Yummy Mommy

Brodie-Bear

Well, I turned the computer on at 8 o'clock this morning; it is now 6:58 pm and I just finally had time to sit down and type! Such is the life of the mother of an 8 year old on his birth-day.

When I turned on my computer, I did have an idea of what I would write. It happens that Brodie was born at 8:05 am on April 29, 1999. So 8 years ago from the time I turned my computer on, I was at the end of the 78 hours of labour it took to bring Brodie into the world. It was worth every second. Brodie was a very skinny little guy when he was born (and that hasn't changed much). I just looked at this tiny little person and immediately felt so protective of him it was unbelievable. He was my first baby, and I had all the usual fears that first-time pregnant mothers have, including thoughts like "What if I don't bond with my baby" and "What if I don't have enough love". Well, those were out the window the split second I laid eyes on him! I think maybe I have always been a little indulgent of Brodie because of my first feelings for him (ask my dad, he will tell you I am DEFINITELY too indulgent!) He has weathered it well though, managing to grow up in to a polite and considerate boy.

People always comment on Brodie's manners when we go out in public. I remember once shopping with Brodes, and I was paying for something at the till when he walked up with some object in his hand and said "Mom, can you buy me this" and I said "Not today, bud". His reply was "Okay", and he took it back to the shelf. The person at the till looked at me in amazement like, "Thats it"? She told me she had witnessed hundreds of temper tantrums when parents refused to buy their kids something, but rarely had she seen a kid say "okay" and put the thing away. That's my Brodie. Not to say he never has his moments, but he is most often agreeable and well-behaved.

Brodie is also smart as a whip. Not much gets by him (which means I really have to watch my step). He is a real details guy, and the things he notices amaze me. He should probably be a detective or something when he grows up, because he will notice if I move a knick-knack on a shelf, or wash the kitchen floor (okay, that may not be so amazing as it happens fairly infrequently, so its probably pretty obvious!) Anyway, Brodie's powers of observation would put Batman to shame!

The thing I like best about Brodie is that he is always up for an adventure. We spend lots of time riding our bikes, playing soccer, going to the pool, going for walks, flying kites, playing catch, going on road trips, playing hockey, playing with Brodie's Playmobil toys and building spaceships out of Lego, watching movies, playing Frisbee and just generally having a good time. He is always an excellent companion whatever we are doing, and I love him more that the universe!

Brodie's alter-ego

Meredith at Who Put Me In This Minivan had a cute idea. Her camera cord is not working, so she said that her family members would now be represented by cartoon characters. It started me thinking, if I had to choose illustrated characters for my family, who would I choose? After spending the day with Brodie, I came up with the PERFECT one for him. I think it's self-explanatory:

   

We made it!!!

Yay, we survived our 'vacation'. That's what a trip out to my parent's spot kind of feels like; a really tame version of "Survivor" where the contestants stay in a beautiful toasty cabin and get to eat and drink as much as they want, and don't get voted out unless you count almost 8 year olds who get sent outside for time outs when they get too rowdy and harsh the old-folk's mellow, which has been brought on by copious amounts of deep-fried oysters, red wine and brandy. But still, there is the three hour drive on the "highway" (the two-lane curvy road frequented mainly by large semi-trailer trucks and loggers in pick-ups who drive WAY too fast to be sharing the road with moms and kids in Volkswagen Golfs stretches the definition of highway, if you ask me), then the 45 minute drive on one of the world's worst gravel roads to the little town of Zeballos, where you start the boat ride out to Nuchatlitz Island in the wind and rain (the cabin can only be accessed by an hour long boat ride). By the time you do this whole process in reverse to get home, it feels like you have really survived something, by George!

So why do it, you may wonder. Well, let me tell you, although I am not the most widely traveled person on earth, I really believe that there can't be too many places more wild or more beautiful than the West Coast of Vancouver Island. My parent's spot is particularly special because there are very few people hardy (or is it foolhardy) enough to make the trip out there, especially at this time of year, so it is very peacful. You really feel like you are getting back to nature. You can even live off the land (and sea) if you want, for example:

Here are some of our group collecting oysters from the beach right across from the cabin:

And here are those same oysters, 45 minutes later:   

Okay, so it wasn't EXACTLY living off the land, since we brought a few ingredients from home, but it gives you the feeling!

The best thing about going out there is how much fun the kids have. There are endless things to do out there, from fishing off the dock to hiking through the bushes, going for boat rides to some of the smaller islands in the area ~ some of which actually have caves which were burial places for the First Nations people of the area, the with bones still in them, to watching the resident sea otter float by the dock on his or her back. It is truly an amazing place, and we are blessed that my parents lucked in to buying the place twelve years or so ago and then built a cabin on it (I call it a cabin, but in reality it is a four-bedroom house) and that they have they have the patience to haul the grandkids and myself, and usually several friends and relations and their various offspring, out there!

I came away from the trip REALLY wanting a better camera with a zoom lens. I could have taken the most amazing scenery and wildlife pictures. Oh well, some day. I did take lots of pictures, and here are some of them.

The wonderful fireplace that makes it so cozy in the house, no matter what the weather outside ~ and we had some serious rain and wind when we were there.

Chloe in her big brother's hat.

The view out one of the windows.

The other side of the house ~ there are plans for a deck here soon.

Our bedroom window looks right out on the rainforest.

This is the view from one of the front bedrooms.

The beginning of the trail across the island ~ it was a bit of a waterfall due to all the recent rain.

My dad has handmade much of the furniture ~ this was his latest project. He made four of these side-tables with shells for handles for the bedrooms.

Brodie and Sam in the bedroom.

All of your gear gets transported out in totes to keep it dry, which can later come in handy for child discipline.

Chloe and Sam.

It really is an amazing experience to get out there!

Chris

My brother Chris is an amazing photographer. He spent a whack of cash on a camera, and then he learned how to use it. He also seems to have a natural eye (um, thanks for hogging the talent, Chris)for interesting composition and unique subjects. He lives in Taiwan and travels fairly regularly, so he also is exposed to lots of great photo opps. He has a website which isn't totally finished, but there are some amazing images. Its called exile photography . Check it out!