MamaandtheCity

When M was approximately 6 months or so I was asked if she could be photographed for a new campaign Sick Kids was launching called Carewear.  It was to raise money for the hospital so of course I happily and quickly agreed!  My daughter in a photo ad, how fun!

We arrived at Sick Kids at 9:00am on a Monday morning.  I was not prepared for what I saw and felt.  In the elevator there were 3 families with small children arriving at Sick Kids at the same time as us and that was nothing compared to the number in the reception area and hospital main entrance waiting to be checked in or admitted.

I was shocked. 

Worried parents, innocent helpless children, smiling and encouraging staff everywhere, it was too much.  While waiting for our contact person to meet us and direct us to the photo shoot I received glances from Mom’s who looked at me like I was joining their club.  The club no Mother ever wants to join or be a part of.  The one where your child is sick and you don’t know what will happen next.

I wanted to hug every one of them and tell them I’m so sorry.  How can I be there for 1 hour to have my beautiful daughters picture taken while their beautiful children were there for reasons I can’t even imagine as a Mom.

After the photo shoot, I left feeling so many things.  Sadness and sympathy were followed by intense gratitude and thankfullness.  It was an eye opener for me.  It’s one thing to hear on the radio or read in a newspaper about children being sick it’s another entirely to see it with your own eyes.

Even though it’s been well over a year since that day I still remember it so vividly and probably always will.   It is the greatest reality check I could ever have and when I get down about the day to day,  I think of that day and it reminds me how blessed I really am.

Just wanted to say thank you again, for the greatest gift we can ever have – our health.

This is the photo from that day and the accompanying article. 

Hope your days and children are healthy ones.

xo

MATC

Yesterday we had a little birthday party for M.  Her actual birthday was May 13 but we didn’t want to interfere with the long weekend so we had the party yesterday.  The guests included all of M’s best friends: Grandma, Grandpa, cousins, aunt and Mommies best friend. 

Everyone commented on how big M had got and so I just wanted to say this: 

It’s not that I don’t notice how big your getting it’s just I try so hard to live every moment and every day in the present so that I can see for myself how your growing, not just how big your getting.  Your every new word still marvels me even though I know that is what is supposed to happen, you just seem so much more clever and bright than I ever expected. 

The past 2 years have been the most incredible years in my life for so many reasons that would be impossible to write but suffice it to say you were responsible for all of them.  I thought I knew who I was and what my life was before you but you show me every day there is more to me and more to life.  So thank you for that and for everything you are and everything you bring me.   Happy 2nd Birthday.

You are my first and will always be my baby.  I love you.

Mom

Having a 2 year old has taught me many things, amongst them patience probably the most.  Prior to being a Mom I was always on the go and I loved it!  The gym, work, out with friends, movies, cafes, book store, there was always something to do.

Since having M I’ve slowed down A LOT.  There is no more go go go unless it’s trying to make it to the potty in time and in a way it’s kind of nice slowing the pace down but it definitely takes some getting used to.  

So I’ve decided to not push the potty training.  She will go when she’s ready but I don’t want to force her or scare her.  She’ll go when she’s ready, the way she does everything else. 

M just turned 2 and her personality is blossoming exponentially right before my eyes.  I’ve heard people say it gets better but this is beyond anything I was expecting.   Her birthday party is on Saturday and she’s already singing ‘Happy Birthday to you’ .  Not that she knows what it means but that’s ok.

MATC

Some people know what they want to do from a young age, even going back to 5 years old.  I was never one of those people.  In high school there were people who knew they wanted to become doctors and lawyers and guess what, they did.  A lot of people decide later than high school what their eventual career path will be and pursue it, some decide in university or college and others never really decide they just go on to the next thing.  I am of the latter group. 

Not that I’m a wanderer, quite the opposite.  I’ve always had a job and no matter what it was I always took it seriously.  When I waitressed and bartended I was always on time, took whatever shift was needed and did the best job I could.  Later when I worked retail selling clothes, I was always on time and always met my sales quota (well, almost always!).  And then when I back to school for IT and went to work for a software company doing Q/A and Project Management I worked at least 55 hour weeks, never called in sick (ok, once!) and did everything I could to contribute to the welfare of the company.

However, I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up and you know, I still don’t.  After I had my daughter and stayed home with her I realized how much I really didn’t want to go back into IT.  I figured that my next thing would come since I always had work and I had time to figure it out, but after my year of mat leave ended I didn’t figure out.

My daughter just turned 2 and I’ve been doing some part time work for a previous employer but nothing that I really love.  There are things I love to do like reading and exercising and playing with my daughter and discussing current events and going to movies but unfortunately none of those things are careers (too bad!) so here I am at 34 trying to figure out what I want to do. 

There are people who know exactly what their passion is or eventually do find it.  They are lucky in my opinion because knowing what you want to do is half the battle, you’re already half way there.

Then there is the rest of us.  I’m not giving up.  Some people find their passion later in life, right?  Right???

M turned 2 on Tuesday and since I’m 3 months prego I figured I would start potty training since I don’t really want to have both kids in diapers, does that make sense?  Is it easier if both are in diapers?  I don’t know but I figured I’d start training now so hopefully by the time the new bundle arrives M is trained and pottying on her own!

So, the first time I sat M on the potty – actually on the cushioned Dora potty seat which I thought would make it more enticing for her to sit there - she looked at the pictures of Dora and Boots and laughed and giggled for about 5 minutes.  She then held her hands out to say “take me off”, which I did.  She took 3 steps away from the potty and peed on the floor.  I quickly grabbed her and put her on the potty and said “Pee pee goes in the potty, M not on the floor, in the potty”  She didn’t like that idea so much, she said “No potty, no potty Dora”.  I guess Dora is sacred and doesn’t deserved to be peed on. 

That was day 1.  I’m off to the store to get some stickers and a ‘Potty Progress Chart’.  We’ll see how that goes.

Anyone have any potty training suggestions?

MATC