Ah dudes, I miss blogging so much.

I miss feeling like I had time to blog. Even my novel writing is kind of on hiatus. And I haven’t even got around to letting my subscribers know if I have a plan for when the hiatus is over (I don’t).

But overall life is going so well. Ethan is SO much happier now that he’s out of daycare. The difference is like night and day. People in my family have commented on it, we’ve noticed at home. This is not to say that he doesn’t get into fights bunches still, and occasionally overreacts (stomping off, door slamming and swearing because Ian wouldn’t give him a second tuck-in an hour after bedtime), but he’s less likely to have outbursts and when he does they’re shorter lived and he’s better able to calm himself down.

Really, it’s not about having him under control. He is still Ethan. But these days he’s just… Happier. He converses more with us, when he’s playing video games he seems less sunk into a daze. And while the amount of time spent on video games will probably always be an issue around here, when he’s not playing, he’s more likely to play with Rachel, more likely to get along with her, and more likely to be playing at something that uses his imagination. He seems like he’s more interested in life and has more coping resources.

These days, when I listen to him spinning these elaborate stories to entertain himself and Rachel, he reminds me of me when I was about his age and always playing with kids two to six years younger than me. Because they were enthralled with my stories and would let me push them around through my intricate plots.

Other than that, work has been kind of slow, but overall I’m feeling good. I don’t have a lot of projects on my plate, and maybe I kind of prefer a busier plate. But I’m making good headway on the projects I have.

We’ve started spring rehearsals for the summer belly dance performance. That is both exciting and nerve-wracking. Oh man I will never be a natural performer. And last year I could practice every day because I was at home. But this year I’m working full time and somehow that takes a whole lot more than just eight hours out of my day.

And I bought a costume while I was in Toronto. I don’t know if I’ll get to wear this costume because we still don’t know what piece we’ll be doing and what costume will be required, but it’s beautiful, and there will be opportunities to wear it pretty much any time I’m performing where there’s a freedance.

I have a lot to say on the topic of belly dance costume buying – but for now I will sum up by saying that this purchase, being authentically egyptianly hand-sewn, is a bit of a project. It needs a little reshaping to perfectly fit my body. And there are a couple of stones missing (just completed a week-long internet search for the right size and colour and shape of vintage swarovski crystals and am now waiting on the mail to bring them), and some of the beadwork is coming loose or has come unpicked. So now I need to source matching beads. Which, you will not believe this, are not available at any craft or bead store in Saskatoon.

But it’s so beautiful and so worth it. When I get it to the point where I can wear it, I will maybe take some pictures.

Possibly one of the reasons I haven’t written is because, although stressed and busy, I feel like life is pretty nice right now. So I’m going to close with this list of things that have been so delicious for me lately.

Elliott Brood
Birthday Party Planning
Swarovski Crystals and anything else sparkly-sparkly
Tegan and Sara
Sundress and flip-flops weather
BARGAINS! COMPLETE AWESOME OUTFITS FOR LESS THAN $15!!!
Ian asking me why I have to yell every time I get a bargain.
Babies. My own and other people’s very beautiful and really sweet and not yet born ones.
Dancing and Drumming and Costuming
Sweet Chili Heat Doritos
Chewy Ginger Candies
Rain that will someday be here like OMG so soon it will rain and then it will be really summer!