Erm... I was kinda kidding...

So - I didn't actually think that anyone would comment on my last post (hi FACEBOOK!) - unless you could count an *eye roll* as a comment. Can you? Because I am totally going to comment an *eye roll* on someone's blog sometime next week. That would be awesome.

Anyways - I wasn't really being serious. I mean, I kind of was. I had this convo with g-friends a few weeks ago and gave them my profound thoughts on my profound theory ... and it was a bit of laugh. As in, yeah. Try harder. Just do it. [insert platitude here]

I know we all try hard. And I really do believe that you probably try as hard as you possibly can right now. It was more tongue-in-cheek than anything...

I mean - I do berate myself on a regular basis about how much I should do more, try harder - all that nonsense. I am, in fact, very much a lazy bastard. And do plan on trying... um, harder. Soon. Very soon. In fact - as soon as this ep of BB11 is over. Then I'll do my ironing.

Insulting BB11. Now she's gone too far!!!

But yeah - because I'm not a writer (read: completely ignorant of all the grammatical rules against overusing ellipses and how in fact to structure a quote to signify a back-and-forth conversation). BECAUSE of that... I didn't necessarily capture the sardonicism with which I actually meant to post my New Philosophy On Life.

So. Yeah. Erm ... Glad if I inspired you - because Hurrah to Inspiration!

But if, instead, I came off as a postulating, arrogant twat?

Well, blame that on the writing...

xxoo.S

My new life philosophy

Yes, this post is going to be just as profound as it sounds... I have a new philosophy on life. It's like Pay It Forward - but only better (partly because it's one less word, and already I'm bringing more efficiency to your life - just in the NAME of my philosophy, one step-at-a-time peeps, one-step-at-a-time...).

Okay - here it is - you ready for it?

Try Harder.

That's it. It's pretty much the answer to everything I've found. Test it against anything that's nagging at you, bothering you, keeping you up at night.

Bothered by that extra weight you're carrying around?

Try Harder. Start exercising (you know, actually start, not just talk about starting). Don't eat so much fatty, deep-fried, fast food. Eat more salads and raw veggies. Do this - and you will lose weight - I promise. It's not gonna be easy - you will have to, you know, TRY. Maybe even Try Harder than you have before. And if you do that - you'll probably lose the weight.

Annoyed that there's not enough time in the day?

Try Harder. Get more done. Be more efficient. Turn off that episode of Toddlers & Tiaras - trust me - Just.Turn.It.Off. Now - do something. Do the dishes. Wash the floor. Balance your checkbook. Look - there you go. You're getting shit done. All it took was a little effort.

Constantly stressed by the end-of-work-day scramble - making dinner, enjoying the evening, getting the kids off to bed?

Try Harder. Prepare dinner the night before. Plan your recipes a week in advance and buy groceries only for those meals. Ask you partner for help in getting things organized. Buy a slow cooker. There's a lot of options here peeps. You just need to do some research, make some decisions and plan ahead. Yup - it's a lot of work. But hopefully it kinda becomes habit and all of a sudden your life has changed and you're less stressed and woops - is that another baby? Dammit...

Want to bring some romance back to the relationship?

This one's easy. All you have to do is Try (a little) Harder. Wear some of that lingerie you got for your wedding shower. And if that doesn't fit - go buy some. On a budget? Joe Fresh sells pretty bras - there you go, you have no excuse now. Light some candles. Throw on some romantic music (Sexy Back by JT? Why not.). Guys are pretty easy to please. You'll have to Try (a little) Harder. But not that much.

Bored with your life. Need some outside interests?

Try Harder. Join a book club. Start bird watching. Spy on your neighbours. Think about what you like and then etch out some time in the day to do it. Stop bitching and moaning about how your life is so boring and you don't have any time anymore to do any of the things you enjoy, and figure out how to make time for those things.

Some of you may be reading this thinking, but Sara..no..H, I'm trying as hard as I can. And I still can't get things done. I'm here to tell you, you're not. You can Try Harder. I promise it will make a difference.

And I know some of you are rolling your eyes (internally of course, don't want to be rude or anything...) thinking, "Oh SnH, do you expect us to be Superheroes? That's what you're telling me I need to do." Not true. You don't have to fix everything at once. But I dare you to try it out on one thing. Just one thing that you're complaining about in your head right now. See what happens...

There you go. Life altering blog posts. One-day-at-a-time.

xxoo.S

I haven't researched this yet

Maddie hit a milestone yesterday. She went pee in the potty at daycare.

In fact, it was during a diaper change, that she asked to go to the potty. Then waited until Annette left the bathroom. And then she went. Like it ain't no thang...

They called me yesterday to tell me. Which was cute and adorable. But sidebar? Whenever I see the daycare number on my phone my heart jumps into my throat a little bit. Good thing Annette is super awesome and starts every conversation with "Don't worry - everything is fine - I'm just calling to tell you..."

So Maddie told me that "Maddie pee-peed potty Mommy".

That just about broke my heart with adorableness.

So when I picked her up from daycare yesterday I had a chat with Annette about next steps. Should we start training like immediately? Let Maddie just hop on the potty when she feels like it?

Dammit - I was planning on doing this over Christmas vacation!

I have books to read. And websites to research. And training pants to buy. And...and...and...

If you haven't guessed. I'm a bit of a boyscout. And I like to be prepared. Especially when I'm hitting uncharted territory. Oh, and I'm not the most easy-going person in the world either. You mean you haven't noticed?

So yeah. Big Maddie milestone moment.

And I'm a little bit terrified.

xxoo.S

T-minus 4 days and counting...

I leave for vacay as of this Friday night at 7pm. It's not a big trip. It's not an exotic destination. But - it is a Full.Week.Off.

So excited, am I.

But also a bit flustered. Because (and doesn't it always happen this way), the sh*t has hit the fan at work and I need to get about a TRILLION things done before I will be able to go incognito for a week.

Or I will just have to bring my laptop with me.

Who's kidding who? My laptop is totally coming with me.

But hopefully just so I can update my blog with my fun mini-adventures with Maddie.

Hope you all had a great weekend. We did. Especially Miss M - who ate her weight in cherry tomatoes. But that's another story...

xxoo.S

Spoiled but easy

I was always the first one to roll my eyes (internally, of course) when at the mall, seeing a child start to kick off and watch as his/her parent would scramble to quiet them (eye rolling would be far less internal if the parent in question actually did nothing to shut their kid up).

Often that scramble involved capitulating to the demands of some type of toy, candy, whatever. And I would shake my head and just think, well, that's why they're screaming, genius. You giving them what they want is only teaching them to scream for what they want next time.

Oh, it is so easy to be pious and judgemental when you don't have a screaming, whiny kid of your own...

Fast forward a few years - and here I am. On the brink of the "terrible two's" and capitulating to Miss M's demands far more than I'd like to admit.

Although, here I am, admitting it to my own little self-help group of the blogosphere...

In actual fact, I'm the "bad cop" in our family. Seth - well, he gives her pretty much anything she wants the minute she starts to ask for it. Me? I'm only about 50/50.

Regardless - I fully blame us, not her, for the little demanding monster she is becoming. Instead of asking for a drink like a normal human being (which, at the age of 22 months, she is more than capable of doing), she SCREAMS and starts CRYING as she asks for it. We're like, dude? Relax. We'll get you effing juice.

Sidebar - I know I talked about us going cold turkey on the juice offering at home - and well, this is a post about spineless parenting, okay? I know I (we) need some work.

So yeah - the full one tantrum before she's even asked for something. Before we've even had a CHANCE to say no?

Lame. And unacceptable. And no way in hell am I living the next 18 years like this.

And I get that she's still young. That she's in a very egocentric stage, because that is where her brain is. I get it.

However I also think that we take the easy road much more often that perhaps we should. That we aren't teaching her that sometimes it's okay to be disappointed, and that people are going to say no, and that them's the rules.

Other bad habits (besides the evil juice habit) that I fully blame us for?

• Watching tv while eating dinner. Like a zombie. Oh I hate this so much.
• Screaming 99% of the time we go to leave the park. Like on the ground, full-on tantrum, screaming. Carrying her fireman-style out of the park while other parents try not to stare (but you know they totally are and being thankful that they are not you at that moment in time).
• Demanding tv shows that she wants to watch (a lot). So yes, the amount of tv we let her watch bothers me. And the fact that we've taught her (through the technology of PVR) that she can get Dora or Elmo or Loonette just by asking (read: demanding) it, is beyond irritating. Instant gratification and 2 years old are a bad combo to introduce.
• Refusing to drink milk. At all. Ever.

So yeah - the road to a spoiled kid is an easy one. Without much headaches. Makes life a lot more enjoyable than a screaming toddler.

But I recognize it's getting out of control and we need to take steps to reign it in a bit.

Poor Maddie - her life is about to change a bit...

xxoo.S

PS - this wasn't meant to be a post about how whiny my kid is. Or how shitty of a mother I am. I know I'm a good parent. And she's an awesome, sweet, lovely, little girl. It was more of an observation of what I know I can do better.

Happy 4 years babe

I'm going to get a little prosaic here, but wow - four years. Sometimes it feels like an eternity, and sometimes it feels like our wedding day was only a few weeks ago.

We've travelled together. Bought a house together. Had a child together. Created a home and a family. A little unit with inside jokes and eye-roll annoyances and our own little quirks and habits.

You drive me a little crazy when you bite your nails, when you leave your towel on the floor and with your obsession over football. I drive you a little crazy with my ability to clutter up any space with papers, my ability to nag about anything and when I watch ridiculous shows like "The Hills".

I fall in love with you a little more every day when I see you with Maddie. How patient and outgoing and loving you are with her. So removed from your "persona" that everyone is used to seeing.

I enjoy that we're still learning about each other. Still learning from each other, even after knowing each other for over 15 years.

So happy anniversary, boo. Love you and all that jazz...

xxoo.S

The ironic thing is that the Hubs doesn't read my blog. He doesn't like to "read" in general unless it's a fantasy football magazine. Whatever - just means that I can lambaste him on here as much as I want right? I really need to start taking advantage of this...

My new juicer

Isn't really new. It's actually a wedding gift that I decided to unearth from the basement.

In reality, it's actually quite a fabulous machine. And I hope that I actually use it more than just the once.

However - did you know that a BASKET OF PEACHES only makes approximately 2 glasses of peach juice?

2 glasses.

Not even big glasses.

So that's where my interest waned just a bit. Because dudes. That's a ALOT of work for 2 glasses of juice. (Did I mention that they're not even BIG glasses?)

However it does mean that Maddie now knows what pure peach juice tastes like. (Yes, I gave her some. Well actually Daddy gave her some. But seriously, what are we, torturers? To drink freshly squeezed juice in front of her like that?)

The verdict?

YUMMMMMMMMMMY!!!

The Monster is back.

xxoo.S

New theory

How to get your daughter to favour you again?

Write a blog post about it.

This weekend Miss M and I had seemed to find our groove again. She still wants Daddy a lot (oddly enough, whenever I'm telling her "no" to something - shocker, non?), but warmed back up to me so that I was feeling much less like an outsider.

Hi Parenting! Thanks for taking my self-esteem and kicking it into the neighbourhood of Teen-Angst Highschool Trauma. Good stuff...

Anyways - we had a fantabulous (yes, I just used that word) weekend. Sat morning we hit up Port Perry for a bit o' shopping and fun-playing at the water park, by the water. I also bought possibly the yummiest raspberries known to man from the farmer's market there. So good that I've eaten 2 full pints in less than 24 hours. Sat night was another bbq at a friends house, while the babies slept, the toddlers played and the adults chatted. I feel like every weekend is another post about me hosting/going to a bbq - we have become our parents...

Sunday afternoon was spent at "The Beach" in T.O.

Verdict: Maddie LOVES the beach, Hubby HATES the beach (well, the crowd of it all). Me? I like it - but give me the Sandbanks over the boardwalk any day of the week.

In other news - we won the Photo Friday Contest at Durham Region Baby! Big thanks to everyone that voted for us - and yay to new bags!!

Happy Monday peeps! Must go as am heading to Cambridge now for a big work preso ... in my $19 JOE dress. That's right. I'm fancy...

xxoo.S

Theoretically speaking

I was actually going to research, and link to sources, and quote and you know, try to write a post that sounded in some way investigated and unbiased.

Buuut, I don't really believe in trying to be something you're not.

So why don't you all just trust me on this one. LOTS OF EXPERTS say that it's normal for kids to go through stages where they favour one parent over the other.

Reasons include (and I'm totally paraphrasing the theories with my own annoyance - thanks for taking it all with a grain of salt...):

1. One parent is around more often (read "stay-at-home-mom-or-dad") and is therefore so available that they become boring and uninteresting compared to the other parent.
2. The child loves the one parent so much and feels so comfortable around him/her that they feel like they can be a complete asshole to said parent and nothing bad will really happen to their relationship.
3. Because of a new baby, jealousy could be playing a role (or the child is simply going to the parent that actually is available more often - pretty much the direct opposite of theory #1, above).
4. The child and the parent that is out of favour are speaking different "Love Languages" (dude, I can't MAKE this shit up).
5. One parent is busy doing things (like errands/chores and the like), while the other parent is not and plays with the child constantly, and therefore viewed as being more "fun" (I like to call this the "2 children in the house" theory).
6. It's just a stage. Your child will get over it. (This is the theory that invariably gets slapped on any situation where any of the above don't actually apply, or they do, but it's just so much easier to call it a "stage".)

However, since it's been a few months now that I've been spending time in the unfavoured parent camp, I figure I can offer a few theories of my own...

• The "Your child is a Libra, you are a Capricorn, your husband is an Aries" theory. This theory actually requires that a friend of mine explain it - because I don't remember why they are destined to get along so much better, or so much more easily. But they are. It's DESTINED.
• The "She's clearly a Daddy's Girl and you just need to have baby #2 and it will be a boy and then you'll have a child who likes you" theory. Um. This theory only works if I do, in fact, have a boy. And that boy doesn't actually want to play sports or do any of those other "male-bonding" things that boys like to do. Like fish. Or eat worms.
• The "Just wait until she wants to go shoe shopping and see who the favourite is then" theory. Will take a bit more time - but my money is definitely on this one...
• The "You're right, she doesn't really like you all that much" theory. Hmmmm - that's not really a theory, is it? Let's bottle that one back up in the little dark place it was hiding, shall we?
• The "Perhaps all you parents need to grow the F up and stop worrying about who your kid likes better" theory. This is actually the Hubby's theory. And he's usually wrong about stuff in general, soooo...
• The "If you'd just stop saying 'no' all the time, she might like you a bit more" theory. This one sounds promising. If I lived in a world where freezies were great dinner choices, throwing toys was acceptable, and so was slapping people.
• The "It really probably is just a stage, and she'll get over it soon" theory. The clear winner. It's a highly unique theory. Expect it to be the all the rage on parenting sites soon.

xxoo.S

Score one for modern medicine

Turns out it was strep after all. At least that's what I'm assuming as after only 2 days of antibiotics I'm already 215093480958345% better.

So I guess I won't be losing those 15 post-pregnancy-pounds that are sitting like a deflated tire around my midsection.

But it also means that I have energy to you know, breathe and stuff. I actually participated in Maddie's bedtime routine last night, for the first time all week.

It's all come just in time, as today is filled with meetings with VIP bossman, who is in town for his monthly visit. Let me tell you how fun it was preparing for today all week, whilst sick as a dog. Isn't timing awesome?

But once meetings are over, and now that my head isn't a gobbledygook of feverish induced random-non-related thoughts, I will post more interesting stuff. Like my theory of how spoiled kids become spoiled (because it's EASIER!). Or why toddlers choose to favour one parent over the other (Maddie HATES me). And my new philosophy on life (it's only two words - which are not "I'M AWESOME" but perhaps should be).

So tra-la for now peeps...

xxoo.S

The diet of the '90's

So the doctor thinks it's either strep or mono. Mono!!??

She asked me if I had ever had mono before and I was all proud to say that I had avoided it back in highschool when it swept through a bunch of my friends. And then I went - whoa - you think I have MONO?

Apparently, strep looks like mono, mono looks like strep. Until we get the test results back on the strep swab, we won't know for sure. In the meantime though, she gave me some antibiotics and said I could wait until I got the results, or just start taking them (as I'm not a sucker for punishment, I decided to fill the script asap).

Fun...

xxoo.S

Downfall of daycare

I've never been as sick, as often, as I have this past year. Since the start of daycare back in September of last year, I don't think our household has lasted longer than 4 weeks of without battling some kind of cold/flu/stomach sickness.

After Maddie's random strange sickness on Sunday, I am now the next to succumb apparently. It started yesterday, with aches and pains and general malaise. It has quickly escalated into full on sore throat, nausea and fever.

I'm at work today, but only for a few meetings and then heading to the doctor to see if we can nip this in the bud.

I realize that we either take the sickness now, or later, when Maddie starts school. But the procrastinator in me is thinking that later would have been so much better...

xxoo.S

Flutter

It was a quiet weekend, spending time as a family and of course Maddie fawning all over Daddy as if she couldn't quite believe he was home and that he was real, and OMG - HERE'S Daddy! I've been wondering where you went!

Since I was clearly a 3rd wheel, I spent most of Saturday afternoon at a girlfriend's house visiting with some friends and enjoying Brooklin Bakery carrot cake. I also may have been nursing a hangover from the bottle of bubbly Yellowtail that we opened at 11pm on Friday night. Seth was supposed to be home closer to 10ish, but of course his flight was delayed, and of course the 407 was closed... so we celebrated his return a little later than anticipated.

Sat night was a BBQ night regardless of the rain. Ribs + corn and mmmm-mmmmm down home goodness on the grill! We also learned that BFF's L & G have a baby that will sleep in the MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR. No need for playpens, no need for magical vibrating chairs or swings. Oh no, just give him a spot in a darkened living room and he'll just sleep there, thankyouverymuch.

Have I mentioned my jealousy over their Amazing Sleeping Baby?

Sunday was mega early as it was NOT my turn to sleep in. And Maddie was a grouch. And not feeling well herself. And a bit cuddly. And maybe a bit feverish? And whoa - that's vomit!

Blackberry vomit stains new pj's. Just putting that out there.

But after the vomitscapade, Maddie went to bed for a nap. 4 hours later she woke up. Right as rain. Happy as a clam. All sorts of metaphors and analogies of happiness.

Sidebar: how the heck do kids do that? Be totally fine and running around one minute. Then raging fever and vomiting the next minute. Then get some sleep and oopsy-daisy, we're fine again. WTF?

While Maddie was sleeping, I decided to check out the Brand! New! Kitchen Stuff Plus that opened just down the road. Oh KSP - how I have missed you. And now you're so expensively convenient...

I purchased many many frames for my photo endeavour (to suck a bit less at home décor). Now I just have to hang the frames. And print the photos. And yeah. I'll update you in a few more months on that one...

I also purchased the cutest little bit of fluff for Maddie's room. She's a girl. These are butterflies. I couldn't get more prosaic if I tried. But dammit. These are adorable and they were only $20 and whatevs...

xxoo.S

PS - Yes, the picture is fuzzy. I have a blackberry, not an iPhone. And so - well, I lose in the great race of picture quality. And we all know if I actually took the pic of her room with my camera that you'd NEVER see it... so here you go.

PPS - And also yes - the butterflies are flying up from her stinky diaper genie. That was for my own ironic amusement.

PPPS - For the record. Maddie thinks they are "pwetty pwetty budder-flab"s.

Highlights of my "Single Parent Week"

Edited to add:

While I was being facetious, none of my complaining about being a "single parent" this week was meant to make light of "real" single parents out there. Holy crap I can't even imagine. My mom raised me on her own for my first 2 years, and so I know (well, I've HEARD) just how hard it is. My week was nothing. I get it. But it's all relative, non? And what is hard for me could be a cakewalk for some of you. Just wanted to put that disclaimer out there. Carry on...

The higlights:

• We ate things that I don't usually buy b/c of the Hubs. Like vegetable lasagne. A lot of fish. Veggie/pesto/pasta. Um - that makes him sound like a big carnivore, doesn't it?
• We played outside every night and Maddie was super-awesome. We went for long bike-rides, she watched me cut the lawn, and never cried about coming back in. It's like she was on her best behaviour for me.
• I read a book until about 1am in bed. I sat in bed with my laptop reading blogs + catching up on emails until late one evening. I never get to sit in bed at night doing that stuff.
• My sleeping position quickly became the "starfish". Sleep was delicious with no snoring next to me.
  
• Speaking of sleep, Maddie slept in until 8:15 one morning. And it happened to be a morning when I hadn't set my alarm (with a toddler that wakes between 6:30 and 7am, who needs an alarm?)... so I got a great sleep in too.
• Overall, Maddie was totally awesome. I think she cut me some slack, which was much appreciated. And I only had to let her watch Elmo/Dora/Sesame about 5 trillion times.

And the lowlights?

• I yelled once - on the first day. She cried and I immediately apologized. I think that was the first time that I ever crouched down in front of her and apologized for being angry. She forgave me and gave me a big kiss. Then reminded me for the next hour "Mommy sorry!".
• I accidentally set off our house alarm 2 out of 5 mornings. I like to set the alarm when I'm alone in the house at night, it makes me feel safer. However I think I scared about 5 years off my cats' lives.
• Watching crappy summer tv alone is just no fun. There's no one there to listen to my outrageously witty remarks.

Overall - as lonely as it got - it was a bonding week for Miss M and I. And it also reminded me what it's like to miss the Hubs...

xxoo.S

Cake top

That's the word I've heard bantered around by other moms - in reference to our jelly bellies. That gorgeous, sexy, wonderful ROLL that hangs out all the way around those pre-preggo jeans that I refuse to throw away.

Young silly girls with their low-riders have muffin top. Us older ladies get cake top.

Dead sexy!

As Miss M is pushing 2 years old, it's time I thought about fixing this, non? I mean - I can't really blame it on the baby (or the breastfeeding) anymore, can I?

And before anyone wants to make the suggestion. No. I'm too cheap to buy new jeans. Too.Cheap.Full.Stop.

So before we decide to get me knocked up for #2, I figured it made sense to get back into shape. You know, so I can start the process all over again. I'm nothing if not productive...

I have promised myself to get some type of exercise equipment into my house before the end of August. Preferably an elliptical. Because have you seen my ass after a few weeks on the elliptical? Oh yeah baby...

And because I never do things in half measures, I'm also checking out a boot camp next Monday with a Babyville friend (see! exercise helps you lose weight AND make friends). I expect this boot camp will possibly destroy my enthusiasm and I will drag my ass home with my tail between my legs... but we can always hope that it will inspire some sort of inner-fitness-goddess.

xxoo.S

She speaks in sentences now

You can't see the forest for the trees.

Someone used to say that to me all the time (a teacher? can't remember, I'm only 33 and I have the memory of an 80 yr old)... because I'm a "detail-oriented person". It also means that I get easily caught up in the details of anything, and find it harder to see the "big picture".

That big picture these days is Maddie, becoming less and less a little baby and more and more a little kidlet.

I worry about whether she's had enough milk that particular day. Or if it's a bad thing that her poop is green (GREEN?!!). And whether a 3rd round of Elmo is really going to give her lasting brain-damage.

But it takes a visit from family, who haven't seen in her in over a month, to realize that um... she's speaking in full sentences now.

6 months ago I was worried she wasn't talking enough. That the words she used were great, but a bit repetitive (everything was "dat!"), and would the Average Joe actually understand her? You know - detailed stuff.

Now, she's not even 2 years old and she's practically giving dissertations on The Unbearable Lightness of Being. OR telling us, "Maddie go Mommy's car-car now." You know - po-tay-to, po-tah-to...

So yes, it was lovely to have it pointed out (by the always unbiased Grandparents) that our Miss M is a pure, unadulterated genius child.

But at the same time, disconcerting, because.... really? Am I that busy and distracted? How can I not notice that she has passed one of those great "developmental milestones" and is now speaking and conversing like a small little human being?

Is it a working mother thing? Bad mother thing? Normal mother thing?

Regardless, it motivated me to step back, and try to see that forest. Because, as she so eloquently put it this morning, "Maddie no baby Mommy! Maddie big girl."

Holy shit sugar pop. I guess you are.

xxoo.S

PS - I may be proud, but I don't have to like it. How can a 22 month old not be a baby anymore? Isn't the whole point that you're still COUNTING THEIR AGE IN MONTHS? Isn't that the litmus test of whether or not they are still, indeed, a baby? Dammit. I've become a cliché...

I should be sleeping right now

But I'm not, because I have the bed to myself and therefore am currently ensconced with my laptop reading through a week's worth of unread rss feeds.

I should be sleeping though, as I expect this week is going to threaten my sanity slightly. I'm playing single mom, while the hubs is in NJ for business. All week long. On a long weekend. No, I'm not bitter.

Trust me, I know it will be nice having some girly-girl time with Miss M tomorrow. I think a bike-ride, some pool time and a bit of shopping is on the agenda. We've spent the better part of the weekend outside already, with the in laws, playing in the yard and erecting a lovely shed. Damn, the excitement of suburbia...

My other goal for tomorrow is some photo organization and printing. Because, as I think I've said before, I'm absolute shite at keeping on top of my photo printing... and aside from the never ending guilt of my terrible prowess as a mother (and keeping a digital record of my kidlet's every accomplishment), I actually took a closer look at my house recently and thought, huh, perhaps I should, you know... decorate. We've lived here for 2 years and I have exactly 2 pictures on display. Maddie's hospital pic and our wedding pic. So I've made the resolution to suck a little less, and get some photos in some frames and thrown up on the walls.

In future posts about me sucking less as a homemaker... expect to see: wallpapering of a washroom, refinishing of cupboards, and installation of some wainscoting.

xxoo.S

This weekend in pics

Hubby builds a 6x6 shed in our 6.2x10 foot space beside our house.

Best use of space we could think of.

PS - this photo was taken at 8:30am on Sat morning - industrious bees, aren't they?

Maddie now says "CHEESE!" every time you point a camera at her.

She's quite the little ham.

After doing an accidental dunk in the pool, Maddie needed some Mommy cuddles.

Which is rare, whenever Grandma V is around...

Luckily the dunk didn't leave any lasting negative impression.

She was back in the pool after nap time.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for visiting over the long weekend, and givings us some time (and freedom!) to get things done around the house and go out for a much-needed date night.

xxoo.S