I am so afraid to write this BUT both of my kids are sleeping at the same time! Yippee! I just cleaned the windows and changed the laundry - I fell like a million bucks!



Last night I snuck out for 45 minutes after the kids were asleep to go to see a friend off who I met in a Book Club. I used to read a fair bit but now I have children! Anyway, I wanted to see the group and wish Linene well. It turned out I got more than I bargained for - it was good for the soul. The group of women is very different and therefore bring different perspectives and life experiences to the group. It's great.



Anyway, two things I took away from the evening I want to share...



1. I asked one of the Grandma's in our group - What do you see as the biggest difference between your generation of moms and mine? She smiled, she has a grown daughter and a grandchild. She said that we worry too much about the small things.



"Like what?" I probed.



"Well, like brushing teeth and eating donuts." This reminded me of the poem When I am an Old Woman, please read it if you have not - it's brilliant. Anyway, she said that she thinks our generation is so worried about whether or not our kids have all the food groups at all the meals, whether or not they brush twice a day for two minutes etc. She said that she regrets not spending less time worrying about little things and enjoying herself more. I think I should heed this advice.



2. And this one from another mom - of 4!!! Our first borns will never remember life before siblings. Therefore, new mamas, don't stress about how your first born is handling the new baby so much. Yes, be considerate of their feelings, but really they will never remember - providing the age gap isn't too large - that they were once the centre of the universe! I thought this was another great nugget as I often fret over how my little Hud is doing.

And now, I must maximize this time. What shall I do: sleep, clean, read - oh the possibilities are endless. I think I will have whatever color Popsicle I want, on the couch and not share one bite! I am going to smell the roses.

Happy Monday. I shouldn't have read Kath's blog because I just sat down and made my ToDo List of all of the household chores I should do today. Now I feel like I should just throw caution to the wind and skip out on all motherly duties for the day! Yeah right! This is especially timely because we just got home from the lake - imagine one cabin full of Parrnells - it was so much fun and totally chaotic at the same time. We ate way too much, I had more monster cookies than I am willing to admit, drank and pumped a little, swam, sunned and boated! The kids and adults alike love boating.

Sounds fabulous right? Well it is except I sometimes feel like a bug under a microscope. When you have that many people watching you - you always have to be on your best behaviour. Anyone know what I mean?

Many moons ago, that would have meant that I drank way too many margaritas, snorted when I laughed and fell out of my chair trying to get to the toilet so that I didn't pee my pants laughing! Just kidding mom, that was never my style. Now a days it isn't that kind of behaviour I am referring to, it is my anal tendencies which I am trying to work on. I like things orderly and organised and I like to get ready at my own pace. Well with a cabin full of people who are all pretty relaxed I stick out like a sore a thumb. I'll bet they giggle about my idiosyncrasies when I leave!

Switching gears , thank you to all the moms who emailed and posted Thrush advice. I wish that someone would have mentioned swimming. I - and yes I know this sound stupid - sat and swam all weekend and now am paying for it with the raging thrush!!!! Duh!

I will end today's blog with this...

Saturday at Grand Beach a huge commotion was sited. Large crowds of people simultaneously parted and made way for what appeared to be a white, jelly belly on legs. Children shrieked. As it moved closer it seemed to have blender boobies, a pony tail and a sagging butt. What was this thing? Suddenly a women blurted out: "Don't fear, it's just a mom who has donated her body to her family!".

B

It is very hard hanging out at the beach allday!

Amber and Harris at Stonewall Quarry

Ahhhhh....Sunday afternoon - air conditioning and a few minutes to myself. It has been busy and hot! Harris, Evy and I spent the entire Friday swimming - so much fun. The morning was catching up with an old friend and her kids in visiting from Barrie at her parents pool and the afternoon and evening was swimming at the Stonewall quarry with friends Amber and Adam. Kirby was at an all day all night golf tournament so I decided we would do nothing but hang out and have fun! I must say while I got not one thing done at all other than fun - it was great!!! Harris behaved better than ever and well, Evy is just too young to be anything but great! I know this too could be a parenting tactic but if we did nothing but fun we would be called DAD (just kidding) and get nothing else done so we will try and alternate these days. I feel as though Harris is getting bigger on a daily basis - he swam in the pool by himself ( I was close by of course) with water wings and even went down the big slide. He has also mastered a two wheeler (or wheelie as he calls it) with training wheels - thanks Char so much for lending it to us.

Yesterday, we went to the zoo as a family and well today, since all the Dads are at our streets golf tournament - most of us moms are outside with the kids hanging out and playing toys....the sharing has been relatively ok even thought there are at least 10 boys. We will all have abbq tonight and then back to life as normal...


What else? I am still trying to eat healthier, exercise more and find a bit of time for moi aside from all of this - it isn't that easy hey mommas? Chat soon. K (This was a boring entry - just an update - unlike my husband thinks I do not thrive on drama:))

Okay, I know I shouldn't laugh but the last posting Brandi made me bust a gut! You must be also looking thru the Gompf family windows in between feedings because that with a few adjustments is my life too and that of many others.
I know that as a parent it is my job to tame my wild toddler but I am just not sure if I am going to make it - thankfully we are not a high school romance because Harris and I would definately be "taking a break"!
He is a great kid with such a fun and silly spirit but I can't seem to see past the other stuff right now as all I feel I am doing is trying to teach him manners, show him that drawing lines and circles with pee on the floor is not cool, correcting him when he tells me "To stop bugging him off" (which clearl y he has combined from my stop bugging me and bug off....aghhhhhhhhhhhhh - I was frustrated ok) and trying to beg him to nap so as to avoid an all out meltdown at 7 pm due to lack of sleep.
He will be 3 next month and yet he tells people he is going to be 20!!!! I think he might be 20 in the head - as he is full of manipulation and stamina way beyond what his mother has.

Is this what we do tame the beast? It is by far the hardest job requiring the most will power and stamina ever! Dieting should be a breeze after this:) Evy is still a great girl and I wonder why I ever bitched about 1 baby (sorry moms out there I know in the moment it too is VERY tiring) although I know with her our teenage years will be way too nuts for this blog and this is the blog of honesty.

Anyhow, I am at my sanctuary - WORK:) Good to go - I will make it I may just look a little older and have a few more, grays and winkles....and I may just be tipsy form the permanent bottle of wine in the fridge but don't judge me:)

Over and out.
Kath

2/3rds crazy and 1/4 nuts!

Okay, I am officially losing it! Yesterday I was laying in a tanning bed relaxing when all of a sudden my milk let down and I started leaking. Holy s**t! Milk staring running down my armpits, down my back and pooling under my bum! Now shouldn't your underwear be safe from breast milk??? And this morning I feel that the theme song for the circus should be playing in every room of my messy, disorganised house. You know the one... Do do doodido!

My sister-in-law Lis said something very meaningful to me. She said, "I always thought mat leave was to figure out how to be a mom, catch up with friends, join moms groups, go for coffee! Well it's not, I have to take care of my babe every minute of the day! I can barely do housework." Well that's how I feel, especially today with two munchkins. I walked the dog, filled the pool, played trucks, nursed, had a sip of coffee, played Shrek, nursed, changed a bum, nursed, played hockey, got snacks, nursed, changed another bum, played catch, nursed, put my toddler to bed, peed, had another sip of coffee, ate on the run and of course nursed. Now throw thrush into the mix and I am verging on crazy. Somewhere in there I also spoke with a lactation consultant, the pediatrician and the pharmacy. I now have 15 free minutes and I am blogging and nursing and it's only 2:00. When does my husband get home???

By the way, if anyone out there has thrush advice - bring it on. I feel like it is slowly getting the better of me. Oh man, my baby was just about to fall asleep nursing but he pooped himself awake. I should run before I join the circus!

B

I will get on the plane. I will get on the plane.....I am going to repeat this until I am actually on the plane and there is no chance to get off. It is going to be very difficult to leave my sister and Lily. We had a great weekend. Ev and I got lots of bonding in, for us and with family......We even managed to give Jac and Darren a rest and take Lilly out for a few hours. It is those slings again....I put Evy in the stroller and Lilly in the cuddle wrap (yes, I did stock Jac up with all the different ones as there is a sling for everybody out there) I have attached a few photos - one I love is Evy trying out Lilly's cowboy boots which arrived just in time for Stampede.

While I am definately goingto have a hard time going - I am sooooooooooooooo excited to see H and Kirb - I miss them crazy...of course, I have learned the hard way so I arriving with gifts for my almost 3 year old.....he will be happy. And I did drive 45 minutes to Longview to stock my hubbie up on the World's best jerky!!!!!

More to come once I am settled back at home. Evy is teething like crazy - must discuss that too.

Kath

7th Inning Stretch

Let me set the stage...

The Goldeyes game was so much fun. The unfortunate part is that we got there in the 3rd inning and were rained out by the 5th! After Hudson's nap, we began packing, collecting and getting the family ready - which took us to the 3rd inning - game started at 4:00 for our first big event as a family of 4. Dad dropped us off at the door because we had so much gear they probably thought we were moving in. We had spent almost $50 within 20 minutes on food and souvenirs - mini donuts were a staple of course! Hudson had his own seat, Gage was in the Wom baby. We cheered and laughed and ate. Hud even giggled the whole way to the car as we were dumped on by mother nature. It really was an hour of pure bliss. The comedic part happened when we began our descent home.

Hudson in the back in his Goldeyes hat and #1 fan mitt asked us 375 times "Where is Goldie?" We answered him about 200 times, he's at the ball park - speaking loudly over Take Me Out to the Ball Game which was playing by request on the stereo over and over again. By the time we reached Polo Park, we decided we need a coffee. So, we headed to Tim's.

In the line up, Hudson was still pestering us about Goldie as Gage woke up. Each car that edged up made me more and more tense. When we got to the window the girl was soaked and stressed out and took 3 hours to get us our order - at least it seemed that long. Dad booked it, thinking the motion would settle Gage. No luck, we had to stop. Imagine a steamy car parked in the Michael's parking lot. Upon first glance one might imagine teenagers making out. Not us, I had my boobie out, Hudson was belting out his new song, eating chocolate cookies and occasionally remembering to ask us about Goldie and Dad was losing his mind. Rain pelting the vehicle. Brent and I laughed at how funny this situation had become!

Life with babes, it is the most fun! Regrettably we didn't get to the 7th inning stretch!

Oh and I woke up in sweat, I had had a night mare that Kath wasn't returning to Winnipeg. I hope you had a great trip - now get home!

B

PS - First picture is of Goldie's #1 Fan - second is Gage sporting a new Parade outfit & Small Potatoes binky leash from the store- completely organic!