Archive for the ‘Daddy’ Category

Missing Mama and Daddy

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

Grandma Joyce called me on Thursday, after Reid had gone to camp, to say that Reid had said she missed Mama and Daddy at bedtime the night before. Grandma said Reid wasn’t crying or particularly sad, just stating a fact. Still, Grandma cuddled her close and said that they would sleep together that night, Reid would stay at Kathleen’s the next night and then it was one more Grandma sleep night before Reid could sleep with Mama.

Reid announced that she wanted to sleep with Daddy. When Grandma mentioned that Daddy usually sleeps in the basement, Reid decided that Mama would have to sleep in the basement, too. (I agree that the basement is somewhat scary. The bedroom there is completely dark at night.) We’ll have to see how Ken’s sore knee does sleeping with a kid whose feet are probably at just the right place for inadvertent bumps. In any case, he won the popularity contest and will have bragging rights for a day or two.

Disney on Ice – Mickey and Minnie’s Magical Journey

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Ken, Reid and I took a fieldtrip to Scotiabank Place to watch Disney on Ice – Mickey and Minnie’s Magical Journey. (It really does feel like a field trip when we have to travel 33 kilometres from home.) I first thought we should consider going to the performance based on the draw of Mickey and Minnie – Reid has been enamoured of these mice for several months – but when we were getting ready, it was the Disney Princesses that determined wardrobe choices. Reid certainly pulled together a great outfit.

All dressed upDressed up and happy

Ken dressed a bit more low key but, when Reid’s cotton candy came with a foam rubber fish hat, he knew how to accessorize. (Which is good, I guess, since we paid $10 for the cotton candy.)

Dad in a fish hat

We watched Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy and Goofy as they travelled on a magical journey to see segments based on The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Peter Pan and Lilo & Stitch. We haven’t seen the movies in question, though we did see The Lion King: the Musical when we were in New York City and Reid has read stories that feature Ariel. Nonetheless, Reid was entranced by the drama on the ice.

Watching

Reid was also impressed by the evident effort that the skaters had put into training. In the midst of the first number, she said to me, “They really did practice!” Reid knows about such things thanks to the practice that she has been doing at CanSkate in preparation for the end of year Red Carpet Celebration.

Midway through, I figured out how to use the zoom on my camera and got a few shots of the performance. It was a magical morning.

PiratesSkaters 2Skaters 3Skaters 1

The family that skates together

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011

On the coldest day of the year (so far), Reid, Ken and I headed to the outdoor rink – a sheet of ice the city calls a puddle – that has been set up in the parking lot of a park close to our house. Ken hadn’t been on skates in about 20 years (yes, that means he is old but I am not) but wanted to get back into the swing of things – or at least the glide of things – since Reid is spending so much of her time on blades. Ken toughed out the pain of putting his frozen toes in the unsupportive skates and got himself over the snowbank and to the ice.

Putting on skates

His progress was a bit slow and he didn’t look like he was enjoying it much at first. Especially when Reid and I kept asking him how he was doing and Reid wanted to hold onto his arm to “help” him. Soon enough, Ken looked like he was skating rather than being tortured – until I tried to get a group photo, anyway.

 Reid glided around the ice. Her CanSkate lessons have definitely paid off.

Reid skating

After a bit, Ken and I convinced Reid that she should pass a puck with her dad for a while. Reid’s definition of  “a while” is much shorter than what Ken or I thought it should be. She isn’t interested in puckhandling, which is a definite drawback to her hockey performance. I remind myself that she is only 6 and that training for the Olympics or the NHL would take way too much time but sometimes I want to say, “Just practice, for goodness sake.” But I don’t.

Passing the puck

Remembering

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

When your husband is a military historian (but not in the military, let me be clear), you don’t remember soldiers only on Remembrance Day. You talk about them at the dinner table, you discuss Vimy Ridge Day and Battle of the Atlantic Sunday and so many other anniversaries. When there is an article in the newspaper, you follow along and listen to the context of the events presented. When the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is discussed, you are proud to know that your husband and his colleagues worked to bring the Unknown Soldier home, to represent all the soldiers  - named and unknown - who lie in graves on foreign soil. You are proud as well, that your husband has contributed to the identification of soldiers who were unknown for decades but through historical, genealogical and DNA research, have been restored their identity so long after their deaths.

 But on Remembrance Day, when everyone is remembering the armed forces personnel that have died and been injured in military conflicts, when your historian husband is in Kandahar working to gather the documents that will allow people decades from now to understand the history of the present conflict, you think of the families of those soldiers, sailors and armed forces personnel who were so worried for so long about the safety of their loved ones. You try not to imagine their sense of loss when they didn’t come back.

My husband is in a war zone. He is relatively safe. I know this. I know also that he has a helmet and flak vest to wear during rocket attacks. I know that he received training on gas attacks. I want him to come home. I am proud that he is committed to preserving the history of the sacrifices that our soldiers are making. I am sorry that there are so many family members of these soldiers who are mourning the loss or injury of their loved one and I want to say that my family will not forget – that my husband is working to ensure that our country will not forget.

 We remember.

Welcome, November

Monday, November 1st, 2010

 When Reid woke up on Monday, I reminded her that it was November 1st. “I know!” she said crossly. “But do you know what it means?” I asked. Since Reid was only half-awake, I was going ahead with my excitement. Her eyes got wide and sparkly and she said, “Daddy might be home this month. Or next.” Apparently I’d forgotten to tell her that we were now preparing for a November return. Imagine how Reid was even more delighted to hear that her daddy would be home THIS month.

We still don’t have exact dates and if we did they’d be subject to change right up until he’s on a plane on the last leg of the journey.
But it is this month and so I say, “Welcome, November! I’m so glad you’re here”.

Missing her daddy

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

Reid has been missing her daddy especially much over the last couple of weeks or maybe she is just missing him more obviously. One morning when I went to wake her, Reid was snuggled under the covers cuddling an 8 X 10 picture of Ken. I set the photo aside and we talked about how she missed her daddy and how we know that he misses her, too. That night, Reid brought a large stuffed Eeyore that Ken gave to her into bed. It’s rather bulky but more cuddly than a picture. And if it helps a girl who misses her daddy to feel better, it’s worth the creature in the bed.

Best-ever Christmas card from a parent for a daughter

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Ken often chooses sweet and loving cards for Reid but sometimes they are funny. The Christmas card that he gave her  fit squarely in the latter category. I had to share it with you. On the front it reads:
Daughter,
You’d better watch out
You’d better not cry
You’d better not pout
I’m telling you why …

(And inside it says:)

‘Cause that stuff just doesn’t work anymore.

I don’t think Reid laughed when I read it to her. I’m sure that she didn’t laugh as much as me. She will one day, though. But maybe not until she has her own daughter.

Thinking about the flu

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

I’m planning to take Reid for an H1N1 shot on Sunday morning but Ken and I were also talking last night about other actions that we should be taking, like getting extra sleep and taking vitamin D, when Reid chimed in with a demonstration of how to cough into your arm. She added that we should also wash our hands a lot. I guess someone other than me is paying attention to the public health messages – and I haven’t even showed her the public service announcements featuring Elmo yet.

Ken has had a cough since Friday and it seems that Reid has finally caught it, though it’s as severe (yet – or – knock wood). She felt well enough to take advantage of the cough this morning. She couldn’t eat all of her pancake because after a couple of bites, she’d have to cough. Ditto with finishing her milk. Surprisingly enough, the cough didn’t interfere with eating cheese or lunch meat. Lucky that.

I reminded Reid that she’d have to cough into her arm during the day but that she was otherwise fine. Reid nodded then asked, “What if I have to cough during sports? What if I need to cough when I’m doing cartwheels?” Reid mimed sneezing into her arm in the middle of a carwheel and announced that she’d hold the cough until the cartwheel was done. Good plan, I thought

Next, Reid asked if I’d give her honey tea tonight if she was sick. I said that I would, if she wanted and asked where she got the idea. Reid reminded me that I’d given her tea and honey last year when she was sick. I didn’t remind *her* that she’d refused to try the tea and honey and gagged when I offered her a teaspoon of honey.

Mmm, smells like …

Monday, October 19th, 2009

f you’d been in our house, at 6:07 this morning, you’d have heard:
Reid: Mama, I smell something. Something gooood.
Mama: Oh, what is it?
Reid: Curry sauce. (I could hear the grin and anticipation in her voice.)

Several exchanges later about any number of things, including an extended period with the bathroom lights shining directly into Ken’s eyes…

Reid: Can I wake Daddy up?
Mama: I think he is awake but you should kiss him. (When a guy has his space invaded by chatter before he has listened to the news, a kiss should be offered. Don’t you think?)

Reid had left-over curry for breakfast and was a happy camper. I hope that the smell has dissipated ’cause I don’t think there is any more and it’d be sad to have her get excited for nothing tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving

Monday, October 12th, 2009

I’ve trying to think of something profound to write about for Thanksgiving but what keeps coming to my mind is the feel of  soft, polar fleece, footie pajamas, especially when worn by a certain sleepy five-year-old who cuddles into me as she sleeps. But I wouldn’t be writing this if not for Ken, who prods me to do what I love – write – even when I’m dragging my feet about getting started or re-started. Reid and Ken are at the Museum of Science and Technology for their Wheels, Wings & Waves: A Lego history of transportation exhibit and he suggested that I’d best reassure folks that I’m still alive.  Alive, I am, and grateful to him and Reid for being the fabulous people that they are.