The loss of a leader.

My Monday morning was rocked today, as I'm sure it was for many Canadians, by the news that Jack Layton has lost his battle with cancer. This news comes as somewhat of a shock because I think many of us just had the mindset that Jack could beat anything. But he was just a man. A great man, but still human. In light of this, I'm very glad I took the time a few weeks ago to write about how he has inspired me.

My heart instantly goes to his family, and the days that they have ahead of them. He was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and their mourning will be shared on some level with many fellow Canadians.

Jack, strongly raising his cane in celebration after the amazing
results of the 2011 Federal Election.

Just as I thought I had finished my subtle tears throughout the morning, I came across Jack's final letter that he prepared two days ago. It amazes me that even in the final days of his fight, he was still thinking of Canadians. He was still willing to take the time to share his wisdom and inspiration for us to read. Everyone should take a moment and read the parting words of one of Canada's greatest politicians.

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world." ~ Jack Layton, August 20, 2011.

In an ideal world, people this incredibly exceptional would never have to leave us.
Read Jack's full letter here.

Follow @CrysWiltshire


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

From the cries of a baby to the screams of a little girl. Learning the art of the temper tantrum!

Last night my daughter and I spent some great quality time together. We had some great cuddles, kisses, lots of 'Mama loves you so much' moments and plenty of holding hands through the crib...all between the hours of 10pm and 2am!

Now, I have to admit that I am basically one of those moms all other moms hate, because I have a great sleeper. Honestly it was 5 hour stretches straight home from the hospital, 8 hours straight by 2 months and 12 hours by 3 months. Please don't throw things at me. I am well aware we are lucky.

It is because of all this that I feel extremely ill prepared for the middle of the night scream fests. Especially since I am back to work now and have to get SOME sleep! Most of the time, she is still great, but when it's bad, it's friggin bad.

Last night I tried a new tactic. After about the 6th time of entering her room and cuddling, I tried the 'stern' approach. She is 1 now and she does understand much of what we say. If she listens or not is a whole different story. Anywho, I stormed in there and said 'Lilly, that's enough. It's time to go to sleep!'

Thus began the transition of my little crying baby, into a full fledged screaming toddler girl. I swear to god it was like watching a volcano erupt. I wanted to run for cover...or go kick my peacefully sleeping husband out of bed to take over. I took the first option. I stared in disbelief for a moment, then left the room. My thought process was, 'Ok, when they throw temper tantrums, you are not supposed to give in, right??' So I closed the door and walked away.

The very second she heard that door latch closed (which was a bloody miracle over her screaming...remember that superhuman hearing I said babies have?) she escalated. Badly. She lost her shit completely and I lost my strength as a result. I did what I assume is the 'bad mom' thing, went back in and brought her out. I carried her to the living room and we cuddled on the couch while she calmed down.

After that it was smoother sailing. She relented and I went to bed. She gave it a final few kicks at the can with some whimpering on and off for the next 45 minutes, and then she was out. We slept for what was left of the night and both woke up with bags under our eyes. Well, at least I did. I don't know that I have ever wanted coffee so badly in my life...even when I was preggo.

I guess this is supposed to be one of my Mama learning experiences. Though, I don't know really what I learned from it, except that my daughter has an incredible set of lungs! I refer back to the easy street we have had with her until now and figure this is just catch up. Ideally, no parent would have nights like this, but I know many have had it far worse then me.

If this is the sign of things to come, I may need bigger bottles of rye. I mean for me! Come on people. I wouldn't do that to the kid. I'm not that desperate...yet.
Follow @CrysWiltshire

Mastering the morning...maybe.

I am always late. This is not some self deprecating statement nor is it an exaggeration. It's simply a fact. I am always late. For instance right this minute I am feeding Lilly lunch, writing this post, waiting for my clothes to finish drying...and I have to meet the girls at the Zoo in 45 minutes...I'll make it I swear ;)

Knowing I am always running behind, I was really worried about how my mornings would be when my husband went back to work. He starts at 7am, so not only is the daycare drop off on my plate, but he's not even around to lend a hand.

My first few mornings only proved to add to my worry when Lilly decided to wake up 45 minutes earlier than normal. That might sound like a good thing, but if you're a mom, you know the moments to yourself are crucial! Things were not starting off promisingly. Then yesterday happened.

I woke up at 6:30 (ugh) and somehow managed to not ignore my alarm. I got my butt out of bed, and got myself dressed. Thank god it was Friday since my desire to 'dress to impress' was seriously lacking. Jeans and t shirt days rock. I then proceeded to do my hair and makeup, make a coffee and back up my stuff, all before the baby woke up. Golden!

That's right, my shirt says "# Keep Calm and Tweet On".
I'm a twitter addict.

When Lilly woke up, I was already prepared with her outfit for the day. My baby is stylish :) Then it was onto breakfast and milk. After that she got 10 minutes of playtime while I packed up her diaper bag for the day. Now, it didn't hurt that during all of this, the little angel felt like actually being a little angel.

Lilly sporting the tend of tunic with leggings
in this summer's hottest colour, hot pink :)

 Getting out to the car was the regular balancing act of my briefcase, diaper bag, purse and baby...but we made it. All buckled in and on the road in plenty of time to get to daycare and then work on time. I know, it's a miracle!

If I can continue to master my mornings this well, that would be extremely ideal :) Remember, I am the eternal optimist...but I am also accepting all fingers crossed and prayers from more experienced Mamas!

Things you learn in your first year of motherhood.

Well it's official. I survived my first year of motherhood and the child is still alive! Score one for me :)

There are many quirky things you learn when you become a parent. I thought I would share a few of my personal favorites.

No matter what the commercials say, diapers DO NOT hold everything. You will learn this lesson hard. For instance, while on the first day trip to see family and you precious little one destroys two full diapers. All you are left with is a receiving blanket to wrap around her because every other piece of clothing you brought (which is never enough) is covered in shit. Good times.

Did you know you have zombie like abilities? You do! They come out in the middle of the night when you can wake up, take a baby out of the bassinet, change a diaper, nurse, burp (the baby, not the husband), wrap a baby in a blanket, then go back to sleep....all having barely opened your eyes! It's incredible!

You can do much more with just one hand then you ever imagined. You can whip up and eat an entire meal, do complete loads of laundry and prepare a baby bottle, all with only one arm free.

No one tells you this, but baby's have superhuman hearing. I kid you not. If you so much as tap your ring finger on the wall on your way out, that sound asleep baby is wide awake and screaming! As a new mom, you will develop ninja like skills for escaping out of the nursery unheard after the 3rd middle of the night crib visit.

Your house has a strange, outer dimensional type of abyss that sucks in various parts of toys. You could hunt for missing pieces until you're 80 and you will never find them. Some speculate that the couch eats these poor unfortunate toys. This is the leading theory.

Your husband thinks you have god-like abilities. He may have never shown it before, but when you can simply look at the baby and fix what ever is wrong, your husband will look at you like you are the most amazing women he's ever know. You are :)

Once your baby begins to crawl, they are NEVER quiet. Don't kid yourself. Don't think, 'oh she's just playing with her toys peacefully.' Bullshit. She is hidden beside the couch, taking apart the remote control that she swiped off the couch using her stealthy baby moves. They are NEVER quiet without reason.

Lilly on her 1st birthday!!! And yes, this was taken right after I had to stop her from going into that diaper pail behind her....never quiet!

Now, you also learn that no matter how bad a night goes, that first thing in the morning smile is the best thing you have ever seen.

You realize that you will go to any length, even making a complete ass of yourself, to make that baby laugh because it is the greatest sound in the world.

You'll wonder about how many kisses you plant on her in one day alone. You can't even help it. Don't try keeping track, it's impossible.

You will honestly believe there is not a baby in the world more beautiful than yours. I'm sure your little one is adorable, but mine is cuter. Sorry.

Even the smallest things are HUGE milestones to you. The first time she smiles, holds your finger, holds her head up, sleeps in her crib all night, grabs a toy, sits up alone, eats solid foods, crawls, waves, stands up, blows kisses, GIVES kisses (big one!), says 'Hi Daa' or 'Mumma', etc, etc, etc. Each one feels like the greatest day and it only gets better from here.

Lastly, you learn that time goes by so quickly. One minute you are pacing your bedroom with braxton hicks waiting for this little miracle to join you, and the next thing you know you are putting together goodie bags for her 1st birthday party. Try to just take in as much of it as you can.

Ok. Now I'll just wipe away this little tear and focus on how much fun tomorrow will be! Chocolate covered face pictures will be posted!

Ideally, babies would just stay precious and little forever...oh,but they would be potty-trained ;)

PS. Feel free to post some of the funnier lessons you've learned in your role as Super Mama. I'd love to hear them!
Follow @CrysWiltshire

Leadership, wisdom and courage. How Jack Layton inspires me.

Stop right there. Before you read further, get comfortable. This has taken me over a week to finish and it’s a tad lengthy. I’d say I’m sorry, but I’d be lying. In light of everything I felt inspired to write this, no matter how long it wound up being. When writing about a personal hero, it has to come from the heart and this does just that.

I have had a strong interest in politics from an unnerving age. I was always one of those abnormal children who actually loved watching the news. I don’t think I really got a grasp on it however, until I was much older. I can remember being 16 and begging my mom to let me put an NDP sign on the front lawn…and so it began.

I got involved with the Simcoe North NDP in a roundabout way. I had taken a few years off from any political involvement, and found myself longing to get back in at the start of the 2008 Federal Election. I was really questioning how I felt on a few key topics, so I was making my way to a few different events for each party, asking questions and gaining a better understanding. I walked into the NDP nomination meeting to just talk about a few things…and walked out a campaign volunteer.

We ran a strong campaign and I met a lot of really great people. I knew I was hooked again and wanted to make a bigger contribution. I mentioned I would maybe want to consider a position on the Board of Executives for the riding….so they made me Federal President. No big deal.

I know, I know, it was a HUGE step up. I was terrified worried overwhelmed excited by the opportunity ahead of me! Truth be told, I know the reasoning. I am a young, energetic female who is passionate about many topics and learns quickly. I’m the type of ‘fresh blood’ that riding associations really look to plant seeds with. The first order of business was to ship me off to Federal Convention. I was going down east for a family visit anyways, so the 2009 Halifax Convention was a perfect fit. If you’re involved with politics at all, make a point to try and attend at least one convention. It is a truly amazing experience.

Naturally, the highlight of convention was meeting Jack. My hubby and I had purchased tickets to one of the dinners, where I knew I would have the opportunity to get in a few words with the party leader. Walking up to say hi felt kind of like how it might when you meet a rock star, because really, especially when you’re in the middle of convention, that’s basically what Jack is. He’s our rock star.

He greets everyone with an incredibly warm smile, a firm handshake, and a direct look that tells you he is really intent on hearing what you have to say. I started off by telling him who I was, that I was there as a Youth Delegate (just barely) but yet I was still one of his newest Federal Presidents. I definitely admitted that I was a little nervous about taking on the roll and concerned about doing a good job. He very quickly assured me that all the resources are there for me to succeed and that the National Office is always there if anything is ever needed. He handed me his business card and told me not to hesitate at all if I felt I needed anything.

Jack and I in Halifax, August 2009

We carried on a great 10 minute conversation about about running a campaign using social media and new technologies. We also talked about why I believe in the NDP and how the party is fully engaging a younger demographic and making them feel motivated. I'm sure I rambled on about how I am a green freak (and embarrassingly showed him my recycling tattoo on my wrist), but that I am also a wife of a unionized worker and would one day raise a family. I mentioned that I care about the environment,but I also care about education, equality for women, health care and economic stability for ALL classes of society, among so much more. I know I can talk a lot (the post is case in point) but not once did I feel like he was rushing me along. He really took the time for me and it showed. It was truly an awesome experience for me.

Over the past two years I, like many other NDPers, have interacted with Jack through emails and town hall phone calls. In spite of everything he has had going on personally over the last few years, he has taken the time to ensure that members of his party, as well as the rest of the country,know that he is hear to listen to what they have to say. He displays an incredible amount of courage as he continues to fight for what he feels Canadians deserve. This level of determination and perseverance is an asset in a politician, and has even more added value in one as passionate and down to earth as Jack. 

It is because of these qualities that I look up to Jack Layton as the type of politician I aspire to be. Ideally speaking, all politicians would be this inspiring.

Follow @CrysWiltshire

Today I got pissed on. I only wish I was speaking metaphorically.

I have a beautiful daughter. The type of adorable little angel that waves at people, smiles her nearly toothy grin to make people laugh and loves to cuddle. She gives big sloppy kisses to her father and I (and the talking hippo app on my iPhone…) and is genuinely a terrific, chilled out little sweetheart.

Today, that little sweetheart, pissed all over me.

Now I would love to proclaim that this is the first time I have endured baby pee, but let’s be honest, she’ll be one this week. If I had made it this long without being peed on, I’m sure I’d be hailed as a messiah among mothers everywhere. However, I haven’t been peed on since she was about 3 months old! Even when it did happen, it was while I had her on the change table, when I first took off the diaper. Totally acceptable.

Today was a different story. I was all out of diapers in her room, so our live-in Manny (my darling little bro who’s staying with us) ran downstairs to grab some. Lilly, being the great little mobile monkey that she is, decided she would take this opportunity to stand up on her change table and hug Mama. She even did the whole lock her arms around my neck and lay her head down. I thought it was pretty sweet.

Then I hear a little sound, like a small stream of water, and I’m thinking, “What…The Hell…Is THAT?” She had literally waited until she was standing up against me to pee all over the place. I’m talking down my front, onto the floor, all over her and the change table. A friggin mess.

The best part? She looks down at her foot, then gives me this look. Like it’s MY fault her foot is wet! Then she starts fussing, because apparently she doesn’t like the way her foot feels. Well no shit kid! You peed on it!!

So naturally I holler at my other half, who is laughing and telling Lilly good work for ‘peeing on MumMum!’ and tell him to do something useful like run some water in the tub so we can get cleaned up.  He was still snickering as he walked away. That’s fine. Karma’s a bitch. Maybe she’ll crap on him J

So where do I go from here? No where. This is part of baby making, as disgusting as it may get. There are 100 other things she does each day that simply rock my world.

Maybe we’ll get lucky, evolution will kick in and humans will be born fully potty-trained! Now wouldn’t that be just be ideal!

Follow @CrysWiltshire