30 Days About Me: Day 17 – Insecurity and Proud Of

Day 17- Your Biggest Insecurity & Something About Yourself You Are Proud Of

My biggest insecurity is doing something badly or failing at something, so I don’t try anything that I don’t think I’ll do well…that statement led to a huge argument once with my then-husband.  Not a pretty sight. 

It’s definitely something I need to get over, for fear of being a hypocrite with my kids since I want them to try everything and not give up before they try.  Ironically, I’m insecure about failing at being able to get over it so it’s a bit of a Catch-22 situation.

I’m proud of having given birth to my amazing and healthy twins, and being their mom. 

What’s your biggest insecurity?  What is something you are most proud of?

 

30 Days About Me: Day 15 – Dream Home

                           

 Day 15- Describe Your Dream Home or show us a picture

Assuming money was no object and I could design my own dream home, it would include:

• Character home with wrap-around porch
• Hardwood floors throughout
• Big windows
• Open-concept floorplan
• High ceilings
• Wood-burning fireplaces
• Spa-like bathrooms
• Luxurious fabrics
• Earth-tone colour scheme throughout
• Lots of greenery and space between house and neighbours
• Dishwasher (I’ve never had one in my adult life, and yet I miss one. How is that possible?)
• Bear claw bath tub
• Fully developped Snoezelen room for my son
• Separate play room for my kids with outdoor playstructure

 

And since this is a dream about a dream home, it would also include a cleaner, chef and on-call massage therapist.

 

30 Days About Me: Day 10 – Photos Over Time

Day 10- A Photo Taken Over 10 Years Ago of You & A Current One

Photo of a girlfriend of mine and I at her 10 year highschool reunion.  She and (then) her boyfriend went to school with my boyfriend at the time, so we all went together.  She’s having her 20th highschool reunion – where does the time go?

 

 

 

 

 

This pic was taken 4 years ago I think (ironically, by my man, long before he became my man):

 

 

 

 

 

This one was taken over the summer of my man and I, at a girlfriend of mine’s wedding:

 

 

 

 

 

I’m told that I haven’t changed much, but I’ll let you be the judge. Interestingly, when I was in my marriage, people didn’t see the age difference between my ex-husband and I (14 years)…question is, is that an insult to me or a compliment to him?   Since getting out of my marriage, people have been guessing my age as 6 or 7 years younger than I actually am.  Go figure.

 

30 Days About Me: Day 9 – Making My Life Easier

Day 9- Something That Makes Your Life Easier

Above everything else, my friends and family make my life easier, whether it’s coming over when things are getting too much for the day, treating me to Starbucks, or just being on the other end of the phone or email.

Other “things” that make my life easier are:

• My “sexy” minivan
• My computer, and specifically the internet
• My cell phone
• Ziploc bags
• Organizing containers and baskets
• Mabel’s Labels
• Predictable bedtime routine for my kids…

What makes your life easier?

30 Days About Me: Day 8 – Something I Hate

Day 8- Something You Hate

Last month’s “30 Days About Me” included a list of pet peeves.  Personally, I don’t like the term “hate”.  There are things and situations (ok, perhaps a person or two) that aggravate and frustrate me, but at the end of the day, I love my kids more than I can hate anything or anyone. Hatred takes up too much space in my measly brain, and energy which I don’t have in excess.

 

The one situation I can recall hating was when a professional who claimed to be an “expert” in Special Needs asked me if my son would ever “grow out of Autism“.  From that moment onwards, I dreaded every interaction with this professional because I knew that they were out to prove how much they knew, rather than helping my son.  Please understand that if someone who isn’t in the field (ie: the “layperson”) were to ask me the same question, I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash about it, and I would explain that more than likely, my son will learn behaviours and cues, and how to react to them so he will be able to function at a higher and more “acceptable” level.  A professional who claims to be an “expert” however, shouldn’t even be thinking of, let alone asking that question.

 

What is something you hate?

Fill in the Blanks Friday – 10/07

1.   Something popular that I can’t stand/just don’t “get” is reality TV.  I watched the first two seasons of Survivor and was shocking to find out that it’s still running!

2.   Something unpopular that I secretly love is ?????.  I have NO IDEA how to answer this question!

3.  When I’ve had a bad day I usually drown myself with chai and/or Jalepeno Cheddar Doritos.  Can you say emotional eater?

4. I’d prefer    sleep   to    exercise     any day.  I enjoy exercise but at the end of the day, if I have the opportunity to sleep or exercise, I’ll be sawing logs within seconds.

5.  Something that makes me nervous is/are surprises.  It depends on who is surprising me…majority end up being LOVELY; others are ones I would prefer to not experience.
6.  Something worth fighting for are my kids.  Does this statement really need explanation?

7.  When people think of me, I hope they think that I am a good mother, and have a big heart for my community.

 

30 Days About Me: Day 7 – Photo Happiness

Day 7- A Photo That Makes You Happy

So many to choose from…my kids are really cute, if I may say…   Here are some that always put a smile on my face.

My kids’ first picture…8 week “blobs” of pure amazing!

 

 

 

 

My kids only hours old in the hospital.

 

 

 

 

Sibling love when the kids were 3 years old, and our first Snow Day of that winter

 

 

 

 

 

The kids and I at their graduation from Senior Kindergarten.

 

 

 

 

 

Great day at Marineland this summer, watching the whales underwater (hence the blue)

 

 

 

 

 

 

One last photo that doesn’t include my kids…my hunny and I at a wedding this past summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Now that I’ve spent hours pouring through photos, I’m all warm and fuzzy with the memories.  Would love to see your favourite photos!  Post them on your blog and link them back here in the Comments section.

 

30 Days of Me: Day 6 – Most Treasured Items

Day 6- Most Treasured Items

I have a few items that are VERY sentimental for me.

The item with the highest sentimental value to me is a gold locket my mom gave me for my birthday after my kids were born. I started crying I was so touched when she gave it to me. It has 2 hearts on the front, and my kids’ names and their birthdate engraved on the back. One day, I plan on putting their pictures in it; my son’s on my left side of the locket when it opens up, and my daughter’s photo on the right side…just as they were in utero. It’s one of those little things that will mean so much when I get around to it, but for some reason, has never made it to the top of my priority list.

3 other items are very sentimental for me:

1. my flute – my maternal grandfather gave it to me on his last day of one of his annual visits fromEngland. I had just started learning how to play in Grade 7 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only is it a gift from someone who meant the world to me, it also represents the amazing experiences I was fortunate to have while performing in 2 bands and 1 orchestra, including touring in Montreal, Quebec City, England, Denmark and Sweden.
2. a small pink floral trinket – my biological grandfather gave it to me to have something from his deceased wife (my biological grandmother). Unfortunately, he and I were reunited after her passing so I never met her but it means so much to me to have something from that part of my biological history.
3. a show-box with a toy jeep and a Toronto Raptor’s keychain with a tiny key attached – when I went off to university, I joked with my little brother about how much he would miss me (I was moving across the country!) so, in his tough-boy way he said that he would buy me a car if he cried after I left.  I didn’t hear anything about it afterwards, and had forgotten this promise until I opened my present from him when I came back for Christmas in my first year of university. Again, I started crying because I knew what this little toy car meant without him having to remind me.  Our parents were a little confused until I explained it to them, but I will treasure it forever.  Who says boys can’t be sentimental?

What is/are your most treasured item(s)?

30 Days of Me: Day 5 – Favourite Quotes

Day 5- Favourite Quotes

So many to choose from!  I’ve been seeing tons of wonderful quotes on friends’ Facebook pages too recently…so many in fact, that I’ve started Motivational Mondays posts to help capture them.  Having said that, here are ones I live by.

“I loved you the minute you were born. Then I saw your face and fell in love some more. You were only a minute old but I knew I would die for you. To this day I still would. When you choose to have a child you make a conscious decision to allow your heart to walk around outside your body.” ~ Unknown
“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” –Agatha Christie

“I am who I am. Your approval is not needed.  Thanks.” ~ The Female Truth (from Twitter; I am a redhead after all…gotta have some spunk in me!)

“Tough Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do!” ~ Tracy Lynn (I’m blessed to know her IRL)

“Snort…giggles…snort” ~ Opti-mom (another fantastic woman I’m blessed to know IRL…her snorts and giggles are CLASSIC!)

What words to you live by?

 

30 Days About Me: Day 4 – Favourite Book

Day 4- Favourite Book

Yet another “repeat” question from last month’s “30 Days About Me”:

http://imamomtoo.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/30-days-of-me-day-18-my-reading-list/

So, I’ll change it up a bit and let you know what I’m reading right now.  Currently, I’m reading 3 books (yup, I’m one of those people with a few books on the go at any point in time):

• Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner
• Views from Our Shoes: Growing Up With a Brother or Sister With Special Needs by Donald Meyer
• Challenging the Myths of Autism: Unlock New Possibility and Hope by Jonathan Alderson

 What are you currently reading?