Retro replay

It's pretty cool to see these toys being played with again - thirtysome years later! I imagine this is pretty close to what Jeremy and I looked like while we were playing with these very same toys. (Which are now dangerous by today's standards! Pointy corners, choking-hazard little people, parts that can come off, magnets that can be swallowed... How did we all survive?!)

These toys are all at Grandma and Grandpa's place. And I want them to stay there. (Even though, of course, the kids want to bring them home). They have more meaning there. They stay special that way. They're a treat to play with. I want them to stay that way. Special.

Not sure this counts as "potty training"...

... but Zach got some pee in the little potty tonight. Let me back up a sec.

I was getting him "maked" (which is naked in Zach speak) and ready for his (desperately needed) bath tonight. I got him out of his clothes and a very-full-of-pee diaper. We made our way to the bathroom and Zach was standing beside the tub "maked". I turned on the water and almost immediately felt something wet and warm on my socked foot. I said, "Oh! You're peeing!", which startled him and he stopped - for a split second. He started peeing on the mat again. I said, "Oh! Zach. Let's try to get that in the potty!", which stopped the stream again. I moved him over two feet, he went to sit, but I kept him standing. He leaned forward and got the rest of his pee in the potty.

The mat is in the wash...

Still a bit surreal...

Yesterday I went into the office for a meeting with my boss before our bi-weekly conference call. Turns out it was my last meeting. That's it. Finito.

I returned my keys, the company VISA, the gas card, maintenance card... Had to give back the BlackBerry! Noooo! So, no cell phone for me. The branch manager gave me a flash drive so I could get what I wanted off my laptop. My boss didn't look over my shoulder or anything. I could take what I wanted. My last company would never have done that!! I didn't take anything company-related anyway. I took the presentations and modules I'd created and anything I'd collected over the year pertaining to sales, etc. My boss (the regional manager) and the area branch manager (both VERY nice people), drove me home in my, I mean, the company van. We got the car seats and all my other stuff out and that was it. I was home by 2pm. Done. No job. No cell phone. No laptop. No van (I am going to miss that van!). I keep replaying that part in my head. It's weird. It's like a fuzzy movie, and it doesn't seem real. But it is.

I said to Jean-Paul this morning, "Man, I REALLY miss the van!!"
He said, "I think that's second."
"Ya, I guess you're right. The money will be missed more than the van."

In two weeks I'll get my last paycheque, my benefits will run out, and that will be it. (Note to self. Get Alex and Zach to the dentist ASAP!)

Wonder what life is going to bring? Can it bring lots of money? And maybe a paddle.

Zach's phone conversation

Zach was standing at the play kitchen when the phone "rang". He picked it up and this was his side of the conversation, with proper pausing and everything.

"Hello?"
"Hello!"
"In the kitchen"
"I'm in the kitchen!" (apparently the caller didn't hear the first time)
"Uh huh"
"Yup"
"OK"
"Mommy" (as he runs to me with the phone) "It's Michelle. She's in England. She's on the phone for you."

I spoke to Michelle for a bit and then gave it back to Zachary. When he was done, and the phone was hung up, he explained Michelle wanted us to come to England with Nana and Grandpa to visit them. :)

(I hope HE's going to pay for that call! Oh wait, right. Michelle called us. It won't cost us a thing.) ;)

Potty training: the sequel

So. Here we are. The potty training begins.... It was so much fun last time. Let's do it again!

Zachary decided tonight that he wanted to pee on the potty. (Actually, he chose the big toilet with the Thomas potty seat set in it.) I think we're going to have to try to get him to do it standing up. Aiming is quite difficult sitting down!

Not only did he want to sit on the potty tonight (as he's done before), he actually peed this time!! Three times!! And some of it went in the pot. He liked the sound of his pee hitting the water. :)

All together now, it's the potty conga:
Zach peed on the pawTEE. Zach peed on the pawTEE. Zach peed on the pawTEE! (And a little on the seat).

Happy Grandparents Day!!

We are very thankful that our kids have both sets of grandparents. I know not all kids are that lucky. They still have two GREAT-grandmothers as well. :)

We're so grateful that Nana and Grandpa, and Grandma and Grandpa are close enough they can come for visits regularly (and babysit lots!). It's nice that we can go and visit them without planning an entire week's vacation to do so.

We have the four most generous, loving, caring, funny, get-down-in-the-dirt-with-the-kids grandparents. And WE LOVE YOU ALL!!

Stingray Bay at the Toronto Zoo

Pretty cool!

Here are Daddy, Alex and Zach at Stingray Bay.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3tf7uwmoA4