The countdown is seriously on

Maternity leave. It is within my grasp... by, like, three days! My last day of work is this Wednesday (today being Monday). After that, I begin holidays for two weeks and two days and then officially start my maternity leave on August 14 and have no plans to return to any employment situation until September 4, 2007 at the earliest. And if somehow I strike it rich before then... then, hah! Screw you, land of paid employment!

The next few weeks will be fun, but tiring I expect. Emily's daycare is closed for holidays this week and next so Thursday and Friday I am looking after her (John is on duty today until Wednesday). During this week I must also finish painting her room. Then on Sunday we're all off to the cottage for a week or so. I have been looking forward to that all summer. I am going to float my big, fat body in the lake feeling all weightless and skinny until my skin is so wrinkled that I look like an octegenarian whose reproductive system didn't quite get it right.

About half way through our week there, Beth and Graeme are going to join us. I'm very pumped about this since I only see Beth about twice a year and that isn't enough. It is especially sweet to be at the cottage with her since we essentially grew up there, during summers at least. I envision some minor construction, some bakery on the beach and some water ballet. She'll know what I mean about the last two.

Then after our return home, Emily will return to daycare for a while until she goes part-time and I will do my best to do some advance cooking and serious sleeping which just isn't going well these days.

I'm so focussed on "optimal foetal positioning," as the experts call it, that I sleep almost entirely on my left side. This means an extremely sore hip and shoulder. I'm such a martyr. It does seem to help though with the baby's position along with spending at least 30 minutes on my hands and knees while watching our new favourite show, Veronica Mars, on DVD. Seriously, check it out.

Until now the horrible situation in Lebanon has not affected me directly at work. But now, my workload is increasing quickly as a result, and so, I must cut off my amusing ramblings and turn my attention to what I am supposed to be doing to earn my keep.

That'll do

After every meal, the ritual is that I get a face cloth, wet it, and wash Emily's hands and face. She knows this, expects it. In fact, if I'm too slow getting to that stage, she'll say: "Mummy, face?"

Last night we ate dinner on the deck. The face cloths are kept in the kitchen. She must have realized she was in a bind. I was standing next to her high chair starting to remove her tray when she said "Mummy, shirt?", grabbed the hem of my rather nice top... and wiped her face with it.

Resourceful, hygenic. That's my girl.

She's found a new drug

Last week it was Blue's Clues. This week it is Barney. Yes, that big, purple dinosaur of the 1990s has invaded our house. In all honesty, I much prefer Barney to Blue's Clues. There are actual things to learn on Barney (imagine that!) and there is no animation - a big plus for me. Emily absolutely loves Barney and loves all the songs that are sung. So, I gave in and actually bought a video. How could I turn it down when it was about Barney visiting a farm... Emily's other major addiction?

Hopefully this will help get us through what we believe is another canine coming in (this will be number two). She actually handles it really well - but gets pretty tired and chews her fingers a lot. I can't really complain if that's the extent of it. What a trooper!

Beth is back from PQ. Her only sustained injury is an ulcer in her eye. Who knew you could get an ulcer in your eye? Ick though. Nasty.

Some new pictures just because....

Emily's crack-cocaine

There are certain things you have to get used to when your child is in a home daycare. The main one is that the care provider probably does a number of things differently than you would. For me, with Emily at Dawn's house, this is T.V. Emily doesn't watch T.V. (or never used to) at our house but since she has been at Dawn's she has been introduced to two programs that they watch every day: Dora (ick) and Blue's Clues (tolerable). Emily has developed an addiction to Blue's Clues. She seems to have figured out that we don't watch it at home but it hasn't stopped her from talking about it or asking for it. A lot.

John has been working hard to get Emily to say please and merci (easier than thank-you). She's starting to do so without being prompted but still needs reminding sometimes. This morning we were all in the car driving to Dawn's. Emily was starting her typical "I'm bored" routine - high pitched squeals, asking for things we can't provide, and of course begging for us to sing Wheels on the Bus. Finally, she decided she wanted her little Pooh Bear book which was just out of her reach. John handed it to her and said: What do you say, Emily? She responded "Blue's Clues!"