Not to mention hot-tubbing, swimming and sandcastle-making. Of course, we have no pictures of the tubing or boating because we were all on the tube, then straight on to the boat. Bringing the camera would be too risky! But thankfully we jammed all of this in to our first four hours at Grams and Gramps' because it poured rain all day Sunday.
You fell asleep a couple minutes past 7:00 tonight while I was reading a story to you. This past weekend has been one of our busier ones, with actually ZERO laying on the couch and vegging, our normal favourite pastime.
On Friday, Dad was supposed to stay home with you but decided to go into work so Nana came and took you for a morning of games and cotton candy at Chuck E. Cheese's. By noon, Dad had had enough of the week and took the afternoon off to spend it with you. You guys took me back to work, went to an Imax movie about mummies, went on an exploring trip along the paths by the lake, then spent the rest of the afternoon at Wonderland (nothing like Alice's Wonderland) going on coin-operated rides and playing coin-operated arcade games before bringing me home from work.
Our Saturday mornings of late have been filled with a new activity - gymnastics! And it's a big thing for us. An organized activity outside of going to work...it was hard to decide to do, but it's been great. You just go off with your little class and do your ladder climbing, balance beam-walking, somersaults, trampoline-jumping circuits with nary a thought of where your dad or I am. And you really like it. The pace could be a bit quicker at times, more jam-packed, but it's good for you to have to learn to take turns and wait and all that stuff that make up social niceties. After your class and after some playing in the big play area, we usually head out for lunch. Yesterday it was Montana's, but only because they give you cheese toast with your creamy noodles. After that we hit a couple retail stores before heading home.
The weather was lovely, warm enough but not hot so we found ourselves immediately in the back yard despite your parents' desire to nap. Well, Dad actually pulled a chair from the garage and slept for an hour while we set up your tent, complete with picnic blanket, and took as many items out of your outside toy box as we could. Dad finally got up when I told him you'd just crawled in the suitcase and said, "Let's pretend I'm dead." Uh, no. I think you've been watching too much true-crime drama on A&E...do they even play that stuff anymore? (Oh, and the suitcase was left by Uncle Nigel the previous weekend who sold his house and was in town to clean and prepare for the movers - and ditch anything they could no longer fit or that they no longer need.)
Anyway, being well-rested, Dad finally brought the two sets of twin mattresses and box springs we've had in our basement forever outside to (eventually) go to the dump and to make room for all the storage shelves Nigel left us. Suffice it to say that the mattresses became trampolines which became a wrestling ring. Hilarity ensued. Oh my.
After all that excitement we had a bit of supper before you and I headed out for a walk around the neighbourhood. It was then I realized how wonderful it is to just hang out with you, no computer games, no fights to brush your hair, no arguing over the music we'll play in the van (you always want Mutha, Mutha, aka Mother Mother while I currently prefer Metric). We walked slowly, or at your pace, you picked up almost every rock you saw and put them in your pocket. We each held Baby's hand as we walked, much as your Dad and I walk with you. (I can't believe how much you love and need your baby these days. She goes everywhere with you. To Amy's, to the grocery store, and obviously for walks.) You're very cautious as we walk, stopping if you think you hear a car. You stop to see a robin who comes unusually close. "He likes me," you declare. When we get to the grass park (which is what we call a park without playground equipment), you immediately take off into a patch of trees to hide. We play hide and seek, taking turns hiding and seeking. I hide behind trees mostly. You put on a good show as I hear you say, "I can't see Mom. I guess I'll just go home..." I giggle when you find me and run away squealing so we begin playing tag. It's short-lived with only the two of us so I ask if you want to keep walking. Apparently you need a short respite so I carry you through the park until we reach the road where you start walking again. You stop and pick a few rocks from someone's rock patch. At the corner, you bend down and ask 'what's this' of the storm sewer. We look in, then I give you a twig to drop. "Water!" you conclude, then proceed to drop every rock around you on the ground and half of the rocks in your pocket down the sewer to hear that plink, plop sound I remember so well from my youth. We cross the street and you see the number 5 on a house. You then tell me which windows belong to which rooms, like the living room, the bedrooms, and the downstairs. Before we made it home, you found a thick green elastic like the one to hold broccoli together and you ask if we can shoot it to the moon. Despite many tries by both of us, we decide it cannot be done. Then you said, "If I really did shoot it and it landed on the moon, I would have to take a rocket to go and get it back."
Sunday morning, this morning, was filled with grocery shopping and a trip to the Home Depot before getting home and playing outside. Nana and Skye stopped over for a bit. There was chalk, there were tears and an increasing tiredness. You took off all your clothes, except for your panties, and jumped on the mattresses. Soon, it was time to eat lunch but you wanted to play hopscotch. You explode into a tantrum, hurt yourself and I scoop you up and into the house. My nude daughter eating noodles. I name you the noodler. Perhaps that could be your new wrestling name. After hopscotch, it was time to get ready and head over to Creeson's. Of course, you almost fell asleep on the way over. After a couple hours of playing with that active, little boy, you were beat. But not enough to turn down a quick romp at the playground after supper.
No wonder you fell asleep while I was reading.
I bet you'd like to go hiking...'cause you're bigger now. With longer legs, longer hair, a more proportioned body and more stamina. Two years apart:
It's been a pretty terrible week, maybe a couple weeks even, but you are always the bright spot. For the most part, you are helpful and listen well. Last night after you finished eating your three yorkshire puddings with gravy for supper (and slicing a few baby carrots with your knife), you fawned over me like you do telling me how I am the best. I fondly reciprocate.
Then you turned to your dad and said, "You're not the best - but I still love you."
And hey, this is a huge step. Before it was all, 'if I love Mom, I don't love anybody else' and 'if Mom's the best, everyone else is undeserving of my affections.' This is good and I'm sure your dad will really appreciate it.
We've been watching the trailer for Coraline all week, then finally visited the awesome website where we made these wonderful and kinda eery images. Can't wait for the movie to come out next weekend.
You had the best sleep last night, asleep just before nine and despite a two-minute tantrum at 5:30 a.m. to watch t.v., you slept until 7:45. And I had to wake you. I waited until Dad got out of the shower with the intention of taking you to Nana's in your pajamas. I even got your toque on but you yanked it off and said, "But I have to eat first!"Ah, routine is a funny thing.
So, you were very happy today. Most days we are faced with some wild mood swings, mostly violent and angry. Today was nice.
Today would have been my Dad's 60th birthday. It's been almost seven years since he died, which is how I remember how long your dad and I have been married. We celebrated our anniversary on Sunday by going out for supper, drinks and dessert while Nana babysat you and put you to bed. All a great treat!
***
Last weekend, you and I were basking in my room. I don't remember what we were talking about, but I asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up. You thought a sec and said, "I want to be a graphic designer - just like Mommy!" I didn't even know you knew I was a graphic designer.
But you know - and want to know - so much. One night in bed you just asked, "Can we talk in French?" We proceeded to spend the next twenty minutes or so learning the French word for objects...and a few phrases.
And finally, you are getting very good at reading bedtime stories. You run your finger under the words and "read" because you know the lines. If you're not sure which word is which, you ask and you remember for next time. And the cutest is when you get to the end of a book and read those two little words - the end!
Not to mention hot-tubbing, swimming and sandcastle-making. Of course, we have no pictures of the tubing or boating because we were all on the tube, then straight on to the boat. Bringing the camera would be too risky! But thankfully we jammed all of this in to our first four hours at Grams and Gramps' because it poured rain all day Sunday.
You had the best sleep last night, asleep just before nine and despite a two-minute tantrum at 5:30 a.m. to watch t.v., you slept until 7:45. And I had to wake you. I waited until Dad got out of the shower with the intention of taking you to Nana's in your pajamas. I even got your toque on but you yanked it off and said, "But I have to eat first!"Ah, routine is a funny thing.
