Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Here comes Twenty-Ten

I remember being a kid and thinking what the world would be like in 2010. Twenty-Ten... that just sounds cool. I imagined hovercraft cars, air highways, virtual reality cooking. I hate science fiction but I had a great imagination for a kid. I thought anyway.

So, what will 2010 bring for us? A continuation of raising two amazing children, a return to the working world, home renos, and learning to love the life we have. Resolutions you ask? I don't make them. But this year, I have compiled a list of things I aim for.

1. Love my husband despite his quarks, faults, snoring and smells. So often we get caught up in the things that we 'hate' about each other. I don't mean like hate as in divorce hate. I mean like hate as in O-M-G if you do that one more time I may erupt the She-demon.

2. Love myself. This is always a work in progress. I am always looking over the fence and seeing things I'd love to do/have/see. I'm the first person to jump at comparisons between us and them. I think Twenty-Ten is going to teach me to look at myself inside and out and say I am an amazing person and that will in turn only bring wondrous moments for the Superfam.

3. Love my children. I always do, but I'll love them MORE. Is that possible? I hope so cuz I am going to do it. LOOK OUT children you will be loved more then you can ever imagine. I'll take that moment as I'm trying to brush my teeth to repair Cinderella's crown, or when the Tank cries I'll pick him up and cuddle him for 20 seconds longer. So many people say "you must train them to do this". Sure... but training can wait, LOVE always comes first. Hugs, kisses, cuddles and joy that is going to make the difference in my children's lives, not teaching them to self soothe by crying it out, or getting angry when Superkid refuses to go to bed.

4. I will be C-R-A-F-T-Y. Yep, there I said it. You know the seen in The Birdcage where the guy says I have always wanted to be a Dancer? Well change that to me standing in my crafty kitchen proclaiming Twenty-ten to be the year that I SUPERMOM learn to be crafty. I have a few projects thanks to other bloggin mama's like Mckmama and this girl AND Bakerella. Not to mention I WILL enroll in an 8 week photography course no matter how basic it may be, it will always increase my skills, and I might even take a sewing course *gasp.

5. I will be grateful. I will be grateful for what we have. I don't think this one needs s'plainin' eh?

6. I will eat healthier and exercise more. Kinda goes hand in hand with loving myself but it needs its own number don't you think?

7. WE will start saving for a big family vacation. Destination unknown but sometime in the next 2yrs we would like to go somewhere interesting, fun and family friendly. Suggestions are always welcome. Unless you say Disney and well... That is for Year 8 and Year 10 respectively for our kidlets.

8. We will take time. Take time to enjoy everything there is to enjoy about life. Twenty-Ten will be a year of greatness, however, as any year there is always the chance of tradgedy, chaos, sadness. So... to prepare for anything, we will take time to love the ones around us, enjoy every second. When Superkid or Tank smile, we will stop, snap that moment with our brain cameras, store the memory and appreciate. Don't you wish YOU too had a camera in your eyes? For those moments you just don't have time to grab the camera to remember? We had one of those moments last night. Superkid and I were lazing on our bed, Tank was also with us. Superkid thought it would be a great time to burst out into song to teach Tank about the joys of singing. We had a schoolgirl giggle fest, wiggled our tushes and when Superdad got home he must have thought we were headed straight for the Looneybin. But we appreciate these moments.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Comments

Ok so if you read, please click on the 'comments' linky at the bottom right corner of each post and leave the Superfam a message. I just like to know who's surfin' around learning new things about the Superfam. If you have problems leaving comments let me know and I can give you a tutorial :P

2 more sleeps 2 MORE SLEEPS DID I SAY TWO MORE SLEEPS? Because... you know... if you didn't already know SANTA ARRIVES IN TWO MORE SLEEPS. We have one supercited nearly 3yr old. She was convinced last night that Santa (who appeared at Superdad's area Christmas get together) was meeting us in the truck to come home with us. She was so shocked to open a gift from Santa that she has been wishing for months (Princess Ariel baby doll.....)This year is a big year for her. The moment she realizes that the Santa spirit is alive. We can hardly wait.

I know that there will be a few hours of lost sleep on Christmas Eve. Both Superdad and myself require tranquilizers to sleep on this night... Add a very excited preschooler to the mix and lordy lord we could have ourselves a festive anxiety party at 3am.


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

2009: A Year in Review

Can you believe that its Dec 22nd and we have green grasses? I am seriously trying to get into the Festive spirit but it just doesn't seem like its year end. 2009 was filled with lots of exciting things for the James Crew:

Jan 2009- Supermom turned 30, yes thats right... 30 and pregnant F-U-N


Feb 2009- Superkid turned 2 gadzooks is that even possible? She still looks like a baby to me.


Mar 2009- The Tank arrived!




April 2009- We celebrated Easter as a family of four, and continued to survive the first 6 weeks of parenting 2 kids.


May 2009- Life is getting cramped at 126 Chestnut... The hunt started for a new house. 2 small children, a dog and Superparents living in a 2 bedroom 780 square foot bungalow was beginning to feel a lot like living in a submarine... Supermom was slowly being taken over by Supercrab.


June 2009- Slowly the house is being transformed into a house we love again, sadly we are too big for it now and must move on... The Tank turned purple, and Superkid enjoyed a trip to the Petting zoo...



July 2009- We said goodbye to our pal Phoenix, which was probably one of the toughest decisions we have had to make thus far. The house was ready to sell, and sold in 4 days... WOOHOO we bought our next house and the deal was we had to be out in 30 days... *gulp. Let the packin begin.




August 2009- And we are IN... Breathe in... breathe out... Do you feel that? That is relief and me, Supermom running laps in our new oversized space!!! Oh the glory, we can relax in the hot tub and enjoy our neighbours FINALLY. What would a long weekend be without a trip to the trailer? Parry Sound or Bust. We spent an extra long weekend up at the trailer it was just perfect.





September 2009- 6months???? excuse me???? The Tank is no longer a newborn... He's a full on rolly chubby baby and Superkid? she's 2.5yrs old... Not such a baby anymore. Where is time going? I swear Tank was just born.



October 2009- October brought Halloween and fun fall weather complete with a trip to the Punkin patch. We completed Superkid's big girl room and the upper level painting is complete... Now onto the rest of the house. Did I ever tell you we HATE painting?


November 2009- The Superfam continued to enjoy all the wonderful fall weather.




December 2009- Christmas prep, family get togethers, Holiday cheer. The Tank is now weighing in at a measly 21.9lbs and 29 inches long... I think he'll be larger then SuperKid at 1yr then she is at 3yrs old hahaha.

2009 was a GREAT year, lets hope it continues into 2010. Merry Christmas to everyone and The Superfam hopes that Santa is good to all and wishing everyone peace, love and happiness into the up and coming new year.

XOXO
SuperMom, SuperDad
SuperKid and The Tank.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas whaaaa?

Ok when its +2 C out how do you expect me to get into the Christmas spirit? Impossible. I had to chuckle I took Superkid to see Disney's newest Princess and the Frog. Prior to the movie starting there is a little 'Holiday wishes' segment as part of the Cineplex preshow. One of the questions was "What is your favourite holiday movie?" The answers were all Christmas related. Not one person was allowed to wish anyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS it was all Happy Holidays yet their favourite movies surrounded Christmas.... Hmmmmm... MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE, I refuse to subscribe to the PC line of "Happy Holidays" to anyone. Pffft on that.

Superkid managed to sit through most of her first big screen experience and the Tank survived a nap without having the mama around to help him get to sleep. YAY. So it is possible to have him fall asleep sans breast. Hip hip horray. Next challenge- bedtime without mama... I will make it to the Holiday party. My 31st birthday will not be ruined by a) an Enterprise 'Holiday' party or b) a 9month old dictator. Nope nope it wont. Last year my 30th was not as fun as it could be due to the preggo factor but also due to the snow factor. So this year I am going to MAKE it to the Holiday party and have some festive cheer ;)

Was goofing around with our camera the other night, a friend of mine taught me the 'bokah effect' and here is my attempt at getting it on camera.


Oh and speaking of Christmas... Superkid and Tank hopped on santa's knee the other day... It was fun for Superkid not so fun for Tank...

Friday, December 11, 2009

What's in your toolbox?

Ok so when the Tank first came home I was armed with various things that would soothe him when he was tired, grumpy, bored, or hungry. I had my super swaddle technique, I had the soother, I had my boob, a vibrating bassinet, I had a swing, a bouncy seat, and a warm pack for his tummy. Then it all changed.

I now have a boob and an aquarium entertainer el crappo on the side of his crib. Several weeks ago Tank decided to get sick. I knew it was inevitable that he would get sick but MAN... he got so sick he couldn't breathe and suck at the same time no matter how much saline we squirted, how elevated his crib was, how moist his room was, and how much we slathered him with baby vaporub. He could not breathe. At all. So the first night he slept in bed with me, while Superdad slept in the office. I think I saw every 20min from 11pm-9am to replace that lovely peice of plastic to his mouth. Night number 2 of this ebola virus I said enough of that crap and we stole his soother from him and MY tool box. On that very same night we said well if he's gonna lose his soother we might as well unswaddle him....

A few nights of some tears and he was broken of his soother and swaddle addiction, however, that left us with NOTHING to help him calm down except boob. So my smart little genius learned very quickly to fall asleep every time I nursed him for naps and bedtime. I didn't clue in til a few weeks ago that he was totally using ME as a soother... So here we are today teaching the guy to fall asleep on his own.

Did you know this is not an easy feat? Seriously... I think it may be easier to train a dog to do their business outside. All I can say is that after a few failed nap attempts today I am exhausted and of course he fell asleep while nursing away tonight before bed. With his eyes open I might add.

So here we are parenting without any tools in our toolbox! I must say you can't be lazy when you have no tools. Soothers and swaddles made life so much easier.

Monday, December 7, 2009

I saw a snow flurry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok I hate winter. In fact I hate everything to do with winter ESPECIALLY when you have 2 children to bundle up, get safely into car seats and slush on the back of my car seats. Yup- I am not a winter lover. I am a lover of all things easy, so spring and fall are my favs, no messy boots, no thick coats and no prolonged departures because your nearly 3yr old decides that mittens are for losers, and your 8mnth old refuses to keep a hat on his head.

BUT... Christmas cannot come unless there is snow. Its not spirity if there is no White Christmas. So today I did a little snow dance and Brantford produced a snow flurry. Perhaps if we all danced around our living rooms with our kids we will have a snow storm, but if you can make sure you don't do this dance until Dec 23rd that would be great. Thanks.

I asked Superkid what Santa was bringing her for Christmas and she is adamant that the jolly fat guy is going to put a 'pwincess com-puuuu-tor' under the tree and a 'pwincess tower'. She even informed me that Santa would bring Nolan 'a big truck, toys and a cracker'. Cracker? really? interesting. I guess I should bundle the 2 up and take them for their first Santa visit ever. Yup I have a nearly 3 yr old who's never been to see Santa. Something about a kid sitting on a strangers lap that gives me the heebees.

Anyway the festive season is upon us and its time to get in the spirit of giving. Time to pack up the toys we don't play with and donate them to someone who could use them that is my project this afternoon!!!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I accept I ACCEPT I ACCCCCCCEPT

That is me wrestling the other girl running for my 'Mom of the year' award. Remember when I said I am a much better mom on daycare days? Well, I think that could be said for Tank too... Perhaps daycare would wipe him better, or maybe even notice the bright red horrible skin fold rash that developed I swear in less then 24hrs. Just call me neglecto-mom...

See... and I don't mean to blame it on anyone else but damn that kid is always just too happy to be breathing that we'd never know that anything is actually wrong. EVER. Every morning he greets me with the same amazed look on his face; the look of GAD ZOOKS I made it through another night? Then he smiles and flails his arms in excitement (probably much like a kid jumping up and down when they see Supermom pulling out the ice cream for breakfast). God I love that kid.

Ramblings from the backseat

Superkid... ohhhhh superkid. It was one of those daycare mornings where I silently jumped with glee as I drove out of the daycare parking lot. Rainy icky day + Super kid just equate to a giant disaster of a parenting day. So I happily walked her to her class, leaned down for a kiss and said good bye. She ran in with excitement, latched onto her BFF and started her day.

I'm a great mom on daycare days. I'm an even better mom when I'm back to work fulltime. No joke I'm serious. I was never the girl who dreamed of cooking at the stove in heels and happily slugging a newborn over one shoulder while making home made play dough with my free hand. Nope. not I. I am the mom who takes quality time over quantity. Perhaps if Superkid had a more easy going temperament maybe then I'd be more willing to be June Cleaver but I hardly doubt that.

I think it all goes back to the fact that if I want something done I'll get someone else to do it. Lazy? no. Resourceful? yes. So anyway the point of this post. Ornary superkid wakes up and refuses to pretty much do anything I ask her to do, so there was a reward on this blustery morning if she could eat her yogurt, take her vits and drink her juice. A token economy if you will... *gasp. Yes I paid my daughter with a Hershey's kiss to eat her damn breakfast. There. I said it. I DID. You wanna know the funny part? 30sec into throwing that delicious treat into her mouth she said "Ewwww mommy this is yucky and it smells funny" (my sensory kid is really affected by smells these days, including nasty mommy breath after a cuppa). Anyway she spit it out, threw on her shoes and coat and she was off for the day. So I guess her home made Advent calendar with Hershey treats is allllllllllllll mine, errr ok fine I'll replace the treats with something she likes (maybe).

Car ride to school is no different then the usual car ride- stop here, go now, this way, no that way. However, today she decided that I was to stop for "Ariel" the shrunken Mermaid who apparently was in the grass. At a red light my loving nearly 3yr old scooped up her "Ariel" (from her car seat I might add) and proceeded to give her some trouble. "I said come here, 1...2....3.... ok Time OUT I said". She's always disciplining her imaginary beings... Maybe I should lighten up- or go back to work *snicker.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Supermom Crafts again

Ok I get the desire about once a year to craft. Yes craft. I am the most UNMartha Stewart like person I know. So many of my in real life friends and online community are the hobby crafters extraordinaire's. Where as me? I just pay someone to do the work I could learn to do. Well that goes for most of my life actually. I'd rather pay someone to do the things I just plain suck at.

But today, is like no other normal day in Supermom's life. Superkid says "I wanna be a dancer, like Belle", so Supermom produces. I'm not sure how life will be when Superkid says "Mom I want a car just like Belle (or any other child friend of hers)" because well, I'm not quite sure I'll be producing a car of any sort for my future teenage child. EVER.

So a dance she shall be, this mama made a Tutu. I searched online craft DIY thingymado's and came up with a rendition of a few different 'plans'. Me thinks it turned out A-O-K.





Who are we?

Perhaps I should add some photos of the Superfam just to reacquaint us with our readers







Bonjourno!!?!

Welcome back! The defunct Tao of James has not recieved an update in quite some time. Well. I've been busy. I swear!

Superkid is now approaching 3. O-M-G if anyone had told me. No wait- warned me that this is probably the funniest and yet most annoyingly challenging age I'd never believed it. Until today. I once house broke a puppy and raised a newborn at the same time practically alone (as superdad's work schedule is less then desirable to a family with young'ins). Not even THAT can compare to a few hours in the same house as Superkid. We move from laughing to screaming in about 0.0000002 seconds here I think her moods are far more unstable then a 49yr old woman experiencing menopause. Repeat my mantra daily- 'I love my children, I love my children' as it is necessary to get through a day around here.

SuperbabyII a.k.a The Tank arrived in March, he turned our world upside down more so then his moody counterpart. After 5 long days in the hospital our family of 3 became a family of four in cramped quarters. A few days after he arrived home I proclaimed it was time to move. Five months of room sharing (and not with Superkid I might add, he was alllllllllllllllllllllllll ours) was enough motivation to get packed and move to our current house. The added square footage and room to roam has been a blessing. However- I forgot I would have to clean and organize a larger space. We are definitely not done that yet.

25months 8 days of spacing between births. Again... WHERE WAS MY WARNING? No one said 'yo crazy', and if they did they sure didn't speak loud enough. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't (and couldn't) change it for anything but WOW... I don't have anything on those Duggar folks. Two is our limit, in fact I think one could have been the stable limit but ha- stable? Is there such thing. We rocked the cart and well the dysfunctionals are in da houuuuuuuuuuse.

Oh and because we recognize our limits after bringing The Tank home, we gave Phoenix to a great young couple who could give him everything he was craving- attention, walks, love, companionship. He was so sad with us, and I was so sad that he was so sad. I was also sad that we had to do what we did but it was the best decision for him and that takes a big person to admit that. We didn't give up on him but we were busy and perhaps I should have (and next time I will) listen to my mother when we said 'hey we are getting a dog'. So the James' family albeit complete technically shrunk by 1 in June of 2009. We hope he is truly happy with Lisa and Paul and their Superpug.