A new year started a few weeks ago (in case you didn't notice). I didn't make any resolutions at the time, but a few have come to me over the past few days, so here they are for posterity sake*:
> Comment back on my blog: I love it when people comment on my blog (especially if they're strangers). In fact, it can't be stated strongly enough just how much I love it when people comment on my blog (are you catching my drift here people?). In an effort to encourage commenting and to just be a nicer blog host in general, I will aim to comment back at least once for every post. So, please don't leave me hangin'! Be sure to comment.
> Go camping at least once: Easier said than done. We had grand plans to go camping last year, but it never happened. This year will be different. I own a tent and I will sleep in it damn it!
> Work on a handmade project at least once a week: This one is a toughie. I always hope to have the time to work on projects, but it just never seems to happen. My usual excuse (aside from no time) is that I don't have a good space to work in. However, I recently created a cute little area to work in in our bedroom so I no longer have that excuse.
> Finish the un-finished: I have posted about this before...I am great at starting projects, yet complete crap at completing them. So this year, I plan to itemize all of the projects I have on the go and would like to see at least half of them finished by year's end. Not having written out the list just yet, I don't actually know how many projects that would be, but I speculate it's quite a lot. Gulp.
> Take more video of Abner: You'd think this would be an easy one, but it's not. We always joke that our camera is well travelled, but not well used. In other words, we almost always bring it with us, but usually fail to actually take it out and use it. Sigh. I will work hard on this one.
*Good thing one of my resolutions wasn't to procrastinate less...cause I'd 'a pretty much bombed that one right off the bat.
Friday, 29 January 2010
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Crafting with strangers
Last night I attended a rather unusual event: the Museum of Vancouver's "Night of Social Crafting". Not sure what a "Night of Social Crafting" might look like? Imagine two large rooms filled with all sorts of crafty things and more crafty people than you can shake a stick at! Knitting at one station, screen printing, watercolours, collaging and sketching at the others - it was a crafter's dream.
My guess is that the turn out was better than the organizers were expecting because, even though Miranda and I were there fairly early, some of the supplies were running a bit low. I did manage to get my hands on a wooden block and try my hand a collaging (something I haven't done since high school). Please excuse the terrible photo...it really doesn't do justice to my little piece of art.
My guess is that the turn out was better than the organizers were expecting because, even though Miranda and I were there fairly early, some of the supplies were running a bit low. I did manage to get my hands on a wooden block and try my hand a collaging (something I haven't done since high school). Please excuse the terrible photo...it really doesn't do justice to my little piece of art.
Monday, 18 January 2010
Brush your teeth ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch
You will now have that song stuck in your head for the next 
two days. Enjoy.
The reason I bring it up is that we are struggling with tooth brushing around here...well, The Dear Sweet Husband and I are doing just fine, but Abner is fighting it every step of the way. Between the two of us, we've tried just about every trick in the book:
Bribing her with TV
This one worked for a little bit. She would sit, mouth wide open and stare at the TV and we'd just brush away. Now she just sits and stares at the TV while sucking on her toothbrush.
Taking turns
This one kind of worked until one day every turn became Abner's turn..."My turn. MY TURN. MYYY TUUUURRRNNN!
Pinning her down
Yes, I will confess, I have pretty much pinned my daughter down just to get at her teeth. Not surprisingly, this idea doesn't work.
Naming her teeth
Her back teeth are named Tee-tee and they want to be brushed. Still didn't get her to do any brushing.
Letting her help brush our teeth
This one shows promise, though may result in some sore gums for us as we let a one-year-old brush our teeth.
Good brushing stickers
I've taped up a piece of paper on the mirror. Every time she does a good job brushing, she gets to choose a sticker and where to put it on the paper. I think this one also shows promise. If not, at least our mirror might look a little flashier!
All I can say is that I am grateful they also do brushing at daycare. At least she has the extra opportunity to clean her teeth. Three crappy brushings in a day must add up to at least one good brushing - don't they?
two days. Enjoy.The reason I bring it up is that we are struggling with tooth brushing around here...well, The Dear Sweet Husband and I are doing just fine, but Abner is fighting it every step of the way. Between the two of us, we've tried just about every trick in the book:
Bribing her with TV
This one worked for a little bit. She would sit, mouth wide open and stare at the TV and we'd just brush away. Now she just sits and stares at the TV while sucking on her toothbrush.
Taking turns
This one kind of worked until one day every turn became Abner's turn..."My turn. MY TURN. MYYY TUUUURRRNNN!
Pinning her down
Yes, I will confess, I have pretty much pinned my daughter down just to get at her teeth. Not surprisingly, this idea doesn't work.
Naming her teeth
Her back teeth are named Tee-tee and they want to be brushed. Still didn't get her to do any brushing.
Letting her help brush our teeth
This one shows promise, though may result in some sore gums for us as we let a one-year-old brush our teeth.
Good brushing stickers
I've taped up a piece of paper on the mirror. Every time she does a good job brushing, she gets to choose a sticker and where to put it on the paper. I think this one also shows promise. If not, at least our mirror might look a little flashier!
All I can say is that I am grateful they also do brushing at daycare. At least she has the extra opportunity to clean her teeth. Three crappy brushings in a day must add up to at least one good brushing - don't they?
Monday, 11 January 2010
Something to smile about
My daughter cracks me up. She doesn't always mean to, but some of the things she comes up with are hilarious. Here are a few that I wanted to jot down for posterity:
- Mid-"Noooooooodon'twantogotosleepnooooooooo" scream last night, she paused to calmly say "bless you" when TDSH sneezed out in the living room. She was right back in full-scream mode less than a second later. Such a sweet girl we're raising!
- Tonight she actually rolled her eyes back in delight when she tasted dinner [sadly, I can't take the credit for the delicious meal...it was all TDSH's doing].
- She loves to put things on her head and walk around until she bumps into things. I know we should probably stop her, but it's so darned cute!
- All week she's been saying "moccoli see-oh-dee". It wasn't until today that we figured out she was saying "broccoli smoothie." I don't have a clue where she came up with the idea, but it sounds pretty gross to me.
- She stuck a ball down her shirt the other day just to make us laugh. We did. 'Cause it was hilarious.
- Tonight she said "Happy New Year" to everyone she could think of...including the milk.
- When asked, "Who's your favorite mommy/daddy?" She answers with our first names. Actually, she calls us by our names quite often. I'm getting used to it.
- She was given an Elmo doll at Christmas and since she's never seen Elmo before, she named him Marshall. We don't know anyone named Marshall so I have no idea where she got it from.
- She loves to use her diapered butt to erase the chalkboard.
- She comes up with faces like this:
There are so many more, but, of course, now that I'm trying to write them down, I can't think of any.
Abner is not the only thing making me laugh these days. Check out Viral Video Film School and Sleep Talkin' Man for a few [quite a lot actually] good laughs.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
An awesome day all around!
Today we headed out to White Rock for a little grandparent time, a tasty breakfast and lunch as well as to do some laundry. Yes, I still do some of my laundry at my parents. Can you blame me? It costs $3 to do a load in our building. That adds up to some serious coin!
Since Abner surprised us earlier this week by peeing on the toilet for the first time (yay Abner!), Mom and I went on a little thrifting mission to buy a potty training seat. On our way to the second-hand kid's store, we discovered the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary Superfluity Shop. We knew it was a good shop because it was packed with both people and stuff. I couldn't help buying a little knick knack for Abner's room. It's a ceramic letter "a" that perfectly matches her room. I'm in love with it even if it serves no other function than looking cute. I will post a picture later...can't do it now because Abner is sleeping and I'm not about to attempt to get it out of her room right now.
UPDATE: Remembered to grab the "a" out of her room today and took a pic. Cute, isn't it?
On the way home after our bountiful morning, we stopped by Fabricana and I bought about $50 worth of notions so I can actually finish a bunch of projects I have on the go (if only in my head). I was given Amanda Blake Soule's "Handmade Home" for Christmas and have been inspired to try out a few new patterns including this adorable pillowcase dress [scroll up once the page opens to see the best picture of the dress]. It's so frustrating to have a book like this in the house when you know you don't have the materials to actually make anything out of it. I am a very happy camper now that I have nine new spools of thread, five packages of bias tape, a dozen new wood buttons and some twill tape (Note to twill tape manufacturers - you need to make MORE COLOURS!)
The only bad parts of my day have been getting up at 5:30 (thankyouverymuch Abner) and TDSH getting a wicked cold. I best end this post and retire the laptop for the night so he can get some rest.
Since Abner surprised us earlier this week by peeing on the toilet for the first time (yay Abner!), Mom and I went on a little thrifting mission to buy a potty training seat. On our way to the second-hand kid's store, we discovered the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary Superfluity Shop. We knew it was a good shop because it was packed with both people and stuff. I couldn't help buying a little knick knack for Abner's room. It's a ceramic letter "a" that perfectly matches her room. I'm in love with it even if it serves no other function than looking cute. I will post a picture later...can't do it now because Abner is sleeping and I'm not about to attempt to get it out of her room right now.
UPDATE: Remembered to grab the "a" out of her room today and took a pic. Cute, isn't it?
On the way home after our bountiful morning, we stopped by Fabricana and I bought about $50 worth of notions so I can actually finish a bunch of projects I have on the go (if only in my head). I was given Amanda Blake Soule's "Handmade Home" for Christmas and have been inspired to try out a few new patterns including this adorable pillowcase dress [scroll up once the page opens to see the best picture of the dress]. It's so frustrating to have a book like this in the house when you know you don't have the materials to actually make anything out of it. I am a very happy camper now that I have nine new spools of thread, five packages of bias tape, a dozen new wood buttons and some twill tape (Note to twill tape manufacturers - you need to make MORE COLOURS!)
The only bad parts of my day have been getting up at 5:30 (thankyouverymuch Abner) and TDSH getting a wicked cold. I best end this post and retire the laptop for the night so he can get some rest.
Sunday, 3 January 2010
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