I have the above mentioned Snow Patrol lyric stuck in my head. Shuddup, Snow Patrol were awesome until Grey’s Anatomy ruined them. Anyway, it’s the first line in a lovely little song called ‘You’re All I Have’. But I’m applying it to the chaos demonstrated below, rather than any emotional sort of disturbance:

Packing, packing, tidying, chucking, packing, chaos, chaos, chaos. Goodbyes. Endings. Finishings. Did I remember to do that?

Tomorrow and next week, it gets turned into light. I hope.

See you on the other side.

I recently had the pleasure of attending Ann Douglas’ book launch for (affiliate link) The Mother of All Pregnancy Books, second edition.

I did all of my pregnancy and baby reference book purchasing during my first pregnancy, slightly obsessively of course, but also while living in the UK. Which was highly useful for a British pregnancy, but not quite so much since.  The pregnancies may run pretty much the same but the remedy to a problem may involve completely different advice between countries. I know a number of people who have had a baby in Canada who recommend Ann’s book as a simple, straightforward and very Canadian reference book.

I can’t say that I expected to be consulting a pregnancy reference book this time around. I mean, surely I know everything by now? (Ha. Ha ha.) Well, Ann’s book has been on my night table about 10 days, and I’ve already frantically searched the index for ‘dehydration’ (thanks to a nasty virus) and ‘rash’ (thanks to, potentially, the after effects of the virus? Weird blotchy red skin for a day, but not itchy). I plan to read it cover to cover. I think I may need a refresher course after a 4 year gap. Turns out this pregnancy thing isn’t quite like riding a bike. The bike changes too often! Today maybe it’s a scooter. Or a broomstick?

During the party, we were asked to provide some pregnancy advice on video and written down on a keepsake card. I decided to give myself some advice to slow down and actually pay some attention to this pregnancy. I haven’t actually listened to myself yet. Perhaps in August? Or September?

The book is lovely; but Ann is lovelier. That was really the reason I was excited to go. Not only is Ann a prolific author, she’s also a passionate social and political advocate who happens to share many of my beliefs, and just an all around nice and supportive person who I’ve been lucky enough to get to know a little bit over the last couple of years. Her book launch was a chance to hear her speak, to celebrate her accomplishment in writing a very updated second edition (sounds like a labour of love, really), and a chance to catch up with great friends.

How serendipitous for me that I get an updated reference book with a friendly name on the front just when I need it.

(This post is not sponsored; I was not asked to write it; it was not a condition on my attending the book launch. I was merely inspired to write it after my experiences of the past 2 weeks.)

I wasn’t actually aware until I logged into WordPress today and dusted off the spam comments that it had been so long since I was here. One blog post written in June?! It’s shameful. The days, they are passing at such great speed, I can’t even tell you where June went.

Okay, I might be lying. I can tell you. June went with a whoooooosh because I had about 8 days of solo parenting due to Mark’s business trips, because I had to log some extra hours in at work to meet a deadline we’ve been approaching for years (and we did it, and mostly did it pretty well, too), because of a year end kindergarten concert, because of a nasty virus that knocked me off my feet for a few days, because of a completely chaotic going away party for the kids at our house, and because of the last day of school. There. I think that explains it.

Oh and it’s now 3 weeks until we move. So there’s some packing going on as well. Though not nearly quite enough as there should be. Because, hello, although I like to forget it about it a lot of the time, I’m 23.5 weeks pregnant and I’m hella tired. I can sleep at will. I can not, however, pack at will, like I should be.

All of the above means that the entire house is also kind of cranky. I think I can include the dog in this, and probably the mouse under the dishwasher.

Receiving Oliver’s report card was a bit of a beacon of light. I am completely aware that it’s JUST a kindergarten report card, but it was a great summary of how far he’s come this year. To hear that he’s reading and writing at a level that exceeds kindergarten expectations is wonderful, when just a few months ago, he seemed to be really struggling. I know he comes from a few generations of fairly smart stock, but as he was the absolute youngest you could possibly be to start kindergarten in this province, I’m always tempering my expectations. It’s nice to no longer have a report card that notes what a struggle he has to get his act together in the morning, fumbling with coat and backpack. I know that these things are loaded with canned responses from the teachers, but I also know from verbal feedback from his great teachers this year that he did stretch his skills and grow up a lot. We’re quite proud. Even when he has a screaming tantrum about a remote control motorbike.

First day of SK, September 2010

Last day of SK, June 2011

And I had NO idea he was wearing the exact same outfit in both those photos until I found September’s and added it here. Funny.

One of the very few things that bothers me about our house move is that Callum won’t get to have the same all-day kindergarten experience that Oliver just had. It was really, really fantastic. Callum will only be going for 2.5 hours a day and it just seems like so little time. School, after all, is about so much more than a couple of lessons. I hope his desire to copy everything single thing that Oliver does will have him building these foundation skills, too – just perhaps more at home than at school. And hopefully by the time number 3 comes along, all-day kindergarten will actually be implemented at our new school, despite the challenges that come with it for an urban location.

So for a few months, no more teachers, no more books, no more Mummy’s scrambling to pack a lunch at 6:30am. Lined up are a few weeks of summer camp run by our daycare, then a big house move, then a trip to England with Mark, and then a couple of weeks hanging out with me in the steamy city. And then? A nanny and a new school. All change, kids. Oooof.