Just Jordan

I am officially in my last week of maternity leave.  I head back to work Monday, March 1. I have been having a multitude of emotions connected to this.  You name the emotion, I have experienced it.  Sadness, Excitement, Apprehension, Fear, Anticipation, Nervousness. . . And of course every one of these emotions has caused tears on occasion.  A good friend Deena's advice to me during this transition is that "it is o.k. to cry."  I have embraced this and a couple times when I feel the tears come on, I give in, even if it is just for a few seconds. Don't get me wrong.  Not all the tears are because I am sad.  Calder is going to have such a great experience at daycare.  Another good friend of mine, Kerri, will be looking after him.  She lives in Martensville with her husband and son, Dylan, who is 3 months older the Calder.  Calder and Dylan are BFF's (well, that's what Kerri and I decided!), so I know that he will be having a great time...

Hugh and I had a preview of what is in store for us in the upcoming years.  Our 6 year old, future niece, Madison, spent the evening with us making and icing sugar cookies. Madison was enthusiastic and super excited to cut the cookies out on her own and ice them in her own creative way.  As she began cutting, she told us of her "chubby cheeks".  Needless to say, Hugh and I were utterly confused.  The only "chubby cheeks" we know, are part of Calder's face. After asking for more clarification, we learned that her "chubby cheeks" were all of her cute, funny friends.  Madison decided to cut all the cookies into butterflies and ice them the exact same, elaborate, way for the "chubby cheeks."  These cookies were ONLY for members of the chubby cheeks.  When she started cutting some of the flower cookies out, I asked her who they were for.  Madison told us "the tubby teeks".  I had to know who the "tubby teeks" were and I...

I have done a lot of reading on having a baby. In almost every article or book I have set my hands on, there has been mention of talking to your baby.  And when I say talking, I mean all the time.  I have tried to do this.  I have done everything from explaining things to Calder as I cook or clean, to singing songs, to making funny noises to make him laugh.  All of this is easy...at home.   I found it very hard, at first, to describe things to Calder when we were in the grocery store or doctor's office.  Quite frankly, I was embarrassed to do it out in public.  Over time, this embarrassment has gone by the way side. Today, it dawned on me in the grocery store that I have went past "explaining things to Calder", to talking to myself.  Funny how things change, because even as I realised this, I felt no embarrassment and continued to talk to "Calder".