sure if I will manage too well with it though.
I'm really glad you are here. You're really cool. Just remember that there's no rush to make room for 5 just yet - she won't be here for another year (no matter how many times you ask how many days until your birthday, it's still almost a year). Please enjoy being you, and let us enjoy you being exactly who you are - 4.
And remember - lots of cuddles. You're still my baby.
Lots of love,
Mama
Dear 4,
Nice to meet you - I actually planned to write this as an introduction letter for 3 to give you in the hand-over, but as usual I was behind schedule.
I've been thinking a lot this past week about 3... about how she was when she arrived a year ago and how she was as she was leaving. 3 had a huge year. We moved continents. She went to nursery school. She learned to stand up to her brother. She even went as far as learning how to aggravate him, which is not one of my favourite things about the past year.
They are teaching them sign language at 3's nursery school (she knew all the letters to T - that was last week's letter). She could sing the Hello song in English, French, Spanish and Korean. Yes, Korean. She even introduced her friends to the Hello song in Luxembourgish last week. They may call on you to help out with that 4.
3 learned to go to school and let Mama leave without crying. She learned how to go to friends' houses for playdates and let Mama leave without crying (at this point Mama was the one who sometimes felt like crying). She made a best friend who wasn't part of our family. She took swimming lessons and went to swimming camp over March break - alone. Without Mama, Dado or Stu.
3 liked to be carried. Liked to cuddle - something I am hoping that you do too 4, because cuddles are important. Mamas sometimes need their cuddles in the evening to make up for some of the ones we don't get during the day anymore because you are so busy out there exploring, learning, spreading your wings.
The day before you came 4 Dado built the bicycle that 3 thought you would need. It's a pink and blue and purple with white tires and training wheels. I thought it would take Dado a long time to build it, but it didn't, and 3 saw it in the driveway. She hopped right on and... off she went. As if she'd been doing it every day of her life.
That's when it really hit me that 3 was ready to go and that you, 4, were waiting in the wings to take her place. I have to admit that I felt a little weepy... 4 is so much closer to a big girl than 3, so much further from a baby. 3 was getting heavy enough that I sometimes had trouble carrying her. I am hoping to be able to carry you for a lot longer.
You'll be happy to know that 3 did a lot of work in the last couple of weeks on things like talking to people - friends of mine, other mothers at school. All of a sudden she had a voice and wanted to tell people things. I think she was shedding her shy exterior for you.
I watched 3 go to sleep for the last time and took her picture (yes, while she was sleeping, and yes, with a flash. She didn't move). I sat and watched her for a while, with her little body sprawled across the bed, her little cheeks flushed and mouth a little open. I could still see 2 and even a bit of 1 in her.
The next morning there YOU were! All bright-eyed and bushy tailed and "Hi! I'm FOUR!!!" You are a little larger than life at the moment. The excitement of being you, being 4!!! You talk as if there is an exclamation point after every word, you have had such a great few days.
I hope you enjoyed the barbecue we had on the evening after you arrived. Our neighbours, some of whom had not seen 3 much over the long cold winter commented on all the new stuff that you, 4, can do. Some of the things that I am still getting used to, now that you are here, 4.
It's going to be a big year for you. We have summer camp - this is the first summer, except for the one when 0 was around, that I will be home. I am looking forward to it (for the most part). You start soccer on Monday. You are almost finished nursery school, and you will have to say some goodbyes. You will go to swimming camp again, and karate camp.
And then in the fall you will start school. Real school, with big kids and all. You're going to take the bus and everything - something that really excited 3, and I am sure you will like too. Not sure if I will manage too well with it though.
I'm really glad you are here. You're really cool. Just remember that there's no rush to make room for 5 just yet - she won't be here for another year (no matter how many times you ask how many days until your birthday, it's still almost a year). Please enjoy being you, and let us enjoy you being exactly who you are - 4.
And remember - lots of cuddles. You're still my baby.
Lots of love,
Mama
Thursday, May 08, 2008
correct me if I am wrong
I really don't want my blog to be whiny - and that it sometimes is. And I don't want to waste energy on things that aren't worth it. But I don't feel like keeping this one in.
Today I went to pick up Julia's little best friend from nursery school to take her on a field trip to see Jiggajump. I was taking her because her dad has her little brother at home too and he naps in the afternoon.
I go to pick her up. As we are leaving he says "so you should be back by 2:15?" (the show was about a 10 minute drive from their house, and the show was over at 2:00).
My reply was yes, we should be back around then - however, I had to pick Stuart up from school at 3:00 (a 20 minute drive from the event) and if for any reason the show went very late (started late, I don't know, some unforseen reason) I would have to go and get Stuart and then bring her home.
Do you think he said "oh, of course!"??
No, he said, "Oh. Well. We are only going to be here until 3:05, and then we are going to get T at his school and meet up with some friends at Dow's Lake to take some photos. If Maggie can't be there..." raised shoulders and a kind of eeesh noise " weeellllll... and then we won't be back until at least 5 for you to drop her off..."
He actually said all that in French, and it sounded even more pompous (if you can imagine that). I was a little steamed that I was doing him this favour taking her (which I was really happy to do) and here I was being given such strict "guidelines". And what on earth did he think MY 6 year old would be doing after school was over if I couldn't make it on time because I was dropping his daughter off?
I quickly left. In the end there was no problem. Jiggajump rocked. We had a blast. And I got her home by 2:15.
But I turned down his offer to go in for tea. He reiterated it twice, seemed slightly offended. In the end I said that I had an errand I needed to run and I was going to take advantage of doing it with one child instead of two.
The errand? A tall Soy Tazo Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks. It was yummy.
Today I went to pick up Julia's little best friend from nursery school to take her on a field trip to see Jiggajump. I was taking her because her dad has her little brother at home too and he naps in the afternoon.
I go to pick her up. As we are leaving he says "so you should be back by 2:15?" (the show was about a 10 minute drive from their house, and the show was over at 2:00).
My reply was yes, we should be back around then - however, I had to pick Stuart up from school at 3:00 (a 20 minute drive from the event) and if for any reason the show went very late (started late, I don't know, some unforseen reason) I would have to go and get Stuart and then bring her home.
Do you think he said "oh, of course!"??
No, he said, "Oh. Well. We are only going to be here until 3:05, and then we are going to get T at his school and meet up with some friends at Dow's Lake to take some photos. If Maggie can't be there..." raised shoulders and a kind of eeesh noise " weeellllll... and then we won't be back until at least 5 for you to drop her off..."
He actually said all that in French, and it sounded even more pompous (if you can imagine that). I was a little steamed that I was doing him this favour taking her (which I was really happy to do) and here I was being given such strict "guidelines". And what on earth did he think MY 6 year old would be doing after school was over if I couldn't make it on time because I was dropping his daughter off?
I quickly left. In the end there was no problem. Jiggajump rocked. We had a blast. And I got her home by 2:15.
But I turned down his offer to go in for tea. He reiterated it twice, seemed slightly offended. In the end I said that I had an errand I needed to run and I was going to take advantage of doing it with one child instead of two.
The errand? A tall Soy Tazo Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks. It was yummy.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Bad Karma
So - I am wondering what I have done that was not... karmically balanced(?)
Stu usually has 10 dictee (spelling) words every week for his test on Friday. We get through them fine now. It (and anything written) was not always so easy.
Today he writes 1-3 on his paper. I ask what he's doing.
"It's for the 3 sentences!"
Dictee is now SENTENCES. 3 of them. One with 14 words.
I broke out the wine.
Me, the girl who's wine consumption is usually about a glass a week.
It helped.
Stu usually has 10 dictee (spelling) words every week for his test on Friday. We get through them fine now. It (and anything written) was not always so easy.
Today he writes 1-3 on his paper. I ask what he's doing.
"It's for the 3 sentences!"
Dictee is now SENTENCES. 3 of them. One with 14 words.
I broke out the wine.
Me, the girl who's wine consumption is usually about a glass a week.
It helped.
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