Friends

I was listing to CBC the other day and they were doing a program on friends. They were talking about how there is no protocal when dumping a friend like there is when dumping a partner. It got me thinking about how true this is and then I started to wonder why this is. Some friends are in your life longer than any relationship but when it ends, there is no ceremony or ritual ending.

I have had a few friendships end over the years, some by my own decision, some that just slipped away and one or two that I have no idea what happened. After listening to this program, I started thinking about the ex-friend who just disappeared out of my life. I can pin-point when it happened as it was totally abrupt. We were friends (as far as I knew) one day and then I had Ainsley. I sent emails with my announcement to this friends, called her, left messages but nothing. Not one word of congratulations, no visit, nothing. I was quite hurt at the time especially since I had thought we were good friends and had been for 15 years but something about me becoming a mom obviously changed our relationship significantly. I still don't know how this changed things and I will probably never know.

So, what I am wondering is how many people had friendships that changed when you had a baby? Were you able to make new friends with other new moms?

While I lost one or two friends, I have made new friends once becoming a mom. Some great friends who I have gone to when things are really tough and they understand completely and are usually going through the same things. I guess only time will tell who your true friends are.

My Little Dancing Queen

As Juliet gets older her personality emerges more and more. Even as a baby she has always liked music. When she was really small, I could almost always be able to settle her cries by singing to her. She is almost 18 months now and over the past few months she has begun to dance and has been adding to her dances moves daily.

She is hilarious! Anytime she hears music (it doesn't matter what kind) she gets up and dances. When we walk in the mall, she will stop at the entrance of each store that is playing music and dance. When we drop Ainsley off at school in the morning and Oh Canada! comes over the PA she dances. We have regular dance parties in our house while listing to a fabulous Putomayo CD. She will also dance to my singing and her favourite song is from Sleeping Beauty. The one that goes "I know you, I've danced with you once upon a dream". Juliet will even sing I know over and over again herself.

It doesn't matter how short the music clip is or where its coming from, when she hears a note of music she must dance! I absolutely encourage her love of music and dancing and I hope that she never looses her enthusiasm.

Neighbourhood Hunt

My husband and I are currently exploring neighbourhoods in the Toronto and its surrounding suburbs as we are thinking of moving from our downtown Toronto house. Our neighbourhood is aging and there are not many kids living near us for the girls to play with. Add into the mix the closure of our local elementary school, very few childcare options and a busy neighbourhood we have decided to look elsewhere.

We have our wish list and are really hoping to find a neighbourhood that will meet all our needs. Not only do we have a neighbourhood wish list, but we also have a house wish list. We bought our current house before we had kids so we had no idea what would work and what would drive us nuts once the kids came and now we have many things that drive us nuts! Add into the mix, Glow Baby which has turned our dining room into an office and we are bursting at the seams.

Our neighbourhood wish list top 5:

1. LOTS OF KIDS!!
2. Good schools
3. Family infrastructure
4. Parks nearby (not a 30 min walk :>)
5. Quiet street


Our Home wish list top 5:

1. Family room on main floor that I can see from the Kitchen (those with young children know why this is number 1)
2. Backyard that can be seen from the kitchen
3. fourth bedroom or office (I want my dining room back!!!)
4. Two bathrooms upstairs (I refuse to share a bathroom with two teenage girls)
5. finished basement

I don't think our wish lists are too much. I think that what we want is out there. Now to go and find it...

If anyone loves their neighbourhood, I would love to hear about it!!

Remembering Roo

We've had a tough week over here. We've all been sick with colds and our poor little bunny Roo has been very sick. This morning we got up and Roo was in a really bad way. We took him to the vet where it was decided that the best thing to do was to put him to sleep. He was no longer able to eat or drink on his own.

We rescued Roo from a rabbit shelter 6 years ago. We don't know how old he was when we got him but the vets estimated he was 2. He had been mistreated by his former male owner and so when we was adopted by us he was very attached to me and was not so keen on Brett. He was very cute. He would sit in my lap and we actually had naps together. He loved to snuggle in our bed with us. We got him as a companion to Winnie and after initally hating each other, they bonded and loved each other.

Roo will be missed. He was a very sweet bunny and was loved by both his bunny partner and his human friends.

RIP Roo June 4, 2010.