where's jacob?

Capture what it’s like to spend a day or a moment talking with your kiddo.

I think these two photos paint a picture of our boy's 17-month-old personality.

Thanks, as always, to Mama Kat for the writer's prompt.

meant to be

True love is when not only did you and your husband buy each other the same card for Valentine's Day, but the punch line on the inside of the card is about couponing.

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours xo

10 years

Ten years ago on this day, I was… 

 ... in high school. Grade 12, to be specific. I was a senior, anxious to get on with my life and terrified of the prospect. Oh man, if I could only have known then what I know now. If I could, I'd tell the 17 year old me that it's all going to work out. Despite one particular university rejection letter, a couple stressful breakups, and getting laid off ... twice. I would tell her to save more of that student loan money so she wouldn't have to pay it back later. I'd remind her say yes to as many unique opportunities as she can. I'd insist that she worry less about body image and focus more on being healthy. I might even give her a hint about the love that was waiting around the corner and about how motherhood would change her forever.

 It's hard to believe that this summer we'll mark our 10 year reunion, and I'll celebrate 10 years of being a Haligonian. Time really does fly when you're having fun. Where were you 10 years ago?

 Thanks, as always, to Mama Kat for the writer's prompt.

mark it on your calendar

You no longer need plans for Valentine's Day.

It's back. February 14.

You're welcome.

try it tuesday: laying tile

Well, I'll be damned. It's Try it Tuesday.

In our ongoing adventures in home ownership, we had to tackle the landing at our back door. The linoleum there was just plain yucky. Our plan: cheap and easy. Enter Traffic Master groutable vinyl tile. 

One box was more than enough. The tiles, while they look like ceramic, are actually vinyl. That means we were able to cut them with a utility knife, rather than having to rent a tile cutter. The great thing about these tiles, though, is that they're super thick and tough, so they resemble ceramic completely, but there more forgiving when you walk on them and don't get as cold.

Since we were dealing with a small space, we just arranged the tiles a few times (with the backing still on) until we were happy with the general placement. Then we removed the backing and stuck each tile in place over the old floor. We used plastic spacers to give a 1/8 inch space on all sides for grout.

Husband did a fantastic job trimming all sides so they fit the wall perfectly (with many thanks to the school board for giving him a snow day on which to do the work).

I don't have an official before photo, but please journey back up to the first photo to note the difference between the grungy grey-blue from before, and this after:

We are beyond happy with the way it turned out and would highly recommend this to reno novices like us.

yawn.

It's 8:30 am, and I've already been awake for five hours. FIVE. How does that make you feel? It makes me feel like I need another cup of coffee.

Jacob is getting molars, and if I ever said I understood what a teething baby was like, you should've slapped me, because frankly, I had no idea. He jumps between his normal happy-go-lucky self, to completely inconsolable, to sheer exhaustion from dealing with the discomfort.

And I know it's worse for him than it is for me, but I'm starting to feel like a walking zombie. I'm not a fan of complaining about lack of sleep because I chose to become a parent, and sleep deprivation was in the fine print. But commiserate with me for just a sec. I'm tired.

So I'm looking for advice, helpful hints and anything else you can throw my way. What are your favourite teething tactics and remedies?

5 to 2

Enter this scene as Husband and I discuss baby names.

DISCLAIMER: Not pregnant. Our bro-sis-besties are giving us a new nephew, and a good friend is having a girl, both in April, so babies are top of mind. 

Me: I really like E********* (names have been hidden to protect from name stealers).

Husband: Me too. Maybe our kids initials could spell a word. J ... E ... Jello!

Me: Oh, so we're having five kids now, are we?

Husband: Hmm. How about Je? It's French.

another monday

What a weekend. We did nothing and everything all at once. It all started with a snow storm. We were planning to visit family, specifically this weekend in honour of our sweet niece's second birthday. Sadly though, we were kept back by the weather.

Ah that snow. It's the kind that crunches under your boots and almost doesn't seem real because it's so sparkly. As much as I can detest winter, I can't bring myself to hate the winter wonderland that our yard has become. Maybe I love it too because it's on our yard. We were out and about plenty this weekend, but the time we spent in under (and around) our little roof was just perfect. Playing outside, rearranging furniture, cooking and baking, laughing and hiding and finding and laughing some more. We did errands, went on a wonderful play date, got lots done and spent lots of glorious time doing nothing.

the current

listening CBC.
eating pumpkin cranberry scone.
drinking coffee.

wearing a bracelet I forgot I owned.
feeling ambitious.
weather c-c-cold.
wanting a power nap.
needing to do laundry.
thinking constantly.
enjoying wearing winter hats.
creating birthday cards.
pondering décor.
loving my boy's mischievous laugh.
anticipating the weekend.

the day our tub became a toilet

Husband: Wife?
Me: Yeah?
Husband: Can you come here? [... he asks from the bathroom, where he's scrubbing up the toddler.]
Me: Just a sec; I'm in the middle of something.
Husband: No, nowww.
Me: [annoyed] Agh, what is so important?

Then I round the corner to see Husband, holding up our dripping-wet son over the tub. Toddler grinning from ear to ear. Husband raises his eyebrows, glances down, and nearly drops the soaking kid as he busts a gut laughing.

Me: Oh. My. God.
[Trying to keep a straight face.]
Me: Jacobbb! What did you do?!
[Cracking up at the look on J's face, to which we all completely laugh out loud.]
Me: Guess daddy's got some fishing to do!

Moms, please tell me, after this happened once, did it happen again? I'm really hoping he doesn't decide use the tub as his own impromptu version of potty training.

no-spend week: attempt #1

The very fact that this post has the word "attempt" in the title sort of foreshadows the ending, doesn't it?

This week, Husband and I decided to try a no-spend week. It's all part of wanting to save more in 2012. We usually don't spend too much during a work week anyway, but making it official made it feel more difficult for some reason.

We started Monday, which was easy. But by Tuesday, we had failed. On Day 2, Husband forgot his lunch at home, so he had to spend $5 to eat. Then, after work, I took J for his planned haircut. In all fairness, I took him on Tuesday because it was cheap day at a local shop and it only cost $10 with tip, but still, it cost money.

And then, knowing that we had already lost the no-spend game. I bought a coffee at work on Wednesday, because apparently I have no self-control. None.

* In all honesty, I started typing up this post on Wednesday, while the memory of my forbidden coffee still sat as an empty cup on my desk, and guilt overcame me.

As a result, Thursday and Friday? Both winners! So we had a no-spend three days. This really doesn't amount to anything in terms of our budget, but it did give me a bit of a rude awakening about how easy it really is to drop $20. Turns out, way too easy.

We're planning to give it a go again on Monday. The real premise is to not waste money on things we don't need, like purchased lunches and coffee, and also to thing twice about any spending ... if we want/need something on Monday and it's still important come Saturday, then we'll know better whether it's worthy of our hard-earned bucks.