Tuesday, March 24, 2009

My daughter, Tractor Tom

Ada has decided to take on new identities, three of them in total, depending on her mood. Strangely, all three are names of sentient modes of transportation. First was "Chuggington", or "Little Red Chuggington", based on a 10 minute British show that she happened to catch one Saturday on Treehouse. She spent most of the week asking to see "the other train show" (as opposed to Thomas the Tank Engine), and when I finally figured out it was a new show called Chuggington she became obsessed. When I said to her "Come to the table, Ada!", she would correct me, in her best insulted teenager voice "Come to the table, LITTLE RED CHUGGINGTON, mommy!" Even when she referred to herself in her cute 3rd person way, she would say "Ada, no, Little Red Chuggington go upstairs!" I was glad when she allowed me to drop the "Little Red" and call her just "Chuggington", but it was still a mouthful, especially after 2 1/2 years of simple "Ada". Next came "Tractor Tom", from another 10 minute British show that we found at the library. "Good night, Ada!" "No mommy, Good night, Tractor Tom!" At least it was easier to say. Then it was "Lightening McQueen", from the Disney movie "Cars". This was an influence from her favourite 3 year old, Liam, and yet another mouthful for both of us. I think that's why she has moved back to "Tractor Tom". So, between a train, a tractor, or a race car, she seems to have settle on the talking tractor regularly saving the day within 10 minutes of the crisis. Not a bad role model, I suppose. :)

Here she is after international day at the parenting centre, wearing the same kilt my sister and I each wore when we were two.




Elliot's latest achievements: Learning to love to chew on Sophie, the ever-popular giraffe, and finding his soul-mate, the Jolly Jumper.





Monday, March 16, 2009

I'm back!

Okay, instead of a long-winded story about why I haven't posted for A WHOLE YEAR, I'm just going to continue on as if that never happened. I look back at what I wrote for Ada's first 18 months, and I am happy that I have those stories and thoughts written out, and I'm sorry that I have missed this past year of experiences. I feel like I should be re-introducing Ada since she is a very different girl from a year ago. Also, now I need to introduce a new member of the family that didn't exist a year ago - Ada's little brother Elliot.

So here is Ada in a nutshell:



She is now an active two and half year old, and she is beautiful, happy, and fun to be around. And for me, sometime a little exhausting to be around. She talks non-stop in her broken 2 1/2 year old way, with cute pronunciations and expressions galore. She has been described as a "walking narrator", since she gives us up-to-date running commentaries on her current thoughts and actions, usually in third person. "Ada running! Ada jumping on couch! Ada looking out window! Ada eating lunch!" She loves words, and is always trying out new ones and learning new things at an inconceivable pace. She loves to draw. She draws faces on every piece of paper she has access to, and loves to colour in her colouring books. As much as she also loves to paint, she sees it more as a science experiment and prefers mixing colours and making a general mess, which is what being two is all about. She loves to bake, especially with daddy; crafts, especially involving scissors, glue, and glitter; and exploring the outdoors, especially if it involves puddles and/or mud. For a two year old, she has a pretty varied appetite, but prefers her rice to be plain, her cheese to be cheddar, and her tofu to be peach/mango. She has her mother's sweet tooth. Her routine consists of GO! GO! GO!, then a solid 2 hour nap mid-day, then GO! GO! GO! until she drops into bed for a solid 11 hours. She is loving and gentle, especially to our two cats and her little brother, and loves nothing more than running around with another toddler while in a fit of giggles. And while she has been stubbornly testing her boundaries and exploring everything to the limit, I wouldn't have it any other way.


And now, introducing Elliot William:



Elliot was born at 12:01am on November 24th, 2008, at 7lb 14 oz. Now coming up on 4 months old, Elliot gave me a dream pregnancy and a complication-free birth. He has been a pro at nursing since day one. And now that he has overcome is Evil Gas and daily vomiting, he has more opportunity to display his happy, calm little personality. Now if only he would learn to take a bottle of expressed milk now and then, mommy would get a chance for some much needed "me time". He is my "little man" - all boy, solid build, with the longest eyelashes possible. He seems to be keeping mommy's dark hair and daddy's blue eyes, and is one handsome little guy. He loves to watch all the kids running around at Ada's groups we attend, loves splashing in his bath, playing with the arch on his chair that lights up and plays music when he kicks his feet, and is a real talker. He insists on going to bed at 7pm every night, and is usually up only 2 times for a nurse, and will often sleep in to 8 - 8:30am. He loved the "calming vibrations" mode on his bouncy chair, until it broke from over-use. Overall, he is a content little guy who is all smiles for his big sister. I can't wait to get to learn more about him as he shows off more of his lovely personality.


As for me, I'm keeping busy with these two. Some days can be rather overwhelming, but I'm lucky to live in such an accessible neighbourhood, and to have friends and family to go to when I need them. I'm looking forward to getting some "me time" again (ie overlapping naps and a baby that takes a bottle so I can get out once in a while). But I don't want to forget the current times and appreciate what I have while I have it, instead of looking back and saying "Why didn't I realize how good I had it?" I know I do - I have it good.