Like A Waterfall

In German there is a saying that refers to someone who just talks and talks and never stops. That person talks like a waterfall.

And boy oh boy, our little tornado spouts waterfalls!

His speech has exploded almost over night. Everything has a name and he says it over and over again burning it in his brain. He is still working on pronunciation, but the foundations are there and it is amazing to hear him spout off words and small sentences. Even in the middle of the night he is practising. He’ll wake up and you can hear him talking to himself in the dark. It is so cute!

He loves his books, and has even started to read them to me now. Which is adorable to listen to!

Yesterday Nicholas turned 20 months old. Here is the tornado in one of his quieter waterfall moments. In a self portrait:

Seven Questions

I stole this from J. over at Cheese and Whine and thought the questions were kinda interesting so I am going to do it too!

1) What is your favorite quotable line from a Movie?

Do you know that last scene from Dances with Wolves? The one where Wind In His Hair is yelling from the top of the canyon in Lakota (Sioux)? My sister and I repeat that over and over in our best Lakota. It’s a tradition that we started all those years ago when we first got it on video cassette and we would stay up late in the night watching it. We watch it every time we are together. And we drive everyone nuts with it, but we do it anyway!

2) Who is the most famous person you have spoken to?

Prince Andrew Duke of York. He visited my military high school when I was in grade 9 or 10. I can’t really remember what I asked him, but I will never forget how he looked me straight in the eyes and asked me my name. It was pretty cool, I was in awe for a month or so!

4) Who is your all time favorite Cartoon Character?

Strawberry Shortcake. But only the original from the 80’s. I loved her. I had the sheets, the curtains, the bedspread, even my very first big girl underwear had her on them. I loved the little movie I had so much, that later on in my life, whenever my head was filled with stuff and I couldn’t sleep, I would play it from my memory banks and I would fall asleep.

5) What foreign food Dish do you prepare from scratch and serve?

I am so horrible that I really don’t cook from scratch. Although I can make some wicked dutch mushrooms and cheese and ham pastries from scratch. And they taste so darn good! Mmmm, I think I am going to make some this weekend!

6) What is your favorite section of the Supermarket?

The chocolate aisle!! All that sweet European goodness! White, Milk and Dark chocolates. Bars, sticks, squares, balls and and and…. Horrible for your figure, but as a treat it’s divine.

7) What was your high school teams mascot and what were the school’s colors?

The Holy Cross Crusaders in the colours green, white and grey. It was a catholic school with kilts, ties and the whole nine yards so I wore those colours every day for what felt like forever. It was a good school tho.

So, all those who want to play along, please do.

I Need A Bike

I am not one of the most “in shape” people in the world.  In fact I am rather on the end of the list.  I wasn’t always that way. I played sports like rugby, fastball, badminton etc. And I had a bike and rode all over the place.

I was never thin, not even close, but I was in shape. I could run without coughing out my lungs. Without passing out in a corner like some red-faced puffing monster.

Ever since I have doing scouts again and being more active, I have started losing a bit of weight. Not that that is my goal, I really don’t care what the scale says. I am happy the way I am. But I enjoy the fact that I feel that I have more energy, not from the weight loss, but from the fact that I am starting to be fit again.

Anyway, what all does this have to do with a bike. I do not plan on biking around everyday or anything. I would like to be able to bike to my meetings, or to any other thing in town that I have, instead of driving.  I will be saving gas and working my thunder thighs at the same time. A small step, but forward none the less.

Now I just need to get over my fear of riding a bike and then I will be on my way.

Yup, I guess I should explain that one. Long story short: I went bike riding in Maine, we started in a tent/trailer park just outside of Bar Harbor. I rode down the first big hill, brakes didn’t work, kept going faster, big rock, trees, CRASH, flip in the air, land on ground, pain everywhere. Badly bruised thigh( It was black for 2 1/2 months), chipped tooth, scratched up legs and face later = Sarah is afraid of bike.

I want to ride again, but I want one with wide tires and especially brakes that work.

Right! I Have a Blog

Sorry about the break. I didn’t really noticed that I hadn’t posted in a while until I finally looked at my blog today and saw the date of the last post.

Anyway, here I am to say hi. Umm, Hi!

Last week was busy. And to top it all off, Nicholas was sick. Good times, nothing beats running around like a chicken with your head cut off and then getting sprayed by puke!

Nicholas was doing better on Thursday and Friday finally. Saturday was a bit odd towards the end of the day and today was the return of the stomach and intestinal cramps and the fountain showers. Poor little guy. I only hope tomorrow is better and this bug finally gets out of his system. Here a run down of last weeks notable moments.

Last weekend I cut Nicholas’ hair for the first time. He needed it and he looks like such a little boy now, all his baby fluff is cut off. He just looks so cute!

BB and I went a little bit internet-shopping-crazy and got a whole bunch of stuff in the mail last week.  I love opening up packages! So many cool things and camping gear!

We went to BB’s office BBQ on Friday. BORING! And sometimes I find other people’s children and parenting “techniques” or lack thereof extremely annoying. It was interesting, and I definitely have a better understanding now for BB when she comes home in not the best of moods. A strange bunch those scientists.

We went shopping in France on Saturday morning and got a bunch of treats. Shopping in France is always so much fun! A great pick-me-up! Even if the prices are a bit over the top.

And the dyke in me came out on Saturday afternoon when I finally drilled the holes and hung the last 6 shelves for BB’s precious Barbie collection. Yes, those Barbies. Yes, I have them hanging in my bedroom now. Staring at me. No, I do not like them, but there are sacrifices in marriages, this is one of mine. But hey, whatever keeps the wife happy.

So I think that’s about it. This week I will try to write more, and post a few photos. I promise.

Have a good rest of your weekend.

Bumps, Bruises and Blood

Within one hour of each other yesterday evening before Nicholas was going to bed we had two big accidents. One was a trip followed by a full face plant onto the corner of the wall with the biggest goose egg followed by a lovely deep purple colour. After a few tears, a cold pack on his head and sitting quietly reading books, he as fine again. It looked bad, but he was just a normal as always so we kept an eye on him and slowly started to finish our bed routine.

Then, as he ran into our room to “run away” from getting into his pjs. He jumps on the bed and then jumps off. Landing face first, or better yet, mouth first and immediately started to cry with a mouth full of blood and two very scared mommies trying to calm him down so that we could see what happened in his mouth. And his top teeth dug deep into his bottom lip and he had two big cuts.  Talk about a panic attack! Luckily the bleeding stopped rather quickly, so nothing that needed stiches, but he looked horrible. More ice and cooling. More tears. More reading to get him to calm down and a dose of childrens’ ibuprofen later he was so dead tired so we put him to bed.

BB and I checked on him twice before we went to bed. We were so worried about concussions and cracked skulls and teeth falling out. A parent’s nightmare. He slept really deep last night and never woke up once. BB even got up in the middle of the night to make sure he was okay.

This morning he is totally fine. Gooses egg is almost completely gone and even the bruising looks much better. Just a line from the corner of the wall that is purple. His lip looks much better too. You can see the two cuts, but they look okay and have started to heal. Thank G*d. BB and I will still be watching him like a hawk all day, but we learned an important lesson yesterday, all three of us.

Toddlerhood is rough, you will need ice packs!