Not that I'm over all the stuff that happened yesterday, but I've put things into perspective and I've put all of that on hold for now.
I'm focusing on the good stuff, which is the wonderful news that Maïa has been officially accepted to go to kindergarten next year! We received the letter from the school board today, stating that they have accepted our request for a "dérogation" - which is to say that they're letting her in early. (Her birthday is on November 1, a month too late to make the Quebec cut-off of September 30.) Yipee! School for Mai in the fall.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
I've got the blahs
Feeling tired and icky. The weather ain't cooperatin'. Should be better tomorrow.
But what's really got me down is that my blasted article, the one I was finally going to get published, has been put on hold. Something about one of my facts being off. Okay, so I have to check it (and re-check all the other stuff), get back to the editor, and wait another two weeks to hear from him. At this point, after all these damned hoops I've had to jump through, I just want to say, forget it. I guess I shoulda written something I didn't care about, something frivolous.
One thing is for sure: I'm glad I've decided that this freelance writing business is not for me. Too many flaming, ridiculous, dumb hoops.
Blaaaahhhh
But what's really got me down is that my blasted article, the one I was finally going to get published, has been put on hold. Something about one of my facts being off. Okay, so I have to check it (and re-check all the other stuff), get back to the editor, and wait another two weeks to hear from him. At this point, after all these damned hoops I've had to jump through, I just want to say, forget it. I guess I shoulda written something I didn't care about, something frivolous.
One thing is for sure: I'm glad I've decided that this freelance writing business is not for me. Too many flaming, ridiculous, dumb hoops.
Blaaaahhhh
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Yookit what I can do!
Today was another small step in the culottes world: I took Solanne out all morning without a diaper. Up until now, she's only worn underwear in the safety and comfort of our own home. This morning we set out for the daycare, the bank, an office supply store, and the grocery store. All in underwear. At every stop, I made sure we took a little bathroom break, to relieve Solanne's bladder and my fears of leaks.
She did spectacularly well. I was so proud of her! When we got home, I announced to Derek (who was working from home today) that we were dry. Okay, I use the we term here too freely; of course I was dry. But the important part was that Solanne was dry, too.
Anyhow, I reminded her of the bathroom and not to pee in her pants. She went off to play; I started putting away the groceries. And not two minutes into the door, Solanne ran over to me, looked up at me, and said,
"Look at what I can do!"
She spread her pant-clad legs and peed. Right there, on the kitchen floor.
I just roared out a "NOOOOO!!!" and picked her up, stripped her and brought her to the bathroom. I was livid... and not for the reasons one might think.
You see, this harkens back to a story my mom tells about me. I was about two and a half, fully potty-knowledgeable. I stood in the kitchen, spread my legs, looked my mom in the eye, and peed on the floor.
So what bugged me most was not Sol's behaviour? It wasn't that she thought this was a great joke. It wasn't that I knew she could hold it and deliberately didn't. It wasn't even that I had to clean it up. It was that she was like me.
Every day of this child's life, I look at her and realise how much of my personality is in her. She's a terrible tease. She loves to laugh. She is smart but sometimes lazy. She is such a good kid, except when she's not: then she's almost a terror. She loves to joke around. She knows how to spin a good pun. All of this is me. It makes me proud and frightened all at once to have someone around who is so much like me. I avoid mirrors as much as possible... and here I gave birth to one.
sigh.
She did spectacularly well. I was so proud of her! When we got home, I announced to Derek (who was working from home today) that we were dry. Okay, I use the we term here too freely; of course I was dry. But the important part was that Solanne was dry, too.
Anyhow, I reminded her of the bathroom and not to pee in her pants. She went off to play; I started putting away the groceries. And not two minutes into the door, Solanne ran over to me, looked up at me, and said,
"Look at what I can do!"
She spread her pant-clad legs and peed. Right there, on the kitchen floor.
I just roared out a "NOOOOO!!!" and picked her up, stripped her and brought her to the bathroom. I was livid... and not for the reasons one might think.
You see, this harkens back to a story my mom tells about me. I was about two and a half, fully potty-knowledgeable. I stood in the kitchen, spread my legs, looked my mom in the eye, and peed on the floor.
So what bugged me most was not Sol's behaviour? It wasn't that she thought this was a great joke. It wasn't that I knew she could hold it and deliberately didn't. It wasn't even that I had to clean it up. It was that she was like me.
Every day of this child's life, I look at her and realise how much of my personality is in her. She's a terrible tease. She loves to laugh. She is smart but sometimes lazy. She is such a good kid, except when she's not: then she's almost a terror. She loves to joke around. She knows how to spin a good pun. All of this is me. It makes me proud and frightened all at once to have someone around who is so much like me. I avoid mirrors as much as possible... and here I gave birth to one.
sigh.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Maïa's famous!
Well, Maïa is sort of famous. Sort of because it's a community paper, and sort of because they mangled her name. Oh well. We should have changed our names to Jones or something... Our daycare, which is launching a whole set of new services, was featured in our local community paper. Check it out here.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention
I read this on a bumper sticker not so long ago, and it's become my mantra.
Here are a few things that outrage me these days:
Inner pollution
We have slowly, but surely, been poisoning ourselves by using everyday products. From parabens and SLS in our personal care products (see my upcoming article...) to Bisphenol A in plastics, and many, many more. And industries' responses to all the dangers: it's not been proven. There, there, dear consumer, don't worry. Those scientists are just trying to scare you. Well, I for one am starting to make some noise about this, if only to spare my daughters from breast cancer, reproductive problems, and any other number of health risks.
Food not fuel
In the hopes of easing their conscience, car drivers have been turning to ethanol fuel. They are seekind out the fuel that contains corn in order to feel more "green." Canada and US governments are encouraging the production of ethanol fuel. Unfortunately, this has caused a huge jump in the price of corn. Corn, as we all know, is food, and it is a staple in the diet of many people, especially those in Mexico. There, people have staged tortilla protests because the price of their food is now beyond the level that many can afford. All this coincides with global warming, which is causing record high temperatures. The high temps mess with corn production, and fewer and fewer areas in the world can now produce the crop. The high interest in corn by the ethanol producers paired with the lower crop yield are contributing to unaffordable table corn.
The poor shall not inherit the earth
Speaking of global warming, the effects of this, the greatest of all plagues, will be felt most keenly by the poor, reports the Globe and Mail. But what else is new? Those in developing countries will feel the effects of the warming of the globe most, with growing deserts and hotter temps. Their food sources will be meagre; disease will be rampant; water will run out; entire swaths of land will be lost to the sea. Those of us responsible for all this, those of us who drive cars; heat and light our homes with dirty fuels; use more water than is necessary; consume clothing, furniture, telephones, computers, paper, and other "goods" at rates that are unsustainable; we will feel it by having to shell out more money for things like fuel and food. And we will complain. And they will die.
Here are a few things that outrage me these days:
Inner pollution
We have slowly, but surely, been poisoning ourselves by using everyday products. From parabens and SLS in our personal care products (see my upcoming article...) to Bisphenol A in plastics, and many, many more. And industries' responses to all the dangers: it's not been proven. There, there, dear consumer, don't worry. Those scientists are just trying to scare you. Well, I for one am starting to make some noise about this, if only to spare my daughters from breast cancer, reproductive problems, and any other number of health risks.
Food not fuel
In the hopes of easing their conscience, car drivers have been turning to ethanol fuel. They are seekind out the fuel that contains corn in order to feel more "green." Canada and US governments are encouraging the production of ethanol fuel. Unfortunately, this has caused a huge jump in the price of corn. Corn, as we all know, is food, and it is a staple in the diet of many people, especially those in Mexico. There, people have staged tortilla protests because the price of their food is now beyond the level that many can afford. All this coincides with global warming, which is causing record high temperatures. The high temps mess with corn production, and fewer and fewer areas in the world can now produce the crop. The high interest in corn by the ethanol producers paired with the lower crop yield are contributing to unaffordable table corn.
The poor shall not inherit the earth
Speaking of global warming, the effects of this, the greatest of all plagues, will be felt most keenly by the poor, reports the Globe and Mail. But what else is new? Those in developing countries will feel the effects of the warming of the globe most, with growing deserts and hotter temps. Their food sources will be meagre; disease will be rampant; water will run out; entire swaths of land will be lost to the sea. Those of us responsible for all this, those of us who drive cars; heat and light our homes with dirty fuels; use more water than is necessary; consume clothing, furniture, telephones, computers, paper, and other "goods" at rates that are unsustainable; we will feel it by having to shell out more money for things like fuel and food. And we will complain. And they will die.
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