Monday, June 30, 2014

Sprout is Eighteen Months Old!

Today Sprout is eighteen months old!



One and a half guys!  Can you believe it?  Though she'll point to herself and say "baby", she's really a full-fledged toddler now.

-We had her 18 month check up last Tuesday.  She's just shy of 24lbs and 33.5in.  That's over 90th percentile for height and holding nice and steady around the 72nd percentile for weight.  Such a difference from The Bean.  I've actually been asked a few times recently if they're twins.  I think it's a bit of a ridiculous question because anyone who pays any attention should be able to tell that he's older, but at the same time I realize that people don't always pay a whole lot of attention.

-At her check up, our pediatrician, who I quite like, asked her if he could check her heart, she said no.  He asked to check her eyes.  She said no.  He asked... well, you get the idea.  That garnered the comment that she is "right on track developmentally," which I got a chuckle out of.  We've been hearing a lot of "no" and a lot of "mine" lately.

-She continues to add words to her spoken vocabulary, but as I said last month, it seems to have slowed down.  She'll repeat almost anything when she's in the mood.  Still no two word combos.

-She's getting pretty active.  She's bold when we're out at the playground and wants to try everything her brother tries.  She goes down slides (on her belly, when no one is around to hold her hand),  climbs stairs and ladders and pretty much anything.  Loves to swing.  Runs, almost jumps, bounces, dances, spins, splashes, digs, etc. etc.  She also likes being pushed on the scooter and tricycle.  It's so nice to be able to spend so much time outdoors with them.

-Oh, and she LOVES swimming.  We met up with some fellow bloggers (Hi Little Monster, Boo and Mommies!) and a cabin near a lake and she went nuts over being in the water.  This bodes well for the swimming lessons I'd like to start her back at in the fall.

-Her favourite toys right now are her baby (actually, The Bean's baby is her favourite), the stroller and balls.  She also really likes playing with (moving around) the chairs in the dollhouse.

-I don't think there's been any big change on the sleep front.  Still going down between 7 and 8pm.  Usually waking around 4am to nurse, and then again at maybe 5:30am or so, waking up for the day by 6:00am or if I'm lucky sometimes closer to 7:00am.  Naps around 12:30pm most days (which is really to late for her, but it's hard for me to manage to get both kids fed and ready before then), usually waking once to nurse briefly and then wakes up by 2:30 or 3:00pm.

-Eating is about the same too.  We're slowly getting away from purees.  She's really been enjoying watermelon lately.  Other fruits are hit and miss.  Same with veggies.  She loves starches and meat though.  Cheese is also a hit, but not yogurt, which I find baffling.  I ate gallons of yogurt while I was pregnant with her.  Maybe she just had her fill?

-She is still pretty clingy and a "mama's girl."  She does love her mommy and brother though, and is comfortable around family that she sees often (my sister, Jen's parents, my cousins and Aunt).  I think if she were in daycare she'd be more outgoing, but since it's mostly me, Jen and The Bean she's around that's just what she's used to.

Even with her emerging toddler-ness she is a very sweet and happy baby.  Her silly faces and giggle are infectious.  We love her so.

Friday, June 27, 2014

{this moment} wagon ride

A Friday ritual. A single photo  - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 


If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Inspired by SouleMama.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Summer Bucket List

Since all the cool kids are doing this...

1. Visit new parks.
2. Go on hikes.
3. Build a sandcastle at the beach.
4. Swim in a lake.
5. Catch (and release) bugs.
6. Bake a pie.
7. Read a book.
8. Have a picnic.
9. Visit animals.
10. Splash.
11. Play with bubbles.
12. Watch live music.

There are twelve week of summer, so 12 items on a bucket list seems reasonable.  Of course, we've already done a few of these things... a few of them may be a bit more challenging.  (I'm thinking of #7 in particular!)

What's on your list?




Thursday, June 19, 2014

23/52

A portrait of my children, every week for a year.



The Bean: Proud of the ant he found and caught.
Sprout: Spent the better part of four days in this puddle.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day.

Overall it's a non-event in our two-mom household, but I have found myself thinking about fathers and other father-types the past few days.  

Yesterday afternoon Jen put on some music and we were dancing around the living room with the kids.  Paul Simon's You Can Call Me Al came on.  I'm sure this was intentional on Jen's part.  She knows the memories this song holds for me.  I'm six years old and standing on my dad's feet, curls tickling my back as I look up at his face.  Giggling as we both sing "I can call you Betty/ And Betty when you call me/ You can call me Al/ You can call me Al."  His name is Allan, aka "Al", and though no one ever calls me Al, I still like the joke of him being called Betty.  The Bean and Sprout don't yet know the words, but they giggle as I spin them around the living room, singing loudly and off key.  

Earlier this week Jen's dad reassured me that though things are difficult right now I will never regret  having this time with the kids.  He poured me a whiskey and put on a TV show I could laugh at.  

These men, they're good men.  Our fathers and father-in-laws.  Grandpas and Poppies.  We are lucky to have them.

And though he's not a father to us or our children, I've found myself thinking about our donor.  His reasons for doing what he did.  The gift that he's given us in these children that he will likely never know.  I wish I could thank him.  

While our kids will never have a father to give homemade cards that look like dress shirts with a tie to, there is certainly no shortage of good men in their lives.  Men to show our appreciation to on this day.  One day they might feel like they're missing something other kids have, but I hope it won't be long after that that they'll be able to recognize what they have that other kids might not:  Great grandfathers.  Generous strangers.  And a lot of other people who love them very, very much.  




Friday, June 6, 2014

{this moment} storytime

A Friday ritual. A single photo  - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 


If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Inspired by SouleMama.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Proud? Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day

This blog post is part of the June 2, 2014 synchroblog “Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day”  Be sure and check out the other posts! You can find the list here!  

WorldPride is being held in Toronto at the end of this month.  It's usually about this time I start hearing bits and pieces about Pride.  Often Jen and I talk about which of the events we would like to attend --sometimes the big parade, other times one of the concerts, last year it was the family events at the public school in the gay village.  I'm sure we'll have that discussion again soon and mark on the calendar when we're going to head down town to join in the festivities.  And while I've have enjoyed myself in the past, and will surely enjoy myself this year and into the future, the truth is that Pride really isn't my thing.

Don't get me wrong --I love living in a city and country where it feels "okay to be gay."  I love that we are friends with gay and lesbian people and parents.  But I would not use the word "proud" to describe my feelings about my sexual orientation.

I didn't choose to be gay.  In fact, if I could have chosen, I probably would have chosen to be straight.  Though I'm completely at peace (now) with my sexual orientation, it's not something I am proud of.  To me, being proud of being gay feels akin to being proud that I'm a twin, or that I have detached earlobes.  It's not something I did.  It's just who I am.

However, I am proud that I stood up for who I am.  That I stayed true to myself even though I lost family members and friends.  I am proud of the work that has gone into my relationship with Jen.  Dating long-distance for six years.  Making it through the immigration process.  And I am proud of our wonderful children and the dedication that creating our family took.

If that's what Pride is about, count me in.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Another Project 52 Catch Up

Week 20


The Bean:  Feeding the birds.
Sprout: Saying hello to the yak.  (Yak?)

Week 21







The Bean: Working in Grandma's garden.
Sprout: Swinging.
+ a bonus, because look at that face.  How could I not?

Week 22




The Bean: Blasting off in his rocket ship.
Sprout: Trying very hard to figure out how to put on pants the past few days.