Adventures in Haircutting

I don't know what is is about being a mom, but suddenly you believe that you have all these mom abilities that you never had before , but being a mom somehow qualifies you. Cutting hair is one of these things. I've been cutting Elijah's hair for a year and a half now, and it's not bad...esp. since I just use the clippers. But you know you start to think that you are more talented than you are. The hair around Elijah's ears was driving me nuts, it was always looking long and shaggy, so last night I thought I'll just snip it with scissors...oops! My poor son now has a slight bald patch around his right ear...and of course I had to make somewhat of a match on the left (that one is neater) and then blend the whole haircut together...So poor Elijah who was told that Mom was just going to snip, ended with up a full unattractive haircut. Well at least hair grows back.

Announcements!

Jeremy

I caved...

So I joined Facebook yesterday and I'm feeling all of my coolness factor has faded into oblivion. Whatever level of it I once had is gone now. Until Jaclyn told me about Facebook on Thursday, I didn't know it existed (yes, Jen, I know you invited me a while back, but I didn't get what it was about). Apparently the rest of the world does though because they are all there. I'm still figuring it out. I guess when you are living a life when you are dancing to the music of the Backyardigans while you make KD for your 2 year old you realise that life has indeed changed!

That's my favorite

Elijah has a new love...it's called Gramma and Grandpa's big TV. Not only does it have a clear signal (we don't have cable, so we play with an antenna), it has Treehouse TV anytime of the day. Max and Ruby, the Backyardigans, Thomas, Bob the Builder, Franklin and Miffy. Elijah's world was opened up past the videos we borrow from the library. Now that we are home, how do I meet this entertainment fix for my son? Well now that our internet is fixed (we haven't had it since we've been home this past week and a bit), we have discovered treehousetv.com which has a link for TV clips that fortunate for me I can play and check my email at the same time. Currently playing are the Backyardigans (or the Backyard Kids according to Elijah). There's a whole TV culture out there that I had no idea about. There was no such thing as preschool TV when I was a kid...I have some fond memories of Sesame Street, Mr. Dressup and the Friendly Giant...but it was not 24 hours a day, 7 days a week solid. I'm kinda glad we don't have cable...I'd rather he get his energy out and play. Remember play? It's what kids did before kidtv and video games. Did you know that the biggest growing video game market is for the under 3 crowd? Rediculous really. And that's today's rant.

It has been a week and then some...

I'm posting from my parent's place in Abbotsford today. We've been here for over a week now and still have some time to go. My mother-in-law, Carole passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the end of March. It has been a very strange time. I knew we'd have to deal with the deaths of our parents one day, but I always figured it would be much much later down the road. It is a very strange time to be here. I keep thinking and wondering why we haven't seen Carole yet, and then I remember. She was a very loving woman who was always ready for a hug or a prayer. I miss her very much.

And we are surviving

Here we are lacking sleep, fighting off colds, watching too much Blue's Clues and enjoying every minute of Jeremy's life with us. There are things about newborns that I love that I totally forgot about. Some like all night cluster feeding I think God programs us to forget or we'd never have more than one baby. Others, like their smell, their facial expressions and their tiny toes you want to hold onto forever. Elijah says Jeremy smells like a bowl of honey. I asked him what he smells like and he answered popcorn. As tired as I am, I do cherish the little moments. Like the 4 in the morning feeding where you feel like you and your baby are the only people in the world. (this is only special if you don't have the baby blues, otherwise that contentment turns into a feeling of abandonment). I've had those moments too, but what gets me through is knowing this time around that newborn doesn't last forever. I got through it before and I will get through it again. I look at Elijah and wonder where the last 2 and a half years went...it makes me cherish my time with him and Jeremy all the more. I love my boys and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I thank Jonathan for all he does to make this time as easy on me as possible, Jill for encouraging me 7 weeks down the road from us, and everyone else who have sent along messages of love and well wishes and prayers...they are much appreciated.

Only if you are from Abby...

You know you're from Abbotsford when:

1. You aren't sure whether marijuana is legal or not.
2. You can swear in Punjabi, English and Mennonite (Darnit!)
3. You've hunted mailboxes
4. You see a gas station on every corner.
5. You see a church on every corner.
6. You see a grow-op on every corner.
7. Five degrees is really cold and twenty is really hot.
8. Rain is a part of daily life.
9. You secretly have a firm stance on the great Blueberry Cannon Debate.
10.You don't get excited about Christmas lights anymore because people keep them up all year round.
11. Your town's automall is bigger than the actual mall.
12. You don't think seven hockey arenas is enough.
13. Your town has had 2 mayors even.
14. Your current mayor is an octogenarian.
15. You know when the Diwali festival is.
16. You know when the Berry Festival is.
17. You've grown accustomed to the smell of cow manure in the morning.
18. Going to Vancouver is a long day trip.
19. You use the Trans-Canada highway to get around
20. You know you only have two dates with a girl to score before you have to start taking her to the same places again.
21. Someone asks you where you're from, and you answer, " Vancouver ."
22. You tell someone you're from Abbotsford and they ask, "Where?"
23. Bowling is the highlight of your day.
24. Your yard is the drainage center for all of Washington and Vancouver's pollution.
25. You know what the "big orange bubble" is
26. You know how to spell and pronounce "Trethewey"
27. You celebrated your 25th birthday and 6th wedding anniversary in the same year.... at Sneakers.
28. You don't need Playland, because you got the Agrifair.
29. You've noticed your 'water tower' is really a cheese tower.
30. You know what the 'mechanical vacuum gorillas' are.
31. You know where to go for Karaoke 5 nights a week.
32. You sit on a bench which is actually a paint palette, farm machinery or a creepy guy.
33. You consider a gravel pit a decent place to meet up and hang out.
34. You're SO much better than those kids in Mission
35. The flea-market is a must-go-to-event on Sunday... after everyone goes to church of course
36. You have been part of the glory days partying up on Sandy Hill before there were houses there
37. You see ten people that you know walking two blocks to a convenience store
38. You hate Chilliwack . I mean the Chillbillies.
39. You develop asthma.
40. Your city is both the murder capital and bible belt of Canada .