Milestones

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly babies and children learn new skills. Some are miraculous like breathing and suckling and some melt your heart and make you want to cry such as grasping your finger, following you with your eyes, smiling and, one of our recent ones, giving you a kiss. Then there are the ones that expand their tiny world; rolling over, crawling, cruising and (sigh) walking. I must admit that I did everything I could to delay crawling. Friends and family kept telling me that it was wrong, that I should be encouraging my little one to acheive this remarkable milestone. Uh-uh. I was trying to prolong my relative freedom! To be honest, I liked putting him down and know where he'd be if I went to the washroom or switched the laundry. Of course I was very proud when he did finally get his little bum in the air and start crawling, just as I was proud when he pulled himself to his feet, started cruising and stood independently (look ma, no hands!).

I am on the Board of Directors at my local theatre and love nothing better than to fill my spare time with anything theatre related. Brendan comes to most of the monthly board meetings with me as I don't have a steady babysitter and my husband works long and somewhat erratic hours as a contractor. Towards the end of the meeting this week, my little man took 3 steps to reach one of his toys on another chair. That night, he took 4 steps to try to steal Daddy's glass. 4 steps is still his record, but it's only a matter of time before he totters across the living room (or elsewhere). Then we'll be off to the races! It delights me to no end that Brendan took his first steps at the theatre. Too bad it wasn't on stage! The theatre has had such a large part in my life over the past few years, his walking there seems fitting.

I was stage managing "Jennie's Story" when I found out I was pregnant. I full on sang and danced in "Urinetown" when I was 7 months pregnant. I must have been insane!!! Brendan was born knowing all the choreo! When Brendan was 5 weeks old, I was elected to the Board of Directors. 3 months later I produced "Suds: The Rocking 60's Musical Soap Opera". Brendan has been with me at the theatre for all of it.

Do I hope that he gets involved in community theatre? Of course. But don't expect me to become Mamma Rose!

Happy Birthday, Doodlebug!

My little boy turned 1 a couple of weeks ago. I really don't understand where the time has gone. I don't understand how he's magically become a toddler! I don't understand how I forgot about this blog!

On Brendan's actual Birthday, Simon took the day off and we went to my photographer for a family portrait and a cake smash. For those of you not familiar with a cake smash, you place a lovely birthday cake on the floor, place the birthday child in front of it and take pictures of the carnage. Brendan, the wild child that he is, looked at the cake, poked it with one finger, then just sat there. I had to do most of the smashing by shoving his hands in the cake and letting him deal with it.

At one point, I decided to try to get him to step on the cake. I stood him up and tried to get him to take a step. He was having NONE of it, so I let go. And he stood there. He STOOD there! I was in shock! Then he started to sink to his bum, changed his mind and stood back up! What a great milestone for his birthday! I'll always remember when and where he first stood on his own!

After the photo session, we went to my parents. Unfortunately, we didn't get there in time to see my Dad, as he had a dress rehearsal for one of his concerts. But we had a wonderful "baseball dinner" (cold cuts, buns, potato salad, raw veg and dip) with a super yummy Angel Food Cake made by my Great Aunt Betty!

Brendan seemed facinated with his Great, Great Aunt Betty. They made funny faces at each other and cuddled a little. It was really wonderful to see! There's something truly