When it gets too quiet around here

Our house is always busy and slightly chaotic and messy.  I used to be a complete neat freak, but let go of my OCD-ness with two kids.  And so...  if it ever gets quiet around here or the kids aren't jumping up and down on you with their elbows and knees poking you every which-way, then something is definitely up.  Usually it has something to do with potty-training (almost inevitably) but I think most "quiet" moments revolve around some kind of big mess--dirt, water...poop.

What is it with kids and their total immersion in dirt and destruction that makes them so focused and intense and quiet?  Sometimes I think that's why God made kids so noisy.  Because then we would know something is wrong when they are quiet.

And something is most definitely up when the kids sleep past 6am.  And 100% something is up when it is 8am and you haven't heard a peep.  Which is precisely what happened the other morning.

It had been a very late night with the kids, which is not our normal.  And the kids have been sick, so for Maggie to sleep in until 8am was a bit weird, but maybe it was just some sleep she needed to get better.

When we finally roused ourselves from bed and a delightfully late time of 8am, I heard a happy little chirp from Maggie's room.  I walked in to find that she had stripped herself completely naked--unzipped/torn off her sleep sack, unbuttoned her sleeper, ripped off her diaper.  100% naked and delightfully happy.  "Mommy!!!  I WAKE!!!"  My stomach sunk.  Oh no.  Please... Not poop.   No poop from what I could see from the door into her dimly lit room.  No smell.

It was only when I went to pick her up that I knew something was not quite right.  She literally almost slipped out of hands.  Her entire body was slick with oil.  She clutched, very happily a completely empty container of Vaseline.  It was   e v e r y w h e r e. 

All over her body.  Her crib.  Her sheets.  Each of her stuffies (all 20 of them) were carefully, motherly smeared with vaseline.  And she had run her fingers through her hair.  Her soft blonde ringlets were slick, straight back, Greaser style.

It was right into the tub for her while Jordan googled to see the toxic effects that a bottle of Vaseline might have on the almost-two-year old body and digestive tract (just in case).  Meanwhile, I lathered her with soap, rinsed her hair twice and patted her still sticky skin dry.  What was I to do?

Her hair.  It just was simply not presentable.  She looked like she had been drenched with a bottle of olive oil.  Even after it dried, it didn't look dry in the least bit.  Six hair washes, several cups of cornstarch and two days later, Maggie's hair is finally sporting a hairstyle more in keeping with the carefree spritely almost-two-year-old monkey she is.  

Two lessons:  1)  If you ever need to pretend you have grey hair, I have found the perfect natural products for Halloween costumes in our future.

2) When it's too quiet, trouble is brewing.  

Goodness, I love this face.  Our children are such characters....  One of the things we both simultaneously love the most about them and what also drives us crazy.  Would we have it any other way?

Happy Fall & Mucking About.

Happy Fall!!  We are a few weeks into Autumn... and the weather is finally starting to cool and those bright pops of colour are coming out on the leaves.  We've been run headlong into the routines of fall--school, gymnastics, swimming, play dates, work.  The time for relaxation is over for a little while.... 

You may not have heard from us for a little bit.  It's been pretty hectic around here.  A lot of exciting things going on with the business and with Jordan's work.  But not a lot of time for so many adventures. We are hoping to carve out time here and there for that but for now we are just trying to keep our heads above water.  Sorry it's been so long!

In fact, I don't quite remember the last time we were down by the river with the kids, but since it was really feeling like fall today, we just had to get down there where the leaves turn into a spectacular display of variable colours.  It still has a long way to go; there is plenty of green left.  But it won't be long.  And I guess we shouldn't complain about it taking so long.  We've had such amazing summer weather up until now.  So here we are mucking about in the river, getting the kids filthy dirty.  They waded up to their knees and sat in the creek bed.  They slid down the hillside of dirt and mud and came home sopping wet and dirty and HAPPY!  What did I say.... you spend time with us, prepare to get a whole lot dirty and hopefully have a good time while doing it!

Happy Fall Everyone! :)

The Annual Trip to the Canadian National Ex

It must be a Toronto parent's rite of passage to take their littles to the CNE, have them run around like crazy, hopped up on slushies and ice cream, meltdown part way through the day, eventually pass out in the stroller and then keep on going once the nap is over.  Much to my relief, I wasn't the only parent doing this.  But when you park and pay and buy a bunch of tickets, you really do have to make the best of it and stay all day.  

Gabriel was so excited to try out all the rides he was now allowed to go on.  Maggie would have been thrilled to go on some rides too but she got her kicks from watching Gabriel go on rides this year.  There isn't the least bit of hesitation from Gabriel to go on any rides, confirming my belief that I have raised a couple of adrenaline junkies.

In true Magdalene fashion, slushies encouraged a full-on sugar buzz crazy run around the ex.

 And since no one wanted to hold my hand, I made them hold each other's hands.  A good compromise I say.  They wanted to run madly off in all directions.  At least I could narrow it down to ONE direction.

Like any big brother would, Gabriel is explaining the mechanics of the Monster Truck ride to Maggie.

 We met up with Gabriel's bestie, Tatiana and family at the CNE. 

 The cocoa fried chicken was a hit last year, and we really liked it.  So we did it again!

Those cheeks are just so squishy!!!!

And those tip toes!  It is so fun watching Maggie connect with other little people and make friends too.  So often we run on the big kid agenda.

An annual family photo for an annual tradition with friends.

Because slushies weren't enough.....

And then Dad showed up after work, complete in suit and tie and jumped on a few rides with Gabriel.  I am pretty sure he was the only person dressed in a suit going on kiddie rides.  Sure do love this man!  What a dad, huh?

From sun-up to sun-down.  Another year at the CNE with friends.  A true marker of the end of summer and the beginning of September and a new school year.