Hallowinter!!!

You know it's going to be a long hard winter when you have 15 cm of snow before Hallowe'en. Finn was excited to see the snow. We dressed her in her snow suit and sent her out to play. She liked to shovel handfuls of snow into her mouth. I guess that tastes better than sand (her usual outside snack).

Finn: We took her to the community centre on the weekend for a Halloween party. She wore a cute duck costume. Her favourite part was the games. Once she figured out that she could win candy... she didn't want to do much else. She also got very excited when she saw Darcy... the guy who teaches the Tots of Fun class. He was dressed like a sasquatch. She was very star-struck and wanted to follow him around like he was a celebrity.

Paul: We've been spending the mornings cuddling in bed and nursing. He loves that and I think he's getting fatter. Still no rolling over. Yesterday he was laughing at Alex who was making funny sounds. Really cute!

My Dad: The snowfall brought up lots of very general memories. Mostly of my Dad's ongoing quest to have a perfectly shovelled driveway. He loved to shovel the snow. When we were kids he never seemed to mind if we played in the snow banks on the edge of the driveway... even if it meant he'd have to shovel all over again. I always picture him with his plain black or blue toque with a shovel in his hand. It's hard to believe that we lost him in the summer and now the snow is here.

One Reason to Respect Sarah Palin

I have to be quite honest with you, I can't support (or even really tolerate) the Republican party platform in the U.S. As for the vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, I think she was an inspired choice for only one reason. She's given John McCain a snowball's chance in that election. I guess that is a good thing for Republicans. I don't respect Sarah Palin's views on much of anything. But I admire her for one thing. She is the proud and loving mother of Trig Palin, a little boy born with Down Syndrome.

There are many devastating chromosomal and genetic conditions that a child can be born with. My family lost our unborn daughter, Ellie, to a heart defect and probably a chromosomal condition as well. I don't envy any family faced with the heartbreaking news that their child has one of these terrible conditions or the difficult decisions that can come along with that.

Here is the point of my post. Down Syndrome is not a devastating medical condition. It is not incompatible with a healthy, happy and WORTHWHILE life for the people living with it. Why is it that 90% of expectant parents faced with this diagnosis decide to terminate the pregnancy? Maybe it is our society and it's twisted view of perfection. Maybe most people haven't talked to a person with DS or their families. Maybe most people would make a different decision if they had the facts.

The Down Syndrome societies across Canada are trying to get the message out. Let's be a world that celebrates diversity and considers a life with Down Syndrome to be a life worth living!!! I've posted a really sweet video that emphasizes this point.

Groovy Girl

Finn: Loves to go swimming with me. She is quite bossy when we swim. She prefers the warm shallow pool to the deep pool. She likes to stand under the slide and let the water run over her hair. She calls it a shower. Right now she is afraid of sliding down the slide. Sometimes she climbs out of the pool and takes off running. One time a lifeguard caught her as she peeled away toward the deep end. She was wearing water wings so I wasn't worried... I just didn't want her to wipe out.

Paul: His favourite toy right now appears to be Finn's blonde groovy girl. Maybe my mother has finally found her future shopping partner!!!!

My Dad: I remember when we were really little my Dad would take us with him to work on Saturday mornings. At the time he was a real estate agent. On the way, we'd stop at a diner style restaurant called Gulliver's Travels for breakfast. We'd also stop at his office. I'd love to look through the MLS cards. I liked to tap dance on the hard plastic mat under my great-grandfather's desk chair. I loved to play with all the ink stamps. In those days, people used alot of ink stamps. Today I still love using a real ink stamp to mark my copy letters or my file copies. I think I'm one of the only people at work who still uses an ink stamp.

My dad continued to take me to work with him pretty much until I graduated from university. I spent several summers working at Milmine's. My dad treated every client and customer with compassion and respect and with Appreciation. Not too many businesses these days really appreciate their clients. Mostly, they treat clients like a nuisance.

My New Hobby

I've started playing a game called Stockstars. They give you $100,000 in play money and you invest it on the stock market. The game tracks everything for you EXACTLY as though you had real money invested. I've made roughly $6000 in one week!!! That being said, I was down more than $10,000 at one point. YIKES. I've learned quite a bit already. First of all, I've learned that it would be unwise for a stay at home mom to quit her day job to become a day trader. I've had several good trades turn ugly when I unwisely decided to play with Paul or change his diaper, instead of watching my stock. You'll find Stockstars on the Financial Post website.

Finn: Has learned to refer to herself as "I". As in... I want it, I want it, I want it!!!! Also she has learned to put on her jacket herself. She lays the jacket in front of her. Puts her hands in the sleeves and flips it over her head. GENIUS!!! I'm referring to her babysitter who taugh her this cool trick.

Paul: He is giggling like crazy when we play together. He can roll over onto his side... but chooses not to roll right to his belly. He hates being on his belly.

My Dad: (Keep in mind that my Dad was probably less than 30 years old when this happened) Once when I was a little girl, my dad was cleaning my ears with a q-tip. I guess he pushed too hard and I started to cry. He proceeded to tell me that he had lost the q-tip in my ear. Naturally, I completely believed him. In fact, I believed this to be true for years. Until, one day when I was many years older it occurred to me that it could not possibly be true. I asked him about it many years later and he had no recollection of telling me that he'd lost a q-tip. But he thought it was funny that I had believed that for so long. The moral of the story is that kids believe anything their parents tell them.

Dad and Finn

Alex has travelled to Buffalo with the boys for a Bills game - kickoff should be any minute. I would complain about being left with the kids all weekend... but it just isn't true. I had plenty of help because Finn's grandmaman stayed for the weekend. As well, Uncle Ben and Auntie Cal provided dinner on Friday AND Saturday night. We Really miss Alex!!!!

Finn: I put her to sleep in Ben and Cal's bed last night. I thought that she'd hop right out to come and see me. But no. She was happy to sleep in a grown-up bed. She had lots of fun playing with Grandmaman, sharing a frog tart with Grandmamamama and playing hide and seek with Auntie Cal.

Paul: Smiles when he sees me look at him from across the room. He was cute and smily all weekend. That's our Paul.

My Dad: I thought I'd do a memory of Finn and my Dad. When Finn arrived in Stoney Creek she used to run straight for the teddy bears in my old room. This one time she brought every single bear to my Dad and piled them up around him. I took a picture. They were great buddies. In the morning... she'd always want to run into Baba and Papa's room to climb into bed with them. My Dad and my Mom always loved that time.

A Turkeylicious Discovery

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

We shared our Thanksgiving dinner with Ben and Cal on Saturday night this year. That gave us the rest of the weekend to relax (as much as we ever get to relax) and to spend time with the kids. It also meant leftovers. Alex and I made the classic hot turkey sandwich for lunch yesterday. We had some St. Albert cheese curds in the fridge. My brainwave: Throw some cheese curds on the hot turkey sandwich, cover with gravy and voila - the Turkey-poutine sandwich. OH YES FANS... it was every bit as delicious as it sounds. Give it a try if you have leftovers this week.

Finn: We took the kids to Saunders Farm. Finn had her bejesuses scared out of her on the haunted hay ride. It wasn't advertised as a scary ride... but it came with ghouls, zombies and even a chainsaw weilding maniac. At the end she said "it was fun". I have a feeling she will be renting horror flicks when she is a teenager.

Paul: Is holding his toys and can sometimes get those toys into his mouth. He's noticed his feet and I think he'll make a grab for them soon. Good news!!! Neighbours have just had a baby boy. Paul has a new friend.

My Dad: No particular memory today. My dad loved Thanksgiving. It meant great food and that his family was home for a visit. I missed him terribly this weekend.

High Five

Here is another patented Kerri million dollar idea. I've always said I'd love to have one "super card". It would be my ID, my credit card and you could somehow program it to be a gift card, a Subway card, a library card... even a passport and SIN number...everything. It MUST be possible... right??? Well, then it occurred to me that instead of a card, it should be a microchip implanted in one's palm. Then you just run your hand along the "palm reader". Voila. You could go for a jog... and stop for groceries on your way home. No purse or wallet required. You could never, ever, lose your information (save for some terrible accident resulting in the amputation of your hand). Isn't that the most brilliant idea you ever heard!!! My amazing husband, Alex, came up with the name for our million dollar idea. THE HIGH FIVE.

Paul: Loves it when I sit him up to look around. He thinks he's a really BIG boy now.

Finn: We've now placed her potty behind the curtain since that is where she likes to hide when she has "accidents". She seems to appreciate the privacy. What do all you toddler shrinks have to say about that???

My Dad: He loved to mash potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. It was his goal to achieve the perfect mash... smooth, creamy, no lumps. He'd spend along time just whipping the potatoes until he was red in the face and tired. My dad loved Thanksgiving. He always insisted upon the classic meal turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and my mom's stuffing. Thanksgiving will never be the same and I'm having a little trouble getting excited for the holiday this year.

Tory Platform

I'm watching Harper deliver his new platform. I think he just compared himself to Noah (you know the Ark builder!). How are the liberals supposed to beat that? UH OH... the sound on the TV just cut out. I think Harper pissed off GOD.

Paul: BIG DAY. Paul rolled off the nursing pillow that I propped him up on. It was a big roll and he was very pleased with himself. Also he is holding toys and was giggling when I tickled his chin.

Finn: We went swimming last night. Finn is learning to float in water wings. When I let go of her hands she gets excited and starts to laugh. That causes her to swallow water and cough. Finn is learning to swim... but insists on trying new things at her own pace and on her own terms. You gotta respect that.

My Dad: My Dad's favourite apple variety was the Cortland. Crunchy, not too sweet. I bought a few the other day. Look for them at the store... they are tasty.

Kerri's Blog and Hedge Fund

I changed the name of my blog since I've decided that it would be a good time to start a hedge fund. To get started I need about 10 million dollars. Please be sure that your cheque is certified. I plan to put your investment under my mattress. I feel confident that I will significantly out perform your current mutual fund.

Finn: Celebrated her 2nd birthday yesterday. She and her honoured guests (Georgia, Lauren and Darren) had a good time. Balloons, stickers and some ice cream cake too.

Paul: Had his first shots today. He woke up from his nap crying very hard. I fed him and he kept crying. Poor kid... I don't think he's feeling too great.

Memory of My Dad: A few summers ago we started playing frisbee golf when we visited the cottage. My dad really enjoyed playing with us. I think he really liked any sport he could play with a beer in his hand.

Along the lines of sports and beer, I heard this story from my ex. My dad once went golfing with my ex and my ex's two brothers. As they paid their green fees, the lady at the desk looked at my Dad's mini cooler. She said "there is no beer allowed on the course". My dad said "Don't worry, its just a few Cokes". When they got onto the course, my Dad reached into the cooler and handed each of the guys a beer.

Gimme Some Sugar!!!

The other day I was changing Paul. I couldn't hear Finn so I knew she was up to trouble. When I came out to the kitchen she was sitting on the floor, she had a tablespoon in her hand and she was eating sugar from the sugar bowl. (Not sure how she managed to get it off the counter). She had no idea that this was not perfectly acceptable so when she saw me she smiled and said "yummy-yummy". (In this deep little voice that she reserves for this particular sentiment alone) I said "No... honey... no... sugar is just for cereal and coffee". She was disappointed when I took the bowl away. Since then whenever we ask what she wants for dessert her first suggestion is "sugar"?

Paul: We went out shopping today. No fewer than 5 other shoppers stopped me to comment on his crazy hair. Enjoy it now Paul, with your genetics you won't have it for long.

Dad Memory: I had a bunch that came to me. First, my Dad was a very good waterskiier. When I was a kid he'd entertain us with many tricks. He would start out by standing on the dock. He'd step into the water just as the rope got tight... and away he went. (Or if it didn't work then there would be an equally entertaining wipe out just in front of the dock.) Also, he could hold the rope with his foot (no hands). At the end of the ski... he'd ski right up onto the beach... so he wouldn't get wet (at least that was always the plan). He also liked to bend down and grab a drink of water with his hand while he was skiing.

If he was driving the boat while we went tubing... then he would try to make us fall off. He'd slow the boat down to make a huge wake, then circle back to take the person on the tube through the huge waves. I remember when he did this trick to SBP in 2005. He turned to me and said "watch this". Then Ben caught so much air that we could see sky under the tube. After he dumped a tube rider... he always laughed like this "hey-hey-hey-hey.

Things I'm Grateful For...

Okay... so it's been 15 days since my last post. Maybe I'm over-reaching trying to blog everyday. Here is an update regarding the kids.

Finleigh: She was playing with my Bell calling card and she started running it down the wall on its edge. It took me a few seconds but I realized that she was swiping the card. Note to self: she is always watching us!!!

Paul: Paul said "Hello" yesterday. I was saying hello to him and he said hello back. I thought it was a fluke... but then I said "hello" again and he said something that sounded just like "hello". Alex heard him too. He loves to talk to us and tries to copy. He got his first cold yesterday. Lots of coughing and sneezing. The little trooper is as jolly as ever.

Me: I fell down the stairs yesterday. I'm awfully sore today but I'm grateful I didn't break anything.

Memory of my Dad: I remember the time that Dad nearly cut off his finger with carpet cutter when he was fixing the pool table. He nearly passed out at the sink when Mom washed it off to see how bad it was cut. I was a teenager and I got the job of driving Dad to West Lincoln Memorial hospital and waiting with him for stitches. I guess I remember feeling glad that I was able to do something for my Dad instead of him always doing stuff for me.