Why am I not blogging today? Or, yesterday? Or, the day before? You ask? Because I’m too busy. I can’t believe it. I’ve never been TOO BUSY to blog. What’s worse (if that’s a bad thing) is that I have SO MUCH to tell you. Here’s a tidbit: 1) GLAM book launch (at which I look entirely too large in photos — but, we all know I have body issues); and, 2) AYURVEDA consultation (during which Indian doctor stuck his fingers UP MY NOSE). More on those later this week. For now…, I have HEADACHE. Dizzy, throbbing, head-splitting headache. WHY? You ask (or not)? Because I spent the entire afternoon/evening at Monkey’s first a dance recital. And Josh is away (wah). So, I had to get both kids ready and out the door for an AFTERNOON/EVENING full of dance dance dance. TWO SHOWS for one little monkey.

I’m SO proud that she got through it…. SO proud that is was HER that the audience was laughing with at because she was making binoculars with her hands — instead of dancing — to try to see us in the audience(!). And, her cheeks have NEVER looked so big. Her hair NEVER so cute and poofy. Oy. I couldn’t take it.

It was during that little number (what, 30 seconds of two ONE-HOUR shows) that I realized my big girl….

…is still such a little little girl….

And, then on the way to the car I realized I lost my keys. See these?

They’re my mother’s set of keys to my house, WHICH I’m now using. MY keys — car AND house keys, EVERYTHING — are somewhere in downtown Toronto. Likely in a sewer grate because I, my exhausted children, my parents and MAJOR PREGGERS sister AND her little boy looked everywhere for my poor keys.

THAT’s why I’m not blogging and have headache today. KEYS! I LOST ALL MY KEYS! Dammit.

LOVE!

xo Haley-O

Not going to say it. Since the ear infections went away, a certain somebody has been STTN. You know what that means, right? I just can’t say it because I’ll jinx it and it’ll all be OVER. Happens every time. Okay, sleepingthroughthenight. He’s been SLEEPINGTHROUGHTHENIGHT. Shhhhhhh! It’s been about four nights, and he’s even waking up in the morning withoutscreaming! Which is so sweet — I may even start remembering my dreams again….

Only 17.5 months and he’s sleepingthroughthenight. ONLY! I know, I am SO LUCKY! Okay now I’m getting cocky…. Heh. Pray for me….

In the meantime, I AM TIRED (just when you thought you’d heard the end of that). It’s just that today was daylight savings. Which means the 9:45am yoga class I teach every Sunday was, in fact, at 8:45am. And the 10:30am class I teach right after it was actually at 9:30am…. Since Monkey was WITH COLD today, I thought Josh-O could take Rascal out and I’d relax with her at home the rest of the day and recover. I had this lovely little fantasy of her lying on the couch in front of the TV– perhaps falling asleep — Pablo, Thomas the Train and Iggle Piggle in her arms, as usual.

Alas, there was NO relaxing. The Monkey insisted that I play with her the ENTIRE DAY, except for the half hour I got when she was preoccupied with her Mood Mudd (LOVE)….

While Josh went to the mall and hung out with his friends and Rascal, Monkey and I did three puzzles, practiced our skipping (after her dance teacher pulled us aside and told us to work on it with her…; and, yes, I take that very seriously — 5, 6, 7, 8! MOVE IT, MONKEY!), practiced our handwriting…

…made this bird….

Josh-O got home at 5:30, just in time for the dinner Monkey and I prepared together….

It was a long day of PLAYING. At certain parts, I wanted to cry a little bit. I LOVE being with my Monkey, don’t get me wrong for a second — she’s my sidekick, my little love, my best friend (yes, she’s turning into a very mature little girl before my eyes)! But, I didn’t have the energy for this all day. I needed to sit. I mean, after how many hours? Seriously. I don’t know WHO can PLAY all day long without going at least a little bit crazy.

It was SO worth it, though. Monkey and I needed the time alone together. She felt special having me all to herself. And SHE HAD A GREAT DAY. There’s really very little that’s more rewarding than giving your child a great day….

And, now, I give you the latest addition to our family….

Her name is Hyacinth. And she just happens to be pictured here RIGHT next to the Bermuda postcard ERNA sent me in anticipation of her wedding…. Did I mention I’M GOING THERE? ALONE in less than 3 weeks (ooo, better get that DIET going)!

Oh, and one more thing one more thing! NEWS! I’m a contributor at the new CANADA MOMS BLOG. This is TRÈS cool, Gorgeouses. I am so honoured to be a part of it. You have to go to the site to see what it’s all about. Keep in mind, though, that it’s still really new — still technically “under construction.” I’ll be posting there a couple times a month about stuff that matters to me as a Canadian mom. In this first post, I talk about my evening out at The Ballet with it’sgrandma last Thursday — check it!

Love!
xo Haley-O

P.S.: Cheaty has a movie recommendation. She’s not particularly proud of this recommendation, but…check it?

P.P.S.: Toronto Gorgeouses: Check Goodies for Disney on Ice’s March Break production at the Rogers Centre. There’s a discount code there waiting for you! MWAH!

Oh gosh. I’m so preoccupied watching The Golden Globe Awards that I forgot I had this post to write. It’s just, I haven’t enjoyed an award show this much in a long time. Maybe it’s the Brad Pitt, or the STEVE CARELL, or the Johnny Depp…, among others? The Angelina Jolie in sparkly white dress….going home with the Brad Pitt (I find that so hott). The ADORABLE Steven Spielberg….

The reason I’m actually (FINALLY) writing something right now is because, sadly, Colin Farrell is boring the Starbucks Soy No-Water Chai Tea Latte out of me…. And, that takes A LOT. (I’mbackonthewagon. But, LD tells me her naturopath told her that it’s totally not my fault I’mbackonthewagon. My BODY is craving the noxious caffeine-and-sugar combo. So, totally NOT my fault that I can’t kick this habit.)

And, I just got a tweet from Margalit explaining why Colin isn’t perhaps as captivating as he used to be: “Son has Angelman’s Syndrome, VERY rare genetic disorder with terrible outcome. It’s so sad.” Sad, indeed. If I’d known that, I’d have appreciated his speech more, and the new, sober, thin, humble Colin Farrell. My prayers go out to him and his family. Luckily they have the wealth and resources to give James the good quality of life that, I’m happy to have just learned, many children with Angelman’s Syndrome are capable of having.

In any case, hearing things like that makes you realize the triviality of some of your own issues and appreciate life’s fragility.

And, today, I really appreciated both my children. I surrendered to my exhaustion from not sleeping in several days (RASCAL!), stayed as present as I could, and just took everything in: the Monkey’s first dance class, and her teething, sleepless brother’s endless activity.

Monkey’s first dance class has left me utterly fahklempt. It was so precious.

She looked so adorable in her pink leotard and tights, her pink “gymnastic shoes,” her pink “hair thing.” It’s quite the dress code, actually. We went to the dancewear store to buy everything just yesterday. It was the very same dancewear store to which my mother took ME when I was Monkey’s age. Isn’t that crazy? I was so nostalgic…. This dance store has been open since 1972….

So, her very first dance class has come and gone. They don’t allow the parents to look in — which is a shame, but it’s smart…. They have blinds on the windows to the classrooms. Of course, I peeked in through the teeniest cracks in the blinds and in the door and watched my little Monkey skip around and NOT LISTEN to instructions! That’s my girl! The 14-year-old assistant caught me peeking, though. *BUSTED*! Oy.

They open the blinds on the last Sunday of every month, and I AM ALL OVER IT! Cannot wait.

After dance class, Monkey went to the basketball game with Josh-O and his friends, and their daughters….

Go, Monkey!!!

Meanwhile, I stayed home with the inconsolable Rascal. The past week of sleepless nights is, no doubt, a result of aching gums. The poor little guy’s cheeks look like an alcoholic’s nose….

He must have slept for maybe 45 minutes today. The rest of the day was spent eating playing with playdough, painting (I still have a big red dot on my nose!), drawing, playing with the Monkey’s Backyardigan dolls, feeding the squirrels. I know, total excitement. But, he was adorable and so sweet, as always…. And, I stayed present. When I couldn’t, I held a kitty….

By the time Josh-O came home, I was beat. And, Rascal was still running around eager to play….

But, did I mention…? We painted. And, for me, there’s nothing more relaxing or rewarding than painting, …and yoga. And, maybe this is what it takes to get me back to the easel: a teething little 15-month-old who wants NOTHING but to be with his mama…, to try new things, to be creative…. Did I mention, to be with his mama…? and all night long…? Aaaarrrrghh!

Hope you had a great weekend! What did YOU do?
Love…
xo Haley-O