Doing Nothing Part 2 (pic heavy)

Yesterday was the first Saturday in a very long time that we had nothing on the schedule.  The skating lessons were done, there were no errands to run and although there is always housework nothing was pressing and we were looking forward to having a day of doing nothing.

We received a call mid-morning from friends asking what we were up to and we told them we had absolutely nothing planned so to swing on by. 

This is what our day looked like.  For doing nothing, I think it was a pretty awesome day.

Can you spot the turtle?

Hello Mr. Snake

 

When you plant yourself in this moment, and do what you can to make the most of it, you are free.

Doing Nothing...

This week Sebastian was home on March Break.  We really didn't have a lot planned for the week and basically made things up as we went along.

The week started with us heading to my hometown for a long weekend last Saturday (which I blogged about below).  We returned home on the Monday and I thought it would be neat to take Sebastian to the zoo seeing that the weather would be so lovely this week.  As such, we headed into Toronto on the Tuesday afternoon and spent the night at a friend's house to allow us to get an early start on the day and to make the day a little more manageable for me as I wouldn't have the hour long commute to and from the zoo.  Sebastian had fun playing with his friend in Toronto and loved the idea of having a sleep over.  The next morning we headed to the zoo and arrived there just after 10:15.  To say the place was a zoo would be an understatement!  It took us 45 minutes of waiting in line before we entered the zoo but once in and once the boys had lunch (in which there were more lines)  we were finally able to walk  around and see the animals.  We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day and despite the busyness of the zoo, in which I have vowed never to go there again during March Break (!), the boys seemed to just enjoy running around outside and being able to share in the zoo together. 

On Thursday Seb went to Art Explosion Day Camp for the morning and as he came out told me "I didn't like it, I LOVED It!".  I had been a little weary about trying this program as Seb doesn't always like organized activities without me being present but it was everything he liked; art, singing and dancing!  We then spent Thursday afternoon playing soccer in our backyard, having a scavenger hunt (we just made it up as we went along) and going for a bike ride.  Today was pretty much the same.  Sebastian had his Art Explosion camp in the morning and then I surprised Sebastian and his dad by preparing a picnic lunch to be had on a blanket in our backyard.  We then went for a nice bike ride in the conservation area and the remainder of the afternoon Sebastian spent playing with the kids who live next door to us. It was actually the first time Sebastian went for a bike ride around the block with the neighbours kids without me. It was a little anxiety provoking for me, but I remember how free I felt as a child being able to ride my bike up and down the street and around the block without my parents and I wanted Sebastian to experience that freedom.  Seeing that huge smile on his face as he rode up our driveway was worth it!

Not a bad week of doing nothing if I do say so myself!

Putting on a song and dance for me

Reading a bedtime story

  

The obligatory picture with the Orangutan!

Weekend Away

Just came back yesterday from a long weekend away visiting family as a start to our March Break.  We usually stay in a hotel when we go down to visit but this time we managed to find a cottage for the same price.  These are some of my favourite pics from the weekend:

Trying on hats at Mad Cap Hats and Accessories

Sharing a laugh with Grandpa

Having a "nap" in the sunroom

Being sneaky

Cuddles with Nana

The Beach

Reading

Reading the Joy of Cooking with daddy

Approx. 3 months old

Christmas 2008

Jamie and I started reading to Sebastian in the early days of his life.  I would sit in the big comfy chair in the nursery and nurse while Jamie would read various books to Sebastian.  I have fond memories, that weren't so fond at the time, of struggling with nursing and Jamie sitting there so patiently with a book on his lap reading to him.  I think his first 3 books were actually The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, Sherlock Holmes and Richard Scarry's Things That Go. 

This tradition had always continued with Jamie being the one who mostly would read Sebastian his bedtime stories. Of course there would be nights when I would read to him and for the most part the 3 of us would always be in the room together, but it was usually Jamie who was doing the reading and we've always considered this to be their special time.

Anyways the reason I'm posting about this is that it's really neat when you notice that instead of you being the one reading your child their bedtime story, they've begun to read the story to you!

March 2012

Milestones

I  find milestones to be bittersweet.  It's great and exciting  when your baby rolls  over for the first time, when they learn to sit, eat, get their first tooth, say their first words and take their first steps but they all signify a change that your baby is growing up.

4 days old

We reached one of those milestones tonight.

Since Sebastian's birth we have always remained  with him while he drifted off to sleep.   We co-slept with him for the first 7 months of his life and then once he was transferred to his crib there was a bit of time in which we would put him down to bed in his crib drowsy and he would drift off to sleep.

Once Seb transferred to a toddler bed and he began to get up from bed the moment we put him down for the night we decided that we would remain in the room with him until he fell asleep.  We would always take turns, with Jamie remaining in the room one night and me the next, and we would hold his hand and/or gently stroke his forehead and sing him lullabies as he drifted off to sleep.

When we moved to our new home this continued, but now that he was in a regular sized twin bed  we would crawl into bed with him and remain with him, even having a nap ourselves at times, while he fell asleep.

I know a lot of people who frown on this and believe that children need to learn how to fall asleep on their own, but we naturally follow the path of attachment parenting.  We always took this time to cuddle and to talk about his day as we listened to lullabies.  We have had friends scoff at us and eyes rolled when one of us has slipped upstairs for 20 minutes to stay with Sebastian while he falls asleep but I would never have changed it for the world.

7 months old

You see, I knew that one day we wouldn't be needed.  That one day Sebastian would feel secure enough to drift off to sleep on his own.  I firmly believed, and still do, that it was important that he knew we would never leave him alone and scared.  The dishes could wait.  The tv shows could wait.  Everything could wait if it meant that our little boy was learning that he could trust his parents to be there for him, and we were.  And I also knew that getting cuddles from your baby is something they may possibly out grow and that once a moment is past, you can never get it back.  That is why it is so important to cherish these little moments now and appreciate the time you do have with your child because you never know when those moments will end. 

For us, that moment ended tonight.

I'm glad that Sebastian came to this on his own terms.  Another milestone for Sebastian and another bittersweet moment for a mommy who is so proud of her boy growing up but so sad that these little moments are passing us by.

Winter Weekend Getaway 2012

We just got home yesterday from a lovely weekend up north at Cedar Grove Lodge.  Not too sure if anyone will remember this or not, but the last time we were there was two years ago and I had blogged about the trip here.

Anyways, I love this place.  You get your own cottage with firewood and all your meals are provided.  The winter equipment is all free to use and by the end of lunch on your last day you almost feel as if you are saying good bye to your family. I was actually secretly hoping that the 15-20 cm of snow that was in the forecast would start dumping before we left so we would have to stay, but alas, it just wasn't so.

One of the main reasons we wanted to go this year is that we have not been having much of a winter.  We've been able to get out to go ice skating on a downtown outdoor rink but we haven't had enough snow to go tobogganing or snow shoeing at all.  So because of this, we thought it would be nice to head up north for the weekend.

Well, when we left on the Friday it was snowing! And was it ever!  The buses in our City and all the school buses had been canceled due to the snow so we were a little worried about the roads but by the time we left shortly after noon the roads were clear.

We arrived shortly before check in at 4 p.m. and  instantly fell in love with our cottage.  Last time we were there we stayed in Blue Bird but this time we tried Grey Owl.  It definitely didn't look as rustic on the outside but inside, it was perfect for the 3 of us and the big picture window overlooking the lake was beautiful.

The cottage

Living room view 1

Living room view 2

The next day after breakfast we went down to the lake and put on our ice skates.  We were initially worried that we weren't going to be able to go skating  since this winter has been so unreasonably warm, but thankfully, it was safe for us to skate on.  We spent the morning skating followed by tobogganing and taking a hike in the woods.  After lunch the snow started to fall and it continued to fall.  We went skating again on the lake and then spent some time indoors playing board games, drinking hot cocoa and playing in the activity room in the main lodge.  The snow continued to fall throughout the night and both of my boys were so tuckered out by all our activities that they were both sound asleep before 8 p.m.!  I just sat by the fire drinking wine and reading while watching the snow fall.   It was bliss!

The next morning we played in the fresh snow and returned to the activity room in the main lodge.  I swear, if Sebastian had his way he would spend all his time in this room!  I find it sparse, but for some reason, he absolutely loves it!

After lunch we finished packing up, said good-bye to our servers and fellow "Grover's" and hit the road.  Sebastian slept the entire way back and said he couldn't wait to go back next year.  I can't either!

Staying warm out on the lake

My handsome man

Hello!

One of the views from the lake

There had been so much snow the Lodge didn't have time to clear the rink so we were lazy and just shovelled a path wide enough for us to skate on!

The lone skater

The main lodge

Relaxing by the fire

Our view

Playing in the games room

Playing board games in the main lodge

Saying good-bye

Deep Thoughts....

While sitting listening to Sebastian read a book this morning he turns to me and asks, "How come the word big is so small and the word little is so big?"