Little bum.

Do you see it? Look a little closer...

How about now? Yep, that's a plumber's butt; the cutest plumber's butt ...well, ever.

As if saying goodbye to diapers wasn't awesome enough, I now get to see Haven's adorable little bum all the time. It's like a reward for committing to potty training; the constant asking (Haven, do you need to use the potty?) and potty rinsing, the never-ending snooping to make sure she hasn't had a terrible accident in her pants... And of course, cleaning up when accidents inevitably happen. 


That little bum makes it worth it for sure.

There are many bittersweet moments in watching my kids grow up and grow out of babyhood, but diapers don't even make the long list. It's more like a light at the end of a tunnel. ...or a plumber's butt at the end of a tunnel. 


You get my meaning.

Lowest of low-tech.

Our kids have a lot of great toys. They are never lacking for things to play with or create with. They are loved and cared for and they're really fortunate they are allowed and encouraged to be themselves. 


And it's all of those things that make it so very lovely to watch them play with rocks at the beach. The lowest of low-tech toys.

Of course, a (lukewarm) hot chocolate from Habit is essential fuel for a sunny morning throwing rocks into the water. It's thirsty work, for sure.

In between taking photos and laughing, I spent a good amount of time combing through the pebbles looking for teeny, tiny pieces of beach glass. Blue, green, brown, clear; their once-sharp edges perfectly snubbed by tide after battering tide. I remember doing this for hours when I was younger. 


Simple pleasures.

Don't let these photos of gorgeous weather fool you, because later on the same day it was pouring rain and windy and ...well, awful. There are smug bragging rights to be able to say we got out as a family and enjoyed this short window of sunshine. 


My beautiful, beautiful family. Thanks for the much-needed pocketful of serenity.

P-o-t-t-y.

It's potty-training time in the Erickson house! ...and I'm not opposed to putting a potty in every room; anywhere and everywhere it may be needed.

You think you may have more luck pooping in the potty in a closet, on top of a bin of Mega Bloks, while tapping out a tune on a rainbow-coloured glockenspiel? I can dig it; your wish is my command.

Did she do it? Did it work? Naw, but aren't these photos amazing? Exactly. Next time, for sure.

Wocket chip.

Haven decided yesterday that the rocket ship Sonja made for Peter for Father's Day needed to get out for a test flight. The park seemed like the appropriate launching site.

Our entire walk was punctuated by Haven yelling, "My wocket chip!" and "Mama, my wocket CHIP!" ...a statement I ran out of ways to respond to, so resorted to "Yes! Your rocket ship!" 

And so it went, all through the park, while Sonja meandered ahead, in her own little world, only coming back when I called for her. 

(I stopped for a mini serenity break...)

"Wocket CHIP!" ...Haven chased Sonja pretty much all the way home; at least I know they're getting their exercise.

He is good at cooking pie.

One of my favourite things about Sonja's preschool is all the incredible crafts they make with the kids. I have a bin full of them and I never tire of getting more.

But the all-time best things Sonja's brought home are the questionnaires her teachers helped her fill out for Father's Day. See for yourself, and then imagine being the one to ask these questions and write down the answers. ...and imagine all the incredible answers given by each and every kid in Sonja's class. The adorableness factor is through the roof.

Happy Father's Day, Peter. I wish you could have been home for a little longer, but I'll take short-and-sweet over not-at-all any day.