NEW NEPHEW….

I know my brother won’t want me to post a photo of his new baby boy on the blog — party pooper! So, instead, I give you this photo of the Monkey’s favourite baby doll, “Marshmallow,” lying in yet another one of her curiously concocted beds/worlds….

Congratulations, Mark and Sabrina! He’s beautiful! (9 pounds!!!)

NEW DOG….

Betty White continues to thrive in her new home with us. Having spent the first 5 months of her life in a high-rise condo, she probably didn’t get out much. You should have seen her last night, when I took her out to look at the moon. (Yes, I did.) WOAAAH….

NEW JOB….

Gorgeouses, you’re now looking at the new “Editor/Writer” at Today’s Parent.com!

I can’t even begin to tell you all the cool things I’ll be doing at Today’sParent.com — except to say that it’s so exciting. And, happily, I’ve been able to arrange it so my kids won’t feel a thing. Although, come to think of it, they’ll definitely wonder why mom’s not sleeping in to the last minute any more! And something tells me they’ll love that….

As many of you know, I’ve worked extremely hard since the Monkey was a baby. Blogging every day until recently, come hell (prenatal depression) or high water (screaming, sleepless babies), and it’s paid off. Not only am I now working at one of Canada’s most respected parenting magazines, but, I have to tell you, when I was young(er), I used to dream about writing for Chatelaine and Flare. And, would you believe? I’m working in the very same offices with them? I’ll be walking by the glitzy clothing racks on my way to my desk. How glam for a “couch writer” like me! And, I’ll actually be contributing to these magazines, as well, I’m told. All this, and I never got all the way through The Secret….

To top it all off, there’s my manager. Her name’s Hailey, too — clearly, she spells it wrong, though. She and I clicked the moment we met. But, want to hear what a big dork I am? I sat in HER chair when I went in for my interview! She’s still laughing (hysterically) about it. I’m just starting to get over the embarrassment.

I must say, motherhood has been, among other intense and amazing things, perhaps the most creative time in my life — brimming with opportunities, and with friends.

It’s a new adventure, Gorgeouses! And it starts TUESDAY.

LOVE!

xo Haley-O

P.S.: Your questions/comments have prompted me to add this wee addendum: I’ll be writing/editing online.  So, by all means, SUBSCRIBE to TodaysParent.com!

It’s a sentimental one today. I’m in that kind of mood. Not having a computer all day (until Josh-O came home with his blessed laptop) will do that to a girl….

I just want to say that, you know Gorgeouses, sometimes the greatest gifts come from the most unexpected places, at the most unexpected times….

I’ve been feeling so disconnected lately and, literally, cut off. I’ve been working a lot on myself — not only for me, but for THE CHILDREN — and I’m at a place where I can determine EXACTLY what I’m feeling and experiencing. Sounds weird, I know. But, not really. Weird was today: me guessing an acquaintance of mine was seeing someone new after A LONG break in the romance department, and that his name was — get this — “J.R.” Okay, so how freaky is that? Anyway, I can read myself very well now (and apparently others!). And, every ounce of my being was screaming “CUT OFF” today.

Of course, my broken-computer situation was further confirmation that I am, indeed, CUT OFF. Disconnected, literally, from my internet friends, and missing that much-needed feeling of connection that I get when I turn it on in the middle of my toddler-filled day.

You know what, though? I kind of liked it. For some SICK reason, I wanted to wallow in it a little.  Because, somehow, feeling disconnected forced me to reconnect with myself. And, I was liking it. Like, “hey, Cheaty, long-time-no-see! I’LL be your friend. Wanna hang out?”

So, I was going to just wallow by myself for the morning instead of going to yoga class. Kids were taken care of — the Monkey at school, and the Rascal with it’sgrandma….

But, then I remembered a card I drew for myself last night, from Lisa Hunt’s beautiful Animals Divine Tarot Deck. I like to draw a card from this very positive deck as a tool for my evening meditation (told you I’ve been working on myself!). The card is supposed to inform my dreams and serve as a spiritual theme for the next day. I was lucky this time. I drew the luckiest card in the deck: The 9 of Cups…. Salmon jumping out of the deep dark waters (of the unconsciouseses), cups over flowing-eth….

This card is from the Animals Divine Tarot deck, by Lisa Hunt. Image ©Lisa Hunt.

Beautiful card…. I love Lisa Hunt’s work. So the Nine of Cups is often about GIFTIES! Whatever you want? It’s YOURS. LOVE it. But, when I woke up the next morning, I was definitely NOT feeling happy-go-lucky! No. I was feeling DISCONNECTED, “CUT OFF”! So, what’s with THE CARD?

As I would soon discover, the gift was in that disconnection, in the resulting reconnection with myself.

At 9am this morning, in my sorry state, I dragged myself to yoga class. All I wanted to do was be ALONE with myself. But, I knew I had to go.

I went. I decided I’d be totally quiet in the class. The teacher encourages discussion, and I always judge myself harshly after I blurt out my contributions…. So compulsive. And, of course, I couldn’t stay silent. I spoke: something about the effects of “bee breath” on the brain…. But, I didn’t judge myself this time.

AMAZING things happened in this class. I lay there. I breathed. I meditated. I spoke without self-judgment. And, I opened my heart: from standing, I lifted up and bent over backwards into wheel/chakrasana….

I haven’t done that in years — because I always think my technique isn’t strong enough, and I worry about my weak wrists (after two carpul-tunnel-filled pregnancies). But, I did it. I had nothing to lose and I DID IT. GIFTY. Like the salmon exploding out of the dark waters, I exploded up and out of myself into this beautiful, heart-opening pose. And, I felt a rush of love for everyone, every thing….

By 10am, my day had turned around. 180°. I felt compassion. For everyone. For myself.

And, while Monkey spent the afternoon with it’sgrandma, Rascal and I cuddled and played and giggled the day away. I didn’t need anything else. No computer, no pinkberry, no phone. Just the two of us.

I believe we sat together for a whole HOUR during lunch. Just giggling and eating together….Later, I cashed a sweet check (GIFTY), we DROVE to the park down the street, and I pushed the little CUTIE on the swing — one of his favourite things.

When Monkey came home, we all played: tea party, lego, dancing…. Until it was time to make a very special dinner (when I get my computer back, I’ll post it on Cheaty Kitchen — it was a HIT!).

It was a BEAUTIFUL day. Cups. Overfloweth.

Out of the dark depths of disconnection — SPLASH — explosion into joy, love, laughter and dance. And, man, did we dance.

I don’t know what happened today, but it was a really productive day — the kids and I did so much. And, it was FUN. Productivity usually involves moving forward. But, today, it meant going back….

It started with a trip to one of my favourite ice cream parlours ever, Dutch Dreams. Check how fun:

I remember going there with my dad as a child. We didn’t go very often, but when we did, I loved it. There was so much to see. It’s such an artsy, eccentric little place. I love artsy, eccentric little places. I’m not sure monkey appreciated the little nuances that make Dutch Dreams unique, but I did.

Monkey wanted strawberry ice cream. Yes, in the LAND of funky flavours, my monkey went for the STRAWBERRY. Because it’s pink, of course.

The owner, Dina, made it funky, though, by adding their signature whipped-cream and sprinkles topping, and a wedge of WAAAAAAAFFLE CONE. Mmmmm…. Theirs is THE BEST waffle cone in the world.

The little Rascal enjoyed his vanilla ice cream, and I had nothing (because I’m ON the diet wagon these days). Yes, we were a really exciting bunch. It was great treating the monkeys to something different and special. Just the three of us. Every day could be like this. I wonder what tomorrow’s adventure will be…. Hmmm….

On the drive home, I took a scenic route through the neighbourhood I grew up in — which was also the neighbourhood my mother grew up in.

I showed them it’sgrandma’s old OLD house, and two of the houses I lived in. It was really strange going back there with my kids. REALLY STRANGE. I felt kind of old, and keenly aware of the circle of life. Fahklempt. Monkey did NOT understand what she was seeing, but she loved the old pine tree in front of my old house — because I told her how I tried to pee there, like a boy, and got in BIG trouble because I had a little trouble with my, erm, aim? I know, great story.

When we got home, Monkey asked if she could finger paint…. Greeeeaaaat….

I ATTEMPTED to let Rascal finger paint but decided an empty swimming pool would be just as fun for him (and LESS MESSY)…(A LOT LESS MESSY).

And, of course, after all that fingerpainting? No, my beloved lululemons did not go unscathed…. Wah!

When I was little, I kept a diary. I used to give each day a grade. Ahem. My days were a B- at worst, really. Except for one day, which I graded C because a boy in my class kept calling me “shrimp”…. Anyway, if I could grade this day, it’d be an A. A big, fat, beautiful A. Love….

xo Haley-O

OH OH OH!! PS!: If you’re Mac cord is busted, like mine was (like, 2 posts ago?)? TAKE IT IN to the Apple store. THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT. I REPEAT: KNOWN DEFECT. They replaced ours no problem. I LOVE my new Mac cord!