KIDS, DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME...

It all started with a very fussy little one who would NOT go and play with her sister. I was multi-tasking in the kitchen...which usually means stirring something while watching a cooking show...and now was holding this fussing child on my hip. I offered a cup of juice to the fussy one and that's where it all went so terribly wrong.

I got distracted by Paula Dean and some wild Southern salad...turned quickly to the right just at the same exact moment that Baby J finished her sip and thrust her tiny hand into the air towards her Mama's face for me to have a sip. That's when the searing pain engulfed my nasal cavity. A nanosecond later, I was on my knees, with this now frightened baby on the floor, and holding the contents of what was left of my nostril. Rylee comes flying around the corner and says, "that's blood from inside Mommy's nose." From my nose? Are you kidding? That tiny raptor claw of a fingernail went a lot further in than that...that blood came from my frontal lobe!

Think I'll switch to TVO...

NAME DROPPING

3 weeks into this Kindergarten adventure and Rylee can name a few of her classmates. Their names are always prefaced with a description. There's denim dress Kayley, white hair Charles and the ever popular picky-hair Jack. Hmmm, sounds oddly familiar. Although I don't know the names of the other Moms dropping little people off at school, I do have their descriptions down pat.

There's Trendy Mom...with her fabulously toned body poured into her sleek yoga gear. You've probably seen her at your school too...perfect ponytail positioned just right out of her ballcap, with the brilliantly white happy smile and dark sunglasses.

Then there's Crunchy Granola Mom...with that straight, long hair down to her bum. You just know her kid has hummus in her lunch.

There's the Babysitter Mom...pulling a wagon load of littles who don't belong to her.

Then there's the mom whom I've dubbed the Avon Lady. Classically dressed in a tailored suit with nylons and heels. Impeccable makeup every freakin' morning!! And the hair...oh my word, the hair...honestly, it looks like she just stepped out of the beauty parlour...at 8:45 am?! This one looks like she's always ready to whip out the latest lip colour and perform a makeover right on the spot. She's been eyeing me up real good! lol

I'm probably described as Sloppy Mom. You know, jeans, sneakers, old white hoody with little bits of someone's breakfast on the sleeve and shoulder...not always mine either. Not yet showered, hair up in a bun....now if only they knew I was wearing Lyle's boxers....wonder what my name would be then?

3:15

Little Piddle's favourite time of the day....getting ready to pick up Rylee. Or as she says "Ryree" and then signs "school". Too sweet!

GUESS WHAT I DID...

Don't worry...Lyle's just fine....lol

I pickled beets today!!

I HAD A MOMENT!!

....more of an out-of-body experience really. It happened right after Ry's shower and I had finished unwrapping all the saran wrap off of her cast. She was silently standing in front of me looking at herself, then at me, in the mirror...I was blowdrying her long, black, shiny hair. Each time I ran my fingers through her hair, I was just overcome. I was wondering who would have done these motherly things for her if she hadn't become our daughter. Would someone have cared that her hair was even clean? Would someone have bought fancy ponytail holders, just for her? Would there have been someone who gently brushed the tangles? Who...?

It's always moments like these when I am reminded of how precious this child's life is...and that I have been chosen to protect, care for, and love her.....forever!

SOCIALIZATION

Rylee brought home her first school friend last week...freakin' cold virus...and it's steamrollered its way through this household. It especially attached itself to Baby J. I tell you, we were all much healthier when we were ANTISOCIAL. lol Can't wait to see who she brings home next!

SPANISH 101

We were doing our night-time reading routine when a new book was slipped into the pile for Mom to bring to life. A riveting tale, filled with adventure and intrigue. A nose-less, strange-voiced character is having a sleepover with a very happy and energetic monkey. Oh I know it sounds an awful lot like a Michael Jackson biography, but it was only Good Night Dora!

As Dora and Boots make their way to Dora's house, they encounter many little animal friends that they must say good night to...in Spanish! Why oh why does Dora have to be Spanish?! Hmmm? I'm trying to introduce as much French as I can into their little minds, early, and yet I find I'm bombarded by a spanish speaking, funny haired character more...

Well, to do the book justice and to give my kids the biggest giggle of their lives, I donned my thickest Spanish accent and set out on the page-turning journey:
Good night, birds! Buenas noches, pajaros!
Good night, bees! Buenas noches, abejas!
Good night, snakes! Buenas noches, culebras!
Good night, frogs! Buenas noches, ranas!
Good night, owl! Buenas noches, lechuza!

We came to the end and thinking I had done an excellent job of teaching them this new phrase, I whispered to Rylee, "how would you say good-night Mommy?"

In her finest accent, she leans over to me, starts to laugh and says "buenas NACHOS, Mom!"