Life as of now: the ups and the downs

Since teacher's college, the days seem to pass very quickly. Although, I am not working, I seem to be very busy as my son Markus is growing everyday and I need to fill up my schedule for of activities to prepare him for kindergarten next year. I joined the YMCA, a few blocks away from our condo. He goes to a toddler gym on Monday mornings for three hours. There is a slide, arts and crafts and in the gym, they put out activities that will enhance motor skills such as tricycles, hula hoops, stepping stones, steering cars, jump ropes etc. On Monday and Tuesday nights, he goes to preschool dance, where they learn the chicken dance, jump around on one foot and run around in a circle. However, Markus does not follow instruction. Instead, he runs from one end of the gym to the other, with a big smile on his face. When the kids are running in a circle in one direction, he will run in a circle the opposite direction. As long as he is having fun at this point. He just turned three so I am hoping it will all change within a few months and as he gets use to the routine. On Wednesday, later in the day, I take him to swimming lessons. Although, there is a retractable floor, where they bring the floor up to the kids level, so they can stand, I get very nervous. Markus is still the smallest kid in the class of 5 others. The water just goes below his mouth. He is afraid to put his head under water or trust the instructor. He just basically watches, but still enjoys himself and loves going. On Thursdays, I take him to reading group at the library. I am trying to work on encouraging him to read and develop of love for reading. The kids have a story read to them, they play games and have song a dance. This is all guided instruction, which Markus does really well at. Tomorrow will be his second class, so we will see how he does. And Friday's is our free day, in which I may go shopping and do some chores or just sleep.

I am reading a book called "Raising Lifelong Learners"....I was interrupted, Markus said he needed a diaper. I looked over and he had peed in the potty. Yay! I was going to write that potty training has been a slow process, but he is getting it....Back to the book, it states that the way to encourage children to love reading is by reading with them, not just at night but throughout the day and let children develop their own stories, even though they are not reading the words, they are looking at the pictures and retelling the stories in their own way. Retelling a story is actually a skill and promotes fluency in reading later on in life. This was the purpose of getting Markus to join a reading group. He also loves being amongst other children and adapts very well to new situations. Yesterday, for example at the library, Markus was on the computer having a story read to him. Another boy, wanted to sit where he was and came up to Markus and hit Markus to get off the chair. As a parent, the first thing I want to do is intervene, but I held myself back. Markus stayed firm on his chair and with a smile on his face he said "Don't hit me!". He took the boys hand and gently put it to his side. The boy looked my way and took a minute to think. Then, he grabbed another chair and sat beside Markus and they talked, laughed and listened together to the story.

So, there is my schedule. However, some may wonder about whether I found a job or not since I did go to teacher's college. I got pregnant again right after teacher's college. I find myself being more sick with this pregnancy than with Markus. I am almost 20 weeks pregnant, I will find out next week whether I will have a boy or a girl. I am nervous and I feel very defensive lately because many people may shake their heads and think that it was a mistake to have gotten pregnant right away out of teacher's college. My twin sister did and a friend of the families told me upon his return from Ireland: "I think it was a mistake to have gotten pregnant!". Well, my response is...ok...but it is easy to plan an education, one fills out the forms and starts in September. There is a start date and an end date. However, with pregnancy it never happens according to plan. Some people try for years and never conceive and others conceive right away and never intended to, some conceive while using preventative methods. There is never a good time to have children but one rolls with it and takes what comes and when it comes. That is the beauty of life. Not always having control over every aspect of life teaches one valuable lessons, one would hope. So, to the friend of the families, Frank, I say you never had children, and can not possible understand, so think it but please don't say what you don't understand.

I am excited but scared to have two. I feel down a lot more and I think it may be hormonal as well, I am just really sensitive lately. But, I will love my children, that is for sure.

So, wow it is now 11:17 and already it seems like my morning flew by. This is what I mean by life seems to go very fast lately.

It will go faster, now that Tom is working on fixing up the condo and we have started looking to buy houses in Oakville. Our condo is too small for a family of four. These are exciting, yet nerve wrecking times.