Go 'Way

When I began this blog, I never intended that I would post this kind of story, and I won't be making it a habit, but this one just seemed too funny to pass up.

On Saturday we were at a Chapters bookstore with Isabelle. After playing at the train table for awhile she decided to explore the rest of the store. Ben tagged along after her as she darted between shelves. At a certain point she got obsessed with a wooden chair in a corner, and loudly indicated to Ben that she wanted to get behind it. The chair had an open back, so he could clearly see behind it. He moved the chair so she could squeeze behind it and then waited to see what she would do next.

Well, it seems that she was replicating a practice from home that usually occurs behind the living room couch or her dresser. Yes, she wanted to hide behind the chair in Chapters to do her business in "private".

New Pictures

We had a great visit this week with our Toronto friends Eugene and Nancy and their daughters J and T. We went to Meijer Gardens, visited the indoor playgrounds at the malls, ate good food and enjoyed being with each other's kids.

A lovely bonus was the fact that Euge takes very nice photographs and took many pictures of Isabelle. I have not been able to capture her very well over the past months so it was exciting to see these nice pictures. Here's a preview - visit my Flickr site for the rest.

Another Baby

Well, I think the secret is out. Ben and I are expecting a baby on November 27th. We had an ultrasound at 8 weeks after a brief scare, and then an appointment yesterday where I heard the heartbeat, so we're finally ready to spread the news.

I have been very sick for the last 6 weeks....all day long, all night long. This week was finally much better, so I'm hopeful that the bad part might be over. But I'm not holding my breath or anything.

We're excited.

Small Step

One of the things I enjoyed right after Isabelle's birth was my empty calendar. I gave myself permission to cancel everything and just get used to taking care of a baby. I let my Palm gather dust in the drawer and left it uncharged. And for the last 17 months, it has stayed there. As I gradually returned to work and social activities, I kept things minimal and was able to keep everything in my head. But then as months past, even though I began jotting things down on the calendar in the kitchen, I forgot a lot of things. And I felt stressed keeping all of that information in my head.

So today I dragged out my charge cord and sync cable and I booted my old friend up. And she even remembered all my contacts! It was interesting to see what appointments were "weekly" in my pre-baby life.

In the past months and weeks I have felt that there are so many projects to do around the house, let alone the regular work, that I have given up hope of accomplishing anything. Today I made one small step in my attempt to take back control of my house and my time.

So, does anybody want to schedule anything?

Splish Splash

On Sunday night Ben was preparing Isabelle's bath. While the water is running, she usually runs around the house yelling and enjoying various states of undress. But she has become more and more fascinated with the water and trying to get into the tub.

This particular evening she was wearing a dress and sandals since she had been at church. Ben stepped out of the room for a moment to grab something and heard a splash, followed by a lot of howling. He returned to the bathroom to see Isabelle standing in the tub, holding onto the side, fully clothed, including sandals. She was screaming, of course. He rescued her and she did end up having a perfectly nice normal bath.

There are very few instances in which we can now actually leave the room. Pretty much only when she's in the highchair or the crib.

Spring

Well, dear readers, it seems it is time to end the blogging hibernation. Spring is here and we spent most of today outside. Isabelle has been dutifully working in the garden, emptying the beds of all the old mulch.

Here's an update on her latest:

• new words: bib, knee, kids
• she will sign "please" consistently when asking for something or when prompted
• knows how to push a kitchen chair up to the counter and climb up to stand on it
• LOVES washing the dishes with me, insists on using the dish brush, and is very, very sad when it ends
• is having full out "lay on the floor, kick and scream" tantrums
• likes to grab the microphones at church and shout "HA"
• LOVES to be outside
• has begun resisting the stroller and would much rather walk
• in the morning shouts "Da?", in hopes that Ben will rescue her from the crib
• says "Da?" all day long, to which I respond "Daddy's at work."
  

Valentine's Day

Isabelle got two cards that had dogs on them, so that was a highlight. The other hilarious part of the day was her getting too excited about eating Goldfish crackers which ended with her puking all over the Valentine dress and the kitchen floor. Good thing we got a few photos in before that moment.

I Love Dogs

We took two trips to Canada last week: one for Ben's Oma's funeral, and one to visit friends and family in Windsor. Isabelle did very well in the car, especially when engrossed in her favorite subject.

"Whaaaaaat....can't you see I'm reading? And Mum, could you maybe get this in a pocket version next time? It's really heavy."

More to come on our trip to Canada.

More O Canada

Thanks, B,K and S, for such a great shirt!!

Shoes

At the beginning of January, Isabelle and I went in the stroller to Breton Village, the little mall close to our house. We went mostly to see the fish and the Christmas train display (which was being taken down), but we ended up at the shoe store. I was curious for her to have a shoe fitting, and then I ended up buying her some. She had been reluctant to walk in shoes, but she seemed to really like these little white and pink running shoes. She wore them home from the store and as she was running ahead of me in the mall I was almost emotional, watching her wear real shoes for the first time. She seemed so big.

She loves to say the word "shoes". Sigh. She gets that from Ben.

Spoon

This is something Ben taught her to do to keep her from spitting out her food. Notice that she is once again using the "camera face".

Sister Dominique

Back in the fall I got an e-mail from Sister Dominique, a dear soul and classmate from Queen's, saying that her choir would be in Grand Rapids in January. It was such a joy to see her again. We last saw each other at graduation 8 years ago. In fact, because of the way our names fell, we walked as a pair to receive our hoods.

Sister Dominique is part of a faith community called The Community of Jesus. Music is a large part of their life, and her choir, Gloriae Des Cantores, was unbelievable. It was a packed out concert, and a privilege to attend. I hope someday to visit her and see her community.

Overheard

Tuesday Night

Ben: You know, now that Isabelle is sleeping during my lunch hour, and I was out so much last week, I hardly got to spend anytime with her. I miss her. Maybe I need to change my lunch hour to fit this new nap schedule.

Wednesday Morning

(Isabelle singing in the background)
Ben: What time is it?
Melody: 6:00am.
(pause)
Melody: You wanted to spend more time with her.

(Ben gets up and plays with Isabelle while Melody stays in bed.)

Green Card

Today Ben and I had our interview in Detroit with U.S. Homeland Security and I was approved for a Green Card, which I will receive in the mail in the next two weeks. This was a very exciting finish to a process that was a lot of worry and paperwork. We actually had a very jolly interviewer who sometimes left me wondering if he was trying to trick me, but he really just was trying to be funny.

Our friends Colin and Kathy and their wonderful kids watched Isabelle today and I'm sure she thought she was at a party that she wished would never end. She was already asleep when we picked her up and then she dozed in the car on the way home. What a sweet girl - we missed her very much today, but I was glad for her sake that she did not have to come.

It's official - I'm a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States.

Book Worm

Isabelle loves books. She sits surrounded by her mountain of books and reads them intently. Although she sometimes likes me to read to her, she prefers to read on her own. She reads at mealtime, in the car and during diaper changes. Can you say "related to Auntie Ali"?

This is her new camera face which she sports whenever I try to take a picture, showing her disdain for the flashing red light. :) (Outfit from Matt and Melody - love the ruffle cuff pants!)

You!

It's getting harder and harder to get a good picture. Starting to think about getting a new camera. :) Pointing is common now. Very cute.

Oh Canada

Taken November 28. Ensemble courtesy of J. and T. The coat is a bit big but we were so excited that it almost fits!
Lotion bottles are also a recent favorite "toting" item.

List

Clean up basement. Check.
Build shelves for cold food storage in garage. Check.
Write thank you notes. Check.
Vacuum rooms that haven't been done in two months. Check.
Entertain neighbor toddler boy while his mommy and newborn sister get some rest. Check.
Make meal for said family. Check.
Finalize service preparations for the weekend. Check.

Take Isabelle to Breton Village and enjoy her delight in the Christmas train display, play table at Pooh's Corner and fish pool. Check.
Decorate tree with Ben. Check.
Feel thankful for family. Check.

Feel excited about Christmas. Check. Check. Check.

It's Christmas, Don't Be Sad

With all the sickness and scramble to complete holiday service arrangements, we have not decorated our tree, put up any decorations or bought any presents. I have found this mildly depressing over the last few days. Ben had to work a lot this week (funeral yesterday) and so our household wheel has screeched and ground to a halt. The house is a mess. The fridge needs to be cleaned out. And we have two sets of company coming back to back next week. Things are looking grim.

Christmas is a time where I have often struggled with the blues. There's always a lot to be done, and I find that I get irritated that the extra tasks and costs eat into my energy reserves and budget. I like being with family and going to church. I just don't like doing the work!! Historically my mom always "hated" Christmas too....maybe this is where this comes from. 2 years ago when we went to Culebra for the holidays, I loved the fact that we didn't buy any presents or put up any decorations. Well, we decided we were not going to, but then Ben did it when I was out one night that year! That was also the year I read Skipping Christmas by John Grisham and was delighted by the premise that one could go away and just come back when it was all over. (I would highly recommend this book. I laughed out loud a lot.)

This year we have been listening to a lot of Christmas music and it has really helped me along. Our favorites this year have been The Raffi Christmas Album, Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan, Peanut's Christmas and best yet, Christmas Songs by Sufjan Stevens. It has surpassed Charlie Brown as my alltime favorite Christmas album. Sufjan has a song called "It's Christmas, Let's Be Glad" and it's a song that I hear myself singing to my mom, and hear my younger sister singing to me. It's Christmas; don't be sad. Cheer up! People are coming. There's food to be eaten. There'll be presents . We'll play music. We'll get the work done together. Every time I have felt sad this season, I sing this song aloud. Even Isabelle has learned the "la la la" part and she sings it often in the bath.

Since it's Christmas, let's be glad
Even if your life's been bad
There are presents to be had

La la la la la la la la la la la la la

It's Christmas, let's be glad!!!

Sign of the Times

She's signing. More, diaper and eat. She is still very crabby with me when I do "all done", as if to say "Lady, get me out of this chair. I KNOW you know what I mean."

When she hears "Where's Isabelle?", she put her hands, palms out, in front of her eyes. She does it a lot during mealtime. In fact, she needs games and songs during mealtime. She's bored. I think she gets that from me. I can't eat without reading or doing something.

Her favorite song right now is "Wheels on the Bus". She claps whenever she hears clapping on a CD or on the television.

The triumph of the day is this: she got some soft blocks from Auntie Christy and Uncle Dane for her birthday that have a cylinder that goes through one of them. She has been trying for weeks to get the cylinder into the hole by herself. She gets frustrated and throws each piece down with a separate hand. Today she was able to do it herself - fed the cylinder through the hole. She looked at me and said "aaaahh" - which translates as "yay!!!!" and clapped her hands.