I have been really enjoying my son lately.
We are still hitting daily rough-patches, but things are starting to even out a little. This weekend was a big father-son "bonding" weekend, Andrew took over the role of primary caregiver and I managed to get a whole lot done and slipped in some Kate-time. I am still behind on some things, but I feel much more centered and okay about dropping the ball a little.
Today Sebastian and I checked out another Family Place nearby. I was a little disappointed by the staff - any other time I have visited a new family place I have been greeted and given a tour... this time I got nothing, and when I left I noted that mine was not the only name with "first time visiting the family place" checked off. I know I could have introduced myself and asked for a tour... but I am chicken-shit and hate going up to strangers. We will be going back, Sebastian had an awesome time and the price is right ($1). Next time I swear I will try to find someone to give me a tour.
I also had a nice time, though didn't talk to anyone - mostly I was busy helping Sebastian remember how to share (he is going through a "mine" phase - good times). The one thing that really put me off was this woman who spent the entire morning wandering the playroom talking loudly and angrily on her cell phone. I was trying very hard not to eavesdrop, but did gather that it had something to do with work, being called into work, her having a daycare and other people screwing everything up for her. She left her younger daughter (3) in the care of her older daughter (5) during this two hour diatribe - she just wandered the playroom on her phone, oblivious to the fact that she was a) including a whole bunch of strangers in her conversation and b) being a total bitch. I mean, hasn't she heard of text-messaging? But seriously, I am not usually a judgy-mama, I always try to see myself in another mamas shoes- but this time I could not picture it. She didn't even get off the phone while she served her kids their snacks.
Tomorrow my friend Kristi is coming over in the morning for pre-family centre coffee.
Showing posts with label stroller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stroller. Show all posts
Monday, August 13
Sunday, May 27
sunday already?
What a fun, quick week we had!
Not that things have been all fun and games, Andrew and I are still a little "off" around each-other. It has gotten loads better but I think we are just trying to feel out how to relate to one another better as we also settle into this short phase of our lives (pregnant and parenting a toddler).
I have talked a bit before about how I have been feeling lazy, lazy about cooking and housework, lazy about parenting and rules, lazy about just about everything. And it hit me last night that this profound laziness is what has been making me so profoundly (though thankfully, fleetingly) miserable. And it wasn't until I started *not* being lazy that I really got it. I would experience these periods of contentment, excitement and even, dare I say it, happiness. Not just fleeting moments, but hours, even days!
I also began to hold my head up higher, feel more confident and social, and to see what needed to be done in order to return order to my life. All of this while getting out, both with kid and without, doing fun and productive things and even getting some laziness in.
Tuesday I exchanged the stroller - I really do love the new one!
I did fail to mention in that entry that dinner caused another "fight" - though I realise now that I have been very difficult lately. I blame pregnancy, and it is definitely the mitigating factor, BUT I am also adult enough to handle myself better in situations like that. We ended up getting rolls from the vietnamese place down the street and eating those with leftover veggie burgers. I think the main issue I am having right now is I don't want to cook, nor do I want to choose food because I keep not enjoying the things I choose to make/order. What I *want* is for my husband to be able to magically pick the perfect meal for me and exclude me from the preparation. But that is a) impossible and b) not actually likely to make me any happier - I miss cooking.
Wednesday we had to go to the laundromat, which I routinely bitch about, but usually turns out to be fun (as long as we get out before the breakdown) and afterwards, even though I couldn't get Sebastian to take a nap (as much as he needed one), I did get him to play quietly in his room for almost an hour. I spent the afternoon emptying out all the boxes and crap from our bedroom and reclaiming that space. It had gotten so crowded and miserable in there I wasn't even sleeping well. I piled the boxes onto the couch because I knew that way they would get unpacked quickly.
Thursday gets its own entry because it was such an awesome, fun day!
Friday was much quieter, coffee and the park in the morning and a trip to Granville Island in the afternoon. Sebastian played at the water park for a while, perhaps sharing a little less well on this day, but having a ball showing everyone he could find the toy he had found. It was one of those deals where you pour water in the top and it makes baskets and wheels turn. I think one of these may be in our future, he really enjoyed exploring the cause/effect relationship and especially enjoyed showing it off.
We grabbed some food for dinner and came home, I prepared a dinner I would ultimately end up not eating and fed Sebastian cheese on toast, grapes and dry cereal for dinner while we watched the Muppet Show (with Debbie Harry). It was about this point I realised that when Andrew said he would be staying for beer and cake at work he did not mean he would stay for an hour and then come home, but instead would be staying until he got tired. This is not something I look down on or would get pissed about - it just took me by surprise. "Oh, hey, my husband would also like some time outside of the house with friends?"
I am proud to say I successfully put Sebastian down for both a nap and to sleep on Friday - all. by. myself. - really really. By the time he was down I cleaned up, did dishes, put toys away - all the things I expect Andrew to do while I am out yet rarely do when I am home. It felt good. I then made myself a HUGE salad and some tea and watched an episode of Arrested Development in bed (someone needs to get me season three so I can stop memorizing entire episodes of season two - season one is on loan to one of my sisters).
Andrew locked himself out - thank goodness for late-night pot-smoking neighbours with phones!
Saturday was a great family day - we went to the beach, home for lunch, long nap taken by the boys while I made some killer (and totally impromptu) chili, and a nice dinner. Sebastian went down well, we have been trying something new - we have been working on getting him to fall asleep by himself, Andrew has a better hang of it than I do - and so far it only works for night-time - essentially we just keep telling him we will be right back and leave for increasingly long periods (sounds Ferber but is actually from the No Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers and preschoolers). I thought I had done it Friday night but he woke up in a panic 15 minutes after I was convinced he was asleep and I stayed with him while he went to sleep - selfishly because I didn't feel like spending the rest of my night in and out of his room. After talking with Andrew today I think I know where I went wrong (stayed too long in between leaving - there is a system to this) so I will try again next week.
We watched Children of Men and were both really impressed. Really, really impressed.
Today was chore day - unpacked all but two boxes and the boys took the recycling to the recycling centre so I could vacuum (Sebastian hates it). But my mom called and I got sidetracked and our home remains un-vacuumed. I think I will just do it tomorrow morning and hope for the best.
And that, in a nutshell, was our week.
Not that things have been all fun and games, Andrew and I are still a little "off" around each-other. It has gotten loads better but I think we are just trying to feel out how to relate to one another better as we also settle into this short phase of our lives (pregnant and parenting a toddler).
I have talked a bit before about how I have been feeling lazy, lazy about cooking and housework, lazy about parenting and rules, lazy about just about everything. And it hit me last night that this profound laziness is what has been making me so profoundly (though thankfully, fleetingly) miserable. And it wasn't until I started *not* being lazy that I really got it. I would experience these periods of contentment, excitement and even, dare I say it, happiness. Not just fleeting moments, but hours, even days!
I also began to hold my head up higher, feel more confident and social, and to see what needed to be done in order to return order to my life. All of this while getting out, both with kid and without, doing fun and productive things and even getting some laziness in.
Tuesday I exchanged the stroller - I really do love the new one!
I did fail to mention in that entry that dinner caused another "fight" - though I realise now that I have been very difficult lately. I blame pregnancy, and it is definitely the mitigating factor, BUT I am also adult enough to handle myself better in situations like that. We ended up getting rolls from the vietnamese place down the street and eating those with leftover veggie burgers. I think the main issue I am having right now is I don't want to cook, nor do I want to choose food because I keep not enjoying the things I choose to make/order. What I *want* is for my husband to be able to magically pick the perfect meal for me and exclude me from the preparation. But that is a) impossible and b) not actually likely to make me any happier - I miss cooking.Wednesday we had to go to the laundromat, which I routinely bitch about, but usually turns out to be fun (as long as we get out before the breakdown) and afterwards, even though I couldn't get Sebastian to take a nap (as much as he needed one), I did get him to play quietly in his room for almost an hour. I spent the afternoon emptying out all the boxes and crap from our bedroom and reclaiming that space. It had gotten so crowded and miserable in there I wasn't even sleeping well. I piled the boxes onto the couch because I knew that way they would get unpacked quickly.
Thursday gets its own entry because it was such an awesome, fun day!
Friday was much quieter, coffee and the park in the morning and a trip to Granville Island in the afternoon. Sebastian played at the water park for a while, perhaps sharing a little less well on this day, but having a ball showing everyone he could find the toy he had found. It was one of those deals where you pour water in the top and it makes baskets and wheels turn. I think one of these may be in our future, he really enjoyed exploring the cause/effect relationship and especially enjoyed showing it off.
We grabbed some food for dinner and came home, I prepared a dinner I would ultimately end up not eating and fed Sebastian cheese on toast, grapes and dry cereal for dinner while we watched the Muppet Show (with Debbie Harry). It was about this point I realised that when Andrew said he would be staying for beer and cake at work he did not mean he would stay for an hour and then come home, but instead would be staying until he got tired. This is not something I look down on or would get pissed about - it just took me by surprise. "Oh, hey, my husband would also like some time outside of the house with friends?"
I am proud to say I successfully put Sebastian down for both a nap and to sleep on Friday - all. by. myself. - really really. By the time he was down I cleaned up, did dishes, put toys away - all the things I expect Andrew to do while I am out yet rarely do when I am home. It felt good. I then made myself a HUGE salad and some tea and watched an episode of Arrested Development in bed (someone needs to get me season three so I can stop memorizing entire episodes of season two - season one is on loan to one of my sisters).
Andrew locked himself out - thank goodness for late-night pot-smoking neighbours with phones!
Saturday was a great family day - we went to the beach, home for lunch, long nap taken by the boys while I made some killer (and totally impromptu) chili, and a nice dinner. Sebastian went down well, we have been trying something new - we have been working on getting him to fall asleep by himself, Andrew has a better hang of it than I do - and so far it only works for night-time - essentially we just keep telling him we will be right back and leave for increasingly long periods (sounds Ferber but is actually from the No Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers and preschoolers). I thought I had done it Friday night but he woke up in a panic 15 minutes after I was convinced he was asleep and I stayed with him while he went to sleep - selfishly because I didn't feel like spending the rest of my night in and out of his room. After talking with Andrew today I think I know where I went wrong (stayed too long in between leaving - there is a system to this) so I will try again next week.
We watched Children of Men and were both really impressed. Really, really impressed.
Today was chore day - unpacked all but two boxes and the boys took the recycling to the recycling centre so I could vacuum (Sebastian hates it). But my mom called and I got sidetracked and our home remains un-vacuumed. I think I will just do it tomorrow morning and hope for the best.
And that, in a nutshell, was our week.
Tuesday, May 22
I lied
I didn't like the new stroller at all this morning, so I exchanged it for a better colour. The only bummer is I had to get this season's model so it wasn't on sale (an extra $90 that my Dad may or may not reimburse me... not that I really think he should have to, but it sure would be nice).
Edit: I was assembling the new stroller when Andrew got home (Sebastian took a marathon nap) and we both agree that it rocks. Not only is the colour nicer, but the new model has a few extra features (cup-holder) and some nice (though minor) design improvements (I prefer the pocket on this one, the "toy bar" is now made of wipe-clean pleather instead of fabric, and the seat fabric is more breathable).
We went for a walk this evening and Andrew and I both love the thing, the handle is height-adjustable, the shade on it is HUGE, the cup holder, while not suitable for a coffee or other "open" drink, holds Sebastian's cup and a bottle of juice or water, as well as my keys, camera and phone in the zip-up pocket.
The only cons so far are - it won't fit through our gate without opening the other side and .... nope, the gate thing was it. We have been "spoiled" with our teeny-tiny umbrella stroller that fits anywhere, but I can totally see us taking this baby to the market and on all our walks (a once daily habit I have fallen out of lately and dearly miss). Thursday I will cram it in the car (it is far from compact) and bring it to Science World where it will face its most daunting challenges to date. Normally I would take the smaller stroller (or no stroller) and expect him to spend most of the visit walking, but I have a secret hope that Sebastian will take a nap and give me a chance to nerd it up old school. Cross your fingers for me.
Edit: I was assembling the new stroller when Andrew got home (Sebastian took a marathon nap) and we both agree that it rocks. Not only is the colour nicer, but the new model has a few extra features (cup-holder) and some nice (though minor) design improvements (I prefer the pocket on this one, the "toy bar" is now made of wipe-clean pleather instead of fabric, and the seat fabric is more breathable).
We went for a walk this evening and Andrew and I both love the thing, the handle is height-adjustable, the shade on it is HUGE, the cup holder, while not suitable for a coffee or other "open" drink, holds Sebastian's cup and a bottle of juice or water, as well as my keys, camera and phone in the zip-up pocket.
The only cons so far are - it won't fit through our gate without opening the other side and .... nope, the gate thing was it. We have been "spoiled" with our teeny-tiny umbrella stroller that fits anywhere, but I can totally see us taking this baby to the market and on all our walks (a once daily habit I have fallen out of lately and dearly miss). Thursday I will cram it in the car (it is far from compact) and bring it to Science World where it will face its most daunting challenges to date. Normally I would take the smaller stroller (or no stroller) and expect him to spend most of the visit walking, but I have a secret hope that Sebastian will take a nap and give me a chance to nerd it up old school. Cross your fingers for me.
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