"That dad"

Brian asked me tonight why I haven't updated my Blog this week. I told him that I couldn't think of anything to write about. He rightly suggested that I might want to mention what a fantastic father he is.

Well, I thought that was obvious to the world. But perhaps I should elaborate.

Did you know that since I've become a stay-at-home-mom, Kaylin has become, at times, VERY attached to me? So much that when Brian comes down for breakfast or comes home for dinner, Kaylin often runs to me and hugs my leg until she gets used to the idea that daddy is there. Sounds awful, but it only lasts a minute because every single time, Brian does everything in his power to make his little girl giggle or smile, or join him on the sofa, or colour a picture with him. He knows it's just a phase she's going through and doesn't let it bother him. He doesn't use her behaviour as an excuse to make a quick exit and watch TV or do some work. No, each time, he hangs in there, gets in her face, and let's her know that he loves her. He demands kisses and hugs, he asks her how she is and how her day was, and lets her know that he missed her. And if that fails, he tickles her. He doesn't have to feel bad or left out because he knows that within seconds, Kaylin will be squealing with laughter and it will be because of something he did.

Did you know that Brian is "that dad"? You know the one. The one who is a big kid himself. The one who has all the other kids at the party gathered around, laughing with him, playing with him. The one who picks up his daughter and swings her around until she is howling with laughter. The one who all the moms at the mall grin at because he is having such a great time with his little girl and it shows. The one who won't hesitate to roll around on the ground with his toddler or do Muppet impersonations during bath time.

He's the one who lies on his back on the grass beside his two-year-old daughter, points up to the sky and teaches her to see stars and airplanes with her imagination.

Yep, he's really "that dad".

WHATCHA DOOO-ING???

In the spirit of one of Kaylin's favourite new questions, "whatcha doing?", here are some recent pictures of what she's been doing lately.

Enjoying a FREE! Passion Flakie Mousse at Sunfest last weekend. Ahhh, lard and sugar.


Playing with her "new to her" kitchen. I bought it sight-unseen from someone online. It's in good shape, though the sounds no longer work and none of the accessories were included. But watching her yell "stoppit!!" at the microwave door that won't stay shut made the $25 well worth it.



Watching the men who are STILL pushing dirt around the back of our lot. But this is it! The sod is going in tomorrow morning! Yayyy.



Helping daddy make a blueberry-banana smoothie (or "smoodie"). We now consider the banana "smoodie" one of Kaylin's four major food groups, along with macaroni and cheese, toast, and ice cubes.

Toddler travel highs and lows

Call me a wimp, but I find traveling with the toddler stressful and tiring. And we only went away for one night!!

Brian and I took Kaylin to Niagara Falls this week for a quick little vacation. Looking back, we had a wonderful time. The weather was beautiful and Kaylin was such a good little girl. But I'm still glad to be home.

Here are some highlights and not-so-highlights from our 28-hour trip.

Highs

1. Kaylin got her first glimpse of the stunning Niagara Falls.
2. Kaylin saw killer whales, beluga whales, and seals up close. She got to touch both deer and a snake!
3. Brian and Kaylin had their first real swim together in the hotel pool.
4. Kaylin enjoyed her first taste of cotton candy.
5. Wonderful memories to last a life time.

Lows

1. Kaylin didn't care about the Falls. She preferred to go up and down the nearby stairs then look at the amazing sites around us. Oh well, maybe next time.
   
2. Kaylin fell asleep at 6pm, just as we checked into the hotel. Instead of the three of us going out for dinner as planned, Brian and I quietly ate Chinese take-out on the sofa in our hotel room while Kaylin slept.
3. Kaylin hardly ate anything all weekend. We even opted for a breakfast buffet one morning, thinking she would certainly be tempted by something delicious. Instead, she danced around our table and refused every morsel we offered, except for a few spoonfuls of oatmeal.
4. Marineland has barely changed since 1979. And yet it dares to charge $40 per person admission.
5. Some bold seagulls took Brian's BBQ chicken right off his plate less than 20 seconds after he sat down at our outdoor table. Combine this with the exorbitant price of that crappy lunch and the cranky, not-eating toddler at our side, and this moment was the low point of our trip.

All joking aside, we had a lot of fun on our little jaunt but look forward to a time when Kaylin is just a little older and can enjoy all the sights and sounds a vacation has to offer without falling asleep every four hours.

Here are a few snapshots from the trip.