Monthly Recap: What I learned in November 2011

Sunday is quickly drawing to a close and you know what that means... Monday Listicles time again!  This week Stasha has asked us to share our Christmas wish lists.   Well friends, I must already be pretty spoiled because there isn't much I want for myself this Christmas.  So I'm going to go wild and give you a different list.  Because I'm a rebel like that.

And even though I'm breaking the rules (and this wouldn't be the first time, either!), the Grand Master of Lists has done me the great honour of allowing me to select next week's Listicles topic. So, here it is: tell us about your hometown. You can interpret that however you like.

Now, with that little piece of business out of the way, I'll come clean and admit that the real reason this list is off-topic is that I haven't yet done my November recap, and, like any mom, I like to multi-task where I can.  So my listicle this week is ten things I learned in November, inspired by Amber Strocel's monthly learnings.

1.  When you open a new package of contact lenses, it's a very good idea to throw out the old ones, lest you end up with two layers of lenses in your contact case and almost make the mistake of putting them both on your eyeball.

2.  It's pretty awesome when your two-year-old suddenly starts playing by herself for stretches of 10 minutes at a time.  But by the same token, don't expect her to be able to do that on command.

3.  Seeing your little one caring for and smothering her baby dolls with kisses can actually bring tears to your eyes.

4.  A long weekend getaway with good friends who also have a two-year-old can be just what the doctor ordered.

5.  Lilah is now at the perfect age for us to do mini-trips together - like to Vancouver Island to visit my aunt and uncle.  We can share a room without night wakings (though our girl is a rather loud sleeper!), and she adjusts to new situations fairly adeptly.

6.  Chocolate chip cookies inside of brownies a la Bakerella? Yes, please!

7.  Feist gives an incredible live performance.  Seriously, not to be missed.

8. Life with a toddler is highly unpredictable (okay, I already knew this, but I was reminded of it once again this month).  Just when you think you know how yours is going to react to a particular situation, they throw you for a loop.  Lilah sat quietly and perfectly still while having her hair cut.  Who'da thunk it?

9.  Similarly, when you think you know how your child is reacting to meeting Santa, you will be wrong.  The situation can change from minute to minute.  While we waited in line, Lilah was at first excited to meet the big jolly guy.  Then, when we got near the front and watched the children in line in front of us, she totally balked.  As I tried to haul her out of the mall-provided car stroller, she hooked her feet under the front lip of it and loudly cried, "No, I don't wanna!"  Once I calmly explained that Mama would be there the whole time and convinced her to let me get her out, we approached Santa with some trepidation.  But this guy was good, and asked for a high five to break the ice.  Once he explained that if she sat on his lap for a picture, he'd give her a candy cane and a colouring book, she gladly climbed into his lap, and even half-smiled for the picture.

Predictable? Me? Never!

10. I received my blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and was reminded of the wonderful feeling of achieving something you have been working towards for a long time.

Monthly Recap: What I learned in October 2011

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

1.  Never leave your toddler unattended in the bathroom.  No, she did not stick her head in the toilet, just the entire roll of toilet paper.

2.  I might not be a runner, but I can run for a cure.  And I can raise a dumpload of money while I'm at it!

3. I hate waking up, getting dressed, and driving to work in the dark.  But now that I have a kid, there is a major bright side to fewer hours of daylight.  Lately she's been sleeping in, sometimes until 8 or even 8:45 (a new Lilahbility record!) on days when we don't have to wake her up to get her to daycare and ourselves to work.

4.  Potty pooping is the best kind of pooping.

5.  The massive leaps a two-year-old brain periodically takes are absolutely astounding. All of a sudden, she's engaging in imaginary play and acting out intricate scenarios between her water bottle and her fork at the dinner table.


6.  When using a stand mixer, it is a very good idea to make sure that the bowl is properly secured to the base before turning it on.  Otherwise you may find yourself in the aftermath of a crumble topping explosion like I did the morning of our Thanksgiving dinner.

7.  The pumpkin patch still rocks.

8.  When your Hubs thinks he has gallstones, this is the weekly meal plan he will create:

(Don't worry, no gallstones after all.  Our diet has been slightly more varied than this as a result.)

9.  My chosen career as a Speech-Language Pathologist comes with its own unique hazards.  I was reminded of this one in early October: Don't lean in too close when a kid is trying really hard to make the /sh/ sound.  Your face may become the unwilling recipient of excess saliva. (It's gotta go somewhere!)  This is a lesson I seem to have to relearn every few years, unfortunately.

10.  It will become apparent that you have kept your toddler out much too late when she starts begging for sleep and her crib on the drive home.  Oops.

Your turn!  What did you learn in October?

Also linking up with my girl Bruna at Bees with Honey for some Friday fun!

Monthly Recap: What I learned in September 2011

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

1. I need to look at my Camera+ for iPhone photos before making my "What I learned" list each month.  I forgot to include this in last month's learnings:

(In August I learned that the town of Gravenhurst, Ontario is home to the world's largest Muskoka chair.)

2.  Hand, foot, and mouth disease is an awful, awful virus that affects mainly the toddler and preschool set.  I do not wish it on any family.

3.  It's hard to say goodbye to summer, but fall does have some redeeming qualities.  And I was reminded of even more reasons to enjoy it thanks to some wonderful comments on my post about ushering in the fall.

4.  A nice dinner out with girlfriends who've known me since the dawn of time is like slipping into the perfect pair of jeans: comfortable but flattering, and no need to suck in your gut.

5.  If you leave your leg hanging out around a toddler armed with stickers, it may very well end up looking like this:

6.  I joined my first Twitter #wineparty and it did not disappoint.

7.  We invented a new wrestling game we like to call "sandwich" that involves covering Daddy's back in imaginary condiments and sandwich fixings and then jumping on him.  Daddy's favourite part is being allowed to lie down, and Mommy's favourite part is "eating" the Lilah/Daddy sandwich.  You could say the whole thing is just dripping in awesomesauce.

8.  I burned up a wedding dance floor and realized I still have a few moves left in the ol' repertoire.  Also? The Hubs and I can still clean up pretty nicely.  It feels like more work than it used to, but it's worth it.

9.  I found a new female family doctor (mine moved to Ontario about six months after she delivered Lilah) based on the recommendation of a friend, and so far I am quite pleased.  It is such a relief to once again have consistent, reliable, and friendly care at a practice not far from our home.

10.  Sometimes kid-sized trampolines just mysteriously appear in your courtyard. And when they do, you should take it as a gift and let your kid jump to her heart's content.  And if it holds your weight, might as well give it a few bounces yourself.  Heck, you only live once!

I'm also linking up with Stasha at The Good Life for Monday Listicles because, like me, she loves lists that come in sets of ten and she's such a gracious host that she doesn't even mind that I didn't stick to the prompt!

Monthly Recap: What I learned in August 2011

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

1.  When you go on vacation and you are planning to take a lot of pictures on your Digital SLR, it's a good idea to bring the charger for the battery.  And if you forget it on the other side of the country, you'd better hope your neighbours are as fantastic as mine!

2.  Just because your toddler was very well-behaved on the two flights it took to get across the country, does not mean she will behave similarly well on the flight home.

3.  The Hubs may need a tutorial on how to work a girl's bathing suit, lest we end up with another wardrobe malfunction...

4.  Did you know there's a real, bona fide zoo in the middle of rural Nova Scotia? Nope, neither did I.  But there is, and it's pretty great.  It is surprisingly inexpensive, and it has every animal you could hope to see at a zoo, and then some.  (These photos aren't fantastic, because they were taken on my iPhone - see charger-related learning, above.)

5.  Tic Tacs are a brilliant method of bribery for potty use.

6.  As much as I love being on vacation and spending time with family, at a certain point, it's just good to come home.

7.  The water at Granville Island water park is really, really cold.  Like bone-chillingly, mind-numbingly cold:

8.  The car buying process is stressful and it is highly unlikely that you will end up sticking to your original budget.

9.  "Naps are like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get."  (This really isn't new learning, I mean, I've been around the block a few times in my almost 26 months as a parent- but my wise older sister came up with this gem earlier in the month, and I just had to share.)

10.  It's actually kind of great when your birthday falls on a weekday.  All the more excuse to celebrate a birthday week rather than just a day!

What did you learn in August?  Please share!


Monthly Recap: What I Learned in July 2011

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

1. Two isn't so terrible.  It's actually pretty great!  (So far...)

My serious mascara face in preparation for Date Night. 

2. I was reminded that Date Nights are exhilirating and highly necessary and we need to do them more often.  I was giddy with excitement while doing my makeup and slipping into a dress and heels for our most recent one.  It had been far too long.  We lingered over dinner and drinks at a cozy  restaurant that is known for its incredible French cuisine and servers with heavy French accents.  Highlights of the night included having my car door opened for me by the Hubs, being called "Mademoiselle" rather than "Madame" by our waiter, the orgasmic chocolate dessert I ordered (picture the scene from "When Harry Met Sally"), and holding hands across the candlelit table while engaging in adult conversation.  Tres romantique, non?

3.  Running can actually be kinda fun.  Especially when you have an iPhone loaded with motivational tunes and a goal in mind.  I've been getting out there and practicing, since I'll be running the CIBC Run for the Cure again in October, this time as part of Team Bloggers for Boobies, to raise funds for breast cancer research.

4. Burnaby Central Railway is a phenomenal place for kids and toddlers and anyone with the slightest interest in trains. It's also very reasonably priced, as amusements go. If you live in the Vancouver area and have a train-lover in your family, this place is a total must. But be warned: it is only open on weekends and statutory holidays because it is operated solely by volunteers, as my friend Sydelle and I found out on Friday, after promising our little train-lovers some choo-choo rides.  Big parenting oops!  Lilah is still dwelling on the disappointment of "no choo-choos."

5. Having an iPhone is incredibly convenient, but its side effects include staying awake long past bedtime and getting distracted more easily than ever.

6.  Toddlers and popsicles: a match made in messy, sticky heaven!

Homemade strawberry popsicle receives Lilah's lick of approval.

7. Car accidents are scary.  More on this another day.

8. I have developed a strange penchant for over-hyphenation. Whoops, there I go again...


Baby's first painted toenails - the day before her 2nd birthday.



9. Hearing your child say, "I sad," pretty much rips your heart out and tears it into a million little pieces.  But at the same time, I am also proud that she is beginning to label her feelings, and I know this is very much a necessary part of her development.  Ahhh, the double-edged sword of parenting!

10.  Mother-daughter home pedicures are one of those life moments; the kind that make you want to stop, savour the moment, and take a mental picture.  Or an actual one, if you have your camera phone at the ready.

 Your turn!  What did you learn in July?  Tell me in the comments, or better yet, make your own list and go link up with Amber!

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.

Monthly Recap: What I learned in May 2011

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

1.  I stepped out of my fashion comfort zone and bought a dress that I normally wouldn't give a second thought to.  And when I asked the blogosphere for opinions, I wasn't disappointed - your comments were generous and your suggestions showed how stylish you all are.  I was even treated to a mini footwear fashion show by a real-life friend and came home with two pairs of her shoes to borrow as back-ups!

2.  I started training a speech therapy practicum student and realized how much I actually have learned in the six years since I started my clinical practice.  You never know how much you really know until you start trying to teach someone else from scratch.

3.  I discovered that you can actually learn a few things in Sin City.

4.  I got my first official head shot at VancouverMom's Top 30 Fabulous Mom Bloggers party (I know, I know.  Flogging. Dead horse.  Enough.), where I learned that, though I have always considered myself extremely un-photogenic, the pros can actually make me look kinda good.  But I'm still not planning to ask how much digital enhancement was done on this photo.

5.  15 family members and two dogs in one four bedroom house over a long weekend can totally work!   Especially if you somehow manage to snag the master suite with en suite bathroom and walk-in closet (I promise I didn't go all ninja on anyone to procure this luxury).

6. Your child telling you you look pretty, whether you're wearing a nice dress or the old U2 concert t-shirt you wear to bed, makes you go all swoony and melty inside.

7. Relinquishing control of the camera can lead to some pretty decent shots.  Bonus: I get to be in some of them!  I need to do this more often!

He's not a single dad after all!

8.  I  geeked it up by entering the time-sucking vortex that is Twitter.  I'm still learning how it all works.  Next month I may even be able to tell you what a hash tag is!
9.  I've become one giant ball of cheese.  But with good reason.

10.  When I filled in my time sheet at work, I realized how much overtime I put in this month - no wonder I've been so tired!

What did you learn in May?

Monthly Recap: What I Learned in April 2011

This is part of Amber Strocel's monthly link-up.

1. It is, in fact, possible for carrots to explode in the microwave.

2. On the occasion of a friend's bachelorette party, I discovered that I am old.  The club scene just doesn't hold the same allure that it did when I was in my twenties.  I do like to dance, but I can do without the smoke machines, the expensive, watered-down beverages, and the young people acting ridiculous.  I know, I'm a real fuddy-duddy.  Imagine what I'll be like when I'm 90!

3.  Toddlers can catch on to the point of an egg hunt pretty darn quickly when there's chocolate involved.

4. Hindsight is 20/20.  For Lilah, a period of major crankiness often precedes a massive language explosion.

5. People like positivity.  Here I was, trying to be all witty and ironic and stuff, and it turns out that the post that got the most positive feedback, pretty much ever, was What's Good?, a post about finding the good in situations, a message I picked up at a professional conference I had attended.  Who knew being earnest and gooey would be so popular?


It official, spring is good.

 6.  Like her mama, my little Lilahbility tends to be slow to warm up.  Gymnastics class, swim class, a trip to the farm, and pretty much any new experience will see her acting extremely shy and clinging to Mummy or Daddy - until we are about ready to pack it in.  And that is the precise moment at which she will decide she wants to participate.

7. Toddlers can talk about a particular subject of interest, like an owie or poo-poo all day, everyday, for weeks on end, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

8. My love/hate relationship with Vancouver's cherry blossoms was rekindled.  Love the pretty, hate the allergies.

9. Lilah looks a lot more like me than people give me credit for on first glance.

Me as a toddler.

10.  If you are going to set up an email address specifically for the purpose of your blog, you should a) remember that this email account exists, and b) check it regularly.  Turns out I missed months' worth of email and several recent messages from Vancouver Mom alerting me that I had made the 2011 30 Fabulous Vancouver Mom Bloggers list and asking me to send in a bio and a photo for their feature.   I have no idea how I got nominated for this list, but I am over the moon to even have been considered for it.  And I feel like a complete tool for being such a delinquent.

By absolutely no means do I consider myself a real contender for this title, but I am absolutely thrilled to be lumped in with the pretty and popular kids, so don't burst my bubble, mmmkay?  Throw a few votes my way by clicking here. And don't forget to check out the other fabulous mom bloggers on the list!

Monthly Recap: What I learned in March 2011

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in March:

1.  My husband can rock a rainbow butterfly bag like no body's business.

2.  Monthly trips to the aquarium provide a yardstick for Lilah's development.  On our most recent visit, the changes that had taken place since our last visit were striking.  She got so much more from the exhibits - exclaiming in excitement over the "pishies" (fishies), "boggies" (froggies) and "boogas" (Belugas).  One thing that hasn't changed?  She's still convinced that the otters are kitties that swim.


Watching the sea "kitties" with Daddy

3. Writing a letter to myself as a brand new mother was extremely therapeutic and sparked some valuable discussion.

4.  Nap battles are not fun for anyone.  However, if losing the battle means a short catnap next to this sweet sleeping soul, I can be okay with that.

Lilah finally napping - in Mommy's bed

5.  My kid is a puker.  Anytime there is a bug going around, we can assume she's going to catch it.  And just when we think she's all better, we can expect a mini-relapse.  But according to the comments I received, the mini-relapse is actually fairly common.  Wish I knew why that happens and how to prevent it!

6.  I'm not a fan of guns but I do enjoy a good gun show once in awhile.
7. I finally understand what all the fuss around smart phones is about.  Oh, and Hipstamatic?  Dripping in pure, undiluted awesomesauce.  Retrolicious!

8.  Lilahbility: fashion icon.

9.a) It takes over an hour to clean a public pool that has been pooped in. 9.b) The technical term for poop in the pool is "a fouling."  9.c)  There's only so long a toddler can spend on the ramp into the hot tub.  (In case you're wondering, Lilah was not the fouler and we were thankfully not in the pool when said fouling actually occurred.)

10.  When you walk down the street with two small toddlers holding hands, you are sure to get a whole lot of smiles and exclamations of "awwwww!"

Walking down Main Street with her boyfriend

Tell me, what did you learn in March?

Monthly Recap: What I learned in February 2011

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in February:

1.  Cats are smarter than they look.  Ours have figured out that the kid is the key: if they wake Lilah up by whining and scratching at her door, the rest of the household will rise, which means they will get to go outside sooner.This is pret-ty obnoxious at 5 in the morning.

2.  I celebrated my first bloggiversary and realized how much joy my little bloggy baby has brought me over the past year.

3.  Though it's the shortest month of the year, we British Columbians are in  desperate need of a long weekend in February.

4.  On a related note, the February blues can be combatted by a sunny weekend and some much-needed family bonding time.

5.  I was thrilled to receive (and pass on!) some bloggy love in the form of an award from a fellow blogger.

6.  I remembered that, though I quite enjoy teaching parent language workshops, I don't really enjoy the long, long workdays that this entails, and the fact that I see very little of Lilah on those days.  On the plus side, I get to come home to this:

7.  No matter how minor the procedure, when your kid has surgery under general anesthetic, it's kind of a big deal.  Friends reminded me to be kind to myself and eat some chocolate.  Now that's some good advice!

8.  It is actually possible for a kid to have a cold for two months straight.  And that's a whole lotta snot!

9.  A couple packages of sanitary napkins can provide several minutes of diversion for a boisterous, cooped-up toddler.  Who knew?

10.  Buttcheese.  Definitely garbage.

What did you learn in February?

January 2011 Recap

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in January:

1.  Creating a slideshow on Windows Movie Maker is a whole lot easier than I expected.  And I really enjoy the process.  I'm already looking for an excuse to whip up another one!

2.  There's nothing like a friend visiing from out-of-town (out-of-country, actually) to get a whole bunch of old friends all in the same room.

3.  Credit card roulette is a dangerous little game, especially when the the bill is for dinner for ten people at a decent restaurant.

4.  I'm usually behind the camera, so occasionally a self-portrait is in order.

5.  Baby putting babies to bed: funny stuff.

6.  No Glee for an entire month can lead to serious withdrawls.

7.  Baby's first haircut doesn't have to be a huge ordeal.  And as a bonus, I have rediscovered the little divet at the nap of her neck - the sweetest, softest, most perfectly kissable little divet in the history of divets.

8.  Every parent should have a healthy supply of stickers on hand at all times. 

9.  There is nothing more thrilling and more hilarious than your child's first attempts at saying new words.

10.  Apparently, my New Year's Resolutions are no match for Procrastination, Excuses, Job Stress, and Gluttony.  Not to worry, February will be my month!

What I Learned in December 2010

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in December:


1. Toddlerhood is like a roller coaster ride.  There's a whole lot of screaming, sudden ups and downs, and it's both thrilling and exhausting at the same time.

2.  A twenty-four hour stomach bug can last over two weeks for a wee one.  And that means a lot of time off work (which will have to be made up at some point), a lot of TV, and a lot of laundry.  Oh, and laminate floors are an asset when dealing with a vomitous toddler.

My sickie baby

3. Getting interested in photography has helped me notice the beauty all around me. 

4. Killing time between a morning car nap and a birthday party can lead to an unexpectedly beautiful discovery.

5. Watching everything you've ever learned about language acquisition (which is actually quite a lot, when you've done a Master's Degree in speech-language pathology) played out in your own child is absolutely fascinating.

6.  Watching your daughter play with her grandfather is an incredibly heart-warming sight.  Especially when she used to shake uncontrollably and cry with fear when he came anywhere near her.  Three cheers for progress!

7.  My super mama sense of smell is almost, but not quite, infallible.  It is possible for the occasional poo-poo to sneak by me.  (Mwahaha, dare you clink the poo-poo link?)

8.  Furry hamster toys that move and dollies that crawl freak Lilah right out.  Like, shuddering with fear and clinging to Mommy's leg freak her out.  To the point that it takes removing the toy from sight and several minutes of special cuddles to calm her down.

9.  Christmas makes so much more sense when you have a child.  More to do, mostdefinitely, more stressful, probably, but also so much more magical.  And the stress and the busy-ness all become totally worth it for the sound of toddler squeals of excitement on Christmas morning.  So worth it.

10.  A quiet New Year's Eve games night can get rowdy rather quickly when there's alcohol involved.

This is about all I remember from our "quiet" games night on New Year's Eve.
And it's that blurry in my memory too.

November 2010 Recap

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in November:

1. Daylight Savings is useless to me now.  Those days when "fall back" meant an extra hour to party -in my early twenties- and an extra hour to sleep -in my late twenties- are long gone.  It now means not only waking up at six am when the rest of the world thinks it's seven, but it also entails trying to trick the surprisingly stubborn body clock of a little one.  It took over four days for Lilah to recover from the hour time change!

2.  Baby kisses are highly addictive.

Always have to steal my kisses from her.

3.  A long weekend family getaway is worth its weight on gold.

4.  Apparently meteorologists have the inside scoop on the weather and it is possible for Vancouver to get snow in November.

This was after most of the snow had melted

5. I really need to keep a spare pair of contact lenses and some solution in my desk drawer at work.  Driving home with one lens in your eye is not only dangerous, it's a recipe for a wicked headache by the end of the commute.

6.  The bedtime routine is precious and I'm glad I documented here.

7. Lilah does not enjoy having her photo taken first thing in the morning.

Put. The. Camera. AWAY.

8. Online shopping is totally boss!

9.  Lilah likes to sing, and according to the comments I got on the video I posted (here and on Facebook), she's not half bad.  I wasn't the only one who heard "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" amongst all that jargon!

10.  Attempting to fit into your skinny jeans after applying moisturizer when you're already having a fat day is not only an exercise in futility, it can also lead to self-esteem issues and feelings of worthlessness.  Best to skip the skinny jeans altogether, even if it means fishing something out of the dirty laundry pile.  Stained and wrinkled pants are better than sausage thighs any day.

October 2010 Recap

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in October:



1. Now I get why the Pumpkin Patch is a yearly tradition for so many families.  Definitely on our to-do list again for next fall!

Pumpkins and apples and mud - what could be better?

2. Running for the Cure still puts a lump in my throat and goosebumps on my arms.

3.  Talking about your blissful sleep inevitably ends in poor sleep.  Nobody likes a braggart, not even the Sleep Fairy.

4.  Sometimes people can surprise you with a good deed when and where you least expect it.

5. You can't beat the colours of fall.

6.  I have a lot to be thankful for.

7.  I really should stop making fun of the size of the Hubs' head.  But I probably won't.

8.   It might be time to consider a one-piece bathing suit or tankini for my indoor swims with the kiddo.

9.  Consignment shopping for kids' clothng is fun, cheap(er), and easier on the earth.

10.   I have never been much of a fan of Hallowe'en, but I quite enjoy it now that I have a child to make it all worthwhile.  The littles in their adorable costumes, the pumpkin carving, the smell of pumpkin seeds roasting in the oven... quite lovely, actually!

She doesn't look thrilled, but take my word for it, she had a blast!

September 2010 Recap

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in September:

1.  I finally realized it's best to avoid wearing dark colours when your wee one has a cold.  Otherwise, you will end up with very obvious snotty smears on shoulders and knee areas of your shirts and pants.

2. Wild sockeye salmon is yummy.  But it's even yummier when it comes from a Community Supported Fishery where it is caught in a sustainable manner and comes to our table straight from Skipper Otto himself.

3. Toddlers are like sponges.  They will absorb and regurgitate everything you do - and so the time has come to start being careful about what we do and say.

4. On a Saturday afternoon trip to the Vancouver Aquarium, I learned that Lilah's favourite is the sea otter exhibit.  Mainly because it is cute and furry and reminds her of our cats.  Well, at least, that's what I gathered from her enthusiastic pointing, head-nodding, giggling, and exclamation of "kitty!" every time the otter swam by us.


By the otter tank - unfortunately, the otter was even more camera shy than Lilah.

5. Carpooling is where it's at.  (Don't forget Ride-Share Week in BC coming up October 4-8!)

6. It is going to take me a while to adjust to being back at work.  I've been extremely scattered and absent-minded; losing my phone, forgetting my wallet, misplacing my keys - in short, I feel like I'm losing my mind.  And I've been rather hard on myself about it, because I'm usually relatively together and mentally (if not physically) organized.  But then I started reallly thinking about it, and the truth is that it took me a good six months to adjust to being home every day with Lilah, so it is probably going to take me about the same amount of time to adjust to going to work four days a week.

7. My daughter does an excellent impression of Sue Sylvester, my favourite character on one of my favourite shows of all time.  The Hubs makes fun of me, but I can't help myself, I've always been a sucker for a good song and dance number.

Is it Lilah, or Sue?

8.  I am SO not ready to even think about having a second child, though I originally had expected to be ready by this point.
 
9.  Disco may be poised for a comeback, and Lilah and So You Think You Can Dance Canada appear to be at the forefront of this renaissance.

Disco Lilah

10.  First words are truly a thrilling milestone.  Especially for a speechie mommy like myself.  They're like the gift that keeps on giving - every time Lilah says a new word, I just about burst with pride and excitement.  Her vocabulary now includes the words "kitty" (see overgeneralization of, in number 4 above), "mama," "daddy," "bird," "quack quack," "more," "tickle, tickle," "cracker," "bubbles," "no," and "flower."

August 2010 Recap

Amber Strocel does a monthly recap and has invited others to play along and link up. So here's what I learned in August:

1. Air travel with a toddler is infinitely more difficult than air travel with an infant.  Also, when your tiny infant screams on a flight, people look at you with sympathy.  When your toddler screams on a flight, people look at you with disdain.  Except other people with toddlers.  They're too busy trying to keep their own toddler from screaming to bother looking at you.

2. An ERGObaby carrier is worth its weight in gold.  The only way I could get Lilah to take a much-needed nap during our five hour flights to and from Ontario was to go the back of the plane and bounce up and down and shush until she finally nodded off.  Hard work, but completely worth it for a few minutes of peace.

3. Food, family, friends, and fun are the main ingredients for an awesome vacation.

Having fun with my sister on our family vacation.

4. Motherly love can get you into some totally ridiculous situations.  If you don't find a way to laugh about it, you will probably lose your marbles.

5.a) I enjoy taking photos of other people's babies.  5. b) Lilah could stand to learn a modeling tip or two from her adorable little buddies.

6.  The transition to daycare didn't kill us afterall.  Lilah seems genuinely happy at her daycare, eating unprecedented quantities of her lunch, napping quite well, making new friends, and adjusting more quickly than expected.

7.  Date nights are so refreshing.  The Hubs and I need to do them more often and not always wait for special occasions like our anniversary.

Anniversary date night self-portrait

8.  I really need to get my act together on my green projects.  August went by so quickly that I didn't get a chance to change any habits, let alone blog about them.  I'll have to do a double-header for September.

9.  Turning 31 on the 31st is a great excuse for champagne.  Yum!

My birthday meal (made by one wonderful Hubs), complete with champagne.

10.  Watching your baby learn to give hugs and kisses is so adorable it makes your heart ache.