A Dry Toast Post

Our camera is MIA. We are sad.

There have been a lot of things, lately, that I've been wanting to write about, but haven't due to lack of photographic evidence. Despite their "You just had to have been there" quality, some stories are posted because pictures make it better and at least a reader can simply enjoy a good photo or two. Such a post with NO pictures may be as well received as just dry toast. Blah.

Well....this may be such a post. Sorry.

A couple of weeks ago, I gave Gwen a bath in the kitchen sink, complete with bubbles and toys. Gwen must have thought it was the most magical and wonderful thing, because every night while I am doing the dishes she begs me for a bath in the sink, and almost every night I let her. It really is a funny sight, as our sinks are not very big and Gwen is, well, not little. It's amazing that she likes it because she's naked in the drafty kitchen, wet, with only her bum and legs in the warm water. Lily, on the other hand, is really difficult to bathe these days. We've never had one of those fancy baby bath tubs, so I've always had to hold Lily in the sink or tub while I give her the scrub down. It's difficult because Lily is a really wiggly baby, and strong, and slippery. I can't wait until Lily will be strong enough to sit up in the tub by herself. (What age is that? I can't remember when that was with Gwen. But, it can't come soon enough.)

Another thing that is new and very cute, is that Gwen has learned the word crying, which, in Gwenese, sounds like "whying". So several times in the day, with worry in her eyes, Gwen gasps and says "Baby whying! Baby whying!" It's cute.

Since transitioning Gwen to a toddler bed and finding success with a bedtime routine, it takes little to no effort getting Gwen tucked in for bed. After a story, Gwen and I give what we call kisses, noses (Eskimo kisses), and eyes (Butterfly kisses). Last month Gwen started insisting we also give a kiss to her doll and monkey. This past week, she has also insisted that I kiss the palms of her hands. I know, weird. Maybe she's trying to be cute? Maybe she's just trying to stall?

Lily continues to be the most amazing baby. When it comes to naps and bedtime, Lily NEVER needs to be rocked to sleep. All I have to do is swaddle her and lay her down in her crib and and she falls asleep on her own. What a blessing. However, sometimes I still rock her to sleep because it feels so good to hold her and snuggle her as she drifts off into dream land.

Oh, and one more story.

In early September, Tanner and I took the train downtown to check out the new skyscraper he has been working on at Gibbs Gage. Gorgeous. We also stopped by Olympic Plaza, which still had it's pool/fountain running. I've always wanted for Gwen to play in the water there, and despite being very ill prepared, we decided that this was the day. First we let Gwen into the shallow pool with the pants rolled up. Then with the pants off. Then with all the clothes off. So, there we were, in the middle of downtown Calgary, with a toddler running around a city fountain in just her diaper. Yup, we're cool like that. Tanner would chase her. She would chase the seagulls. For Gwen, it was the most fun she had had that summer. Too bad it ended in a full blown temper tantrum with Gwen, naked in a water logged diaper, rolling around on the dirty downtown floor, screaming at the top of her lungs, with a crowd of posh city onlookers. Yup, embarrassing. Yet, I'm still looking forward to going back next summer and doing it all again.