I am now a freelance writer with the Victoria Times Colonist. Wooooohooooooo!
I'm going to be writing column-style articles for the paper's weekly parenting/mommy section.
I went downtown today to gather material for the first time. Baby N. came with me and we had a lot of fun.
It was like finding myself again. I can't deny the reporter within.
I'll write more about the job and how I got it this week.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Little I. gets water shy
I had to stand next to the side of the pool for Little I.'s swimming lesson today.
When he got in the water, his eyes darkened. He got out, climbed into my lap and said, "I want you, Momma."
I want you too, baby boy.
So I held Baby N. and stood next to the pool, occasionally rubbing his little back and hugging him when he cried.
He stayed in the water and finished the lesson. By the end he was giggling.
The lifeguard manager stood next to me throughout the lesson, watching the toddler class closely. She apologized the moment I entered the pool deck and said the instructor and lifeguard on duty last Thursday have been disciplined.
Now I must pretend I have confidence in the lifeguards. If not, Little I. might be afraid of the water for the rest of his life.
When he got in the water, his eyes darkened. He got out, climbed into my lap and said, "I want you, Momma."
I want you too, baby boy.
So I held Baby N. and stood next to the pool, occasionally rubbing his little back and hugging him when he cried.
He stayed in the water and finished the lesson. By the end he was giggling.
The lifeguard manager stood next to me throughout the lesson, watching the toddler class closely. She apologized the moment I entered the pool deck and said the instructor and lifeguard on duty last Thursday have been disciplined.
Now I must pretend I have confidence in the lifeguards. If not, Little I. might be afraid of the water for the rest of his life.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Big lungs, little lungs
Note: I've been composing blog posts in my head for the past few weeks, but have had no time to write until tonight. Please bear with me while I play catch up!
Over the past six years, I've been mothering my kids to the best of my ability, pouring the talent and hard work I used in school and work into my parenting. But in the end, all the extra work I've done has only added niceties and frills to the essential role of mother I play.
Last week, I met the most basic challenge parents face. Last week, I saved Little I.'s life.
Both of the boys have been taking swimming lessons throughout September. A. goes in the evening, but Little I. takes his lessons two mornings a week. I sit in the roped off parents' area next to the pool, towel and juice box ready, Baby N. in my lap or in the stroller. I try to make conversation with the other mommies and not look bored. I smile when he waves at me.
It was near the end of the lesson, and Little I.'s class was in a part of the pool that is over his head. There is a ledge under the water for the pre-schoolers to stand on and wait their turn as the instructor works with each child individually. Little I. was standing there, waist-deep in water, wiggling and giggling. The instructor turned her back for a moment and Little I. wiggled right off the ledge and into the water.
At first, all I saw were his little eyes poking above the water, looking very surprised. In an instant, he was completely under, arms waving above his head.
She still didn't see him.
I stood up, holding the nursing baby in my arms, and yelled with as much force and projection as my lungs allowed.
"He's underwater! I. IS UNDERWATER!"
The instructor spun, child in her arm, and grabbed my precious boy with her other hand, whooshing him out of the pool. She sat him on the lip of the pool, checking his breathing, asking if he had swallowed water. He shook his head no.
The little trooper had held his breath, just as he's been instructed to do whenever his face was wet.
I sat down, heart racing, breathing in little gasps. Forcing myself to take deep breaths, I tried to calm down. I watched the instructor hold Little I. as he put his face in the water and kicked.
"I must NOT go over there," I thought desperately. "He's okay, and if I go rushing over he will be afraid of the water."
"But I want to hold my baby boy NOW," my entire body answered back.
I held Baby N. I watched Little I. kick his legs in the instructors grasp. I did not move.
Little I. couldn't wait to tell Daddy he "went all the way under water!" The Hubby had to hold me for ten minutes later that night. I was trembling after retelling the story.
I did call the pool the next day and and had a chat with the manager about bringing three-year-olds out that deep without a lifeguard right next to them.
Thank God I was never one to go quiet when frightened.
Over the past six years, I've been mothering my kids to the best of my ability, pouring the talent and hard work I used in school and work into my parenting. But in the end, all the extra work I've done has only added niceties and frills to the essential role of mother I play.
Last week, I met the most basic challenge parents face. Last week, I saved Little I.'s life.
Both of the boys have been taking swimming lessons throughout September. A. goes in the evening, but Little I. takes his lessons two mornings a week. I sit in the roped off parents' area next to the pool, towel and juice box ready, Baby N. in my lap or in the stroller. I try to make conversation with the other mommies and not look bored. I smile when he waves at me.
It was near the end of the lesson, and Little I.'s class was in a part of the pool that is over his head. There is a ledge under the water for the pre-schoolers to stand on and wait their turn as the instructor works with each child individually. Little I. was standing there, waist-deep in water, wiggling and giggling. The instructor turned her back for a moment and Little I. wiggled right off the ledge and into the water.
At first, all I saw were his little eyes poking above the water, looking very surprised. In an instant, he was completely under, arms waving above his head.
She still didn't see him.
I stood up, holding the nursing baby in my arms, and yelled with as much force and projection as my lungs allowed.
"He's underwater! I. IS UNDERWATER!"
The instructor spun, child in her arm, and grabbed my precious boy with her other hand, whooshing him out of the pool. She sat him on the lip of the pool, checking his breathing, asking if he had swallowed water. He shook his head no.
The little trooper had held his breath, just as he's been instructed to do whenever his face was wet.
I sat down, heart racing, breathing in little gasps. Forcing myself to take deep breaths, I tried to calm down. I watched the instructor hold Little I. as he put his face in the water and kicked.
"I must NOT go over there," I thought desperately. "He's okay, and if I go rushing over he will be afraid of the water."
"But I want to hold my baby boy NOW," my entire body answered back.
I held Baby N. I watched Little I. kick his legs in the instructors grasp. I did not move.
Little I. couldn't wait to tell Daddy he "went all the way under water!" The Hubby had to hold me for ten minutes later that night. I was trembling after retelling the story.
I did call the pool the next day and and had a chat with the manager about bringing three-year-olds out that deep without a lifeguard right next to them.
Thank God I was never one to go quiet when frightened.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Spider
Autumn has arrived in Victoria in the last few days. Leaves are turning crimson and gold and are falling off the many trees. Squirrels are searching for nuts. Deer are fattening up on berries and clover. And the spiders are moving indoors.
When we first moved here, I noticed the plethora of spiders. They were everywhere. I thought they were pretty big. I had no idea they were just little house spiders.
The other night, Hubby and I were in the kitchen eating a midnight snack when the biggest spider I have ever seen outside the Bug Zoo zoomed across the floor. It was the size of a saucer, and it moved with speed and precision.
Look, I'll be honest. I screamed like a little girl. But to my defence, even Hubby said, "Holy sh*t!" and ran to get a shoe to beat that spider into submission.
When Hubby hit it, it reared up on its legs. Yikes. Hubby pummeled it several times more until it expired. He then dropped it in the garbage.
Does anyone have a nontoxic way of keeping spiders out of my house? Please?
When we first moved here, I noticed the plethora of spiders. They were everywhere. I thought they were pretty big. I had no idea they were just little house spiders.
The other night, Hubby and I were in the kitchen eating a midnight snack when the biggest spider I have ever seen outside the Bug Zoo zoomed across the floor. It was the size of a saucer, and it moved with speed and precision.
Look, I'll be honest. I screamed like a little girl. But to my defence, even Hubby said, "Holy sh*t!" and ran to get a shoe to beat that spider into submission.
When Hubby hit it, it reared up on its legs. Yikes. Hubby pummeled it several times more until it expired. He then dropped it in the garbage.
Does anyone have a nontoxic way of keeping spiders out of my house? Please?
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Super A. starts school
Yes, my first baby started school on Friday.
It was just a short session the first day, only 45 minutes. He settled in like a dream.
On the way home, I watched him ride his bike in front of me, proud and upright, whistling a tune as he peddled. All I could think was, "This is the same little baby they showed to me over the C-section curtain, blue and blinking, almost 6 years ago."
Wow. Parenthood is amazing.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Introducing my new stroller obsession!
This, gentle readers, is my new Phil&Ted's Sport double stroller.
I have been salivating over this stroller for about a year, but never thought about buying one until we moved to Victoria. When we got here, I realized my double Chariot was just too big for the store aisles in this city (and also that my kids wouldn't need super protection from -40C anymore, either.)
I sold my Chariot yesterday and picked up this beauty today. It pushes like a dream, and makes me feel like a yummy mummy!
Thanks to DND for its generous reimbursement of moving expenses, because that's where the cash for this came from.
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