Monthly Recap: What I learned in June 2011

This is part of Amber Strocel's monthly "What I learned" link-up.  Go check it out!

1. The first thing a child says upon waking up in the morning can be very telling as to their thoughts, fears, worries, and priorities.

2.  Just because it's June, doesn't mean you can just expect summer to appear.  In fact, doing so will set you up for bitter disappointment.  I think this is a lesson I have to re-learn every year in Vancouver.

It's June and we're wearing sweaters and jeans.  What's wrong with this picture?

3.  Everything is a phase. Have I mentioned this one before? I learn it and re-learn it continuously. Lilah is gradually growing out of her fear of dogs and other animals and is getting more comfortable patting, approaching, and/or feeding them. But now she's in this hoarding phase...

4.  Stride bikes are a brilliant invention!

4. Toddlers are unpredictable and lack tact.  Don't be surprised if yours feels the need to comment on your nasal hygiene by pointing at your nostril and yelling, "Ew, booger!" when you are smack dab in the middle of a heartfelt rendition of your favourite bedtime lullaby.

5.  Ninjahood and motherhood actually have a whole lot in common, and the skills learned in one realm easily translate to the other.

6. Two-year molars are not fun.  That is all.

7.  I have incredible neighbours.  From using their washing machine because ours broke down and needed replacing, to swapping clothes, to borrowing ingredients, to enlisting free babysitting for a date night out on the town, our neighbours are so there for us, and we for them, I hope.  We arrived home on Father's Day evening to find a token of appreciation, along with a card for the Hubs from one set of neighbours thanking him for being a positive male role model to their son, since he is growing up with two moms.  To say we were touched would be the understatement of the year!  My words simply cannot do justice to the friendships we have built and the sense of community we have found in the past couple of years.

8. Toddlerhood is all about discovery.

9.  Seeing your parent and your child hitting it off... well, heartwarming doesn't even begin to cover it.

My dad (who we only see a few times a year) and Lilah pause for a snack in front of the dolphin tank at the aquarium.
Photo by  Jon Currie.

10.  Though I am not a native Vancouverite, I have a lot of pride in this great city.  And watching young men and women tear apart the my city - the city in which I have chosen to make my home and raise my child - after the Canucks lost the Stanely Cup finals (fair and square, mind you!) to the Boston Bruins made me feel so many things: disbelief, shame, sadness, horror, disgust, outrage, and fear - for the Hubs, who was there in the arena watching the game.  I am not going to lie, I bawled, both that night and the next day.  This riot was a huge blow to our city, and I took it personally.  I know I am not alone in this sentiment.  It also made me wonder how raise my child to be kind of young person (of which there were many) who would get the hell out of there as soon as things starting going south, or the kind of person (and here, again, there were many) who would show up downtown the next morning to clean up the debris without being asked.  I am fairly confident that I can help shape my child into the kind of person who wouldn't be a leader in all of this, but how do you teach your child not to be the kind of person who gets caught up in the mob mentality and does stupid things just because everyone else is and it seems like fun?  So many lessons, so much food for thought here.  I'm still digesting it all.