Randomness

1. A Milestone: It is March 31st.

In one day I will be celebrating one year of blogging. One year of cleaning. One year of organizing. And one year of taking pictures of things I didn't think I'd ever take pictures of, namely my laundry basket and, well, my mess. I used to be very private about that kind of stuff.

On Friday, possibly Saturday, I will post pictures of each room as it stands today. Cleaning day is Monday around here, so you will see each room as it looks when it is lived in. In it's natural state. With just a little bit of chaos thrown in for good measure, because chaos is the natural state of this home. The only thing that has changed over the last year is that chaos is so much different. It literally means a few papers here and there, or a book not on the bookshelf. Nothing like it was a year ago.

2. An opinion: I made the worlds best french toast today. I just wanted to tell you.

3. A story: I spent this week downloading music for my kids. Then I got the bright idea to put it all on my husband's IPod so we can take it with us where ever we go! Super idea if you ask me. It just plugs in to my stereo in the car, we have a special adapter cord doodad just for an Ipod. Perfect!

Only problem is, apparently when you try to load music on to an ipod from a different computer than the one it is authorized with, you first have to transfer all the purchased music and then delete all the music on the ipod. My husband had about 300 songs on it. And while I did stop and think for a minute before I deleted everything, I really didn't think it would be THAT big of a deal.

I also forgot to tell him.

And OF COURSE, that day he wanted to go for a jog. With his fully loaded Ipod.

He was gone for maybe three minutes when he came back up the stairs asking what the heck happened to his music. Why was he listening to Tom Hanks sing Hot Chocolate from the Polar Express? And then I remembered and disclosed everything. He walked away muttering something about the kids taking over everything.

Yes, well, welcome to my life darling. I can't even pee on my own. When the kids start banging down the door when you pee, then we can talk. Until then, you get no sympathy for me.

4. A Triumph: Little Man's second trampoline class was on Tuesday. It went so so so well. He just walked in to the class, took the instructors hand and had an amazing time. No tears, no screams, not even a "Bye Mom!". And he learned a lot as well. I'm so relieved to see that he takes instruction well. You can see the determination in his little face that he wants to do exactly as she tells him. I'm a super proud mama.

Now I just need to figure out how to get him to stop turning my house in to a gymnasium.

In conclusion: I'm super happy today because

1. A year of learning new cleaning techniques are done. My toilets and kickboards have never been cleaner.

2. I had yummy French toast for breakfast.

3. I have a wide variety of music to listen to in the car with the kids, and am not limited to one cd of Curious George/Jack Johnson music.

3B. I now have an idea as to what to get my husband for Father's Day. What says love more than an Ipod you don't need to share with your kids???

4. I have a happy gymnast in my house.

My cup runneth over,
Marina

Life is a Highway

Little Man has really been in to listening to music lately. So I have been downloading songs from his favourite movies from ITunes. One of his favourite soundtracks is the Disney CARS soundtrack. Specifically, Life is a Highway. The kids really get in to that song, dancing, playing guitar, singing at the top of their lungs.

During the past week we have listened to this song approximately 356 335 225 times and I have realized two things that concern me greatly.

One: My babies are growing up way way way WAY too quickly. This is them rockin' it out to Life is a Highway.

Little Lady dancing and singing. It really surprises me that with her toddler vocabulary you can actually tell what she is singing when she sings to this song. She has pretty good pitch for her age.

Ooops, got a bit dizzy there.

Two: It pains me to say this, but I just this week realized that my children will associate Life is a Highway with Rascal Flatts and NOT Tom Cochrane, who sang the song originally. I came to learn this in the car over the weekend, when Little Man asked to listen to Life is a Highway, but not the silly one. I asked him what he meant and he said he didn't want to listen to the silly one that I made him listen to on the radio last time we were in the car. After telling him, totally exasperated, that the "silly" one is the REAL Life is a Highway, and letting him know how popular that song was when I was growing up, he, my four year old son, asked me to play the "real Lightning McQueen one", not the silly one.

Sigh. I don't think he was even listening.

So Rascal Flatts it is. With a little bit of Tom to mix it up again to help little man understand the roots of the song.

Until he is old enough to appreciate Tom though, I've got this happening at my house.

I just hope he doesn't hurt himself!

Cheers,
Marina

A conversation...

The other day, first thing in the morning, as the snow fell hard and fast, and the wind blew cold and frosty, and I was still in my pajamas, I had this conversation with my little man.

Little Man: Mama, can we go outside to play in the snow?
Me: Oh Alexander, it looks very cold and blustery out there.  I think it is a bit too cold for me today.
LM: Oh, that's ok Mama, you can wear a hat and mittens.
M: Yes, that's true, but Monkey, it's snowing.  SNOWING.  Mommy doesn't really feel like going outside today. I want spring back again.
LM: Hmmmm (long pause) I know!!!!  I want to go play in the snow, and you want to stay inside, right?
M: Yes, that sounds right.
LM: Ok well, then we will go outside this morning and you can just go with it.
M: Just go with it?  Monkey, where did you hear that from.
LM: I don't know, my brain I guess.  But you can just go with it.  When it rains, we go with the rain in our rain boots.  In summer we go with the sun in our sun cream and sun hats.  In fall... um, well we go with the leaves but we don't need any tection (protection) from those and in WINTER we go with the snow in our SNOW BOOTS!  You have GREAT snowboots Mommy.  They will keep your feet nice and warm.
M: Will they now.
LM: Yes, they will.  Now go eat breakfast before all the snow melts.  Spring is coming you know.  It might come while you eat breakfast.

That last line he says while he watches out the window, very intently, as if Spring is going to jump out and eat the snow as it falls.


Geez, we can only hope.


BUT, there was a point to this post.  The point is, that while he didn't really get what the phrase "go with it" means, he did bring up a valid point.


Sometimes, as parents, we really do need to just go with it. 

Instead of thinking about how much we don't want to get up in the middle of the night, go outside in the snow, climb up to the slide for the thousandth time at the park, eat spaghetti for breakfast or make a mess and build a huge pillow fort in the living room you just spent 30 minutes cleaning, we need to just go with it.


Because if you think about it you will have so much time to sleep when they are older it will make you sad thinking about it.  There will be many years coming where you will have to fight with them to go shovel the snow for you.  The memories you are making at the park will last a life time.  Especially the ones where you end up making a fool of yourself.  And that pillow fort in your living room? THAT is going to help your child build their imagination and transport them to a different world. 


And maybe, just maybe, they will be totally captured by its fun, and play with it just long enough for you to read a chapter or two of a book, enjoy a cup of tea sitting down, sort those pictures you meant to put in an album, or even just go pee without someone talking to you through the door


That's my dream anyway.  The bathroom one.  Forget the rest. I just want to pee without an audience.


So enjoy those moments when you'd rather be doing something else.


Because while you are complaining and moping, you might miss something good.


Cheers!!
Marina