We've just capped off a wonderful, busy weekend spent with friends. On Saturday Clara attended her classmate Numa's birthday party. I was invited to the party as well and I'm very glad I tagged along. It was really fun seeing the kids interact. Numa had invited a group of kids from their Carrfour class so they were all quite comfortable with each other and played very well together. Clara spent most of the play time pretending with Chloe using Numa's new (and very beautiful) castle as their backdrop.


I was able to sit and chat with some other moms and generally relax for a couple of hours.

On Saturday night Sedgie, Jayne's babysitter came over to watch Clara and Leo for the night. It sounds like they had a wonderful evening together. Not only did I hear several excited stories this morning about the pirate game they played and the made-up stories Sedgie told at bedtime but, there was also a tearless goodbye!! Nothing makes this mama happier than two smiling kiddos waving goodbye out the front window. I tell you, just that image makes a night out even more fun. Our evening was spent with friends we don't see nearly often enough enjoying good food and drink. When Marc and I turned the key at 12:15am the house was silent and Sedgie didn't look the least bit traumatized - woohoo!

Today we dragged Clara and Leo downtown to brunch with all our friends from the night before. Leo napped through much of the meal but Clara ate well, played with her toys, and generally entertained everyone at the table. She's really found her groove in restaurants recently. Her patience is better and she's slowly catching on that other people should get a chance to speak. Interrupting is still something that we're working on though ;)

Everyone came back to our house this evening for an impromptu BBQ - thanks to the club pack of italian sausages I bought this week, we had a fine meal. Clara and Leo spent the night assuring their spot in the centre of everyone's attention; they played, performed, sang, danced, and joked around until they were basically asleep on their feet. Despite the fact that it was hard to have any kind of adult conversation I think Jon, Erin, Nic, Nico, Andre, and Gabe enjoyed hanging out with our family.

There was birthday cake at the Carrefour today. This first picture must have been taken when she just got her piece.

This picture was likely taken just a few moments later - the girl loves cake!
I haven't a clue what warranted the look on Chloe's face though. I know she's not a huge cake eater, maybe that explains it. Hmmm, I wonder if Clara ate her piece too... I'll have to ask. It is very possible.

Clara really, really, really wanted to help me do SOMETHING today. I wasn't willing to let her mix hamburger meat so I suggested she help with the laundry. She did a great job folding facecloths! Check out the pile she made. And, if that wasn't enough, she put them all away too.

Warning: Proud Mama entry ahead!

On Tuesday when I picked up Clara from pre-school Emanuelle told me that Clara had been TALKING in French! She told me that she was so happy that it had brought tears to her eyes, which of course brought tears to my eyes too! I'm so proud of Clara's progress. We've been talking in French a bit at home lately and watching some French TV so I guess it has all added up and she'd finally beginning to feel confident in her abilities. I can't wait to see what happens on Friday...

My new favorite mixed up word of Clara's: ding-bell, also known as doorbell!

And since I am sharing funnies; here is our passed out lumberjack.

Last night I watched Clara sleep. She was wearing a cute pyjama set; pink shorts and a pink top. She lay on her side, all curled up, her hands under her cheek and her hair kind of wavy lying around her on the pillow. She was breathing deeply and her belly was going up and down rhythmically. It was a perfect moment. While I watched her she changed positions; she sighed and smacked her lips. I wondered what she was dreaming about. As I watched her I couldn't help but think; this is not the body of my baby. This is the body of a girl. The position she was in and the sounds that she made were probably exactly how you'd find me in the middle of the night when I am sleeping deeply. How can that girl with the long legs be my daughter?

I know Clara is growing up logically. She learns new things, tries new things, tells me her ideas, and all that wonderful stuff but, despite all that, I have somehow managed to escape the fact that with every day, and every new accomplishment she is growing up and it is happening right in front of me.

Wow, this mothering thing sure is an emotional ride, especially when your eyes are opened in the dark sitting beside a girl in pink.

Further example of Leo's obsession with the number ONE. Listen for Clara in the background - she knows everything.

Today we spent the afternoon in our backyard. Bubbles, chalk, balls - we hauled them all out and enjoyed the sun and some giggles. Clara is a professional bubble blower and Leo mastered the pavement steps. Unfortunately, Clara has developed a fear of bugs over the winter and had several startled (aka freaked out) reactions when she caught sight of something flying about. I'm trying to convince her that we have to share the outdoors with bugs, animals, and people but so far no dice - she's cool with the animals and other people, but the bugs, not a chance! All I can say is, thank goodness we live in a city.

Watching the bubbles float away

Look at my clean face, I just ate bubble solution!

Hop Scotch

Sniff. Leo got his first haircut yesterday. I was the hairdresser, Marc was the cheering squad and Dora the Explorer was the distraction. I was so torn about cutting off his lovely baby curls but the rats nest that kept emerging at the back of his head and Leo's aversion to a brush deemed it necessary. Of course, Marc was thrilled by my willingness to give the little guy a trim since he's been calling Leo mullet boy for months. Here are some before and after pictures to give you an idea how baby Leo grew up in about 22 minutes.

Leo is a constant source of amusement these days. Last week he started counting. It went something like this: One, one, one, one, one, ooone!! This week he's upped the ante. Now he sounds like this: One, one, one, one, TEN!! He learned ten yesterday while Clara and I were doing some yoga poses from a library book. We decided to (try to) hold each pose for the count of 10. Well, I guess if you say anything with as much relief as Clara and I were proclaiming "TEN" you'd be likely to learn a new word too.

The boy is also really into puzzles these past few days. Leo will beg Clara and I to sit with him and put together a puzzle. He's favoring the big foam Caillou puzzles but he'll happily tap pieces into any jigsaw at all. The biggest problem we are encountering so far is when he insists that we put a certain piece into the puzzle where it obviously will not fit. Unfortunately, several puzzle sessions have ended early as a result of an 18-month-old temper tantrum.

Two successful babysitting experiences in 5 days. WooHoo! Thanks Auntie Caroline and Papa T, you've made this Mama and Papa very happy :)

Oh, and thanks Clara and Leo for putting up with them. Just kidding ;)

Clara posed Leo and I hugging and then painted our portrait.

Later in the day we did some group cleaning, if only every day were so productive! Clara is shredding a huge pile of papers Papa set aside for her and Leo well, he is pushing around a running vacuum.

Clara climbed into bed with Marc and I this morning. She was groggy from having just woken up. She hugged me and said "good morning sweet potato" in the most loving voice. Then she hugged Marc and he asked if he was a sweet potato too. She said "no, you are a mashed potato"

While walking to the Carrfour this morning Clara and I were chatting. She mentioned Cohen's house (for some reason) and I told her that Cohen and his family would be moving this Summer. She decided that she also would like to move house. Then she asked me in all seriousness "But our house is really heavy, how do we move it?"

On Monday morning the alarm clock went of at 7am. I got up, got ready for the gym and started eating some breakfast. Leo toddled down the hall and greeted me all smiles and chatting up a storm and played while I finished my cereal. I told him I was going to the gym and that he should go and wake up Papa and Clara. He wouldn't go down the hall while I was still at home (I knew this from previous experience by the way) so I got my cat and shoes on and headed out the door. Leo waved and shouted bye bye to me through the window.

I came home about an hour later and this is what I found!!! That stripped lump in the middle is Marc, also know as lazy Papa.
As you can imagine their day started a bit later than usual. Of course the time change over the weekend may have had something to do with it.

Once Clara and Leo stumbled out of bed, were fed and dressed we went downtown for what turned into a rather turbulent shopping trip. After the mother of all tantrums in Old Navy Clara and I are still trying to get along.

It was one of those days where it felt like I was so in love with my kids and proud of them one moment and then frustrated and spitting mad with them the next. Yeah, spending part of the day downtown with an 18 month-old and a 3 1/2 year-old is not a good thing for this Mama. I think I'll look into shopping on the Internet for the things I still have to buy them for Spring/Summer :)