I am Unique

At least I would like to think I am.

In reality I am "just another mom".
Just another Mom with a Blog who once:

• graced the cover of the New York Times,


• sailed across the Atlantic on a Canadian Naval Ship,


• had her first child in New Zealand,


• had her second child in Canada


• and now chooses to stay at home with her children.

My BLOG is not long winded or full of expert opinions and advice. I write what makes me laugh and things that frustrate me. I figure if I find reason to write it down there must be other Moms out there who can relate.

I enjoy showing my children all the wonders of the world they live in and sharing their experiences with others.

Which is probably why people read my blog. It is nice to know there is someone else out there that has the same things going on as you do. I actually referred to it myself when I had my second child. It was great to be able to see what was "normal" and that it would pass eventually and more "normal" would return.

Have a look and see what you think.

http://mattersblogging.blogspot.com/2011/10/halloween-equals-good-behaviour.html
http://mattersblogging.blogspot.com/2011/04/public-bathroom-antics.html
http://mattersblogging.blogspot.com/2010/12/until-further-notice.html

Dinner Disaster

In the last few weeks dinner time has become even more of a hassle, if that is possible.
I am now on a dairy free diet to hopefully solve stomach problems that (not to worry I will not go into all the yucky details).

So I have two options
1. make a special meal just for myself, or
2. come up with something that everyone will eat that has no dairy.

If you know my family the latter option is down right impossible. So lucky me, lets make more than one meal at EVERY meal.

Like making dinner wasn't a pain just on its own before.

Today I have a bright idea that can solve this problem, I say lets make a big batch of soup (which I had been told was wonderful) and I can just heat up the soup and eat that. Boring yes but easy.

I slave over the stove making two full meals, during the witching hour no less, only to discover the soup just tastes wrong. Not good, I followed the recipe to the letter and still it does not taste good. Just in case you were wondering, I did not make a teeny tiny pot of soup, I went all out it is a huge pot of soup that I know have to figure out what to do with.

On top of that fantastic news Lucas just refused to eat his dinner tonight because

"My tummy is not grumbling yet so I must not be hungry"

Fine don't eat your dinner we can all go hungry!

Public Bathroom Antics

Day number one
Lucas is on the tolilet, Ava is walking around and of course trying to touch everything - Yuck. I let go of Lucas for a second to prevent Ava from digging treasures out of the sanitary napkin disposal, and Lucas falls in the toilet. In the meantime Ava loses her balance, my fault, and smacks her head on the floor. Both kids crying their heads off. I walk out with my head held high and all the grace I can muster.



Day number two
Ava is on the change table with a poopy diaper as I start to change her bum, Lucas has to pee, he decides to pee standing up, I think this is great hands off for mom. I continue to change the diaper when I turn around Lucas is standing on the stool with his pants down, peeing down his leg and playing in the toilet with the plunger.

Of course I yell, this makes Ava start crying, which makes Lucas start to cry as well. Once again the graceful Mom look I was trying to accomplish unsucessful.

Eating and Eating some more

One hungry little princess spotted eating oh so delicately at the table


What a gracious little thing, she wants to share


Oops, dropped it! Don't worry I can get it for you


Changed my mind I don't want to share


Yum yum, too bad you didn't get any, they were yummy

Good Morning

5am - Lucas yelling because he wet the bed, clean him and change his sheets, back to bed
5:30am- Ava awake
5:50am - Playing with Ava
6:30am - breakfast for Ava
6:50am - Lucas awake
7:00am - Lucas temper tantrum because I cooked his waffle or I didn't cook his waffle or I as going to give him the waffle he asked for - fantastic
7:15am - Lucas back in his room continuing his temper tantrum, complete with throwing around all his trains and tracks
7:25am - throwing stops and Mommy makes Lucas clean up his mess. More temper tantrums and yelling but he cleans up
7:30 am - Lucas eats his waffle, it tastes so good he wants another one - interesting

Someone has a case of the "Mondays"

Happy 1st Birthday Ava

Tomorrow Ava will be a year old! I can not believe it has been a year already, my goodness time is going by so fast. I can't imagine what life would be like without her (well that is not entirely true I am sure I would be less sleepy but that really is beside the point).



What I have learned about Ava this year
She is a beautiful little girl with a lot of determination.
She is strong and strong willed which makes for a deadly combination when it comes to wrestling with her brother.
She has become overly attached to her blanket and has to take it with her everywhere.
She does not encourage peeking in on her once she is asleep.
She loves her brother so much that she even goes and knocks on his door in the morning if he is not up yet. She is a morning person.
She does not stop eating from the time she gets up until she goes to bed.
When she is ready for bed there is no stalling it has to happen right away.

We love you very much little lady

Click on the picture of Ava for a great link to Ava's first year (Peter gets all the credit for this one)

Until Further Notice

Lucas has left the building. He no longer lives with us, Thomas has taken his place. The kid has gone Thomas The Tank Engine crazy. If there is something that does not have anything to do with Thomas he makes it relate.

For example

Lucas = Thomas

Ava = Rosie

Mommy = Percy

Daddy = Gordon

You head = Steam Stack

Your feet = Wheels

The floor = Tracks

Drinking = Filling your boiler

Walking/Running = Chuffing

There are so many more, I could go on forever. People keep asking me when he first watched the show and to be honest he never really has, he just read a book about Thomas and started his obsession from there. I really never thought I would be putting my child to bed in "his shed" and taking him for a shower at "the wash down" or "filling my firebox" full of "coal" at mealtimes, but this is how we have been talking now for about a month. When I call him Lucas he asks "why did you call me Lucas?" Sorry kiddo I thought that was what I named you.

I wonder how long it will last.

Even Christmas and ginger bread has to be train themed

Ava has been busy clmbing the stairs, even with obstacles in her way she still manages to get around them. She is a very determined little lady.

I thought this would be good enough to deter her, not in the least. She made it around and than pushed the gate over with an angry grunt, as if to say "Nice try Mommy, what else you got?"

We had a really good Christmas, busy but lots of fun. Both Peter and my whole family has been home which has been nice and. It sure is a different holiday from being in New Zealand, there are a lot more family events and get togethers. It is really good to be home. That being said I do miss the Christmas bach and summer festivities but we are surviving.

Yes Lucas is eating snow, can't get the kid to eat a meal but take him outside to play and ALL he does is eat the snow, now to figure out how to link those two together maybe meals outside? Somehow I don't think that will be a success.