Only 1 item left!

So yesterday at Tegan's school, the teacher came to me upon leaving and said, "Connie, would you like to take Tegan's diaper's home? She has a whole bag left."

Dumb founded, I said "Yeah, sure, okay." And with that, she handed back 60 diapers, in an unopened plastic wrap adhesive. Since I was holding Tegan, I told her to "carry" them for Mommy.

Because I still hold her. She doesn't do much walking on her own. I've been getting better, really I have.

Except, as I'm putting her in the car, my mind is racing. I'm saying to myself:
"Oh no. I mean, I know she's officially potty trained and doesn't even need them for her naps anymore. But seriously. They should have a few. And, OH MY GOD, MY BABY'S NOT A BABY ANYMORE!!!!!!!!"

I try to remain calm. Cool and collected. But it doesn't come to me. I'm scatterbrained. Which is dangerous when driving, I know, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. And I know it may sound hard for some of you to believe, but I almost cried! Tears began to sting my eyes, but damn it, I didn't let them fall!

I simply, just clung to the thought that I still had her crib to make me feel like there was some sort of a baby still in my home. And just like that, I held my head up and drove home. I still change her on the desk. (I never had a change table.) But sometimes it's just easier on the floor. But that's it!

While packing up the cottage, I came across her old soother in a plastic soap travel container. She opened it and gasped "MY SOOTHER!" And smirked and let out a squeak, "that's for baby's. I no baby no MORE!"

People say time goes by so fast, and they're right. It really does. In fact, it seems like forever ago, she was this wailing, horrible, colicky child I could have thrown off the balcony. The sleep deprivation and no experience behind you or psychic powers to figure out what was wrong with her. All that seems ages ago. Now all that plagues my days, are the endless questions...when she already know the answer.

"Mommy, what's IN here?" after you put cars into her playhouse. And after you answering her 3 times to "Cars?", you switch it up to "I don't know, a spider?" and she'll reply "NO Mommy, CARS!" Y'know, like I'm stupid or something!

And now, we sing, and to the tune. We watch the same movies over and over agian. We play outside, the same games over and over. She wants me to touch the bugs over and over, then for her to come and hit them with her stick. "Not moving Mommy!" Gee I wonder why!

She helped me cut the grass this year already. Walking behind me, giving me "love taps" as she calls them on my bum. Helps me pick up pine cones to put in the garbage, and points out the dog poop for me to scoop away. She will also tell you who's is who's too. Cassie's or Lucy's. Such an imformative girl.

Tegan and her Up North friend Georgia. They are Carson's girlfriends!

We play tag in the house, because there are two islands to hide around. She counts to ten immediately when recieving a snack, because she wants to tell you how many should would like. She recieve's candy in the mornings now too, which is only her Flintstones Vitamins. She likes to pick the colour.

She claps to the beat "Lets Go BUFF-A-LO", before, during and after each meal. Could be her hands, could be the fork on the plastic plate, could be her elbow on the table or her toast on the dogs nose to that beat, but its there.

She spits when we brush her teeth too. Says

"Ahh" and opens wider. Calls the birthmark on her face a Boo-boo. Calls the mole on my neck my "nipple". And the mole on her fathers forehead is a boo boo as well. Once at a Sabres game, the guy infront of us, had a large flesh coloured mole on the back of his neck. Which was in perfect vision for our little lady. Right away she wanted to pick it off! She kept pointing to it and jumping back like it was a snake and going to bite her any minute. That was a tough game. Trying to keep her quiet and not say something rude, and not touch the damn thing either.

She sleeps with Timon from the Lion King and Kanga from Winnie the Pooh. This is the first sign of any attachment she's had. Other than needed her blanket in the car for sleeping purposes only. Tegan has been a text book child the whole way. At 10 weeks old she stopped the damn crying. She never had a favorite blanket, or toy or food. Still doesn't. Could let me out of her sight. Went from breast milk to formula. Breast to bottle. Bottle to sippy cup. To regular milk, whatever! Gave up her soother after a year. Never got scared of the vacuum, bathtub drain or toilet flushing.

I say that, but now she's scared of bugs. Likes to play with the plastic ones, but don't let her find a ladybug, or she'll freak! And it's not "fine" that they are outside, or won't hurt you. You have to get it gone and quick!

I think that's it in a nut shell. Some of you have been asking what she's up to. She's still around 30 lbs and growing tall. She's going to be hitting her head on the corner of our countertops any day now. Mark's already worried. Especially when we get running around. Her hair is getting long and her teeth are getting pushed closer together. No more gaps. Her birthmark is fading like the Dr's promised and she has big feet! Size 7's. Soon to be 8. She's flat footed too, just like her Uncle Clint!

Just makes me wonder how the next one would be. I bet Ill be in for it!

1st Trip to the Dentist!

Okay, so she's a little early.

I believe children don't go until they are 3 years old, or until they have all of their molars. Which in Tegan's case, she has the first ones, but not the second.

Even though those buggers have been plaguing us forever! They are still not in. But I made the apt and took her anyway.

As I was filling out my "patient" form, I thought Tegan would stay by my side and play shy. Nope. She curiously went into the empty office and started to dismantle it in a matter of seconds.

There were stuffed animals, magic wands, fun posters, sunglasses and even a Princess Dress if you wanted! Wowee!

On the way there, I told Tegan that Dr. Stacy (that's a woman, who is married to Dr. Bob Saunders, who own the same practise together, so they go by their first names not to confuse people!) would want to see in her mouth and brush her teeth. Even tickle her teeth.

The assistant was great. Showing Tegan all the toys while waiting for the Doctor. Then came the "oh honey, don't touch that!" as she quietly ripped the ornaments from the plants and the tools from the tray.

She climbed up into the big chair with the pillow on top and enjoyed the view. The assistant gave her some tasty latex gloves to try.....then Dr. Stacy came in and performed some magic. She had this magic wand that when she said "hocus pocus" and a poof towards the overhead light, BLING, it went on!! Wow! And I'm watching as the assistant presses the button ON behind Tegan and watching Tegan look up in amazement! So funny!

The End.

Seriously. That was as far as we got, and our time was up! The Doctor came in and Tegan didn't want to taste the gloves. She'd just "take your word for it" that it tasted like Bubble gum and Strawberries. (She had 2 different gloves, with 2 different flavors!)

We got a new toothbrush and some Berry floss. This will be a treat trying to get her to do that! I was told to do it in her bed where it was a soft surface and do it quickly. Eventually she won't fight it! Ugh.

Sixty six dollars later, we had ourselves a successful visit and an expensive new toothbrush!

Ever had a kid ride you like a bull...

WITH YOUR BRA???

...Atleast it's useful for something...

And the Winner is...

Lucy should have been a cat!

She HATES water. Loves to sit on furniture...even the very back of the couch. Would love to sit on your lap. But most of all, she prowls like a cat after it's prey.

Very, very sneaky. One cautious step after another. Inch by inch. You even see her ears pin back in disappointment when you close the door and it makes too much noise. She might loose her prey!

She will wait and wait and wait. Doesn't do the hap hazard, mangy, slobbering dog, bouncing off the deck barking it's head off. Nope. Sleek and quietly she will go....

...it was the Squirrel. He got away AGAIN!

Cassie...the Bionic Dog...

As most of you all know, Mark's dog Cassie is getting old. And by old I mean she is 15 and a quarter! Her legs are stiff and shuffle along. Her wrists are full of artheritis, which causes her nails to drag with each step. Her eyesight has diminished and her hearing is gone. Eh? What you say? GONE!

In order to get her attention you need to make some eye contact, and use sign language. And she gets it. Usually "come" is the only command we need to use with her. Or point to the grass if she is being "lazy" and doesn't want to go #2. But she will, if you make her spend more time out there.

This dog just went through hopefully her last surgery. I like to call it an "Extreme Dog Make-Over". She had all those ugly, large bumps removed from her body. The moles and tags removed from her eyelid, forehead, lips, knee and and shoulder. She got her hair buzzed the day before and a bath. They also had to drain her ear which was bleeding internally, as she had shook her head too hard. And the vet threw in a "free nail clipping" while she was on the table.

We did everything but colour her muzzle from grey to brown again. That we left! Mark came home with the story of when he went in to see Cassie, surgery over, but still asleep with the breathing tube down her throat and her big long tongue hanging out with the heart regulator attached to it. Her heart was beating steady throughout the whole proceedure. But as soon as Mark walked in, it started to race a bit, but then went back to normal.

We know Cassie has an amazing sense of smell. For example, if Brucie or Jeff should come over, the cologne they put on is enough for a small village of single women, that's no big observation. But when Cassie is in her mudroom and is on the otherside of the house, will after 20 minutes cuh-plunk her way down the stairs to see who's here. Tail wagging happily and her bum swooshing from side to side with the rubbing and scratching the boys provide upon her initial arrival.

So Mark figured she could smell him in her sleep and knew he was there. And that she was safe. We ended up having to leave her there for the night and brought her home the next day. Tegan was worried where she had gone. We told her to have surgery. Which meant, a cut, and some blood, and a very sore boo boo. So please don't touch her.

Lucy was beside herself when she came home too. First she ran at her with lightening speed. Then stopped dead in her tracks to smell her gently, realizing that it was "hospital" smell on her. We had to make Lucy leave her alone and separate the two again.

Lucy too has been ill with Ringworm! No idea how she caught it. But we're bathing her every other day, pills and ointment for the area. I'm telling you...what a week.

AND Mark's mom Jane had Angioplasty the SAME day too. All the Taylor's are home safe and sound. Neither went to the light! In fact, Jane is in Buffalo today for a friend's birthday party and flying back to Florida this weekend. Busy busy.

Anyway, to sum it up. This dog just won't quit. She's like the Energizer Bunny. They took over a pound of fat off of her side that was that huge ball we all used to comment on. You should see how slim in the hips she is now!

I've been busy packing up the cottage too for our closing date coming up. Some of the stuff has been sitting in the mudroom for a week. Long enough for Tegan to make a fun game of "hiding Cassie" and laughing her head off.

Disney World! Again!

Okay, so Mark is the one who went every year for his birthday the lucky duck. And I'm not such a fan of spending my birthday in Florida. But hey, it beats sticking around here in the cold, sleet and snow that we are STILL having by the way!

That being said, this year was Tegan's 3rd year going! She's only 2, how does that work? Well, she went when she was 3 months old, then when she was just over one (having the baby born in Decmeber makes math easy...so she is 1 year and 3 months old!) and now at 2 years old and 3 months. Exactly a year later.

This year, we got to enjoy the accompanyment of Mark's sister Suzie. She was our "Nanny". Which really means, she was the nice lady who went around behind us, picking things up we would've forgotten, charged all our electronics, downloaded photo's onto backup devices... "just in case" and our Buffalo Sabre Insider for the latest game updates.

She did not however:

Sit WITH us on the flight (she bumped herself up to Upper Class.) Suzie doesn't fly well and didn't want to be outdone by a 2 year old that has no worries in the world, if the plane was going down or not! Although I wish I had sat up there with her drinking cocktails the entire time too!

Or do any diapers! Now that's one lucky lady!

Tegan was toying with the idea of Potty Training on our holiday. She liked using Aunt Suzie's Potty! In fact, I too enjoyed her bathroom! Which as you all know now, she is officially still Potty Trained and has been accident free for over a week. Yes. I'm bragging!

We stayed at the Marriott Imperial Palm Villa's in Orlando. Just outside Walt Disney World. Our friends Scottie & Betsy and they're 2 kids and Nanny were staying there the same time as us. They booked it and we followed suit.

The place was AMAZING!! We would stay there in a heartbeat again. It was a 3 bdrm condo. We had our own kitchen with granite counter tops! A dining room, t.v's in every room. And 2 bathrooms. A living room and a screened in porch. Did I mention a dishwasher? Hun?? I highlighted in above, go and check it out!

We always get our Disney Hopper Pass, which lets us into ALL the parks as many times and for as long as you want. We visited: Epcot, Disney World, Animal Kingdom and MGM Studios.

This is Animal Kingdom:

This is Epcot: Click to see Dancing Video with the Kilt Band

This is Disney World:

Tegan's naps got all out of whack. Bedtime too. So each day we endured a few melt downs from an independant, over tired, picky eater, teething, sun in her eyes toddler. You didn't DARE cut her food without asking. Remove her shoes without asking. And lastly we learned...when she finally passes out in the car on the way to dinner, and secretly place her in the stroller...and try to sneak in a nice dinner and stay sleeping the whole entire time...will only put egg on your face in the NICE restaurant while people watch you completely fail at parenting!

After 5 days of Disney, we got in our rental van and headed for Sarasota to see Bubby. Tegan and I slept the whole way! That was nice! Marguerite was there too for a visit and we enjoyed a nice chicken dinner together.

We stayed with Jane for 3 days.

We went to the beach the first day. Then the pool the next day.

Look at her swimming on her own! Obviously I wasn't there...

Then we were up at 5 am to go back to Orlando to fly back to Toronto. The day was shot.

But the ride home went VERY smoothly. All slept when they were supposed to. Most of us happy..until we landed and needed a coat...dang. We're HO-ome!

Happy Easter!

So what did you all do?

Well, we had Dad & Rhonda down and had a yummy small feast, compliments of Martha Stewart. Suzie came UP from Buffalo too to celebrate with us. She also had a comedy club gig to do as well. Clint had to work...triple time was a wait'n!

After watching her show last week, I checked it out online. And Bingo. It was so easy, and tasty. It's definitely a recipe to keep for years to come. We enjoyed a nice Ham with brown sugar and Cognac glazed on top. It was like candy.

See here! Oh Martha!

Then we had Martha's garlic scalloped potato's to go with it. And then, who cares about the rest of it. They were the most delicious.

Rhonda made a blueberry dessert. Also topped with brown sugar and went well with the meal. Even though she said she wouldn't make it again. I must admit, it didn't compare to her Blueberry Crumble she makes. It's Killer.

We all made our way downstairs to the jumbo T.V, to watch the Maple Leafs do-or-die to make the NHL Playoffs. And they did!....until the Islander's won THEIR game and knocked the Leafs out of the standings. What a game they had against Montreal. Back and forth, goals galore. And for what? Just to get bumped after a shootout from the other team that hadn't played their last game yet? Check out what Suzie said about them at her comedy club HERE!

Then Sunday, we all went to church. Came home and had a 1st Easter Egg hunt. There was close to 2 dozen eggs to find, all with 2 Smarties in each. I'd say 1/2 she ate as she found them, then she got the hang of waiting till the end to see what she got. She used her Grandfather's "smelling them out" technique. Noses scrunched and the sniffer's pumping away. I'm surprised the carpets didn't lift with the way my Dad's nostrils were flaring away! Tegan DID have a pony tail in. I wonder where that went!

She also got some Playdough Eggs and some Chalk Eggs for the pavement. (Which we used yesterday to plaster "LET'S GO BUFFALO!" across the end of our driveway.)

Hope you all had a safe and Happy Easter like we all did!

Ever wonder what your 1st Sanitary Napkin Discovery was like?

When I was a kid, I remember being told "ya don't need those. Don't touch them. They're just for Mommy. I'll tell you about them later when you get a bit older..."

That's what I was always told. SO, I didn't touch them...except this one time, when my cousin Mike & Shelley came over, and we discovered what tampons did in a lot of water! Exploded! Coooooool!

Anyway, ever since Tegan could pull open my vanity drawers, she was consistently attracted to the yellow wrappers of my Always with Wings.

She discovered you could unwrap them and they would grow in size and eventually, come to reveal a white "sticker" to adhere anywhere she wanted. How fun! My personal favorite is when she tries to stick them to Lucy as she's walking by, but it won't stick to her. So instead, I get Lucy hair on IT. Or from the carpet, Lucy hair will definately be a factor in the cleaning up of the paper mess to say the least.

And me being cheap and thrifty, using the "waste not, want not" mentality, I would gather up the disaray of wrappers and try to place them back together...except, it never went back to it's original form. Somehow two sides would stick together and it would almost be garbage. But the other side of my brain is telling me..."well, there's still another side that's still good!" And so it was pathetically wrapped back up again and shoved into the drawer. Because chances are, tomorrow, she'll be right back in there riping them all apart again anyway.

Well, this final outburst of laugh came only a week ago. When we had just returned from our trip to Florida and I'd finished unpacking. I had left the suitcase lying in our bedroom. Some of these napkins and items get left in the suitcase for "emergency" uses on our next trip. In fact, I had just finished telling Suzie that I'd found a "green" one for the St. Patrick's Day Party, probably from 1990 I'd kept in my suitcase!

I was in the office on the phone with a friend of mine, when around the corner my daughter made her gracious entry. Across the face, over her mouth was the Always WITH Wings attached to her face! One wing over her nose, the other over her chin. Full coverage as they say! She couldn't even see where she was going!


She peeled if off and I'm sure she also gave herself her first lip waxing! Ouch! I then went to the bathroom to return the item, but there was no wrapper. Hmmm...I asked her "where did you get this from?" And she replied "In here Mommy!" And took me to the bedroom. And this is what I found!

Hilarity Video

I sent this one out to some of you already.

It's Tegan laughing hysterically. The best belly laugh she's ever had was caught on tape by Aunt Suzie the weekend of the Birthday Party for me.

Dad & Rhonda were just finishing up moving and were about to make the bed when 3 dogs and a toddler crashed it. Of course every family member crowded around the room to protect the kid who was originally jumping on the bed.

The best part is where she wails out a hard laugh. She's never done it since. It's like 10 seconds into the video.

Click here to see it! May take a minute to load

Another Baby item gone...Diapers!

Well, today Tegan went to school with panties on! Go ahead, you can call her and Congratulate her, she'll be home Thursday through Monday or dinner time any day of the week.

She only had one accident at school today, which the teacher recalled as her fault. Tegan had told her, but they didn't get there in time.

So out of the 3 outfits I had packed. She only used one. We are so very proud of our Little Lady! She only had one accident yesterday too which was a deadly one!

Yesterday she gave me a run for my money! She had a very sticky, mushy bowel movement in her undies that I had to remove "oh so carefully" and no matter what...it was a disaster! Not like the firm "I've been eating right" kind. It was the "Oh, I think I ate one too many bowls of Bran Cereal today" kind.

But we got through it. She was a bit confused I think since I was picking up dog poop in the front yard, and she figured it was okay to do that outside. Trying to tell her a dogs Potty is outside and Tegan's is inside was a bit weird!

So as much as I'm happy about this new milestone, it's just one further step away from my baby being my baby. In fact, there is only ONE thing left...her crib....boo hoo!

Party's OH-ver!

Well, my dear readers, if in fact I have ANY left after the lengthy hiatus!

I've broken my computer on return of Birthday Bash and then 4 days later, left for a 10 day no-so-vacation Vacation! The Not-So is the part where you go to Disney and go-go-go all day. Chase after a two year old, bite your tongue with the husband or at least try and catch the tongue like a cartoon. When your mouth bursts open, and you frantically wave your hands around trying to shove your tongue back in and it seems as long as a garden hose! AND have a good time in your Nike Air running shoes with socks that is SO Un tanning like. Slathered and caked with SPF 50 on for the child and 30 for the husband and 15 for me. So my hands had SPF 95 on! But boy are they soft!

Needless to say NO TAN!
Anyway, I have another blog lined up for the Vacation...

As I had left you on the last blog, it was on what to wear wasn't it?

Well, get out the cash for the winner's of the "I DID wear the green shiny top after all!"

After hitting every mall on the West side and venturing over to the East only once, I did find the perfect pair of pants to go WITH the boots and the top. I even bought a gold necklace and earrings (which I didn't wear the necklace after all, it looked WAY too over-the-top. Almost Gucci.) And girls, it was from Claire's, so it was $8.99 for the set!



I felt good, I looked good....then not even 2 hours into the night, I had black and green icing smooshed on my ass! Great. Ivory dress pants with a light tan pinstripe, and green and black icing on my only ass-et left...which has gone into hiding with the Lochness Monster too! Looking for my ass is like trying to find keys in this house..."I dunno, it was here a minute ago?"

In this photo you can see Carla and Kim laughing hysterically at the cake on my ass..."Ha Ha Ha, She doesn't even know!!" (Nah, they really didn't think that...or maybe they did!)

But I was happy on Jello shooters, so what did I care? I had a nice buzz the whole evening. Danced my bootie off the entire night.



Long and the short of the party:

200 Invited.

89 Showed Up.

54 Said they'd show up and didn't.



The rest of you couldn't make it due to what else:

March Break Plans OR the flu that was going around like wild fire. Either one of the couple was sick so one came and the other stayed home. Or they both stayed home...
Or the babysitter got sick and the plans were foiled.

But it didn't matter to me. That number of people is the same number we had at our wedding. So it was really a wedding but in casual clothes! Super Fun!

Mark's sister Suzie (shown here!) had enough guts to sing in front of the crowd WITH the pianist of the band to the tune of "Desperado." And the song was called, "Desperate Connie." And she was getting a wee bit nervous about it all since she was going to drive herself up North a day early and practise. Except, Mark and I went up a day early too and took her with us! So no time to practise for her!


She sent me a clip and you can watch it here!

Click Here!

Mark had a lot of fun planning too. He was the Bartender most of the night. We had many volunteers taking money for tickets and decorating. But because of the number of people who didn't show we had a lot of booze left over. So there were many trips to the car cleaning up at the end of the night. And it's in the garage right now....anyone want some Bud Light or Coors Light or Canadian??

This here shot is my "souveniers" I received while flying down the bannister stairs at the Arena with Kim. She hurt her foot, but we acted like a couple of men...........we didn't let on that it hurt at all!

Back at the hotel, blisters were well on their way to the soles of my feet. Beating away to their own heartbeat. It was 3 a.m before we dozed off. And NO Tegan! We left her at our friend Ken & Kendra's to have a sleep over with Carson.

But 7 a.m we woke up and couldn't get back to sleep! Are we nuts? We called K & K at 7:30. They were awake and playing and had just finished breakfast. So we got up, showered and made our way down for our complimentary Continental Breakfast at the hotel....which was
Inn at the Falls a lovely street of old homes turned into cottages and a haunted Inn. I still have to ask Jerry how his night stay was, since he rented the Haunted Room...oooohhhhhhhh!

After we picked up Tegan, Mark took the empties back and the unopened liqueur for our refund. Then we headed home....

Only I couldn't keep my eyes open come Barrie! So Suzie took over the wheel. She must have been exhausted too! Mark had his own vehicle to maneuver home. At least we weren't hung over...we were just fried from the planning and executing!

In fact, Mark thought it was so fun, he wants to put on a venue once a month! Yeah right!
I must say though, I had never felt more special than I did that night! I was the guest of honor. People had driven from far away to be there. Some I hadn't seen in ages...and there they were! A couple of ex-boyfriends in the mix too always made for a special tug at your heart. That despite their new lives, they made time for me. And Suzie's special song and video of me as a kid growing up to the sound of music. Or the fact that we hired a band who actually showed up! I mean, it all seemed so surreal and yet, it all came together!

I have always had this sixth sense growing up that I would NEVER hit my 30's. That I'd die in a car crash and that would be it! Seriously. And, at my party, people are wishing me a Happy Birthday, and I'm thinking to myself "It's not until Wednesday, we'll see what happens...if I make it." And sure enough, Wednesday rolled along, and I made it!! I really made it! So I guess I was wrong all these years....except now I have a new visualization....
I think all of us women try not to look into the future, like what we'd look like as Grandma's or old lady's with grey hair and wrinkles...but if we did, that we'd look "Good for our Age!"

Lately, I've been getting twinges in my face! Involuntary twitches! Not the eye ball kind, where it twitches a couple of times or for an hour or even a day. I mean, I will be typing and WHAMMO, my cheek goes to check the mail! B-yeow! Like a Boomerang! Aaaaaand, it's back. Back to normal. My brain says, "What was THAT?" And my face says "I dunno, what was WHAT? I didn't see nothin!"

So now I have the visualization that I will be THAT old lady with the twitches. Fast...involuntary...have a hard time concentrating on NOT looking at it when you have a conversation. Or when you see them at the bus stop or the restaurant. That'll be me. With the lips constantly moving back and forth...and I won't even be talking! So go ahead and place your bets again!

Yours Truly,

Twitch

PS. I want to thank Suzie AGAIN for doing such a wonderful job and all the fun fantastic ideas she had! She sang at my Wedding too and Drafted me into the family like the NHL does. I watched that video and sweat came to my hands, I was nervous for her all over again! Does anyone know she does Stand Up Comedy? Yeah, she's good!

Take a bow Suzie!

I didn't kiss you on the video and I should have....so here it is now...

Mwoa!