celebrations and leaps forward

Sasha has always been a fan of music and boogeying along to whatever we play. With thanks to a temporary hand-me-down CD player from Che, she now has control over what she wants to listen to and when...she is loving this!

In the past month since my last post, it seems she has made many leaps in her development and we have just been amazed every day. She is trying more and more to sing along with songs, her vocabulary continues to expand and she very quickly picks up actions to follow along to new things.

Last week we had her first follow up with the eye doctor, and they say the glasses make a difference. Having a strap to keep them on has also helped her realize they make a difference too, and she now wears them all day. She will have another follow up later next month. If she is still favouring her left eye significantly at that point, we will supplement with a patch/drops, but at this point they don't feel that will be necessary. We'll see ;)


Earlier this month Sasha had a blast playing at Keyan's pirate birthday party...until she decided she would rather play outside and kept escaping out the door - here she is getting caught in the act! It's funny when we walk past the common room she always wants in (after being to 2 parties in there no wonder!) but when we are in there she always wants out. It's that 'grass is always greener on the other side' thinking known to many toddlers. lol

We've decided for her 2nd birthday we will have a gathering in the common room as well since it's a great space for running and dancing around. Mark and Che are going to make her a puppet theatre and maybe do a show for her, and we are also going to create a 'tickle trunk' full of dress up stuff as this is something she loves now. Costumes, puppets, music and books...she will be one happy tot!

On the 15th we went to the peace rally which marked the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq. Though she enjoyed rockin' out to D.O.A. again, Sasha was far more interested in playing in the foamy soap bubbles in the fountain (I believe someone must have put dish soap in the water as it smelled like lemon) and chasing the bubble clumps that flew through the air to stomp them out.


What Sasha has become tremendously good at is climbing! So here she is climbing one of many rocks around the art gallery. She will climb anything, anytime, anywhere. She is an adrenalin junky with little fear to try new things. Sometimes quite frightening to witness...and my sympathy continues to grow for what I probably put my own mom through ;)

Che has been taking rock climbing lessons, and he thinks it is something she will love. I think I'll wait 'til she is out of diapers before I give that any further thought! I do look forward to hand gliding, bungee jumping, or skydiving with her when she is 18 if she wants to. That is an agreement I have with Che for his 18th (only 4 years and a bit! holy moly). Choose your thrill and I'll take you - and make the leap with you too. (Been a very long time, but I have done them all before and want my kids to feel that great sense of alive you feel when you land! gotta be done at least once) We're trying to convince Mark to join us...a good way to mark your 50th year...jumping out of a plane for the first time! hilarious! But you can't beat that for a father-son bonding moment ;)

The 15th was also the day we had a wonderful evening at Gilly's. Celebrating their soon-to-be-new-home they will be moving into! Hooray! And it was so nice to have a relaxed evening with friends we've been longing to reconnect with for some time over yum yummy food. (sooooooo nice to get quality time with Jim & Joey again!!! haven't spent time with them since I was pregnant!)

The best is watching Sasha and Merlin playing together! Considering the first time they 'played' was simply lying beside one another on the floor 18+ months ago...they have come along way! And here's a melt my heart moment - Gilly told me Merlin said "Sasha fun friend"!! oh my gawsh! A wonderful dose of positive energy for us all that night :)

Another dose of positive for me lately has been plenty of praise and encouragement from folks around me for the documentary idea, and all the little bitty things they see me do to try and make a difference in my world. It humbles me...and also has infused me with a much needed dose of confidence!

I've always admired the achievements of the extraordinary women in my life, and am never surprised to learn of new women who create positive change through pure will power. And am awestruck and thankful that I have managed to inspire a little passion in others. I will keep trying to raise spirits and hope, and remain thankful to the wide array of women who inspire me too! :)

With International Women's Day having passed recently I have been reflecting on all the great women I know, and I am a lucky lucky girl to have you all in my life! I celebrate your continued inspiration, support, encouragement and cheers to sharing in the ups and downs of life! super squishes to all of you lovely ladies!!!

One woman in paticular had a profound impact on my life and that is Moira. She saw something in me, that I did not see in myself at the time, and listed my name as a potential panel member for the Charter for Public Education...and this month we celebrate 5 years since the Charter was published! I am so proud to have been a part of that process, and thankful for the experience which has led to so many great learning opportunities I've had since.

And 5 years since the Charter for Public Education was published I'm happy to see it being used as a tool for dialogue in communities which are struggling to defend their schools from the chopping block of district budgets. CPEN is committed to working with group efforts around BC this year as we rekindle regional network connections. Mike (the CPEN Prez) was recently in the Cowichan district for a public hearing to prevent their communty school closures, and we aim to get out there and work with other community groups facing the same problems! Schools for sale is a major issue right now...

So it seems more than appropriate to be making a documentary on the impacts of privatization on our public education system! I've worked through some major anxieties since my last post (why this has taken so long), on whether my idea was a good one, and questioning "what the heck have I gotten myself into this time?!" As someone who tends to jump into things with two feet once my instinct has pulled me in...well it finally hit me that I'm now a writer/producer on a documentary... Say what?!

After plenty of soul searching, research, one-on-one talks with mentors and friends, a wine & cheese night which bred some new ideas and inspiration (many thanks again Andrea!!!!)...I have conquered my fears and am now feeling comfortable and very capable in my new role as producer. Having worked through the anxiety stage we are back at work with a production schedule we can live up to, and the writing has begun to flow a little more easily again.

The other 'first' we need to conquer is the first day of filming...which will be next weekend! Our aim is to film 2 days worth of 'people on the streets' interviews, a rally to protest the selling of of public schools in Victoria on April 7th, and filming the conference LA april 18-20 (Tri-National Conference in Defence of Public Education...and can you guess the theme?..."Public Education Not For Sale!").

a few more pics of our super cutie to end this post: one of her fave activities is pretending to nap (she has a very funny fake snore) and putting her stuffies and dollies down for a nap; and though she is a big ball of energy, she still has many moments of quiet and independent play too. Hope she will always have this balance ;)