Urban Mummy

Well, it’s been a very long time since I’ve participated in the Thursday Thirteen.  Truth be told, blogging hasn’t been all that important around here lately, and I haven’t done much of it.

That being said, I’d like to present Thirteen things I hope to accomplish over the summer.  I’m a teacher, and I’m off for the summer, and, well, actually, I’m not going to be teaching next school year, but more on that at another time.

So, in no particular order…

1. Clean my closet.  It’s big, I share it with The Taxman, and it’s full of junk.  I intend to get rid of at least 20 items of clothing (we got rid of a few bags earlier this year), and I hope to get it all organized.
2. Cull the toys. Anyone with children knows what I am talking about.  Those toys, they take over!  And there are lots of junky awful plastic ones in the mix (even though we are vigilant about what we buy), and so I’m going to get rid of them.
3. Create a kitchen art & other items display station.  A nice frame with some sort of magnetic board, possibly a chalk or white board as well.  I have a space for it near my kitchen table, and I’d like to fill it.
4. Business Venture 1.  A new business and website on the horizon, no information yet, but keep watching the space for details.  You’ll like it, really.
5. Business Venture 2. Get my current business website up and running.
6. Get Crafty.  This really ties in with number 5, but I won’t be picky.  I make handmade greeting cards and jewelry (and other items), and I need to build up an inventory, because I want to…
7. Apply to exhibit & sell at the One of a Kind Craft Show.  This is a personal goal, and I figure if I post it, I may have more incentive to actually follow through.
8. Organize my home filing system.  I’ve left it to The Taxman the last few years, and recently discovered how much it is in shambles.  No, 2004 does not come after 2006.
9. Clean my office / studio.  And organize.  I’ve said this multiple times.  I have a lot of stuff, it’s all disorganized (but getting better) and I want it organized.
10. Read some books.  I have 3 sitting on my bedside table.  That’s a good start.
11. Develop and exercise routine.  I am starting a weekly yoga class next week.  Not enough, but a good start.  I used to do yoga and I miss it, and I hope this class will jumpstart my desire to exercise.  Or something.
12. Spend time with my children, one on one.  One of the things that has motivated me to take time out of my career is my children.  I want to spend time with them, individually and together.  Already Linus & I have started an afternoon tradition - eating snack together on the lawn after camp.  Simple, but very rewarding.
13. Have fun as a family. We have a membership to the zoo, and hope to use it often.  We want to go to the various fun summer activities Toronto has to offer.  It’s difficult with the kids so young, but it certainly is not impossible!

Do you have any particular summer goals?  Things you want to do?  Do share!

Tags: Thursday Thirteen

When I ate tomatoes!  So said Linus when he returned home from camp.  Seems like he had a good day.  It’s very hard to get information out of a 3 year old, but here’s what I did get:

• He made a gingerbread man - a pretend one, not a real one (that’s cruel).
• He played with his friend J only.
• He didn’t play with his friend M - because he’s “not my friend anymore.”  When asked why, apparently it’s because he pulls him.  But he’ll be friends with him again tomorrow.
• There is someone named Sammy, and someone named Jenny in his group.

It also seems that he had to get his lunch by himself, which might explain why he barely ate anything (although he did eat a lot of the leftovers on the front lawn after the bus dropped him off).

He got a cute backpack (that he wore on the bus!), and a hat (he picked the colour).

He came home with his shorts backwards, and his water bottle empty, but happy.  Happy!  He rode a bus!

————–

Meanwhile, little Stewie started camp today as well.  It’s a backyard camp, and even the daddies were there today, due to the Canada day holiday.

Tags: camp

Tomorrow Linus starts camp.  By himself.  And he gets there on a bus.  By himself.

I’m very nervous.

I’ve made his lunch (I’ll show you later).  I’ve packed his box, with his sunscreen, extra clothing, and his picture.  I’ve written a note to his counsellors.

And now?

I just have to wait.  And somehow find a way to sleep tonight.

Until that bus comes at 8:40 tomorrow morning to take my little boy away.

<sigh>

Tags: camp, growing up

So it’s been a really long time since I’ve written.  It’s been a whirlwind month that is not quite over.  So many things whirling about that I cannot keep them all straight.

Last night we were awoken by the none to familiar barking cough.  12:30 am saw a tired and croupy Stewie move into our bed.  I spent the next 3 hours listening to him breathe, calming him down (twice) when he was having difficulty doing so.  3:30 am he called to me, “mummy…” with a raspy voice.  I immediately sat up and asked him what was wrong.  “Nose, ” he said, pointing to his nose, “broken.”

I believe he couldn’t breathe through his nose.  He repeated that a few times (could you DIE from the cuteness), and eventually went back to sleep for about 2 hours.

Took him to the doctor late this morning, and was immediately sent off to emergency, for “severe respiratory distress.”

Did you know that a 21 month old with breathing issue gets you right into the emergency room, with virtually no waiting?  Seriously.  Trumps even the old woman in the wheelchair.

Anyway, one and a half doses of steroids (half ended up being spit out), a dose of epinephrine though a mask (LOTS of crying) later, we came home.  Poor Stewie finally went to sleep at 8 pm, wheezing away.

================

Weekend was great, although overshadowed by the events of this afternoon.  Linus had a bowling party on Saturday morning (he was one of the youngest) and was a bit unclear on the concept, although in the end he did score over 60 points!  All he really wanted to do, though, was toss the ball into the gutter or onto the ball return!

Saturday afternoon we attended a lovely solstice party at the home of Mamalooper and her family.  Wonderful food, wonderful company.  More about this at a later date, including some photos!

Sunday Stewie got to experience the wonderful world of gymnastics, and ended the afternoon with a Pirate Treasure party (20 little boys playing tug-o-war - Oy!  More cuteness!).

Anyway, lots of junk food (Linus has forgotten how to eat), some breathing issues and exhaustion later, here we are.

More soon.  Just a few more days until I’m FREE!!!

Tags: croup, family, parties

Today is my birthday.

Today we got back from a very eventful trip to New Jersey.

I have lots to say about that trip, but really, I can summarize it in just a few words…

Vomit. Vomit. Diarrhea, Vomit. Lack of sleep. Party.

Yee haw.

Linus seems to have picked up some phrases we just don’t care for.

I know that is to be expected with 3 year olds. So yes, it annoys me, but I’m not exactly surprised.

It’s what happened yesterday that surprised me.

Stewie was ill all weekend, and all he wanted to do was nurse. After a while, this just wasn’t working for me. So I asked him to let go. After several refusals, I finally forced him off.

He was not happy.

No, let’s be frank. He was angry.

He looked me in the eye, and yelled “MILK.”

I tried to distract him, offered him crackers, water.

“MILK,” he screamed, more defiantly.

I gently told him that he’d have more milk later.

He proceeded to hit me with his blankie, pull my hair, look into my eyes and holler “SOOPID”.

Repeat.

(I had to stifle a giggle, to be honest).

Yes, my not-yet-20-month old son is calling me stupid.

Clearly he picked this up from his big brother who started doing this sometime in the last few weeks. If anyone has suggestions on how to stop the name calling, I’d love to hear it.

Meanwhile, I am not looking forward to the teenage years.

Yesterday was a very long day. It started at about 2 am, when we were awoken by Stewie’s tired cry, as he looked for his blankie in his bed. He’s been waking up about 2 am for the last week, wanting milk, actually, which is very unlike him. Perhaps a growth spurt.

But this night was different. The taxman went into his room, and 2 minutes later he called to me. It seems Stewie vomited all over his crib. Luckily he got some in his hair, or perhaps we would not have even noticed. Poor thing.

So yesterday was spent nursing my son. Literally, and figuratively. He couldn’t keep down his breakfast. He couldn’t keep in his lunch. He slept 3 hours in the morning, and then another 2 in the afternoon. We woke him up both times.

He was especially funny when nursing.  Since we normally only nurse in the morning and before bed, I am not used to him wanting milk so often.  But he did.  Pretty much all the time he was awake, all he wanted was milk.  After so much nursing, though, I was in a bit of pain, so I wanted him to let go.  He refused.  Each time I asked him to let go, all he did was push his face closer into my chest.  And whine.

Dinner, however, is another story. By this time he was famished. We had takeaway Chinese food for dinner (a far cry from our planned date night), and he wanted noodles. And when this child wants something, he is very vocal.  No amount of distraction or offer of alternate delights (like Toast! or Rice! Or Rice cakes!) would entice.

So, after several minutes of screaming and crying for noodles, he got noodles.

And he ate noodles.

And he ate more noodles.

And he was fine.

Until he drank some water.

And drank some more water.

He finished almost an entire cup full of water.

Which did not all stay in his little tummy.

We cut him off at this point, but he still wanted more.  And screamed to let us know.

He eventually went to sleep at about 7:30 for the night.  Now, 12 and a half hours later, he’s still sleeping, having woken up about an hour ago to turn on his music.

Tags: nursing, sick baby

Last week I was talking to some friends, and the topic of traditions came up.  Family traditions, and rituals.  I was asked, essentially, what family traditions we had when I was growing up.

And I came up blank.

Well, not completely blank.  We did go for Chinese food with the whole family on Sunday nights.  Some Sunday nights.  Certainly not ritualistically.

And then I thought about my life now.  How I’m hesitant to embrace something that’s ritualistic, often feeling like it becomes a burden.  I had never made this connection before, but it was a bit of a revelation for me.

Then I thought about my own family. I want my boys to remember our rituals fondly, to want to continue them with their own children.  I don’t want them to struggle to remember things we did as a family, they need to be right up there in their minds.

So, instead of lamenting what I don’t have, we’ve decided it’s time to make our own rituals.  Traditions have to start somewhere, right?

One ritual we have now is Friday night dinner with my husband’s mother & sister.  We don’t do it every Friday night, but enough that it’s the rule as opposed to the exception.  In the past, sometimes I felt pressured, and resented what I saw as the obligation to host them.  But now I’ve reframed my thinking.  I look forward to the conversation.  I enjoy watching my sons play with their bubbie (grandmother) and aunt.  And I enjoy the company.  And the fact that we don’t do it every single week only makes the rest more special.

What traditions or rituals do you have with your family?  Did you have these growing up, or are you making your own?  Please share!

Tags: family

When Linus is tired, he lashes out.  When he is tired, and doesn’t get what he wants, he tends to hit.

Yesterday was one of those days.  He was overtired, having been up late the previous night at a party with us.  After waking up from napping (you know he is tired when he actually sleeps during the day), I allowed him to watch a little bit of TV.

He was able to choose between Wonder Pets & Yo Gabba Gabba, and chose the latter.  I repeatedly told him that the TV would be turned off when he finished his show, and gave him several warnings as we got near the end.

Stewie joined us for the last few minutes, and when the show ended, I turned off the TV.  Linus flipped out.  Wanted more TV.  Cried.  Yelled.  When it was clear that I was not going to change my mind, he hauled out and smacked me, open handed, across the face.

I screamed, and proceeded to cry.  (Yes, I got all dramatic on him, but DAMN, it HURT!!)

He sat there, with an oh-shit-what-have-I-done look on his face.

Stewie?  Came right over to me, started yelling “mummy, mummy, kiss, kiss” as he proceeded to smother my face with kisses.  And he snuggled right up to me, and wouldn’t let his brother near me.

Clearly, he is my protector.

I love that boy.

(meanwhile, Linus had a good talking to from The Taxman, and came back and offered me ice.  It was all okay in the end.)

Tags: children

Stewie started wrestling with the green eyed monsters today.

It all started this morning, when all four of us piled into the car. The Taxman dropped Linus and myself off at preschool for mother’s day breakfast, and then took Stewie to his class. I think this is the first time we’ve done this - Stewie either goes with daddy and I’m not there, he’s with me, or we are all together.

At his class, the teacher asked him where his brother was. He answered angrily, “mummy.”

The teacher then asked him where mummy was. He answered angrily, “Linus.”

The Taxman confirmed to the teacher that we were together.

When I got home, I went right to Stewie, who, according to his daddy, wasn’t feeling well.

He ran away from me, and grabbed The Nanny’s legs.

I went to pick him up.

He yelled NO, tried to hit me, and just generally made his displeasure known.

He was mad at me.

At dinner, his target changed.  This time, The Nanny had Linus on her lap.  Stewie FLIPPED out!  He wanted to be on her lap.  Wouldn’t let me comfort him.  Didn’t stop screaming until Linus got down, and went to sit in his chair.  Then, of course, he didn’t want to be on The Nanny’s lap, but back in the chair.

It’s just so strange to see him jealous! I’m used to the jealousy from Linus, after all, he’s older, and has had to learn to share his parents.  But Stewie’s always had to share, and it’s never been an issue.

Until today!

Tags: jealousy