Thursday, November 30, 2006

The "Ups" - Sitting Up And Throwing Up

Toviel is 4 months and 3 days old.

Yesterday he surprised us with his sitting alone skills. It was Cris who discovered it - that Toviel can sit by himself for 3-4 minutes. All by himself. Then after a couple minutes he starts screetching and distorting his face in anger letting us know it's not cool to use him for entertainment purposes for more than a couple minutes. 4 months and 3 days old! Actually, since it was yesterday he starting doing it, he was just 4 months and 2 days old! And I can boast. There is nothing wrong with Mommy Pride. And that's a good thing, since I am FULL of it!

I would post a picture of my cute 4 month and 3 day old baby sitting up alone, but 1) I don't have access to the computer I need to take the picture off the camera because *somebody* has important computer things to do, such as work on masters. And 2) I don't know how to post pictures. I'll figure it out someday though.

My other little nursling is sick. This evening he threw up. After eating an orange. Ever throw up after eating an orange? I have. And I believe with all my heart that is the worst food to throw up. At least that has been my experience. Elijah demanded to know what had happened. "What'd I do up there on the bed?" was his question....over and over again. So we had to explain barfing to him. So now he has a word and an explanation for it and everything is good. I just checked on him about 5 minutes ago and he is very hot. I'm 93% sure that he has a fever. Poor little guy.

I hope he's feeling better tomorrow. Tomorrow we start Christmas! The tree is going up and the music is coming out. And we have egg nog, Christmas oranges, Clodhoppers, and chocolates to see us through the day! Woo hoo!!

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Ode to the TV

It used to be at the day's end
I was a very faithful friend.
We'd sit together and spend some time
Watching shows that were so prime.

Now you barely get a glance,
We no longer do the tv dance.
You're hopes and dreams have been shattered,
The pieces of our friendship scattered.

The thing you feared the most came true -
I no longer have any time for you.
You're locked in a cabinet, you're covered in dust,
The way you are treated is so unjust.

Perhaps one day things will turn around
We'll re-establish our time, our friendship re-found.
Until that day you will sit by yourself,
So alone and rejected on your tv shelf.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

15 Little Known Facts About Me

15 little known facts about me that may be surprising to you....

1. I have been a passenger in the back of a police car - and it wasn't for fun.

2. I had a 'pretend' friend when I was a child. His name was Brian. We would only play together outside, mostly hiking up pretend dangerous mountains.

3. The only Junior High (Grade 8-10) courses that I completed were Grade 8 Math and Grade 8 English. The rest I just took small portions of or just wrote the final exams without even taking the course.

4. I took English 11 twice and got an "A" both times.

5. I have never been offered illegal drugs.

6. There was this guy I had a crush on. He didn't have a crush back. So I prayed to God daily for over a year that this guy would fall in love with me. And he did (sucker!!!!).

7. I have been taken to the hospital by air ambulance and told by the attending physician that when he returned to the hospital to do his rounds 6 hours later he expected me to be dead.

8. I find cheesecake revolting.

9. One time when I was lost in Vancouver I met a man on the beach and somehow ended up at his apartment. Alone. With this stranger. I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up and finally contacted my friend he drove me to my friend's house - an hour away. I'm lucky he was a good man.(yeah....I was stupid.)

10. I had a cougar's head in my lap once. And yes, the rest of the cougar was attached to its head and it was a live cougar.

11. A surgeon once operated on me during his lunch break.

12. Donny Osmond has kissed my hand.

13. I would love to play paintball regularly.

14. I want to be a pilot someday.

15. When I had my learner's license, my mom told me never to drive alone and my dad told me to never take my eyes off the road. I did both at the same time and totalled a Nissan Micra and took out a lilac bush.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

99 cent undies and other great deals

Today I took Elijah & Toviel to the mall. My reason for wanting to go was because it was -25C or something like that today and I needed to stretch my legs and at the same time Elijah could go to the "Kids at Play" place in Market Mall. He loves it there.
I also feel it is my solemn duty to show people how cool baby slings are. Every baby deserves constant contact with their mama and slings are the perfect way to do that. And the mall is the perfect place to show that. I will demonstrate later on.

Everything was going great until the mall was in view. It was then that I realized I had picked a Saturday to go to the mall. Not only that, but it was exactly one month until Christmas and people have started Christmas shopping in hoards. I forget that basically everyone has Christmas shopping to do because I finished mine in September. Yes, that's right - September. I'm all done. No stress for me!
Needless to say, my choice and time of activity for the day was not the brightest. I was worried I would not find a place to park in the heated underground parking and have to take my little baby out into the cold. But I found a spot just 2 spaces away from the door that links the underground parking with the mall. God bless the people who invented special courtesy parking spaces reserved for pregnant women and parents with infants. God bless them.

We mosied around the mall and Elijah & I played at "Kids at Play" while Toviel napped in his sling.
Later, somehow I ended up at The Bay. The Bay strikes me as one of those ritzy stores that charges more than the other stores do who sell the same product. I don't buy often at The Bay. But we do stop in to play with the toys. Although today we never did end up looking at the toys since Elijah fell asleep in his stroller, so I meandered around. And I found the unlikeliest deals at what I thought was the unlikeliest store!

I found 2 pairs of dress pants (I have none, so this is exciting) on a clearance of a clearance rack. These pants are regular $50. I got them for $9. And, may I boast that they are a size 4? I only point this out because I just grew and gave birth to my 2nd child just 4 months ago. 4 months ago.
And what's this? A bin of ginch on sale? Hmmmmm...
I believe it was Warrick on CSI who said there was nothing sadder than tattered undies. This was my chance to rid myself of my old tattered undies and get new ones!! Joe Boxer ones! Regular $8.50, on for, brace yourself, $0.99! Score!!!!!!! Cheaper than Fruit of the Loom!
I bought 12. (I didn't want to go overboard or anything.)
Anyways, the bin was right by the checkout. And the checkout had a consistent line of 15 people waiting to buy their stuff. And all these people had nothing to do but stare at me as I selectively chose which underwear to buy. And they did. All of them. But that's okay, because I got undies for $0.99 each! Ninety-nine cents.

Back to the sling thing. Whenever I go out people gawk at my infant in his sling and smile and say things like, "What a good idea!" (as if it's a new concept) or "Where did you get that?" etc. A couple people have said "Oh that's so cute! Look at that baby in a bag."
Baby in a bag????
Anyways, today three people approached me and asked where they could buy a sling like mine for an expectant friend or relative. So I told them and went on to say its wonderful and how a crying baby is usually instantly soothed when folded up and plopped into a sling and how nice it is to be able to carry on some of your normal daily tasks while still carrying your baby. I promote slings. Maybe someday I will even start making slings for people. Slings are great. And I'm happy to advertise that.

When I finished talking to the last person who asked me, I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if these people would ask about Jesus instead. "Oh! What a great idea! Where did you get that Jesus? I want to get one!"

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Perpetual Motion

Today I took the boys to an AP Playgroup that we sorta joined in the fall. Today was my second time going. I'm not a very faithful attender.

When we first arrived, Toviel was sleeping. When I brought him into the house he was still sleeping.

Rule #22 in my parenting style is "Never wake a sleeping healthy baby."

So I left him sleeping and just set his bucket car seat in the corner of the room.
Elijah spotted the playdough on the table and plopped himself down to play with it before I even had a chance to take my sweater off.

Here's where perpetual motion comes into play. I took off my sweater and was standing beside the table talking to Elijah and to another mom. After about 2 or 3 minutes, I realize that I am swaying, rocking and bouncing my sweater up and down. Am I trying to lull my sweater into a deep sleep? Or am I attempting to soothe my screaming sweater?
I feel so weird without a little one in my arms. I have come to the conclusion that I am in a constant state of motion except for when I am sleeping. This has been brought about by years (well....2.5 years) of motherhood.
Toviel has spent most of his life in my arms, or in a sling I'm wearing, or strapped to me with a wrap. And he loves to shake and move. And now, I cannot stop myself from moving.

So here I am at this playgroup with a bunch of people I have either just met or have met 1 other time, rocking my sweater to sleep. Where's my baby?? Wake up baby! I need you so I don't look so stupid!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Out of the mouths of babes

We were coming home from grocery shopping the other day and were waiting at a traffic light to turn left. A truck pulls up beside us and my dear sweet innocent 2 & 1/2 year old son says in a very excited voice, "Hey mommy! Look at that stupid truck!!"

Note to self: Watch what you say infront of the boy!

My true identity exposed!

So, I was curious the other day and I googled my name.

I know. That is a little weird. But I actually did find something about me (sorta) on the big ol' net. It was an article my mom wrote years ago.

Yes. My mom has had several works published. A published writer you could call her. And I found an article she had written for Mental Health in B.C. plastered all over the internet...

(click here)
Nourishing a Body With Self Esteem, by Doreen Dunn

My question is, who are those people in the picture?

My true identity has been revealed! Yoink! I am really a beautiful oriental woman with high cheekbones and long black flowing hair.
I spend most of my time disguised as a superhero with white skin and red hair.

My superpower?

I make milk.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Sprite Sun Fizz

Years ago, Cris and I were watching TV in our little rathole, when we saw the funniest commercial we had ever seen. It was a Sprite commercial. It started off posing as an orange drink commercial, like those "Sunny D" commercials.
Sooooooo funny.
We saw it just that once.
Often we would eagerly turn on the TV in hopes of seeing that commercial again, but instead we had to resort to laughing at just the memory of it. And believe me, we did. Over and over.
And no one else got it. They had no idea what we were talking about.

But behold! A couple weeks ago we were filtering through some google videos and stumbled upon some funny old commercials.
My eyes got wide. "Do you think they'd have....."
Cris knew exactly what I was talking about (we are so intune with each other) and was saying, "Uh huh! Uh huh!" before I got the chance to spit the rest of my sentence out.
We found the commercial. I felt a little internal leap as we started to watch it! My life long ambition of finding this commercial somewhere, somehow has now been fulfilled!!
We watched it. And we laughed and laughed and laughed. Once again.

Now maybe it's not as funny to you as it is to me, but it has GOT to be even just a little bit funny to you!

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Mommy Crack

Today I was at a baby shower. Babies are popping up everywhere. Or popping out, I suppose.

Well, it wasn't until I got a funny look from another woman that I realized what I was doing.
I was holding my beautifully precious new baby (well, 4 months old new) and sniffing his head. A lot.
sniff. sniff. sniff. sniff. sniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiif.
Then I was giving his head really small and really fast kisses. I was repeating this over and over, sometimes taking a sniff of his head while I was planting little kisses on his bald head. And upon realization of what I was doing, I just couldn't stop! I just smiled at the weird looks and continued on doing it.

Anyone who's had a baby knows this addiction. Little babies smell so....wonderful. They have that lovely milky smell. I even love to smell my little one's breath by sticking my nose right in his mouth. It smells....almost soapy. Milky soapy.
So yummy!

I tell you, it's Mommy Crack.

*sniff* *sniff* *sniff* *sniff*

My candid blog name

As you can see, I have named my blog "Candid Confabulation".

Many years ago someone once said to me that they appreciated how candid I was in conversation with them. I can't remember who said this or when it was said, which upsets me a little. I wish I had known the context in which this was said. But I can't remember. Not really. I have an inkling that it was someone at St. Paul's Hospital during my glory days (I was once famous among a small group of medical professionals).

Anyways, I realize that I am quite candid....all the time. I think it's because I'm too stupid to censor what I say. Or maybe I just don't care to. I'm not sure. It doesn't matter. The fact is that I'm candid. Sometimes maybe a little too candid.

I realize as far as "confabulation" is concerned, this is rather a one-sided confabulation, but...whatever. This also doesn't matter. I like the aliteration that the "c's" provide.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

I could have a blog too!

Everyone in the house is sleeping except me. I was just reading someone else's blog, when I asked myself "Hey, why don't I have a blog?"
I have things to write about that could interest other people. Take for example, the huge tree in our backyard blowing over and hitting our house. I could write about that. That could be interesting. My life is (sometimes) more than just poopy diapers and sticky fingers.

I don't think of myself as incredibly funny or witty like some other people who write blogs BUT someone did write something in a recent birthday card about me often catching her off guard and saying something funny that has her laughing for hours. So this blog may occassionally be somewhat fun to read.
Maybe.
I know my mom will at least get a kick out of it. Right mom?

I have no idea what to name my blog since it's only been about 10 minutes since I decided to create a blog. I'll have to think about it for a while.....
Hmmmmmmm.....
Oh...the baby is squeaking. Saved by the squeak.