It’s been a fortnight of firsts here at Titchy Towers. Above you can see our first proper day on the beach. The big news is though (drumroll) Theo can walk…hooray! He’s hugely proud of himself…and now I have two toddlers to run around after…great.
I have also plucked up all my courage and achieved another first – my first Canadian haircut. In a gross display of xenophobia I was overly nervous of doing this, fearful that I would end up with that hairdressing horror of horrors…a mullet. My fear wasn’t helped by our Canadian friend Verena’s sage advice to choose a hairdresser in Vancouver very carefully. She once took up an attractive sounding 40% off deal on Groupon and visited a new hairdresser only for him to cut the top and sides but flatly refuse to touch the back, saying that it was the only style that would suit her face shape. Perhaps as they were offering 40% off he only wanted to cut 60% of her hair. I opted for a bob – hoping that would be the polar opposite of the aforementioned mullet and a salon round the corner from us who had earlier in the week helped me out in my hour of need. On Sunday Neil had had a go at Casper’s hair with the kitchen scissors, this time it was less bowl-cut more fight with a lawnmower so first thing Monday morning I was outside the hairdressers waiting for it to open. She came to my rescue and sorted it out asking me to tell Neil that if he wanted to have another go to leave the hair a bit longer so it would be easier for her to save next time. Luckily they came up with the goods again and I am happily mullet free.
The other day, on the advice of a friend and as another attempt to embrace all things Canadian I tried Maple Syrup flavoured baked beans. Well I say advice, she tried them and said they were vile so I felt strangely compelled to give them a go myself…funnily enough, they were foul. Jelly beans in tomato sauce would have been more savoury, the smell alone could rot your teeth. Perhaps I’ll soon get a taste for it, but I doubt it. Even Casper rejected the beans (Theo didn’t – but then this is a boy who eats tampons so I don’t think we can rely on his discerning palate).
I would also like to use this opportunity to leave a note for my boys in the future, perhaps for their weddings, civil partnerships, 18th Birthday, Nobel Prize/Oscar speeches etc… Boys, Friday 2nd March 2012 will always be known to me as Poomageddon. This was the day when whilst Casper was sitting on the potty Theo decided to spectacularly overcome a three day bout of constipation, though not without help. Whilst I was sitting on the floor holding Theo’s legs apart offering the encouraging words…”you can do it” “come on, good boy” and, most delightfully “go on keep going or it’ll go back in” (future Theo please note that this is by no means the first time I have done this) Casper got bored and stood up at the vital moment and laid a sausage on the floor. Thanks Boys. Whilst we’re on the subject, Casper is very much enjoying the freedom of not wearing a nappy – perhaps too much – he spends most of his time “double commando”…no pants or trousers. We had a heated debate yesterday when got into the pushchair and wanted to go to the beach stark naked. This body confidence though has this morning offered a rare opportunity for Theo to get his own back for all toy snatching and pushing and shoving he has until now received with relatively good grace from his big brother. Casper was (literally) hanging out watching Thomas the Tank Engine when Theo snuck under the dining table he was sitting at and pulled his part/willy/tallywhacker/pocket rocket/thingy/dingdong (whatever they call it)…payback!
There you go boys, a few things to embarrass each other with in the future and don’t worry there’s PLENTY more where that came from. Apologies to everyone else for the gutter talk, I will attempt to be more cerebral in the future, though to be honest the previous paragraph pretty much sums up my life at the moment!
Looks like I’ll be buying more loo roll then.
Titchy Jo 