gluey breakfasts

Oatmeal has long played a role in Seb's diet. In fact, both kids start off every day with a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of watered-down juice. In Sophie's case we add a banana or applesauce and in Seb's, it's plain yoghurt and frozen berries/honey/jam/or maple syrup, plus a glass of milk.

Tonight, as I lay on my belly scrubbing and scrubbing the floor under Sophie's highchair (and bemoaning the Toronto transit workers for suddenly going out on strike and thus ruining my weekend for getting about and necessitating M getting called into work again), I understood why this solid breakfast gets both children through the morning. I mean the stuff is sticky, gluey, stick to your ribs/guts, heavy. Banana has those properties too.

Breakfast for my little champions.

This one is for Nana (& Roch Carrier)

Do you know the story of The Hockey Sweater?
http://archives.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/clips/1546-10372/

Spoiler alert. Roch Carrier's childhood memoir of growing up hockey-mad, especially Maurice Richard-mad in the late '40s. It's a small village, and he and his friends idolise the Montreal Canadiens. To the extent that when he gets a new hockey sweater, which is mistakenly the blue and white of the wimpy Toronto Maples Leafs (yes, leafs), he refuses to wear it. But he must, and goes on to blame all his woes on its presence in his life. For his last outburst of anger, the young curate sends him to church to ask forgiveness. Instead, he prays for a million moths to eat up his new hockey sweater.

Well, tonight I presented Sebastian with a yummy supper - mashed spuds, salmon, and chopped spinach with a dash of maple syrup. Rejected; lock, stock and barrel. After a short period of cajoling (including pointing out that Sophie eats more than him and is growing faster), he declared:

"Next time I go to church [no comment], I'm going to pray for 12 moths to eat all my spinach".

What can I say? I love my boy. M guffawed so loud, he almost choked on his spinach.

Wawee

I asked Sophie her name today. It came out as "Wawee". So we are "wawee", "Bebby" (usually stretched out over several seconds), "mumeee" and "dadeee".

The Habs are leading 3-0; they might squeak through to the next round. The kids are out back with their dad. They are all in the newly-erected tent (with pajamas and several layers of tops as the temperature sure does drop at night). They have a flashlight and a massive pile of books to read. Mike says that Soph is perhaps even more excited than Seb, and I can certainly hear her squealing.

Spring has sprung!

We're getting some gorgeous weather here yesterday, today and tomorrow. Seb has a lovely fabric flower that he affixed to our staircase bannister upon our arrival. We were informed that it had to point downward, as it was winter and flowers didn't grow. Well, this week, he adjusted it skyward. Just in time for 20 degree weather and sun, sun, sun. So we have our box of mitts still at the front door and our sandals and sunscreen at the back one.

The kids were happily digging in the backyard dirt for an hour+ this morning. That's when I snapped Miss Soph.

Today, there is a teddy bear picnic at school, so Seb took Shamu his orca and new dinosaur. After school it is swimming lessons -with Seb's tatooed, pierced, bespectacled guy instructor. Then it's kids night at the Y, while we get to slip away and go out for dinner. I think a terrace beckons.

The eccentric - who charms

Yes, that is underwear on his head (clean). Yes, he is sporting pigtails (plural). It was a good party... For further details, please see Canadian classic Smarty Pants by Colleen Sydor.

The charmer

Our little girl loves to go out. At the first mention of the word or indication tht someone is about to leave, she marches over to the boot bench, digs out her brother's red rain boots and then asks for her coat from the rack - no matter what else she is (or isn't) wearing. She becomes quite perplexed if the person leaves without her and upset if her brother goes and she does not.

When it's just the 2 of us at home, she often hangs out at the screen door checking out passers-by; she often puts on a boot and scarf in case she gets asked out on an adventure.

She is so petite she still fits into last May's dress for Gramps' birthday. She is adorable, if I say so myself...

How to have a fun Sunday

1. Have colourful elastic hairbands to hand

2. Get dressed to go to the park with the castle playground

3. Do the first load of laundry in one's snazzy high efficiency washer

Good roommates

The children have been sharing a room for 6 months now and it has gone very well. The exception was 2 nights ago when Sophie woke up roaring with pain/fright/discomfort/sorrow/fill in the blank yourself. She cried so hard and loud that Seb woke too and of course announced that he was hungry/thirsty/fill in the blank yourself. But lo and behold, today another tooth is through.

We are going to decorate the kids' room over the next week. Seb chose some yolk yellow and briht blue paints for the walls (one where the sun come up and the other for where the moon goes down). We have some lovely new comforters, plus remaking the blue & white gingham duvet covers/curtains that my sister and I hd.

Still don't know what the green group is but perhaps the teacher will tell me tomorrow at our "interview". Today, Seb was reprimanded at school for pushing another child - what only 7 days in...

Wish us luck b/c tonight is powder room/laundry painting night as the appliances are all due to arrive tomorrow evening. If it goes well, it will spur us to tackle the kids room and then the main bathroom and all the touch up from the drywall. OK maybe not.

Seb's in the green group at school!!

This is great news! I am not sure why or what it might mean. But he bounced out of class so happy today.

Beijing, here she comes

I have a hunch that Sophie believes that the Beijing Olympics will have a nursing competition (they have every other sport these days!). She is under the impression that it is not a speed competition but one based on technique and levels of difficulty (think figure skating). She has perfected the roll, the lunge, the twist, and the one foot; her trademark, however, is the headstand. Don't get me wrong, I love nursing my daughter but it seems to lack the dignity and serenity that the early weeks had (ok, not the very first month but say month 3-10).

Here are some shots of the past 10 days; none, thankfully, of us nursing. There is the wildly popular crown that is worn everyday; Seb has been both king of the builders and king of the chefs. He likes to wear it to our community centre. We didn't end up going to Montreal this weekend, and so today we were able to attend a friend's birthday brunch; Seb is giving the thumbs up on the ultimate dish - cake and olives! Plus Soph in her mechanic outfit.