Francine Marzanek

The Long Run

2006-06-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

So today we ran the longest I have ever run at one time. I joined a running clinic at the end of March - gotta lose the rest of the baby weight - and we have been running 3 times a week. Okay, I have been running on Tuesdays and Thurdays and the occassional Saturday morning when Mark is not working and I can haul my ass out of bed. We ran 12 km down from Pier 4 out around Bayfront Park and back to Williams. Wow! Okay supper is ready - yes 10 pm at night but at least we are eating! Long run, very sore feet and body parts, but great accomplishment.

Vacation

2006-05-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

I think I need a vacation. Either that or some sort of change from the routine. Maybe the rain is starting to wear on me, possibly that and the fact that I can not take a 22 month old to the park for his usual outing to get out of the house for a bit. Maybe winning the lottery.... Good way to get a vacation!

A sad week

2006-05-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

I can not believe how sad it has been in the house without Mr Bunny. It is just not the same without him. I keep looking over to his house or under the table to talk to him, and realize again that he is gone. It is amazing how much a quiet little creature keep me company when we first had Alexander, how well he adjusted to a new baby and what a huge loss it is for us. We went to look at bunnies at the pet store and saw a small black Netherland dwarf very similiar to him. But still not Mr Bunny.

Farewell to Bunny

2006-05-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Mr Bunny has gone to bunny heaven. He had visited the vet more times this month than ever and has sadly left our house. He left a legacy that included an email address, the inspiration for our baby room and countless shower gifts, garden statues, bunny doorstops and many other momentoes in our house. He was one of our links to Ottawa - which we still miss, and a reminder of who we were before we got married, moved across the province, bought a house and had a baby. We will miss him. But the worst part is he reminds me of how final death is in our lives, and how precious we are to one another. As I used to say to him when I went to work, "Bye Mr Bunny, see you later alligator!"

World's Best Husband

2006-03-29T17:56:00.000-08:00

I have the world's best husband! Not only is he an amazing father and someone I look to for parenting advice, but he worked from home today because I was not feeling well. Actually I have been feeling wretched for many days and was in denial. My mother did not even know that I was not well. I think the whole experience can summed up as such:

The cost of getting sick:
Lost time working around the house....... 6 hours (naptime over several days)
Big, big bottle of ibuprofen ..........$9.99
Saline nasal spray..........$3.99
Box of green tea...... $3.29
Getting some extra rest (ahh, bliss!).... priceless!!
For all of our everyday expenses there is mastercard, for making me feel like a human being again, there is my awesome husband!!

40 and 20

2006-02-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

So as many of you know, I turned 40 yesterday. That really did not phase me - not as much as still not fitting into my prepregnancy jeans. Ahhh!! Anyways, it just seems like a number, hard to believe but with an19 month old son, not feeling all that old. Until I listened to my voicemail yesterday. I had a message from a university friend/roommate wishing me happy birthday. I was reflecting on her message and contemplating asking her if we should organize a reunion for ourselves and friends from Waterloo university when I realized that I have known Lisa for 20 years! Yes, 20 years, no it will be 21 years this fall. I could then feel the grey hairs creeping in, the soreness in my joints, the out of breath feeling when I run - or try to run and I realized that I am getting old. I dont think I am old yet - that is not for another 30 years or so, or until my son tells me how ancient I am, but it is happening. Just before I started dating Mark (okay that is over 10 years ago), I was living in Ottawa and had a few people including Mark. Well, one of these people who will remain nameless was looking through the music selection and commented that old people lived there based on the music. I was very annoyed - Linda and I were not old - especially considering the antics that went on before both of us were formally engaged! And we did not see it that way, not in the least. The only time is has really bothered me is when I was working at the health unit and my colleagues seemed so much younger than I. But I have had an epiphany of sorts after I realized that I had known Lisa for half my life. Those people are colleagues, and just a short chapter in my life. Lisa, and many others like Lisa and Linda are the blessings that I have carried with me, along with all my baggage, my family, my tragedies and my joys. I am not old - just very blessed. That is indeed a gift unto itself. That and the great surprise Mark has planned for me this weekend!

Y&R addict

2006-01-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have an addiction. Sure many people know that I have a problem with Diet Coke (could be worse I tell myself while sipping DC with lots of ice!), but I like to watch the Young and the Restless. Also, known while I was at Waterloo (University that is, ranked much higher than Carleton University academically) as the Young and the Breastless. My addiction started when I was in second year - first year I would scoff at all of my residence roommates huddled in the very cramped lounge watching Y&R at 4:30. But somewhere during second year it happened - and I was hooked. Now you have to understand that I am not hooked on the drama, the story lines ( not a lot of reality in many of them) or even any one particular member of the cast - I am addicted to the Y&R lifestyle. It looks so relaxing - great clothes, hair, make up, lots of fun parties, etc, and always stopping in and out of the coffeeshop and seeing someone that is an acquaitance. Hmm.. now I understand my husband's addiction to the Royal Oak in Ottawa during university. Yes, I know is was whatever name it was before it. Now that I am officially a stay at home mother (oh my god!! when did that happen and how!!!), I find that I try and seek out adult conversations, friends, acquatainces. When I was on maternity leave, it was going to the mall, visiting family, dropping into the office. But now, I have overextended myself with family - I see the shutters close when I drive up, there is no office and I am not working so going to the mall everyday is not financially feasible. So, under the guise of socializing my 18 month old son, I have signed him up for story time and swimming lessons. I was thinking maybe there would be other adults there. Only I hope they don't see the desperation for adult conversation in my eyes. Oh well! There is always the Y&R.

Slinky's Birthday

2005-11-24T16:49:00.000-08:00

Today is the 60th anniversary of the introduction of the slinky. Everyone had a slinky. I remember trying to make our slinky go down the stairs like we used to see on tv. Never worked though. When I heard about the big anniversary, I did not think of my childhood slinky, but rather my friend Donna. You see Donna has a couple of her slinkys in her office to play with for creative inspiration. The really unique thing about them, is that they inspire lots of conversations while you are sitting in her office playing with them. Conversations about work (groan) and life in general. It reminds me of the great things that our friends do for us in the simplest of ways. I think friends like that are valuable. For example our friend Peter. Whenever he comes over, he always asks what can I do? Must be because it feels like our house is in a complete uproar. But really, who else can Mark invite to take out for breakfast to later learn that breakfast will be late, served in our kitchen - after helping me with the annual garage sale and Mark with a sick baby? I think some peolpe would be offended, expecting a nice restaurant breakfast and getting whatever is in the cupboard. Okay, we really aren't that bad hosts - it was such a long night with a 9 month old sick baby!! So, everyone needs a slinky. Or at least a friend like Donna and Peter.

Babies, Bunnies and Budha

2005-11-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

Mr Bunny has adjusted to having a baby in the house. Mind you, his only adjustment is having to move very quickly because when Alexander comes home, he runs to go and see Mr Bunny. He usually has his shoes on and this is pretty terrifying for a bunny. At which point, Alexander notices the bunny poo that Mr Bunny has deposited outside of the litter box - he yells to let us know that there is bunny poo out of the litter box and then procedes to getting all of the utensils that are needed to clean up after a bunny - dustpan, paper towels, etc. Alexander has gotten quite good at this - to the point where the floor is kept quite spotless these days. A little on the tiring side but it could be worse? How? Just think, baby and open mouth. Ever since Alexander has been a baby, we have found that he reaches a stage of sleep whereby he resembes Budha. Now of course, I should insert a picture here, but I really don't want to take Alexander 's picture here and I am not as savvy as Mark is for finding pictures and inserting them. Budha came to visit yesterday. I was sitting with Alexander for his afternoon nap, he had fallen asleep and I noticed as I was about to put him into the crib that he was holding his soother in his hand and was in Budha mode. I wonder if Mark or I look like that while sleeping? The only way to find out would be to video tape ourselves while sleeping. Of course there is always the worry that other things will be caught on tape - oh I don't know, like a monster wondering through the room during the night, or perhaps the bogey man or the devil. Sounds far fetched, but those scary dreams come from somewhere. Perhaps the graveyard of dead blogs!

My Baby

2005-08-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

My baby is not an infant anymore. As much as I miss how little he was as an infant, I enjoy all the things that he is doing right now. Yesterday, he was walking around our bedroom - as only a 13 month old can walk - like Frankenstein, without the boots - holding onto a toilet paper roll that I had given him. Then this morning, while I was changing his diaper, he was laying on the change table with one of his books open and laughing at it. One of those moments I hope that I never forget and worry that I will forget. There are so many of those - things that I think to myself - I don't want to forget and wonder how on earth I will remember so many of them. I guess that must be the joy of grandparents - not only it is the joy of the new baby, but a re enactment of your younger yesterdays. I miss my baby as an infant - this must be in preparation for all the times I will miss him once he gets big and leaves home. Even though we have decided there will be no bribery of cars to go to university (cause he is going!) in town, it is tempting!!

Mommy finds a Mummy in Her Room

2005-08-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

All the world and everything in it are toys to a 12 month old baby. I am convinced that Alexander does not need any toys - all of our everyday "stuff" seems to suffice. My body lotion bottle for instance. While I have been getting dressed the past few mornings, he trundles around the upstairs holding the bottle, chatting away going from room to room. This morning was not any different. I was in the closet trying to find some pre pregnancy clothes that fit me, pulling on a shirt and then going over to the bed when I ran into a mummy in my bedroom!! Toilet paper stretched on the roll from the bathroom and all the way around Alexander! Who was laughing! Who made me laugh! I untangled the toilet paper, put it back on the roll and went back to take the rest off the baby, who then trunddled over to the toilet and put the remaining paper into the toilet. What a smart baby! Makes up for the 2 different shoes that I wore to work last week - that is another story!

I'm Back!

2005-07-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

Well I am back at work! Not that I was not working before looking after Mr Man - hard to believe he is 12 months old! But I am back in the workforce. Can I tell you how easy it is after looking after a little person. People stop by my desk to chat, there are conversations before, after and during meetings - there is break time, there is lunch time! I don't remember break time looking after Mr Man - just nap time! Definitely an adjustment. I think the biggest adjustment is for my husband to have these reverse roles for a few days - I think he has discovered how exhausting Mr Man is when you are at home by yourself. Especially since he has a cold. I would like to do a lot of venting right now about my workplace - but better not since I would not want a potential employer to remember me or my name at an interview at some point in the future!!!! Enough to say that we are not a family friendly, work life balance workplace. Oh look! Only 3 and 1/2 hours to go!

Already June

2005-06-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is already June!!! Where has the time gone? It is the heat of summer and last I remember, I was sitting in the den in the cold of winter! I read an article yesterday about giving your baby space. It reminded me of when Alexander was younger and would lay in his crib watching his friends - his Tiny Love mobile. He would lay there and scream and kick his feet and wave his legs. When you went into his room - as my husband often did - he would look at you as if to say - I'm busy right now - I am playing with my friends! Really is too funny. Still I really don't know where the time went. I have sent in my email for my return to work - yes, I really, really want to go back there! Even better, when I return, I get to do an orientation. Yikes is all I have to say!

My Destiny

2005-06-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

I always knew that I was born to do something great. I have always wondered what it was and have finally found it. It was to have Alexander. After having him, I realized that I no longer found that there was something else for me to do. I think that I could do a whole blog just on the joy of watching him sleep - it is like seeing an angel for the first time.

Yesterday, I took Alexander on the bus for the first time to the Farmer's Market. It was so fun to take him on the same bus that I used to take when I was younger to go shopping downtown. That was when downtown was not full of horbaty's and it was the place to go and shop. Anyway, I digress - we went on the bus - had to ask how much since I have not taken the bus in a few years. Then the trip down was very exciting - Alexander watching all the people and looking out the windows. He was very fascinated with the fountain in Gore Park. My feet were so hot that I just wanted to put them in the water - only thing I could think of, was that I am sure that is where some of the less sober of us use for a public washroom. We walked down King Street past all the big buildings and into the mall. Very exciting for Mr. Man! The market held lots to see - thank heavens when we walked by the meat counter, they had sold out of the rabbits. That will be quite difficult to have to explaing to Mr Man. Why Mr Bunny's friends are cold in the case (naked too!) All and all a pretty exhausting time for him. I think we will have to start going to the market regularly.

Finally

2005-05-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

After I am not sure how many months, I have finally gotten my blog set up. Oh how uncool I felt and inadequate when every day my husband told me all about his blog!!! It is not like I was not busy that day or the one before - a ten month old baby can really put a strain on your time. When I was able to hold in one arm, I could easily type and work on the computer. Now it is a little different - I have an extra set of hands to help type and that is not just helpful. It is interesting how a little person arrives expectedly I might add at the house and changes everything. I have adjusted to that - not certain if the rest of the world around me has adjusted.

Well after one week of having a cold and croup, my son Alexander is feeling better. The one way that I can tell, is that he slept through the night!! Hurray!! Which in turn means that I slept through the night!!! Hurray!!! (The hurray! sounds like the Simpson's sound - perhaps when I get better at this, I will incorporate the urls like my husband and all his busy colleagues at work!!!)

I have to mention the garage sale that we, no I had on Saturday. We would not have been as successful if it had not been for Peter - helping to sell stuff and keeping an eye on the baby. But the best part was keeping me company and giving me someone to laugh with!! Especially when our neighbourhood sixties throwback arrived on his sheepshin covered motorcycle seat asking for broken gold chains, spare earrings etc. It took everything in me not to laugh! In the six years - yes, six years this coming Sunday - we have been in the house some things have changed and the motorcycle man is not one of them!!!!!! Good thing for friends