Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

So, the past few days have kinda stunk! Isabelle and I have both been sick. We visited the Dr. on Monday, and she has a slight throat and ear infection and I have some infection I won't try to spell, which has left blisters on the back of my throat and adnoids (sp?). Painful to say the least, and tiring, which makes me less than stellar company for her during the day. To add to the whole mess, we had an unfortunate nanny experience and are still feeling quite crummy about it all.

It all started well. We, as in Gilles and I, Renee and Shawn and the two babies, met with Nanny X on Monday night. We had sifted through what seems like a million and one profiles, contacted several, and wheedled the number down. She seemed perfect on paper, but being a sceptic I wasn't counting on anything. To our shock and awe, she was all that she claimed to be. Had lots of experience, was enthusiastic, the babies loved her (expecially Logan who was flirting with her the whole time she was there), seemed totally happy with the pay, vacation, our list of programs for the kids, general needs, and the shared nanny situation - the whole kit and kaboodle......and she was also available to us on weekends for our much needed "date nights". She left and we fell over each other, practically jumping for joy (save for her references and CPIC which she promised to send by the next day, this girl was all but hired). I thought I could now return to work and know that Isabelle was going to have a special buddy who would hopefully be around until she went to school.....Shared the great news with a select few family members and it seems, promptly jinxed ourselves.

Here's where the following analogy seems appropriate. You are at a high school dance and meet the boy who's visiting from another school. You become completely enamoured. You dance with only him all night long, you share conversation and discover you share many of the same interests (except it probably sounds more like "and like, he totally gets me"). At the end of the dance, he kisses you and asks for your phone number, and then you never hear from him again. Stinks eh, but it happens and we're never quite sure why (was it the conversation, the sweaty hands, the amount of hairspray you used, the kiss.....). Bummer is that since he's not from your school, you can never really know why unless you ask one of the clueless friends of his who invited him in the first place, and that's not liable to get you far.

Same thing happened here. We all developed a crush and she never called back with her references. We all felt the tickle of the proverbial slap, especially since it never really occurred to us that SHE wouldn't like US. I mean, forget us, have you seen those babies!? There was a case of 24 hour moping, and the thought of having to re-enter the world of the nanny profiles once more sent us into panic mode, but what to do? It felt like a bad break up. In any case, the story ends somewhat differently as Gilles called today and got her Mom at home. She said that Nanny X's close friend had been in a car accident the night we interviewed her and she had been at the hospital pretty much since then.

So, we're still back at the drawing board, but hope we hear from her again at some point, even if it's just to explain what happened with her friend, or to say she's not interested. First love is a hard one to get over. For the record too, I'm not being insensitive about her friends accident - had she called in the past 48 hrs and just let us know that the references and such would have to wait, I would have given her ALL the time she needed to take. That's how much we all liked her.

The last of Meghan and Olan until December :(

So, it's been busy around here. We returned from the cottage and then welcomed the next crew - namely Mom, Dad, Olan and Meg on Thursday night. We had dinner on Friday night with Renee, Shawn and Logan, attended a 50th Anniversary party in Pembroke on Saturday, had Harvey and Nim stay for the weekend, went out for Dim Sum on Sunday, had another dinner party with all of the above that night, including Ron, Menna and crew, the Smiths and my Grandparents. We then said good-bye to Harvey and Nim, my parents and finally Meg and Olan on Monday. The next day we had tea with the Smiths and then they returned to Muskoka for their last week of vacation before they head back to BC. Whew. It was a busy time, but we all enjoyed the visiting and since it's been a week or so, that's all I'll write about it. Suffice to say the house has returned to its former quiet, Isabelle wonders where everyone is, and I am gearing up for the next onslaught for Isabelle's Christening.

I try not to think about the fact that after a year of time together every month, Meg and Olan are now back in Halifax and we're not visiting again until December. There are so many great memories of their first year together - Halifax visits, and Toronto, Muskoka, Whistler and Vancouver, and Ottawa. Some more than once! To keep from becoming too depressed, I have to keep reminding myself how fortunate we were to be able to spend all that time together, and how lucky we were that fate decreed we would have our first babies at the same time. A year unlike any we will have again. Thanks Meggo and Olan. Isabelle and I miss you loads already.

Here are some photos from the many events we attended this past week!

Isabelle picks up some of her Mom's bad habits!


Isabelle and her crew of merry men!


Logan surveils the play area and assigns toys - Isabelle to the piano, Olan to the tambourines, please...


Dim Sum happy!


Isabelle's drive by with Great Grandma...


Isabelle has fun showing Rhiannon, Annika and Mikaila the book of her in all of her "hatted"glory. What a ham!



For some more Isabelle, and huge thanks to Aunt Leslie since this is now her favourite toy, check this video out on youtube. It's too bad our camera doesn't take more than 30 seconds of video since she goes and goes and goes! Also, another video of Isabelle and her boating experience on Six Mile Lake.

music:



boat:

And the party continues!

It has been crazy busy over the past ten or so days since I last blogged. Pardon the delay, and excuse the next one as the upcoming week seems like it won't get any slower. In fact, the next couple of months that are left of my maternity leave at this point seem like they will be non-stop action.

The first bit of news that happened right before we left on holiday, is that we are OFF TO PARIS in October. The last fling before heading back to work, so to speak. We leave on October 10th and come back on the 16th. Gilles and I have been wanting to return since we stepped off the plane from our honeymoon last May. Cannot wait! What promises to be even more exciting is that we have Meredith coming with us for her first big European adventure. It will be great to have a spare pair of hands with Isabelle, someone to partake of French wine with (seeing as how I am not pregnant in Paris this time), and to get to see her take in all that is the coolest city I have ever visited thus far! We have a great apartment set up - it has two bedrooms, plus a pull out bed in the main living area, a great kitchen, unlimited long distance (prepare yourselves for phone calls!), internet, and is set over top of an old bookstore, with a cobbled courtyard, and to boot, in the party district once more - the Latin Quarter. Mer will be in her element :)

We have started the nanny search and will keep you posted on how it goes. We look at our first batch of candidates today sometime and start the interview process next Saturday. We're still not sure how it will be compared to the great daycare we got into so we'll see how the interviews go, and if it seems like a positive change to make for the little one.

Bring on the party balloons!


So, on to the past week. We took off for Barrie on Friday and met up with the family at my Uncle Lawrence's for an 84th birthday party for my Grandma. It was great fun - always a blast to see my Dad with my Uncle. They act like 15 year old's, beating up on one another ("Was I supposed to let him attack me and not retaliate"), and generally laughing and carrying on like school boys once again. Everyone pretends to try to subdue them, but I think we all love it just the same. The food was incredible, as it always is with a chef extraordinaire, and my Grandma had a wonderful time with the Great Grand babies. We left for Muskoka in the late evening and Isabelle continued her streak of great behaviour in the car. For someone who had just spent about 6.5 hours in the car seat for the day, she was amazing and not at all fussy, which I had anticipated. I mean, I don't like to be in the car that long, and I'm not strapped into a little seat, completely unable to move around.

Enjoying some champagne with Great Grandma.



Enjoying a picnic playdate with Olan.



Party girl still hanging about.....well after bedtime!


The next day, we went for a swim in the morning, and then took off for the family picnic/Uncle Roy's 85th birthday party in Bradford. Another fun filled day of games (Mom and I won the water balloon toss!), and complete with hoards of people ready to amuse Isabelle. Aunt Leslie brought a couple of huge boxes of toys (thank you SO much) and so Olan and Isabelle were happy for hours with their new amusements, books and games and even a new piano which Liam and Sarah gifted Isabelle with. Anything to do with music and she is all over it. It is, of course, not necessary to even mention at this point, but Isabelle was very happy to see her partner in crime, Olan, once more. Another baby and he's around all the time too! He's walking around with help and crawling up a storm (Ummm, what happened to you two in only the past three weeks?) - it won't be long before he's off on his own (have to have my prediction down at this point in the game)!

Playing with Auntie Tep.



The eldest daughter of the eldest daughter with her eldest (thus far!) daughter, and a very proud Dad/Grandpa/Great Grandpa!


We went back to the farm in the late afternoon, had dinner, and celebrated the big 85th. Gilles was as usual, completely charmed by Uncle Roy and his one of a kind laugh. He will also someday outlive the taunts about how he guessed at 3000 pennies in the penny jar contest....although how long it takes my Dad to stop teasing him remains to be seen. Doesn't help either that my Dad was actually the victor of the contest at around 923 pennies.

Hanging out at the farm.


The next couple of days went quickly. We enjoyed great food and company and Isabelle was much amused by her BC cousins. We swam and hung out at the dock and visited with the Hendrick's clan. We also took a tour of Lake Muskoka by way of the Segwun steam ship. Isabelle was in her nautical element (check out her outfit) and loved the big boat. She enjoyed some ice cream afterwards, perhaps a bit too much, and was still going strong in the car after spending so much time in and out for long rides. She slept well the whole time we were there, and even managed to sleep through our little visitor in the "little cottage" (which was where we got to stay for or visit). We call him ALF (Alyson's little friend) and he is a fair sized red squirrel which managed to find its way into Auntie Hope's cottage. He scampered around the rafters and even managed to sneak up beside me and scare the daylights out of me while I read one afternoon on the couch. He was quite at home, but once we found his entry way and Dad covered it up, is going to be living outside in the wild once more and can leave his pine cones to the other squirrel friends and not the human inhabitants (we don't tend to appreciate them quite as much).

Isabelle, nautical style.



Enjoying some time with Gran on the Segwun.



Ooooh, I just love this boy!


Isabelle also went for her first big boat ride. She LOVED it. The wind in her hair and the roar of the motor. A cottage girl to be sure, and quite frankly, it was paradise to be out on the water again, checking out Six Mile Lake. We also got to see the girls jump at Echo Rock, which brought back many happy memories (Byron, naked as a jay bird anyone.....)?!

LOVING the wind through her hair and the water beneath her as the boat skims across the lake...........



Chowing down with Olan at the big people table!



Curly Sue enjoys breakfast on the dock, but much more preoccupied with what lies beneath the cracks!

We left the cottage on Tuesday and with a couple of quick stops in Barrie and Toronto, made our way home. Note that H & M for kids is fabulous and extremely well priced. Isabelle is now totally in vogue with her pink skull and crossbone dress. We decided to forego the head scarf for now! We arrived home quite late, but another uneventful car trip with a great baby. God love her as it could have been a nightmare if she decided that she had spent far too much time in the past week being ferried from one party to the next.

Mom, Dad, Meg and Olan arrive tonight and so we are getting ready for their arrival today. Then Harvey and Nim on Saturday, followed by the party in Pembroke, a visit from Great Grandma and Grandpa on Sunday in Ottawa, as well as a visit from the BC clan before they head back to Muskoka for the last of their summer vacation.

Ahh, and once final note on Isabelle. She has learned the sign for milk and even uses it in the appropriate context. She started while we were at the cottage and late last night woke up and gave me the one fist sign. When I didn't avail myself to her, she used both of her fists and held them straight out above her head. Hercules - no, just want the milk NOW, Mom. She kills me, but how quickly she catches on, especially when her tummy is involved!

Ahh, the perfect size Muskoka chair for me - I clap with joy!

The August long weekend....

Wasn't really a long weekend for us. Gilles went into work today so he could take next Friday off for the trip to Muskoka, but we had a good weekend just the same. Busy week ahead prepping the house for the Halifax guests and getting ready for the family picnic and the big anniversary gala in Pembroke. Looking forward to catching up with Auntie Les, Liam and Sarah, Auntie Janice and Isabelle's Great Grandma and Grandpa. Then there is the Bradford crew and all the others in Pembroke whose acquaintance Isabelle has yet to meet. Such excitement and she doesn't even know it's coming; there is also the cottage, and the lake which should be quite a good deal warmer and so her Mom will finally make it in and the pool at home will seem very boring by comparison!

Not a whole lot to recount from the weekend - out for walks and got some shopping done. Went to the baptismal prep class on Saturday and thankfully, both Gilles and I have decided to renounce Satan, so the celebration can go ahead. Seemed weird, but it's a part of the tradition and who are we to question centuries of Christianity? It went really well and all my days of being an altar girl stood me well; we were able to answer all the questions about what this meant to us, and for Isabelle....and to my knowledge, managed to sound quite intelligent while we took part.

We had another playdate with Logan today and even got to play on his drum set (real, by the way - he has an Aunt who spoils him to death), and Isabelle has decided she would probably really like to be a rock star someday, if the whole theatrical thing doesn't work out for her. It's not so bad now when you can control how often they play, but when they're old enough and Logan decides he wants to spend two hours on the drums, well let's just say, I'd be calling Tia Chocolate over to look after him :) We have decided that it is worth it to look into sharing a nanny next year with Renee and Shawn instead of the respective daycares we have chosen, so before the contracts are signed, sealed and delivered, we're checking it out in detail. I'll keep you posted. For now, we are signed on to about four or five nanny and au pair services to see if someone would fit the bill.

Tommy Lee, no Isabelle Constant on the skins....as Logan looks on, clearly frustrated by her lack of skill on the bass drum!


Isabelle realizes that one does not really need the drum sticks, hands work just as well!

Little Miss Sunshine!

It's been a busy week. We found out on Tuesday night that the daycare we had gotten into was going to be available for full-time care, as opposed to four days a week. Thanks to the karma that seems to be working out for me since I never broached the four day a week schedule with my boss Tom, just the two month extension (one problem at a time!). Now I have to wrap my head around being away for the five days a week a full-time job calls for. All in good time :)

We had coffee with my friend Julie and got the papers moving for the extension at work, and attended the swimming lessons. Gilles managed to get out of work a bit early so he took half the pool time and enjoyed being able to take part in "What time is it Mr. Shark"? Would really like for them to come up with some more water games for us. I didn't mind watching on the sidelines! At Kindermusic we were introduced to Gertie balls, which are great since they are bouncy balls, but grabbable for babies. Makes it much easier for Isabelle to throw them back to us. We promptly went to Scholar's Choice and picked up a couple for home use (as well as a reggae CD for babies - Mom LOVES the change of pace). Love these classes for getting to know the really good items for kids to have.

Totally mobile Logan!


Today, we had Logan and Renee over for a playdate. Man, is that kid mobile. We are just getting used to Isabelle being able to move around on her own, and it's still a pretty slow move at that. This one is hoisting himself up onto his feet and walking around holding onto different objects. Takes out anything and everyone in his path - singleminded about where he wants to end up. In the event that he needs to get somewhere faster, he just crawls where he needs to go, and at the speed of light! It was great to catch up and we decided that we would try to institute Saturday morning playdates. We can all stay in our pajamas if need be, but it will be a nice start to the weekends, we can enjoy coffee, and the "toddlers" can play together. Prep work for daycare!

I see you, do you see me!?


Isabelle also enjoyed her new pool this week. She stayed in it for almost two hours the first time and only came out because her mother made her.

Playing with her new beach ball!


Isabelle is quickly catching onto the signing. She can really do the one for milk, just as usual, needs to work on the context. She repeats it to me as she is nursing instead of before, or when she's actually hungry. She's also, we think, a prime candidate for sleep walking? She wakes up, or is pretty much still asleep and sits up right away, only to topple over in whatever direction she's pointing in, since she's still really asleep. It's like now that she knows how to do it, it's the first instinct she has whenever she's even slightly awake.

Turns out I didn't jinx her with the comments on the blog last night as she went 12 hours without feeding, from 8-8, and only woke up once in the middle for a cuddle.

Gilles says that I avoid putting photos of myself in the blog, and he's perhaps right about this. I can, however, see one of late that is Isabelle and I in the pool. If the truth be told, it's because in that situation, I can't really say "Sink or swim, little one...Daddy needs a photo of you and Mama wants out of it"....... I'll try and include photos of ALL of the Constant family in the future. How hard, remains to be seen!

What do you mean, I have to come out?

What a difference a week can make!

PEEK A BOO!


I SEE YOU!


So, this will be short and sweet as I am in need of dinner and some of this weeks Entourage. Not even going to get the new photos downloaded until tomorrow.

She crawls! You would think she had made it to the top of Mount Everest the way we reacted, but there you have it. A few frog legged swishes across the floor and we were off (setting up toys farther and farther away and watching to see how she would handle it). She makes a few moves and sits down for some rest, but then she tries again. All in good time!

She has also, for the past three nights only woken up once, and once at that she didn't even feed, and then goes back to sleep until 7-8am. This means for a grand total of 9pm-7am with one wake up. Sorry, my sleep deprivation is not such that it precludes me from actually documenting this (we are talking about months of build up here folks...).

I feel like I may be jinxing the whole thing by talking about it, but there you have it. What a difference a week can make, or even a few days at that.

More tomorrow as we have had a busy week with lots to report, and many photos to share. I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats now! :)