disarm you with a smile

Dinner last night was great, nice to get out even if it was with my mom, my aunt and my Grandma - not that there is anything wrong with that per se but it does make me realize that maybe it is time to make some new friends. Ugh...

Busy day today with playgroup in the morning and then some grocery shopping and dropping Jay off to pick up his car from the garage this aft. Nate didn't nap (I blame Jay - who was in charge) so he was pretty crazy, especially this evening.

Jay is back to work tomorrow - just over a week until he goes away...the count down is on.

Ok well I'm too tired to think of anything else to say.

and during the getaway she would drive the Vespa

I think I finally have everything sorted and ready to go for the yard sale next weekend. Amazing how much stuff one accumulates in such a short time. Before we moved just a little under a year ago we went through this same excercise and I thought we pared down...


To be fair, most of the stuff we're selling is baby and kid stuff.

Hopefully we'll make a bit of money - I have my eye on a couple of Eames Eiffel chair reproductions for the living room...plus there is still the fireplace surround to do, paint to buy etc. etc.

Going out for dinner tonight with my mom - one of my last chances for solo me time out and about before Jay goes to K-town.

if there was a cold war we could keep each other warm

Back in the land of 24 hour service and stop lights after an extended weekend in Deacon sans Jay.

Saturday was beautiful and Nate discovered the garden hose - kept him busy all day. At one point we were all relaxing in the garage having a beer (Maggie was down) and he came in and sat at the table and he was totally trying to act like a grown-up. It was so cute. So, i gave him a diet Coke.

Sunday, it was rainy and cold and boy oh boy was he cranky. He is difficult and spirited at the best of times but when he is tired or out of routine he is downright beligerant (sp?). Its so hard too because he still won't come out and say I'm hungry or I'm thirsty so you always have to try and figure it out. He wore my mom out too.

He's also started biting when he's angry and sometimes he pulls his hair when he has a tantrum. I have to keep in mind that he doesn't always know how to express himself and he gets frustrated. I find it so hard not to lose it though and I end up screaming at him which doesn't do anything except make me feel guilty...

Today was a bit better, at least this morning when he was getting rides in the wheelbarrow. But now he's worn out from the weekend and he's been difficult since we got home. Mags was a bit out of sorts too.

I'm not sure why but he still doesn't really like sleeping at Mom & Dad's and asks us to leave the light on. Last night, he actually came into my room in the middle of the night and got into bed with me. First time that has happened. I let it go. For one thing, I was way too tired to fight with him and secretly I thought it was so cute and him snuggling up to me almost made up for the insanity earlier that evening.

I'm hoping it won't become a habit though. Bedtime and sleeping has always been one area where we've had great success with both him (until the big boy bed at least) and Mags.

When I say I want a third child remind me about this weekend. Ok - that's enough complaining for one day! This too shall pass.

and this little piggy was a boogy woogy piggy - he boogy-woogied all the way home

beautiful day - not that i would really know - i'm inside! what can i say - i'm a slave to the kid's naps.

heading up to Deacon in the morning - Jay's working mids all weekend and mom is off.

plumbers came by this am and fortunately the price was well below what we thought it would be - woo hoo. plus i've used them before without issue. so, i bought some clothes this morning along with the groceries - i love the superstore.

question of the day - does fish sauce go bad? its pretty salty and its been in the fridge but its been a year. if i get food poisioning (sp?) you know why.

ok - gotta get the rest of supper prepped (Thai beef salad - thus the fish sauce)

you know that I could use somebody

i survived the day - actually Nate finally went down at 3:00 and slept until 5 which allowed for me to have some one on one time with Mags and he was great after that.

we had another dance party after dinner - Mags in was in her saucer bouncing along and laughing her pretty little head off at her silly brother and mommy.

its the moments like that that make up for all the other stuff.

so the city passed the new landsdowne park proposal. just the first step, but i continue to hold out hope that there will once again be a CFL team in this town.

now you're going to have to show me how this dance is done

Nate's reign of terror continues...

He must be going through a change because it is tantrum city. He screamed for 10 minutes that he did not want chocolate milk at lunch. Wouldn't let it go just kept screaming no chocolate milk, no chocolate milk. Yet, when we took the chocolate milk away he went after it.

I just wish I knew what was going on in that little head of his. Yesterday he had a 3.5 hour nap - no such luck today - at least not yet.

This morning was playgroup - I was so overwhelmed that I made Jay come help me at home time. Part of it was that I couldn't figure out what to wear this am which sort of put me in a bad mood. I have only one pair of jeans that fits me now and I can only wear them with heels.

I need to go shopping but finding time is hard as is finding money. We're about to drop about $700 to fix our chimney and probably another $500 to $700 on a plumber to fix our laundry tub faucet and an exterior faucet. However, these are the last two "must fixes" on our list. Maybe then we can start thinking about new flooring etc.

Ugh - it is only 2:00pm and I'm already drained.

i put a whip to the kick-drum but the music's never loud enough

What a day. Must be the early rising sun, the kids were up at 6:12am. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and Nate did his best to make me want to lock him in his room and throw away the key.

I had to give myself a couple time outs today for fear of tanning his hide. In retrospect he wasn't even being that bad but he sure does know how to get a rise out of me.

He also seems to be outgrowing his nap - this is tantamount to torture in my eyes.

Oh well, things can't stay the same forever and all he has to do is sing a couple bars of twinkle little star or Jesus loves me and I melt and all is forgiven.

I had my second and most likely last appointment with the therapist today. Apparently I'm not messed up enough to warrent further professional help which is good, I guess. I actually kind of liked spilling my guts to a complete stranger who is bound by confidentiality rules (not that really I have anything worthy of confidentiality).

Fortunately he didn't ask how the running was going...it isn't. I also had a grande decaf mocha and a slice of lemon poppy seed cake for dinner (my appointment was at 6:00).

Well, I should go and have a healthy bed-time snack. Something that involves fruit and/or vegetables.

the sky went red, the vibrations went dead

Busy weekend thus far. Saturday morning was spent running errands like groceries and getting a long overdue oil change.

Had some friends over yesterday afternoon/evening - good times, tons of food. Nate had a blast "entertaining" everyone. Surprisingly he only went to bed an hour later than usual.

Didn't get to bed until 12:00 though and Mags woke up at 6:35. Oh well, could be worse.

All of our friends seem to be expecting - I think we're going to go broke buying baby gifts in the next couple of months!

Nothing big planned for today - hopefully get out into the sunshine later.

wait, they don't love you like I love you

Busy couple days - had work guys in yesterday and today installing the new furnace, hotwater heater and gas fireplace.

The furnace and water heater are of course in a utility room where they belong but I'm quite pleased with the new FP which looks good even though the drywall is a mess and the grotesque tiled covered step is only partially demolished (tiles are all gone but the step is actually structural so we're going to have to reconfigure it a bit).

I'm excited to build our surround. We're just going to build an MDF box around it which will recess the FP a bit and create its own mantle - streamlined and modern and, no more death trap tile covered step. Plus, we should have room for a coffee table now. Actually, that may be wishful thinking since one of Nate's fave activities is running back and forth in this room.

I'll post the before and after pics when we're all done.

Yesterday was another nap-less crabby pants day for both Nate and Mags. I blame the roofers next door who are thankfully finally finished. Jay actually took them for a drive while I took out my aggression with a hammer and the tile covered step (so satisfying - ceramic tile stuck on plywood is surprisingly resilient).

Today was better - Nate actually napped.

Busy day planned for tomorrow - some groceries and errands in the morning and then we're having some friends over for dinner - actually 4 couples - 8 total - that's almost a party. Sarah and Myr are both between 6 and 7 months preggars. I'm wondering if I'll feel the urge to procreate again...Zoloft is a wonderful drug.

Well - we're going to watch an ep of Breaking Bad now - love this show.

did i mention that i love you in your underwear?

Yesterday was a very trying day.

First Maggie had her 6 month check up at 10:30 and Jay was coming off a mid which meant the poor guy had to stay up until almost noon before going to "sleep". I say sleep in quotations because our neighbours are getting their roof re-done...poor Jay.

Then when Nate got up from his nap he decided to be beyond difficult. We were outside and when Mags woke up from her nap so we had to go in and get her - had we been in the backyard I would have left him playing but we were out front so I definitely could not leave him alone.

Temper tantrum of the century - he even started hitting himself (that's new). Ugh - then he started rubbing his eyes furiously and freaking out - I thought he had sand in his eye from the sand box so I tried to get a closer look and he freaked out even more - then I noticed that he actually had a section of eyelashes stuck against his eyeball and underneath his lower lid (yes, his eyelashes are that freakishly long).

So I was trying to help but he was so upset and beyond the point of being able to understand I was trying to help him so I had to sit on him and pin his arms down to fix his eye.

Then bedtime was this whole ordeal which I think is in part because it is still light out at 7:30 - time for a blind.

Hopefully today is better - we have playgroup this am and the furnace/fireplace/hot water heater installers are coming.

On the plus side - Maggie is doing great - 18 pounds 4 ounces and 27.5 inches long!

hot potato hot potato, mashed bannana mashed bannana

I was folding laundry with Mags and i realized that if you were to assess our family's economic standing by our towels you would think we were destitute.

First, there is the giant beach towel (I use to lay on the bathroom floor for the kids after the tub) that my Aunt Judie got me somewhere between the ages of 7 and 10 making it at least 21 years old (I actually have two because I inhereited my sisters as well) they are close to threadbear but for some reason i can't get rid of them.

Second, there are my two hair towels that I took from home when I went away to school. They were probably a good 5 years old at that point making them at least 14 years old. They are falling apart and hair dye stained but i have yet to find another towel that comes close to replacing them. they are super soft and absorbant yet not so thick that your head gets weighed down after you twist it up turban style.

Then there is the large fluffy red Martha Stewart towel that Jess and i each bought when we shared our apartment on Baseline when she first moved down to go to school. That towel is now about 10 to 12 years old.

Our newest towels (other than some odds and ends that Jay got for going away to basic and Kingston and some military issue army green ones) are from our wedding, which was 7 years ago.

Its not that we can't afford new towels, I had some in my cart at the Superstore just last week. But I like our old beat up towels and, the wedding ones are still in good enough shape to let guests use. I just couldn't justify the expense.

Our bed sheets follow a similar story. Maybe when we re-do the ensuite I'll get some new linens.

My mom came down last night for dinner and a quick visit - she left this morning. God bless her.

Tonight we're heading to Aunt Judie's for dinner.

Hope everyone had a good Easter.

Hopping down the bunny trail, hippity hoppity

Just got the kids Easter baskets stuffed. This is actually the first year we are doing Easter. When Nate was born we sort of agreed we would skip all of the holidays (with the exception of Christmas) until we sort of had to take part.

Other than a photo op - going all out for holiday's with an infant is well, lets face it, kind of pointless. Plus we figured we'd save money on that sort of thing while we could.

But, now Nate is old enough to "get" the concept (of Santa and the Easter Bunny etc.) a little bit and its super fun. Though the only reason I got Mags a basket is so Nate knows that the Easter Bunny is an equal opportunist. Hopefully he won't notice hers is sadly lacking compared to his.

My parents (well, my mom) always got us small gifts and things we needed in addition to chocolate and we've decided to carry on the tradition. So they are also each getting a book and I threw in some sidewalk chalk and bubbles for Nate. They are also both getting some spring/summer clothes.

I can remember one Easter in particular where Jess and I both got back-packs filled with spring clothes. I was particularly thrilled to get harem pants that year. Remember those horid borderline jogging pants that were baggy on top and skinny at the bottom? Must have been around 1986. Thought I was soo cool. hee hee.

Well, I think I'll leave the egg trail until tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I have a feeling that the cats will be batting them around all night.

how i wonder what you are

Waiting for Friday Night Lights...

Home alone - well the kids are here but they're in bed. Jay is on eve's.

Not a bad day. I got a little organizing done, a little purging (in prep for a yard sale) done, took Nate (and Mags) to the park for a little bit.

Have spent most of the evening going through my old decorating magazines for fireplace ideas since the new gas install is going to wreck the beautiful (i mean gag me its so horrid) tile and mantle that currently surrounds it. Of course I know I will also want to replace the floors after...

After my shower today (yep thats two days in a row now) I envisioned the perfect reno for the ensuite.

My mind never stops - especially when it comes to house stuff.

would you like to swing on a star?

I finally had a shower last night - only because I had to go out :) I had to go get milk and a "treat" for the Playgroup Easter Potluck.

I went to the Superstore and took my time browsing the clothes - even tried a bunch of stuff on but I grabbed all size 4 and everything was too big and I didn't feel like going back around to find the size 2 stuff - maybe tonight.

So wow - size 2 in Joe which is probably size 4 in regular stores. I now weigh the least I've weighed since highschool but I'm not in shape. I'm flabby and loose and my legs have that weird hollow skin stretched over bone look around the knees. I need to start taking better care of myself. So hard...

Got some more clothes for Mags and Nate - I love the Joe stuff for kids - so cute and so far it seems to last just as well as the more expensive brands.

I totally lost track of time while I was there and made it home just in time for Lost so I had to get up at 6:30am to bake my cake. At least Mags slept through the night.

At playgroup today Maggie had a huge poop while sleeping in her car seat - so gross. I didn't notice until I picked her up and got it all over my arm. There was a pool in her seat...I always have a change of clothes for her but it was in the buckles and everything. Time for size 4 diapers I think.

I never imagined my life would be this full of poop. Jay and my dinner conversations now revolve around it. We tend to overshare with everyone (as witnessed by this post :) but it is a seemingly integral part of our life. Jay and I pretty much have a competition going to see who has changed the grossest poop. I'm winning by a landslide.

Lost was so good last night. Wed is def my favourite day of the week.

i miss the comfort in being sad

Icky day...it was bound to happen, it usually does but who likes snow in April? Especially when it sticks a little.

Had a terrible sleep last night - sick with a cold yet again. Not terribly sick but so stuffed up I had to sleep with kleenex shoved up my nostrils. Also had another migraine...but enough complaining.

Nate did another successful night in the big boy bed - dare I say we're home free?

I've been beyond lazy today - I haven't showered or brushed my teeth and my shirt is covered in Mag's snot. A pretty picture indeed! It has also made me realize that going back to work is probably going to be a little harder than I thought.

saw you looking for a light, face painted cigarette white

ah - a little piece and quiet...

Nate managed the whole night in his big boy bed but reverted back to the crib for nap time today. Its a start. Hopefully it doesn't take too long because I'd like to sell his crib.

I'm on a major purge kick. I think I'm done having kids. Not about to do anything permanent just yet as I'm of the never say never mind set but in the meantime I'm anxious to get rid of some stuff. Mostly to make room and a little cash for the next set of stuff.

Went to church this am and have been doing nothing much ever since. Thats what Sunday's are for.

Only 5 weeks until Jay leaves for Kingston but the good news (so far) is that it looks as though the course has been shortened a bit and he'll be back closer to the beginning of July rather than the end.

Well - Mag's nap was short-lived...

i used to be a little boy

So we got Nate's big boy bed set up today and he was very excited.
Of course when we put him down to sleep in it he was not so excited. Poor kid seemed pretty confused so we went back and forth from crib to bed to crib to bed and finally settled on crib.

Apparently moving to a big kid bed can be a fairly traumatic event. So I think we'll read stories in the big bed and then transfer to the crib for a while. Kind of traumatic for me too - he's growing up so fast.

So our neighbours must specifically have a problem with us because there has been a car in front of their house all day and it is most definitely not 1.5 meters from their driveway and there doesn't seem to be a ticket on it. We debated taking pictures and stuff (so we could prove they're out to get us) we also debated just going over and asking what the heck we did to peeve them off. But, here we are just sitting here periodically looking out to see if it has a ticket yet and stewing.

We actually had a good day. My M-I-L came over this am to watch the kids while Jay and I went to Toys R Us (to get safety rails for his bed) and Rona for paint samples (yep I want to paint again but this time I have a vision) and to the Christian book store to get some age appropriate Bible stories for the kids.

While at the bookstore we were waiting in line and this dude came in and cut in front of us. He already had a bag in his hand so I just kind of thought he forgot something or had a quick question. Nope, he had a return. Jay and I were so dumbfounded we were speechless. Just goes to prove that faith and/or religion do not necessarily mean good manners.

Update - Nate is back in the big boy bed - we'll see how long this lasts.

something so wild turned into paper

ok - i've calmed down now.

So despite being on a laxative Nate once again managed to hold his poop in for 4 days. Thank goodness I had the forethought to take extra pants to play group because when he did finally let loose it filled his pants - like down to the ankles.

It was so gross and I didn't have nearly enough wipes so I cleaned him up as best as I could and put him straight into the tub when we got home. And, though I did pack extra pants I forgot socks so he had to go barefoot in his rubbers. Thankfully it wasn't cold out today and we didn't have far to walk. Poor kid.

He is so cute - we were playing and fake falling down (a Nate favourite) and my hair got in my face and he came over and brushed it out of my eyes. I just about cried. Its these moments I have to remember when I'm losing my patience with him.

and i hate everything about you

ARRGGHHHH

We have the neighbours from you know where. It started when we moved in last May and my mom accidentially went over the curb a little bit when parking in front of their house (directly across the street from us). They left a nasty note on her car threatening to tow it.

Then, when Maggie was born and my mom was in town helping out Jay was parking in front of their house so my mom could park in the driveway. They called by-law for breaching the 3 hour limit between 7am and 7pm. Though I admit we were disobeying the by-law our entire street is filled with cars that also disobey it. What really miffed me is that the rest of our neighbours were busy bringing us gifts and offering well wishes on the birth of Maggie they were busy calling by-law because we parked in front of their precious house.

This morning Jay parked there again and I was going to move it back in the driveway when I got back from playgroup which would have been well within the 3 hour limit. But when I got back the car had a ticket on it. The reason? parking within 1.5 meters of their driveway.

I am beyond livid.

Obviously they don't like us parking in front of their house and I can totally respect that. I can also respect that we were technically in breach of certain by-laws. What I can't accept is that they don't have the decency to come over and say you know, it really bugs us when you park in front of our house and that they are so miserable. You can't tell me that they didn't have to look up the by-laws for the city of Ottawa to find that parking within 1.5 meters of a driveway was a violation.

I'm plotting ways (legal ways) to get back at them. I'm thinking that we should measure out 1.5 meters and park right behind it for three hours breaking for the required hour then re-parking for another 3 hours.

Two can play at this game. GRRRR

However, we'll probably just try and be the bigger people and just respect the fact that they are total assholes.

I have another poop story (oh and its a good one) but I'll get to it later - gotta go get Nate up from his nap.

gonna find myself somewhere to level out

ah - nap time. how i love nap time especially when they overlap and i get a few moments of quiet!

got the rest of the grass seed down this morning and now it is raining which is perfect. i know it isn't going to look like a golf course overnight but if we can get the ratio of grass to weeds to even 50:50 from 0:100 i'll be happy.

wednesday is lost night - woo hoo lost.

random share of the day: the constant barrage of e-harmony commercials lately is starting to make jay and i feel like our relationship is somehow inferior because we weren't "matched".