One a day?

Sophie is certainly getting the hang of this potty thing. She managed to stay in the same diaper all day! Mind you, she blew it (literally?) on the way home from the Y. But it was well past 7 and time to be heading for bed anyway.

Sometimes she tells me that she had to use the potty. Usually I ask her, she considers the situation and readily agrees that a try is in order. I am not sure if I should try to snap a shot of her in action. Just picture her sweet body perched on a bright blue and yello plastic potty, with her face squished up like the photo in Oh, expressive one http://wedgley.blogspot.com/2009/03/oh-expressive-one.html

I am so proud of her and excited for us! But don't get me wrong, I have absolutely NO expectations that this is a linear journey

2nd homesick

http://www.pays-de-bergerac.com/pages/videos/video-ot-bergerac.htm

We spent some time last week discussing our sabbatical year plan for France (perhaps it was in one of the two cafes where we enjoyed coffee and dessert, while Norwan read young children to sleep) - budget, how much to save in advance, age/school year of children, renting out & managing the Toronto house, renovations that our old stone house needs before we winter there, etc.

For the time being, we will bask in the knowledge that our 2009 tickets read June 17-August 5th!!!!!!

Meet Seb's vests

Herein lie Sebastian's navy and red vests. Some of you may have noticed them before. They are newfound friends of mine. They
a) keep him warm
b) look natty
c) hide the fact that we don't use an iron. I mean they cover the placket that curls over and those pesky wrinkles on the body, and hey in a pinch you can tuck the collar in too.

That said, don't expect to see many photos of his dad sporting one. It's not that he irons his shirts. Oh no; it's just that he has invested in wrinkle-resistant technolgy and our wizard of a clothes dryer has a perpetual movement timer that kicks in after the cycle is over to toss things about regularly so wrinkles don't set in.

Plus, M claims that they are dorky (thus ever more cool on a 5 year old). What do you think?

Oh, expressive one

We have another actor on our hands...


Tickle me right here.


Why no one tickle me???

I owe you some snaps

The last ski of the season - but Norwan's first.


He-dad. Supposedly Sophie just laughed her head off in that backpack. Fortunately, m didn't bust a gut too. But Soph kept asking him to slow down, so they could ski next to her big bro.


Yes, he really loves his (too small) helmet that much...


Just in case you need some proof about how much they adore each other. Oh, did I mention that Norwan shaved her head for March break? Preview of our household 2020??


More evidence of how much Norwan adores her little cousin - she let him use her camera.

Break out those training pants

No, we are not gearing up for a marathon. Translate the Britishisms and you have got "grab those pull-up diapers". Sophie did a poop in the potty today!!!

I have to admit that it wasn't exactly unprompted. I did sit on the floor of the toilet and watch every face muscle concentrate on the task at hand. Her dad did crowd into the loo with us as victory was nigh. But girl, oh, girl, you should have seen and heard how happy our dear daughter was with the potty's contents.

After eagerly grabbing handfuls of toilet paper and flushing it all away (funny that she loves to flush while her big brother is going through a phase where he must be out of the whole zone and someone else flush the toilet), she proceeded to high-five her clean hands all the way round the house (that included mum, dad, big bro, bigger cousin Norrie and visiting friend Kai).

Somehow I don't think we will be diaper-free for some time to come, but we are obviously on the right track.

A huge step forward!!!!

Just last month, it was news that a group of peanut-allergic UK children had been de-sensitised to peanuts by taking miniscule but increasing amounts of the nut and building up a tolerance. Now there is news of a group of US children who have been "cured" (29 out of 33 of them)!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090317.wlpeanut0317/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
[I didn't cry this time. I guess I am becoming de-sensitised too].

(P.S. Fellow bloggers, why are my links never hyperlinked???)

Sebastian would like...

All spring yardsalers to keep an eye open for:
a) purple clothes in size 5 or larger (i.e. for him)
b) wheels for lego.

Please do NOT buy these new. The thrill is in the hunt!

Grab your helmet and play (dough)

Not sure why one needs a helmet to bring out one's creativity but here are the kids enjoying their new playdough (thanks for the book, Auntie Jeet).



A playdough weaving inspired by yesterday's trip to the Textile Museum of Canada. What Seb doesn't know is that deep in the basement, we have stored my mini-loom from childhood.



And who needs facepaint when you have spaghetti and tomato sauce. Even better, why not apply both to one's face?!

Santa the slavedriver

One of Sebastian's new songs is "Get on board". I was pretty sure that it is a slave spiritual and was explaining to Sebastian how it sounds like a happy song but in reality had hidden meanings for slaves to pass around without being punished. It was a teachable moment.

Me: You remember what a slave is, right?

Seb: Yup

Me: a person who is owned by someone else. They can be forced to do things; even their children are owned.

Seb: I know, I know. Just like Santa's elves.

I am not your son

Them fightin' words were uttered over and over by a blue-eyed, gap-toothed girl of two last week. She was angry at me for denying her something and as she blurted out her frustration, I managed to decipher that phrase. Obviously, she picks up all sorts of things from her big brother. Right at this very moment, it is learning how to ride a bike (skip the trike!).

I know I am a mum (Part 5)

I know I am a mum because yesterday I was giddy with delight at the prospect of spending 8 waking hours with my sweetheart. Yup, just him and me. We had an eggy brunch and walked the streets of Toronto, bought a winter coat in the dregs of the sales, spent over an hour in a bookshop, caught up over coffee, and went to a gallery. We even held hands and actually listened to each other without (many) interruptions. And then we came home to be very contented parents - all the better for our alone time.

While the mama bear was away, the cubs did play!

Seems like everything went tickedy-boo while I was away, thanks to Alice & Kirsten & Kimberley & Sam & Kelly & Rosie & George & David & Jeannie & the workers at the emergency daycare & have I forgotten anyone, oh yes, the person who invented lego b/c we gave Seb my lego from childhood as an incentive/occupation while I was gone.

But their dad gets the biggest thanks (despite blowing it on the last night by drinking a tad too much at a work party that involved a karaoke rendition of Material Girl, or so I'm told. The aftermath lingered until this morning's aspirin and involved Sebastian politely asking his father "when the bad noises from the bathroom [where M would dash while serving two youngsters porridge for breakfast] were going to end", a trip to the loo during Seb's ballet performance and almost missing the performance because he was sick on the porch where to Seb's great delight "it" froze. Sorry, a day and a half later and I still can't stop laughing uproariously...).

As an activity to celebrate our family reunion, we went to the Science Centre Sunday afternoon. It was a wonderful place to go with great exhibits on the human body and space, as well as 2 super play areas, where Sophie soaked herself in the water demonstrations. Unfortunately, the camera batteries were flat.


Here is Seb's last dance class. He is wearing his Dewson school t-shirt - and was the only boy. We are so pleased that he wants to take more lessons in the spring.


The lego master gives us a tour of his latest collection.