Where do I even begin?

I hate when I have to do a massive catch-up post after being away for so long (away from here, not away on holiday - because, oy, that wouldn't be something I'd whine about). It's annoying and boring. But, I do have that OCD drive to actually "document our lives" and all ... so here goes:

THIS is why I've been so quiet of late. We are living through renovation hell. Notice, if you will, the two different wall colours going on. The grey on the right is the "new" paint colour. The horrible peach/beige on the left is old, and going (eventually - it's hard to make progress when you're painting in one hour segments). The basic builder's oak railing? Currently sanded within an inch of it's life and awaiting the next step - which is a dark stain on the handrail and white paint on the spindles. Our stairway has been a debacle for going on 30+ days. I think the hubs is ready to kill me - and yet, I don't see him grabbing any sandpaper to help get the job done, so he can bite me.

Add to that, our basement is currently being framed and there's hardwood going in on the main floor any day now. Yes, we decided to make almost every floor of our home unlivable whilst on mat leave, home with 2 kids. We are SO smart. Just promise me, when all is said and done, and I post my after pics you'll tell me how lovely everything looks and how worth it, it was. Because that's the mantra that just keeps running through my head right now to keep my sanity in check.

In other news...

• Maddie had her kindergarten orientation where she met her teacher and got a goody bag and pretty much proved to me that she was growing up whether I liked it or not so I decided to try and embrace it and stopped referring to her as "my toddler". Her therapist 20 years from now thanks me for this concession.

She wasn't the only red-head in her kindergarten class - but she was the cutest!

• Our dog Seamus has decided, with all the banging of the renos and the chaos that comes with a crawling baby, he would rather try his luck elsewhere ... so his new trick is to BOLT out the front door whenever someone opens it. Which, when you're hosting various workers and tradespeople in your home, is often. Which also means, my neighbours are now well-acquainted with my pj wardrobe (yes, I'm wearing pj's while strangers traipse in and out of my house - who gets dressed before noon on mat leave? am I right??), and Seamus may have given me about 8 heart attacks just last week by crossing the road during the 9am school rush. Dog for sale.. anyone want a dog?

Puppy dog eyes don't work with me - Imma gonna kick his ass.

• We got blessed with gorgeous weather this weekend - which meant outdoor play. Katie is a master crawler now and just bombs all over the yard looking for more dog toys to chew on. Mmmmm, orange road hockey ball covered in dirt - you are so delicious! I love our backyard in the summer. It's not big, but we've kitted it out enough that it's fun for the kiddies. And now... more photos...

Watching Daddy get the pool ready

Katie's first pool experience. Unlike Maddie, there were no tears - and we call her a grump!?

What IS it with babies + sunglasses?

SO flippin' cute!

xxoo.S

Because I'm lazy...

Too lazy to actually form a proper post anymore... so you get bullets...

• Katie started solids last week - on Thursday to be exact. This was after I spent the last week and a bit trying to avoid grabby little hands while eating (yes, she sits on my lap during most meals - what?). I started to feel a bit guilty about eating in front of her after these kinds of displays, so we started on rice cereal. She is a messy eater and still very grabby. Clearly she thinks she can feed yourself. Newsflash to the 5.5 month old... You can't.
• On Friday night, we spent 2 hours trying to figure out why our Christmas lights outside wouldn't turn on. I despaired that we may have to call an electrician (and yuck to that expense right about now) ... and then Hubs found the problem. One of the ends of our extension cords was sitting in the gutter in an inch of water. Yeah - water and electricity don't like each other.
• Maddie spent the past 5 days visiting Grandma and Grandpa Vallier - which meant a VERY quiet house for us. And eating takeout Thai food for dinner. And not having to sweep the floor after every meal. And having freedom to run errands in the afternoon (prime naptime). And realizing just how effing easy life was with just one kid... wow - so. easy.
• She came home just yesterday and spent the entire evening spider monkey-ing (this is our inside word for crazy clingy cuddles) either the Hubs or I. So for once, I think she missed us too. That's nice...
• One of my productive tasks was getting all the presents wrapped and under the tree - Maddie wasn't home 45 minutes before one of the presents was opened. I told her, "We don't open the presents yet - we have to wait until Christmas", only to be told that she didn't do it. She "Din't do anything Momma" ... apparently we have magical presents that open themselves.
• I hate to say it out loud (as we spent 5 months thinking Maddie was actively teething and expecting to see her first tooth any day now) (no seriously we really did - 5 whole months) ... but I think Katie is teething. She's very gnawy and grumpy and sleepless and agitated and rashy. Sounds like teething, right? Ask me again in a few months...
• I officially have 90% of my Christmas shopping done. 95% of my Christmas baking done. And the cards are getting mailed today. That's not really an update as much as it's a bragging note. I'm super-awesome. (To everyone who is done everything already - shut up).

xo.S

The Good, The Bad and The Ugh....

The Good:

• Katie is back to sleeping 8 hour chunks at night. She did a little stint there where she was waking up at 11ish and then every 3 hours after. It's mind-blowing that I actually did that almost every night with Maddie for 1.5 years. Fuckme I was insane..
• Yesterday was Rememberance Day which is the official date by which I cannot start decorating for Christmas before ... and now I have the all-clear! Our house will slowly be Christmas-fied over the next couple of weeks and I can almost smell the cinnamon sprinkles on my gingerbread Starbucks latte.
• Along with the holiday decorating I have two very cool projects percolating in my noggin' - nothing earth shattering or ground breaking, but if either turn our half as good as I envision them, I'll be happy to sharesies some pics with yous.
• Maddie's really into playing dollies these days and so my background noise daily is now the chitter-chatter of various personalities while they argue or dance or play tag or get ready for the big ball. Invariably there's something said that makes me smile and I keep meaning to get it on video so I can post for the world to see and embarrass Maddie's future 15-year-old self. As Maddie tells me daily, "Mommy - I'm usin' my 'magination!"
• We're spending this weekend at my in-laws new house on the lake. The Hubs helped them move a few weeks ago and is beyond excited to get Maddie out on the dock with her new Barbie fishing rod. I foresee me drinking copious amounts of hot chocolate inside while I attempt to start reading my new book purchase (the new Jane Green - nothing groundbreaking or mindbusting, but enjoyable for this nursing mother who is grasping onto her last few brain cells with all hands).

The Bad:

• Maddie is slowly, deliberately instituting a new practice of torture in the way of the "I have no ears, I am deaf to all requests for rationality. I will only SHOUT all my DEMANDS at you UNTIL YOU COMPLY". She has broken us. I can only aim to please during these tirades.
• Katie's still fighting the bottle like the bull-headed little monkey that she is. I finally found that the Playtex drop-in bottles with latex nipple won't make her scream and cry in protest, but she still just chews around on it and looks at me with disgust. Unfortunately (for her) she gets her bullheadedness from me, so we dance this two-step daily. But yeah, she's winning... for now.

The Ugh:

• Our furnace starting making a weird smell last night - like that burny smell your hair dryer makes right before it stops working. So we turned it off and lived in a 65 degree house for 18 hours until the technician could come take a look. Turns out a dirty air filter can cause your furnace to overheat and burn shit up and make a weird smelly smell. Air filters are the Hubs' department - so he owes me $66.67. I will take it in foot massages... (I realize this is actually good news, because buh - furnace fixing fees are not in our budget right now - like, AT ALL - so yay to the under $100 fee to find out we're lazy morons. YAY!)

xxoo.S

Thoughts on a holiday Monday

• Babies are really fun to dress up and take pictures of. I'm talking, big flowery headbands/hats, tutus etc. Can't wait to see the pics that my good friend Tracy of Artistically Drawn got from our photoshoot yesterday. 
• At a neighbour's BBQ yesterday afternoon, I: a) chatted with a newly-met neighbour about the latest goings-on of Corrie Street, b) met neighbours originally from the UK (but not the Corrie St fans interestingly enough) and so drooled my Anglophilia all over them, c) watched as Maddie took off and played with the other kids in the house, without any adult supervision and was totally fine with it -- holy shit she is growing up fast. All in all - a blissful Sunday afternoon. We are finally making neighbourhood friends. Yay to that, it only took 3+ years...
• Why do I insist on checking on a crib-sleeping Katie a thousand times? Just because she's not sleeping next to me or in my lap, I think something bad is going to happen? Really wish this crazy instinct/paranoia would relax a bit. Also? Because I'm sure I wake her up by doing this, and that just makes me a dumbass...
• I started a list this morning of all the projects I want to accomplish this coming year. At the top of the list is "Create list of projects to complete on mat leave in order of priority". This is the only thing written on the list. I am nothing, if I am not redundant...
• The fall community activity guide came in the mail this week. As I was perusing for classes/groups to sign us up for (figure this will be the best way to spend my winter-mat-leave without losing my mind) I realized that there are A LOT of classes going to be held right here in our little village. All due to the new library/community centre that will finally be finished this fall! I was SO incredibly excited about this that I actually went and found a yellow highlighter so I could highlight all the classes/groups that I wanted to consider joining. N.E.R.D. People don't believe me when I tell them I am one. This? Should verify it completely. Gold star!

I am now going to spend the next unknown amount of minutes of freedom I still have (while Katie naps) trying to sew a few more pillows. Martha Stewart I am not. But I may be learning a lil bit... 

Enjoy your holiday Monday!

xxoo.S

Why I'm a bit crusty today...

• She cut my lawn again. Yesterday. For the record? This time our lawn was actually shorter than hers - as we had recently cut it... so no, this is not a "they are sad pathetic lawn-keeper-uppers" and more "I'm a crazy neighbour that needs this particular patch of grass to match my lawn perfectly". And while I've spent the past 2 times turning the other cheek as so many of my good and wise fb friends suggested, this time? It will be discussed. The very next time I stalk see her.
• Maddie has taken to waking up and PLAYING in the very wee hours of the night. Why? I have no 'effing idea. And while Hubs is officially in charge of the monitor for Maddie's room, he has this one small fault: he could sleep through a tornado funnel being balanced on his nose. So the wee-hour parenting seems to fall to me a bit more.
• Last night was the 2nd night I spent (attempting to) get back to sleeping in my own bed. For the past five weeks I've either shared my bed with Katie while Hubs sleeps on the couch, or I've bunked out on the daybed in her room. Guess what I forgot? How incredibly much (and loudly) the Hubs snores. It's like sleeping next to a clunky 1930's freight train. Front, back, side -- he's perfected the art of snoring in any position. Suggestions as to actual tried-and-true remedies would be MOST appreciated!

Reason why I'm not taking today's crustiness out on my 5 week old?

• She's only a baby and of course doesn't deserve it.
• She's cute and adorable and even her poop smells sweet.
• She's started to smile at me more and more and more these days, and fuck me, those gummy smiles melt my heart.
• She slept like an 'EFFING CHAMPION all on her own, in her own crib, last night: 9-1am, then 1:15am-4:30am. Note this is particularly during the periods that I was mostly awake due to the 2 other ingrates I live with...
• When I gave up and decided to bunk in with her during the 4:30am feeding, she snuggled into me, belly to belly, and gave the happiest, most adorable, little snuffle-sigh as she latched on. And that? THAT is why I enjoy co-sleeping. That, and she doesn't snore.

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

Maddie bits

We all know the only child status Maddie currently enjoys, being the centre of our world, little princess ruler of the household - yeah, the end is nigh on that one for sure... And instead of another post lamenting just how she's going to handle it, what kind of change it's going to make to the family dynamic, yadda yadda yadda - well, instead of all that, I'm just going to list some of her latest quirks, so I can look back and feel all fond and loving and reminiscent about what I'm sure to start lamenting as "the easy times"...

• We've passed the stage of when she used to start all her sentences with "Maddie", but she still hasn't figured out how to use "I" properly. Instead it's "my". As in "My come too!". For a while I thought she was still saying "Maddie" just really fast, then I realized, nope - it's "My".
• Speaking of toddler-speak-grammar - I still love that she uses the word "TOO" to preface anything she wants to show enthusiasm for. As in "I love you tooooooo much Daddy" or "That's tooooooo funny Mama". 
• Luckily we haven't passed the stage of her totally catching on to our Jedi-mind-tricks just yet. Want her to get her ass upstairs for bathtime? Challenge her to a "race" up the stairs. Get her to stop whining and grumping and just losing her shit in general? Challenge her "not to laugh (or smile - that works too)". Want to get her to follow you somewhere (like out of the store)? Start walking away and say, "Oh, I guess I'll have to leave you here". Sidebar? She totally uses this last one on me all the time when she wants me to come with her. Threatens to leave me there - like, I'm afraid of being left alone while I laze about on the couch. Nice try, kid...
• I'm sure I've talked about how "binkie-obsessed" she is - but have I ever told you about "binkie rubs"? (Sounds like a downtown massage-parlor specialty, doesn't it?). It started a while ago, when just one binkie wasn't enough for our dear Madds. She had to have 3 in her hands at all times (or at least during a "binkie-designated-time"). And when she got tired or upset, she'd suck on one, rub one against her cheek with one hand and hold the other in the other hand. It's now progressed to when she gets tired or sucky or miserable and you're holding her, that she'll attempt to make you feel "better" too with a binkie-rub. Kind of adorable in a weirdo-omg-how-will-we-ever-break-this-soother-habit kind of way...
• Her imaginative play skills are kicking into high-gear. Which also means more and more independent play. And me chuckling to myself, while I make dinner and listen to her re-enact arguments or bedtime rituals with her dolls that we do on a nightly basis - but with her acting the part of "Mommy". And don't get me started on the adorableness of when she practically rolls her eyes and tells me "It's just for pretend, Mama" if I ask her about what she's doing.
• One of her favourite snacks is frozen peas (she comes by this naturally, I`m a big frozen food eaten in frozen state fan) - but now as she discovers different snack foods, that she loves, like raisins for example (and yes, she's 2.5 years old and only getting into raisins now because she hated them when we tried them like a year ago and I just never really tried again) (because I'm lazy) (and I don't much care for raisins)... but now she LURVES raisins - except she doesn't just call them raisins. They're called "frozen raisins". Because anything that good, must be frozen right? Yeah, maybe this is only funny to me...
• This last one she'll probably hate me for when she's 14 and reading all my documentation of her little "quirks" - but whatevs, it has to be shared... With all the potty-training going on, Maddie's been spending a lot of time pant-less, because either she recently had an accident, or whipped off her undies during the last potty-run and refused to put them back on (yes, this is a battle that rages because my daughter's a nudist, plain and simple). So the other night, while eating dinner, I actually had to use the words "Do not put peas in your vagina!". Frozen peas? Really Maddie? Really? Because, up the nose is bad enough...

xxoo.S

Oh, hi there!

I've been silent for a while. Well, what can I say? Last week was a bitch. I got sick (again! I know, play another record, right?). I was working like mad, trying desperately to wrap up loose ends and feeling guilty all at the same for all those loose ends that I really was going to have no choice, but leave loose. All in all, it was hectic and crazy and not awesome.

So instead, let's focus on what is awesome. It is Tuesday. I'm 2nd day into mat leave. I have my massive to-do nesting list created (yes this is a good thing, I'm anal and love my lists). And I've got my little Miss M home with me from daycare for her own little "mommy-vacation" for the week.

You know how I always write about how much of a Daddy's girl she is? Well, this past week and half, she's changed her tune quite dramatically. She's all about "momma momma momma" lately. Momma has to play with her. Momma needs to do bath time. Momma has to read the bedtime stories.

In return I get the softest pats on the cheek and a little girl that looks right in my eyes and tells me, "I lub you TOOOOOO much Momma."

Heart. Melting.

Also in the realm of awesome?

• Sproggy's room is almost done, just some shelf installation and basket buying and artwork-making (this is the rainy-day activity Madd's and I are going to tackle this week). 
• We have the carpet-cleaning guy booked for this Friday (because you can't truly NEST without some steam-cleaning of some kind, right?)
• I cooked and baked like a demon yesterday, and have a few more things to get done today - which means the freezer will be sufficiently stocked for.... oh, the first couple of weeks of newborn-hell, anyways.
• Maddie decided to sleep in all weekend until 7:30am (or later) and take 3.5 hour afternoon naps and that? Was so incredibly fantastic. Especially as Hubs was at a golf thing until late on Friday, cottage all day Saturday until the wee hours of Sunday and therefore slept in on Sunday - so essentially I was on single-parent duty for the majority of the weekend, which, with all that sleep, didn't seem so hard after all.
• Maybe it was all the sleep, but the little glimpse we've had recently of the "terrible-twos" monster seems to have disappeared. She's been a darling of late, very agreeable, very happy - just generally a pretty awesome little kid.

And last but not least? In the past couple of weeks, we decided to try our hand at potty training one more time before the baby arrived. Maddie showed interest in it, our daycare provider suggested it be a good time to try again, and so we did. And the first 2 weeks. Went okay... She seemed to do far better at daycare and save up all the "accidents" for the hours between 6-8pm.

But with little pep-talks from our daycare provider to keep our spirits up (and her promising that soon, very soon, everything would just "click" and Maddie would just all of a sudden put 2 and 2 together and be able to tell us when she had to go - vs us having to ask every 20 mins and try to cajole her into "trying" again)... we kept with it and blammo! Everything seemed to click into place as of yesterday. 

She told me she had to go before we left the house on our errands yesterday morning, she told me she had to go while driving in the car (and DID go in a Tim Horton's bathroom with no issues - I was so proud I bought her 2 Timbits as a reward), and she told me she had to go poop before naptime. So, while she wore a pull-up the whole day (yes, it's much better to "train" in underwear, it's a helluva lot easier when out and about to be using a pull-up), she didn't have ONE accident. And I also learned, she can hold it for about an hour and half - sometimes two. So yeah, that's probably why she resisted when I was asking her every friggin' 20 minutes. I'd get annoyed too.

Anyways - so we've passed that hurdle. She can now tell us she has to go (which is so much better than me having to check with her a thousand times a day), and seems to be totally down with being a "big girl who doesn't wear diapers". 

I realize by simply writing this and bragging about my potty-genius, she will now totally revert and pee all over my shoes while we're out today ... but whatever... I had to share.

Off to run more errands and see the midwife... enjoy your day at work... suckas!!!

xxoo.S

37 weeks

Um, nothing has really changed since last week....

• Still have lots of energy back (altho fell asleep at 9pm on couch last night watching Sherlock Holmes - which is a surprise since RDJ is a big celeb crush for me)
• Feeling as big as a house - like, belly skin couldn't get tighter
• In fact, I suspect I've got some stretch marks on the underside that you can't really see all that well, but there definitely are some little red, angry looking squiggles... oh to ever wear a bikini again?
• My ankles swell - but only sometimes. In fact, now that we have AC back, 'tis not so bad - so we'll see how that goes.
• I've been crampy lately. But don't get excited - I remember being so crampy in the final month last time that I was CONVINCED I was going to give birth at least 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Instead I went 6 days late...
• I have discovered the refreshing joy of lemonade (especially PINK lemonade - which Maddie also lurves) - yay summer.

Yup. That's all I've got. Oh and this is my 2nd last week of work. Countdown is officially on. Which means I'm crunching about three months of work into 6 days... because I'm dumb and conscientious and think people really care and shit...

xxoo.S

Irony is...

• Spending $350+ on a new camera the very-same-day your friend finds your old one in their van.
• Attempting (for the second time) to potty train your toddler, the very weekend she decides to play "baby" and only wants to "goo-goo ga-ga" at you every time you ask her if she wants to be a "big girl".
• Turning on your a/c on the hottest long weekend Monday you've ever experienced, only to find out that it is B.R.O.K.E.N.

Or I could say... Irony is: complaining about anything really, when it was still a hot + sunny long weekend, spent with good, close friends + my adorable little family. And that alone, was enough to make it perfect.

xxoo.S

The weekend in bullets

• I got to spend Sat afternoon with girlfriends I haven't seen in a while - doing the lunch thing at Yonge/Eg.
• Daddy & Maddie spent the afternoon together, doing the park/outside thing - Seth got a few good vids that I'll get around to uploading at some point.
• Sat night was spent with good friends G&L, doing an early celebration for Seth's bday.  Steak, scallops, shrimp and ceasar salad - yum.
• Sunday was spent... um, not feeling well after the copious amounts of red wine imbibed the night before.  
• Oh, and Maddie spent lots more time with Daddy this weekend than usual (since I was either out of the house or very slow moving).  Which meant she was in a better than usual mood.  Daddy's girl [said with a grin]...

That's all.

xxoo.S

Flying bullets

• I did it.  I finally bit the bullet and cut bangs.  I figure I'm going to last about two nanoseconds with this crazy long hair once summer hits - so to fully embrace and enjoy my long hair, I've done the bang chop.  I know it's only teasing to post to you about it, and not include a pic, but I'm at work and think they may think I'm crazy if I whip out my bb and take a picture of myself right here and now.  Later, soon, I promise...
• It's March break - and our daycare is closed.  So my mom and Seth's mom are taking turns visiting and taking care of Miss Button this week.  Which brings me to...
• Maddie hates me.  And that's because Grandma (V) is in town.  And she's far cooler and far more interesting the boring old mommy.  And perhaps Grandma spoils her, just a bit... Seriously though?  The 'tude I get copped when Grandma's around?  Not the coolest aspect of the visit.  Notthatwedon'tappreciatethehelp!!!  Honest...
• Spring is officially here - at least in Ontario - and we've been outside constantly.  Or as Maddie calls it "Side".  We go 'side to the park.  To the swings.  Around the block to the recent open house (I'm nosy).  To get the mail.  And just up and down the street to walk.  This summer is going to be so much fun...
• I am on the lookout for a climbing-sliding-thingamagoo.  I should keep an eye out on Kijiji, but really it's just making me antsy as I can't wait for garage sale season!!  Yes, I'm okay with admitting it.  It's a sport, and I'm still a bit of a rookie.  But I've got one full season under my belt and can't wait for the frost to leave, April to start and my Saturday mornings to fill up...

xxoo.S

I know I know

I owe you all some halloween pics.  I will post soon.  I promise.

Thanks to a generously lent costume from our daycare provider, Maddie was dressed up as a little monkey this year.  She absolutely loved halloween.  Seemed to "get" that she was dressed up, that others were dressed up, and all was good with the world (I was a little worried that she would hate her costume or get scared seeing the other kids in costumes - apparently I was worried for nothing, she's a helluva lot smarter than I give her credit for I guess)...

So we took Maddie trick-or-treating to our neighbours on the right and left of us.  She loved that too.  I think probably would have gone on to more houses if we had let her.  And then she helped give out candy to the kids that came to our house.  It was so warm out, that everyone was outside on their front steps, so was a lot of fun in that sense.  Except Miss Maddie kept wanting to follow the kids down the sidewalk and onto the street.  There can be a bit of downside to having a social butterfly for a daughter - especially when she's just a year old.

We've lots of other news - but I'm tired, so it's relagated to bullets for today...

• We sold the Accent.  I had to say bye-bye to AB (that was her name for the past almost-5 years).  It was a little bittersweet.  When we got her, I never expected that I would have her for a full 5 years, but I guess since I did, I got a little attached.  But I wasn't attached to the car payments and 2 insurance payments we've been making - so in the end, I was like buh-bye AB!  Thanks for the km's, thanks for not breaking down, thanks for being a solid little car.  Hope you treat your new owners the same...
• Maddie has started having nightmares at night.  I hate it.  I hate trying to calm her down and not being able to.  I hate not being able to tell her (or show her) that all is fine, she doesn't need to be afraid.  And I hate being woken up for 1-2 hour stretches in the middle of the night because she can't get back to sleep.  Any thoughts/advice/help?  Any feedback whatsoever is welcome!
• Lately I've been feeling more and more like my old self.  I've gone to a few concerts, met friends for dinner and organized a few more 'ladies nights' coming up in a few weeks.  I love being able to leave Maddie with Daddy and take off for the night.  It's the social life that I've sorely missed this past year and I'm really enjoying getting a bit of freedom back in my life.
• Grandma Thompson is coming to visit for a few days as of tomorrow.  The plan is shopping (of course), maybe some furniture restoration (could be tricky), and hopefully lots of Christmas baking (yum!).
• I have officially accepted a new position with a company - so I am happily gainfully employed as of the end of this month.  I am soooo happy and excited about this opporutnity that it doesn't warrant being explained in this bullet - I'll write a post soon.

Happy early November friends & family!  We're loving the unseasonably ridiculously warm weather lately and hope it bodes for a mild winter.  Hope you're getting outside and enjoying it while you can, wherever you are.

xxoo.S

Flying bullets

It's been a busy day and am just about to make dinner - but wanted to post quickly...

• I just used my new jogging stroller for an hour long walk (yay, me!) ... so maybe I'll actually start losing weight now. (goodlordIhopeso)
• Maddie's one ear is completely filled with wax. I'm not even sure if I can describe just how gross it is. And everything I've read online says not to do anything, it'll work itself out. Um, okay. But in the meantime, gross...
• We have an ant problem in our kitchen. We just discovered this over the weekend (think it was because Seth filled in the sand in our interlock brick in the backyard - he filled in their home, so they infiltrated ours). Ants are gross. And the ant traps don't seem to be working - at least not fast enough for me. So I keep spraying them with Fantastic. That's right. Fantastic.
• Tomorrow is our last Babyville group meeting - I really like the moms we met through this group and hope that we all do manage to keep in touch. At least over the summer, while I'm home and bored and (ALWAYS!) looking for something to do...
• Lastly - random thought: Have you ever noticed how potatoes will just randomly start growing on their own if you leave them long enough? Like start growing little arms and legs (sprouts?) with no help or outside intervention. Don't you think that's just weird? I mean, seriously - does any other food item do that? Just start propagating itself?
  

xxoo.S