[i] LoveLife

Winning. Thursday edition.

Hi Thursday. Cute shot of a cute kid. We have been enjoying a series of good days. There was a long, long stretch where Pilot was either sick or tired or sick and tyrannical. And it was trying. But FOR NOW - those days are faded and I'm totally falling in love with this kid. I'm not really a baby person. I'm not really the mama-type. There have been many, many days when I was pretty sure I was not cut out for this gig. BUT. This small person is just about as cool a kid as I have ever met. I think I'd love her even if she wasn't living in the bedroom across the hall from me. She so funny. The last couple weeks have been HUGE for us in terms of bonding and communicating and getting to know each other a little better. And have more fun. I love how she just rolls with everything. Including her little sister. She loves her to bits. I can't wait to see how Penn unfolds over the next year, too. This is really fun.

SO. I was loving your Mother's Day wishes. I thought it was especially funny that half of you guys were wishing to spend MORE time with your kids and half were wishing to spend time WITHOUT them. THAT CRACKED ME UP. But, I totally get it. I'm gonna go with the SPEND TIME WITHOUT THEM crowd. I'm also going to put a vote in for sleep without interruptions AND PAST 5am (Pilot, that's directed AT YOU!). AND if I may me so bold as to request that for one day NO ONE is allowed to barf on me, wipe slimy banana fingers on me, drool on me, slime me or in any other way touch me with appendages that may be classified as GROSS (Dan included). THAT would be pretty cool.

The winners are...

Custom YOU-ARE-AWESOME poster: Kellie T
MOM TREE print: Tanja
YOU-ARE-AWESOME mini print set: Candy
AWESOME MOM print: Liesbeth

Email me if you're a winner and THANKS for playing along. I love that you do. Watch for my real Mother's Day Wish List tomorrow. PS. If you are thinking about a Mother's Day print for Mother's Day - then you best ORDER ASAP. Like right now.

Today: We're heading out to the country for coffee this morning. We're getting much, much better at coordinating afternoon naps so that's our afternoon. Throw in savouring fresh strawberries. And dreaming about painting. It's the LAST DAY OF TAX SEASON so we are really, really looking forward to seeing Dan again and getting reacquainted. Three cheers for that.

Oh, April - you were terrific. Now get lost. GO!

Juggling. Wednesday edition.

Hi there. Yesterday was so busy. We got ourselves into all kinds of great situations... LIKE SUNSHINE and PARKS. And sidewalk chalk. And NAPS. (That one was my favourite of all.) I know I promised to post a Tiplet and I got myself all stressed about my TO-DO list and my blogging-MUSTS that I almost missed Penn's VERY FIRST ROLL OVER ALL BY HERSELF.

Which, I have to say, TOTALLY trumped giving away free art tips.
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I will be posting the winners from the Mother's Day GIVEAWAY tomorrow morning. I'll take comments until 10pm CST today. There's still time to get in on it. Leave a comment on yesterday's post with your WISH for MOTHER'S DAY. (I LOVE reading those comments!)

Also, the Mother's Day prints are still available. The sooner you get your order in - the better chance there is that you will get it by Mother's Day. I WISH I could post a few of them here because there are some GREAT ideas for mothers, grandmothers, mothers-that-have-passed, people-who-want-to-be-mothers, friends-that-are-mothers, people-who-are-not-mothers-but-feel-like-they-are... it's very cool.

Today: I have a LOT of catching up to do. I'm pretty much behind on everything. Sleep + laundry included. SLOWLY, SLOWLY - that's what my Baba used to say - so I will try to attack a little bit of everything a little bit at a time and see if that makes a little bit of an improvement around here. I will start that with a LOT of coffee.

GO!

Mother's Wish List. Tuesday edition.

Hi Tuesday. We had a little impromptu photoshoot last night. Dan and I were trying to get Pilot to sit still long enough for us to put Penn in her lap and attempt a SISTERLY photo. I call that TEMPTING FATE. Or laughing in the face of reason. It seemed like a good idea at the time although I never got the shot I was hoping for because we were too busy trying to catch Penn as Pilot tossed her off the couch. Whooops. WHAT I DID GET was this awesome shot of Pilot. Oh, man he's been SO HAPPY the last couple weeks. Just skrieking and laughing and buzzing around here like a real nice person. It's awesome. Penn, on the other hand, has decided that between the hours of 5:30pm and 7:15pm she is totally OVER being peaceful. She's ANTI-PEACEFUL actually. Booo. I'm not gonna be too hard on her though because she has been sleeping from 9pm until we rustle her up around 7:30am.

[Eventhough it's blurry - I still don't think they look that much alike...]

OKAY. I was going to post a little wish list of the things that I think would make great Mother's Day gifts. And then I totally realized that I AM NOT THE AUTHORITY ON MOTHER'S DAY ANYTHINGS. I need to GET SERIOUS with myself. I've only been a mama for a time span so short it is still measured in MONTHS. 16.5 months to be exact. And if the Mama-police catch me I betcha my license will be revoked. I also said I'd have a GIVEAWAY today which works out perfectly: LEAVE A COMMENT WITH WHAT'S ON YOUR MOTHER'S DAY LIST (for yourself or for your MOM or what you'd like if you were a mom or what you overheard the mom's at Starbucks yakking about, etc) and a random winner will get a MOM TREE PRINT mailed to them compliments of Pilot + Penn. Actually, I'm going to draw for 1 MOM TREE PRINT, 1 Custom 8x10 YOU-ARE-AWESOME poster, and 1 YOU-ARE-AWESOME mini print sets. And maybe an old pair of Dan's gitch. Sweet.

Today: COFFEE ASAP. We're going to head out on an adventure because hanging around the house is making me crazy. The ducks MUST be at the pond by now... (can anyone confirm this?). MAYBE we will attempt to start cleaning the yard. I said MAYBE. I am really only interested in firing up Dan's pressure washer and cleaning the sidewalk so we can start the summer of SIDEWALK CHALK DRAWINGS.

Alright. Don't forget to leave me your comments... GO!

Hello again. Monday edition.

HELLO AGAIN! In the past, I have gone head-to-head with an unruly clump of irises in our front yard. Every year I assault them to make room for other more beautiful things and EVERY SINGLE YEAR I lose the botanical death match. FINE. I am embracing surrender. This weekend I let out a little YEEHAW of joy at the site of these little teeny sprouts peaking through the doom + gloom that means winter is over. As much as I love winter - there is a small part of me that also loves flips flops. I'm not so hot on short-shorts, but that's simply out of kindness for other. ;)

HELLO BABY! Took me long enough, but I did it. A little while back I designed a book to keep track of each member of my girl tribe's growth and experiences. Some people would call it a BABY BOOK. This weekend I finally got the time to put together a generic version that is available for purchase on the Blurb website. I got a lot of requests for this book. The public version is a 160 page, 13 x 11 inch coffee table book meant to be a place to record stories, notes and accomplishments for a long, long time. A LIFE TIME. There are some standard information spots and some fun fill-in-the-blanks and then a whole bunch of opportunities for all kinds of people to write notes to AND ABOUT the person. And room to sketch. And stick photos. From the dedication...

" I am not a fan of traditional baby books. I find them incredibly short-sighted... as if to say the newness and greatness of a person comes to an end when they are no longer swaddled in pastel kittens and pups. Our lives never stop growing and learning. Our adventures and accomplishments get wider and fuller with each day's experience. I whole-heartedly believe we are never too young OR TOO OLD to be reminded of just how awesome we are or how much we're loved.

This 'designerly' book is meant to be proudly displayed and written in often. By many different people. At many different points in the life it is following. From baby to old person. There are no rules. Just plenty of fill-in-the-blanks to help document pure awesomeness in the making.

This book is not about the 'baby' but about welcoming, celebrating and savouring the PERSON whose life has just begun..."

And that is that. Take it or drop it like it's hot. It's expensive. I know. I've heard that mentioned a few times and as much as I feel like I should defend the price - it is what it is and I can't do much about it. It's also really beautiful. I've decided to print it at Blurb because they do a great job. It's a big, heavy, well-made piece of personal history. It's got a luxurious matte cover and it's just plain cool. If I do say so myself. What a great gift for someone and what a designer keepsake. I can tell you that if I had gotten this as a gift - IT WOULD BE MY FAVOURITE ALL-TIME PRESENT. In fact, I might just have another baby so I can get another book. {By printing with Blurb - I don't have to order 5000 copies and rent a storage facility for 5 years while I sit around hoping that they sell. Or charge an arm and a leg for shipping with Canada Post. Or cart a hundred pounds of books and two babies to the post office. Or send a bunch to Australia that take just over 14 weeks get there. (Thank you Blurb!)}
As much as it's great for babies - this book makes a great gift for adult children, too. Graduating children. People who are not even your children. New baby gifts. Baby Shower gifts. Anyone living a life and writing their story...

OK. YOU GET IT ALREADY. I got it. ORDER IT HERE.

This is the last week to order either a MOM TREE or an AWESOME MOM print if you want to receive it before Mother's Day. They are beautiful. You can order them here.

Today: CATCH UP. After a busy weekend Pilot, Penn and I are in need of some serious routine. Even Crash is tired (thanks Jamie!). We've got to wrangle some groceries and print-pick-ups, but mostly we just have our sights set on Friday because as of May 1st TAX SEASON IS OVER and we can have our Dan back. Instead of this corporate-reorganization GEEK. Ooops, I mean wizard. It's going to be like Christmas in May and we are SO ready.

Tomorrow: My Mother's Day wish list AND A GIVEAWAY.

Coffee up. GO!

  There are two of my favourite souls in this picture...

Hi there, Happy.

This happens to be one small person who is very happy it's Friday. (Hi Friday!) We're in better spirits around here today. THANK GOODNESS. That's what happens when you stop taking things so seriously and adopting other people's drama. Like ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL. GROSS. My new mantra is NOT MY PROBLEM. And I tell ya what - it's working MIRACLES around here this morning. I'm enjoying my coffee and my brats. And the morning sun. And music. I had a marvelous sleep and I have re-focused on what's important to me, my girl tribe and our favourite man. PHOTO: This is a funny picture of Penn. Dan saw it and immediately said, "Funny hats are for Pilot - they aren't Penn's style." AU CONTRAIRE MON AMI! What the rest of the world does not yet know is that Penn likes to sit and watch the scene before offering up a little bit of laughter. BELLY LAUGHS. It's a little secret awesomeness between the two of us. We tell eachother jokes all day long. I love it. Penn is a little more on the serious side than her big sister, but she often will just erupt into belly laughs as she sleeps. SCARED THE BEJEEZUZ OUT OF ME THE FIRST TIME SHE DID IT. But, now it just makes me like her MORE. (She looks a little bit more DRUNKEN SAILOR-LY in this photo... but, it makes me laugh.)

Looking ahead...
HELLO BABY BOOK becomes available on Monday.
My Mother's Day Wishlist on TUESDAY. With a giveaway.
A TIPLET ON WEDNESDAY. (gasp!)
That's about as far into the future as I can see.

Mother's Day is around the corner and there are a few great gift ideas here. Get on it.

Today: IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM! I was going to go get things like dishwasher soap and bread, but I don't eat either of those things so IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM. Today is going back to basics so we can appreciate the small stuff. The only problem-esque type thing I see in my future today is deciding whether to have peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies. We're gonna hang out outside and soak up spring sun after we hit the mall for girl-tribe treats... maybe a pair of jeans for EACH OF US! Oh, I like that idea a lot.

ROCK on. GO!

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I've been trying hard to figure out what's making me so high strung this week. If I was an animal - I would probably be some kind of neurotic catfish. Wallowing in sludge. I spent most of the day yesterday focusing on breathing. Out with the bad feelings. In with the good. Out. In. OUT. IN. I wasn't a radically nice person to be around and I tried to compensate for that by going to the park in the afternoon with a heart full of patience. Pilot's been sick and that's made her fuse as short as mine and we have been firmly disagreeing on how things roll. SO. I decided not to whine about needing to paint or threatening running away. Neither of those things are in my immediate future so I might as well just GET OVER IT ALREADY so I can keep on with the breathing.

BREATHE-OUT:
Life is full of mysteries. Life Decaf. GET SERIOUS what is that all about anyways?
Interventions are hard. Families are complicated. That's life.
When I'm overlooking myself - my body fights back. Hello sore hip. YOU SUCK BALLS.
One year olds are jerks sometimes. And that's alright because they won't be one forever.

BREATHE-IN:
I heart Orla Kiely. She is like white chocolate cheesecake for your eyes.
Taylor Swift is funny listening.
We won the War on Raccoons.
I can drink red wine after being pregnant for 20 of 24 months.
I heart Dan.
I SUPER heart our small people.
Soon it will be Saturday.

Today: I'm gonna start the day with a cup of coffee in a reusable cup and a stroller full of babies. While enroute I am going to throw negative thoughts into the sewer and imagine that the spring road gravel being blown into my face is MAGICAL PIXIE DUST and it is transforming my life by the millisecond. We're gonna turn our week around by just hanging out in the sun at the park - soaking in the days when I am a mama to very small people before those days turn into the times when I am a mama to grown ups who don't sleep across the hall from me and make me laugh before I even get out of bed.

Sweet. GO!

Make Mother Earth happy.

Hi Earth Day. I've got my reusable mug all washed up and ready to go. Man, we had a great time hanging out with our neighbours Bonnie + Aislinn yesterday. They are so much fun. We were like an ULTRA girl tribe trotting all over the 'hood. There was a moment at the park - under the back and forth of a squeaky swing when I felt true clarity about time and life and all that jazz. Back and forth. Back and forth. And then I lost my awesome thought somewhere deep in the mucky-muck of lots of things going on at one time. Crash was a total rockstar hanging with us offleash and revisiting his puppy years by ripping around and frolicking with sticks. That kind of thing warms my heart. GOOD DOG. Still, I think the moon must be in a wonky phase. We were all acting nuts. Crying twice as much as usual and every single one of us getting a serious TIME-OUTS. Especially me. I sort of spiralled from worse to incredibly awful. I need a break before I bust. I need to paint. Not for an hour - for a WEEK (okay, I'd settle for a day). I am busy planning a one-person getaway, complete with new jeans and fancy coffees. And sour jujubes. OH DAN YES I AM SO. It's for the good of all mankind.

Watch for the Hello Baby book to make an appearance on Monday. It's almost ready to go.

Today: in honour of Earth Day we are going to drive a really long way to go for a walk. I know. That makes no sense at all - but, we are not so much about making sense as we are FINDING THINGS TO DO to make sure that Pilot is really tired out for her naps. I have entered some kind of work VORTEX which probably just has a lot to do with the fact that I should say NO twice as much as I say yes AND THAT probably has to do with some kind of complex psychological need to make everybody happy. All of which is TOO HEAVY for a heavy Wednesday so we are also going to lighten the mood by making cookies and visiting a potential nursery school for the girls. We are going to play loud music and jump on beds and try to decide if yogurt makes a better facial or a snack. Oh, Penn needs passport pictures! I'm on it.

Alright Wednesday. I promise to be good - WHAT'S YOUR DEAL? GO!

Trois idées: three ideas.

Tuesday. Tuesday is the new Friday. Not really, but I'm using some old fashioned trickery to get myself in the position to have a better day.

Numero 1: This little blog is being featured on Today's Mama. This says to me that said old fashioned trickery is TOTALLY in effect all over the world because I can honestly say I've never imagined myself being a MAMA featured for anything.

Numero 2: Peaceful Penn is officially 11 weeks today. (She's pretty cute.) Time has been playing tricks on me because I was convinced that she was 12 weeks last week and I have been telling people so. Which is just another reason that Numero 1 is a surprise to me.

Numero 3: Distressed wood grain. That's what I keep dreaming about. [Analyze that one.] And boat docks. And pussy willows and grey velvet and overcast skies... And those fuzzy flat-face grey cats. there's a definite warm grey palette around here and a painting is brewing no matter how hard I try to stop it.

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Mother's Day prints: These prints make terrific keepsakes and gifts. I am not going to be taking orders for very long because they are a lot of work. SO. Make a mama happy. ORDER ONE FOR YOURSELF. Or YOUR mama. OR a mama you know could use one... hurry. (Get your order in by April 30 if you want your print in time for Mother's Day.)
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Today: My girl tribe and I are off for a walk in the neighbourhood with NEIGHBOURS. We're gonna get fairtrade coffees and let our small people play in the park before wandering back to start our days. It looks like a gloomy day. WOW WHERE DID ALL OF THIS SUN COME FROM??? I'm on a mission to just LET-IT-BE and slow down a little and not-sweat-the-small-stuff so that I don't have to take quite as many time-outs as yesterday. Also on the list is take pictures, visit the post-office, edit a photo session, nap, finish the laundry and find the perfect pen to start writing in my fabulous new baby books.

Un, deux, trois - GO!

And repeat.

Monday. YOU again. What a weekend! We did everything from start a war on raccoons* (that was Dan) to certify ourselves in CPR. We had dinners with friends. We had serious heart-to-hearts with family. We somehow managed to watch a movie, acquire a enormous pieces of plastic baby entertainment, hit the parks, finish work, cut down trees, shovel poop, drink coffee AND GET THE LAUNDRY DONE (that was me - most of the rest of that list was Dan). It was one of those weekends where Sunday night just makes you shake your head in wonder. Penn, as peaceful as she is, had some serious bouts of not-happy-with-the-world. Pilot and Dan were moping around fighting colds. And me, I'm just trying to keep everybody happy (while secretly dreaming of a vacation in Aruba) and wait patiently for a much needed BREAK.

*Dan does not seem to hear crying babies in the night - but, 2am on Thursday night he FLEW out of bed upon hearing a fat raccoon farting around on our roof. When he couldn't scare the critter away by hitting him with rocks he threw from below - MILD MANNERED DAN CLIMBED OUT OUR BEDROOM WINDOW WITH A RAKE IN HIS HAND. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. LIKE A LUNATIC. And chased that masked mammal out of sight. That's when the War on Raccoons started. Raccoons sure look cute in the movies, but Dan says that RABIES IS NOT FOR BABIES. This ugly one was almost as big as Crash (who is a 70lb dog)- which was enough to make me FULLY SUPPORT the War on Raccoons if only to stay off the next episode of WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK.

Today: Awesome Tamara is coming for a few hours in the morning so that I can go for a run, have a shower, and run a few errands. And just get away for a while. Part of me is thinking - HOW COME YOU AREN'T PAINTING??? Well. Because I need exercise to blow some steam, start working on this blubber, and become wired for speed because should we lose the War on Raccoons my strategy is to run away really, really fast. Oh, AND THEN I NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE so I can come back refreshed and much NICER to the people that live in this house. Because they are adorable.

There's a Starbucks in my future FOR SURE. GO!