Fear Not, Oh You Receivers of Biscotti!

Ha! It wasn't burnt, just very dark. I ate it, Len ate it. Yummy and chocolately, not burnt at all. Take that oh you doubters! Wait a minute, i was the doubter. Well, it's good so there!

It's the thought that counts...

I just finished making biscotti. And, exactly what my friend Heather said would happen when she warned me not to bother, happened. They burned on the bottom, just enough to be annoying. They still smell so good and the top two thirds tastes awesome. However, you can't give people beautifully wrapped top two thirds of biscotti for Christmas. And now I'm imagining my dad or Aunt Lois pointing out just how Toronto of me it is to make biscotti. Buy some, or make cookies, why do something so labour intensive? But you see A) it wasn't that labour intensive and B) I wanted to do something nice for all of my friends for Christmas and can't afford to do gifts for everyone.
I suppose that it is the thought that counts. But I don't think that the thought counts for much when you're feeding people burnt biscotti.
Well, consider yourself thought of. :)

Content, but Lacking in Inspiration

Hello, I'm here. I just don't have much to say. I've been contentedly baking and quilting and house cleaning much of my evenings this week. Not exciting, but relaxing. I took Adara's diaper off tonight to give her bum a bit of an air out as she was getting a bit red. In 30 minutes she peed seven times and pooped twice. Exciting. Kinda funny really. Needless to say the house got a thorough sweep and mop tonight.
Went over to Kimbourne park again today. Still lovin' that place, super fun.
Tomorrow is picture day. More on that later.

Why I love Kimbourne Park

We went to an Ontario Early Years Drop In Centre today, Kimbourne Park. It's the only one near us that operates on a Saturday.
It was awesome! A huge basement room in a church with about six different play areas. In the centre was a toddlers climbing gym on top of gym mats and a whole bunch of big (the size of Adara) foam blocks to stack and roll on and crawl under. Then, there was a play kitchen area, a reading area, an infant area, a car and truck area, a blocks and building blocks area, a play doh area, and a tonne of comfie couches for parents. Parents were lounged chatting with each other, playing on computers, doing crosswords or watching the kids. There was lots of dads too, which is unusual at other drop ins. Pretty much all of the kids were under three, so no danger of getting thwacked by an older kid, and there were no choking hazards. There was also a juice and cookie area, 10 highchairs, and a separate room for diaper changes. Can you tell how exciting this was to me?!! We will be going every saturday all winter. Adara was gloriously happy and needed nothing from me but an occasional hug or swig of milk. It was super relaxing and the other parents were nice and interesting too.
I love Kimbourne park! Thanks heavens for this winter baby haven!

Playing with Da Da

I'm gonna getcha!

Reading Popular Mechanics magazine together.
Lounging about.

New Clothes

Here's some pics of lovely clothes that people have purchased for us lately.

This outfit came in one of Auntie Kristen's famous ebay boxes. Notice the lovely trike from Grammy and Poppa too. This is a rare moment in which she's sitting on the seat instead of standing on it.

This outfit was a birthday present for Auntie Ruthie.
Thanks Aunties!

And Again.

Len and I have a cold again. Super baby continues to be impervious. I've just about had it.

Our First Family Tradition

This week, I believe that we unintentionally created our first family tradition. We of course have all of our own family traditions that we brought into our little family, but yesterday we created one of our own. Len and I are exhausted from being ill (finally getting better, thank you) and so decided to have nachos for dinner. Easy, full of vegetables. Ok, yes, full of cheese and sour cream too, but meatless, so not so bad on the fats. We fed Adara her dinner before the nachos and then sat down to eat our nachos. Adara invited herself to sit on Len's lap and started pawing at the nachos. She loves them, can't get enough! She was making all of these "mmm, mmm" noises and wouldn't let Len eat any himself for feeding her.
So, it makes her happy and us too and isn't horrifically bad for us; therefore, once a month Friday night nachos for the Stannard-Frys! I'm very pleased with this as I think that it's very important to occasionally embrace not doing things "the proper way", ie making a real meal.
In other news, the girls that Len calls my "first babies" were in town. Laura and Lisa were my neighbours from the time that I was eight and they were born. I was a "mothers helper" for their mom until I was about 12 and then babysat them after school and every summer until I was sixteen or so. So, in many ways they were my test run. Laura works for research in motion and Lisa is just finishing acting school (hmm, is this my fault.... let's say no). Laura brought her boyfriend and we all met up after Len's show (Dirty Dancing) which they were seeing. It was lovely to see them and well worth hauling my lazy mom bones out of the house at 10pm. I'm stupid proud of them and it's very invigorating to hang out with people who aren't exhausted from their wee babies running them ragged. Although Mark was looking pretty done in from a nasty hang over!
Adara is a wonder and is advancing in leaps and bounds. She gains new words every day and is working hard on phrases. I swear that she's been drinking gallons of water just to hear me say and do the sign for water so that she can perfect it! This week she's working hard on the phrase "No more" in reference to when she's done eating. Right now it sounds like "na mo" but I get where she's going with this by the vigorous headshaking and throwing of her dishes over the side of the highchair.
I realized today how fundamentally (and oddly) I've changed in the past year. I was at Loblaws with Adara and she had had enough of the grocery store. She was pitching a huge fit so I just started singing the Grand Old Duke of York and bouncing her up and down on my hip. I was also getting out my wallet, entering my interac and packing groceries during this. Part way through it occurred to me that several people were either staring at or smiling at me. I honestly didn't know that I was singing , I was just doing what needed to be done to get us out of the grocery store in one piece. A year ago this would have been mortifying. Now, it barely registers.
In other news, I'm managing (along with Len, don't get me wrong, we're very equal partners) to keep us fed, the house reasonably clean and everyone at work and daycare on time. What I am not managing is to get any exercise. Any suggestions, moms? During the week I walk in the door at 5pm and Len leaves for work at 5:30pm. On the weekends he leaves at 11 am and is gone for the day and night. In the summer I used to run with Adara in the stroller. It's too cold and rainy (and dark) now for that. I'm trying to figure out what I can do with her or at home while she's asleep, as we can't afford a babysitter right now. And don't try to foist your unused (or never used) bikes and treadmills of on me! I have a Toronto house, there's nowhere to put those kinds of machines.
That's it from me, hope that everyone is well and recovered from their own plagues!

Still Sick, Therefore more pics

Another Day, Another Cough, Another Runny Nose

I'm sharing pictures today from Adara's birthday morning. We haven't really taken any pics since then as we've all been quite sick. I got a flu with fever 15 days ago, it became a nasty cough, then walking pneumonia. So, I'm still trying to recover.


Last night was the opening of my first show with my new theatre company. Len and I went and did the opening and it was completely exhausting for both of us as we're both ill. However, neither of us would have missed it for the world. I got the chance to meet with some of our donors and subscribers, who had a surprising amount to say to me last night. Len, as always was lovely and debonair and acted as bartender for me for the party. The reviews were great today, so hopefully sales will run wild!


Yesterday, Adara got the sniffles as well,and today, has her first full blown cold. She's had the sniffles before, and thrown up a couple of times, but this is the first honest to goodness, nose running, chest rattling, occasional fever, cold. My heavens, though, she has an amazing immune system. I've had this for 15 days, Len for about 6, and she only succumbed yesterday. I begin to believe that breastfeeding may indeed have helped her immunity.
In non sick news,Adara's language skills have leaped ahead. Words now include "no, yes, ma-ma, da-da, poppa (her grandfather), piggy (a favourite stuffed animal) peek-a-boo (really remarkably clear), water, ba-ba (bottle, my fault, I used a cute baby word and now that's what she uses) and bye-bye. I must admit that I'm pretty impressed. She seems to be adding a word a week now.
That's it from us, here's hoping that we're better next week and have more interesting stories to tell. Here's hoping that you and your families are all well.

Beyond My Wildest Dreams

Last night was beyond my wildest dreams. I am not an American, in fact, I'm often anti-American. But last night was monumental. Had Martin Luther King not been assasinated, he might have lived long enough to see a black president. That's a huge amount of change in one lifespan. From segregated schools to a black president in 50 odd years. It restores my faith in humanity and in the ability of everyone to "do the right thing" when it comes down to it.
Even with this horrific plague (now pneumonia) still slowing me down and with the first preview of my new show last night, I still found time to sit down in a pub for an hour with like minded friends last night and watch history unfold. I'm glad that I took the time.