"Watch out! Watch out for the pile of poo!" I repeatedly say examining the ground before I take each step.

Rob doesn't seem as surprised as I am that there is poo all over the place. I guess it makes sense considering there are a zillion cows and horses at this "country fair".

My feet feel very naked all of a sudden, in my flip flops. My toes feel uncomfortably close to the poopy piles all over the place.

Rob can't believe I wore flip flops today. I tell him I was seriously going to wear my high heeled platform sandals. For real, they are in the car. I learned my lesson of the day...wear covered, ugly shoes when going to a farm.

--------------------------------------------------------------

This week has been stressful. It started off in the emergency room and brought an end to something we didn't plan, but something we wanted nevertheless (details I'm not sure I want to share with the Internet). And Sophia had her heart surgery. I feel so bad for my sister for having to deal with that. This past week has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. I'm reminded how much of a miracle having a child is. I am so so lucky to have Hudson. I have hugged him too much and too hard this week. He's enough of a Stinker to pull away from me, showing his annoyance, when I go overboard.

Best Buds

I heard some noise coming from the baby monitor. Was Hudson awake? He didn't call for me, as he normally does when he wakes up from his nap. But I kept hearing a rustling sound. I crept upstairs...and found Hudson cuddling Bosco in bed! I couldn't decide what was cuter...that Bosco had joined Hudson in bed for a nap...or that Hudson awoke and discovered his dog on the bed, and didn't need his mama.

Through a child's eyes...

Dust is pretty.

Hudson was looking up, pointing his finger toward the ceiling, repeating the words "wow! wow!". I was clueless as to what he was mesmerized by, and was going to ignore it, chalking it up to a toddler's imagination...when I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. I got down to his level, and looked up as he was doing. Then I saw it too. The afternoon sun was shining in from the window just right, and the dust floating in the air was sparkling like diamonds. It was wow. Kids are kinda cool once in a while.

a place for everything, and everything in it's place

Things I've mysteriously found around the house:

• alphabet fridge magnets in the dishwasher soap dispenser



• our oven mitts in the garbage



• a diaper floating in the toilet



• 5 full toilet paper rolls under the dining room table



• Bosco's knawed bone in the trunk of Hudson's ride-on "car"

life with kids = never a spotless house

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Gatineau

Admission Cost: $16/Adult = $32.00
Parking: $6.00
Hamburger + Poutine: $9.00
Chocolate Fondue and Fresh Fruit: $6.00
Cinnamon and Sugar Beaver Tail: $3.85 (supposed to be $4.00, but I was short $0.15...they let it go)
Games (until a prize was won): $6.00
Hudson more interested in playing with the rock he found or playing with our plastic orange wristbands, than watching the balloons: Priceless

It was not a cheap night. Especially since I told Rob it was going to be FREE!!! Seriously, I researched the festival online and was POSITIVE it didn't have an admission fee. I was so sure that, when we were walking into the fairgrounds, and the staff were calling out to us "Get your bracelets here!", waving bright orange wristbands...I politely shock my head and answered "No thanks"! Ha ha ha! It was Rob who finally clued in that they weren't asking, but rather, telling us. I thought the wristbands were for the amusement park part of the fair. So needlesstosay, after driving fourty minutes to get there, and already paying for parking...we were commited to entering. Thank God Rob had cash on him, as there wasn't any other option of paying. Sooooo...it was an expensive night (sorry Rob!)...but we all had fun. It was a great way to end Labour Day Weekend.



The Launch

We didn't see these ones fly...but they were cool!

Playing games
Dad winning a prize
Looking at the rides

End of the night

2 left feet

I guess the chances were 50/50...

Today...Hudson put on his shoes all by himself.
He called me over proudly, pointed to his feet, then pointed to himself. I got the message loud and clear, even though the only word spoken was "MMMMMOM!"

I praised him enthusiastically. And didn't have the heart to tell him they were on backwards.

ummmm...what can you even call this?!?

After Rob and I finished reading this...all I could say was "That story...is...the opposite of Hudson".

I don't think I have ever delibrately avoided sitting next to someone on the bus (unless they looked like they'd be smelly or crazy), but I would definitely look for an alternate seat if that guy was on the bus.

5 Monday randoms

1. I got 6 (SIX!!!) mosquito bites on my back yesterday. I wasn't even really outdoors...I was playing in the car (Hudson's absolute FAVORITE activity right now is sitting in the driver's seat, pretending to drive) in the garage (we were hanging out with Rob who was cleaning the garage). I was in the car for maybe 10 minutes max when I started feeling itchy. Then I saw a mosquito about to land on Hudson's face...I shooed it away. Rob killed the greedy little bugger who tried to bite Rob too. I've got 6 welts on my back. It looks gross.

2. I took Hudson to a playgroup this morning. Half way through, he kept looking at me and saying "Home". My dog is more socialized than my son. Whenever another little boy or girl got too close to Hudson, he'd wave his hands at them, telling them to stay away.

3. I had a craving for McDonalds today. The simple, 5 mm cheeseburger was way more satisfying than the homemade, ground sirloin burgers I made last week with caramalized onions, fried mushrooms, melted swiss cheese, on a fresh bakery bun. Seriously McD's is so yummy to me.

4. Rob (being a dental hygienist) wants to eliminate juice in the house for Hudson's teeth sake. His wish is for Hudson to drink water and EAT fruit. This sounds as plausible as me not sneaking in fast food into the house.

5. I LOVE Kidd Rock's "All Summer Long" song. It came on the radio so I turned it up and started singing and dancing along...Hudson watched for a few seconds before walking to the stereo and turned it off. He's got balls, my kid.

The dog ate my homework.

Hudson made his first craft project (including glue and feathers...soooo messy!) at our community playgroup today. He was so proud of it. He carried it all the way to the car...beaming.

Later, at home, I was in the bathroom, when he came in all frantically...pointing out the door, yelling "Oof! Oof! OOOOFFFF!!!"

I came out as quickly as I could...to discover that Bosco had stolen Hudson's craft off of my purse (it was just resting on top) and was chewing it up on his bed. Hudson was mortified. I salvaged what I could. The dog really did eat his homework.

undecided

Hudson got his haircut yesterday. As his mama, I always think he looks cute, even when he's got dried yogurt encrusted around his lips...so my vote may not count. But what do YOU think? Is he cuter with long bohemian hair?





or a proper boy's short do?

"how high?"

Hudson hasn't quite grasped the concept of jumping, although he practices often! His feet have yet to leave the ground. I LOVE it. It makes me smile every single time. I almost don't want him to jump for real. This way is so much sweeter, no?

When the letter "A" is not a letter "a"...

Hudson has recently discovered the alphabet. He points out letters, and wants us to name them. He recognizes many of his "favorite" letters. A recent conversation:

Hudson pointing at the letters: c-a-t in a book

Me: C
Him: nodding yes
Me: A
Him: nuh-uh (shaking his head no)
Me: yes...that's the letter "a"
Him: nuh-uh (shaking his head harder no)
Me: Hudson...that's the letter "a". It's the little letter "a" (he has seen the capital letter "A" and the little letter "a" as seen here on the left...but apparently he hasn't seen the letter "a" like this.
Him: getting visibly aggitated "NUH-UH" (violently shaking his head no) "DAD!"
He thinks I'm lying and wants his dad to settle this arguement.
Dad: "Hudson, that's the letter "a".
Hudson has meltdown.
Dad tells him it's not the letter "a".

If you freak out enough...nothing is set in stone.

Impromtu photo shoot

UPDATE: click here to see more pictures of us from Tiana of www.littlepixels.ca!




We were hanging out by the river in Perth this weekend, when this lady started making conversation about how cute and soft Bosco was. It led her to start snapping some pictures of him with this insane camera. When I pulled out OUR humble little digital Sony Cybershot to take some pictures of my boys...she offered to take some pictures of all of us with HER camera, with the promise of emailing them to us. Turned out she's a great photographer! http://littlepixels.ca True to her word, she emailed some today...and said there are a few more to come...

i've been so pleasantly surprised by perfect strangers.

the reality of my life

When one of your sons is a big, black, hairy, beast...
your Swiffer pads look like this...
EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!

Hey...this thing smells like...me!

5 random's

Hudson already gets smelly feet. No more sweet, innocent baby toes...they are feet that sweat in his shoes, and get sticky and stinky.

Bosco begs for food EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. we eat. Begs like he's starving. The day he doesn't...we'll be driving like maniacs to the vet.

Our yard is 50% grass, 50% weeds. We have the worst lawn of the neighbourhood. I'm sure our neighbours talk about it behind our backs.

I met an old coworker for a playdate today...and 99% of our conversation was about our kids. Scary how I've become someone who I would've considered to be so "boring" before.

Hudson deliberately peed on Bosco. WTF.

Deceptively healthy muffins!

I have found the yummiest HEALTHY banana (chocolate-chip) muffin recipe EVER! Seriously, I am not a fan of healthy eating. If it doesn't taste good...I don't care how "good" it is for you...I probably won't eat it.

I found this recipe (modified it slightly...basically lessened the sugar, and added chocolate chips) and can't believe how yummy they are. I've made them numerous times, and watch in disbelief as Rob eats half a dozen in one sitting. TRY them!

Banana Cottage Cheese Muffins

1 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of oats (or you can use 1 1/2 cup of flour, I've made them both ways)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ripe, mashed bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar (i've used less if adding chocolate chips)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 cup of cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375'. Line muffin tins with paper cups (I'm sure you can grease if you don't have cups, but I haven't tried it before).

Whisk dry ingredients in big bowl (minus the sugar). Combine wet ingredients (banana, cottage cheese, butter, egg, vanilla) in another bowl (with the sugar). Add wet ingredients to dry, and mix until just combined (don't overmix). Add chocolate chips at this point (I don't measure, but estimate 1/2 cup???). Pour in muffin tin, and bake for 18 min. (until muffins feel firm and springy). The cottage cheese adds protein and calcium, and makes them moist! And you can't taste that it's in there. They don't LOOK like gorgeous deli-style puffy muffins (they're pretty dense and small), but healthy and yummy...two words that don't often go together!

Such a "guy"

This is my 20 month old son chillin out in front of the TV...his head on his chair, leg up on the sofa...and yes that would be his hands down his diaper. Classic Al Bundy.

The nastiest way to start your day...

When you have a toddler...food often winds up on the floor. So this morning, when I bent down to pick up what looked like a half eaten, juicy, piece of mushy blueberry skin, I didn't give it a second thought. Only...once in my fingers...I realized that it wasn't a piece of chewed fruit...but a GODDAMN SLUG!!! SLUG! For someone who hates bugs...SLUGS are probably one of the nastiest! Wanna know what's worse than discovering you're holding a gross, snotty, gelatinous, insect? Having to FIND it again...because you flung it so violently off your hand.

I found it in the kitchen sink, and yes...screamed when I killed it.

Our cozy little abode

Here are some pictures of our current home...we've made it as "ours" as it can be, considering it's a rental. It's cozy and comfy...and really we don't need much else. I'm happy here.

living room

living room

upstairs loft

upstairs loft

master bedroom

second bedroom

Weekend Sleepover!

We had such a FUN (and LOUD...4 kids can make A LOT of noise!) weekend!!! Romy, Victor, Edouard, and my parents came for a visit. We went to the neighbourhood waterpark, BBQ'd some burgers, went for a walk, and most importantly...just hung out all together. Hudson LOVED it (to the point that he kept pointing to himself when they left, saying that he wanted to go too). My only complaint is that it was too short!

you know you're a mom when...

you've microwaved your cup of coffee three seperate times in one morning, in order to drink it hot.


anyway...I know I'm biased...but isn't he friggen cute?!? I have to bring him to get his haircut again...but I LOVE his hair long!

Hudson's Vocabulary

Hudson understands EVERYTHING! Seriously...everything. He recognizes all sorts of words, letters, shapes, colors, objects...etc. His speech? Ummmm...let's just say that he's learning. Slowly. Which I'm told is normal for boys (vs girls). But it's funny how the few words he does know (combined with some vigourous pointing and grunting) is all he needs to get his point across! He's one bossy dude.

P.S. He calls Bosco "Oof" (Woof).

P.P.S. "Bap" is Korean for "rice", and "Bang-goo" is Korean for "fart".

Hot summer days...

Totally don't feel like blogging lately...

so I'll just post some pictures of Hudson (which will make the grandparents happy!).