What my Toddler got me for Mother's Day

My toddler picked out some lovely flowers from the local farmer's market for Mother's Day:

Not quite understanding the concept of Mother's Day, she wished me a Happy Birthday. It was very sweet.

What I wished my toddler got me for Mother's Day:

-the opportunity to sleep in
-no whining for a day
-no cleaning for a day
-no meal preparation for the day

As it happened, my girls were particularly whiny on Mother's Day. My husband astutely pointed out: They are reminding you that you are a mother!

June & July: a photo journey

Look at me papa, I am holding baby!

June and July went by in a heart beat. Perhaps because I was back at work. But more likely because we had such a great time. The kids went two months with nary a cold virus for the first time this year. We spent our days outdoors: strolling, playing in the park, running through sprinklers, swimming, smelling flowers, and picking dandelions.

While the temperature was above average, and we sometimes had to look for indoor alternatives during the sweltering heat, I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to have warm weather year-round...

Out for a walk!

Lounging on her cousin's deck!

Picking rasberries at grandma's

Swimming with whale

Rolling in the grass

April Showers

CC's acrobatics occasionally get her into trouble; see right forehead bump

While familiar with the proverb April showers bring May flowers, its origin was news to me.  I found out recently that originally a poem, it was written by one Thomas Tusser in 1557:

Sweet April showers
Do spring May flowers

The baby and I had an excellent April, despite some 137mm of rainfall in Montreal.  We ventured outside on most days, rarely requiring a rain-cover for the stroller.  But more importantly, the Brat did not get sick; not one sniffle for the entire month of April!  I attribute this to me ceasing all playgroups, in addition to eschewing contact with daycare attendees.  Instead, a few neighbouring friends and I started a home-based playgroup.  We meet once a week in our homes, alternating between the three of us.  The toys are always clean, and the runny noses scarce.

The night of April 23rd was also one for the books.  Our Brat, after 14 long months, finally decided to sleep through the night!  She fell asleep at 20h:45, and did not stir until 5:45 the next morning.  After nursing for ten minutes, she then slept for an additional hour.  Her mother, on the other hand, did not sleep through the night.  Her body had grown so accustomed to waking every three hours; and the night of April 23rd was no exception.  She checked on the baby many times that night, shocked that she was still sleeping.  How do I train myself to sleep through the night?  The countless articles and books I consulted on sleep for babies made no mention of that.  Although this sleeping through the night thing appears to have been an isolated incident, the Brat has made a lot of progress. Since the 23rd of April, she wakes on average once, and occasionally twice per night.

I certainly look forward to seeing what May has to offer, as I could not have asked for a better April!

As I prepare to publish this post, I hear the Brat stirring from the other room, only a few hours after putting her down for the night.  She woke up multiple times last night as well, and I expect much of the same for tonight. She woke up this bright May morning with a runny nose and a fever of 39.2C.  So much for May flowers!