Yesterday while I was changing Peter’s diaper, he asked me for a hug.  After I gave him one, he looked up at me and said, “I love you.”

That’s the first time he’s said it unprompted.  He’s repeated it when we’ve said it to him before, but never on his own.

I admit it, I cried.

(The scene: a very frustrated me is getting Peter out of his crib after he has refused to nap yet again. I start changing his diaper.)

Peter: Sleepy, sleepy.

Me: That’s right. Sleep. The thing you don’t do.

Peter: I no do!

Did you know, I could actually hear the laughter all the way from the basement.

My thoughts today can be summed up in two points:

1) Vote.

2) If you don’t vote, don’t complain about the government.

That is all.

Chris was holding Peter this morning and we were having a ‘family hug’.  Peter looks at the two of us, then promptly shoves our heads together so we have to kiss.  Multiple times.  He’s so adorable!

Got my first ever Letter to the Editor in the Globe and Mail today. Unfortunately, they cut out about half of it, so I’m not sure it makes a lot of sense now. I’d link to it, but you need to be a paid subscriber to access a lot of the online content (which is dumb, but whatever).

Anyway, here’s the original letter:

“I agree with John Tory that it is unfair that the province funds Roman Catholic schools and not those of other religions. Rather than giving money to other faith-based schools, however, I would suggest that the province should cease to fund the Roman Catholic schools. Catholic schools were funded by the province in the beginning, because what we call public schools originally gave a Protestant faith-based education. The government has rightly eliminated religious instruction and prayer in those schools, but not in the Catholic ones. There is no reason for our secular public schools to lose funding to private religious schools. Those who would like their children educated in their faith, including Catholicism, should pay for their education. If they don’t wish to do that they can send their children to a public school and get their religious instruction somewhere else.”

And here’s what they cut it to:

“I agree with John Tory that it is unfair that the province funds Roman Catholic schools and not those of other religions. Rather than giving money to other faith-based schools, however, I would suggest that the province should cease to fund Catholic schools. Those who would like their children educated in their faith, including Catholicism, should pay for their education. “

Canadian theatre is poorer today.  Sigh.

Life just got more interesting today (like it wasn’t already!) when I ran upstairs for a moment to grab something and came down to find Peter on the first step of the stairs. Yes, that’s right people, my son knows how to climb the stairs. And makes a beeline for them everytime I put him down. It’s actually very cute. He uses the first step to pull himself to a standing position, grabs the second step, then hauls each knee to the first step. Hasn’t figured out how to get any farther than that yet, but it’s enough that I have to keep a closer eye on him than usual.

The second baby gate goes up ASAP.

At this time one year ago I was lying in a hospital bed, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was now someone’s mother. A year later I still find myself doing that from time to time.

It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by already. Sometimes it’s been very long, but as I look back I realise it has gone all too quickly. My son has grown from a wee little newborn (okay, not so wee) to a child with his own distinct personality. A child who can already communicate his wants quite clearly. A child who will be walking very soon. My baby is gone and in his place is a bright, busy toddler. A toddler who gives me hugs, who loves cats, and who is already learning the game of dropping things from the high chair.

I miss my baby. But I’m excited to see where my toddler will take me.

Happy Birthday beautiful boy.

Today is a momentous day.  I have officially paid off all my student loans.  Okay, it won’t go through until the next business day, but I don’t have to do anything else.  Between that and doing that Other Thing that I won’t name because this is public but if you’re on my LJ friends list you know, I am pretty happy.

I think this calls for a celebration!

Peter needs new pajamas.  These would be good, don’t you think?