The Chronicles of a 4 Year Old

Corrina has been 4 now for just over a week! The day after she turned 4 she told me "Mommy, now I will be 5 and go to Kindergarten, and than I will be 6, and than I will be every number!"

As a 4 year old she told me on the way to daycare that she might have to leave our house to go learn to be a crossing guard, but she would wait till we have another baby so I would have someone to take care of. She said "Than I will come home and teach the baby everything I learn. And I will be able to reach things for the baby that they can't reach." She has also requested that when she turns 5 that we have another baby for her because 5 year old people need to be big sisters.

So, in short, being 4 is all about being 5!

Dear Corrina

Dear Corrina,

You are turning four this month, and growing so much every day! Since you're growing up so fast, I wanted to take a minute to write down some facts about you to be forever immortalized in the solid marble slab that is the internet.

Corrina, you have told us (and often list for us) that when you grow up, you plan on being:
a Doctor
a Nurse
a Teacher
a Truck Driver
a Crossing Guard
and (my personal favourite) the Calgary Stampede.
and not a rider in the Calgary Stampede, or a Rodeo Clown, but the ENTIRE EVENT (as depicted in a poster you saw once).

This morning you told us you had a dream about finding "flying clothes" with your friends from Daycare and that you went flying up in the sky. This seems to be a recurring dream of yours.

You still sleep with your Pooh Bear every night, but have occassionally gone to bed without him (in which case I try to sneak him under your arm in the night).

You have told me that you remember when I was a baby, that you wish you could be mommy's mommy, and you cried very hard yesterday when I admitted that infact you and I cannot get married.

You love to sing. You love to play with dollies and with Lego. You love to colour with big heavey markers that blanket the page. You are constantly climbing, whether me or the furnature or a play structure. You love animals and babies and baby animals. You'll eat just about anything most of the time. Even celery.

I am very very proud of you and the little person you are. I love to read with you and tell you stories about the Hero Girl and her polar bear. I love you very much.
-D

Monday Morning

QUICK EDIT:
Day went great, people are kind and friendly. Lots of meetings and orientations, learned how to make the coffee.
-Dave


(Our camera is on the fritz! It takes pink/purple photos and adds an interesting streaking feature so they appear to be melting. We've found that if we do a B&W finish they are at least presentable.)

It's early on Monday morning. On Mondays we aren't usually up and ready by 8am, searching for public transit tickets in pockets and baskets. Right now I'm either lazing in bed, or snuggled with Corrina on the couch. But, today, Dave begins his new job at the Canadian Food Grains Bank.

I said I would join him for breakfast and coffee this morning, but I didn't make very good company in the end as I groggily sipped peppermint tea and munch raisin bran. He was chipper and alive, motivated by hope and nervousness. Soon he'll be biting his mitts off to show the transit driver transfers, deposit change.

This marks a large change in our lives as Dave will embark on a new career with some exciting challenges. His new position is the Youth Engagement Coordinator. His purpose will be to expose young people (undefined) to the work of the Food Grains Bank, and create opportunities for people to make changes in their own life and faith in accordance with it's mission: A Christian Response to Global Hunger. His first major project is to join a team of staff and volunteers on an awareness trip to Indian and Bangladesh in 4 weeks! In the future he will be a part of the planning team for annual international awareness tours (similar to a missions trip however the participants are there to learn how the work of the food grains assisted people and communities with sustainable food sources). Dave hopes to gain a better understanding of the day in day out tasks this week as well he is still learning the about the various work the CFGB does in full. I'm sure he will have much more to say about it in 8 hours.

My day: normal. Speech therapy with Corrina, head to the library, fold laundry, play games and toys, head to the gym later. I think our weather is warming up a bit. We had many plans for outdoor excursions this weekend but were stopped head on by severe wind chill warnings. I generally don't take those as a challenge especially when there are children involved! If the balmy -18 with no wind holds we may do the playground today!

Well, here's hoping Dave didn't miss his bus! And a little video to end things off!