Love for the Little Guy

I know some stay-at-home parents who would rather not attempt to brave public places with two youngsters in tow. There's the constant danger of an unpredictable meltdown in the grocery store check-out, the need to maintain a heightened sense of "potty radar", and the sacred nap-time that is not to be altered or messed with. Us, we've never been slaves to nap times, for better or for worse. We go places we want to go, when we want to go there (within reason). Sadie and Amelia have always been cooperative car and stroller sleepers and are no worse for wear. I admit there are times when I question why I attempted this errand or that with the kids, but for the most part, I'm glad I'm not on house arrest 5 days a week. We have to get out and about to maintain sanity. There are places to go and people to see.

But the other day, for reasons unknown, I thought to myself "I think it's time Sadie had a Happy Meal." Go ahead and judge. McDonald's is disgusting. But I figure most kids are eventually going to have an experience with a mcnugget and a playplace, and the first time might as well be under my supervision. Kind of like when you drink alcohol underage for the first time, some parents offer up their liquor cabinet just so they know the shenanigans are taking place as safely as possible under their own roof. So we went to McDonalds. The playplace was in a separate room all together, one with some of the poorest air quality I have ever experienced. Zero ventilation. It smelled like a cross between a locker room and a Diaper Genie. Hand Foot and Mouth disease was practically visible on the tube slides. Sadie declined a play. I breathed a sigh of relief. We wasted no time getting out of there once the Happy Meal was consumed.

Thank GOODNESS, on days where we need to get out somewhere, thank GOODNESS for places like Drumroaster Coffee in nearby Cobble Hill. We live in a fairly rural area and the pickin's are slim. I miss living in Vancouver where there are SO many unique little cafes and eateries to choose from. Sadie refers to Drumroaster as the "Robot Shop" because there's a metal sculpture of a robot creature outside. Inside is a funky, family-owned, CLEAN coffee shop with character and pride. They roast their own beans and build their business based on exposing the industry involved in this process. It's kid-friendly, design-minded, and flavour-focused. And I like their packaging so much that I even keep the empty bags of coffee beans when we're done with them.

The girls and I are so grateful for places like this. More accurately, I am so grateful for places like these because they keep me from going crazy at home and the girls are grateful when I don't go crazy at home. An extra strong espresso (last time I had a triple-shot), minus the infectious diseases on Monday afternoons that are never-ending? Yes, that sounds about right.

A Carousel of Time

One of the best things about having little girls is getting to watch preschool ballet classes. A sea of pink tulle and mostly Elaine Benes-esque moves make for a very entertaining half hour. They are darn cute. Next year, Sadie will be old enough for regular classes, the kind where parents (yes, dads too) don't participate, don't assist with the donning of costume tiaras and butterfly wings, don't stand off to the side, shutters snapping. I'll be dropping her off and returning an hour later to pick her up and hoping that she'll tell me a bit about it. Next will come kindergarten. Then sleepovers. Then trips to Europe. Then jobs in different cities.

When I stop bunny hopping briefly to pick up my camera and take a photo of my budding ballerina, she says: "No, Mama, you're suppos' a do it with me."

I'll take it while I can get it.

Happy New Year

Here's hoping everyone's holiday was filled with love, laughter and light.

I'm looking forward to a new year that will include fresh beginnings, exciting adventures, and earlier bedtimes (well I can hope, can't I?).

Here are a few photos of the last month around our house:

Sadie and Amelia checking out the goods under the tree

Presents? For me?!!

Holy spit-up! it's Santa!!

Adventures in Baking (kind of)

Unlike some, being a domestic goddess does not come naturally to me.

When Sadie and I attempted to make cupcakes from scratch, they came out looking like space rocks with the density of a shotput.

But they tasted not bad, and it was all about the decoration anyway, oink oink.

For our second attempt a week later, I picked up some confetti cup mix at the grocery store and decided that I would leave the true baking to the pros, at least for now.

Afterall, as long as they're pink, she's happy....

Tubby Time

And after Tubby Time comes Bed Time of course. And after Bed Time comes a spontaneous lesson in vocabulary.....

She runs from her darkened room to the top of the stairs wearing nothing but a pull-up.

"MOMMY, DADDY!" she shrieks, "UMMMM.....what's a NEIGHBOURHOOD??"

we whistle while we work

Some freshly made bunnies, bears and Pig 2.0.

This crew is now en route to my new friends at Kennedy Crawford Design in North Vancouver.

My littlest helper is never far....

Off she goes, onto the next adventure

Later that day.....

The light snow brings

HELLO Snow Day!

We attempted to drive down to Victoria at the usual time this morning, only to find once we reached the highway that traffic was at a standstill and winter is in fact still here. So we turned back for home but not before stopping at a bakery for croissants and lattes :)

Our house normally doesn't get a huge amount of natural light suitable for interior photos, but I couldn't miss this opportunity today.....the white stuff outside brings all the light in!

So Scott is getting some work done at our dining table and I have changed out of my work clothes and into some lulus and I'm just generally enjoying the cozy factor. Sadie and I had some eggs and toast for lunch and now she's toting her doll stroller up and down the stairs. I love how she always picks the safest of activities. Time to sew up some bunnies....and then play in the snow!

(p.s. our coffee table is an old 70s relic that we found abandoned out in our shed when we moved into our house. Resurrection!!! I think it has a Danish mod vibe, but maybe it's actually just hideous.)

Tonight, I bring you: Blog-worthy quotes from a 2-year-old girl

Quote #1:

[listening to the radio, driving home on Thursday night]

Sadie, semi-audibly:

"Mommy. I want Lady Gaga."

Me, incredulously:

"Wait....no....what? What did you just say Sadie???"

Sadie, very audibly:

"I. WANT. LISTEN. LADY. GAGA."

Quote #2:

[picking her nose while driving home on Friday night]

Me:

"Sadie, don't pick your nose."

Sadie:

"No, I trying get boogie."

Pierre the Snowfellow

view from our driveway on Saturday morning

Sadie applauding Pierre's completion

Showing him some genuine love

You can't tell it, but he's beaming from ear to ear

Koo & Poppet scarves in hi-def

Better photos, as promised!


My little love was a most cooperative model this time. I said to her, "Sadie, would you wear a scarf and we'll go outside and Mommy will take your picture?" Usually she would have responded with a polite but firm "NO THANK YOU", but instead she said "okAAAYYY!"
As long as I show her the resulting photo on the camera afterward, she's all good. Except she touches it like it's a touch screen (ipone over-exposure) and doesn't understand why you can't browse through the pictures with a sweep of your finger :-)


Gingham, polka dots, and sailboats


Filigree and woodland critters


Modern dots


a colourful stack








This is the moment on ANTM "panel" when TBanks says:

"It's all about the garment. You're really selling the scarf."

And Andre Leon Talley says:

"And yet, there's still a connection with your eyes and the audience. It's like you're looking into our souls."

And Miss Jay says:

"I don't know. This isn't working for me. I love the dimples, but there's something awkward about the tongue."

730 days