How come?

We have been back using cloth diapers for a couple of months now. I don't mind it, really I don't - though I am glad there is now a door separating the laundry room from the kitchen. But to be honest, I would prefer not to have to deal with poopy bums and soiled nappies.

So how come I always seem to have a trail of little people behind me when I'm taking a dirty nappy from change table to bathroom???? And why do they like to squish into the smallest room of the house with me (and the stink)???

I'm in the love camp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RQSxZ3AvSE&eurl=http://www.ilovemarmite.com
I viewed it while nursing Sophie!

Seb's pregnant

You read it right. We were walking down the street on Friday, munching some popcorn. He started to puff out his belly and waddle.

Seb: I'm pregnant

me: oh ya. When are you due?

Seb: yup, I'm going to have the baby in 4 days.

me: hmm. So how did the baby get inside you?

Seb: (pause) There must have been a very very tiny baby on something I ate.

me: (Trying not to choke) Oh. What kind of food makes you pregnant?

Seb: ummm, popcorn.

me: Uh-oh (putting popcorn back in his bag). I wouldn't want to get pregnant again.

Strangely, he didn't mention it again until today - his due date. So it must be true!

Days of firsts

Yesterday, our cheeky monkey figured out how to turn a door handle and open the door. This will enable her to open any door in the house as they all have the same type of lever handle...

For the first time, she also unprompted did some gestures to the songs during the community centre's group sing-along.

Just in case you think I am bragging, today she bit me - out of glee, on the arm - for the first time.

Sophie & her snacks/et sa petite collation

Here's our gorgeous mophead (post-bath her curls come out to play) t the park today. She is drinking her rice milk and chomping away on her plain oat cake - ah the finer things in life.

La belle robe etait un cadeau d'annniversaire de Michel et Marite. Enfin, elle est assez grande pour la porter. Merci vous deux!

The end result of my mothers' day/weekend

(BTW, this is Seb's ballet outfit)

Here you can see the fire truck that he bought himself with his busking money.



These are new reversable comforters - one for each child but Sophie will have to grow into hers.

Seb chose the colours + I dug around for old (such the gingham curtains that hung in my childhood room)and new decor items = Taddah, a bright, happy room for two siblings.





M did note part way through the hours of painting, that one can spend too much time and money fretting/decorating a kid's room (or dressing a kid). Instead of actually spending your energy on them - live, in your face, up close. Point taken. But it is so wonderful to have a whop of colour in our house. I can't stand wall after wall of designer "putty".


Tonight, we fired up the BBQ and had our first family BBQ. It was a lovely warm & sunny day here, which carried into early evening. So it was veggie kebabs, "hungerburgers", potato salad, beer. Seb was soooooooooooooooo happy to see the ketchup that I had bought for the weekend party. I had 4 year old help to wash & chop. Not much help on the clean-up front. But M was thrilled to come home from work to such a sight & feast.

New batteries

I know, I know; there's been a dearth of photos the last 2 weeks. We couldn't find the battery recharger (turned out it was in NB), and then took ages to get disposables and then to download anything etc. And we have been a tad busy with a certain person's 40th birthday. So with no further ado - PHOTOS GALORE.

Some shots of M's surprise BBQ - and the gorgeously scrumptious cake from the bakery that is behind us (literally behind us, though we sadly don't smell them). One of me reading in the kids' bedroom (before this weekend's paint job); another Sophie helping the birthday boy with his onerous duties. One of an old school friend and me in our new MAGENTA bathroom/laundry spot.

The day after mother's day

We never really celebrated Mother's Day in my childhood household, though my mum did always call her mother back in England on Mothering Sunday. We were told to demonstrate our love and respect every day of the year and not do sentimental things on a particular day. So, that's more or less how we are raising our 2 beansprouts.

However, I got to thinking yesterday that the day after Mothers' Day (yes, collective mothering) should be devoted to appreciating the machines that make modern mothering what it is - the stove that turns on at a flick of a switch, the water heater for the kids' baths, ( heck, the municipal water filtration plant!), and those beasts of domestic burden - the washer, dryer and dishwasher. May they all have years or years of good service ahead of them.

Finally!

For all of you who come here for updates on the kids, read no further. But for those of you who are interested in house updates or check in to see how much of a housewife I have morphed into (...), then you will be interested to know that FINALLY I have picked out a couch. I realised last week that I have put way too much time into this decision. Now I have put way too much money in too!

Anyway, here is the link. the shape and fabric are a surprise to M but he never checks the blog anyway - unlike you, dear devotees.
http://www.la-z-boy.com/furniture/customize.aspx?pid=5092 And then plug in "e881192" to get the fabric swatch.

It's protected against all calamaties for 12 years! Yup, that was a definite selling point given that M keeps trying to extend his legs over the side of "his" armchair" and rest his feet on "my" lovely new armchair. Hrrmmph!

Feel free to come and sit/lounge/sip/swig/lie/sleep on it anytime after July 1st.

Clean and not so clean

I came downstairs at 8 yesterday morning to a sight that filled me with incredulity - and hope. Seb was vacuuming, Sophie was "swiffing" (mopping) and their dad was sweeping. Maybe one day we will have a clean house!

But that day hasn't arrived just yet. Case in point - the fish just died. Probably because of the skanky water that it was always in. Haven't broken the news to Seb. Honestly, it would probably be a week before he noticed. Hmm, that would be an interesting experiment. But we will probably tell him this afternoon and get the event over with.