It's Finally Done!

Over the past 2-3 weeks, I have been stressing out! I have been doing everything in my power to ensure that my son change, not only his school, but his school board too!

I am happy to announce that just yesterday, Monday, I got the call I was waiting for!

Starting today, my son will be sitting in his new classroom, in his new school!

I do not think I could have chosen a better school! It has an excellent reputation and it was referred to me by another parent, who works at our local YMCA as a councillor. I am so glad I took her advice!

School's Philosophy:
Students are given many opportunities to find their strengths and to grow intellectually, socially, emotionally, physically and morally as responsible members of a technological society who will possess skills, self-esteem and initiative.

Programs:
This school takes pride in its accelerated French Immersion program and they boast earning Math and Geography awards. Classes are equipped with computer programs and Internet access and we foster a true school community by promoting cooperation among cycles.

Their award winning Step-to-Success program enriches all students through stimulating bilingual projects catered to individual needs and interests. Their full time music specialist instills a love for music appreciation and the children enjoy participating in the annual music concerts. Their Science teacher arouses curiosity and prepares students for the Science convention. Their physical education program promotes team spirit, cooperation and physical fitness and is enriched with GMAA events, lunch hour team sports and the annual Jump Rope for Heart. Their librarian and team of parent volunteers welcome and assist children every day of the week.

Events/Activities:
They offer an Extended Day Program which includes homework tutorial and exciting extracurricular courses. The school is connected to the local YMCA and they offer support to local charities such as the local Food Bank.

Parental Participation:
Parents are committed to excellence and are exceptionally active through the Home and School, the Governing Board and the Parent Advisory Committee.

Services:
-Interactive lunch hour clubs
-Computerized library
-Educational outings
-Book fairs/visiting authors/artists
-Crisis intervention program
-Speech and language therapy
-Soutien linguistic intervention
-Hot lunch program
-Social services
-Academic Merit Awards
-Good Deed Certificates

Overall, I do not think I could have chosen a better school for my son!

I am looking forward to hearing how his first day went! I can only hope that this new change in his life will revive in him the WANT and EXCITEMENT to learn and excel!

It was a long and hard process, but it is finally done!

BIGGEST Surprise Ever!!!

Never in a million years would I have ever thought this day would come!

I found it somewhat odd that my sister sacrificed a DAY OFF to take me out shopping...as those days are sacred to her and she prefers to spend them with her own little family!

We left home about 11am and headed to Walmart! We took our time shopping and I truly made the best of this, my first day off away from the kids....in hell knows how long!

I bought my son some new clothes and some new PJs. I got a couple pairs of pants for youngest daughter, as I didn't have much her size after my first daughter, as she was her age and size during the summer months.

I spoiled myself to two pairs of shoes and bought myself a big frying pan! YAY!!!

Anyhow, we went to eat at the McDonald's inside the Walmart, as I was feeling a little faint, seeing I had not eaten yet all morning! I had a McChicken trio and 2 fajitas......this mama was HUNGRY! I ate it all, to my sister's surprise!!! LOL

We then returned shopping. It was only towards 2:30pm that I got a call from my husband telling me that he was sorry to bug me...but my youngest wasn't feeling well and he thought she might be running a fever! Needless to say, I knew my shopping spree was over, as I had to return home!

I was pissed! I will not lie! The only thing I could say was: "Leave hubby alone at home with the kids...and all goes to hell!" LOL

The Walmart was JAM PACKED! People were everywhere! I tried to hurry to get out of there and almost got into a fight with some woman who's ankle I accidentally hit with my shopping cart! She was cursing and cussing...I said SORRY, but I guess she didn't hear me, as she came and tapped me on the shoulder and said: "You could have at least said SORRY!" EEEEK!!! I guess she saw I was pregnant and knew it wouldn't have been a very good idea to punch my lights out, right there and then! She was really not happy............I kind of took a huge gulp and proceeded to get the hell out of that store before I pissed anyone else off!!!!

We get to the cashes.......line up at every single one!

There was a "Customer Service MANAGER" there, directing everyone! What pissed me off was that she could clearly see that I was pregnant...but not just a little! I wasn't feeling too well, as yet another anxiety spell came over me, as I just wanted to get home to my sick baby and our line was barely moving. I had to go sit myself down, as the world was spinning in my head!

We finally got to the cash, paid for everything and got the heck out of there! Congestion in the parking lot! We almost got assaulted by someone looking for a spare shopping cart!!!

It was a mad mad day! The drive home was painful! We seemed to hit every single red light! Cars were everywhere and drivers were nuts! I just wanted to get home in one piece!

We finally arrived! I could hear my youngest daughter crying! We unloaded the car and I looked up at my living room windows and saw my husband's nose sticking out. I thought to myself, YAY...he'll come down and help me with these bags...no such luck! Again, I was pissed!

As I made my way up the stairs, all I could think of was..."What a man...he saw how man bags I was carrying...why hasn't he come down to help me?"

I opened the door...

"SURRRRRPRISSSSSSE!!!!!"

My living room was filled with people!!! I was in shock!!!!

It was MY baby shower......MY FIRST BABY SHOWER!!!!

I NEVER suspected this! I had honestly given up any hopes of this day ever happening!!!

I got such beautiful gifts! I felt like a little girl at Christmas!!!

My mother-in-law truly outdid herself! I have no words to express how special she made me feel! I will not soon forget this day!

By 9pm, I was in bed! I was beyond exhausted!

What an absolutely wonderful day I had!

Long Awaited Outing!

I can't even begin to express how much I look forward to tomorrow!

After 3 weeks of continuous stress and anxiety attacks, I will be heading out shopping, with my sister, for the entire afternoon!

My dear husband will remain at home with the kids and I will be able to go alone and in peace!

I have not been out on my own since...Hmmm!

My sister and I, we will no doubt stop somewhere to eat like pigs and then make our way, at a turtle's pace, to a HUGE mall! Not one store will be ignored! Ok...perhaps a couple! Let's be realistic here...I am VERY pregnant! LOL

On my list of things I would like to buy:

-A big non-stick frying pan;
-A mini radio/CD player for my girls' room;
-Some pants for my youngest (seeing that her sister was her age during summer);

What about me? You may be asking yourself?

It's kind of hard to want to shop for yourself when you have absolutely no idea what will be left of your body after a 4th baby arrives! I am due in less than 5 weeks! To go out and buy myself a "new" maternity outfit would be somewhat pointless! I am not INTO very much! This is perhaps why my husband loves me so much! I am very easy on the wallet! Hahaha! Simplicity at its finest! I only buy what I NEED and can honestly feel guilty spending money on anything I WANT!

But not to worry! This mama will not forget herself this time around! I have even stated this to my husband, who just looked my way in sheer horror! I plan on having a slight selfish streak, once this newest and last baby is out of me! I plan on going shopping, filling up my wardrobe with very nice outfits and simply looking after my overall self! This will also include a regular visit to my hairdresser too!

I need to look after ME! I will do so by getting myself back in shape and by next summer, I think I will look mighty fine for a mama of 4!

I can hope, can't I!!! LOL

I have always put everyone else first! Such is the role of a mother.

I need to rediscover who I AM and once I have found myself again...

My husband will be the lucky man who will benefit of this the most!

I am sure he won't mind this change in me at all!

MEOOOOOOOOOOW!

Simply had to share this!

My youngest daughter can barely walk, steadily...
But boy, can she dance!
She's got rhythm too!

ANXIETY!

Yesterday, I could have sworn I would just collapse in the middle of no where!

I have struggled with anxiety attacks before, but not as bad as this time!

As I ran around, from this office to the next, I could feel the blood pumping through my entire body, at an alarming rate! My blood pressure was surely up, as I could honestly feel my heart trying to beat out of my ribcage!

My hands were hot and swollen, as my veins popped out, from all the blood circulating through them! I could barely catch my breath, as each breath I took seemed harder and harder to pass!

It wasn't until all my children were gone to bed, that I could finally exhale and feel my heart rate decreasing!

I truly hope that was the last time I have had to experience such a feeling!

Today marks the 35th week, of this my final and last pregnancy! I have done nothing but stress out through all of them! Here's hoping that I may enjoy the final 5 weeks in peace and without any stress!

YES! I do believe in pink elephants!

"Have Faith!" Is no different than saying: "Give Up!"

After I posted my last entry, I sat behind my computer and pondered about what I had just written.

It dawned on me, "Have Faith!" - two simple words often heard and said by others...

I thought about all the people in my life who have ever uttered those words and it just hit me...

They were basically saying: "Give Up!"

To have faith in anything, is no different than placing control of a situation into unknown hands!

I was never the type to simply roll over and play dead, allowing others to walk all over me!

I am a firm believer that if you want anything done right and done NOW, you had better take care of it yourself!

Yesterday morning, I checked my inbox and to no surprise of mine, there was not a single response to be found, coming from my ex nor his folks! I decided to not allow this to bring me down and took a proactive attitude towards this entire kakamimi situation! I made a few phone calls, trying so desperately to remain positive and...

EUREKA! A glimmer of hope came shining down upon me!

It appears that there might be another way around this bureaucratic bull shit! I spoke directly with the lady in charge of the records department in BC and she stated that, had the Montreal School Board sent her more information on my son and the fact that these documents were needed for him to attend school, she would have released them in a heartbeat!

According to her, she simply received a formal letter requesting those files with absolutely no explanation attached!

OH LORD!!!

I asked her what information would she need, in order to release those documents and she simply said: "A copy of your son's birth certificate, showing the father's name in question!" But it would have to be sent to her by fax, from the Montreal School Board's office!

Holy Jesus!!! That's ALL???

I immediately called my aunt and asked her to come over and watch over my girls. I then hopped into a taxi cab and made my way straight to the school board, with the information in hand!

Papers were drawn up, copied and faxed. I signed a few doted lines and I was given a new school registration form, with phone numbers of all available school in our district. I was told to call whichever one I wanted, to see if they had room for one more student!

I phoned the school I picked out and sure enough, they had room! I went straight there, signed my son up (pending the arrival of those important documents from BC) and left with a bunch of papers pertaining to this new school's rules and regulations.

If all goes well and things are the way they should be, those documents should arrive by today and will be immediately filed with the ministry and by Monday or Tuesday of next week, my son will be sitting in his new class!

"Have Faith!"...NEVER!

If you want something done...

DO IT YOURSELF!

I will leave faith to the spineless ones with weak constitutions!


Additional Note:

My son is completely unaware of all of this! I am so looking forward to seeing the look on his face, when I will finally be able to share the good news with him! The school I have chosen for him is French Immersion. He will still be learning French, but without the added pressure of things being strictly in French! Just the other day, my son was punished for speaking English on school grounds! He had to rewrite his "Code de vie" 6 times as a consequence! In this new school, 60% of his classes will be in French and 40% in English. Should he have a question or need to voice a concern, he will be free to express himself in either French or English, without fear of repercussions! I truly believe that this alone, will do wonders for my son!

In addition to him changing schools, I will also enroll him in the after school program, given at our local YMCA! He will be able to participate in many different sports, make new friends and create a social circle of his own! The most amazing part of this is, each day after class, 2 councillors from the YMCA walkover to the school and pick up kids, who are enrolled in this after school program and bring them straight to the YMCA! We will only have to worry about my son after 6pm each day - Monday through Friday!

I truly do hope that all of these new events will change my son's attitude towards life in general! He is such a good boy, he deserves to finally be happy!

"Have faith!"

What would you do, if you knew that your child's future and well being lay in the hands of another? How helpless would you feel?

Yesterday's day is better left forgotten, as I spent this day completely destroyed emotionally, as my nerves slowly consumed me!

I got a call from the English School Board, letting me know that my son's file is at a standstill! They were unable to retrieve my son's biological father's school records.

The one and only person who can do so, is a man I have known to be quite the procrastinator and never took anything of importance seriously! Note: It's not for nothing this man is my "EX".

I emailed him, basically begged him, to call the office and to get the necessary documents out of archives. I even went as far as emailing his folks, so that they too could be aware of this important request!

Imagine my lack of surprise, when I logged onto my computer, this early morning...

NO RESPONSE!

For over 10 years, I have left this man to be. Never asked him for a single dime in child support, NOTHING! He was able to move on with his life, happy as can be. He remarried, has 4-5 children and not once have I bothered him for anything...except now!

Will he pull through? Will he understand the importance of my request? Only time will tell, I suppose! But time is ticking away! The month of September is quickly coming to an end...

If my son is to change schools and school boards, he has to do it soon! Or else, the longer it takes, the harder it will be for him to catchup and to adjust to a new system!

I am worried sick!

All that stands in the way of my son's future and well being, is a simple phone call and $10.00 for administrative fees!

How can I find peace of mind, when I know too well the person who's got my son's future at his mercy?

What will I do if he doesn't call? What then?

"Have faith!" I've been told!

"FAITH!"

My due date might have only been a suggestion!

With the way I have been feeling lately, I doubt it highly if I will make it to the end of my pregnancy!

My belly has dropped dramatically and every day tasks and chores are getting harder for me to handle!

I feel extreme stretching in my lower pelvic area and at times I get a massive jab of pain, almost as if someone took an icepick and rammed it up between my legs!

One thing that I am truly grateful for, is the fact that I have not yet started feeling lower back pains! They can honestly cripple a person, rendering them completely useless!

I would welcome giving birth earlier than expected, but there is only one thing that worries me about this; I have not yet reached the "safe zone" and should I go into labour anytime before the next 2-3 weeks, my baby will no doubt be kept in the hospital, in an incubator, until doctors think he is ready to go home!

Only 37 days left to go! Tic Toc Tic Toc...

My Son's Lesson - Hopefully Understood!

This morning, as I went through my son's school bag - trying to find room to place his lunch bag, I stumbled on a loose piece of paper which my son used to make a series of drawings. As innocent as they might have appeared to me, had anyone else seen them, my son would have found himself in a great deal of trouble!

Those drawings were of assault riffles, M16s and various other armed weapons.

I called my son into the kitchen and did I ever let him have it!

I asked him what ever possessed him to make such drawings? He knows damn well I have never liked guns and never allowed for him to play with them, even if they were innocent cap guns!

He stood there in silence.

I tried my best to recap all the recent gun related murders that happened on school grounds. I explained to him the severity of these actions and how many families' lives have been forever changed.

I even went as far as going onto "Google Images" to search for the most gruesome photos I could find. I wanted to show my son proof, for his own eyes, how terrible guns are and what they do to people who come face to face with them!

I hopefully made him understand that, although his drawings were innocent, others might not see them the same way. If caught, his teacher would no doubt bring him to the Principal's attention, I would get called into school and psychological testing would probably be demanded!

These days, with so many violent related events, no one will take anything lightly!

I demanded my son to ensure that such drawings were NEVER reproduced!

In this day and age, I find it absolutely deplorable that some parents still allow their children to play with guns and point them at their friends' heads and happily say: "POW! You're dead!"

If there is anyone that should have that gun placed to their head...it's the parent who placed it in their child's hand!

Potpourri - A little of everything all at once!

-Since we moved into this upper duplex, my son has gotten into the habit of waking up at all hours of the night. When caught, his excuses range from having to go to the bathroom to he couldn't sleep, as a nightmare woke him up! Sometimes he gets away with it, but come morning, we know damn well he's been up! We watch the news on channel 50 before we head off to bed and we know my son's been up if the channel is left on "Teletoons" upon turning the TV on in the morning!
I think I may know why he is waking up! Ever since his nightlight burnt out, he hasn't been himself! This may sound strange, but in a lot of ways, I think that this may be the problem! Perhaps if I got him a new nightlight, this entire situation will come to an end!

-My youngest daughter has this thing where she simply has to scream all the time! If that isn't bad enough, my second oldest encourages her, as she too joins in the fun! It can truly drive a parent batty! The only way she stops, is when I pick her up and carry her around! I do not want this to become a habit, as once our newest arrives, I can't have the two of them in my arms!!! I do not know what to do about this?! If I let her scream...she screams! I have tried punishing her, by putting her to bed and closing the bedroom door - trying to make her realize that if this is what she wants to do, she can do it all she wants, but I do not have to listen to it! But it only makes her scream even more and with the current situation, with our beloved neighbours below, I truly do not need "Child Protective Services" at my front door!

-No matter what time I go to bed, it never fails...I am up and on my feet at 3:30am! I think I may know why?! At this hour, everyone else is still sleeping. I have peace! I may enjoy my coffee and need not worry about anything else! Except perhaps waking up hubby, while walking over old creaking wooden floors, as I make my way to and from the bathroom/kitchen! This mama needs her alone time too! If 3:30am is to be that time, so be it!

-I am starting to seriously wonder how things will be, once our newest arrives? Will I become a nervous wreck each time he wakes up crying? How many times will I find myself waking up in the middle of the night, making a dash to pick him up quickly, just so that he doesn't wake up the rest of the family? We live in a VERY SMALL place! Noise travels rather quickly throughout these walls!
I can only pray for two things:
1- For my husband to have nerves of steel and be able to handle my two daughters, should they too wake up crying, due to all the commotion, at all hours of the night!
2- For him to take some time off work and be home for the first 3 months, or until our newest falls into a normal sleeping pattern with the rest of us!

-I am so looking forward to seeing what is left of my body after baby #4 arrives! I know for a fact that I have lost a great deal of weight, as my maternity clothes are floating on me! I laugh, as I honestly look as if I am wearing "MC HAMMER" pants! I get up on the scale and cannot believe that I have only put on 15 pounds since the beginning! There are just 5 weeks left before I am due to deliver. I doubt it highly if I will gain another 10-15 pounds during this time, as 25-30 pounds of weight gain was my norm with all other pregnancies. I am truly anxious and cannot wait to have my old body back, with all of its normal functions!

-We have yet to figure out who will help us once I do go into labour?! What will happen with our 3 other kids? Who will watch over them while I am in the hospital giving birth, with my husband by my side? I have asked my aunt, but she responded that she would help, only if I went into labour between 9am and 9pm! This coming from a middle aged woman who has never had a child! I don't even think she knows how to change a diaper!!! I have asked my mother, but at 76 years of age, I cannot expect her to be in tip top shape and be able to handle 2 wee-ones who need constant attention! I have asked my sister, but she basically responded that she would help too, but only if I gave birth on one of her days off!

*SIGH*

It appears to me that the only thing we can do, is to take care of our own! To depend on anyone else is truly pointless! When that "joyful" (painful) day arrives, I will have my husband drop me off at the hospital and he will simply return home with the kids and wait for my call that everything is over and done with!

Besides, it's not as if he will be missing much! After 2 consecutive deliveries, I think he already knows what will go on!

No novelty there!

Saint Simonac! Calvaire! Colisse!

"Quelle bande de sans-dessin!"

These are the only words I could find to express how I feel this week!

I am in serious disbelief at how many morons surround us these days!

I have been more than patient this week, as I await news from the English Montreal School Board, on the status of my son's file!

I must have called them once or twice a day, left messages, only to sit at home like a total idiot, waiting for them to call back with some news! ANY news!

I got so fed up of waiting, I decided to take my girls out for a walk and sure enough, that's when they called! At least the woman had the decency to leave me a detailed message! With office hours closed, I would have tossed and turned all night, wondering what the call was about!

As per the message, my son's file is presently at a standstill, as they are awaiting documents to be faxed to their office from WAY out West!

The lady in charge of my son's file said, she had no choice but to contact my son's biological father, through my ex in-laws, in order to get them to get my ex to fax her a copy of HIS birth certificate, so that she may have proof that he is indeed a Canadian Citizen!

WTF??? She truly went all out to stir up a real hornet's nest!

My son's birth certificate clearly writes...

-Name of mother....
-Place of birth....Quebec

-Name of father....
-Place of birth....ALBERTA!

Now correct me if I am wrong, but the last time I checked...

Alberta was in Canada and NOT in HONDURAS!!!!!!!!

Anything to stall matters! Why not?!

No one cares that my son is struggling! No one cares that his teacher has been ragging on him, ever since she spoke to me over the telephone! No one cares that my son returns home crying each day, as some little shit in his class put him down once again! No one cares that he is on the verge of a serious depression! No one cares that he cannot sleep well at night, as he wakes up continuously due to nightmares!

NO ONE CARES!!!!!!!!!!

I am just about ready to explode and those who know me know...
It ain't gonna be pretty!

My aunt would love nothing more than to be by my side when that faithful day arrives! She too has had quite enough and if we both go there in person...many people's heads will roll!

I do not understand why it has to come to this? To have to become so consumed with rage and actually explode, to get anything done right these days!

People complain and complain about how hard their work is and how stressed out they are all the time...

DO YOUR FUCKING JOB PROPERLY and everything else will fall into place smoothly!

Another week lost to complete idiocy!

Keeping fingers crossed that next week someone will discover they have a few more watts in their head and will get something done right for a change!

"Cristie! Tabarslaque! Ciboire!"

I do not know what more to say! Oh wait...

"Ostie!"

Anxiety

I am a passenger, sitting helplessly inside a fast moving car, while it drives up a steep hill! My fingers are crossed and I can only pray, that any oncoming vehicle knows to remain in its own lane!

The fear of the unknown, to not be able to see what is up ahead, simply drives me insane! It's not for nothing that today, I find myself always wanting to know everything RIGHT NOW, as opposed to later!

When someone replies: "I don't know!" I can honestly suffer a conniption and could easily snap by replying:
"Well then find someone who does!!!"

My mother has often made comment, that she has absolutely no idea where I got this edge to my personality! She says that I can honestly kill a person with my words and my actions always seem louder than anything she's ever known or witnessed!

This coming from a woman who has allowed the entire world to crap on her head, for the last 76 years of her life!

This is not me! Never will it be!

I am not a nasty person. I simply have endured enough bullshit in my life to know, I do not need to put up with anymore! I stand up for what I know is right and I will most certainly fight against all that is wrong - especially if my family is involved!

A while back, I suffered terribly with anxiety attacks. The feeling of being trapped in a tiny box, with little to no air to breathe, as the walls slowly close in on you. My heart would race at such speeds, I could honestly hear it beating within the canals of my ears! To swallow, something most take for granted, became such a task for me, as my mouth would become dry and I truly felt as if I would ingest my own tongue at any given moment!

That was then, but I fear it might slowly be coming back!

I have a great load upon my shoulders. It never seems to fail, whenever I think things are finally settling, something or someone always has to come along and stir my pot once again!

I am edgy, I will admit. I continuously have an ear to the ground, to hear what may be coming up ahead! I find myself being ready for anything that may spring up. Not for nothing I do not know the meaning of the word "Relax"! My mind and body never cease to wind down, as I am ready for "GO!", even when I am sleeping!

This is probably why no one seems to worry about me, as they assume I have everything under control and have the capacity to deal with just about anything, face first! Little do they realize, the toll it is slowly taking on me.

I am tired! I am honestly tired of dealing with morons on a daily basis! I am exhausted of having to fight continuously, for what should be right in the first place! I am at my wits end and could truly use a break, a vacation of body and mind!

Sadly enough, at this stage of the game, it is far too late to call upon "Calgon" to take me away!

The only way peace of mind would finally be mine, is if I fell into a very deep coma!

A Mother's Determination

A mother will do just about anything for her child/ren! No matter the cost, no matter the obstacles, things will get done!

For almost 4 years, my son has been put through a lot more than any other child I know! He was forced to move out from the only home he knew! He was uprooted from a city he had just begun to appreciate and found himself relocated to unfamiliar territory.

He lost many friends during this process and had no choice than to make new ones. It wasn't easy for him, being the little Anglo kid that he is, as this new neighbourhood had absolutely no place for anyone who was different!

He was forced into the first school available and this is where his torment began! He was picked on daily by other students and found himself bullied from all sides. Even his teacher, a right wing block Québécois fanatic, gave him reason to hate being in his own skin! He spent his entire 2nd grade feeling like an outcast and undesired by all who surrounded him!

He graduated into 3rd grade by a hair! Needless to say, his previous teacher would have loved nothing more than to have seen him fail! During that year, my son was able to make a few friends, but most still bullied him. I caught him bringing toys to school and returning home empty handed. He found himself having to bribe bullies, in order for them to simply leave him alone! He struggled daily for acceptance. It became his one and only mission, as his studies began to suffer!

He barely made it through that year! His grades were so low, the school had decided it was best that my son join a special class, mixed with students of 3rd & 4th grade levels. He seemed to be doing better, but the taunting and bullying, outside of class, never stopped!

I found myself having to see his principal at least once a week! I think I could draw a detailed map of that man's office! It never failed, something would always happen and my son would be involved! It got to a point I simply could not tolerate it anymore! When would it stop?

It was upon speaking with the director of the school, that a thin beam of light appeared before me! My son was not the problem and his principal agreed! It was the school, its district and the "type" of students that filled this school's walls!

According to the principal himself, this school was filled with students that came from unprivileged homes. Children who were exposed daily to drug abuse, alcohol abuse and physical abuse! Low-income homes, with single mothers on welfare, changing boyfriends like they did underwear! No stability! No discipline! No care in this world! Those kids were being thrown out the door, like alley cats and pushed into the streets, so that their mothers could continue with their lives!

It's not for nothing my son fell victim! He was different from all of them! He came from a good home, with both a mother and a father! He had manners, discipline and not a single fiber of violence in his body! Sure he was picked on, as he knew not how to defend himself!

Trying to teach a child - especially a young boy, is already a task in itself, without having to add to this the pressures of struggling to fit into a place you simply do not belong!

How can anyone expect any child to succeed? It is virtually impossible!

For the last 3 years, this continuous bullying took its toll and my son's grades truly started slipping! I pleaded with the school to give him some sort of backup or support with his schooling, but their mentality was such, that it was "Swim or Drown"! It was as plain and simple as that! It was obvious to me that no matter how hard my son tried, he would never excel! Because of this ignorance, I started to contemplate removing my son, not only from his school, but from the French Educational System all together!

I contacted the English School Board and requested information on HOW to get my son into their system. What did I need in order to make this change possible? They told me he would be accepted, in a heartbeat, if I could only provide some proof, that his biological father attended English school!

My heart stopped beating!

This was not an easy request, as I had not spoken, nor have I seen my son's biological father in over 9 years! They were truly sending me out on a wild goose chase! Without the help of a private investigator, I honestly saw no hope in ever finding this man! I really could not afford it, as the cost involved would have truly ruined my family's life!

I felt as if I had failed my son! To see him suffer continuously, truly broke my heart! No mother wishes such a life for ANY of her children!

This year, in early April, we moved away from that godforsaken city and returned to more familiar grounds in Montreal. What a true blessing this was for all of us! We were finally surrounded by "NORMAL" people! My son entered a new school, mid-year, and things started to feel somewhat normal again.

Only one problem remained...

Due to the 3 years my son had spent in his last school - filled with delinquents, where the standard of education was BELOW normal, he found himself entering into another school, here in Montreal, where the standard of education was much HIGHER! This sent my son flying, face down, to the ground! He really found himself in quite the pickle and if he didn't work hard enough, he would inevitably fail!

I took the time to speak to his teacher, his principal and BEGGED them both not fail my son! I explained his situation and even got the principal from his old school to contact them, to confirm my allegations!

A few more months went by and my son passed into his 5th grade, but barely! He still had quite a deal of catching up to do and it gravely showed! I tried to keep hope, but something deep down told me, this was it, he cannot keep holding on by a hair! This would finally be the year he would indeed fail! Barely 2 weeks into his new school year, his first test came home and confirmed what I had feared! Zeros scored, all the way down the page!

I was at my wits end! I was very disappointed and hurt from deep within me! No amount of studying could ever bring my son back up to speed! I failed him! I ruined his future forever!

Not an easy thing for a mother to admit to herself! I felt like such a failure, as I failed my son tremendously!

One day, I logged onto my "Facebook" account and curiosity got the better of me. I simply typed in my ex's name and...

EUREKA!!! There he was!

For me, this was no different than winning the 6/49 Jackpot! Finally, I was able to contact this man, after 10 years and get the bloody information I needed, in order to end my son's suffering!

He responded by giving me the information I needed and I immediately contacted the Montreal English School Board and got the ball rolling!

My son's days of suffering will soon be over! It is just a matter of a couple of weeks and my son will finally be free!

NO MORE FRENCH SCHOOLS!

There truly is a GOD!

Why Men Should Not Write Advice Columns

Dear Walter,

I hope you can help me here. The other day, I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn't gone more than a mile down the road when my engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband's help. When I got home I couldn't believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbour lady. I am 32, my husband is 34, and we have been married for twelve years.

When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted that they had been having an affair for the past six months. I told him to stop or I would leave him. He was let go from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. He won't go to counselling and I'm afraid I can't get through to him anymore.

Can you please help?

Sincerely,

Sheila

********************************************

Dear Sheila,

A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the carburetor float chamber.

I hope this helps.

Walter

My biggest thorn - Now who do I direct this to?

À qui de droit,

Je vous écris aujourd’hui avec une plainte qui cour depuis assez longtemps! Mon fils, âgé de 10 ans, est présentement entrein de suivre ses études dans une école française. Ce n’était pas mon choix, mais grâce à la loi 101 qui dit que toutes enfants provenant d’une mère ou d’un père qui fréquantait une école française, l’enfant n’a pas le choix que de suivre le même cheminement scolaire!
Cela fait au moins 4 ans qu’il souffre sévèrement! Il n’a pas encore saisi la langue française, au point de vue compréhension, et à cause de cela, ses notes n’ont jamais améliorées!
J’ai souvent fait appel à son directeur d’école et puis son professeur, pour discuter les études de mon fils, pour pouvoir demander plus d’aide aux devoirs et pour aider mon fils à mieux comprendre ce que l’on demande de lui. Mais, cela n’a jamais fait grand chose!
L’argument de son professeur était très simple...
« J’ai 25 autres élèves dans ma classe, je n’ai pas rien que ça à faire, de suivre votre fils, pour faire en sorte qu’il comprenne! »
Où sommes-nous rendu? Depuis quand que c’est devenu le problème des parents pour assurer que son enfant comprenne une langue qui n’était pas de leur choix?!
Si la loi 101 ÉXIGE que mon enfant apprenne la langue française, cela devrait être le problème de son école et de ses enseignants de faire en sorte qu'il saisisse cette langue!
Je voudrai bien faire plus pour aider mon fils, mais je ne connaît pas d’autres moyens, sans devoir débourser de l’argent pour des cours privés hors de ses classes habituelles!
Cela ne devrait pas être mon problème!
Que puis-je faire pour aider mon fils à ne pas boîter toutes ses années scolaires devant lui?

Merci de votre patience à ce suject.

Sincèrement,

MB

Haven't been well lately!

For the last few days, since our last weekend started, I have not quite been myself! I am tired and find the need to rest or sleep, every chance I get!

Tuesday's argument with my son, truly took a toll on me! I found myself in bed, trying desperately to control my emotions, as my heart was beating out of control. I found myself in tears and honestly had hiccups, as a result of all the crying I did!

Needless to say, having an excess of emotions right now is not good for me, nor is it good for the baby, which continues to grow within me!

I need to relax and to find peace of mind, but it is hard to do when you have the entire world resting upon your shoulders!

Best way I find to release, is to cook!

Yesterday, tired or not, I decided I was going to make something out of the ordinary. It was a cool day and usage of the oven was very much welcome!

I had a chance to take a little quick nap with my oldest daughter and before I knew it, supper was ready!

We all ate like pigs! I even had enough to share with our dear neighbours next door!

My youngest ate so much, she was ready to sleep while still in her highchair!

Once the kids were off to bed, I could then relax some more!

Here's hoping that today's day will not bring me unnecessary upset! I truly do not know if I could take anymore negativity!

I am so burnt out emotionally!

"Calgon! Take me away!" LOL

Reconstructed Families - Not a bowl of cherries!

If you ever had a chance to meet and speak with my sister, from Vancouver, you wouldn't know if you should slash your wrists or jump off a bridge!

She'll be 51 years old in December, yet if you hear her talk, you'd think that all time had stopped and she was still merely 12 years old, as she will start to recount her life from that point in time!

Ask her about her past, her childhood and she would have absolutely nothing good to share, except sheer trauma, disappointment and severe issues of abandonment!

All of her pain came to be when our mother left her father and married my dad!

My 2nd oldest sister followed soon after. Then I. Then finally, my brother!

I cannot tell you how hard it is for me to swallow, to basically "take with a grain of salt", accusations my oldest sister could make against my father, how HE destroyed her entire life as she knew it! By hearing so, it also means that the birth of all her siblings, there after, also played a great part in her world falling apart!

She rebelled and stirred up anger and frustrations within the home, on a daily basis. At some point, as a parent, you have to make hard decisions, in order to save whatever is left standing of your family!

At 17 years of age, my sister truly did all that she could to ensure the total destruction of our family! Our mother and my father had quite enough - 5 long years of arguing, fighting, disrespect, disruption, feuds, etc...

They both took a stand and decided to ship my older sister off to Poland, with only one suitcase, to live with family out there!

'Til this very day, my sister resents our mother and curses my father, even though he's been dead for well over 18 years!

According to my sister, she was sacrificed in order for us "rug rats" to have a normal family life! For this, she has no forgiveness and will never forget how easily our mother discarded her!

Such was the price for peace at that moment in time and our mother simply had to do what she thought was best for all of us! It was clear to my parents, my sister simply would never be happy with us, so why continue with this daily torment!

At 51 years of age, 34 years have since flown by, my sister still remembers that day as if it happened just yesterday! She is very bitter and due to this event, her quality of life has never improved. She still carries a great deal of anger within her heart and no amount of money or possessions she could acquire, will ever appease the deep hurt she still feels within!

I wanted to share this event from my past, as I find myself in the same shoes as my mother did back then! Only now, I am dealing with a 10 year old boy, who truly has no reason to rebel the way he has been lately!

I have been a single mother since my son was merely 3 months old. I moved away, over 2500 miles, in order to get away from an abusive man! I did so, as I truly could not see myself or my son living in constant fear, never knowing if we would make front page news for being found dead in some remote field in Edmonton!

I remained alone for 7 years with my son, always wishing and hoping to be able to rebuild my little family and for my son to finally know what having a "normal" family life was all about. Then one day, when I truly lost all hope of ever finding a man strong enough to take on a relationship with a single mother, I met my husband and began rebuilding a family! It finally happened and I truly count my blessings for the new life that we now share.

Now if only my son could feel the same!

In the 7 years that I remained alone, my son was my world. We did everything together and there was not a single moment in time that I ever left his side. We were truly inseparable and to say it quite frankly, my son was my one and only reason for living! Without my son, I would truly have wanted to die. His little soul kept me alive and gave me reasons to be all that I was!

Then, my husband came along and completely changed our world.

For me, it was an absolute wonderful addition! For my son, it was total devastation!

His entire world, as he knew it, came crashing down! I was no longer by his side 24/7 and he began to resent my husband being around and taking his mother away from him!

Then, there was the birth of his first sister. Again, yet another soul came into his life, taking another piece of me away from him!

Then, there was the birth of his 2nd, youngest sister. Again, another piece of me was taken away from him!

Now, I am pregnant with another, a little boy! In just a matter of 7 weeks, this little soul will join our family and I am certain that my son feels as if this will completely remove him from my world!

Over the last 3-4 years, my son has showed signs of discontent. As hard as I try to make him feel as if he never lost his place with me, I still feel a great deal of anger and frustration coming from his side.

The once quiet and adorable little boy, with manners worthy of gold medals, was now transforming into an uncontrollable monster, I simply have no patience of dealing with right now. My son has started to perform very badly in school. He gets involved in fights and he is finding himself in a great deal of trouble all the time!

I know that all of this is his way of seeking out my attention, but what he is getting in return is purely negative!

I can honestly say that I am at my wits end with him! He doesn't listen to what I ask of him - or should I say, he chooses to not remember anything I've asked of him! I have to continuously be on top of him and make sure he has followed through on everything he is required to do daily!

-Brush his teeth (Morning & Night)
-Keep his room clean
-Pick up his dirty clothes and place then in laundry basket
-Make sure he takes a shower
-Make sure he is dressed properly
-Make sure he brings all of his homework home
-Make sure he completes his homework
-Make sure he doesn't spend too much time doing nothing (Watching TV or playing his PSP for hours on end!)
-Make sure he helps around the home
-Make sure he has an eye open on his little sisters while I am busy

I can go on and on...

Needless to say, with this my 3rd pregnancy in just 3 1/2 years, adding all of this to my shoulders is truly taking its toll on me!

I am very tired, not only physically, but emotionally as well!

I confronted my son about my constant need to be after him and how it always results in me becoming very angry with him. His excuse for all of it was, that I didn't spend quite enough time with him anymore! He claims that ever since my husband came into our lives, he feels like the odd man out, alone! Add to this, his two little sisters and soon a brother, he truly feels as if he has lost me, forever!

What am I to do? I am already doing my best to split myself between 4 family members! I don't have time for me anymore! Soon I will have to split again, as the birth of my 4th child will certainly require a great deal more of me than I can offer to anyone else!

I understand where my son is coming from. I can truly place myself in his shoes and feel his pain in all of this! But again, what am I to do?

I cannot drop everything, just to be with my son alone! This would be insane, to say the least! My daughters still need me, as they cannot function on their own just yet! Once my 4th child arrives, even more of my attention will be spent, not to mention countless sleepless nights I will have before me!

What am I to do? How am I to make my son realize that he does indeed have a place within this family and that he is loved by me, even though I do not have all the time he needs of me!

One thing is for certain, I DO NOT want for past events to repeat themselves! I do not want for my son to become so out of control that I too would have to decide between he and the rest of the family!

I will admit, in sheer desperation, I have threatened him! I have told him that if he continued his ways and truly showed me signs that he was never going to be happy within this family, that I would have no choice but to send him away to live with his biological father - a man he's never met in his entire life!

Deep within my heart, I know I could never do so! But then the question remains...

What then should I do, in order to regain control and happiness within my home?

I am truly at my wits end!

HELP! Anyone!

The little boy who cried wolf!

Last Friday, my son's school called requesting that someone come and pick him up from school. Apparently, little did we know, my son had fallen victim to some kids bullying him, to and from school and he was afraid to come home alone!

At the same time, we were told that our son was caught sticking a "Kick Me!" sign on a fellow student's back and has been punished accordingly for his actions!

My son's excuse for this bad behaviour, was the fact that he grew tired of being bullied himself and wanted to feel better that he wasn't the only one who had to suffer!

My husband went to pick him up and brought him home.

Once home, we asked him to explain himself. We wanted to know why he hasn't told us about being bullied before and we needed to know when and where these events were taking place. One thing was for certain, it would come to an end and fast, as I simply would not tolerate my son getting hurt on a daily basis!

My son began to explain himself, but somehow, something was not right with everything he was saying. Time lines and details of being punched and kicked! It just didn't make any sense to me, as I knew of no bruises, cuts or scrapes on him!

When I felt I have heard enough bull shit coming from my own kid's mouth, I got up off the couch, walked over to him, stared deep into his eyes and said:

"If you are lying to us and I find out, I swear I will rip your legs out from your a**!"

I then walked away.

A mother's instinct, no child should ever under-estimate it!

Sure enough, my husband was able to finally get the truth out of him! He certainly has a lot more patience than I do! My son is very fortunate for this!

The entire story about being bullied was all made up! My son said that he made the story up, as he did not want to be punished, by me, for having been caught placing a "Kick Me!" sign on another kid's back!

It just goes to show, no principal, no teacher, no one scares my son more than ME, his mother! He knows too well that I will never tolerate any bad behaviour coming from his side and receiving news from his school of any negative events, truly makes my blood boil! I have raised my son properly and such conduct is truly unacceptable in my books!

Needless to say, once we knew this story was false, we had no choice but to give my son a little lecture and tell him the story about "The little boy who cried wolf"!

My son had been bullied in the past, but it was at his old school, in rural Lachute. Two thirds of the students who attended that school, came from under privileged homes, with serious drug, alcohol and physical abuse issues! Some of those kids were truly on their way to receiving a master's degree in armed robbery, assault, drug handling and bouncing from one detention hall to the next, only to finally end up spending their life behind bars in prison!

This is no longer the case at his present day school, but with everything in life, one could not guarantee that such events would not happen ever again!

My son learned a valuable lesson to say the least...

NEVER LIE TO YOUR MOTHER! She knows you too well!

Beer vs. Diapers

After returning home from shopping, I came to realize that we had bought everything we set out to buy, except for one very important item - DIAPERS, for our youngest daughter!

My husband told me not to worry! After the girls would have gone to bed, he'd step out and go get them at Walmart. Seeing that it was Friday, we knew stores would be open until 9pm.
Time was on our side!

Around 8pm, our girls said their Good Nights and were sent off to La la land!

Right at that moment, my husband's cellular phone rings. It was his buddy calling from a local pub, inviting him out for a beer! He said he would pop in quickly, before heading to Walmart. I flipped! From previous events, I knew that one beer would always end up being 10-12!

My husband assured me and swore that it wouldn't be the case this time around! He would simply pop into the bar, quickly, have his beer and then proceed to go buy the diapers we needed.

I simply replied: "Yeah whatever! See you in the morning!"

Around 8:30pm, the phone rings. It was my husband. He called to let me know that there was no way that he could leave the bar, as his buddy kept buying beer!

I simply hung up the phone and my blood began to boil!

My husband tried calling back, but I simply wouldn't pick up the phone! He must have called a good 3-4 times. Then my mother's number appeared on the display, as my husband no doubt called her, trying to get a hold of me! I still didn't answer the phone! I may be blond, but I am not stupid!

I was pissed! I was fuming! I was mad, as the clock was ticking and I knew Walmart would be closing soon and still no diapers had been purchased! It basically upset me to know where my husband's priorities were!

I paced up and down my hallway, trying to think of a good way to make my husband realize he screwed up BIG TIME! I thought of locking the 2nd lock on our front door, to which no one had the key! I wanted him to pay dearly for his actions and truly didn't mind if he spent the night sleeping in our van!

Around 9pm, I hear someone coming in. It was my husband. I remained calm and waited for him to show his face before me. Sure enough he walks in, with diapers in hand, baring the biggest smile on his face!

"Sweetie, it was a joke! I called you from Walmart to see if we needed anything else while I was there! But I also wanted to see how you would react and how much faith you had in me, when I swore I would be home shortly!"

Sure, we laughed it off, but my husband realized that had it NOT been a joke, things wouldn't have been very funny to say the least!

I think that from now on, my husband will make sure that there is a pillow and blanket in the back of the van at all times!

Pro-Active Approach!

In my last post, I expressed how exasperated I was with this entire issue involving my neighbour's from below and how I no longer wanted my son associating with their son!

This morning, after breakfast, I asked my son to join me in my room and I sat him down for a talk. I basically recapped the last 3-4 years of our lives - how things progressed since then, - the birth of his two sisters and how I could understand how he felt somewhat unwanted or pushed away by me. Now that I am pregnant with another son, he must somehow feel as if his baby brother, due in just 8 weeks, will end up taking whatever place he felt he had left within our family!

Needless to say, I came to realize that his bad attitude was the only way he knew to rebel against me. He has every right to be angry with me! For a child his age, he shouldn't have spent his entire summer looking after his two little sisters. While other kids went to Disney World or spent their days having fun at Day Camp, my poor son had no other option than to remain home, where he was desperately needed!

For his hard work, which he wasn't paid for, I am going to reward him! But it will come at a price! Nothing in life ever comes for FREE...

If he promises me to be good, to do well in school, to listen to his teacher and avoid befriending the "WRONG" type of friends, I will enroll him in Tae Kwon Do classes!

Not only will this be good for him physically, he will also learn self-discipline and it will truly be a great moral booster for him to know he will be doing something "KEWL"...just like "Jackie Chan"! He will also be able to unleash a great deal of frustration before he hits puberty! That in itself is really good!

Classes are Mon-Fri from 5:30pm to 6:30pm and Saturdays from 11am to 12pm.

6 days, an hour each class! This should keep him looking forward to the next day, every day, with a smile! Sure he'll bitch and complain about how hard it is, but Rome wasn't built in one day! He will learn about PERSISTENCE, ENDURANCE and what it means to NEVER give up! It will also toughen him out a bit and allow him to build the confidence he needs to get through in this hard world of today!

He'll also have a chance to make new friends with the same interests and besides, the way I see it, this class is so bloody expensive, I am sure my son will not have any trouble making new pals that come from "GOOD" homes!

There is no price for peace! NO PRICE!

Problem solved!

A parent's right for concern!

Since April 1st this year, we moved into an upper duplex in Montreal, leaving behind everything we've known, for the last 3 years, in Lachute.

This move was truly a last minute decision, as we were planning an even bigger move out west. Luckily for us, those plans did not turn out in our favour! Montreal is my home and I simply could not picture myself living anywhere else!

After a few weeks, once the dust has settled in our new home, better weather permitted us all to step outside more often and get to know our neighbours. We befriended the neighbours next door rather quickly, as they are very open and truly wonderful, generous people!

My son, aged 10, took no time to befriended the little boy, aged 7, who lived directly below us! At first, we were truly happy that he had found himself a friend so quickly and that this friend lived so close to him! They played together and seemed to be getting along rather well.

But then, all of a sudden, my son started to develop an attitude towards me, which I simply could not understand its source! He began mouthing off, questioning my authority and basically, his overall behaviour was truly affecting the vibe in our home!

It then dawned on me, all of this came to be since he started hanging out with that little boy below us!

I took it upon myself to befriend the parents, so that I may get a better feel for what this family was all about!

Married couple, well in their 50's, parents of only ONE child. Needless to say, this 7 year old is spoiled rotten and his parents have absolutely NO control over him! Being of Moroccan decent, this boy is being raise to rule the household and to walk over anyone who happens to come in his way!

I didn't think anything of this at first, but when I saw for my own eyes, how 10 years of my hard work, raising a young boy to be respectful and proper, was going down the toilet and fast...I had to put an end to it, before I would lose all control over my own flesh and blood!

It didn't happen overnight! Many events have happened before I made my final decision. The straw that broke the camel's back was the continuous attacks we were getting, for sheer stupidities, by the parents themselves.

It then dawned on me, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

This child's behaviour and the way he was acting, was merely a reflection of his parents' own neglect and lack of respect for others!

Now try explaining this to your own child!

I have had several HUGE arguments with my son about this issue, but he still doesn't get it! He truly feels as if I am dead set on ruining his life and in his own words, he told me: "You just don't want me to have any friends!"

How do you think I felt?!

One time, my son returned home all upset, from below. He was called down for a swim in the neighbour's pool and I was somewhat confused as to why he was back so soon?!

My son told me that he went down, swam and was having a great time. Then suddenly, his pal gets out of the water and disappears inside his home. My son waited and waited patiently, thinking his friend went in to use the washroom. After a good while, my son called out for him. The mother came out on the back balcony and said that her son was inside watching TV!!!

Now you tell me, what does that say about this child? Not only this, what does that say about the mother - The one person on this planet who should be teaching her child RIGHT from WRONG!?

Who the hell invites someone over to their place, only to leave them hanging alone???

Would you take this kind of behaviour from any of your present day friends?

"Sure, come over for a drink!" Then leave you sitting there, in their living-room while they go and play games on their computer!!!

SORRY! But after my son told me this, I had absolutely no interest in him being friends with this little sh*t below!

You do not treat your friends like this! No one should ever be treated this way!

But my son, being the lovable child that he is, made excuses to protect this little boy and his new friendship!

There are no valid excuses in this case! It is obvious that this child is growing up in a home with absolutely not a single ounce of respect! Had I been the mother, I would have grabbed my son by the ear and dragged him back outside to finish what he started! But as was, the mother didn't give a rat's ass that her son just abandoned his friend and left him outside hanging alone!

No good will come from these people! I want nothing to do with them and I do not want my son anywhere near their son!

This post came to be, as just yesterday my son confessed to playing at school with this kid! It brought on yet another argument, which I truly could have lived without!

My son still doesn't get it! He doesn't understand my right for concern in this matter!

What am I, as a parent, to do in this case? I am totally exasperated with this entire affair!

It almost makes me want to pack up and move!

I do not know what will happen next, but yesterday evening I truly showed signs that I was literally going to lose it!

When and if I do snap, the one and only advice I can give, is to run for cover!

As it's not going to be pretty, to say the least!

Nesting Syndrome

I am a self-professed clean and order freak! My home has to ALWAYS be clean and in order, even with 3 kids running around! My 4th is on his way in less than 8 weeks!

Here are a few examples of what I manage daily:

-Wake up around 3-4am each day, if 5am, this just means I've managed to sleep in;
-Have one or two cups of coffee while I check my emails;
-Have coffee ready for hubby when he wakes up;
-Make and pack hubby's breakfast/lunch;
-Make breakfast for 3 kids;
-Make and pack a lunch for my oldest for school;
-Toys have to be in their place;
-Dirty clothes have to be in the dirty laundry basket;
-Laundry must be washed and hung outside to dry (every 2nd day);
-Stains must be treated and washed right away off clothing;
-Put youngest down for her mid-morning nap;
-If time permits, take a shower and get myself dressed, or at least looking presentable;
-Shoes cannot be scattered or laying around;
-Kitchen counter tops have to be clean at all times, no exceptions;
-Think of what to make for lunch and prepare it;
-Floors must be swept daily;
-Vacuum must be passed once a day;
-Bathroom has to be clean;
-Put both girls down for their afternoon nap;
-If I can, I try to go down for a nap as well;
-Windows must be clear without smudges or finger prints;
-Highchair must be cleaned and clear of food once no longer in use;
-Cushions on sofas must be in their place;
-Beds must be made;
-Take a stroll to the supermarket to pick up whatever we are missing;
-Entrance staircase must be swept and washed by hand;
-Outdoor balcony (front, back and entrance) must be swept;
-Clothes must be put back and hung in their rightful place;
-Think of what to make for dinner and prepare it;
-Dishes must not lay in the sink;
-Dishwasher needs to be loaded and turned on every night before bed;
-Nothing should be laying around out of place;
-Furniture must be dusted at least once a week;
-Cups and bottles must be brought to the kitchen once empty;
-Kitchen floor must be swept and washed daily or every 2nd day;
-Stove top must be cleaned after cooking, especially after BACON;
-Mirrors must be clear;
-Cordless phones must return onto their bases;

Needless to say, I can go on and on about what I do daily to maintain my home in order!

As if this weren't enough, add to this the fact that I am in my last trimester and I am suffering a severe case of "Nesting Syndrome"!

Everything I have listed above gets done daily, but now I am cleaning places that no one sees and no one will ever see! I am literally climbing walls and washing corners on hands and knees!

When was the last time you climbed a chair to get to that far corner inside your cabinets? When was the last time you cleaned underneath your kitchen or bathroom sink? When was the last time you swept or vacuumed underneath your bed? Have you moved around any furniture since the movers put them down?

I have been going nuts cleaning all of these areas! It's not for nothing that once my husband gets home from work, I am dead tired and I have no more breath or energy to express how my day went!

On top of all that I do daily, I also have to keep an eye on 2 little girls who get into everything imaginable and make sure my toddlers potty training continues successfully, without too many accidents!

Conclusion, when my husband and son return home, everything looks as if nothing ever went on that day!

Sometimes I wonder, if I left everything the way it fell and didn't bother cleaning anything, would my family realize all that I do within the 8-10 hours that they are away?

Because as is, with everything in order and with everything in its place, they must truly think I have both my arms firmly shoved up my bottom and watch soap operas all day long!

Thought this was enough???

Nightly routine:

-Put girls to bed by 7pm;
-Make sure son has finished his homework;
-Make sure son has brushed his teeth;
-Send son to bed by 8:30pm;
-Make sure all toys are picked up and placed back in their original place;
-Make sure the highchair is clean and ready for the morning;
-Make sure front and back doors are locked;
-Make sure unnecessary lights are switched off;
-Make sure all scattered dishes are returned to the kitchen;
-Make sure the dishwasher is loaded and turn on;
-Make sure nothing that is not a toy is laying around exposed to little hands;
-Make sure I have enough milk for the morning;
-Get to bed around 10-11pm or 9:30pm if I am truly dead tired!

After all of this, I must admit, I LOVE what I do! But what drives me insane is when I have to endure listening to many people comment:

"You are so lucky to be able to stay home with your kids! You have it easy and get to relax anytime you want!"

I would love nothing more than to sit my fat bottom behind a desk and MSN my friends all day long and see if anyone gives a crap about me on Facebook!

Sure! Let's trade places for a day! I dare you!

"Things could be a lot worse!" I've always said!

This morning I got news that Primo was rushed to the hospital last evening!
No news yet as to what happened, but from what we could gather, Primo suffered a stroke!

As if it wasn't enough for the family to find out their mother was terminally ill with cancer...now this!

My heart goes out to this family and I hope everything will be ok!

I will try my best to help out whichever way I can, but bottom line is...

My hands are pretty full already with 2 wee-ones and being pregnant at almost 32 weeks...there is only so much I can do!

Makes me truly realize that I should count my blessing for everything I have!

"Things could be a lot worse!"

Seasons come and go

Is it just me, or did our summer simply slip by, unnoticed, under the radar?
We are already in the month of September and I can't really say I recall a single day of real heat! This can only make me wonder what kind of a winter we'll have???

I can remember summer days in my youth, how hot they were! The kind of heat and humidity that turned your most conservative neighbours into nudists! To feel the need to want to peel your own skin off - that's the kind of heat we missed this year!

I am sure that for the elderly folks, this summer has been quite a blessing! Hospitals got a break from cases of heat and sun stroke, as their waiting rooms remained empty!

The fall months are right on our heals. With them will come rain, dampness and chills that will cripple anyone with or without joint pains!

To think, Christmas is coming too! Just 2 weeks ago, we received our Sears Christmas Catalogue on our front doorstep!!! Lucky for us, our daughters played with it and several pages went missing, torn out, from the toy section in the back of it!

Who knows what weather will await us all in just a few months! With it will come the sniffles, chest colds and Kleenex's sales will go up!

I guess the only thing we can do is look forward to next spring and hope that the summer will be a lot better than the one we just had! If we can even say we had one!