Entertaining themselves

Someone asked me at work today if I go home and crash every night. They wondered how I "survive" as a working mom. I actually had to pause and consider this because I think I survive the same way any other mom survives. I get up in the morning, get my kids ready and go about my day.

One thing I have learnt lately is that you have to take each moment for what it is. Impatience does not motivate children to hurry. (It actually doesn't motivate adults for that matter either.)

I am so happy to say that my kids love their daycare. The care that they get there is genuine. I have no doubt that my children are sincerely celebrated. I am also happy that Elijah's phase of not wanting to get out of the car to go to daycare was also just that - a phase. His latest phase is hiding behind the door when we get in the house. Then I have to go "look" for him. It's a thirty second effort that brings him joy.

And as the kids get older they are more able to entertain themselves. Elijah's has been enjoying a lot of Wii lately. Here he is playing MarioKart.

It warms my heart every time I see one of my kids reading a book and so it was with pleasure that I took this picture of Lillian. (I also really enjoyed the intense concentration involved in pressing the button to make the noise come out of the book.)

Time

A wise person told me recently that we become impatient with our children when we are dictated by time. When we have time to allow them to be curious about the world and exert their attempts at independence, it is much easier to be patient.

And so I have been practicing.

Time to head to work. Do I spend 10 minutes fighting with Elijah about his desire to play MarioKart on the Wii (thank you E and H for introducing this latest obsession to him) or sit down and race with him for the same amount of time?

Time for bed. Do I fight with him for half an hour about the need to have him sleep in his own bed or let him sit beside me in my bed while he sits like me and "reads" his book like me. (You turning your page mom?)

I heard someone talk about spending too much time on trying to improve on who you'll be in the future. Spend your time doing the best that you can right now at what you're doing right now and your future will as a natural result be improved.

Happy new year friends. May the perspective of time help you to enjoy the moments in your life a little bit more.

Joy in the little things

This morning I asked Lillian to put a wrapped gift under the tree. She waddled over and put it down. Then with great joy and laughter she clapped at her great accomplishment. Then she picked up the gift and moved it to the other side of the tree. Once again, she celebrated her great achievement. This gift movement went on for about 20 minutes. What a great example of joy in the little things.

Happily One

My alter ego

A week or two ago I was downstairs with Elijah while he was working on fixing his house/box. He kept talking about Jason and finally he looks at me and says "Hey Jason, can you come help me?" Slightly perplexed I helped him using the hammer he had given me.

A few days ago I was once again helping him fix things downstairs. And once again he called me Jason.

I'm guessing it is my fix-it alter ego. We don't really know anyone by the name of Jason. Not sure where he came up with this.

(On a side note: When my brother asked Elijah yesterday who Jason was Elijah said that it was his brother. He also said that he worked with him pouring concrete. Oh the joys of an imagination.)

Invitation open to all

Elijah and his cousin got the chance to do a little bit of professional hockey development today.

Come skate on our pond. One day you'll be able to say you knew him when...

Hockey Night in Canada?

It's gotta start somewhere.

Trevor has been working hard for the past couple of weeks at making a bit of a rink for Elijah to learn to skate. They went out for the first time this evening. Elijah loved it.