The Pre-School Graduate

The Graduate

Our toddler graduated from pre-school this last Friday. While I do not think she understood the concept, she did seem to realize that it was the last day of school. We were actually a little late for the ceremony, but on time for the after party! I dropped off our 16-month old at Grandma's house in the morning, and ran into a lot of traffic on the way to pre-school.

Our toddler seemed intrigued by the hat, but mostly pleased that there were pink cupcakes to munch on! She seemed to enjoy mingling with her school friends, and gave her two teachers appreciative good-bye hugs!

Graduation cake

Mmmm, pink frosting!

Hugging one of her teachers

With her second teacher

Our Little Miss Independent

Leaving crumbs in our bed

Just a month ago, we were calling her our angel. Then seemingly overnight, she started to assert herself...

She is a few days shy of 16 months old, yet she is acting as though she is in the Terrible Twos! She whines and cries and stomps her feet when she doesn't get her way. Even though she cannot yet speak, she uses all sorts of sounds to make herself clear. She refuses diaper changes, refuses to let us change her clothing, and removes her diaper as she sees fit!

My mother came over a few days ago, and asked her why she was cranky..."Did you not sleep well?", she asked. She was sitting in her stroller, demanding to be taken to the park. I explained to my mother that she had been like this for several weeks, and that it was not due to a sleep-deprived state! "But she was such an easy baby", my mother exclaimed!

Perhaps she will simply get this stage out of her system early? Is it too much to ask that by the time her sibling arrives she will revert back to her old self?

Thankfully, she still hugs and kisses us on demand!

Excuses, Excuses!

It seems like just a few months ago, my toddler simply looked guilty anytime I caught her beating up on her sister. Recently, however, she has provided a variety of interesting excuses to my queries:

I have caught her a few times over the last month whipping her sister with her blankie. Thankfully, the miniature blanket was very lightweight, and did not seem to cause any damage. When I asked her why she hit her sister, she replied: "I was slipping!"

Just yesterday, I noticed my toddler kicking her little sister who was sitting nearby. " Why are you kicking your sister?," I asked. To which she replied "my legs are too long!"

Just last week, my toddler bit my leg. She hadn't bitten me in some time, and I was very surprised. I screamed in pain, and asked why she bit me. She answered simply: "I was looking for something to eat!"

When I got home from work today, I found out that my toddler had bitten her little sister's finger. Her explanation was that she "was looking for something to drink!"

I am not to sure why I bother asking for explanations as her malicious intent is clear, and she is a few years from understanding the concept of accountability...Yet at the same time I find her explanations imaginative and humorous...

Sharing a box!

Trying on her new summer hat

Trying on her new summer hat

Yay Victoria Day!

Although not called Victoria Day in Quebec, this last Monday was nonetheless a holiday for both my husband and I. And the first day we both had off in a number of months. It had been so long that I had forgotten what it was like to:

-sleep in
-go out for breakfast
-simultaneously share parenting duties for an entire day

I had the pleasure of sleeping in until 8AM. Although that might not be considered "sleeping in" by most, everything is relative. And it is far better than 6AM!

Next, we headed to our favourite kid-friendly breakfast restaurant, Chez Cora. An hour later, with our bellies full, we headed home. Out baby and my husband then napped for a good hour, while my toddler and I enjoyed an hour of arts and crafts.

After a quick at-home lunch, we headed to Grandma's house. There, our daughters enjoyed the company of their aunt and grandmother as my husband and I went in search of a larger house. We visited two brand new houses in the suburbs, and I found myself hoping that we would soon sell our small condo!

My husband was playing tennis from 16-18h, and so the girls and I decided to hang out in a nearby park. After about an hour, my toddler insisted that we join papa in a game of tennis. We mostly stayed in an adjoining empty court, where the girls enjoyed playing their very own brand of tennis:

Our toddler taking a water break

Our ball girl

After their adventure-filled day, the girls slept soundly. Thus allowing their parents to do the same. Long live the Queen!

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!

Happy Mom's Day!

14 Months Old

14 Months old going on 15 months...

Oh how things change in just one month

Now naps only once per day

Can walk, run and jump with ease

Has started pushing her big sister out of the way to get to her parents

Too big to be carried in the baby carrier

Still not talking, but shakes her head adamantly to say "NO"

Has 12 teeth, with three more on the way

Loves to put on her shoes and head for the door

Enjoys playing in her big sister's classroom, and does no want to leave, unlike a few of her sister's classmates

Loves to dance, but for the moment her main move is to spin around until she is dizzy, fall, then start all over again