A few pics

Just a few pictures of "Kay-Kay", as Kaylin calls herself when she sees photos of her adorable little face, including one of her brushing her teeth with daddy and one with her wearing her very first black t-shirt. Now she's just like mommy!

Kaylin's feeling "quity"

In an attempt to be more like her daddy, Kaylin quit her first job this week. Many of you don't know this, but Kaylin was a baby model...sort of. Let me explain.

Last month, the three of us were in Toronto for a visit to the Beaches, our old neighbourhood. It was a Tuesday. Tuesdays are also the day Sutherland Models' children's division, Kamera Kids, holds its weekly open call for new models. On a whim (and since we were already in town), Brian and I decided to see what baby modelling is all about. We really didn't think anything would come of it.

Well, of the ten or so children there, Kaylin was among three selected to join the agency. We were shocked (but not really, because she really is so cute, and I'm not just saying that because she's mine...ok I am). She might have the opportunity to do catalogues, print advertising and tv commercials.

I knew then that I was going back to work in September. But we thought, hey, what the heck. Maybe she'll land a $20K Baby Gap ad and I won't have to go back to work!

Maybe she'll land a $20K Baby Gap ad and I won't have to go back to work!

Ha ha. And then I woke up.

Unfortunately, the summer is the "off season" and the agency already has lots of baby girls on their roster. The Gap never called, nor did anyone else, and so I had to make a decision -- do we keep waiting around for Kaylin to get a modelling job (may never happen) and give up my job (a sure thing)? Or do we pretend it never happened and go back to our hum drum, non-modelling lives?

Hum drum won. And so, this week, Kaylin resigned from the agency. But if you hurry, you can still see her picture on their website (and not a great picture either -- see my site for those!!) -- www.kamerakids.com

D-Day

It's here. The day I've been dreading for over a year now: Kaylin's first day at daycare. As the first day of a two-week transition into our daycare, Kaylin and I spent an hour there this morning. While Kaylin had lots of fun playing with a room full of toys she'd never seen before, I was not so joyous. In fact, shell-shocked about describes how I felt.

I imagined this morning would be calm and quiet. I pictured a nice little meeting with Kaylin's daycare provider, telling her all about our normal routine, what Kaylin likes and doesn't like, what words and signs she knows. Then the provider would look at me, notice the worry and concern in my eyes, gently touch me on the shoulder and say, "It's all right mom, we're going to take wonderful care of your little angel."

Instead we arrived to loud children's music, a crying baby, and seven other little ones scrambling around crashing toys and other plastic objects to the ground. It probably took me about five minutes before I even considered putting Kaylin down. I was sure she would instantly turn around and give me the "pick me up" arms. But she didn't. She wandered over to a new-to-her toy and began playing. That made me feel a lot better.

In fact, she seemed to have a lot of fun this morning. She probably thinks we were at some fun place where kids meet to play for a while. Little does she know that she's going back there again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day...

I'd better bring a box of Kleenex tomorrow.

Cake and cows

Kaylin has been (unknowingly) enjoying an entire birthday week. Almost everyday, she receives new packages to open and a new toy or book to enjoy.

Birthday week began at Grandma and Grampa G's house, where Kaylin was showered with gifts from Grandma and Grampa and Uncle Chris and Auntie Annette. She also enjoyed a healthy banana and yogurt "cake" while the rest of had totally unhealthy but delicious birthday cake. Also this week, Kaylin received a visit and a wonderful book from my friend Joanna, an adorable online Hallmark card from our neighbours who are out east right now, a wind-up (i.e. no batteries needed, yayy!!) TV from our other neighbours, a beautiful outfit and fun bath toys from our friends Nika and Andrea, and several wonderful books from Brian's business partner Pete. Thanks everyone!! You made Kaylin's birthday so special.

On Wednesday (the Big Day) I took Kaylin to one of her favourite places, the Toronto Zoo, where we saw giraffes, and gorillas, shared applesauce, and rode the Zoomobile. Kaylin also made the sign for "bird" at every pesky seagull she saw. Just after we arrived home, Kaylin received a beautiful bouquet of flowers with two balloons and two teddy bears from Meme and Pepe. She loves waving the balloons around and making the "sniff sniff" sign for flowers whenever we pass the bouquet.

That night Kaylin enjoyed her first birthday cake, a bizarre sugar-free recipe I found in one of my baby books. It wasn't bad, but I prefer the traditional cake myself! After cake Kaylin, daddy and I opened her gifts and played with her new Fisher-Price barnyard. She loves opening and closing the barn doors, dropping the animals into the hay loft, and laughing hysterically when the chicken makes its cluck-cluck noise. I love watching her face as she plays and discovers something new every time.

The best year of my life

Today (Aug 16) is Kaylin's 1st birthday. I can't believe it - where did the time go? Just yesterday I was at the hospital with a big belly and now I have a one year old who loves books and knows the sign for "hat." It's crazy.

I won't dwell on this momentous occasion, lest I flood the keyboard with sappy mom-tears. Let's just say this has been the best year of my life and I'm looking forward to dozens more.

Happy birthday my little angel! Love, mommy