Fall of 2014 could be the first year of formal preschool/preschool for profit/a 2 hour break under the guise of socialization. You probably see where I stand on the need for preschool for our tot.

I've decided that for this year and next we will enroll her in Mama Preschool. The program is simple. Get out, enjoy the world you live in, and play!

Let Them Play

I think planning 10 months of play experiences will be a good place to start in extending hope and joy beyond day to day.

-v

* I used to know where commas belonged, and how to form complex sentences. It will come back to me. Hopefully. Likely once I start reading, and not merely collecting, the books beside my bed.

According to a piece of paper tucked into our fire safe I am going to turn 40 this year.
And if I am going to turn 40 I would like presents.

Had to be said.

When you grow up.

I've been at this mom thing for just a little over 3 years now. The big fat positive that marked the beginning came in April 2011.

For as long as I can remember, my attitude toward relationships has been to take things as they come. Day by day. Cherish the moments. I have been fortunate to savour every day of motherhood. Every single one. I can honestly say that I have no regrets in how I have mothered this little human.

I was chugging along steadily until 2014.

I believe that I have shifted from a healthy dose of daily gratitude to a lack of hope that there will be a tomorrow. Overstated? Perhaps.

This year and last year showed me that children die. Of course I have always known that but it's always been more of an arm's length type of knowledge. In 2014, in my personal circle, 2 children have passed away and a 3rd child is has been recently diagnosed with cancer. Not a fun, easily treatable kind of cancer but a brand of leukemia that is best caught when you are male and younger than 2. She is inching close to 3.

I am not quite sure where I go from here. How to regain hope that this little person by my side will have her chance to become a preschooler, a tween, a teen. That she will have friends, and lovers and such. And then to regain the hope that I will live long enough to see all the wonder that will be the life she lives.

My presence here to you is brought by a challenge.
See: http://www.bisonweb.ca/blog/archives/746

In my brain: Challenge = Competition. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a teeny bit competitive so that is hopefully the motivation I need to set moments aside every day for some sort of posting.

Today's post is a quick update of where things left off in Feb. 2011.

2011 Taxes were recently completed. Actually 2012 was also very recently completed. The assessment is still on our table. Yes on the dining room table. I vowed to keep the island clear of papers and general clutter. The result is the table is covered. Island looks amazing though.

The end of 2011 brought a tiny human into our lives. Like my husband, she is not interested in social networking or public sharing.

My challenge is to come up with a month of  blog topics that do not implicate the humans I reside with.

Caffeine reduced mascot wife

After a couple of months of all-day-sickness and a month of general exhaustion I am finally feeling ready for some blogging.

My husband and I are expecting baby #1 and I feel like I should write a book called "My Changing Body: Pregnancy Edition". It seems that there's a new surprise every few days. Tonight's treat was when I went to tidy up with a little shaving and I couldn't see over my belly to the area in need of attention. Awesome.

Grump

I have been a grumpy, anti-social, uninspired grump head lately. I think I need a visit to a book store or library so that I can choose something motivational to read. Something with to-do lists would be helpful. Perhas I could find such lists on line.

Since I was 6 I've thought of Sundays as a day to rest and hang out with friends/family. When I was 12 there was a bowling tournament on a Sunday and I had to fight with my Baba to be allowed to take part. I have the conversation on a cassette somewhere. Hmm, I should find it. The mister's busiest chore days are Sundays. In this way we do not match up. It's not a problem though. It is just the one day where we really spend most of it doing our own thing.

I am quite thrilled with the garden we have this year. Lots of edibles. I am especially excited about leeks and beets.

That's all I've got for now.

"even when you're crazy"

That was the qualifier added to a card I was recently given. Awesome. It isn't a secret, I'm a little nuts sometimes.

I'm aware that some of you have noticed my blogging break. There hasn't been much to say lately. The past few weeks were all about getting ready for a holiday. I didn't want the blog-world to know that our home would be empty for a week so I simply didn't blog at all lest I let the vacation cat out of the bag.

The vacation included two lovely days spend in Miami Beach and a four day cruise in the Bahamas. My body was so happy to feel warmth again. Winter is my all time favourite searson but winter 2010/2011 was too long.

Quick Bests
Miami Beach: shopping on Lincoln Road, manchego
Cruise: evenings sipping coffee on the deck, waking up in a new place, open bar

The South Beach/Cruise diet added a few pounds to my body. I am not outside of a normal BMI and (barely) into the overweight BMI. This is disturbing but I am hopefully that quickly gained weight will also be quickly lost.

I will have to spend some time thinking about goals. I'm slightly apathetic about personal growth at the moment. Perhaps still sobering up from the cruise!