The Kids Are Alright

Exodus

2011-12-31T19:11:00.002-05:00

I feel like I am betraying them, the millions of Jews that travelled, what little they owned literally strapped to their backs, from the hostile countryside across a desolate ocean, to the promise of an unknown city. Beckoned by a brother or an uncle who had journeyed before them, the Jews moved into the smallest, most cramped and least wanted areas of the city, toiling in the windowless

Love Is...

2011-12-08T14:26:00.001-05:00

I am incredibly not good at writing about my day-to-day, but I realize that after dropping the bomb that we were leaving Canada’s biggest city for South-Western Ontario’s biggest cornfield, you deserve an update. I can’t talk about the actual move, because it still might end in litigation (yes, moving day was that fucked up), but I can tell you a few things about being

Co-Sleeping And Intimacy

2011-07-22T11:20:00.001-05:00

Recently, I had the pleasure to speak with Hallie Cotnam on CBC Ontario Today on the subject of co-sleeping and intimacy. The piece was produced in response to this article by Erica Jong in the New York Times, where she states, among other things, that women are hiding from their men in an ‘orgy of multiple maternity’ and ‘man-distancing slings.’ I suppose Erica Jong has done a lot of good

House, Sold. Heart, Heavy.

2011-07-06T14:02:00.000-05:00

We signed our names, shook hands, congratulated each other and then, after a whirlwind 4 weeks of prepping and packing, storing and staging, it was done. Our house was sold. Our house was sold. A wave of exhaustion washed over me but it was quickly displaced by a rising tide of emotion. Our house was sold, to a nice young couple with a small daughter – exactly who we expected to sell our

Bidding Kindergarten Farewell

2011-06-29T18:32:00.001-05:00

I recently suggested writing a letter to your child's teacher as part of his/her end-of-year gift. This morning I sent my daughter off to her very last day of kindergarten, packing a smile, some fresh-cut lilacs, a gift card and a letter for her teacher. I know Ms B will like the LCBO card, but I'm hoping the letter will let her know how much she has truly been appreciated. Good teachers are gold

2011-06-10T09:46:00.002-05:00

Can't post - gotta write. See you when the chapter's done. ***

Restless

2011-05-25T10:57:00.000-05:00

What is it you really want? my husband asked me one night. We were laying in bed, books in hand, but before either of us could turn a page (or, more accurately, press a button since we were actually holding e-readers, which leads to a much less romantic opening line), I had told my husband, not for the first time, that I was restless. Unhappy. Dissatisfied. When somebody asks you what you

Protection

2011-05-16T08:49:00.000-05:00

The thunder cracked, louder this time. The storm was getting closer. I paced the confines of our small living room with my daughter in my arms, bouncing her, leaning my cheek against her soft, fragrant head. Shhh, shhh, it’s ok, I whispered. It’s ok. The mid-day sky was black. The phone rang. I jumped. Hello? It was Chris, checking to see if the rain had started yet. At the television station

Sisters

2011-05-10T07:06:00.001-05:00

I was already in early labour, and would have my baby just after midnight. I love this pic of me and my sisters, and love that we are all together again this year to celebrate that baby's sixth birthday. (I'm the pregnant one. On the right.) ***

Mom The Vote

2011-04-13T07:01:00.004-05:00

Mom The Vote Buttons are now available! With less than three weeks before we head to the polls for the fourth time in seven years, we need to arm ourselves with enough information to make the best choices for our families. There’s a lot of rhetoric out there and not a lot of hours in the day for wading through election campaign material, platforms and promises. We came up with Mom The Vote is

Once Upon a Time, I Wrote About Food...

2011-04-11T13:03:00.000-05:00

I love to cook, and I used to love to write about cooking. In fact, I used to do it weekly at Better Than a Playdate, which unfortunately ended a couple of years ago. Since then, I've felt like there are way more, way better food bloggers out there, so out of fear of being called a hack, or being judged for not developing a recipe the right way, or being too healthy, or not healthy enough, I

Of Shamed Mothers And Slammed Doors

2011-03-29T09:34:00.001-05:00

She threw her boots off, ran up the stairs and slammed her door. I took a deep breath. We’re here already? I felt a knot in my stomach, and wondered if I had handled things poorly. We had been playing in the park with another dad friend and his two girls. When Cassidy urgently had to use the bathroom, I left Mischa with our friends and ran Cassidy back home. By time we returned a few minutes

Bedroom Makeover Part One

2011-03-16T08:37:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe we've been in our house for six and a half years. That is, until I look around. There's no question that my kitchen needs a reno; it was meant to be done in the first year. Six years, two children, one layoff and one new flat roof later, we're still saving our pennies. But there are other things that really are begining to look a little... tired. The bathroom needs a change beyond

Turning Pages

2011-03-10T11:37:00.001-05:00

She runs to the bookshelf and chooses – the cover is immediately familiar and I smile. She loves this book. I love this book. I love reading her the words as she sits in my lap, her finger running over the text, the images; reading along – we both know this one off by heart. Come little monkey, come, come, come. It’s time I took you home to – Mum! My little monkey exclaims, as I cuddle her

Observations From the Road

2011-03-01T13:39:00.002-05:00

We drove to Florida with a five year old, a three year old and my backseat survival guide. And lived to tell the tale. Here then, is the tale: Your child will only barf after they have eaten a huge meal, chugged a cup of milk and then downed a third of the snacks you packed, ensuring that every inch of her, her seat, you and your shoes are covered in puke. I guess that makes sense. My car

Wordless Wednesday: Delicious

2011-02-09T12:47:00.003-05:00

Thanks to 2 Moms Baked Goods for a fun and delicous afternoon. The brownies weren't bad either ;) ***

Meal Plan Monday

2011-01-24T12:03:00.000-05:00

I have a few things on tap for this week, including a new gig! If you haven't heard, Green is the new Bad, as in, I am the latest member of The Bad Moms Club. Check out what I'm bringing to the party every Monday, the baddest day of the week. This week: Lullaby Improv 101. As for the food, a well-intentioned trip to the farmers' market on Saturday was kiboshed by pure laziness and fear of the

Snack Time

2011-01-20T10:39:00.002-05:00

When my daughter came home from her first day of Senior Kindergarten last September, I was greeted with excited chatter, a very non-linear recap of her morning, and the requisite backpack full of correspondence from the school. Calendars, notices, order forms and permission slips littered the tabletop, but as I was sorting through the papers, something I was not expecting confronted me. It was

Tiger, Mama

2011-01-13T11:06:00.005-05:00

I was born in 1975, and for years I thought this pointed to me being a rabbit. Never quite comfortable with the designation, I wondered why my personality was in such opposition with the Eastern zodiac. Zoologically speaking, I don’t really resemble a rabbit. I’m small and quick, but that’s where the similarities end. Bunnies are sweet, soft, gentle, harmless (except perhaps in the eyes of the

You Came To My Blog For The First Time In 3 Weeks And All You Got Was This Lousy Meal Plan

2011-01-10T13:49:00.002-05:00

Wow, 10 days into January and all I've got for you is a meal plan? Cheap. I know. But as I work on some big changes and work out some other stuff, at least we'll eat well! Meal Plan - Jan. 10 - Jan. 14 Monday Lemon-herb tilapia Boiled potatoes Garlic sautéed spinach Tuesday Roasted roots Maple-dijon chicken (recipe below) Steamed broccoli Wednesday (hosting book club, no time for meal prep)

Time's Person of the Year - Not to Be Consfused with Time's Man of the Year - Now With More Man!

2010-12-16T11:51:00.000-05:00

Congratulations, Mark Zuckerberg, for becoming Time’s esteemed Person of the Year for 2010. The 26-year old developer of Facebook joins 83 others in accepting the honour, first established in 1927 to recognize those that have been the biggest influencers on the magazine sales planet. It should be noted that Time’s Person of the Year was formerly known as – shocker – Time’s Man of the Year,

Are We There Yet? Special Crayola Giveaway

2010-12-10T13:50:00.002-05:00

**And the winners are... drumroll, please... Mamalooper and Sara! Yay! Congrats, friends, expect your parcels soon :) ** I love spending Christmas with my husband’s family. I love being in their cozy house; I love all of the food; I love staying up late to sit in front of the fire and chat or sit around the table and play games. I love that my kids are surrounded by grandparents and

These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things

2010-12-06T15:15:00.004-05:00

Still looking for a perfect gift? I'm no Oprah, but here are a few of my favourite things from 2010 that you might want to put on your gift-giving list. For the Reader: Light Lifting by Alexander MacLeod - $19.95 By time I figured out that Alexander MacLeod is not Alistair MacLeod (it’s his son), I was already literary crushing on him. Hard. What is not to love about somebody that can write such

All I Want for Christmas

2010-12-01T09:49:00.000-05:00

I started writing a post that was an essentially an anti-post to my last post; a must have list to my previous must not list, but that’s not the post I’m going to write. Because somewhere in the bottom third of the first paragraph that I was writing, I realized that nobody was going to figure out that I was writing a post about things you should spend your money on. I realized that I give my

Baby Item Reviews - Do I Need This More Than I Need a New Pair of Shoes?

2010-11-24T10:34:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, my friend Ann Douglas asked me to provide a little bit of feedback for an article that she was writing, on some new and interesting baby products and whether or not parents (and the world in general) needed such things. I happily complied, and while Ann’s article turned out wonderfully, it did have one flaw – not enough of me. Because I am not relegated to a strict word count or

Little Green Flags

2010-11-12T13:12:00.005-05:00

There’s a little green flag sitting on my desk at work; one of those push-pin kinds of things. I’m supposed to write my initials on it and stick it on a map that’s affixed to a bulletin board. I’m supposed to stick it on the country of my heritage, and next week, I am supposed to prepare a dish for a potluck lunch, and that dish is supposed to represent the country under my little green flag.

Does This Motherhood Look Good On Me?

2010-11-03T12:06:00.000-05:00

A few years ago, I wrote a story pitch to Mothering Magazine on how to stay connected to your child and continue attachment parenting when you work outside of the home. It was received positively, and I was encouraged to write and submit my piece. But I didn’t do it. Within a month of my submission, I found out I was pregnant again. And then I had a miscarriage. And then I was pregnant again.

Goodbye, Mel Gibson

2010-10-22T09:51:00.002-05:00

What do Mike Tyson, A-Rod, Charlie Sheen, Kayne West, Sean Penn and John Wayne (amongst many others) have in common? They’re all douchebags! But what other unfortunate traits do these pathetic souls share? Their douchebaggery has not stopped them from remaining pop culture icons, who, save for some negative publicity every now and then, are let back into the public fold, time and time

The 10-Month Pregnancy - It's Not Just For Whales Anymore

2010-10-18T10:26:00.002-05:00

The Globe and Mail published an article recently about a group of people advocating that the normal, healthy gestation period for a pregnant woman be officially acknowledged as 10 months, and not 40 weeks (or 9 months, which every woman that has gone full term knows is bullshit). Two things surprised me about this article: 1) that this is seen as a new and controversial idea, and 2) that people

Oh Cheesus Christ, Glee

2010-10-06T10:22:00.002-05:00

When Glee started last year, I was excited. Corny jokes, ridiculously awkward social situations, lambasting teachers – it was absurdist situational satire at its best. It poked fun at everything we hated about high school and stood up for everything we were afraid to admit that we loved about it. Plus there was music, and totally annoying auto-tone notwithstanding, it was fun to listen to. And

Autumn

2010-09-24T09:19:00.002-05:00

As a Canadian, it is almost illegal to complain about summer, but for a full-on Semitic summer-lover, I had a really miserable time these past few months. All of the liberating, easy things about the summer, from being barefoot and bare-shouldered to enjoying fresh produce and curly hair, were simply random punctuation marks in an otherwise unbearable, run-on summer. It was hot, dude. Hot.

Wordless Wednesday: Portrait of the Mother

2010-09-22T08:22:00.002-05:00

By five year old.***

Registering for Programs in the City of Toronto - An Exercise in Frustration and Futility*

2010-09-15T14:53:00.003-05:00

I was prepped: client numbers and course selection numbers at the ready, website up, phone number already on speed dial on my desk phone and my BlackBerry.I watched the clock tick down the moments. My heart was racing with anticipation of ‘the catch’ – this was going to be my lucky day, and like a huntress, I was ready…GO!Dial, type, dial, and…. victory! a busy signal!A website that wouldn’t

Eyes Pried Open

2010-08-31T08:42:00.004-05:00

I can’t sleep. I can’t sleep, and I can’t even blame my babies, who are no longer babies and are sleeping in their own beds in their own room for a good 11 hours each night. It’s all me, and I can’t sleep. I do everything one is supposed to in order to facilitate and maintain a good night’s sleep, but come 11, 12, 1 o’clock, I can’t sleep. My body rebels by midnight, becoming restless and heavy

Joiner

2010-08-23T11:05:00.001-05:00

Send this to 5 friends including me.You have one hour to forward this message or you will have 5 years of bad luck. Grab this twibbon if you support women’s rights/animals rights/the long-gun registry/bringing Buffy back/bringing sexy backDo this today/don’t do this today/wear this today/don’t post that today/show them/show us/show me/ show your/support us/support them/follow us/boycott them. I’m

This Would Be a BlogHer '10 Recap if It Wasn't So Long

2010-08-10T20:42:00.007-05:00

It’s two days after my return from BlogHer, and I think I have processed about 25% of what I experienced, which, I’m going to hope, is enough to allow me to write compellingly about it. First, the nutshell: It was amazing. Amazing. And it was the perfect mix of amazing – amazing people, amazing experience, amazing opportunity. So, I guess I’ll break it down that way, although really, everything

BlogHer Voices of the Year

2010-08-07T07:46:00.004-05:00

Last night I had the privilege, honour and knee-knocking thrill to be a Voices of the Year keynote speaker. At BlogHer. In New York City. In front of, oh, about a thousand of my closest friends.It was amazing.And so were the 14 other readers (ode to them coming soon)and so were Elisa and Lisa (didn't meet the gorgeous, very pregnant Jory), and so was Eden, who not only made people clap for me,

A Giveaway!

2010-07-30T11:55:00.004-05:00

It’s no secret that I’ve had a great couple of weeks. Between planning for New York City, spreading the news that I will be a Voices of the Year presenter, and getting in a much-coveted couple of date nights with the huz, summer 2010 has been so far been really good to me.So I thought I would pay it forward, and offer a little giveaway, compliments of Mom Central Canada and Playhouse Disney

BlogHer '10, Here I Come

2010-07-22T08:04:00.004-05:00

One year I didn’t know what BlogHer was.One year I didn’t go to BlogHer because I was pregnant and my dad was dying. One year I didn’t go to BlogHer because I was busy becoming a finalist at a country fair cherry pit-spittin contest.One year I didn’t go to BlogHer because I didn’t have the money. This year, I’m going to BlogHer. This year I’m going to BlogHer and I will be getting on stage to

Makeover

2010-07-15T20:55:00.001-05:00

The huz did it, and we suffered only the most minor of domestics throughout the process. I love it! What do you think?***

Happiness Runs In a Circular Motion

2010-07-09T09:19:00.005-05:00

Last week, I elicited gales of laughter from my two year old. Gales. Buckets-full of laughter. And I did it again and again. And I couldn’t believe how stupidly easy it was. We played the high-five game – you know: gimme five, on the side, up high, down low – too slow! But instead of down low/too slow, I introduced, cut the pickle – tickle, tickle! It was really quite bizarre, actually, how

The Circumcision Debate or Why I Can Finally Pull My Head Out of The Sand

2010-07-05T08:57:00.002-05:00

My husband and I are immeasurably relieved to have had two girls. And no sons. Yes, that’s 100% true. (Is your mind racing to tell me how wrong I am yet?)Ok, now I’ll tell you why that’s 100% true. It’s because I did not have to decide whether or not to circumcise – a decision I would have agonized over, were I to have given birth to a son. Another study has come out, once again, that is sure,

The Letter My Husband Wrote In Response to the Happenings at the G20 Protests Last Weekend In Toronto

2010-06-29T20:56:00.002-05:00

Hello Mayor Miller, I'm writing to you, and my various mp's, about the disturbing events of the weekend. I know you had previous concerns about hosting the G20, and now they seem justified. I do, however, strongly feel the various police forces commanded as I understand by Chief Bill Blair overstepped their bounds this weekend, with mass arrests and intimidation tactics, and many of those tactics

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way From the Dentist

2010-06-22T14:57:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I had to have a root canal. But wait, that’s not even the funny part. So, I take a Tylenol 3 on my way to the dentist’s office, as recommended, and before things get really fuzzy, I am in the chair. I close my eyes so I don’t see the gigantic needle heading towards my face, and before I know it, I’m drooling onto my little bib, and the entire right side of my face has turned to stone. ‘

End of the Year

2010-06-15T10:02:00.007-05:00

At the beginning of the school year, Bee's signature was a wobbly scrawl, full of extra lines and the special flourishes that only a 4 year old can imagine in a printed name. I had to write the ‘s’ for her to copy, the fat curves confounding in her tiny hands. The people she drew were big splotches with splotchy heads and huge grins, which always gave me assurance that she was as happy as the

On Blogging

2010-06-08T13:29:00.003-05:00

When I started blogging in 2006, I had an infant and a new life as a new mother, and it was wonderful and strange and daunting. And, although I cherished the forum as a venue to find my legs as a parent, I didn’t really start to blog because I was in search of a community – hell, I didn’t even know the community existed. I wasn’t experiencing any crippling isolation; I wasn’t feeling unsure of my

I Am a Terrible Mother and I Scream At Old Ladies

2010-06-07T09:47:00.003-05:00

Cassidy freaked out at a restaurant last night. It was a full-on, high-decibel shitstorm of a freakout, accompanied by a scream of glass-breaking proportions. It escalated into what was perhaps the most humiliating moment of my motherhood, thus far. And then the most enlightened.I hadn’t seen it coming. We were on our way back from a weekend out of town, and the girls had slept almost the

Pages

2010-05-31T09:24:00.003-05:00

Chris always jokes that if you want to know what’s going on in my life, all you have to do is look at the magazines on the coffee table. And that is pretty accurate, as my choice in periodicals evolve in line with the changes in my life. In the early, post-university days of my relationship with Chris, I clung to the ideals of Bust and Adbusters (or, if I was feeling particularly evolved, The

Food Funk

2010-05-25T09:32:00.001-05:00

I’ve been in a bit of a cooking funk, which is unusual for me. Instead of reaching for the new cookbook on my shelf, I find myself reaching for a take-out menu. Instead of looking at the bright, crisp vegetables in my fridge and seeing delicious possibilities, I am seeing work. Instead of proudly wanting to cook healthy meals for my family, I am guiltily looking in the freezer for a pizza I can

The Letter

2010-05-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

A very, very strange thing happened recently. My sister got a letter, addressed to all of us sibs, from the President of the United States of America. George W. Bush. It was a letter of condolence on the death of our father, two and a half years ago. Weird, huh? There was no indication of the letter having been forwarded through abandoned or obsolete addresses – It simply took 2 ½ years to get to

So Sayeth the Five Year Old

2010-05-11T14:17:00.001-05:00

This morning, as I left the house, I reminded Mischa, please don’t say anything about your birthday party, because you didn’t invite all of the kids in your class, and you don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. Mum, Mischa replied, I am not going to talk about it today. I am going to be a good listener because I, she said with a flourish of her hand, am the Queen. Oh, I said. I see. Well, if you’

There Will Be Joy

2010-05-06T08:36:00.002-05:00

Six years ago on Mother’s Day, I was not a mother. I was hoping that soon I would be able to say that soon I would be a mother, but that hadn’t happened yet. I spent that Mother’s Day with my mother, her mother, my father and her father. Two months later, my mother no longer had a mother. Or a father. And I was pregnant. Five years ago on Mother’s Day, I was huge and round and ripe and was quite

Kgirl Testdrive: Naot 'Be Happy' Shoes

2010-04-27T09:39:00.007-05:00

Here’s something I love: cute shoes.Here’s something else I love: sustainable products. So here’s something I fell in love with at first sight: my new Naot shoes. When the good people at Naot contacted me to see if I would like to try out a pair of this season’s new cutie pies, I did not hesitate to say yes. Naot is a company that I have supported, trusted and spent my money on for years, and

Dirt

2010-04-23T10:57:00.002-05:00

Last night, I joined some of my favorite people at the Gardiner Museum to spend two hours doing pottery. I had eagerly accepted the invitation when it was offered, but on my way down, I was skeptical. While I thought it would be fun, I knew that I was really not a very visually creative person, and I thought I would suck at it. And I did. I mean, I managed to manipulate my meager talents into a

Five

2010-04-06T11:55:00.005-05:00

She ushers her adoring sister down the stairs in the morning and pours them both cereal. She takes herself to the bathroom, even in the middle of the night. When she draws people, they look like people. She wants to know how everything is spelled, and more and more often, she can tell me before I tell her. This weekend, she made her own Mii so she could bowl with her great-grandparents on her own

Passover and Out

2010-03-31T09:54:00.005-05:00

Today, Jews around the world, including myself, are coming down from a self-induced Passover high (my friend says we should change the name to Passout), fuelled by carbs and wine and giddiness, and as I nurse my hamishe hangover, I am doing what many good Jews are doing, and kvetching about it reflecting.Well, not really reflecting – I did that a few years ago and it made me sad, and that was

Of Loving and Leaping

2010-03-18T10:57:00.006-05:00

Tuesday morning, Dove stopped moving.I mean it – she put her hand behind her head, lifted her leg, started crying, and stopped moving.And it was a scary cry. A pain cry. Did she bump herself on the way out of bed? I picked her up immediately, and she tensed. I tried to look at her, ask her questions, find out what happened, but she maintained her stiffened pose. I finally got her to tell me that

Not At All

2010-03-10T13:44:00.003-05:00

Not at all.That was my answer. And it surprised me.The question had been, So, do you want another?A coworker asked me the question, as part of a casual conversation – as casual as it could possibly be, since we were having it in the women’s washroom – and the rapidity of my response surprised me even more than my answer.Not at all. I do not want another baby.We had been discussing the fact that

Kgirl's Book Shelf

2010-03-05T16:09:00.003-05:00

Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-In-Training Tom Jokinen Tom Jonkinen left a job as a producer for CBC radio to become – what else? – an undertaker. Fascinated by the business of death, Tom decided to dig right in (wakka wakka) and find out what happens between the time that someone dies and the time that others formally say goodbye to the deceased. I asked Random House to send me this book

Ten Decent Things About Working In An Office

2010-03-04T13:56:00.002-05:00

1. My snacks are always at hand2. I’m rarely lonely3. Nobody spills my drinks but me4. The pictures of my kids are much quieter than the real things5. I make all the decorating decisions6. Industry swag, three-year-old Christmas cards, early versions of product graphics and the ‘organic’ stickers from fruit pass for decoration7. One ironic magnet makes you cool8. I don’t have to water the plants

The Visit

2010-02-18T12:08:00.003-05:00

I’m heading to Florida again, to the sun, the surf; to time splashing with my babies and holding hands with my husband. To my dad. Last year, when I was visiting my dad for the first time since he left us, I was anxious. I was bitchy, I was on edge, and I nearly ruined our vacation, sick with the anticipation of visiting the place where my dad lay in the ground. I think this time is different. I

Supermodels and Homebirths and Liars, Oh My

2010-02-03T09:59:00.004-05:00

Gisele Bundchen had a baby, and I’m a little disturbed by it. No, I’m not disturbed because I think she and Tom Brady are trying to create some new uber-species of beautiful, impossibly tall creatures who will use midgets like me as doorstops, or because I think she and Leo should have stuck it out and made little Leo babies together who would have maybe been not quite as tall and therefore

Into the Vortex

2010-01-28T10:20:00.008-05:00

Three weeks. Funny how time can be. When you have a secret you are bursting to share, or a vacation you are excited to take, three weeks can feel like a lifetime. When you are marking days towards something more unpalatable, three weeks flies by. When you’ve just weaned the last baby you’ll ever breastfeed, three weeks is a vortex. At nearly 26 months old, Dove was down to just a couple of

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Baby Mug Shot

2010-01-27T14:58:00.005-05:00

For her passport. And the blackmail file. Her first boyfriend should get a kick out of it. Does she remind you of anyone?heh heh. ***

Miami

2010-01-10T19:48:00.010-05:00

They came first for the Communists,and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Communist.Then they came for the Jews,and I didn’t speak up because I was not a Jew.Then they came for the trade unionists,and I didn’t speak up because I was not a trade unionist..Then they came for the Catholics,and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.Then they came for me,and by that time, there was no one

Hitting My (Twitter) Limit

2009-12-22T11:49:00.003-05:00

‘I think you should come home. It looks bad.’‘Mum, it’s not so bad. Nobody here is worried. Nobody is worried except the mothers of the foreigners.’‘And the UN.’‘The UN is only slightly concerned. Don’t worry about it; I’m fine.’‘I think you should come home.’‘I’m not coming home. Turn off the TV and go stand in the sunshine for a while.’And so several conversations went, during the 8 months in

The Holidays Are Coming Early!

2009-12-07T15:36:00.009-05:00

*We have a winner! Congratulations to hardworking mom, Jill, who will be leaving baby at home to take her two princesses and a prince to the show on Friday! Enjoy, mama, and we'll see you there!*I have always been a teensy weensy bit bitter that, although my older sister and I have never been, my parents took my younger brother and sister to Disney World at least 3 or 4 times when they were

Confessions of an Accidental Attachment Parent

2009-11-26T15:34:00.002-05:00

‘I’ll breastfeed, but only until I go back to work.’‘This baby will have her own bed, in her own room.’‘Of course I’ll leave the baby with other people.’‘I’m having a midwife, but I'm giving birth in the hospital.’‘I’m fine with my baby taking a bottle or a soother.’‘Babies cry. It’s not going to stress me out too much.’‘My life and my relationship with my husband will always come first.’‘I’m not

Dove Turns Two!

2009-11-25T13:42:00.010-05:00

Dove turned two on Sunday, and I have lots to say about it. But, as I am still nursing a 15-toddler hangover, I'll let the pictures do the talking for today. Happy birthday, my sweet. You are loved more than you will ever realize. Last year... This year... Loving the cookie decoration station Snowman cake by kgirl The after-partyCan't stop the rock***

Remembering

2009-11-11T12:50:00.004-05:00

My fatherRM3 US Navy1942-2007I miss you.

Leap of Faith

2009-11-09T15:09:00.001-05:00

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Model Behaviour

2009-11-03T16:00:00.002-05:00

‘You should take her to an agency.’ ‘Does she model?’‘She really should do commercials, because whatever it is she’s selling, I’d buy it.’Since I have had children, the kindness of strangers and their swiftness to remark on the beauty of my babies has been steady. It’s nice to hear, and obviously I think they are quite correct in their assessment of my children’s loveliness – there’s nothing

From My Ghouls to Yours

2009-10-30T12:54:00.001-05:00

Have a safe and fun Hallowe'en everybody!

elt-may. own-day.

2009-10-28T10:43:00.005-05:00

Last night, my 23-month old daughter had a 3-hour meltdown.It was surreal. I don’t remember this happening with Bee, but maybe I’ve just blocked it out because it is too discouraging to recall – y’know, one of those things that would have brought the idea of future reproduction to a shrieking halt. Whatever the case, the mother of all meltdowns began at 5pm, and ended at 8, when my little tornado

Aspirations

2009-10-20T14:20:00.002-05:00

Not too long ago, I went to see author Andrew Davidson speak about his amazing first novel, The Gargoyle. Gracious and funny, he spoke with great intelligence about many things, including the process and journey he navigated to write his epic tome.Eight years, he said. Eight years it took him, putting pen to paper daily, to create his book. He lived with the characters, he told us; he lived and

Tummy Troubles

2009-10-15T10:29:00.002-05:00

Jiggle, jiggle.Hello, Belly? You there?Yes, of course you are. You’ve been there since deflating in a most inglorious, surgical manner almost two years ago. I’m as familiar with you now as I am with the baby that expanded you in the first place. Problem is, as that beloved baby grew bigger, you did not grow smaller.You’re a persistent little bastard – yes, bastard – unwanted, unclaimed and

Heaven

2009-10-07T09:26:00.002-05:00

I'm at home. By myself. Just me and my coffee and the cat, who I mostly ignore anyway.Heaven. Now, here's my to-do list:Clean the basementBake a cake/freeze for Thanksgiving this weekendFind fabric to recover little chairPut together new (vintage) lamp for girls' roomMake an apple crisp for dessert tonightHang pictures that have been sitting on floor waiting to be hungNow, here's what I'll really

Top Ten Tuesday: I Love PVR

2009-09-29T08:29:00.004-05:00

Top Ten Reasons I Love My New PVR10. My ‘omg, did you see Gray’s?!’ tweets a week after the season premiere will get way more responses and attention than if I had been one of thousands madly tweeting during the actual first showing like the rest of you chumps.9. I can record the kids’ shows that I actually find tolerable, then kibosh the really annoying ones like Max and Ruby, by exclaiming that

SPAMORAMA

2009-09-24T13:48:00.003-05:00

I found this gem in my inbox today:2009/9/24 John Dykes Hello,I was just reading some comments on a site, and I found your interesting comment “If I squirt myself in the face with breastmilk, will I look like Cindy Crawford?”I went to your blog and do u have any pics of ur breast, can u post pics of u breast feeding, it would be really cool.thanksAnd I replied in my typical,

K-E-E-N-E-R

2009-09-16T08:28:00.002-05:00

Who's the biggest nerd in the world? ME!Find out why at Canada Moms Blog***

Crisis/Catharsis

2009-09-11T12:54:00.003-05:00

The backpack with the little blue owls slips off her shoulder as she walks up the path and undaunted, she pushes it back in place. It is empty, save for the anticipation, the unknown of the day. We are enveloped by the phalanx of scurrying children and resolute adults, each looking for a friend, a teacher, a door, a space to fit. She reaches for my hand. It is the first clue I have that she is

Labour Day - Part II

2009-09-07T08:19:00.004-05:00

Part II of the two-part series, Labour Day. This post is a republication of, yup, you guessed it, the birth of my second daughter. Happy long weekend, everybody!*Originally posted November 26, 2007****Well, she’s here. Thankfully, blissfully, finally here. And if her entrance into this world is any indication, she’s gonna be trouble.If there is one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s that

Labour Day

2009-09-04T10:11:00.006-05:00

There's no harder labour than giving birth. My annual retelling of my birth stories, now with more birth (i.e. the story of my second child).But first up, Bee's story:*Originally written May 14, 2005*On Monday May 9, 2005, I was feeling crampy and well, just different. By the middle of the night we knew that these were (mild) contractions, and started keeping track of them to see if labour would

Top Ten Tuesday

2009-08-25T09:13:00.002-05:00

Top Ten Tastes of My Childhood10. MeatloafMy mother had four bratty kids to feed, and ground beef was cheap, yo, so it made an appearance on our dinner table at least once a week. This meatloaf was pretty standard; a bit dry, but you could fix that with the trusty ketchup, whose presence on the table could always be counted on.9. Paprika & Garlic SaltIf I were to tell you what my childhood tasted

Who Are You And What Have You Done With Kgirl?

2009-08-21T10:00:00.007-05:00

I have been thinking about doing some seriously masochistic shit lately. Seriously. I don’t know if my life is just feeling super-ass boring, or if it’s the weather or what, but fuck, I’m thinking of doing things that I probably should not do.Like going bra shopping. I need a new bra like I need more coffee – that is, a lot, and it is as much for the benefit of those around me as it is for my own

Wordless Wednesday: Would You Like Fries With That?

2009-08-19T08:48:00.004-05:00

*Clearly, my feelings about McDonalds are deep-seeded. posted for Wordless Wednesday. This is as wordless as I get.***

Top Ten Tuesday

2009-08-18T09:13:00.008-05:00

Yes, this is the only thing I ever write anymore.Top Ten Things I Learned While Camping 10. You don’t need a bear whistle if your kid cries for the entirety of your 1.5km hike in the woods. 9. Brunette children taste better than blonde children, according to the mosquitos. 8. Red squirrels are loud, and don’t feel the need to quiet down as they plot their revenge on you for taking away the food

Top Ten Tuesday

2009-08-11T08:45:00.005-05:00

Top 10 Tweets You Missed During The Teen Choice Awards10. @ItsBritneyBitch No sitter! Gotta get to TCA. Can stuff Jayden in my purse. What should I do with SP? Where r my panties? Who cares!!!9. @JessieSimps Hey y'all! Watching the TCA w/u from Japan!! OMG - WHAT WAS THAT? Felt like an earthquake!! Oh, wait, just my stomach. SNAX!!8. @Perez4Prez OMG, WHERE WUZ I SITTING? I CAN'T FIND MY SEAT!

She Had To Have Known I Was Going To Blog This

2009-08-04T19:59:00.003-05:00

Ring, ringHello?Hello. Hi Mum. How are you?Fine. How are you?Good.What are you doing?I'm on the computer.On the COMPUTER?Uh, yep.Why don't you get off the computer and go do your sewing? My mother. Setting back the women's movement, one phone call at a time. ***

Top Ten Tuesday

2009-08-04T08:59:00.003-05:00

This week’s Top Ten is inspired by our weekend at my in-laws in lovely Southwestern Ontario, where the soil is so good, you could grow gold if it came in seed form. Seriously, the produce at this time of year is so heavenly, that I will happily listen to my husband’s tales of spending his teenage summers working in the corn fields and why he won’t eat it 15 years later AGAIN for one more cob,

Top Ten Tuesday

2009-07-28T07:14:00.003-05:00

Introducing….Top Ten Tuesday!I just read that people like lists; particularly Top Ten lists. Now, I’m no David Letterman, but I’ve decided to implement this ploy suggestion to please my readers and to challenge myself to write something longer than 140 characters, which seems to be all I can manage lately.Anyway, here is Top Ten Tuesday. Hope you like it.The Top Ten Reasons I Didn’t Go To