Two down.

Well. Here we are, already into week 3 before I get a chance to fill you in on week 2. And what a week it was!

Monday I was still thinking I was dying of a tumour, so we skipped driving to the park (in case I crashed) and went to a local playground instead. I took the double stroller but the boys walked the whole way. We started at the playground of an elementary school, one they hadn't been to for at least a year. There were 2 other daycare groups there and a soccer match happening on the field, so it was a loud place. Luckily, the daycare had a huge number of chaperons so I felt fine letting the boys (ahem, Elliot) run free without me being right next to them. I love the innocence of children. But after the 3rd not-mine child came pulling on my leg and asking for help with the monkey bars or whatever, I started rethinking the whole 'stranger awareness' conversation timeline. It needs to be sooner. It's already started but not in detail. Yet. I don't want to scare them, just let them know that they shouldn't talk to other people without their parent or teacher with them. That other grown ups aren't allowed to talk to kids unless the parents or teachers are there, too.

Tuesday we tried something new. And fun! Exciting, even!! A tour of the harbour plus a free drumming show as part of the Jazz Festival. On a giant themed boat - Theodore Tugboat, to be exact. So thrilling! Look at the excitement!

Then we actually got on the boat and Elliot discovered we weren't going inside it, just on it. And it didn't talk. And it was full of other kids and their care providers. And it was loud. And cold and raining. And then he started sobbing. Loudly. "Turn the boat around. I want to go hoooooome." Would have broken my heart if I didn't know it was mostly crocodile tears. I figured he'd get into the swing of things as we got underway so I dug out the snacks (and I swear we'd just snacked, not 30 minutes previous!) But once the snacks were gone, the crying and whining resumed. And when Felix, who has to do everything his big brother does, started up too, I wanted to toss them both overboard.

nom..nom...*WHINE*...nom...

So we hung out in the back of the boat, while everyone else went up front for the drumming demonstration. Elliot perked up once the crush was gone. He said the crowd made him sad. My sweet little introvert.

It was so slippery and dangerous. They loved it.

Wednesday we went to the library and yet again, I have pledged to never take them back again. They love to chase the pigeons out front. In opposite directions. At the same time. So who do I chase first? The one headed out to the street or the one headed into the group of beggars? Keep in mind how friendly these  kids are. They tell anyone everything. So with all the running and not listening and tearing of library books (true story) and deliberate running away, yet another day ended with me cutting the trip short and coming straight home. Where we found some lovely stumps waiting for us to play with! Pretty tippy but they make great hurdles when on their sides.

Thanks, Nanny Jane!

Thursday. Ahhhh Thursday, where have you been all my life? I had on-site visits with clients so I got a sitter and away I went. Toot toot chugga chugga - my red car! Managed to fit in the groceries and also went shopping for some fun new underthings. Guess what? The girls are now half a cup away from being pre-pregnancy size. Only took 6 years to get there! Go me!

Friday potty training restarted in earnest. After my panicked post, a friend emailed me with the instructions for the 3-Day Method I'd been eyeing up. It was pretty much what I'd already planned to do - nekkid time and lots of drinks. (Alcoholic for me, please!) This method said to put him in underwear, which we did on Saturday. Nekkid Friday gave him opportunity to see things in action. A big step for us is that this method says no diapers or pull ups for naps or night. Hubby read the manual and is highly supportive and was the brave one to implement it during that first nap. So far so good. Mornings he wakes up wet, but he still managed to sleep through half the night that way!

Oh, and Friday we made granola. Felix insists on calling it granola bars.

Saturday, Elliot and I ran errands. It was so nice being out of the house. And with a kid who can hold his bladder.

And Sunday, well... we brought out the BIG SURPRISE for Felix's birthday party next weekend. We needed to give it a test run to a) make sure it worked, but mostly b) to have the novelty wear off a bit. Elliot is in such a jackass phase right now. Constant pushing and hitting and growling. All the attention to Felix with the potty training (which is freaking working, by the way!!!) plus a growth spurt and cabin fever from being stuck in the house for nearly a week after 2 weeks' worth of constant outings is making him more beastly than usual.

So here we are in the 3rd week. And I'm not a lush yet, which is some kind of awesome! Please send calming thoughts. My nerves are pretty tight and due to the no diaper thing, Felix has been getting up at 5:30. And Elliot must just sense that his brother is getting more attention again, because he's not far behind. *yawn*


**Follow our summer! Read week 1 here.