Stuart and I celebrated our Fifth Wedding Anniversary yesterday by going on Safari! Well, a local safari anyways 
We took the children to the African Lion Safari in Cambridge, and it was a wonderful way to spend our day!
I must admit, that just prior to entering the safari, I got cold feet. I had never been to the Safari before, and had heard tales of naughty monkeys ripping pieces off of vehicles as they passed through the primate section. This brought to mind images of our *just paid for* Hyundai being demolished…yikes! The Baboons were very well behaved I will admit! They only stole a piece off of one vehicle during the time we spent watching them, and while they did attempt to pull some trim off of our car, they were unsuccessful!
I would highly recommend this attraction to anyone with children, looking for a fun way to spend a day in Southern Ontario. If only for a few hours, you might actually forget that you’re still in Canada!
“Spring Has Sprung, the grass is ris…I wonder where the birdies is!?!”
I think my Mom used to recite this to me when I was little…even now, it still makes me smile!
On the topic of spring, my husband and I have noticed a huge change in our son’s behaviour of late, and are wondering if the cause is the proverbial “Spring Fever” which seems to affect us all at this time of the year. Yesterday was full of tantrums and shouting while he spent much of the day indoors. At one point, a broken banana which his Dad attempted to remedy with scotch tape (do not try this at home people!) was the cause of a level 9 toddler melt-down.
Today, our efforts to spend much of the day outside paid off as his spirits were so much better, and there wasn’t a single tantrum. He seemed to have a very happy day! It was so nice to have him back to his regular old self again. Nothing a little fresh air and sunshine couldn’t fix, eh!
Just what is there to the notion of spring fever anyways? Why exactly does it affect children (dare I say, everyone) in such a profound way? Parents and teachers note a yearly increase in the “Spring Crazies” second only to the sugur-induced madness seen on the days following Hallowe’en! Even animals are acting funny. Our cats are literally climbing the walls, and the Squirels are going nuts for…well…nuts!
Is it because children are so sensitive that they succumb to thier emotions so much more than we do as adults? Perhaps we are all in super-sensitivo mode? I know I for one am extremely sensitive when it comes to the weather. I notice a definite up-lift in my spirits whenever the sun shines. Perhaps all of us in this wacky climate are all so much more affected by the weather than we realise?
All I can say for certain is that I am truly thrilled to see the return of the grass, and although it is still brown in colour, I was briefly tempted to run out there in my sandals today. I did not end up wearing my sandals, however I did make an equally poor choice of footwear on our earlier walk to the muddy park. “Holy shoes Batman!” Literally…hole-y…heh! Needless to say, I got just a wee bit of a soaker!
Liam has recently been looking at the wedding pictures proudly displayed in our bedroom, and announcing “Mommy not a Princess!” Indeed, he is correct, although my husband tells me I’m his princess anyhow I must admit that I find it very amusing that my son equates me wearing a big puffy dress, veil and the other associated wedding garb as somehow making me “less” worthy of princess status. I guess being Mommy is enough of a job for me in his eyes!
Sleep? If only!
Actually, we had a not too bad night last night. Gwyneth is following in the footsteps of her big brother, and seems to have her days and nights confused. She has been waking up often for feedings at night, and I was only getting about two hours of sleep until last night, when she only woke every two hours, so I got a much better nights rest.
Day 5, and as the dust is starting to settle in our household, we are completely over the moon with our new daughter. Liam, who thinks she is wonderful, constantly needs to know where she is, and enjoys showing his affection for her. We have to be watchful however, as there seems to be a fine line between “kisses” and “head-butts.”
This week, Stuart goes back to work. I’m not sure which one of us is more sad. I will miss the help, but most of all I will miss the family time we have shared this past week.
Speaking with a health nurse two days after Gwyneth was born, she told me “when you have your second child, you leave home for the hospital as a couple with a baby, and return home as a family.”
What a wonderful feeling family is…
This picture was taken a few days ago before the cold tempertures and snow came and shocked us all into a state of denial and disbelief that winter had arrived. Indeed, in the upcoming forecast, they are calling for colder temperatures and slightly more winter-like conditions. Last night, Stuart said to me that we got “cheated” out of fall. I tend to agree. This season is so short to begin with, and due to the high winds we’ve experienced in the past 48 hours, most of the beautiful colour has left the trees surrounding us.
This winter will be a very different one. I will be the mother of two children. Double the responsibility, twice as many diapers, feedings, and twice the toys that now clutter my home. Yet at the same time, double the joy in my life.
There is an expression “go where the wind takes you.” I am excited to see exactly what that place looks like.
Liam continues to be fixated with the colour orange…he has really enjoyed our recent ventures to the local pumpkin patch. I caught him the other day affectionately hugging one of the pumpkins we bought on the weekend while repeating the phrase I had said to him to get him, to get him to pose for this picture “hug-a-punkin”
I remember my Mom once telling me that her Grandmother used to say “if there’s enough blue sky to make a man’s shirt, it will be a nice day.” I love hearing the favorite expressions used by our elders, and indeed, I think this one does have some truth to it.
Liam and I went for a walk yesterday afternoon, under cloudy skies that had “just enough” blue. It was a wonderful walk despite a minor meltdown caused by Liam’s indecisiveness as to whether to keep walking, or go back to the park. Never-the-less, we enjoyed our stroll, camera in hand and I took several pictures along the way.
Walking with a toddler forces you to slow down (something many of us need to do more of) It makes you more aware of your environment, and the things in it which normally, you may take for granted or simply not even notice.
In these final days of calm before our second child arrives, I want to remember to notice the small things. I want to remember what it was like to be the mother of just one child. I want to focus on Liam as much as possible, play with him more, read more stories and cuddle him endlessly.
I want to slow down, and simply remember…
It appears that the Island of Sodor is under attack! Take cover everyone!
