My little ally

Jesse was making intermittent chirpy noises at Violet during dinner last night.

Violet turned to me and said "Daddy's annoying".

Big Girl Bed

On Saturday morning I was sitting with Violet in her room, cleaning up and going through her dresser again to remove clothes she has outgrown. I feel like I have to do this every week.

She wanted to jump around in her crib, so I put her in.

Jump, jump...jump...climbing out and about to fall on her head! Woah! I had no idea she could do that. So this weekend quickly became the big-girl-bed switcheroo weekend.

We all headed out to Ikea, where Violet cheerfully called out "Buenos dias!" and "De nada!" to everyone. I don't think anyone realized she was speaking Spanish (I had to restrain myself from telling them that what they were taking for toddler babble was really the smartest toddler in the world speaking Spanish perfectly).

Jesse and I have a powerful curse on us that makes a quick trip to purchase one thing turn into a 3 hour marathon of stress...and maybe if we are lucky we actually get that one thing. This time we were lucky! We opted for a twin bed and didn't put the legs on it. It does look like she is sleeping in a box though. I was nervous about the switch, but it was no problem. Jesse and I peeked in on her last night around 10, and I couldn't resist taking a photo of her first night in her big girl bed. She looks so very small in it. And Elmo is a total pillow hog. Jesse and I got all teary about it.

This morning she woke up calling out as usual. When I went into her room she was sitting up and yelled "big girl bed!" when she saw me, arms stretched above her head. She also realized that the bed can be used for much more then sleeping. Like jumping!

Some other things:

-Toilet training is picking up again after a few weeks of lackluster interest. Yesterday Jesse was changing her diaper before bed, and she asked to go pee on the toilet, so Jesse sat her on it. Nothing. He took her back to her room, finished changing her and started the bedtime book. She asked to go a second time, so he sat her on her the toilet again. Nothing. Jesse asked "Don't you have to pee?" and Violet said "No. I'm sorry Daddy, finish the book now". So, this is a new thing, the apologizing when she hasn't done anything to apologize for. She'll be sitting next to me, then snuggle over and say "I'm sorry Mama". I ask her why she is sorry, but I don't think she understands why she is saying it. Just likes the sound of my heart breaking I guess.

-Out of the blue one day, Violet started saying "ummm". All the time.

"Violet, what animals did you see at the farm?"

"Umm...cows...sheep...umm...piggies..."

-Jesse and I thought it would be fun for her if we sang some bedtime songs together. We started one, but I stopped a little way in because I didn't know the words. Violet's hand shot up from under the covers, she waggled her finger back and forth between Jesse and me, and said "together!". You have to watch when you start these things. Now we will have to sing a duet every night.

Note to new baby: your bedtime routine will contain no frills.

- I had a lovely Mother's Day. There was sleeping in, shrimp and a future date with a spa treatment. Perfecto!

Video Magic

My mastery of the internet is now complete. I CAN POST VIDEOS!

In the Garden

Ever since we’ve moved into our house I have been staring out of the living room window at my nemesis. The monstrous cedar hedge. Twelve feet high and twelve feet wide, running through the middle of the lawn. It makes it look like we don’t like people. We want to pretend like we do (and yet discourage Jehovah’s Witnesses at the same time).
“Just wait for spring, hedge” I would mutter, already feeling the saw in my hands.

Last week, we took it half of it DOWN. When I say ‘we’, I mean that I made Jesse do it (I’m pregnaaaaant!). It was so great. Then we went on a complete gardening bender which took us through till Sunday night, assembling the new patio furniture in the dark, using our hands to guide the allen key into the screws. We will need to put some lights in the backyard.

We all spent most of the weekend outside, and Violet loved every second of it. She watered the plants, made friends with worms, millipedes and mud (in her cute little gardening clogs, of course). I had always hoped for a nature-girl.

While we were in the backyard, she asked to run around naked. I thought it was fine, although the old-neighbour-lady seemed to look over disapprovingly. How long in life to you get to be so free and unselfconscious? Violet felt the breeze on her little naked bum and sighed “niiiiiice”.

In these photos Violet is wearing her longest running article of clothing, those adorable milk and cookie pants. My sister Alexandra made them for her when she was 8 weeks old. They might be starting to get a little short though. Sniff.

She also got her that cool tiger shirt.

Her First Dirty Joke!

Last night Violet and I were leafing through a National Geographic Magazine. She was really intrigued by a picture of bamboo. She asked what it was, and then repeated "bamboo!" several times, enjoying the word. Then she got this mischievous twinkle in her eye and said "bamboobs!", and then cracked up laughing.

Winding Down / Winding Up

Rhea and Israel are back in B.C.
Lauren is back in Kingston for the summer.
We celebrated Oma’s birthday yesterday at Grandpa’s house, who made a fabulous dinner. After dinner I asked Violet is she was still hungry (she is back to eating very little). She thought about it for a while, then asked for “ice cream, cake, water...and cookies!”
Bit of a sweet tooth there.
Apart from the birthday excitement, it’s been pretty quiet around the house...well, except for Violet, who pretty much talks constantly.
The weather was so glorious last weekend, Jesse finally put the summer tires on the car. Violet really likes to help, so we let her tighten the bolts.


















And then drive herself to the liquor store.












Violet in mid-sentence (drunk!), telling me she is going to walk to her friend Sabrina's house.
Stittsville is a long walk, baby.



















About me:
Yes, I look pregnant.








I have reached the half-way mark in this pregnancy. So soon! It’s like the last 4 months of exhaustion and constant nausea just flew by! I am feeling great now though.
I’ve been a bit stressed about deciding whether to birth this child the ol’fashioned way, or to schedule a repeat cesarean. My midwife gave me a lot of information and research about VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). I guess I should try it – VBAC has a good success rate.
BUT.
What if I’m one of those 2 out of 10 women it doesn’t work for? What if my uterus explodes? Why would I want to labour that long to end up in surgery, feeling defeated, again? If I choose to have surgery, then I feel confident about what will happen.
BUT.
I hated the c-section! It’s major abdominal surgery that carries it’s own set of risks and complications.
Then I think, who cares!? It doesn’t matter how it happens, as long I get another one of those things that asks you to read books and snuggle it lots. And whines for ice cream frequently.
And tells you she has to pee in the toilet, just to get you out of bed at 5:45 am (well, it seems like I don't have to pee after all, but since you're up, shall we play together?).

It's a baby!

To not keep anyone waiting...I had the ultrasound this afternoon. ONE BABY! One beautiful perfect little person, arms crossed behind it's head like it was lounging poolside in a hammock. I say 'it' because we are not finding out the sex. If it had ever been twins, this one must have eaten the other, as the baby was measuring 10 days ahead. Enough of a difference to perhaps move my due date up. I'm more inclined to believe I am going to have another large baby.

As such, I might have to revise my non-medicated natural birth plan in the future. I have a pretty cynical view of birth plans anyway, as Violet's birth deviated from the script wildly.

Sorry about the lack of updates , but I was in Florida with Nana!

One week with just my Ma, spoiled rotten and totally relaxed. We flew back into Toronto on Good Friday, meeting Jesse and Violet who had driven in that morning. Violet was way more excited to see Nana! then mama.

We had a great Easter in TO. Violet even got a keyboard from Babcia. Violet loves her 'pinano', as she calls it. She's been playing and singing along since we plugged it in. She very quickly figured out how to make the thing play all the tacky pre-set songs.

Since our return, first Violet, then I, have been felled by yet another cold. Urgh. Lots of hanging out and reading lately.

There was an excursion out with Oma this afternoon, even though it looked more like Christmas then spring outside. I love this froggy hat.

Family Times

It's happened a couple of times now. It has just happened again.

It freaks me out. I can only stare, which must concern her a little.

I take Violet out of her crib in the morning and she looks like a

totally different girl. Literally, her face looks different.
Where is my baby?!

Who is this big girl; Practising jumping, walking backwards and

shuffling sideways. Reading books to me. Singing songs,

and making up her own nonsense to tunes she already knows.

Looking to me for laughs at her silly jokes, or just chuckling

to herself about something. Telling me in almost full sentences

what she plans to do,

"I'ma go sleep in the tent, sleeping bag is comfy!"

She's extremely intelligent, aware, sensitive, tenacious, independent,

affectionate, and looks really cute in her new orange running shoes.

Violet is a whole 21 months old already.

I think it's the pregnancy hormones getting me all teary here.

Everything is fine on the pregnant frontier...except for a bad joke

the midwife made the other day about hearing a third heartbeat

with the doppler (mine, baby's and...?). "It's highly likely it's just

an echo of the ONE baby that is in there" she said quickly, after

I almost had a stroke. Ha. Ha. Ultrasound scheduled for April 16.

Bad joke.

Anyhoo, we're obviously all about family here. Rhea (Jesse's eldest sister)

and Israel (her boyfriend) arrived from a 6 month bouldering adventure

in Spain and France last week. Violet took one look at Rhea, and fell in love

with her aunt. She remains shy with Israel, however. Here he is planning

his next Columns (a video game) strategy against the master Jesse.

All I'm saying is that MY man got 48,000 points.

Violet looks at him and says "funky hair!"

He's slowly winning her over with his amazing skill at contact juggling

and wooing her in Spanish, the language of Dora.

They are staying with us, and in and around the Ottawa Valley, for a few weeks.

It's nice with all the reunions and beautiful people.

And eating cake and whipped cream without proper cutlery.

Gratuitous Nudity

For a long time, Violet would get really excited about having a bath. So much so, that we always had to spell the word around her. As time has marched on, however, the truth about her eagerness to bathe has been revealed. She really only likes the nudity before the bath. Now when we say "bath", she yells "nay-kid!".

No one could possibly like being naked as much as this girl.

Her two favourite things to do when naked (besides joking about peeing on the floor), are running and reading.

A Polite Bather

As the water drained from her bath last night, I asked Violet "where does the water go?". She looked at the drain for a while, then called out "Bye water!....See you later!....Thank you!...Kiss!".

Another Little Heartbeat

For those of you who may have been wondering about the constant references to my being ill, perhaps picturing me faint and reclining on a settee every evening whilst the little one learns to play quietly around Mama or risk being sent away. It is actually...pregnancy! And I have been faint and reclining on a settee (OK, it's a couch) every evening. That or throwing up. It wasn't a pleasant first trimester. In the last couple of days the nausea has lifted, and I feel like real person again.

We had a midwife appointment today, and although she was careful to point out that the heartbeat might not be found for a few more weeks, there it was. Strong and clear. What a sound! My due date is September 12.

The lovely folks over at The Margoville Gazette gave Violet a book called "I'm A Big Sister" and she loves it. The book has a mom, dad and toddler that have the same hair colour that we all do, so Violet thinks it's about us, which is great. There is no denying her universe is going to change.

Violet ran a fever for a couple of days last week. She fell asleep on me while I was on the phone, which was a rare (if warm and sweaty) treat. Later that night she woke at about 12 am, crying for me. I brought her into bed and we managed to cool her down with Tylenol and leeches. She fell asleep in our bed, and I didn't have the heart to move her back to her room. Around 3 am I woke up to her crying out "Mama! Cows! Moooo! Cows!" in her sleep. It was hilarious, and the first time I had an insight into what she dreams about. We'd always just assumed chasing mice through fields.

Last weekend, Nana! came to visit. She and Violet baked a cake while Jesse and I got to go skiing for half a day. Wonderful! Although Violet looks disgruntled in this photo, she's probably just annoyed that I am intruding in their fun. She was in heaven to have Nana! to make up games with. Thanks for a sweet weekend Nana!

Overheard

Yesterday morning (talking into the cell phone):
"Hi chainsaw! What doing?"

This morning (to the cat):
"What happened, Elsa?"

Pancake Breakfast

We have an iron clad rule in our household, and that
is Saturday morning breakfast must be pancakes.
Violet makes them now, which lets Jesse and I
sleep in late. Nice!













A couple of eggs. Whisked vigorously while calling
out "cooking!"



















milk













flour













sugar













baking powder













vanilla













a bit more mixing...and voila! Perfect pancakes.













Which I didn't photograph because I was too busy eating.

As a side note, our kitchen of eternal renovations is almost done. You
might notice the maple cabintery and the sultry Corian counter
behind the wee chef.
The cabinet that was twice lost was finally delivered while we were
in Qatar. The only hold up is...me. I can't find a nice tile to put over the
ripped drywall (which I'm beginning to appreciate as a 'rustic' look) that
doesn't cost a fortune. Ah well. Perhaps yet another trip to Home Depot
is in the works for next weekend.
N

I talk about poo and pee in this post. You have been warned.

A couple of days ago, I mentioned to Violet that I was going to go pee. She cried "meeeeeee!", as she usually does when she wants to be included in something.
"You need to pee too?" I asked. "Bunny pee. Big toilet" she answered. Apparently her stuffed bunny needed to pee.
Friends, I put the top of her potty on the toilet seat, sat her on it, and she peed. First time! She lit up with total delight.
Since then she's had a pee in the toilet every morning.
Today after lunch, she said "poop,diaper". I asked her if she'd like to poo in the toilet, she said "yes", and pooped in the toilet!

At this rate, she will be toilet trained in about four more days.

I'm sorry I posted a picture of my child on the toilet (it is tacky), but since I did it, here's another one below she can talk to her therapist about later.
We took Violet to the museum this morning. When we brought her home, Jesse wanted to take her shoes off, but managed to take her pants off instead.
I don't know how.

Daddy's first post

Hello!


Mommy (we always promised that we wouldn't call each mommy and daddy, but then we bought a bungalow) has been feeling a little under the weather recently, so it has fallen to me to update the family blog! I am so excited and nervous!

I'm the older one in the back. We take our smoothies pretty seriously.

Well, Violet is 19 months. I realized just recently that I had been telling everyone she was 16 months right up until last week. She is getting cuter and more clever all the time. Why, just the other day she emptied out the entire toilet bowl, one cupful at a time, onto the bathroom floor. I think our cat made her do it.

Mommy and UV posing with the School of Rock DVD (ask me where she got those gorgeous blue eyes...)

Things have been going very well for our multi-generational household recently. Having my mom around is really turning out to be great. I never got to see enough of her when I was a youngling, so it is nice to be able to make up for it now. We put UV and Mommy to bed and stay up late watching trashy TV.

It is especially fun when my sister comes over to hang out. My dad also comes over to visit a whole lot more than he ever did before the little one was born. Having an adorable kid sure is a humbling experience. We are hoping that Mommy feels better soon so we can all spend time together, we have been missing her.

Violet is a natural rockstar. You can see that she has already perfected the bored, its so easy to be this cool look and she has the somewhat glazed eyes of a veteran rocker. I've had her listening to gnr since she was in the womb. That being said, she sure likes hip-hop too. What a well rounded kid.

Her newest most favouritist song, however, is none other than "Chippee Chippee" (sic?) from the Motorcycle Diaries' soundtrack. I have no idea what they are singing about but the chorus is compulsively fun to sing.

I think that is enough for now. I hope you are all well, wherever you are around the world. Whether we know you or not, we are glad to be sharing this part of our lives with you! Don't worry, we've saved a lot of juicy stuff for the scandalous tell-all book.

Woah!

Violet spontaneously made up her first 5 word sentence the other day.
"Daddy teeth, Violet teeth too". She wanted to brush her teeth at the same time as Jesse. She's been getting pretty good at using 'too' in the correct way. She's also started to speak gibberish more often (and laughing when we repeat it). I've been reclining on the couch quite often of late, letting Jesse do the 'parenting', and from afar the gibberish often sounds like close approximations of phrases like "ok then, let's go", and such. She sure talks a lot.

I had mentioned we had been visiting our Aunt, Uncle and cousins in Wakefield. One of UV's cousins graciously parted with an extra tutu she had. She also got a nice red hat from Auntie B. Violet came home and started wearing both pretty steadily. I would say this would be the first outfit she coordinated herself. Good one!














We've all settled into our routines again, which is nice. It's Sunday afternoon, Violet is watching Elmo's World (she especially likes Mr. Noodle) and Jesse is doing the dishes. I'm thinking about what to make for dinner.

I finally downloaded the photos from my camera. On it were some taken the day after we got back from Qatar. I think you can see that she seems at bit hesitant about our presence, but the shots turned out well.














But Dad still plays the same games.














We missed that goofy smile. I'm sure you all did too!

I KNOW...I'LL DO IT

Readers are getting antsy!

Tonight, I promise, I will update this blog.
It's just that I've been sick, at work (which is still ruining lunch dates with friends), and have too many pictures to download off the camera.
Till then,
N

Home again

We made it home!
I am totally reeling from jet lag, but very happy to be here with my little girl again. Grandpa, Lauren and Violet came to pick us up at the airport. I was anxious to see how she would react to seeing us. She stared at me in wonder for a few long seconds, and then a little tear formed in the corner of her eye. OOF! Right in the heart!
Yesterday she was very clingy, whiny and weepy (very trying with the jet lag). This was to be expected - poor girl. She's more herself today,so we're off to visit some cousins in Wakfield.
UV got smarted and cuter while we were gone! She has some new tricks, like saying "windy day!" when we blow in her hair.

That was one amazing holiday. Not only did my Dad and Libby pay for all our tickects out to Qatar, but completely spoiled us that entire time we were there. The desert, the food, the Ritz...everything was incredible.
It really felt like a once in a lifetime experience, and we are so grateful.

Pictures to follow!
N

Zikreet

The best way I can describe how Qatar looks is like a huge expanse of cleared
and bulldozed landscape. It is desolate, scrubby and rocky. It is beautiful though!
Camels and goats and SUVs roam the landscape.
There is also garbage absolutely everywhere.
We've been doing a lot of driving, and you can just turn off the highway
at almost any point into the desert and start driving over anything you like.
Jesse has really taken to desert driving, but it was Libby who
got all four wheels off the ground.
We just drove up to there incredible formations and
hiked around.













The sky is an incredible blue.













It's been unseasonably cold and very windy. When we're standing
out in the desert, being whipped by wind and sand,
and I look around and see NOTHING except more of the same.
I've often feel we must be on Mars. A beige Mars.













We went out to an old movie set in Zikreet. It was really amazing to
come across this in the middle of, again, nowhere. Two
guys live there as caretakers, which must be a very lonely
existence. One of them has a Grandmother who lives in
Toronto. Small world!














We climbed around the set, which had been
constructed authentically - so cool!














Today, we are headed to the Ritz Carleton to lounge by the pool
and get massages. Whooohooooo!

Doha Travels

Salam-alaikam from Doha!

Max, Angie, Adrian and Nina arrived a couple of nights ago. They got over their jet lag pretty quickly, gave us their colds, and so we started our adventures.













Libby took us to visit the local souq (marketplace). Twisting cobbled passageways and pointed archways lead you through an incredible assortment of both antique Arabian artifacts and cheap crap from China.

































I'm not sure how half the structures remain standing here, but they do.

An unassuming little shop we popped into turned out to be a falconry. It's a popular sport here. There was a video loop showing the falcon hunting and killing another bird. These things are fast and deadly, and often worth incredible amounts of money.

I bought Jesse a robe, and myself a head covering (a dish-dash) like the man in the above picture is wearing. It really came in handy the next day when we drove out into the desert.

Yesterday, we rode out in a convoy with other Westerners to the inland sea. Driving in SUVs across the dunes was totally exhilarating and unlike anything else we had ever seen or experienced. We all took turns driving - I was pretty good too!

The dunes were beautiful.

The inland sea. The dunes just end at the sparkling turquoise water. Although it was cold and unrelentingly windy, Max went snorkeling. All he saw was a sunken SUV. Saudi Arabia is just across the water.

Today, we are driving across the country to the other coast to dig for 'desert roses' (crystals structures) and fossils. Yahoo!