An ode to my family...

Seeing as we're celebrating Family Day here in Ontario...What better day to gush about my family!?

Reegan...My fabulous 3 3/4 year old daughter - Thanks for making me laugh every day...for making me cringe at times when you say what's on your mind while we're out...for testing my patience each and every day!!!...for giving me a glimpse of what I was like (both looks and behaviours) when I was younger and showing me how great the mother/daughter bond is, on the other end.

Caleb...Happy 18 month birthday little man. Crazy how fast time flies, and how much you change - every month/week/day. Now we're watching you try to talk, test out new words...We've done the mom/dad long ago...Thanks to Christmas - "HoHo" was quite easy and frequent. Dog came soon after, thanks to our favourite canine Remy (we love you too Nico!!!)...Wall and door, as random as they are were relatively quick to come along. Now we've added 'meow and ruff', to talk to Remy and Jinx. Thanks for giving me reason to smile every day...showing me how special the bond between mother/son is...and for giving me the aggravation many times a day, when I wish you could "use your words".

Paul...My wonderful husband. Thank you for being you, for being a incredible father and a loving husband. Thank you for working so hard to take care of us, and surprise us every now and then. Thank you for being the best husband I could have chosen and a father I want R to look up to and C to aspire to be like. I will be ecstatic if R finds a man like you one day, and C turns into a father as fantastic as you, later in life.

Mom...We've been through a lot over the years - and have an unbreakable bond. Good times, bad times...happy and sad, we've seen them all. I have learned a lot from you, and now as a mother myself, I still learn from you. I love the relationship we had at the beginning, how it changed as I got older, and now from one mother to another...Thanks for being the best mother to learn from, and being the best Gia ever...my kids are super lucky to have you in their lives.

Dad...the smartest man ever, who has so much to teach those around him. His tough exterior is no match for his kind heart and the love he has for his family. If you're in his family/circle, he'll give you the shirt off his back, even if it's his last. He'll support his family in every way possible, and finds each opportunity to teach lessons to those around him. His dog is the greatest and can do no wrong ;-) -- Nico trumps everyone, and I'm okay with that!...because I see him turn to mush when there grand kids are over...The smile on his face and the sparkle in his eyes when they are around is all I need to see...

Nick...the best brother in town. Although our age difference is larger than most (10 years), we have made it work. We've gone through many stages...but now we're more equal than ever. You've grown into a great young man and I can't wait to see what you do next with yur life. I'm so excited to see where your life takes you and what you will accomplish. And I am so glad my kids have an amazing uncle...so much fun to play with, and buys them awesome shoes!! Thanks for being you Nick :-)

Those are the greatest people in my life...who are forever in my corner and will help me always. I love my family,today and every day. To my friends, who are like my family in many ways....I love you too. I hope everyone has a great Fail Day, and has had a great weekend too.

T.
xoxo

Did I seriously just say that!?!?

There's never a dull moment around here...and if there is, it doesn't last long!!

Have you ever said something, and wished you could replay it, to see if that really just happened....Did I really just say that?!

I always say I should make a list of the funny/crazy etc... stuff my daughter (and soon my son, I'm sure!) says...and I think one day (soon) I will. But...We'll start with some weird things I find myself saying...some of them on a DAILY basis!!!

10/ "Please don't pull your brother around by the dog leash...Take the leash off of his shirt - Now!"

9/ "Do NOT climb the cupboards (fridge, front door...)."

8/ "...because we always wear underwear, especially under a dress."

7/ "You pull his tail, I pull your hair..."

6/ "Why would you lick, the deodorant?????"

5/ "Please don't eat your clothes..."

4/ "Wow, I hope Santa didn't see that..."

3/ "Can't we just 'make poopin' in the bathroom -- Why here?"

2/ "That channel isn't working right now; sorry, no _____ right now."


And the infamous line every parent vows they'll never say (yes I have said it...once!!!)


1/ "Because I said so, that's why!!!"

Top 12 Best Things About Motherhood

I am a Mom and I love it...There isn't anything better...Most days ;)
My kids are awesome, I spend my days with them and they fill my days with joy and laughter.

Here are my favourite things about being a Mom...This was intended to be a top 10 list, but grew a little!!

12/ Homemade gifts/cards...so much better than a card bought from Hallmark, and there is nothing you can buy in a store that will mean as much.

11/ The mall...is now the perfect excuse to get out of the house. This is especially true when you have a wee one - but the mall is now a prime outing location...getting out of the house, picking up some needed items, getting baby out of the house and who knows - You just might find a great sale on an awesome pair of shoes while you're there!

10/ The ability to be a kid again...I can play Barbies, hairdresser, colour and build forts, with good reason. Hey,
it's expected and encouraged!!!

9/ Seeing the look of sheer happiness on their faces when you say "Yes" to something they're asking for and want so badly. This is when I generally hear "You're the BEST Mommy ever!!!"

8/ Hugs and cuddles...the best ones you'll ever receive...guaranteed. Hugs and cuddles from your kid(s) will make an bad mood good, erase (momentarily) the bad times from the day and they don't give hugs/cuddles nearly enough!

7/ Kids' movies...Disney/Pixar...They make some AWESOME movies - and kids are the perfect excuse to watch them!!!

6/ Humour...They say and do the funniest stuff at times...Even though at times it makes us parents want to crawl under a rock and hide!!!

5/ Naptime...With an almost 4-year-old, naptimes aren't too regular over here, but when those days come, they're awesome. Watching them sleep, catching a few winks with them (which could include cuddles!!!), or enjoying the peace and quiet/getting stuff done/watching my shows...Naptime is always a good time :-)

4/ Holidays...They mean something different, they're celebrated differently once kids are in the picture. You plan more, decorate lots, make crafts for each one...There truly is nothing like seeing a holiday through a childs' eyes.

3/ Watching them grow up, into little people -- and I'm not referring to those lovable Roloffs on TLC!!! You bring the, home, and are so excited to finally meet them...then they laugh, roll, sit, crawl, walk...they gain independence and personality. And they are their own person - so awesome to watch/experience.

2/ Pride...A two-fold idea here...the pride you see on their face when they learn something new, master a new talent...and simultaneously the pride you feel, right along with them.

1/ Hearing "I love you Mommy" / "You're the BEST mommy ever...!!!" - nothing warms my heart more.

Scrapes, bruises and bumps - Oh my!!

I know they're inevitable -- but why must injuries happen so often? And at times, close together!!! It seems when one gets injured, so does the other. Or as soon as one is going away, it's time to get another one!

Seriously!!! Reegan has injuries constantly - mainly from not paying attention to where she's going/what she's doing and not leaving the cat alone. But...honestly, these facial injuries are just too much for me! They're visible...the first thing people notice...and someone always comments - and as the mother you can't help but wonder what they're thinking...of me, of my parenting; or perhaps lack thereof!

When little ones are learning to stand/walk/take those important first steps, they're going to tumble, but why must they always land face/forehead first? Sometimes (when you're lucky!) the red mark goes away as quickly as it came and no one is ever the wiser...but then they hit something good - and BAM - red mark, for what seems like eternity.

Reegan fell into a table while we were furniture shopping when she was 11 months old...4 hours in the ER and 5 stitches later, we were home. Thankfully it was right on/in the eyebrow so the scar is pretty hidden but...it's there.

Over the last 3.5 years...my clumsy beauty has shown her rough and rugged side more times than I like.
As if the stitches weren't bad enough, we've also had 'road rash' covering her forehead/cheek/nose and chin from trying to be like the bigger kids at daycare and swinging on her tummy...didn't end pretty!

She's run into things by not watching/looking where she's going...a wall here, doorknob there... She's fallen off the sofa more times than I can count...How hard is it to just sit on a sofa/chair? A clutz, through and through.

And with the addition of Jinx (cat) last May...because she can't leave him alone, keep her face/head out of his 'bubble', and keep quiet when petting him...she's gotten a few scratches, claw marks and bites. Just in the last 3 days there was a bite on her chin and a scratch on her temple... Oy vey. I need to find a place to lock the poor cat away from taunting Reegan!

Caleb, while younger and just starting at this 'fun' injury game... is no stranger to it either. We've had countless red marks and wee bumps when falling as he was learning to walk -- no big deal, to be expected. But his worst (yet) was a couple weeks ago on Halloween night...He slipped/fell/tripped and went face first into a chair at the craft table. A bump, mini scrape and BIG shiner. UGH! It was a shiner by the end of the evening and Tuesday when he woke up he looked like a mini boxer...with a bit of a swollen eye, red scrape on the eyelid and black eye. I honestly didn't want to leave the house...! I've learned that shiners take a while to go away, and they don't look any better as they're disappearing. If anything - they look worse! It fades which is great...but the blue/green/yellow combo really isn't any better than straight black/purple. Thankfully it's gone now...hopefully we don't have one of those for a long...LONG time!

I know kids will be kids...but I can't help but want to wrap them both in bubble wrap, put on their helmets and send them out. At least then, I won't worry so much!

T.

Little man...

Last week I introduced you to my dd...so it only makes sense that Caleb gets the nod this week ;-)

My lil guy Caleb...a very busy 14.5 month old, extremely cool dude. He entered our lives on August 20, 2010 and completed our family of 4. Hubby and I were very excited to learn that we were expecting a boy (one of each...million dollar family...etc..) but I think he breathed a HUGE sigh of relief which was greater than his excitement - knowing he would have had a battle (ME) on his hands to try 'one more time' for a boy. Everything happens for a reason...!

So, as I did the top 5 Reasons why I love Reegan, I will do the same for Caleb. However - they may not be as particular given his age! And...if this entry is cut short, it's because I can hear him babbling on the monitor as he awakes from his afternoon  nap :-)

5)  His baby blues -- Just looking at them makes me melt...super adorable. So glad they stayed blue! Whether he's getting into trouble, making you laugh or just gazing with a child's curious glance -- they're one of the first things you notice about him.

4) His golden curls -- So, unlike his sister, he was not born with a head of hair, and definitely not a dark head of hair either. However, slowly but surely, my boy now has hair...hair that blows in the wind, makes a mean 'hawk in the bath and is a beautiful shade of blonde. It has almost seemed to come in overnight...you look at him one day and he's semi bald, and the next,  he's got hair!!! Along with the hair growth, are the cute as can be curls at the back. He and his sister...my two blonde beauties - curls and all.

3) His chicklet smile -- We've currently got 7 teeth poking out, waiting for some more; but they are adorable, and he likes to show them off. He's a flirt with the ladies, old and young...So chances are, he'll give you a smile, but only after he coyly looks up at you with his chin to his chest. The smile brightens my day and perks my mood - no matter how foul.

2) His toddler wobble -- He wasn't an early walker like his sister, but now that he's fully mobile, on his own - it's hilarious! Dangerous, but hilarious! We've worked our way from coasting the furniture, to standing on our own; counting the steps  he would take without holding on...and now he's a walking machine. He's loving his mobility, but at times, his little legs just can't take him where he wants to go, fast enough. It's truly the best feeling coming home and having him walk/run towards you, with his arms up beside his head, all the while squealing.

1) His laugh -- It's not just a little boy laugh, or even a toddler laugh...When he laughs (a good laugh), it literally comes from the bottom of his belly. Caleb's belly laugh makes everyone around him laugh too; and those who are in close proximity can't help but look, listen and chuckle too. He'll giggle which is cute enough - but have his sister make faces/pretend sneeze at him, have the cat run and jump and play near him, or tickle him almost anywhere and you'll hear the funniest, yet sweetest laugh around!

And, that's my boy everyone! He's a joy to be around, even when he's misbehaving...for now anyways. Loving watching him grow...and can't believe at times that he's a toddler...he's over a year, he's not my baby anymore! So for now, I'll enjoy the little things that are still babylike, until we get to our next chapter.

T.

My first entry...

Well...here it is...My blog, my first entry...One day I can look back, read it and say...it all started here...or would it be, it all started then. Either way, here I am.

I've been thinking about blogging for a while...for various reasons...and have only just gotten around to doing it; again, for various reasons! I have recently been reading more and more blogs and always thought, "Hey, I can do that!". But even more so, I want to do it.

So...Let's start at the beginning. My name is Thai, I have been happily married for 5 years to my wonderful hubby Paul and we have two fantastic kids...A 3 1/2 year old daughter and a 14-month old son. And let's throw in a sometimes crazy 4 1/2 year old black lab (Remy) and an almost 1-year-old kitten (Jinx). That's my family...my reason for waking up each day, the causes of my stress at times, and the ones who bring me so much happiness.

Since this is my first time...I'm a virgin blogger...not really sure what to say/how to say it. Can't promise a lot...but hopefully you'll laugh, relate to some things, learn a thing or two and, maybe even hand over some advice at times! My hope is to share my days with anyone who is interested in reading about it. At times I wonder what else could possibly go wrong, and you (my faithful readers) will be there beside me...or when i sit and reflect on the latest 'thing' my daughter does and shake my head...you can be there for that too.

Well, this is enough for tonight. It's nearly 1130 and I'm tired. Didn't get to sleep til after 2am (mind racing with a million to-do's, crazy cat...). So, it's time for bed. Start blog - Check! First blog entry - Check!

Night everyone!