After eating candy and anything princess, Lucy loves to make crafts. Stickering, painting, gluing, sparkling, colouring. We have so much fun creating together. While we sometimes get Alice involved in our projects (we made hand-print tulips in the spring), crafting is usually a Mumma-Lucy activity when Alice is napping, which makes the process extra special. It’s our Thing.

Here are some of our favourite fall and Halloween crafts we’ve done at home and daycare. They’re fun and easy for all ages — the cat is actually decorated by Alice!

(We have a wire strung across a wall in Lucy’s bedroom, and hang a lot of her artwork here with clothespins. The rest goes on the fridge, front door and in keepsake binders.)

Monday marked a whole new world for us, after days of drama and sadness.

Both girls started in new daycares. Lucy to a lovely centre, and Alice to a new home with a sweet, crafty and attentive lady named Lisa.

We had a falling out with our other provider of two years. It was painful and sudden and insulting and sad and guilt-laden. I’m not sure I’ll ever understand what happened.

Lucy has been booked to start at her centre for a few weeks, but we were so very lucky to find Lisa in just a few days (and I used my very own site — Durham Region Daycare — to find her! Talk about handy, I tell you).

So far, both girls are doing great and OK. Lucy is tickled to have so many friends her age, and is busy-busy-busy every day with crafts, outdoor playing, yummy food and non-stop chattering. Alice is doing that heart-wrenching thing where she tries to climb over Lisa’s shoulder with her arms outstretched to me, red-faced and screeching that silent cry. Jeezus, it killed me at drop-off this week. But I know she settles very soon after, is eating tons and sleeping and playing, so that is good. And I know she’ll get better as the weeks go on.

But man, last Wednesday when the poop hit the fan was hard. I was a mess. That’s defintiely something you have to keep in mind when your kids are at a home as opposed to a centre — the emotional involvement and attachment for everyone, and how to deal with it when things go bad and it’s time to move on.

Regardless of what happened, though, I am still a huge supporter and defender of home care while kids are young. Even though the centre Lucy is at takes kids at 2, Alice will stay in a homecare setting until she’s at least 3. It’s important for us that she gets that one-on-one care from one person. It means two drop-offs and two pick-ups, but it’s worth it to us.

Thoughts? Any of you dealt with daycare drama?

Alice came home from her first day of daycare the other week clutching this little blue guy. She held on to it through diaper changes, lunch, her bath, even bottle before bed. Something in him obviously brought her comfort…

They are both gone.

Lucy is at Julia’s all day today, Alice for the morning to get her Robeez wet with her new part-time faux mommy. Tomorrow and Friday they will both be there all day.

It’s so quiet here. The only noise is the hum of the computer, the rumble of the kettle as I prepare tea, and the whoosh of cars driving past my open front door.

I. love. it.

Yesterday I took Spencer Dog and both girls for an early morning walk. It was shortly after 8, and all around kids were darting past us on their way to school, excited and fresh and alive in the crisp air. The smaller kids in their too-big backpacks and deer-in-headlights look on their faces clutching their parents’ hands made me suddenly remember that next year THAT will be US.

(Did any of you go through the first day of school with your little ones yesterday? Or this week one day?)

Born in late February, I think Lucy could have gone to school this year; she will be among the oldest kids in her class. As it is, I’m a tad worried of her being, most days, the eldest by far at her home daycare. She is a smart girl, adaptable and socialble. But I feel like it’s our responsibility as parents to start preparing her for school…and that maybe a more structured, classroom-like setting with kids her age is better for this?

We’re not sure. But we’re talking a lot about it. Yesterday I called a local centre and left a message. Just as a fact-finding mission.

For now, for today, for these quiet few hours, I’m enjoying the peace only a quiet house brings.

This morning I left this in the park near my house:

At least, that’s what it felt like.

My first baby started a week of preschool camp today. While I’ve been leaving Lucy at a home daycare and various family babysitters for years, there was something different about dropping her off with a handful of teenage strangers and a fourth-year university student wearing Hawaiian pants. But we both need this week apart for a few hours each day.

Lucy was there from 9 a.m. to noon doing crafts (she was colouring flowers when I left), games and songs.  What I’ve gotten out of her so far, upon her return, is that she play, play, played, read a book about fish, went pee with two other little girls, and did not have time to finish her snack.

Also? “I don’t WAn’t to go HOme. I WAnt to stay here.” Did you miss Mumma and Alice and Spencer? “Nuh-oohhhhh. I want to stay heeeeere, Mumma.”

Her face and knees were covered in dirt.

I gather the day was a success.

Today is Lucy’s last day at daycare for the summer.

Our wonderful home provider, Julia, closes down for the summer to spend the school vacation with her three boys (she’s a single mom). So far this has worked for us, with me working from home and getting help from our teenager Shelby and our parents. But we’ve had many conversations the past two years about how much longer we can handle the shut-down.

Certainly next summer — when I plan to be working three days a week — it will not be viable.

But we’re not thinking about that right now. We’re thinking about:

• a) it’s summer!
• b) ohdeargod, it’s summer!
• c) what am I going to do with two kids for nine weeks?
• d) how am I not going to go nutty with two kids?

We’ll be getting various breaks from each other at daycamp, the cottage and help from Shelby again and our parents. But people: There are a ton of loonnnng days ahead. And you can only craft away or hang out in the backyard so much.

So, let’s help each other out. What do you do all summer? Where do you go to play? Splash pad? Park? Trail? Best indoor place on a hot/rainy day? Festivals? Museums?

Leave a comment, and we can build up a fabulous local resource to refer to all summer.

As an added bonus, I’ve got a set of Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Keys to give away to one lucky commenter!

Here are my faves:

• Any and all local fairs (click here for a list of all the fairs in Ontario, including Durham Region)
• Libraries, early year’s centres (full list of Durham’s are on the site here!)
• Brooks Farms (tractor rides!), plus Cooper’s Goat & Veggie Farm, Uxbridge (corn sandbox and…goats!)
• Port Perry’s waterfront — soon to have a splash pad! And they have great restaurants, picnic area and park
• Picnics in the park (there’s something so…summer about doing this)
• Indoor malls on hot days to cool down
• Ditto indoor play centres (see our list here!)
• Kiddie pool in the backyard with friends
• All of Durham’s local festivals and celebrations can be found on the Tourism Durham website, and others — see the local events page

Well, just one bug.

And he’s cute!

Click here to meet him.

In all my spare time (hardeeharhar) I’ve been working really hard on this site and Durham Region Daycare, getting them ready for when I attend two shows next month: The Baby and Toddler Show in Ajax, and the Mamas and Chicks Show in Oshawa.

I’m terribly excited. And nervous. I’ve supported and promoted local shows for years through this site, and to now be invited to attend is a Big Deal. There will be hundreds of parents to showcase to — including a bunch of you, as I’ve got free tickets to dish out soon!

All of it is for y’all, you know. I mean, writing about Lucy and Alice and my life is for me, too, but I started this site because there was nothing else like it for parents when I was pregnant with Lucy (there still isn’t). I couldn’t find local baby stores or daycare information, where the Early Years Centres were or that there was a special movie time for parents and babies. Or that there was a local mom like me who had tried them out and shared the experience, or changed her fifth poopy diaper in a row and was ready to run away, waving her chapped-from-washing hands in the air.

Like many women and most mothers, sometimes you just have to do things yourself. Almost four years, 1,092 posts, 3,443 comments and a sister business later — here we are.

So, shucks. And thanks.

It’s sometimes challenging to balance the business side with the fun side here and over there. But I think it works. Some days there are almost 400 people who visit this corner of the giant Internet. Granted, some land here by searching “baby butt cake” and “sugar boobs” (and you wouldn’t believe how popular “caramel popcorn recipe” is!) but others by “durham baby shows” and “play centres in whitby” and that’s incredibly gratifying for all this work.

I’d love to make a million dollars. I’d love to have both sites support my family so I don’t have to leave the house for work in the fall. Doesn’t every small business owner?

Here’s what’s new around here and there. I hope you’ll poke around and check things out, and let me know how it all looks (and if any of it’s broken, because working at 11 p.m. when you’ve been up three times a night means sometimes things get fudged up). And use them as the resource sites I’m striving for them to be:

• Looking for a local toy store? Baby CPR classes? Place to meet other parents? It’s all on one page under the new Local resource directory. You’ll see the categories splashed underneath the banner up there, too — if you’ve got a link or category to add, let me know
• On the top left sidebar, you can now search the almost 1,100 posts
• There’s now site map on the top right sidebar to navigate around easily
• Durham Region Daycare got a colourful and visual upgrade with photos! All the daycare providers who have pics of their kids and locations are randomly highlighted on the front page. In just six months, the site currently has daycare provider listings for 10 cities and towns in Durham, which I’m thrilled with

We are partied out.

In a good way, of course. Lucy is swimming in new toys and clothes, and has eaten pounds of cupcakes and cakes and cookies and chocolate milk and tea.

(As have we. It’s detox time after all the leftover goodies are gone.)

Last weekend we had Lucy’s friends Eirinn and Pearl over for a Pink and Purple Party, at Lucy’s request. We painted ceramics, ate finger food, opened presents and played.

This past Tuesday Julia, our daycare provider, made a Dora and Boots banner, baked pink-frosted cupcakes and sent Lucy home with a massive sticker book.

And our family brunch party on Saturday went fantabulously. So much great food (the recipe for the egg casserole is coming!), and a houseful of favourite people. Can’t beat that.

(Alice, however, was completely overwhelmed with 13 faces in the house. If she wasn’t in my or Eric’s arms, she was understandably not happy. We were all excited to pawn her off share her deliciousness with all the extra and willing hands. But somebaby poo-pooed on that plan. Thankfully the murmur of said people mostly drowned out her unhappiness. That, and a lotta boob.)

Lucy’s favourite presents include more Dora mega blocks, a Dora suitcase, the Toopy and Binou Memory game, a wooden mailbox and letters, handmade dolly blanket and baskets, and more Fancy Nancy books. This Thursday we are going to Build a Bear. She also received some welcome donations to her education fund (oh the irony of saving for your kids’ schooling when you are still paying for your own!).

Lucy is a spoiled and much adored little girl by our generous family and friends.

But I’m glad it’s over. Know how you love Christmas and can’t wait for it to arrive, and enjoy the planning and decorating and all the people and parties? And then can’t wait to get it out of your house? That was me yesterday afternoon, taking great pleasure in popping balloons, taking down banners and crepe paper that have been up for over a week.

But what a great week it was. At breakfast yesterday, she asked for another party. When we told her they were all done, and that she wouldn’t get another one until she turned 4, she replied, “I want to be 4 now.”

• Does anyone else agree the Tim Hortons drive thru should be reserved for pregnant women, those with kids in the car, the elderly and the disabled? Kind of like a “women and children first” thing? Because do you, chain-smoking cell-phone chatting man in a suit all by himself in the car, really need to clog up the line? Obviously you’re capable, what with your multi-tasking ways. And you’re one more unnecessary car between me and a much-needed tea, which I could not secure (nor a shower) because of how long it takes to stuff two squirming kids into winter gear and get out of the house
• Where in the world does babies’ green poop comes from? The yellow-brown shade I can relate to, but green? I know it’s normal, but each time I open Alice’s diaper and see those vibrant chunks, it makes me eye her suspiciously
• It’s taking me days and days of working in snippets, but I’m sending out a December newsletter this week. It’s going to include a 15%-off coupon for a neat new and local online children’s clothing resale store started by a Whitby mom
• We moved Alice into her room Sunday night. It was so nice to get our bedroom back, so we can brush our teeth with the door open, and turn the news on before bed. We kept her in so long for fear she’d wake up Lucy. But two nights in, and all is well — last night she only woke up once to eat, giving us two four-hour blocks of sleep…I’m a new woman
• Our neighbours across the road are getting geothermal heating put in, so have a giant drill in the backyard digging and digging and digging. The floor in here is rumbling, and there’s a constant hum outside
• “Is it Christmas Eve yet, Mum-Mum?” asks Lucy at every. single. meal. together. Jen O. has a hilarious post about this on My Tornado Alley
• Speaking of Lucy, today is her last day at Julia’s until Jan. 5, as our provider shuts down the two weeks of school holidays
• Tomorrow is the Durham Mom’s Night Out cookie and treat exchange, and I’m terribly excited to see everyone and come home with goodies. I’d planned to make caramel popcorn, but in the middle of the night started having second thoughts. Would you enjoy receiving a bag of that, even though it’s not a conventional cookie/treat?
• Today is the last day to enter to win the Jungle Safari gift basket from Finest Expressions! Click here to find out how to enter