Mi Familia

It's true what they say: Grandchildren are a great motivator. I know my parents love me, but it's no coincidence that we've been seeing much more of them since baboushka arrived. We spent a year in the UK...no visit. A year in Grenada...no visit. Then the baby comes and all of a sudden it's "Hey, why don't we drive down to Toronto for the day to visit?" and "Hey, why don't we drive down, pick you up, bring you to Kingston for a few days, then drive you back to Toronto?" A few months later we move to New York and "Hey, why don't we move you down there?" and "Hey, we bought a motorhome, why don't we drive it down to see you?" Methinks my daughter is the luckiest granddaughter in the world. Her mother feels pretty special too.

One of my many wishes for my daughter is that she really gets to know her grandparents. It makes me so happy to see that there are already beautiful relationships taking root.

My Favourite Month

October is my favourite month. Yes, it's my birthday month. But it's also smack dab in the middle of Autumn, my favourite season. Canadian Thanksgiving falls in October, and I always enjoy a big turkey dinner with fixins. Apples are in season in October, and I would not have survived pregnancy without a Gala a day. I've really enjoyed spending this October with E, showing her all of the cool things about my favourite month of the year!

What a difference a year makes

Wow. One year ago I was six months pregnant, living on an island in a big house on a hill with a huge yard, eating mangoes off of the trees, spending my days reading and swimming and wondering if the grocery store would have milk.

Today I have a nine month old (outrageously gorgeous and infinitely wonderful) daughter, am living in NYC in a tiny one bedroom walk-up, spending my days planning feedings and naps and trying to fit in walking the dog, going to the laundromat, and having the occasional shower. And not only does the grocery store have milk, but I can choose from an endless array of skim/1%/2%/whole/organic/lactose free/soy/goat/chocolate/strawberry options. And which grocery store do I choose? I am spoiled for choice.

What I am not spoiled for, is time. Every day I try to remind myself that my little baboushka will be grown up before I know it and I'll be wishing for these days back. But try as I might, I find it very difficult to give up this compulsion of mine to GET THINGS DONE! How can I relax and enjoy an afternoon playing when the apartment is a mess and the dishes are dirty and I haven't checked my email and shouldn't I take Ralph out before naptime and why can't my husband remember to put his socks in the hamper and I'm just going to put on some deodorant and maybe just tweeze these few errant eyebrow hairs and...well, I know what you're thinking. Welcome to the Motherhood!

Someone - although I can't recall who, just like I can't recall what I had for lunch - recently shared these wise words with me, and I repeat them to myself as often as I can: "The days are long, but the years are short." Ain't that the truth.