Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Something Positive

Well, there has been one positive thing so far this week. An actual stitching finish! I finally stitched an ornament for Lily, now to get caught up and finish Alex's sock monkey onament. Lily's Mill Hill Kitten Stocking Ornament

Lillian's Stocking, also finished. Needless to say I'm glad to be done sewing!!

Bump in the Road

With just over 2 months until I return to work we hit a slight unexpected bump in the road. There are days when I think the rest of the world didn't get my 'I'm trying to be more positive in 2011' memo.

Yesterday morning I was working away at my part-time work assignment when the phone rang and our awesome sitter was on the phone...which was quite odd considering that Alex wouldn't have been due to arrive there until 3:30 so he couldn't have possibly done anything to get himself in trouble yet in the day ;) I could tell she was very upset, so I my mind started racing to a pet death or something I'd have to talk to Alex about later but it wasn't.

One thing that is very important to me, if I'm going to be using my education and working, is that my children be raised in an environment that's very 'home' based. While I know regulation of child care is in the best interest of safety for children, I cringe at the site of cubbies, schedules and charting for infants/preschoolers and that's lumped in with regulation in this province. I'm no hippie parent but that atmosphere makes me feel like my children are numbers and lab rats. They get enough of that when they hit the school system, and for all of this pressure to 'grow up faster' I don't see any wowing results.

So what happened? One very vindictive resident of our childcare provider's subdivision decided to call the province to have our childcare investigated. If this individual honestly had the best interest of children at heart the two other unlicensed daycares would have also been investigated. To make a long story short, the four afterschool kids have to go immediately, which includes my son. Apparently the brief 30 minute lay over my son has there still counts as a number. Now with some maternity leave, and some juggling there isn't a long period of time before he's able to come home on his own. But seriously, the regulations do not take into account the number of adults on the premises, let alone Red Cross certified babysitters. The ratio of Adults and sitters to kids was 4:7 (4 of which being short term afterschoolers) where else am I going to find that kind of ratio?

What about Lily? She'll still start in April thank goodness, I couldn't imagine anyone else taking care of my little carrot. Ironically Alex will more than likely be going to a friend's home which will have more kids than his original arrangement. One of the babies that would have been coming will not be able to which is quite sad. Those kids have all grown up like one big family :/

Needless to say we'll survive but my heart absolutely breaks for Tracy, she's had some of those kids, since they were infants. It's one thing when one kid grows out of daycare or moves away but to take away 4 of them at once cannot be easy. Let alone what this does to her own families income. Some people are so cruel. Especially where her kids are never off the premises and are escorted from the bus stop. I've almost run over (and anyone that drives with me knows how slow I go) kids from the other daycare who are darting on the road without an adult in sight. Sigh.

Ridiculous Fact: In the province of New Brunswick, if you have twins or two children under the age of 24 months and happen to be getting help from your family (including your parents) and if you happen to have any other children, they are technically violating the Child care act and have too many children. Eventhough in most cases your parents are retired and both of them are on the premises...meanwhile if you quit your job to be a stay at home mom, you're on your own with three or more, and that's ok.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Birthdays and Stash Shopping

Saturday was our first 'us' trip of the new year. To some that might not seem like a big thing but we have no family here in town but just close enough away that juggling travelling decisions can be huge. Mind you when I go to my parents it's like a mini vacation ;) A few weeks back Lily received her first birthday party invitation, and we were eager to jump on board. I've been looking for an excuse to get to Moncton for a long time, I really wanted to get to the region's cross stitch shop Because You Count, I had some boy clothes to hand down but neither of the two alone was enough to justify the trip. A party definitely swayed things in that direction.

Friday was frustrating, I could not for the love of goodness locate my Ornament issue and I really needed some fabric. Add in a snow storm and it's inevitable clean up, a teething night rolling baby and a power outtage and I could have cried Saturday morning when I looked outside and could estimate the clean up time for the driveway. We did make it out however, with just enough time to make it to Because You Count before the party (it closes early on Saturday). I had to drop my Roots outlet store stop but in all honesty, Lily isn't hurting for clothes...it just would have been a fun trip ;) The party was really fun. My Matron of honor's little boy was turning one and having Lily out and about with kids her own age was really nice to see. Plus catching up was nice too! The time flew by and before we knew it it was an hour after the party, time to drop by Old Navy and grab some dinner at St Hubert and it was well passed someone's bedtime and time to hit the snow covered roads back home.

So...what was in the latest stash purchase? Not as much as normal because I was rushed and brain dead after a night of little sleep.
-JABC Mitten buttons for Alex's sock monkey ornament
-Lizzie Kate's Snowman 2010
-Heart In Hand's Winter Bird (or as some of us lovingly refer to as part of the bird 'pooping' series)
-Fabric for a small Shepherd's Bush piece
-Fabric for this year's Victoria's Sampler ornament, except sparkly!!
-More ornament Fabric
-A frame for Imaginating's Three Kings...which has been finished for years and sitting rolled up :/

Now for some birthday Pics
The Birthday Boy Wyatt
Wyatt's gorgeous Mickey Mouse Cake
Present TimeLily's Garb for the Occasion

Alex after eating a black fondant ear

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Happy New Year

It's amazing how fast a year passes when you aren't sleeping through most of it. At least we ended 2010 with Lily sleeping a little more consistantly. They say a parent loses 550 hours of sleep in the first year...and with this one I'm inclined to believe it! Lily started sleeping just in time for the Christmas rush, so I'm only starting to enjoy her sleeping schedule :)

We had a really nice Christmas. It was the first Christmas we've spent in our own home and it was perfect. My parents and one of my brother's joined us and it just goes to show, it's not where you celebrate Christmas but who you celebrate it with. Childhood is fleeting and it's essential to make your own holiday traditions, and those that don't support that can suck it with their selfishness. ;) I also finished Lily's stocking on time. I was beginning to think that wouldn't happen, we had flooding with a freak storm a week before Christmas and it really through the preparations for a loop, let alone the renos...whose materials were blocking access to my sewing machine. This stocking was the smoothest sewing job I've ever taken on, maybe afte 7 stockings I finally have the hang of things.

2011 hasn't brought as much stitching as I was hoping...yet. It's kind of hard when you're living room is continually being turned upside down. However the beadboard is now up, as is most of the new chair rail and baseboards so after a few paint touch ups the furniture will be back to normal and so will my stitching. The only thing left will be finishing the corner where the tv is, Matt is still deciding on what network wires to run but that shouldn't involve moving all of the furniture.

Now to share the pictures we had taken of the kids for Christmas :)

Alex & Lillian