Who needs a son...

The Hubs and Maddie hit a milestone this past weekend - on Sunday morning he took her up to the lake for their first Maddie/Daddy shore-fishing experience.

He gave her his ice fishing rod - because (to quote): "Well, it's kind of the right size, and she doesn't have her own Princess rod just yet."

Clearly, I see a shopping trip for a fishing rod in our near future. Bass Pro, here we come...

Oh - and what fishing trip is complete without a quick sidetrack to the nearby park?

All told - they had a great time. Maddie loves fishing and the Hubs thinks she's "a natural". I see a few more trips up to the lake this summer.

And no, they didn't catch anything. But I don't think that dampened any of the fun.

xxoo.S

Snippets

• Remember the neighbour girl that I told you about? Maddie's new BFF? She came over for a playdate last weekend. It was adorable to watch Maddie's eager anticipation for it to begin - and even though the little girl didn't want to do much more than craft the whole time (she even brought her own supplies!), and Maddie's interest in crafting went to zero within about 10 minutes in, she still had a fabulous time. Isn't it amazing how the most influential voice to our kids is other kids? I sat and watched as Maddie mimicked and repeated almost everything this other girl said. Possibly the most agreeable I have ever seen her...
• My magical sleeping baby has disappeared and been replaced with the magical gassy baby. I cannot pin down what the hell I am eating that is making her so gassy - but all sorts of memories of Maddie as a baby have come back and slapped me in the face. And how I had limited my diet down to essentially toast, crackers and a little bit of jam - and yeah. I'm not sure I can do that again. I wish there was a diet you could follow that would ensure your baby didn't have gas. But according to Google, that's impossible. Screw you Google...
• I love the shorthand-speak that old, really old, friends have. This past Saturday I hosted some old highschool (and one uni) friends for lunch and I'm not sure any of us ever finished a sentence. We don't get to see each other very often (even less so, now that I moved out of the city), but when we do the lazy, easy, comfortable rhythm just picks up where we left off. I feel blessed to still have such old (and good) friends still in my life.
• I'm finally doing something about trying to line up some longer-term daycare for Madds. We have daycare for August figured out (well, the last 2 weeks, and it`s only part-time - and yes, I could rant on and on about this) - and potentially something with the same provider for the fall. And yet, I still have a bit of a pit in my stomach about it. And so I'm (finally) getting off my ass and trying to actively line something else up for her. And have I mentioned how effing terrified I am to have her home with me and the bebe even just part-time? I love her to bits, but omg to the terrible twos and the toddler energy and the potty training and the demands for More!Dora!Mommy! and I just want to sleep so badly....z.z.z.z..z..zzz.....
• Remember when I told you about planting my berry bushes (it was a berry exciting post, I'm surprised if you don't recall it)... well, we (the Hubs) ate our very first raspberry this weekend. And after having my head buried in life after newborn, I actually pulled it out from underneath the covers enough to check out the rest of the garden, and holy shit there's a zucchini out there the size of my inner thigh (meaty!)... I guess I have to start harvesting and making shit. Zucchini recipes anyone?
• I'm so bored with TV already - I have no idea how I did this before. As much as I relish the freedom of having Maddie in full-time daycare right now, and am enjoying this newborn veg-out stage that I know needs to end very soon - the actual TV-watching-portion is effing boring. I know it's summer and all - but I've actually resorted to watching Jersey Shore on Rogers On Demand. I've sunk to a new low. Must get out and start renting some of those shows that I always wanted to get into but never did... Dexter and I definitely have a date before July is over.

Yeah, that's all I've got right now - taking the rest of my nap-fueled freedom to eat some more toast. And hopefully start painting shelves for Katie's room. (Because dammit, the child is going to have a finished room before she turns one month old). I love neverending projects...

xxoo.S

Making friends

Our neighbours (no, not them) have three children - ages 1, 4 and 7 (ish - I think)... the middle child is the only girl and is probably one of the most adorable, patient little girls I have ever met.

Reason for me raving over her?

She is Maddie's new B.F.F. And any kid that is lovely and patient and kind to my Miss Madds is a fabulous little person in my books.

But what's been even more heart-warming has been watching this little friendship develop. Just a few months ago they barely noticed each other. Well, that's not quite true, this little girl has been quite interested in Maddie for a while, but Madds has been shy, still very toddler-esque, not really noticing that hey, kids live next door. Kids that she could play with. Kids that could be fun!

And then the other day she ran over and introduced herself and that.was.it. Now if said little girl is outside, I watch Maddie practically hum with excitement. Seriously, she is enamoured with this little girl.

Mind you, she's still 1.5 years younger - which maybe makes the adorableness of their friendship so cute to me. Because essentially Maddie just mimicks, follows and repeats whatever her friend is doing. Hence my gratitude to the patience and kindness of this little girl - because even just being 4 years old she gets it. She gets that Maddie is younger, but still wants to hang out with her. And she gets that perhaps Maddie isn't as sophisticated in her mental capacity or physical prowess, so the little girl just tailors their activities to suit Maddie.

Maybe it's me being pg-hormonal. Maybe it's that I was such a socially awkward little kid (and still am - good lord, but I hate making small talk). But watching another child act so benevolent with their friendship, to watch two children that really are at two very different developmental stages, strike up such a lovely, fun, playful friendship?

It's effing adorable.

And watching Maddie so full of confidence, so without reserve, so open and friendly and so essentially, unlike me, as a child?

Well, that makes me feel like we're doing a pretty good job at this parenting gig,

xxoo.S