6 unspectacular quirks — a meme

I was recently tagged by a blogosphere friend, The Wise Young Mommy, to do a meme about six quirky things about me. So here are the rules:

1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell about six unspectacular quirks you possess.
4. Tag six following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they have been tagged.

1. I bite my nails. I have always bitten them and despite my parents desperate attempts at trying to get me to stop (the bitter gunk on the nails, gloves to sleep in, bribes, threats (you’ll get worms in your stomach!!)) the only thing that stopped me was when I got my braces. When the braces came off, I didn’t go back to biting  my nails except when I’m under extreme stress.

2. I have a very sensitive digestive system and can not tolerate: eggplant, peppers (of any colour), spicy food, stewed vegetables. I also dislike Mexican food. While we’re on the subject of food, I tried being a vegetarian in high school but realized that I love bacon too much.

3. I have to sleep with something covering me, no matter how hot it is. On the subject of sleep, I can not nap. I’ve tried and it doesn’t work for me. However, I do LOVE to sleep and would gladly go to bed @ 9pm every night if I could manage it.

4. I don’t like to sweat — which is why I don’t like to run. Biking, on the other hand, is ok because the speed to sweat evaporation ratio is right. Swimming is good, too, because the sweat gets washed off instantly.

5. I hate driving — especially in the city.

6. I would like to have another child, preferably a daughter, for the sole reason that I would like to use the name Philippa and nickname her Pippa. The only problem here is that the hubs and I have said we’re “done” with the babies. You can see my dilemma.

I’m tagging… anyone who wants to play along! Let me know and I’ll put you on the list with a link to your blog. Step right up; don’t be shy.

wordless wednesday — me

The face behind the blog. I’m usually the one taking the pictures, so finally here’s one of me. This was taken by my friend J. Adelaide Fuller.

You can find out more about her here, read great things about her here, see more photos here, and buy prints here.

these shoes were made for walking

Last week I bought myself some new shoes to fulfill my never-ending quest to try and fit some exercise in to my daily schedule. The last time I bought running shoes (that’s what we Canadians call them, even when they’re not used for running. I can not get used to calling them sneakers.) was back in 1999! Needless to say I felt pretty dumb when I walked in to the store to buy these shoes. Gel? No gel? Cross trainer? Mesh? Corrective stride? huh?!? At any rate, the sales person was quite helpful and I ended up with these spiffy shoes:

I have decided to do some more dedicated walking during my lunch break. Yes, I do walk to and from work (1 mile each way!) and I do walk drag the dog around the neighbourhood, and I often walk with the girls, but I’m usually encumbered with stuff — my purse, my lunch, a double stroller, other stuff I feel I need to drag around with me (the dog, just to name names). So, I’m setting aside 4 lunch breaks every week to do some real walking where it’s just me and the shoes and a goal. No stroller. No kids. No bags. And yesterday, no iPod because I forgot the clip at home. sigh.

On Friday I walked 2 miles in 50 min. Not exactly a world record pace, but good enough. Monday I walked east in to Center City (18th and Walnut) and then back to work — 2 miles in 50 minutes. I have no idea how long this walking trend of mine is going to last. I hope that because it is so easy to do that I will stick with it and incorporate it in to my regular life.

Alrighty, lunch time is rolling around… time to lace up my running shoes.

go go go — our local Olympics

This is the last week before our schedule changes. The sprint to the new starting line. In this week (you can start laughing now, I’ll let you know when to stop) I would like to:

1. find a housecleaner. I have a list of recommendations… hopefully someone will work out.

MONDAY: have someone coming on Wednesday to take a look-see.

2. find my watch. It’s somewhere in my house. I hope.

3. organize some weekly menus, take stock of what is in the freezer, do some batch cooking/baking. Oh, go grocery shopping.

4. organize stuff for the new daycare (sheets, extra clothes, etc.); buy some cloth diapering bags for new daycare.

MONDAY: ordered the bags.

5. panic over having to pack lunches for everyone next week — Richard helps with the lunches, but I like to panic over them.

6. clean my house a little.

7. help Richard finish with the cabinet install on the first floor so I can take some pictures!

8. schedule Emerson for the groomer and the vet (aiming for the basics here — just need to schedule him, not actually take him this week)

I am guilty of making many many many lists and then doing everything except what’s on the list. It’s exhausting.
Anyone else out there a successful list-maker? What’s your trick?

first [real] post after my return from Vacation

I’m honestly not sure it was a “vacation” per se. This is not to say I didn’t enjoy myself, because I did. The girls had a fabulous time playing in Omi & Papa’s backyard with the kiddie pool, sprinkler, & play tent; we went to the beach and even visited an alpaca farm. But, a vacation for me it was not. It was hard work!

After this little trip I have a new-found respect for any parent who has traveled alone with children. Unfortunately for my older sister this new-found respect is hindsight. I have sent her an apology (hi Kir!). It is not easy and I have to say that under the circumstances my girls behaved themselves very well.

Ooof, enough of that.

What did we do?!?!

Beach! More specifically, Batchewana Bay on the sandy shores of Lake Superior. Crystal clear water. Clean sand. Does it get any more perfect then this?!? I love this photo.

Lone Swimmer

Alpaca farm! More specifically the Meadowview Alpaca Farm. These animals were very cute. I only bought 1 skein of laceweight and Maja has decided that I’m making her a scarf with it.

There was the kiddie pool, ice cream picnics… and fingerpainting.

…up, gasp, dive

I’m back from my vacation. I’m swamped with work, behind with reading blogs, hundreds of unanswered emails… but the house, my newly painted first floor looks F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S. Stunning. But I’m going to make you wait for pictures because when we arrived home yesterday our car basically vomited all of it’s contents (adults, children, dog, luggage, books, toys, half-eaten crackers…) onto our floor and it’s going to take a few days to organize. Also, not all of the new cabinets have doors yet and there are still a whole bunch of tools lying about.

Soon, my friends, soon.

Tomorrow — back to our usual antics and I’ll recap my trip!

playdate #2

Today I am taking the girls for their second playdate at their soon-to-be new daycare. This is one of the Big Changes that is happening this fall, a direct result of the Big Change that Richard is undergoing. This new daycare will be much more convenient for me because starting in a few weeks I will be responsible for doing all the pick-ups. The upside is that instead of using the car for transport we will be using the stroller and parent-power (either Richard or myself and maybe even sometimes both!)

Over the past 3 years we have taken a variety of approaches to broach the subject of Change with Maja. Sometimes it helps to talk about it far in advance, sometimes we don’t talk about it at all. With Madeleine’s arrival, for example, it really helped for us to talk about it for months beforehand and prepare Maja for the Change. With vacations it’s easier to tell her just 1 or 2 days beforehand or else she’ll become overwrought with anticipation.

We took the tactic this time of telling her about the daycare change a few weeks in advance. We walked by the building and showed her where her new ’school’ is; we talked about all of her friends who will be there; we talked about how mama was going to be doing the pick-ups at the end of the day…

My friends, we erred. Maja has been a mess these past few weeks. I think the stress of knowing that she’s going to a new school but not being able to judge “when” (remember, kids don’t really have a sense of time at this age — minutes, hours, weeks… it means nothing to them. Things are either NOW or NEVER.) has finally gotten to her. I’m a little afraid of taking her to the school today. I’m afraid that I’ll add more stress. On the other hand, the stress of throwing her in to a new environment without any forewarning may be worse. I’ll never know, in this case.

So, I’ll pack up the girls in the stroller and we’ll head over for our playdate. We’ll come home and hang out for the afternoon while Madeleine takes a nap. I will hold and cuddle Maja as needed to reassure her that things will be fine. And then tomorrow I’ll pack them all up again and head off for vacation.

August, in short, will be a whirlwind. Lots of changes in a short period of time. Richard and I will work very hard to maintain some type of constant in all of this by sticking to an evening schedule and assuring Maja and Madeleine of our unwavering love in the midst of all the upheaval.

my younger child is a clone

We have always said that Madeleine is our “big” child and Maja is our “small” child. It seems, however, that we may have to revise that!! Madeleine had her 1-year appointment on Tuesday and the stats came back as follows:

Madeleine’s weight: 19 lbs 3.9 oz. (19th percentile)

Madeleine’s height: 2′4″ (34th percentile)

Madeleine’s head circumference: 44.5cm (32nd percentile)

Looking back here at Maja’s 1-year appointment…

Maja’s weight: 19lbs 2.9 oz

Maja’s height: 2′4″

Maja’s head circumference: 44.2cm

It seems we have bred a clone. So, Madeleine, I hereby strip you of your “sturdy” title and will henceforth call you the Tiny Mighty #2!

my turn for vacation… upon my return, a renovated house?

It seems like every one else has gone on vacation except me. Well, starting tomorrow I will finally get a little break. Or not, depends on one’s take on things. I won’t be at work, but I’ll probably be working twice as hard as my vacation consists of ME going up to visit my parents with the girls but without Richard. This is not by choice, but by necessity. I NEED to get away from this heat and humidity and Richard can not take vacation at this point.

So, the girls and I are heading north. Waaaaaaay north, or as I usually describe: “tip of the Michigan mitt…keep going.” The land of mosquitoes and the most beautiful scenery known to man. The land which inspired many many artists: Northern Ontario. We are getting there by car: Richard is driving us to my sister’s in Southern Ontario in our little VW Golf; then us girls are transferring in to my sister’s VW Golf (don’t ask, it’s a family thing to buy VWs) to finish up the ride. It will take us 2 days of all-day driving (11hrs and 7hrs) to make the trip up. I suggested my sister buy earplugs. hah.

The exciting thing about our time away, besides the fact that I’ll get to spend time with my parents and my sister and that the girls will see their grandparents and aunty is that upon my return home the first floor of our house should be painted. Yes, paint will have been applied to the walls… 2 years after we moved in. How is this miracle going to occur? Well, we wised up and hired someone.

So, for your viewing pleasure here is what the first floor looked like in April 2008:

(click on the photo to see the notes in Flickr)

And in July 2008:

(again, click on the photo to see the notes in Flickr)

And when I come back … you’ll see what it looks like painted! And hopefully with all the shelves installed. And maybe some framed artwork up on the walls. A girl can dream, can’t she?

wordless wednesday — double fisted cake shove

Baby’s 1st Birthday cake. Yum.