Day 18

0910h. Yoga at home. Son states he wants to join; that lasts 20 minutes.

1001h. Do crow for 3 seconds. Woohoo!!! N joins for some yoga: just stares.

1021h. In rush to get out of door to drive to city. Cannot find cell phone. Call it from landline in desperation. Hear it ringing in closet: workbag--of course! Search workbag thoroughly. Still cannot find it. Call cell again: go back to closet and discover it in a vest.

1025h. Wonder where all my brain cells migrated to? Oh...maybe my muffin top....always losing my cell phone, sunglasses, driver's license--what next: my religion? (Get it--"Losing My Religion"--song by REM from decades ago. OK, bad joke.)

1034h. Dash through drive-through. Why is it when you want a wee bit of a line up or to actually hit a red light (to give you time to open up coffee lid or select proper playlist from iTouch and hopefully avoid searching for songs on highway and hit piece of lumber and rip huge gash through exhaust pipe--the latter all being hypothetical, of course) you actually sail through drive-through quickly and hit all the green lights? Funny how life works.

1120h. Making good time because driving a tad over the speed limit. N whines about some of my song choices (Pink and Goo Goo Dolls). Play "Boom Boom, Ain't It Great to Be Crazy" to appease her (can't you guess it is from the CD: "150 Great Toddler Songs to Delight Your Kids (and Put Parents into a Mental Sanatorium)."

1219h. Arrive at destination: rehab hospital so N can show off her psychological acumen. It is just a follow-up to a study I participated in while pregnant.

1401h. Finally done. The verdict: N is above average in fine motor tasks (hello neurosurgery!) and is below average in expressive communication (again, hello neurosurgery!). Time for a late lunch.

1435h. Spy dessert cooler at restaurant: all choices include varying amounts of chocolate. First time today I have thought about chocolate and feel extreme temptation to cheat.

1440h. Sitting contentedly at Urban Diner: desire for chocolate fading. N is being fantastic. Given she has missed her nap, and is having an extremely late lunch, she is content as can be. Even comments on the infant boy in the booth behind us.

1441h. Thinking of many of the previous meals eaten here. Reminisce about late weekend brunches pre-kids (ahhhh, those were the days), lunches with friends, dinners with friends with kids...doesn't seem so long ago.

1442h. Continue to be amazed by N's magnificent behavior. Suggest to her we go to chi-chi frou frou (or in other words, overpriced kids' store) which is located across the street afterwards. For a girl with limited expressive communication (and a vocab of ~ 10 words), she clearly indicates she is in favor of this plan with a emphatic nod of the head.

1507h. Browsing girls' shoes. Settle upon a pair (that I might add are on sale). The sale price is equivalent to:
         a) sponsoring a World Vision child for one month
         b) a pair of casual shoes from Tom's closet
         c) a meal for one at corsa 32
         d) all of the above
         e) none of the above
Take your pick of which option is correct...

1509h. N enjoying polka dot mary jane shoes (ie/the chosen pair). Has great taste in shoes. Must get it from her mother.

1510h. Spot delectable ladies' rubber boots. Oh no...I have already expressed my absolute shock and horror at the price some people have paid for designer rubber boots...what if these are in that league?

1511h. As I suspected: peacock patterned boots (with mink lining for extra warmth) are vulgar in price. However, that doesn't stop me from proceeding to try them on...

1531h. Wrong size. Maybe this is the universe telling me something. Leave store and delight in compliment saleslady gives N on her stellar behavior (which I must admit was impressive given I was ignoring her in my search for rubber boots in my size).

1735h. Finally on my way home. Marvelling at the blissful day with N. Wow, parenthood is actually fun when your kids are older and more independent.

1847h. Feeling extremely tired. N napping contentedly. Ponder ending this whole chocolate thing right now and raid stash of mini-eggs and kisses in centre arm rest.

1849h. Talk myself down from the ledge of chocolate hysteria.

1850h. Eating gala apple. Glucose immediately perking up my brain cells.

1902h. Home! Enthusiastic homecoming from all. Feel delighted by my day.

2027h. Would like some chocolate; however, will contentedly watch "The Good Wife" with husband instead.