Friday, October 31, 2008

Another Canadian Parents article

I've had another article published at this online magazine. If you'd like, check it out here!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

5 things I didn’t know until I became a mom

(Don't hate me for continuing to use old Facebook posts. I'm taking a writing class right now and it's been taking up my writing time. Thank you to everyone who's continued to check back, regardless of the slowdown in updates. And thank you to those who have left comments - I'm sorry I haven't been replying these days. Don't lose faith! I will be back to brand new posts ASAP!)

1. That the Alphabet Song, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Baa Baa Black Sheep all have the same tune.

2. That someone could think that dipping sushi in ketchup or grapes in soy sauce is a reasonable culinary decision.

3. That sometimes diapering a toddler is more difficult than putting a tuxedo on a horse.

4. That the length of open-mouthed silence that follows the bang of a child falling down is directly proportional to the volume of the ensuing scream, once that child catches his breath.

5. That the first time a boy told you you’re beautiful has nothing on the first time it came out of the mouth of your two year old.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Five kids’ shows I like more than my kids do

(Here's another oldie but hopefully goodie post from Facebook. Enjoy!)

1. Timothy Goes to School
I don’t really know why I like this one, I just do. There’s Yoko. Love Yoko. Especially how she lives in a temple and her mother is always wearing kimono (I don’t even know any Japanese mothers in Japan who always wear kimono). Then there are the brothers Frank and Frank. It always calls to mind those Newhart characters, “This is my brother Darryl … and this is my other brother Darryl.”

2. Elmo’s World
Sadly, my kids seem to have outgrown this show. Not even my little Sarah requests it anymore. There’s something so comforting about seeing those Jim Henson puppet faces that haven’t changed since we were kids. My favourite is still Grover. Or actually Super Grover. And every so often they’ll have a retro clip straight from the days before people started trying to out Bert and Ernie. Ah, the innocence.

3. Wonder Pets
I actually don’t really like this show but the theme song gets stuck in my head and I find myself walking around the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner, singing, “Wonder Pets, Wonder Pets we’re on our way, to help the baby elephant and save the day…”

4. The one where the guy uses all kinds of different materials and when you see it from an aerial view it makes a picture
Do you know the one I mean? I tried to look up the title online but what do you search? No idea. Anyway, my kids are so bored with this one. Doug and I, however, are always totally enthralled as the guy moves this and that around, shifting sheets, shaking out coloured sand. When they move up to the aerial view and the picture is revealed we’re like, “Cooooool.”

5. Peep and the Big Wide World
I saved my favourite for last. I have actually watched this show by myself. That’s right, no kids, just me. First things first: Joan Cusak narrates. That’s cool right there. Then there’s the duck. Has anyone noticed that Quack sounds like Charlotte’s gay friend from Sex and the City?? I’ve checked it out, it isn’t him but man, I keep expecting him to take off his little white hat and say “Some of the best sex I’ve had is with people I can’t stand!” That aside, that duck’s got some great quotes himself. Like, "Of course I'm a duck! I have all the duck bits. The bill. The webbed feet. The cute tail. The sailor hat." That duck kills me.