Mother Of Boys Blog

Slightly Embarassing...

Harrison came home from his 3 nights with Neema and very excitedly told me:

"Mommy, Neema let me use the steaming hot thing"

I said "What steaming hot thing?"

He said "The one to make the clothes flat"

I said "Ohhh you mean the iron"

He said "YEAH, I've NEVER seen one before!!!"

Busted.....

Who the heck has time to iron anyway????

*Note: I know that Neema would be mortified if I didn't point out that he was allowed to put his hand on hers and do it together safely!

Harrison and his Neema

Harrison has had a fantastic 3 days staying with his Neema (Grandma) in our Whistler condo. We were so blessed to have her live with us until H was 3 and help to raise him while I was working. The 2 of them have a bond that I can't describe, it's like they are connected on another level. It was always a little bittersweet for me because when he was little, it was her who he cried for if he was sick or hurt, but I was always happy for the 2 of them and the special relationship that they have. I knew that no matter what I was his Mommy and words can't describe the feeling that it brought me to know that he was safe, adored, and lived a richly stimulating perfect life when I had to be at work.

Now, ironically, Neema still lives in Japan, and we are in Canada. It's hard for both of them to be away from one another, but when they are together, they enter their own world and off they go... I went to bring supplies to the rescue heroes and I found them in the dark in the walk in closet whooping with delight. When I went in, I found them in the dark whipping a glow in the dark bouncy eye ball around the closet. If the ball hit Neema, then she tackled H, and vice versa. I tried to play along but holy moly having a hard little ball ricocheting at me in the dark was waaaaay too crazy for me. If you can believe it, they had been in there for an hour already, and probably would have been for another hour if I hadn't interrupted them!

Yep, Neema rocks!

It's the process, not the product!

You should see our art cupboards, they are brimming, overflowing, we have EVERY art thing imaginable both bought and scavenged BUT Harrison has been losing interest in art over the last year or so. At our last house, we had the most amazing "art bar" where the materials were right there to access, and I think that was definitely better because he would get inspired a little more.

So it kind of makes me sad, because we used to have SOOOO much fun doing our messy art together but the other day, I got reminded a really valuable art lesson from my husband if you can believe it! (he's not really that into art, that's why I said that)

I walked into the kitchen and there was Harrison as intent as can be creating a masterpiece.....with his golf tee and golf ball!!!! My husband had provided materials that H was into, and then the magic just came!

Keep your eyes peeled for more masterpieces soon!

Sleep training sooo different on second child!

I just wanted to insert that I used to think that sleep training was hideous. Before I had children I used to be angst ridden if I was at a house while they were doing it. Don't they love their children? What message are they sending them, that they won't be there when they need them?

These views carried on through my first child, I sobbed next to the sleep doctor as she instructed me to maintain no eye contact and keep my hand on his little heaving chest until my allocated (silent) 5 minute hug.

I didn't follow through with the program, I secretly thought she should be reported to the child welfare authorities. I thought that I was proving how much I loved him by waking with him 10 times a night...

With Harrison, we waited too late, by 10 months, he was so firmly in his ways and so stubborn that sleep training just never worked and in the end, I really like to crawl into bed, snuggle up and smell his sweet breath next to me to end each day (even now!). BUT It's been a long 4 1/2 years with lots of sleeping issues. It's good now, but it took awhile to get here.

I no longer think it's torture, I no longer think it's mean. I think that helping children learn to self soothe is a really important skill, and even though it doesn't really seem like it, I do think it is positive parenting to give a child tools they need even if it's going to be a rough couple of days learning....

Today has been another good day, down to 3 minutes to fall asleep!!

Yay.

Cool new chat widget!

Now I can chat with you through my blog! See the cool ipod looking thing down the left hand side? Go to the happy face button and send me a message, I'd love to know what you like to read on my little old blog, and where you come from (if I don't know you!) You can also see your dot on the rotating map...yes little things amuse me terribly!

Day 2 of sleep training!

So we've gotten in the hideous habbit with Maverick of rocking, bouncing, nursing, swaying, driving, strollering, you name it to get him to sleep. We knew better...we've had a sleep doctor for Harrison, we know ALLL about sleep associations etc, but somehow we did it anyway.

The thing is, Maverick is a giant! He's a reeeeeealy heavy 5 month old, and I can't imagine what it'll be like at 10 months bouncing around a 40 pound baby as my muscles bulge through my shirt.... Not even that, but it's making me crazy, and it's not doing him any favors. The other day I would rock him for 25 minutes for him to sleep for 5! He did this all day then woke up 5 times in the night. CRAZY I KNOW!!! That's why enough is enough.

This little monkey is going to learn to fall asleep on his own for the good of our family and his own.

So yesterday I started. I decided that within every 2 hours of waking, he would be put back down as soon as he displayed any tired signs.

Round 1: He cried for 5, screamed for 5 then FELL ASLEEP (Oh yeah, I'm a superhero...) definitely too cocky..

Round 2: He screamed blue bloody murder for 12 minutes then I brokedown and breastfed him and he slept (not such a rockstar now...)

Round 3: He babbled for 5 minutes then sleep. YEAH

Round 4: He screamed for 15 minutes (while I had a glass of wine to calm my fraying nerves) and then I patted his back to sleep, I actually got to read stories to H while he slept, put him to bed, and then M woke up again, but I left him and he actually settled himself within 5 minutes!!

Nighttime: Fed him at 11 and then he woke 2 times in the night but settled himself HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a first1

Day 2

Woke at 7:41 played, bottle, back down at 8:41 and

PUT HIMSELF TO SLEEP IN 4 MINUTES!!!!!!

Oh yeah baby, we can do this!!!

You know you're raising your boys in Whistler when....

-the names on the cubbies at preschool are Saxon, Jett, Diesel, Indiana, Van & Rocco....

-Any child with a salon haircut or brushed hair really sticks out....

-Parents are in a panic that if they put their 4 year old in the minis ski program instead of kinderkids, that their child won't get to ski black diamond runs....

-Training wheels at 4 is sooooo passe...

-Every sport is the EXTREME version, they stand on their crossbars while riding, they ride their skateboards in the real ramps at the skatepark, they ski backwards, through the trees and try to do 360's when they go over a jump...

-They go into training for the "Kids of Steel Triathlon" at age 5...

Sigh, what is a protective Mommy to do?

Mommy made me mojitos for dinner....

Soooo we made a big mexican fajita dinner last night as Harrison is big on trying new foods at the moment. With a big smile on his face he said "Mommy, can you please make me another Mojito?"

I can just picture his teachers face when he tells her Mommy made him Mojitos for dinner!!!!

Yes, I am a rock star mother...

A welcome visit from a Tokyo theater friend!

When I lived in Tokyo, life was odd..... There was a part of me that was always "on" I know it sounds funny to say that Tokyo was a small town, but in reality, I lived in a little bit of an expat bubble. From the schools and Tokyo Families Magazine, it was often the case that people knew me wherever I went. Moreover, I was held to a kind of higher moral ground so to speak. No, it would not be cool to see a preschool and parenting magazine owner yelling at her kids in the supermarket or stumbling home from a night of reverie. ( Of course this NEEEEEEVER happened! Ha Ha!) I never realized the pressure that my life held on me until I moved away and sighed a big, deep exhale the first time I went to a park and NO ONE knew me!

That being said, my one place in Tokyo where I felt I was just ME, no responsibilities, no high moral code, was my little vestige of sanity and fun, and that was Tokyo Theater for Children. This theater group, and group of people was a place where I could be loud, crazy, even (cover your ears moral watchdogs...swear and drink and karaoke until dawn) Yes, not in the shows of course, but with this fantastic group of people that came from all areas of Tokyo life, and who really didn't give a hoot about my life outside of rehearsals (thankfully!)

I think it was 8 years that I have been part of the company. I have played "Mr. Meany", The girl from treasure island, The hare in Alice in Wonderland, a sewer rat, and elf, a pirate, and my favourite role of all....The fairy godmother!

Tonight was a truly fantastic night as one of my great friends from TTFC Caroline, came over to my house in Whistler for dinner. Our combined 6 kids played, hot tubbed, watched t.v, and were like lifelong friends, and I was so happy to sit on my patio and be with an old friend (not old in age...you know what I mean) We talked about how the theater was our escape, and how much we laughed and left reality when we rehearsed. People ask me all the time if I miss Tokyo, I can't say I miss my life there, but I will ALWAYS miss my friends that I made, and my special time that I spent with Tokyo Theater for Children.

Thanks Caroline and family for a great night!

My beautiful new nephew!

I flew to Vancouver today to meet my perfect nephew. I was so lucky that I got to cuddle him while his parents had a little shut eye. We talked about the world, we laughed we cried (tears of joy of course) I held his soft little head in my hand as I rocked him to sleep. I will love him forever, I'll love him for always, forever and always my nephew he'll be.