Rain, rain...

I have a strange confession.  I like the rain.

Seriously.

I like it when we get rainfall warnings and torrential downpours.  I love splashing in puddles...with or without my son.  I love hearing it on the roof or my windows.  I even like driving in it.

I don't like the days where it kind of rains.  Where its grey and overcast and blah.

I like the heavy duty, soak you to the skin, don't bother straightening your hair kind of rain.  I love the way my city smells when its over...clean, refreshed and ready for the world.  I love the sea of umbrellas as people navigate their way through the precipitation.  I love shaking the rain off of my umbrella and stomping my boots to get ready for the day.

Rain?  BRING IT!

Thank God I live in the Lower Mainland.

What's in a number?

I'm still not feeling better, so now we're onto abdominal ultrasounds!  YAY!  It's not severe...whatever is wrong with me...it's just, well...wrong.  Let me tell you, I thought I was done with ultrasounds when I gave birth to my only child. This. Is. Not. Fair.

This whole health thing has had me pondering my age.  I turned 40 in July of 2012, and since then there hasn't been a day where I haven't thought "I'm 40.  What does this mean?".  I feel conflicted...is my life ending, or is it just beginning.

My body is starting to betray me.  I now have to stretch before football practice (I don't, so it hurts like a son of a bitch when I am done).  I have weird ailments.  I have to pluck my chin of that one hair that comes out of nowhere (what IS that).  I need to start using moisturizer and have an actual skin care regime.

But really...I'm only 40.  I can still do anything and have the wisdom of my youth behind me.  I don't look 40.  I don't act 40 (except the morning after football practice).  I have confidence in many abilities that I never had before. Things get better with age...like wine...and cheese...and my hair. But I still keep waiting for my life to start.

How many times can I say "it begins now" before it starts to sound ridiculous.  How many times before...I stop trying?

Okay life...it begins now. Lets do this thing.

But first...back to bed.  Football practice yesterday seriously almost killed me.

Under the weather

Lately, I have been feeling under the weather.  Gross shall we say.  Weak, dizzy, a general feeling of malaise.  I have described it as like being drunk without all the great benefits of actually being drunk.

I got a series of blood tests and such done and today I find out the results.

I know something is wrong...I've seen the results.  I don't know what they actually mean, so my head is going into all sorts of horrible places involving death, drastic life changes and medicine coming out of my ears. Diseases that begin with L, I and D. I turned forty just over six months ago...has it finally caught up with me  I am I officially over the hill?

Does this kick me in the butt to finally change the way I've wanted to?  Eating healthier, doing more exercise and making more of my life...watching less TV, playing more, writing more and putting down Sly Cooper?

I hope so.  I hope its only a scare and nothing worse.  Although my brain sure doesn't think so...

The right to be stupid

And the winner for my favourite headline so far 2013 is from the Toronto Sun.

Americans have the 'right to be stupid': John Kerry

Yup. 

"Americans have the right to believe what they want, even if it's contrary to scientific, religious or other mainstream schools of thought"

The issue here Mr Kerry (Honorable Kerry?  Secretary of State Kerry?  John boy?) is that your nation is known for the stupid.Its like you have a patent on it.  You elected George W Bush...TWICE!

I think there comes a time when you need to address that what people are believing comes from ignorance.  That you have created an atmosphere where people sue school districts because their children are being taught yoga.  That's right.  Yoga. Because its inherently religious...as opposed to being, oh, I don't know...exercise?  Relaxing?  A way to get kids moving in a nation where childhood obesity has reached epidemic level?

Yup...you've got the right to be stupid...and you're certainly exercising that right as much as you can.

Creative Intimidation

I think of myself as a crafty person.  I make a mean sock monkey (see above), am a fierce cook, can sew like the wind, love a good yarn and frequently find myself being covered in paint with my kid.  I have made tutus and batman costumes, clothing and washcloths, cards and paintings and have proudly created every single one of my kids birthday cakes.

However, I am feeling intimidated.  I am going to dinner on Saturday at this woman's house

Groovy Craft Chick

I need to up my game...

Happy birthday kiddo

It seems I like to go on two year hiatuses (hiatii?).  My last blog post was about my son turning six months old...which is kind of crazy considering he'll be four in 6 months...so here goes.

Happy 3rd and a halfth birthday kiddo.

You make my day.  Every day.  Every morning when I hear you scream (yes...you scream.  You are not one for quiet.  Much like your mother) 'MOMMY' I get the biggest smile on my face.  You are my ray of slightly stinky (you really are becoming such a boy) sunshine.  Your father and I could not love you more.

You love to dress up in costumes...generally super hero focussed, but sometimes you have been known to be a koala bear or horse.  You love to sing and dance and play soccer and be silly. You love trains and dinosaurs and painting and play-dough   You do not love being still.  You also do not love cherry tomatoes, which honestly I think is really strange.

You are painfully shy on first meeting new people and then suddenly, you will blossom.  You have the memory of an elephant and are horrid at telling knock knock jokes.  Hide and seek is not your strong suit, but if you could, you would play it every minute of every day.  Your favourite person in the entire world is your father...which is awesome because he's one of mine too. You also love your best friends, your grandparents and your aunts and uncles unconditionally.  You love meeting new kids (less sure about meeting new adults) and will do just about anything for a hug and a cloudy kiss.We went swimming last week and you swam around like an otter in a life jacket, wanting no help from mommy...no matter how much of the pool you swallowed.

You will eat cucumbers, snap peas and fresh sweet organic carrots like they are going out of style.  You are a butter pig.  You love 'MAC O CHEESE', bananas and beans.  You will try every new food once...and sometime will continue to love it and sometimes you will think it is horrid. You recently discovered BBQ Pork as a good food...which is awesome. You think cooked pears are gross (yah, I kind of get that) and love exploring the produce section of the grocery store in the hopes of finding new fruits and vegetables.  When you are pretending to be a koala, you will only eat salad.

I love that you are becoming an amazing little person...but it makes me sad because soon you won't be my little man.  Soon you won't SCREAM for me in the morning to come give you cuddles.  Soon you won't want to play with my hair as you drink your milk, or cuddle with me under the white blanket and watch movies on Friday nights.  Soon you will be embarassed by my kisses, and cuddles and want to be independant and alone.  And that will break my heart.  But right now, you are my little puppy...my bean face...my koala and I will take all the cloudy kisses and snuggles that I can so I can save them in my heart forever.

I love you puppy...more than I ever thought possible.

Yours,
MOMMY!!!

Happy Birthday Baby

Dear Beanface,
Six months ago (and a few days...you know your mommy can't do anything RIGHT on time can she?) we met for the very first time.  Your arrival, not surprisingly as you are my child, was dramatic and fraught with adventure.  But that isn't what I want to tell you.  I want to tell you how wonderful it has been to get to know you.

You were so small when your daddy and I got to meet you for the first time.  We both looked at you with tears in our eyes because you were so perfect. A bit blue, but they fixed that right away!  Then your Aunty C and Uncle C, your Papa, Grandpa, Gan and 'Ma'came right in to meet you and you were surrounded by all of those who loved so much you even before they met you!  They were soon followed by all the other aunts and uncles in your life that love you and were excited to meet you!  You might be the most loved baby EVER!

Every day has been a wonderful adventure with you my little bean.  I treasure every minute that I got to hold you snuggling in my arms when you were only a few days old.  I have watched you discover, learn and conquer the world for you are super baby.

Now that you are laughing, watching things, talking your bean language and trying to grab everything in sight, I see the little man that you are going to become.  You are curious and strong, filled with a ready laugh and giggle at so many things.  You love cats and plastic bags, trains and squishy blue stuffed dogs, eating your feet and blowing raspberries and of course, Sophie La Giraffe.  You think blueberries taste yummy, squash is awesome and peas are very very gross.  I tasted the peas and I agree with you.  Trust me, when you can eat fresh spring peas, you will think they are yummy, but right now, we'll hide them in the squash okay?  You are a flirt and a joker and you wear every emotion on your tiny little sleeve.  You are king of the exersaucer and lord of the cheeks! You are above the curve in every way my son!

Thank you, sweet bean, for teaching me about love, patience, joy and happiness.  Because of you, I have learned to love you and your daddy with more of my heart than I knew was there.  Because of you, I have learned that nothing is important enough  to miss the best things in life...like putting on baby socks or blowing raspberries on bellies.  Because of you, I have learned that nothing is better than a family of giggles.  Because of you, I have learned that it is my duty to make sure everything I do, or almost everything (apparently I still need to pick up my socks.  blah), makes me well and truly happy.  I am inspired to do great things to make you proud.

I can't wait to see what the rest of our adventure holds!  I love you little man!

Love,
Momma-bean