Happy New Year: Looking Back on 2009

Happy new year, everyone! Welcome to 2010.

I don't do new year's resolutions, I don't wear stupid hats or bang on pots and pans at midnight... but I do stop and reflect on the year that's gone by. 

Highlights from 2009:


January ~ my dad turned 70. Seventy! Happy birthday, you spry septagenarian!

February ~ the end of maternity leave. The return of my caffeine addiction, and punching the clock at the airport. I rolled out the polyester, dried my mommy tears, and headed back to the workforce. 

March ~ Noah's adoption is finalized. Three cheers for our forever family!

April ~ the evil economy strikes again! My job is downsized, our new dog dies, and I start the hunt for a new job. 

May ~ Noah's birth certificate arrives, and we finally see his new name in print! I apply with AFABC, and it's a perfect fit! :) 

June ~ I work my last day at the airport on a Friday, and start at AFABC the next Monday. 

July ~ first official family vacation. Noah meets all his second cousins and extended family. 

August ~ we meet Noah's big brother!! A wonderful day at the beach with the boys and our respective families. :)

September ~ first international family vacation. My husband, his teenage brothers, Noah & I go to DISNEYLAND!! It was a whirlwind bit of insanity, and we loved every minute of it! I can't wait to go again. :) Next time, pack the straight jackets.... 

October ~ lots to be thankful for this year. Oh, and Daddy gets his new truck!!! No more transit rides with our two year olds!

November ~ a quiet month in our household!! A couple of birthdays, planning for Christmas. On the work side, I added the position of Education Coordinator and am loving the challenge! 

December ~ happy holidays, everyone!!! We did Christmas with my side of the family this year, and were blessed to meet Noah's twin cousins, and have time to spend with ALL my millions (okay, ELEVEN) siblings and their families.

We couldn't ask for a better end to 2009! Wishing you and YOUR families health, happiness, and as much joy as you can bear in 2010.


Happy new year!

Don't Let Him See Your Fear!

Hubby & I went on a date last month -- which meant we needed a sitter for Noah.

Since we're neurotic parents, not just any sitter will do. We trust Kevin's mom to provide day care, and will permit close relatives to watch him while he's out of our immediate care.

But that's about it.

So that night, we asked a close relative to baby-sit. We prepared Noah by telling him that both Mommy & Daddy would be going out, but we would see him in the morning when he woke up. He seemed fine with that; he knows his aunty very well & she is one of his favourite people. He didn't even cry when we put our coats on and walked out the door.

Kevin joked with his little sister as she waved goodbye. "Don't let him see your fear, sis!" 

But she brushed us off and said "We'll be fine, won't we Noah?" to which our pint-sized toddler cackled in agreement. "We be naughty!"

(That should have tipped us off. He was already plotting his baby-sitter's demise.)

We left four pages of instructions to help aunty get through the night. I've included a few of our bedtime directions here:

~ place four ice cubes and water in his purple sippy cup at bedtime, and place the cup on the floor next to the bottom left bedpost.

~read his two favourite books "Love You Forever" and "Just One Goal" twice each in that order in a Swedish accent.

~for pajama time, put his undershirt on inside out so the tag doesn't scratch his neck. Place his left leg in the sleeper first to avoid a meltdown.

~Sing him "Teddy Bear's Picnic" but change it slightly to "Dinosaur's Picnic" and amend the following verse:

Picnic time for dinosaurs

They love to scream and roar

They never have any cares....

At 6 o'clock when mommy and daddy

Have finally had some sleep

Then you can wake up,

Please don't make a peep...

****

So those were the instructions. Not too much to ask, was it???

Aunty, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry we've catered to him and that bedtime is such a battle for you. (And us!)

We're not perfect parents.... but we had no idea.

We had our phones on vibrate in case she needed anything.

Despite checking our phones every ten minutes to see if there were messages, she held out.....possibly because she was hanging on for dear life!!!

Noah's normal bedtime used to be 9pm. (I know, I know, we're terrible!!!)

That snuck up to 10:00, which is still manageable for us.... but when you throw in the baby-sitter factor, that number climbs closer and closer to midnight.

So when our late movie got out at 11:15, and we rushed straight home with the hope of seeing our sleeping babe tucked into his toddler bed, guess what we found instead?

A frizzy haired sister-in-law looking exhausted, standing at the front door holding a sippy cup in one hand and the remains of a toilet paper roll in the other.

"Don't ask!" she commanded as we snuck in the door.

As if on cue, Noah poked his head up from behind his baby gate. "I awake, momma! Gonna get big time out!"

In other words, "Welcome Home, Mommy."