May Photo A Day 2014 - Day 2

Day 2 - Snack

A doggy snack for Kade. Kade turned 10 years old on April 6th, 2014.

Some days, I forget that he's a dog. For example, last week I ranted to my friend that I had gotten really angry at Kade and yelled at him because I had prepped a chili dinner and left the trash bag which contained beef fat trimmings hanging in the kitchen, within Kade's reach. I then left him alone in the house for 6 hours, and when I returned, Kade had torn through the bottom of the plastic trash bag and strewn trash refuse all over the kitchen floor in an attempt to get to the meat!! The nerve of that dog to go after meat within his reach, really!!

My friend gave me a look, the "are you f@cking kidding me" look, and said "you know he's a DOG, right? And you left him alone with the meat for SIX HOURS? And that's all he did while you were gone?!!"

Ah well, put me in my place. I frequently take Kade's good behavior for granted, because when he sits by the glass sliding door leading to our backyard, I'll let him out into our unfenced backyard, and leave him out there, sometimes for hours. (Brian does too!!!) He sits in the backyard, scouts the property line, sniffs the various wildlife scents, and then returns to sit by the sliding door when he's done, and then I let him back in.

Play along here: http://fatmumslim.com.au/may-photo-day-2014-list-love-mae-team/

Erika's Perspective on Amelia

Erika and Amelia, taken May 1, 2014.
When did my 4-year old learn to "duck face"? I also love Amelia's expression.


zaplightsmusic asked how Erika was dealing with Amelia;s arrival into our lives, so I thought I'd write a separate post about it.
Leading up to Amelia's arrival, Erika was very excited. She kissed my swelling stomach several times a day, she'd caress it gently and talk to her sister. She envisioned the arrival of a best friend, a playmate, a constant companion. I warned her that babies cry a lot and don't do much in the beginning, but she was excited to be a big sister and be a big helper. For many months at preschool, she'd "practiced" taking care of dolls, by swaddling and feeding them and rocking them.

When I told her she had to wait at home when I went into labor because children weren't allowed in L&D, she quizzically asked: "but babies are children, aren't they? So they are allowed but not me?" She couldn't wait to see Amelia.

Whenever we see someone who hasn't met Amelia yet, Erika enthusiastically will say "have you met my sister? This is my sister, Amelia, and I love her! Isn't she so cute?"

She also tells me, "when I am sad, the only thing that makes me feel better is hugging Mei Mei"
(Note: Mei Mei is Chinese for "little sister")

She has said, "I dont want to go to school today, I want to stay with Mei Mei."
She has also given up: going to the playground, watching TV, going to a birthday party, and playing with her friends, in favor of spending time with Amelia.
In the mornings, she likes to come into our room to peek at Amelia.
Erika likes picking out Amelia's daily outfit, and tries to find an outfit of her own that will match or color-coordinate.
She helps with putting on a clean diaper. She runs to grab burp clothes, wash clothes, blankets, or socks, for Amelia.

This amounts to 90% of how Erika feels around Amelia.
Then there is the 10% where her insecurities bubbles up to the surface.

One time, Amelia was crying, and I jumped up to go to her aide, and Erika stated: "You have to go help Mei Mei because she is the MOST important thing in the world. She's more important than me." (I reassured her that they are BOTH important.)

She also told my close friend, in a very concerned tone: "I'm worried Mei Mei will be prettier than me. I don't think she will be smarter because I'm very very very very smart; but what if she's prettier?" (My friend reassured her that the likelihood is that Mei Mei will be pretty, but just as pretty as her big sister, since their mom is really pretty and they both looked like their mom!)

She also has said: "I don't want baby Amelia anymore."
I told her returning her was not an option. :P
But then she added, "I don't want baby Amelia anymore; I want toddler Amelia. When is she going to be bigger so I can play with her?"

So that's how Erika feels about baby Amelia thus far.