First Lost Tooth

Just recently Taylor discovered that she had a loose tooth; her first loose tooth. Mommy, in all her wisdom, predicted that Taylor's tooth would be out by the weekend. This was about December 12. On our drive to go to the public pool for a swim, Taylor excitedly announced, "my tooth came out! Now the tooth fairy will come tonight!" We then had to scramble for something safe to put her baby tooth in. We found a discarded Christmas card envelope inside our darkened car. Upon returning home from our swim, Taylor had to phone and share her exciting news with her Grandma, her other grandparents, her cousin, and her (half) sister. In the morning, she had to call them again and tell everyone that she got markers, fairy markers, from the tooth fairy. Yesterday, she lost her second tooth. This time it was while sitting at the kitchen table and watching Christmas cartoons. So she sat down and made herself an envelope of her own design for her second baby tooth. When she finished making her envelope, to her great panic, Taylor couldn't find her tooth and was in a great panic, "it's gone forever." Mommy found it on the floor next to Taylor's knee where she knelt searching frantically. This time Taylor only had to phone her grandparents. This morning she asks her younger sister, "do you want to come with me and see what the tooth fairy left me?" Mackenzie in her usual form emphatically answers, "Sure!!!" Taylor soon returned to my room, shoulders slumped, listlessly flapping the item through the air, the tooth fairy left me "just a book." Her second tooth, and already her standards are set so high. She and her sister soon discovered that the book had foil stickers in the back that they had a grand time making up crafts with. Go figure.

Photo Flop

In all our brilliance, we decided to take our own photos this year. Usually I book an appointment in October at the Superstore to take the girls Christmas photos. We have the tripod, a better camera, flood lights, etc. so my husband suggested we take our own photos. We usually have to carefully write down who would like a photo and then decide what package we want accordingly. Then if we want more prints it's either break copyright law and scan it or pay $7.99 for another sheet of photos. It seemed best to take our own. We can even send to photos for printing in various provinces and have the relatives pick them up so they don't get mangled in the mail. So.... I showered the girls, they got dressed in their finery that Grandma bought them, blew dried their hair, added some pale lipstick (Taylor wanted to be like Mommy and look as pretty as she could with makeup), and some hairspray. Tah, dah. Daddy hooked up the flood lights, cleared the wooden bench, attached the camera to the tripod, used Taylor for some practice shots and we were ready. Or so we thought. Warren took two photos of the girls together, and one with me as well, then the batteries died. Figures. We'll have to try again later. Guess I won't be the first one mailing out my Christmas cards this year. There goes my reputation.

Strawberry Obsession

Mackenzie has discovered Strawberry Shortcake, the cartoon. I'm not sure how she learned about her though I did buy her a Strawberry Shortcake jacket last winter. I then bought her a comforter this fall but it just has strawberries all over it. We then borrowed some movies from the library (I have to sneak them back) and found a doll at Value Village. Hmmm.... I guess I started it. I still don't understand why she gets so excited about Strawberry Shortcake though. To me, she's as annoying as Dora the Explorer. They are both just so gosh, darn, chipper. We did lose the doll at Value Village when she got put down for a bathroom break and we were unable to find her again. I then asked on freecycle if anyone had one up for grabs and got a tip to check kijiji. We were able to buy two for $5.00; and one talks! Mackenzie was thrilled when Daddy brought them home. Now I'm loosly considering a Strawberry Shortcake theme for her birthday this month... I think I'll stick to a Doodlebops theme and try for Strawberry next year. There is so much available online for parties. Either way, Mackenzie is just thrilled to be having a party and "all my friends coming!"

Memories

glorified from the past,

frozen in time,

resurface through

reminders of location,

sensation, and activities,

unconsciously in dreams

and consciously through regrets.

I wish to metamorphize

this past relationship

and bring it into the reality of now,

paste over the rose-colored glasses

of yesterday

and capture it in realism.

I cannot pursue what wasn't

for this isn't the time

or the place for it to be.

I will have to take a new direction

of old and aging friends,

to purge myself of our past

that continues to reemerge

and interfere with my present.

I find I cannot turn my back

and let the past be past

so it shall have to change

and it shall have to mature

as my body, if not my mind, has done.

There is no place for that past

in my today.

With it, I cannot move on,

within the relationship I now have.

Brave Girl

Taylor's dentist appointment sadly didn't end with her being posted on the cavity free wall. Mommy's slacking off on flossing Taylor's teeth resulted in a cavity between the tight upper back teeth. Taylor, since receiving her shots for starting school, is rather afraid of needles. She was not thrilled about the idea of having to get a needle to have her tooth fixed. With a quavering voice she asked the dentist if she could have gas instead of a needle as mum had told her that sometimes people have gas instead of needles. She wasn't able to have that option. The dentist explained that she would put a type of jello on Taylor's gums so that the needle wouldn't hurt as much. Taylor said she had to get a needle for school and it really hurt. The dentist then expained that this needle wasn't going into her muscle and wouldn't hurt as much. Mum and little sister had to leave for Taylor to get her work done. The dentist didn't want to scare Mackenzie for any of her future visits. About 30 minutes later when Mackenzie was asking if she could see Taylor now the dental hygenist arrived and said Taylor did well and we could go see her now. Taylor, cheek all puffed up, was rooting through a treasure box of stickers and tattoos for being such a good girl. She wasn't phased by her experienced at all. She puffed up in a big grin when mum told her she was proud of her. Taylor then wanted to call all her relatives and tell them what a great job she had done getting her cavity fixed. She then announced she was hungry and wanted something to eat.

Thing Number 8: try an online processor

I tried google documents and created a xmas shopping list and wrote a wee poem (also published here on my blogspot). I used to do a lot more poem composing. I can see the convience of keeping documents online so that they are accessible from any computer rather than having to download and upload in order to share or to edit. This option has great potential.

Relationships take work.

Great relationships take even more work.

But they're worth it.

The more you put in,

the more you can get out.

Relationships are also a two way street.

It takes two of you to move forward.

Or only one does the work,

and burns out feeling unappreciated.

It takes honesty even when it hurts,

for the imagined may be worse.

It takes understanding;

attempts to understand and

help to make one understand.

It takes agreeing to disagree

rather than having to always win

thereby creating a loser.

It takes respect.

Respect for self so that one doesn't lose

too much of oneself and have nothing to give.

Respect for the other

so that one tries to accomodate,

compromise, and please.

It takes choosing to love

in spite of little things that irriatate

or things we don't agree with.

True love begins when the lust wears off

and we choose to stay

and we choose to do

because we want to.

Wikipedia's view of scrapbooking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapbooking

Thing Number Seven: Wikipedia article

Being the crafty person that I am (take that expression as you wish), I decided to read an article on Scrapbooking. I was very interested to learn the history of it such as that it began almost as soon as printing began and that it was similar to oral story telling only with a more visual and tactile element. Makes sense to me. I'm more a visual learner than oral so it makes sense that I would enjoy passing on my families stories through scrapbooking. Hey, I'm now amongst the elite of Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain who also scrabooked! Scrapbooking as it is now understood was started in 1976 by Marielen Christensen who made 80 albums in 4 years. And I thought I had too many albums! I think I have 14 completed albums in 7 years. I thank Marielen and her huband, AJ, for starting and devolping scrapbooking as it is known today. It has been an emotional outlet for me, has helped me to find time to be with my friends, and has helped me to capture and preserve the memories and moments of my family. I'm addicted.

Another Year of Treating (no tricks)

My eldest, Taylor has been counting the sleeps until Hallowe'en for the past five days. This morning she was excited that it was today. However, she must have been too excited as she stepped over her costume on her way out of the car when I dropped her off at school and forgot it. I had to find parking and then run it into her after the bell had rung. Then at supper time she exclaimed that it wasn't time to go treating yet as it wasn't dark. Sheesh. First she can't wait then she's making me wait to get it overwith.

To Kenzie, this is all still rather new and only her second time out trick or treating. It took some coaxing to get her to put her costume on to go out trick or treating. Finally finding something different from what she wore at the sitter's or to Grammie and Grampy's, we headed out the door. At the first house she asked, "me go home now?" At the second house she asked, "me go home now?" At the third house she asked, "me go home now?" At the fourth house she asked, "me go home now?" At the fifth house she asked, "me go home now?" Well, Taylor answered and said, "I'm having fun, we're not going home until we get to the end." Fifteen houses later, Mommy was asking Kenzie, "Can we go home now?" Kenzie replied, "No, me not done yet." Figures. She also didn't want to let me empty her treating bag into a grocery bag so she could continue collecting. I think she wisely doesn't trust me with her candy. Twenty two houses later, we got home and only 30 minutes past bed time. Getting them to bed and asleep, well that is another story.

A Shot in the Arm

It's that time of year again when I take us all to the doctor's office for our flu shots. Taylor has normally been very good about needles; she rarely cries but rather just sits on my knee and take the shot in the arm. This time was different. I should have taken backup. As soon as I parked the car Taylor was protesting, "I'm not getting a needle, you and Kenzie get a needle but I'm not going to, no, no, no...." Fortunately the waiting room had the distraction of Hallowe'en coloring sheets. They helped in the exam room too until Dr. T arrived. Taylor scooted between my chair and the magazine rack faster than I've ever seen her move and immediately started arguing about not getting a shot. I got my shot first; trying not to show any reaction. It wasn't that big a deal this time anyway. Mackenzie had been sleeping on my arm in a long-sleeved sweater (in 23 degree weather, but there's no accounting for her choice of clothing) and had to be woken up to retrieve her arm from its confines. She started protesting right away as well screaming, "NO!!" and kicking her legs and waving her arms. The doctor was still talking with Taylor that the needle helps her to not get sick and that it wouldn't hurt as much as her needles for starting school. - Oh...that's why she's suddenly so opposed to shots. - I held Kenzie against me holding her arm and pinning her legs with my other arm. She still succeeded in giving the doctor a good kick before bursting in to big rolling tears. The doctor was now telling Taylor that Kenzie's kick hurt more than the needle. It was a challenge to try to pull Taylor out enough to get access to her arm while trying to comfort and hold Kenzie. We never did get her out from her spot between chair and magazine rack but we did get her arm. The doctor even asked Taylor if she'd like some stickers afterwards, asked her to be big girl and show Kenzie how she could take a needle, I offered ice cream afterwards, and the doctor asked - with permission - if pop would help afterwards. Taylor continued to protest and squirm. So, I held Kenzie with one arm on my knee while holding Taylor's arm with the other and hoping she wouldn't bang her head on the table behind her. The shot was quickly given while Taylor protested and Kenzie attempted to kick the doctor and save her sister. The tramatic event now over, the girls were both asked to come pick out a sticker. While Taylor was picking out her sticker, no tears visible now, the doctor appear with her pop for Taylor. We then had to wait for five minutes to see if we had any negative reaction and there was no sign of the trauma from a few moments before. The girls were both dry eyed, intently persuing their endevors from their toy box selections, and stickers and pop both set askide, forgotten. I had to ask myself, what was all the broohaha about and... no wonder some people opt not to get the needle and deal with the symptoms of illness instead. Sheesh. The trials and tribulations of being a parent.

New Car

Well, we did a great deal of looking around on the weekend and replaced the family car...for an automatic transmission. I was grumbling under my breath this morning about how it's going to take some getting used to as I attempted to use a clutch that wasn't there when Taylor piped up, "I like it, it's quiet." The car we had been using is long over due for exhaust work so she was understating the lack of noise. She also added that she likes how smooth the lock buttons are and the colour. Some people are so easy to please. Too bad we're not all like that.

Thing Five: Comment on an aricle about Library 2.0

Ok, for my Librarary 2.0 Challenge I have to comment on an article I read. One article I read is about how teens are involved in the library. As of late, or three years ago, we realised we have programs for 0-8 year olds and programs for adults but nothing inbetween. Hmmm. Major oversight. So a teen services person was hired and some teen programs started developing. We even have a teen section complete with magazine racks, new table and chairs, new area rug, and a new couch. We are hoping that if we make teens feel welcome and part of our library environment they will help us to look after it. But back on track to my comments on the article. The article asks why are we being asked to voluntarily complete 23 things in six months. The author states that the teens already know how to do these things, they do not need our help. My answer is, now we will know more about them and understand what they are doing. We will understand what their project took to accomplish. Maybe then we can build a bond and their self-esteem when we have to ask them for help. We can help them show that teenagers can contribute to society. I have also found that many teens love to share what they have completed on the net or to help me accomplish something with the computer. They also have more time and interest to learn the new ways of the internet so they have a great deal to teach me. It gives us some positive shared experiences so that when I have to ask them to quiet down, they listen to me just a little more.

Sleeps Through Anything!

I've witnessed the girls both sleep through the house alarm and other loud noises but today's was a first. I was heading to my sister's and her family's new home when I realised my head was pounding. I decided to make a brief stop at mum and dad's for some cold medicine before continuing on. Mackenzie fell asleep in the car en route. I was pulling out of my parents' driveway, looked left, then right, saw the gold-colored van and then BAM! I hit someone's pretty mustang coming from the left. Though I'm still not sure where they came from. Their car did a 180 and ended up resting on the far side of my parents' property. I couldn't help wondering what CSI might show about travelling speed and what made the car do that. However, back to Mackenzie sleeping in the back. She slept through it all! She slept through my swearing, the bang of the impact, the screech of the tires, the police officer opening her door to peek at her, and my mother moving her inside for a sleep. We had to wake her two hours later when we were able to leave. Kinda of frightening to be able to sleep that soundly. Glad she's safe.

Too Busy?

Unfortunately for Taylor, after she had signed up for skating and for Sparks, the days were set. Skating from 5-6 and Sparks from 6:30-7:30, the same day. This week was our first week of running to both events. Our day began dropping her off at school for 8:30. I worked, swam some laps, then picked Taylor up from school only to hurry home and get homework done. We had about an hour of free time when I realised we were late! We grabbed everything and flew out the door. By the time she was geared up for skating, she was already 15 minutes late getting onto the ice. But...45 minutes later, she claims to have had fun. Hmm. We rushed upstairs to grab her something to eat before heading to Sparks. She placed her order for fries and was advised to have a seat and, "we'll let you know when your order is ready." A family came and ordered after her, received their meal combos (with fries) so I suggested we ask what happened to her fries. They had forgotten. So...I shooed Taylor off the the washroom while I waited for her late fries. We met up and raced off up the hill to Sparks. I think Taylor managed to choke down ten fries and chew on a ketcup cup before we got there. That task accomplished, I drove back down the hill for my monthly meeting only to drive back up the hill 50 minutes later to retrieve Taylor. Actually running on time, we returned to my meeting where I took over my secretary duties or taking notes. Thirty minutes later, we were on our way back home for some well deserved rest. I'm glad there's nothing scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Melt Down Morning

At least once a week my 2.5 year old has a break down in the morning. This week it was this morning. She started off wanting help getting dressed but cried the entire time, not wanting that shirt or that pair of pants. So I told her to speak nicely or I'd have to leave. I had to leave. When I returned she spoke without yelling and did get dressed amongst the sniffles and made it to breakfast and through teeth brushing. She then had a melt down over her mittens when she couldn't get them on. She asked for help but didn't like it and threw the mittens and started stripping out of her shirt with her temper tantrum. I left to pack the car and Daddy stuffed her into her coat. When I returned and carried her to the car she had a fit stripping out of her coat on route. I forced her into her car seat as she continued to cry. She cried the entire ten minute (seemed longer) drive to the sitter's about mittens. She wanted the mittens her sister was wearing (they belonged to her), the ones Mackenzie had thrown when she didn't like how they fit. The sitter had to pry her from me as she continued to complain about her mittens even though I assured her she no longer needed any as it was warming up. ugh. She is normally a very pleasant girl but get her off on the wrong foot in the morning and everyone suffers. Good luck to the sitter!

big girl

Mackenzie, at 2.5 years, has decided that she is a "big girl" who is "five" where her five year old sister is "you one." Taylor is most distraught whenever this arguement begins.