Diary of a Dad - 2001 Journal

Oh my! 2001 is already underway! As always, the entries are in order from top to bottom. To read the newest entry, just [Go To The Latest Entry] -December 27, 2001

Friday February 9, 2001

It's been over 7 months since I last posted anything on this site. I'm not quite sure why that is, though. Time, I guess, just seems to pass rather quickly when you're not thinking about it. A lot has happened in all that time (obviously) that at present I couldn't even begin to list. James turned 6, I celebrated Christmas with Chantale and her family in Metabetchuan, Lac St. Jean, I celebrated New Year's with the kids and my family, a lot of my friends have lost mothers, fathers, and other relatives, and I lost my grand-mother. All this in just the last two months!

So, letting the past lay where it is, let's look to the now. More and more the differences in character between James and Melyssa keep standing out. A few of the more obvious ones (outside of one being a boy and one being a girl, of course) are as follows:

- Bedtime. When it's time to get to bed, James really does manage to fall asleep rather quickly. Melyssa, on the other hand, tends to dawdle a lot. Just last week we loaded up the sleeping bags, a few movies, and some snacks, and enjoyed a sleep-over at Chantale's apartment. Our movie of choice was The Quest For Camelot (a great movie). Half-way through it, James zonks out. Melyssa, of course, is awake as the credits roll at 11pm.

- Waking up. Just try to get them out of bed in the mornings. Almost an impossible task no matter what you try. On weekdays. But, when Saturday or Sunday morning comes around, James could be up and about at 5:30am ready to play! Eeeek! (grin). Needless to say, even after all these years, I still don't get much sleep at night.

- Getting ready. Whether it's to get dressed for morning, undressed for bed, or dressed to go out/ leave, it's a constant re-focusing. James is easily distracted by everything around him although he will get to a point when he'll finish. Melyssa always takes her time. It's not so much that she gets as easily distracted as James, it's just that she ALWAYS takes her time! (grin). I've never seen her rush to get dressed or ready for anything!!! (grin)

- Picking up. Can you guess? James, easily distracted, but eventually does it. Melyssa... wait for the cows to come home! It's enough to drive me crazy except that I've come to expect it from her now. I just have to figure out a way to get her to take charge more on those matters. Considering that she'll be turning 4 next month, I do expect her to grow a lot in the coming year.

Well, that's it for now. I do want to add that I was extremely proud of them during the mass which was held in memory of my grandmother. I had explained everything about proper manners and procedures when in church prior to going and they really did behave well during the ceremony. Yes, it was a little late and they were starting to get a little grouchy by the end, but overall they were little angels (smile).

Tuesday October 16, 2001

Ok, this has gone too far! I've missed out on another 8 months worth of stories! Ack! ... Well, now that this site has been set up on another server, things should be more stable and I should have plenty of chances to update these pages. So, as a means of catching up, let's share some recent-ish stories, ok?

First off, Chantale and I signed James up for Beavers. He was reluctant at first (as he always seems to be when starting something new) but as we'd been talking about it all summer, he knew we wanted him to at least try it. The night of sign-up, he was hesitant until we actually walked into the room. When he saw all the other boys and girls and then got to speaking with the Scout Leader (Rainbow) he quickly became excited with the prospect. The more we flipped through the Scouts Canada magazine, the more he couldn't wait to begin. Well, after a few sessions, he loves it! In fact, he started loving it after the FIRST session! And so, this past Friday (October 12) he was invested. He got his scarf and is now allowed to wear his hat. You'll be seeing pictures of him in his uniform very soon (smile).

Last month (September 20 to be precise), James also turned 7! Boy did he celebrate in style! We had a mini-party at my parents' house where he was astonished to have received brand-new roller blades! Other gifts included clothes, the Pokemon 3 video, and a paint-by-numbers set! He was excited about it all! Then, that weekend, Chantale and I took him (and Melyssa of course) out for supper at Jack Astor's -a place he'd been dying to go to for years now. My brother and his girlfriend (Sylvie) joined us as did Chantale's mom and sister (Sylvie!). It was a real fun time and pictures of that event should be forthcoming as well (smile)

As for Melyssa, she is attending Pre-K and is loving it. Ever since she was taken out of the daycare and brought to this new place, there has been quite a change in her! It's great to see her so eager to learn and you can easily see the difference in how she's grown. It's wonderful. It truly is. I guess the combination of her turning 4 and being put in an environment of intellectual growth was a winner (smile)

Now let me share a cute story that happened a little while ago. Chantale was in the living room reading a book. Melyssa saw her and stared in fascination. She did not understand what she was doing because, to her, it looked like she was just staring at the book. Chantale's lips weren't moving and no sound was escaping. Melyssa questioned her about it and was astonished to find that Chantale was reading the book in her head and not out loud. Once she accepted that this was possible, she nodded and moved on to playing. Later that night, at bedtime, the four of us snuggled into their beds as we got out some books to read. Chantale was going to read one book and I would read the other. Melyssa said, "Ok, Tally, you can read the story, but not in your head because I can't hear you like that." Needless to say we roared with laughter (giggle).

Last but not least, some personal news: Chantale and I are getting married! The date has been set as Saturday August 30, 2003! The ceremony will be held at our church, Christ The Redeemer Lutheran Church. We are in the process of finalizing where the Reception will be held and wait until you see it! It's going to be a glorious day!! (huge grin) We've got the entire thing planned out and it will be an entire day of events! Stay tooned for more details!! (smile)

Thursday December 27, 2001

It's been a busy month! We had the kids with us for most of this month and it's been a number of ups and downs. Mainly, James still doesn't seem to have grasped the importance of staying up to date at school and following proper study procedures. Chantale and I keep explaining the importance of school to him and how to maximize his leisure time by putting his study time to full and proper use and this does get through (after much repetition) while he's with us. But, once he's out of our home, he reverts back to his 'slack' ways. It's a shame. Melyssa, on the other hand, is currently in a very defiant stage. She's been acting up a bit too much at her Preschool which is making things rough with her teachers. Her defiance also comes out at home either during suppertime or bedtime but, being her parents, we can be more strict with her than the teachers. Thus, the friction does not last long.

One very positive thing we (and consequently the teachers at both the kids' schools) see when they are with us is that they are rested. Chantale and I always ensure they get plenty of rest and are in bed by 8pm. A 4 and a half year old girl and a 7 year old boy need their rest and there is absolutely no reason for them to stay up late. And, on weekends and days off, a nap after lunch works wonders on their attitude and behaviour. They are children and should be treated as such. They will have more than enough time to "give up" their sleeping hours when they're older. Heck, some times, we feel as though we're constantly running triage at home. We fix them up and they head off to battle...

This year, the kids spent Christmas with us. We headed off on the 15th and picked up an amazing tree. They absolutely loved the experience! On the 16th they helped Chantale decorate the tree while I put up the external lights. We had Christmas Eve supper with my family and then headed to church and met up with Chantale's family for midnight mass. The kids both passed out from exhaustion during the ceremony which I found somewhat sweet. James slept on me while Melyssa slept on Chantale. Of course, they quickly awoke and found their energy when we got back to her parents' house and the kids saw that Santa Claus had come! (grin). After a very enjoyable and very late night, everyone slept in on Christmas Day. In the late afternoon, we all headed back to my parents for more gift giving and more eating. With that complete, we finally went home and opened up still a few more gifts! It seemed like a never-ending party! On Boxing Day, James and Melyssa went to the Circus! My brother Carlo and his girlfriend Sylvie took them as a Christmas gift and they all enjoyed themselves. Of course, when they got home, we jumped back into the car and headed out for some Boxing Day shopping! I got some really nice ornaments for everyone at Hallmark. You just can't beat 50% off (grin). James enthusiastically stated how much he loves and adores his ornaments! He got a puppy and a Snoopy "Scout" ornament he's very fond of. Melyssa almost fell of the futon when she saw the Kitten Ballerina ornament. Even Chantale was touched by the Kitten and Hamster ornament (smile).

In a couple of days, they'll be heading off once again, rested and full of good memories. It'll be a little weird re-adjusting to their not being around, but we'll see them again on the 10th of January; ready to make more memories and share more adventures together! As for Chantale and I... we'll be on our way to spending New Year's with her Grandparents up in Lac St. Jean. I know it'll be beautiful there. Away from the world, in a loving home, with beautiful scenery covered in a lush white blanket of snow... Spending a week alone with the woman I love in such a beautiful environment...I can feel my entire mind and body beginning to relax already... (smile)