To nap or not to nap

All I wanted to do was take a nap.

I'm not usually one for napping. I find it hard to close my eyes and relax in the middle of the day, especially on a sunny, warm day like today. I'd rather to go bed at 8 and sleep a minimum of 8 uninterrupted hours.

Consequently, I'm tired enough today to close my eyes and go to sleep right in the middle of the day.

Of course, that wasn't to be.

My new nickname is: "mother-of-toddler-who-had-whinefest-all-morning-and-owner-of-stupid-dog-who-barks-at-every-little-noise-that-normally-doesn't-bother-him".

Blah.

Laundry

Ok. I'm doing laundry today. But only because the sun is shining and I can hang it out to dry.

We try to do that as often as possible. It gets us out, it gets us moving (bending down and stretching upwards toward the line counts as exercise), AND, it costs 60% less to use major electrical appliances on weekends.

Not that I can get by without doing laundry during the week. But I can keep the big stuff, like sheets and towels, until the weekend.

So today, despite the risks, I am doing winter clothes laundry. Ben's hats and mittens and scarfs. I kept a hat out just in case, but the rest of it I want to get packed away. F.i.n.a.l.l.y.

Ben woke up at 5:55 am today. Even before hubby had to get to the airport for his flight. For some reason, he couldn't WAIT to get outside. By 7:30 am I could not keep him indoors any longer. He was bringing me shoes, his jackets, so I had to don one myself over my PJs, and head out to pick up dog poop, with coffee in hand, so the child could play outside.

Anyway. We walked and walked from about 9:30 till noon, down to the village to run errands. He's napping now. Maybe we'll make it to the birthday BBQ next door by 3 pm or so.

I wish I could take a nap now...

Melodrama

I have a nice big bruise on the inside of my arm and it's really sore. And blue. The swelling doesn't hide the vein either, which protrudes but didn't bleed at the time. Maybe I'm slowly bleeding to death internally. And all because I wanted to be proactive and carry the full laundry basket down the stairs. Missed the last step, tripped and fell. I can barely touch my arm.

Although an arm injury is probably better than a miscarriage or some other issue with the pregnancy.

The last time I had the same accident was when I was over 6 months pregnant with Ben. Twisted my ankle. He's here now so obviously nothing happened with that pregnancy either.

Perhaps I will refrain from doing laundry from now on.

The toddler had an accident too. Can't remember if he had his before I had mine or after, but he sat on a large truck which moved forward and he fell backwards and smacked his head on the hardwood floor. Cried for a good half hour and fell asleep in my arms. At 11 am. Three hours before naptime.

Blah.

Boy or girl?

My friend is driving me crazy.

She too is pregnant, a couple of months ahead of me. She is burning to know the sex of her child because she wants another girl. But her honey wants it to be a surprised, although he is convinced it's a girl. Apparently he knows this stuff.

She's got another ultrasound tomorrow and is tempted to cheat....but she knows if she does she won't be able to keep it to herself.

I'm sooooooo the opposite. My 18 week ultrasound is in early June and I cannot wait to find out. We knew with Ben, and it was very obvious in the picture, so we hope it'll be similar this time around.

I actually think it's a girl this time. I'm partial to having another boy since we already have the stuff, but then, most of the rest of the family would be happy to have one of each. A little girl to shop for....lordy. I will have to start looking at real estate soon.

Anyway, the reason my friend is driving me crazy is because she's checking internet links to predict her baby's sex. She does me at the same time too. According to one link, some Chinese Lunar thing, she's having a girl and I'm having a boy, except she thought we conceived in January when in fact it was in February, which now means according to her link, we're having a girl too.

So....I have to wait another month. She on the other hand may see something tomorrow....

231 words

That's how much I've written on my freelance article so far. Actually, I've written a lot more, but those are just notes. The article is due May 24 and needs to be about 1000 words.

I am less anxious and more enthusiastic about this little project now. Bring it on! I can do this!

Gotta interview this guy next week, but have to go through this other guy first to get some sort of instructions. I emailed him my phone call availability for next week (no toddler in house, and not during naptime), but he hasn't gotten back to me yet.

This is fun....and I will get paid too!

Freelance

I can officially call myself a Freelance Writer as of today because I have a real, official, assignment!

I'm so excited...

Bruises

So my toddler cries in the middle of the night, all wet and disoriented. Normally, he simply just walks over to us for a snuggle and I put him back to bed (or, if it's close to getting up time, he can stay), and that's that.

Last night he fell asleep two hours before the normal bedtime. This could be due to the fact that he spent from 8 am onwards outside with me. All day long. All that wonderful, highly anticipated spring weather finally arrived and no one wanted to be inside. Fresh air, gardening, playing with neighbour children, sunshine...but of course, no nap.

However, if a child falls asleep at 6:30, he will not likely sleep till 6:30 the next day. I anticipated a wake-up and a diaper change, but I was in for more than that.

When he woke and cried at midnight, I was too groggy to worry about getting up and sitting with him and waiting for him to calm down or try and figure out why he's upset. I just lifted him between us and tried to fall back asleep.

Seems toddlers don't sleep like normal people. I have not experienced the amount of twitching and kicking that went on with that child in all the times we've shared a bed.

All my pregnant parts hurt, and then some. Probably have some bruises to show for but was too tired this morning in the shower to inspect.

He's napping now. Back on track. I hope he keeps this napping up till after the new baby turns 2...

ha.

Don't tell me you're busy

Don't you just hate people who constantly tell you how busy they are? It's almost like they're competing with you in their busyness.

There are some types who insist that their busy is far busier because they have a job outside the home, have multiple children, have a husband who travels, have an illness, meddling family members, bla-di-bla.

They excuse their lack of interest in maintaining contact by listing all the busy tasks they have been absorbed in, and by making it sound like you are on their to-do list. Calling you on the phone, or dropping you a line just to say hi is an item that needs to be crossed off when completed.

I have family and friends who do this. I wonder sometimes why I make the effort since these relationships are (should be) a two-way street.

Jumping rope for 2-year olds

My 2-year old's daycare is promoting fitness in the name of rising obesity in children. It's sponsored by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and it encourages kids to participate in skipping rope for the cause.

I got the permission form and the pledge form to look over, sign and return.

The thing is, Ben is 2.

He can jump a tiny bit, he can walk further and longer than most kids in his age group, and activity is his middle name.

But jumping rope??

I'm confused.

I'm all for encouraging kids to be active, but these things start at home. I would think. Jumping rope may be fun and all, if you're 6, but maybe this is taking it just a tad too far.

Did I mention Ben is just barely 2? As in 25 months old??

What I don't know now is that if I don't return the form, will he feel left out? Or will he be allowed to try jumping rope just for the fun of it? Or will they keep the toddlers who don't participate apart? Or nearby to watch?

I could ask all these questions next time I see the director of the daycare.

But for now, I think I'll just ignore the pledge form.

Maybe this is bad. Maybe not. I'm going to go with my gut feeling here.

Ironically, a good friend just had an angioplasty done recently and he's not even 40 yet. Living a sedetary lifestyle combined with a bad diet was partly the cause (he's got bad genes too). If Ben was a bit older, I would probably sign the form and have him participate. To help out the friend.

But like I said, he's still a baby. An active baby, which is half the battle.

Multiplying stuffed toys

I am failing miserably at keeping the stuffed toys from invading my tiny house.

Perhaps if I start using the following sentences, things will slow down a bit:

Thank you for the lovely ginormous stuffed monkey! We'll keep it at your house/cottage/apartment so that Benjamin can play with it when we visit you!

Pipi in the potty

So Benjamin prefers the potty to the toilet these days. Didn't used to be that way, used to be the exact opposite, but I didn't care. As long as the pipi went in one or the other, I was happy.

He's exactly 25 months old today. Every night, after I undress him, he runs all by himself to the potty, sits on it, and pees.

Then he gets up, puts the seat down, and yells I did it!

I praise him, and he removes the cup and pours the stuff down the toilet, very carefully, and then flushes.

I have all kinds of ambition to start doing this with him at other times of the day, not just at bathtime. If it would just warm up a bit and he could wear less clothing, it would make my life so much easier!

But it's progress. And he's still wearning pull-ups at school.

Food aversion to chocolate and coffee?

There is something weird going on.

I don't like chocolate anymore.

This doesn't mean I don't eat it. Easter happened recently and there happens to be some good quality chocolate in the house my mom gave us. I put it in the freezer, and frankly, frozen, cold, Swiss chocolate is usually HEAVENLY.

I ate some today. Didn't enjoy it. Tasted funny. Like the end piece of a mercury thermometer.

What is it about this baby I'm making that is causing all this grief? I'm almost at the second trimester, so let me get ON WITH IT.

Pa-leeese.

Then there's the coffee. Oh yes, I love my coffee. I also need my coffee in the morning. Got a toddler in the house, you know?

For the first 9 or 10 weeks of this trimester, I couldn't smell or drink the stuff. I wanted, no NEEDED it, but it tasted like scrap metal. YUCK.

My taste buds however have finally upgraded now to allow coffee consumption in the morning. What seems to help is making cappucino, with the frothy milk. Maybe add a sprinkling of cinnamon on top.

But hubby has to open the can of coffee and place the grounds in the thingy. I can't do it. It smells awful.

At least I'm back to drinking a cup in the morning though. I missed it.

Now what am I going to do with all this chocolate? Week 12 and counting....

Farewell to Winter

She took the words out of my mouth:

Dear Winter

Heart disease

A good friend was recently diagnosed with Angina.

Just before that, he was concerned about a spot on his lungs. The patch went on, and the focus was on lung cancer.

On Good Friday he admitted himself into the hospital with chest pains. The following week he got an angioplasty - he's 38.

Life has to completely change for him. Everything, from the eating habits to the lifestyle changes.

***
My hubby and I are fans of the whole food diet, organic diet, and less is more in general. This doesn't mean we don't ever eat junk. That being said, we rarely pick up fast food or eat chain food, too many mom-and-pop shops around to try out in Hogtown, but we have been known to buy oven-baked fries, or some PC prepared product you can shove in an oven with a blink of an eye.

But the bulk of our diet is whole foods. We like to cook, we like to eat, and we eat with gusto.

And, happily, so does our child.

***
Our buddy now is constantly asking us for advice. He bought a huge bag of flax seeds and sprinkles some on almost all the food he eats now. We encouraged him to grind them first, as per Rosie Schwartz's article in the National Post recently regarding the benefits of ground flax vs whole flax. (The article appeared in the newspaper and isn't available on the web.)

It's a start.

Our aim now is to help him stay away from the processed foods, even if they are stamped by some health authority. Whole foods are better for you anyway.

I am spurred to keep my food blog going, with a new emphasis. To help those who need to change their diet with tips and recipe ideas from a non-expert who lives a healthy life.

Sick again but getting better finally

Ok, the sick came back, which is why I wasn't posting. Finally went to the doctor, had to take the toddler with me, and the Nasonex spray is helping to keep it in the nose, rather than the back of the throat. Result - going through massive amounts of kleenex, but coughing less.

Sick of this weather. Sick of winter jackets and boots. Sick of wet and cold. Where is spring?? Send some up here if you have it at your place.

All kinds of other stuff been happening too. Will post more later.

Easy chicken supper

This is a great recipe that takes only a little time to prepare. It's very versatile and you can add or subtract whatever you want each time you make it. While it's baking in the oven you can play with child/ren, rake the yard, clean the bathroom, or blog to your heart's content. I mopped the floors.

Pour good quality canned tomatos into an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with oregano, sea salt, pepper, and any other spices you want.










If you want less fat, pick skinless chicken. We pick chicken legs from the Mennonites (not officially stamped organic, but close enough), with skin and bone in. Season with whatever you like (sea salt, pepper, thyme) .










Bake in 400 F oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until meat thermometer says it's cooked.










Serve with a green salad, and/or any vegetables you want. We poured the tomato sauce over rice, but you can make egg noodles, or simply omit the carbs alltogether. Or you can use a good quality multi-grain or whole-grain piece of bread to sop up the sauce.










PS you can modify this recipe by adding onions, leeks, and/or garlic to the tomatos.

For more on food, go to Quick Slow Food.

Toddler lingo

I me heup - I need help, also applies to when he is too lazy to do it himself.

Mommy do it - applies to everything, even if it isn't explained. Mostly means wipe his nose, change his diaper, get him dressed/undressed, etc. Can also mean a certain way to play with a toy, such as a car. Sometimes it becomes Daddy do it.

Uggi-beh. oh - this is the name for the pacifier (Nuggi) and his toy dog (Bello).

upa upa - in the song Twinkle twinkle little star, the verse up above the world so high

Tyler hat - That's the name of his blue hat. May also be the name of my hat since he says Mommy Tyler hat. Tyler is a kid in his daycare. Don't ask.

Bump his head - actually means I bumped MY head, his own head.

Nose! or I want nose! - means, wipe my nose. We ask him to go get the kleenex himself and then say please.

What I've been reading lately

I like Bill Bryson. He's easy to read, refreshing, and entertaining. I picked up his memoir, which talks about his boyhood in middle America in the 1950s, and I highly recommmend it.

I am beginning to get fascinated by history. I mentioned this before in another post, and it occurs to me again with this book that history is actually quite interesting. It's all in how you tell it though. Bryson tells it in such a way that you can't put it down. I admire his style.

My Book List has more on my reading. If you're interested.

I also read another book by one of my favorite authors, Alexander McCall Smith. This one, The Right Attitude to Rain, was quite lovely but not amongst my favorite of his work. The ones he writes about Africa, with the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, those are, at least to me, better. But I still enjoyed the one about the Rain. It wasn't really about rain though, it was about a woman in Edinburgh (where apparently rain is relentless). I looked for references of Edinburgh that I remember from other books about that town, mostly Ian Rankin's mysteries. I devoured them at some point in the not too distant past. The characters really grew on me (most notably, John Rebus). Anyway, McCall Smith remains one of my favorite authors and I will read his books again.

Slump

I just cannot seem to pull out of this slump.

There is no money.
There is no sunshine.
There is only nausea.
There IS all kinds of appetite though...

I'm battling daily battles with myself to get motivated. Even just to type into this blog seems to take too much effort.

Why is this happening to me?

I'm feeling sorry for myself.