My Kids Might Be Just a Little Too Sheltered!

Stuff of Life So Miriam and Finnegan make friends with two little kids at the museum the other day. We’re outside sitting on the grass in the shade of beautiful trees near this Chinese pagoda-style gazebo. The kids are running in and out and are particularly curious about the ants that seem to be crawling around here and there. Then at one point Miriam says urgently to the little boy “Don’t step on the ant!” “That’s not an ant,” he says matter-of-factly. “It’s a pine cone.” Now Jim and I immediately were suppressing our laughter because we were both amused and horrified at the fact that our daughter could mistake an inanimate round woody object for a mobile insect. Perhaps she needs to get out and enjoy the great outdoors a bit more, eh? Oh dear. Finnegan was his quiet little self today at the park, to the point that I was watching Miriam and Jonah playing in the pool and realized I couldn’t see Finnegan. “Where’s Finnegan?” I asked quickly then realized immediately that he was sitting mere inches to my right contentedly eating all the Craisins he could dig out of the bag. I did a dramatic “Oh there you are!” which he thought was hilarious and, get this, he said “Gan you do it adain?” Er, you mean you want me to not be able to find you and then act surprised at the fact that you’re right next to me? Erm. Okeedokee. So I say “Sure” and look around the playground saying “Where’s Finny. Can anyone see him?” before repeating the same shocked and amazed discovery of him at my side as before. He of course thinks this is hilarious and I repeat this drama at least five times before we leave the park today. I’m not sure if I should be gladden by the fact that he’s so easy to please or worried at the possibility that he actually believes I’m senile enough to “forget” him in mere seconds! Ah my boy! Carmen was little miss giggle pants and would not go to sleep despite serious redness around the eyes! She loves it when I say “Ah boo!” and jiggle her belly (probably the only time I can guarantee she won’t spit up oddly enough!) Serious giggles and shrieks out of her until I said enough is enough and lay down beside her for a little feed. Some of you reading this may want to close your eyes for this next sentence, but I have to say I love breast feeding. Such a privilege to nourish your child from your own body and have that closeness of contact and trusting dependence from one so little. Truly blessed in this. Spiritual Insight of the Day At church we have this tradition (well it’s becoming one anyways) of reflecting on our week with thanksgiving. My thanks for this week will definitely be the two little girls who stood on our porch and knocked on the door this evening while I was out and Jim was watching the kids. Our neighbour girl Kelly, who is going into grade one and her little friend asked Jim “Can we swing on your swing?” I’d told Kelly to come over and play in our yard any time and she took it literally, asking despite the fact that we were not outside and our kids were in fact in bed. So Jim says “Sure!” and out they go and he hears the squeak of the swing. Twenty minutes later they’re back asking if they can come back later, so he says “yes” so long as they make sure their parents know where they are. They come back again and swing then he hears a knock on the back door. “Can we have a drink of water?” they ask. Hilarious! Of course, Jim gives them cups and sets out an entire pitcher for them saying “let me know if you want more but I doubt you’ll get through this entire pitcher!” They continue to swing and then it’s quiet in the yard and Jim peeks through the window and sees them sitting at the little picnic table making sand castles using the water from the pitcher. So funny, kids. So I am thankful that we have these fantastic neighbours and beautiful children and are forming these great relationships with all of them. Building community as it is meant to be! Scrapbooking Idea of the Day. Check out CMHTV (Close to My Heart Television) for some nifty scrapping demos. I contacted Tara Hawkins about my demonstrator kit today! Super excited to get started!