no more monkeys jumping on the bed

wow, that was so much easier than i expected (knock on wood). as you can tell from the picture, we decided to go the bed route instead of the tent. there were a couple of days of serious debate, but in the end the bed seemed like the right solution for us. partly it was because the only store that was selling the tent wanted $100 for it and many reviews had indicated that the tents didn't last, that holes in the mesh were not uncommon. then there was also the fact that sooner or later we are going to have to move him into a bed anyway, he doesn't have the luxury of being one of those kids that stays in the crib until he is three, the new baby is going to need it within 6 months. we talked about how if we do it before the baby then it won't seem like the baby took anything away from him, and many sources sited 8 weeks as enough time to make the transition before the new baby arrives, so we took the plunge and went today and bought a bed.

cohen helped dad put it together, his help mostly involved keeping tabs on the screws and by keeping tabs i of course mean walking around with his mitts full humming with delight. once it was up he quickly climbed on to get a better look and then clapped (cohen's way of saying "all right!"). everything was looking good.

we did the usual bedtime routine, bath, milk, story, teeth and goodnights all around, and then marko set him in the bed and pulled up his sheets. miraculously, he closed his eyes and stayed in place so marko came back out into the living room. as one would predict though, we soon heard the pitter patter of little feet and then a boisterous laugh and clapping as he rounded the corner to say hello. i told marko he was crazy if he thought cohen would just stay put, he said "you never know", and so he held his hand and walked back into the bedroom, helped him back into bed, gave him another good night kiss and then left the room again. it has been twenty five minutes now and there has been no more pitter patter, no crying, no nothing. those of you that are parents may be saying "ahh ha! silence then huh? i bet he is in there pulling all the clothes out of your drawers". don't worry, it was the first thing i thought too, but peeking in i can see that he is still in bed and all is calm.

so that is the beginning, not bad at all. i wonder how this story ends?

sleeping beauty trips me with a frown

i am in a rut.

maybe it is a funk, i am undecided about the difference.

it is a case of bananas and thinking. that is, the more i tell myself to not think about bananas, the more time i spend thinking about them. only in this case it isn't really bananas that are in question, it is going back to work. so to tell you that i haven't been thinking about it is a lie, a dirty shameful lie, because it is almost all i have been thinking about. everyday we go out, to the park, to the pool, to the library, just for a walk, and all i can think about is that soon it will be over. it is crazy talk i know, nothing is really ending. there may be less time, but the time itself will stay the same, it may even be sweeter. still, it is the less that has me blue.

when i was in my first year of university i went through a much too long stage where i was sleeping 16-17 hours a night. at first i didn't give it much thought, which looking back now i think it is a little strange, but after a couple of months and several dozen missed lectures, i started to suspect that something was amiss. the dr. confirmed that in fact this was not normal and suggested that it was my bodies way of coping with the stress of change. he kindly told me that he could have me withdrawn from a class or two without punishment if i thought it would help, but i wasn't ready for such drastic measures and thanked him anyway. instead, i forced myself up at a normal time everyday, and despite my brains best efforts, i exercised a little everyday to keep me awake. slowly things started to get better and although i didn't do great academically that first semester i didn't fail anything either. so that is that, some people eat ice cream, and others stay up all night unable to sleep, but me? well i go to bed at 6pm and sleep right on through until noon, usually waking up with a sleep hangover and a thick fog around me. it is in my dreams that i find refuge, something about checking out i think.

all this to say that lately i have been sleeping. a lot. as much as cohen almost, which is much more than a grown woman should be. morning naps, afternoon naps and early evenings, and yes, when we wake i do make us leave the house and "do something", but the sleep always seems follows me. my spirit is having trouble getting roused it seems, which once again brings us back to bananas.

i have much to update about cohen, happy, fun, exciting things. i will take pictures tomorrow and i promise no more bananas.

talk about the things you can't explain

being a parent to a baby comes with all sorts of mystery, particularly as they approach the age where they know what they want, but don't yet know how to ask for it (well not with words anyway). these days communication is so close we can taste it, yet far enough away to keep at least me completely in the dark. more and more i find myself wondering just what it is he is thinking, or better yet saying? there is often arm waving and seriousness of tone, sometimes even a stern look as if to say "don't you understand?", but i don't.

this morning i awoke to the sound of laughter. not just an idle chuckle but out and out belly rolling laughter. i was perplexed, where is that coming from? when i came out of my sleepy stupor i quickly realized that it was cohen, so i sat up and looked over to the crib. there i saw him fast asleep (or so it seemed) in the throws of hysterical laughter, his mouth actually opening with each chuckle, a grin from ear to ear. it went on for almost two minutes before i couldn't stand it anymore, and i too started to laugh. this of course woke him up with a startled look on his face, "why are you laughing mom, don't you know how early it is?". once again i was faced with the nagging question, what? in this case, is so funny or were you dreaming about.

he loves to talk almost without end, so i know that once he can form the words, there will be no stopping him. perhaps i should just cherish this time when i am asking the questions, soon i am sure the asking will be all on his side. i wonder if he will mind if i just speak gibberish at the top of my lungs, my arms flailing in response?

here is a video of him giving himself a firm talking to. if there are any baby translators out there, i am all ears!



**update** this morning i put on the video for him to watch himself, and he was completely enthralled, actually talking back in what sounded like the same screeches. now i am slightly concerned that he thinks there are several clones of him around (in the computer, in the window, mirror etc) and that only they speak his language. maybe he is secretly planning a revolution? thank goodness there is really only one of him, or we could have had an uprising on our hands.

weekend roundup

this is a rabbit, or a bunny if you like. you can tell this by the floppy ears...right? ok, it might be somewhat ambigious what variety of animal it is exactly, so i am telling you, it is an easter bunny. he has no name, although "rabbit" was thrown around. i figure i might as well start naming things what they are, simple is the new complex after all. rabbit represents all of the chocolate and marshmallowy goodness that awaits cohen in future years, however, this year crinkly ears will have to suffice.

so if cohen got rabbit, then what did i get? a saturday night out with two of my favourite people, aaron and nicole. there were nachos and beers on a patio with people gawking, then movie theatre watching (blades of glory, which was incredibly cry with laughter hilarious...although maybe that is the beer talking) and finally new apartment lounging, complete with dark chocolate and berry compote covered raspberry sorbet eating and dvd watching. there is something incredibly cathartic about visiting with them for me. a place outside of myself. when i am there i feel like the old t. now don't get me wrong i love this new life, the one with the husband and baby, but it is still nice to visit the old one, even just to say a quick "hi, how are you". i am lucky to have such a place to recharge my batteries every once in a while.

the rest of the weekend was spent sleeping in (well sort of), sipping coffee on sidewalks, walking and swinging on swings, then visiting with grandma (cohen's, not mine, unfortunately that isn't possible anymore) and eating a decadent fondue spread together that consisted of much marinated meat and vegetable tempura, followed by many fruits dipped in melted chocolate with amaretto for good measure. there was a delicious bottle of wine and good conversation and then a good night.

today was all about being lazy. napping and relaxing and more coffee drinking. we were supposed to go out with my brother to the park this afternoon but the weather wasn't co-operating and so collectively it was decided that frolicking is best left for another, much sunnier, time. it is just as well as cohen moaned a lot today, i suspect another tooth although there were sniffles in his nose last night and some heat on his temple, whatever it is it left him on the wrong side of happy for much of the day. it still wasn't enough to throw me off though, it was a great weekend even without chocolate rabbits and eggs. i am just glad for any occasion that finds all three of us home together for four days in a row, it should be like this every week.

pearly white and quite alright

here it is, as promised one more photo of the little man, this time with teeth! so what do you think? does it make him look older, feistier, more able to eat a sirloin?

this one is for marko. he says that i only ever post pictures of cohen smiling and laughing which is how he is most of the time, but of course not all the time. so here he is soggy eyed and whiny, looking to be rescued from the perils of nap time.

speaking of nap time, it was only twenty minutes later when i came in to check on him and found him hanging out.


so that is a little of what we have been up to, that and finally repotting the plants and doing some serious spring cleaning. there have also been walks in the sun and family get togethers, but we will save those for another time.

eight for eight

to mark the occasion of eight months come and gone i will entertain you all with eight pictures and a video, i would have done eight videos but i think that would cement my place in home video hell. there are four above and four below. those above are him being himself (and yes that is food on his face, he had just finished dinner and clearly taking the picture was more important than wiping the mess up) and those below are him acting out the range of emotions for which he is capable. someone should get this kid into pictures...or at the very least a hair cut.

surprised? possibly blowing a kiss? this one is open for interpretation.


very serious, don't you know!


i like to call this one the happy zoolander


and his trademark face the "let's have some fun" grin


the video was taken tonight after he was put to bed and was supposed to be sleeping (you will notice him nod off here and there from fatigue!). it was taken in the dark with our "please don't let this make you think of paris hilton" night vision function on the camera which is just a roundabout way of saying sorry that it looks so crappy (although a little spooky too...no?).



so cheers to eight months with the little pooper, i never knew life could be so fun!