Leah, Emma and Claire (and Jen and John)

Emma is starting to call John by name…and it's not a soft cute little girl "John", it's a loud, piercing "JOHN!!!". I have no idea where she picked that up

I'm going to have to think of a creative way to fix it. There's no way I'm walking around for the next 10 years calling John Dad in our every day conversation!

My mom left early Saturday morning and it didn't take long for John and I to start daydreaming about her next visit. The girls really love her and she teaches them all sorts of fun stuff. They now know all the actions to the Wheels on the Bus and Pat a Cake and they can sing Frere Jacques. They are also having a much higher success rate at getting their colours. It amazes me how easy it is to teach them stuff these days.

Things are pretty busy. I have been toying with the idea of either going back to work or trying to figure out some type of part time work I can do during their naps and after John gets home from work. A few months ago I applied for the Census on a whim knowing that it was an easy job that I could work into my schedule. They called last week to see if I was still interested and we decided I'd try it out. It's only til the end of June so I thought it would be a good way to see if I'd be cut out for part time work on top of caring for the girls all day. I'm not…but I'm not quitting so it's going to be a busy month. At the very least the extra money will help out in getting the basement finished so at least I'm motivated.

Last week we also spent a fair bit of time looking at minivans. Yes, it's time. We had considered buying out the lease in the Focus but it's not driving well and we're scared it's going to self destruct. Oh how I wish we had some mechanic friends. So I'm pretty sure by the end of the week we'll have our van. Jealous?

We had a nice weekend. The weather was great. Yesterday John took the girls to the park while I did some work and then we went to Sarah's 3rd Birthday Party in the afternoon. I can't believe she's 3 - she was born on the same day as my first wedding shower. Today I had book club brunch and then when we got home we took the girls out so John could buy some running shoes. I feel a health kick coming (I think minivan shopping and a wife that's pushing 30 might be getting to him…).

Not much else to report. The girls are going to bed a lot later since I banned the bedtime bottle. Emma does not want to go to bed at all anymore and she gets quite upset. I'm pretty sure she would be up til well after 9 if we let her. They are getting up at 7am (or before), having their 2 hourish nap at 1pm and then we're attempting to put them to bed at 8pm. I was saying to John that I think moving them to beds might help with Emma because I think she would settle down if I could lie in bed with her and read her a story. I'm not sure we're ready for beds though…

Emma is turning into quite the performer. She is constantly singing. Here she is singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and her abcs. You Tube has cut off the beginning and the end and the audio and video are a bit off but you get the idea…

Twinkle Twinkle

ABCs

We've all had a nice week with my mom here. It's like being on holidays! John is convinced I'm going to burn her out but he just hasn't fully grasped that my mom enjoys being on the go all day long. I had to laugh when he started saying "Good people leave good companies because they are overworked!". I took it as a compliment that I was a good company but he clarified and said that I in fact was a slave driver, the girls were what he considered the good company. It's not like I sit around and do nothing all day - he's been too busy priming the basement to notice that I do a little more than sit on the couch and announce that someone has a dirty bum…

So we've been taking advantage of having help. John's been painting the basement all weekend. Today we got the grass sorted out and finally took down the xmas lights. I used to have a pretty strong opinion on leaving them up all summer long - I now see the temptation. Last night we went out for dinner with Coby and Carrie. After dinner we went and saw the Da Vinci Code. It was ok. I liked the book much better.

We got the girls an early birthday present. I have been eyeing the bike trailer in Costco for quite some time and yesterday it was on sale so we picked one up. I assembled it this morning and then took them out for a ride. They very quietly took everything in and they seem to like it. I'm pretty happy with it - it will make going to the park a bit less of a trek.

For the most part everyone is feeling better. The girls still have runny noses but they can now go get a tissue, wipe their nose and then put it in the garbage. Big improvement from their last cold when they would just blow their nose and then run around laughing with snot flying everywhere. They are taking more of an interest in each other. It used to be they would both scream NO in disgust if you asked them to hold hands but lately they've been doing it no problem. It's pretty cute to see them walking along holding hands. They are also more open to giving each other hugs and kisses. Their current favourite game is playing with a tea set I got at Dollarama (best dollar I ever spent!). They make each other pretend food and then feed each other. It's fun watching their little imaginations start to take shape.

We're lucky our dad is so silly

I

The new trailer

John wants me to share this video Drew sent us. It's pretty funny. The Evolution of Dance

I clearly remember sitting with John one day 5 years ago talking about how lucky we were to live halfway between Windsor and Ottawa. No offense to our parents but there was something nice about living on our own and not being tied to them. We still had lots of nice visits but we were all grown up and independent.

What a joke I tell you. There have been many, many, many, many times over the past 2 years when I have desperately wished we lived near our parents. To be able to pick up a phone and say please come over and help us and have help within the hour seems like the greatest deal ever.

Emma's nose started to run on Saturday afternoon. She had a fever and was miserable by bed time. She woke up at 10pm crying and John was holding her but she wanted me. The minute I picked her up she threw up all over me. Thankfully that was it for the barf but she hasn't been herself. All day Sunday she wanted to be held. Leah woke up Monday morning with a runny nose/fever and would not let me put her down.  John came home early from work with a sinus infection and it was so bad that he went to the hospital at 4am Tuesday morning. They sent him home and told him to take his antibiotics and try and get some rest. The girls had not slept well since Saturday and by Tuesday morning John was not in any shape to help and I was starting to get congested. So I called my mom and asked her to come help. 6 hours later she was here. Thank god.

Of course the girls were in great moods once she got here, went to bed without crying for two hours, slept all night, and slept in til 7am.

So that's what we've been up to. I put some new pics up on Flickr from when John's parents and Van were here last Friday. The basement is now ready to be cleaned and painted…we just need to get everyone feeling better first.

Van sanding the basement. No the picture is not out of focus - that's dust.

A rare moment of affection

You don't need to watch us when we colour…

So last night wasn't great. The girls ended up napping until 11am and then they were up for the day. After lunch I lathered them in sunblock and spent a long time at the park. They both love getting  lotion on and they make a big deal about it being each others turn - very strange. I hate creams and I am destined to be very wrinkled. I do put on suntan lotion all the time. Something about being mere months away from your 30th birthday is inspiring.

So I thought for sure they'd be ready for bed come 7:30pm. Leah was ready at 7 so we put them to bed. Leah went to sleep. Emma had a fit so bad we broke our rule of not taking them out of their crib. We then proceeded to break another rule of not using the car to get them to sleep (it took us nearly 2 years…not bad) and John took her out for an hour drive to buy me an Oh Henry. What a guy! He came back with a sleeping toddler but she woke up in the transfer and finally settled at 8:51pm and I ate my chocolate bar to celebrate.

This morning they were up at 6:30. Leah was happy as can be. Emma started to self destruct around 9 so I took them to the park for a couple of hours. We came back, ate lunch, napped and then went and played with the neighbours. They had their bath, a story and were in bed by 7:40pm. There were some whiny tears from Emma but they played and read their books until they fell asleep around 8:30pm.  

I'm not going to call it a success quite yet but once again we have proven that not giving in does work. We were so close so many times to just giving them the stupid milk but we stayed strong. I really understand now how a toddler can wrap you around their little finger(s).

"Daddy, Emma go night night in car? Please?"

So last night was the first night in over a week where we haven't had visitors. After a long hard Monday we were both looking forward to eating a quick meal, putting the girls to bed, and watching the Sens game. I should know by now that none of my enjoyment in life should be placed in the hands of the Ottawa Senators.

Yeah the Sens are now down in their series 2-0. We're all used to it by now. There is still hope but I've learned not to be overly optimistic with them. To top the whole evening off the girls were absolute terrors last night. I am on a mission to get them off the milk before bed so we can think about serious potty training. We had success a few nights but then with everything going on I've been lazy. So last night was night one. It did not go well. They whined and cried from 7:30 until 9:08pm. They weren't even asking for milk so there is hope. They just didn't want to go to bed. To say I was frustrated would be an understatement. I may or may not have said to John that "This is my 13th hour, 17th minute and 22nd second of this crap and NO I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO THE GYM, FOR A BIKE RIDE, TO THE GROCERY STORE OR FOR A WALK". Poor guy…just trying to get me out of the house and I am ready to kill him along with my two children.

The really crappy part about them going to bed so late is we know they're not going to sleep in and the next day is going to be rough. At least we get something right. Sure enough they were both up at 6:01am ready to go, happy as can be. For an hour. Then the whining, crying, hitting and screaming started. They are back in bed now. It's 8:30am and I don't care if it screws up their nap this afternoon. I wish I could be sleeping too but I have picked up a nasty coffee habit to get me through the mornings and the occasional afternoon.

The weekend was busy. My parents left Friday morning and John's dad and uncle Van arrived Friday afternoon. The mudding is now complete and ready for sanding. It's amazing how nice it looks - I should have taken a picture of the pre mudded drywall just so we would know where the seams were! They also drywalled our storage room in preparation for the shelving we're putting in there. It's going to be so organized!

Yesterday I loaded the girls up in the stroller and took them to the park. It was nice and quiet and they had lots of fun. Our stroller has little pockets you can put speakers in and I was thinking they might enjoy that enough to keep them happy in the stroller for more than 15 minutes.

I have to mention this because it was funny. Last week when my parents were here we took the girls to Wendy's for lunch. I was feeling incredibly nice and let my mom get them both a chicken nugget kids meal. Like good little girls they each picked up a fry and proceeded to use it as a spoon to eat as much ketchup and sweet and sour sauce as they could shove in their mouths. At one point I had to stop Emma from drinking the sweet and sour suace. They did eat some fries in the end but they wouldn't even try the nuggets. 

The crew

I forgot to push the table in and eating their breakfast in their own chairs was not an option

Last weekend was spent getting the house back in order. John finished painting the two darker walls in the living room, we took most of the painters tape down and then we hung our new pictures and some of our old favourites. It feels good to have the house decorated and everything back in its place. Last week also marked us being in the house for 1 year. Time sure flies.

My parents arrived back from Florida on Monday and they seem to have brought the warm weather with them. The girls have been running around in shorts and tank tops and they look so cute. The two of them were little terrors on Tuesday but they have settled down and are being very good. They are picking things up like crazy lately and Emma has learned how to say go away which is pretty funny. She sneaks on my dad's laptop and then when she sees him coming says "No Grandpa, GO AWAY".

We've had a busy week shopping at all the places John can't stand (IKEA). Today my mom planted some planters for outside. It really feels like summer now. The people behind us bought a big swing set and they don't mind letting the girls play on it. Swing is another favourite word these days. There is no shortage of little girls in the neighbourhood and they are always asking if the girls can come out and play. They are like dolls to them which is fine with me if it keeps the girls happy and occupied. It's definitely better than nothing until we get a fence…which can't be done until Mattamy fixes the grading in our yard and the city inspects it. Realistically next year I think.

The girls got their first injuries this week. Emma pulled her feeding chair on top of her and got a black eye. They both scraped their knees on the gravel at the park. They definitely aren't looking very dainty these days!

I started the "Mothers are people too" 6 week session at the early years centre today. I signed up for it as my last option and it figures it was the only thing we got into this spring. They have different guest speakers each week and the girls go into the preschool room while I'm there. It was much better than I expected and I actually learned something new. They had a child behaviour therapist in and she was really good. She gave me some really good ideas on how I can effectively deal with the girls without losing my temper and feeling like I am going to go insane - two things I struggle with on a daily basis lately. The girls did really well in the daycare room - the only comment was that Emma was asking for her mommy…and that's a big deal because since Granny arrived she wants nothing to do with me. I almost asked the woman if she was sure she was saying Mommy and not Granny.

"Not this again. I've put in my picture time…get back to the monkeys"

Colouring with Grandpa (and Emma's black eye).

I caught the millisecond in which Emma teared her eyes away from Elmo.

"More Grandpa" (and Jackson thinking of her next meal)