Day 2015

Hid Easter eggs for the kids, so I think I’m officially a parent now. Or do I have to wait until I cause one or more child crippling embarrassment?

Day 2014

So far Lizard thinks Easter is about staying home and colouring together. Her little mind will be blown when the chocolate comes out.

Meanwhile, Chinchilla continues to be totally unimpressed by desserts. Somehow I don’t think he’ll be quite as stoked about the rest of the weekend as his sister.

Day 2013

Can’t not sleep. Sleeps will eat me.

Day 2012

Lizard has started taking her little brother for walks. She’s so excited about it that she tries to drag him to his feet to pull him around behind her.

He’s mostly excited about it too. Mostly.

Day 2011

Sometimes I wonder if other parents have as much fun as I do teaching their kids to say weird stuff that, for example, you do not expect to hear from a three year old.

Or that are just silly, ridiculous words. Like gadzooks.

Day 2010

Arrived at daycare for pickup and the wrong baby was crying.

Welcome to the land of nosebleeds, sweetheart. I recommend finding somewhere else to hang out.

Also, both babies needing mommy at the same time keeps getting more interesting as their combined weight appproaches 50 wriggly pounds. Maybe I need to start doing some arm curls with really obese cats to get in better shape for this...

Day 2009

A three year old’s imagination combined with great language skills is a really fantastic, hilarious adventure.

Day 2008

That feeling when the baby steals your glasses and you realize your head is only slightly wider than a one year old’s...

Day 2007

Chinchilla and I both survived my first week back at work. But we both need lots of snuggle time.

Day 2006

Third time was not the charm; Chinchilla still does not approve of cake. Luckily his sister is willing to make up for that.

Day 2005

Our little boy is one! We are so lucky to have such sweet funny little kiddos, who are starting to learn to play with each other (although the most successful playing seems to involve wrestling rather than toys). It was a bit of a trying day for the adults in the house, trying to maneuver around water main breaks and doctors appointments, but the silliness and snuggliness of our little goofballs really helped turn things around (also the water getting turned back on, and the prospect of a shower in the morning).

Love you, little monkey.

Day 2004

It had already occurred to me that our basement is likely to flood around Chinchilla’s birthday every year; I was not expecting the flooding in our street from a burst supply line.

I’m sorry, little one. I’ll try to give you enough hugs to make up for the shenanigans.

Day 2003

First day abandoning all the babies and going back to work. No explosions, but I did have to very clingy babies at the end of the day.

Day 2002

And so ends my last day before going back to being a working mom.

Hopefully Chinchilla gets over his feelings of abandonment quickly, cause I have a feeling I’m going to need his cooperation and snuggles...

Day 2001

I’m looking forward to giving Chinchilla cake on his actual birthday; his first introduction to birthday cake made him cry. We’ll try again with more naps.

Day 2000

We’ve already made it to the bound paper dayiversary (or: an excuse to buy more books)! We also watched The Sword in the Stone with our littles, and gave Chinchilla some extra snuggles. He’s happy as a clam at daycare, but wants us to know when he gets home that he knows we must have been having fun without him and he doesn’t like it.

It was also my last weekday of mat leave. Despite the resulting stew of feelings, it was a good day.

Happy Dayiversary, Neil. Here’s to many thousands more!

Day 1999

Counting down...

Day 1998

Two last days left: one last day with my baby, and then one last day without him.

Day 1997

Good news and wine and baby snuggling and ongoing thankfulness for just how very lucky we are with neighbours.

Day 1996

It was the baby’s first full day of daycare and he and his sister had 45 minutes of nap between them.

Would not recommend.

In other news, I used a bunch of not taking care of baby time to make the basement readier for flooding than it has ever been. I hope that means the powers that be decide not to flood the basement.

Day 1995

Lizard woke up sobbing about 20 minutes before the time change and woke up the whole house. She kept me up for a couple hours while I tried to help her recover from her woes (“something must be bugging me!” “There’s something in my teeth!” “My ear is bugging me!”). She was projecting a pile of fear and anxiety onto her stuffy and me (“polar bear needs a hug!” “It’s okay Mommy, I’m here. I’ll protect you!”). Eventually we both got some sleep.

The good news is, if your kid has nightmares the night of the time change, she’s too tired to care about the resulting schedule shift and will happily sleep through all of it.

Day 1994

Dear Lizard,

It is very sweet that you thought to try to sing to your brother when he was crying, but next time please listen when we tell you to just stay quiet and read your book until he settles down on his own. We know how this works. Singing turns to giggles, and gigglemonsters don’t nap.

Best Wishes,

Your Mother

Day 1993

For his first unassisted walking, the baby took several little sidesteps in a row... and then refused to repeat the performance so his daddy could see.

I suspected his long nap yesterday was doing more than changing his little face...

Day 1992

Today my three year old asked me to explain the word paradise to her.

And the baby woke up from one of his longest ever naps and when he woke up, his little face looked different than it did when I put him to bed.

He still won’t walk though.

Day 1991

Our baby tried to do a chin-up on the dinner table; he managed to get both feet off the floor.

Luckily our toddler is helping us “monitor the Charlie situation”.

Day 1990

The secret to having your baby start daycare is distraction. And remember that you don’t have to make and feed the baby lunch.

Day 1989

We may have spent more time trying to get two and from the daycare than Chinchilla actually spent at the daycare today, but he has still officially begun his transition to being a daycare baby instead of a hermit baby.

Which also means I need to start preparing myself to not be total hermit anymore...

Day 1988

That feeling when you bump into something and spill the baby’s food... and your toddler talks to you sternly and tells you she wants you to be more careful next time.

Day 1987

The babies are being weirdly cooperative about sharing a room. I am cautiously optimistic... but also anticipating impending doom.

Parenthood: hope for the best, expect/prepare for the worst.

Day 1986

The babies are sleeping in their own room.

I don’t know what to say except...

The babies are sleeping in their own room.

Day 1985

Lizard was “a little bit grumpy” and needed a hug. Then announced that the hug didn’t stop her being grumpy...but maybe a story would? And then she just kept telling me that she was still grumpy and needed more stories.

You think you’re tricking me kid, but I’m getting free snuggles out of this.

Chinchilla was also darn full of feelings. I got lots of clutching monkey hugs from him today. But also made him cry actual tears because I wouldn’t let him climb on top of the coffee table.

His angry face made some progress. Still has a ways to go.