Gratitude

I am doing something different for lent this year.  I figured that with a new baby I needed something simple and easy. I also needed something easy to remember. I don't have much room in my brain these days.
I got this idea from my moms group so don't think that I am creative or anything.
All you have to do is get a recipe box and some index cards. Now every day you take one card, write the month and day in one corner and on the top line write one word or phrase that you are thankful for.  That is it. Put the card at the back of the box and repeat tomorrow.
You can make your box pretty or add nice dividers for the months. But it is really that simple. And it can keep going for years. 
I love it. Now every day I force myself to be thankful and it has sort of infected my whole day. I keep seeing more and more good things in my life. It is hard to be grumpy when all you see around you is blessings.

Tim Hortons sells their chocolate in only 2 temperatures

Frozen and scalding.

Shrove Tuesday Cake

After a fun morning of visiting cousins and swimming, our 9 year old daughter was bored. I suggested that seeing as it was that last day to eat sweets before lent we could bake a cake. But I was nursing the baby. She thought she could do it herself.

To be honest, I was not sure she was up for it but I try to not underestimate my kids so I let her lose in the kitchen. Look what happened!

She did great! 

It is amazing what happens when we let our kids free a little at a time. Yes, I was scared that the kitchen would be a mess (it was), and that she would burn herself (she did not) but I kept my mouth shut and let her go. I want our home to be a safe place to learn and grow and make mistakes. Kids need that space. If we protect them too much they never see what they are capable of. If we throw them to the wolves without first trying things out in our home they could get really hurt. But at home, I am here to support (or get the burn cream). The hardest part is keeping myself from taking over. But I think it is paying off.

Who knew a cake could do so much?

Happy Lent everyone.

Crazy Dreams

I am one of those moms who love breastfeeding. I know that other moms like other parts and stages of parenting more but I think if my kids could stay little, fully-breastfed infants forever, I would be very happy.

One of the weird side effects of breastfeeding that I like is the weird dreams. Lots of mom find that they have lots of dreams while breastfeeding. I think it has to do with waking up so often in the night.

Anyway, I had a crazy dream last night. I was asked to work as a spy for CSIS. But of course CSIS was chronically underfunded. So they had no office space for the new spies to work out of. The solution was that we would work out of the Sears' furniture department. So there I was, in my black dress suit and ear bud with my colleagues all of us pretending that we were just casual shoppers.

I hope that this was just a dream and not the way Canada's intelligent agency really works or I will be afraid of Sears from now on.

The real work out

It had only been six weeks since our baby was born so a few extra pounds does not bother me. I hate all the pressure to get your figure back. I have lots of more important things to do, like feed the baby and sleep. 

But I have a lot of extra pounds to lose.  I never lost the baby weight after we lost Hilary. It is really common to have a hard time with weight loss after a miscarriage or stillbirth.  With no breastfeeding, it is hard enough but on top of that I had grief induced eating. Not a good combo!

Ryan has been working in getting in shape for a while now. So I gave in and we got an elliptical machine!  (I've heard they are handy to hang your laundry )

So far we have actually used it to work out. Ryan more then me but it is harder to work out with a baby strapped to your front.
But it is the kids who had the most fun with it. Or at least the box.

In case you can't tell, they made a train, including tickets and passports!

Lest We Forget

I am having to adjust to live with a new born again. You would think that I would remember what it was like. And I do, sort of. I remember in that foggy romantic way that we remember hard times in the past that we are glad we went thought but are just as glad are now over. I remember the good part and the funny parts and a few of the bad parts but the bad part I remember with a little grin and think "But it was worth it" And of course it was.

But now I am living it again. And I am remembering more things. Like how you can only do one thing in a day. Really only one thing. And cooking dinner counts as one thing!

Well, Monday was the first real day without my mom here to help out. She flew back Sunday morning, leaving behind the sound of wailing, and tiers. (Mine and Babies) I was thinking that at almost 5 weeks post-partum I should be fine to get back to "normal" life. So out of bed I get. First I have to get the kids off to school. That went mostly smoothly. Every one got breakfast, most people got lunch (sorry Ryan) and they were on time (I think). Then I had a dentist appointment. I have taken kids and babies to the dentist before so I was not worried plus we were not due there until 10 am so we had lots of time to get dressed. That was a good thing.

I forgot how hard it is to get dressed while holding a crying baby. How do you get your pants done up? Once I figured that out, I had to help "big" girl get dressed. This is a lot more like negotiations at the UN then actual help. With that all done we now had 10 minutes to make a 10 minute drive. That is perfect right? Oh no, I forgot how long it takes to buckle and unbuckle two little car seats. OK now only 5 mins left to drive the 10 min drive.

So, I arrive at the dentist a few minute late with a screaming baby and a toddler who really wants to take off her own boot and coat. Not my most subtle entrance ever. I got a few looks which I ignore. But the dental hygienist herself looked a little bewilder as I processed down to her station with my entourage.

To her credit, she did not bat an eye at me breastfeeding while I got my teeth cleaned and she had the where-with-all to offer our "big" girl a prize half way through for being so patient. But her composer did slip a moment when she asked if it was harder having two then just one and I told her I actually have five.

At the end of that adventure it was home for a nap. That definitely counted as my "one thing". So needless to say it was frozen chicken nuggets for dinner.

Here we are!

We gotta get a bigger couch!

I know that I have not posted for a long time but no fear my maternity leave is now over. Nana returned home yesterday and now I am back to work. So far doing the breakfast dishes has used up all my energy! Because blogging is an excuse to sit down there will be lots of new posts coming.