Half Way!

I'm half way done my time at this job! Wow! I honestly feel like I just got started! Five more months to go! 

At this half way point, I feel like I have already learned so much! I thought raising kids was pretty simple! I mean, I spent a lot of time helping take care for my siblings as I was growing up. It wasn't easy, but nothing I couldn't handle....well, I've realised that its not as simple as I thought! Raising kids can be really frustrating at times!

A sword fight is happening, no matter how tired you are!

It is also super rewarding though! I feel so privileged to be a part of these boy's lives, and their integration into Canadian culture! 

Home made Popsicles

Best three year old cookie baker!

 Volunteering at the Toronto Wildlife Centre is also going very well! During my shift in the nursery, there are four other women who I work with, and they are awesome! We are a very good team! We got told by our supervisor that we are one of the best teams she has ever had to work with! I look forward to every Saturday morning! It is so much fun! 

(Note: Taking pictures of the patients at TWC is not allowed, that is why there are no pics! Sorry!)

My Rouge shift is also going very well! All the baby raccoons, and skunks are starting to take over! Oh! And all those squirrels I spent the spring syringe feeding! I can't say enough about how incredibly awesome being a part of the rehabilitation process is!

Taking a little selfie break outside of some rouge park enclosures. 

 I also started taking Jiu Jitsu classes about three weeks ago! Honestly, I love it! Jiu Jitsu is really my thing, and (I think) I'm pretty good at it! I felt, since I do a lot of solo travelling, that having some self defence knowledge was in my best interest. I strongly encourage women who can, to take classes like this! They really boost self confidence! (Plus are really fun!)

I didn't think I would get to see the glory of nature in Toronto, but I was wrong! Here are some cool pics of nature I've captured over the last few months!

Rouge park

Backyard

Garden

The bluffs

Lake Ontario

Road side

We have also had lots of storms lately! Including a Tornado warning!

I did go through a rough period for a while here, where I really wanted to quit! This job was harder then I thought it was going to be, and I really hated the city! Now though, I'm actually starting to really enjoy myself! 

Of course, if I had to choose between living in the country or the city my entire life I would choose the country. However (since I'm here) I may as well really take hold of all the benefits living in the city has to offer! Since adopting this perspective, I have grown to enjoy life here a lot more! I think it is helping that the language barrier is slipping away, and the boys are starting to respect me more as well; But I think my perspective changing has also helped me enjoy myself a lot more! 

And Jiu Jitsu! I'm kind of sad I only have five months left now! I wish I could just teleport the classes wherever I go!

Family came down two weeks ago for the weekend! Was great to see them!

Anyhow, sorry for the rather long post, and sorry I have a bit of a gap between posts as well! My life has just been really hard to keep together lately! Here is a phrase of thought to end on....

Found it on a trail!

OMG! I finally understand my Parents!

As I sit outside under a lilac tree, with a cold glass of pomegranate juice, with no little children running around..... I am beginning to understand why my parents sometimes wanted a break from us kids!

Actually, now I understand so much more about them that I never did before!

For example, I never understood why Mom sent us all to our rooms when she got super mad! Now I do! Sometimes you just need the little ones out of your sight, so you can breath!

I also could never understand why she was, so happy when the house was clean! After making the house spotless this week, I actually felt immense joy! It was just so satisfying! I never liked house cleaning before, but honestly, its starting to become some what therapeutic!

And then I always thought my mom was going insane! I have recently learned that this basically comes with being a parent! I mean how are you supposed to keep yourself fully together, when you are trying to keep the lives of several little children, your house, responsibilities, and your finances together?! Its pretty normally to go slightly insane! (And I'm only getting a taste of parent hood right now!)

Honestly, I have so much respect for both my parents! This job has been very eye opening for me. I realise now that my parents are human. I always thought as a child (for some reason) that their only calling in life was to look after me. I never understood that they could have dreams, feel hurt, feel defeated, feel like they weren't good enough. Now that I understand that my parents probably felt like this, I have so much gratitude for them sticking it out, and putting effort into providing a good life for my siblings and I.

So to all the parents out there who feel defeated, feel like their children will never understand the struggle they are going through to raise them, have no fear! I finally understand my parents, and I'm sure someday your kids will feel indebted to you as well!

And some exciting news! (Speaking of my parents) My mother got accepted to university! I am honestly so proud and excited for her! This is something I can tell she has wanted to do her whole life, and I'm glad that she has finally got the opportunity to do it! So, starting September, guess who is going to be only a short bus ride away from me?

I wonder if her choice of university was intentional?!

Week Off! Yeah!

I finally got a week off! I had requested this week before I started my job as a nanny, and boy did I sure have an amazing time!

First, I took a bus from Toronto to Napanee. There, Sue from Sandy Pines Wildlife Center met me at the bus stop! It was so great to see her again, the staff, and the horses! Sue even bought me a welcome back cake, which was SO delicious! The horses were very happy to see me again! Phelix, even let me get on his back!  I had such a great time between bottle feeding raccoons, and working with the horses; I wish I had arranged to stay longer! Sue said though, that I am welcome back anytime!

Selfie with Phelix

When I was an intern here last summer, this pond was all dried up! Now it is overflowing!

I got to see how some of our baby turtles have progressed from last year! Soon they will be returning to the wild!

I then met up with one of the interns from last year in Kingston! We had sushi together, and talked about the good old times! She is honestly one of the sweetest people ever! She waited the whole time with me till the train arrived. I took a train (for the first time alone!) to Ottawa! I was seated beside this older lady, and we talked together the whole way there! She had a really sad story about how her husband died in the car on their way home from watching La La Land. Now every time I hear about this film, I will be thinking of that!

I then met up with a friend of mine, who I met five years ago in the hospital, and we spent the night in Ottawa's jail hostel!

It was way more authentic then I thought it was going to be!

My mom laughed when she saw this picture, telling me that I looked good in jail!

Staying here was extra special, because my Dad and Godmother both stayed in this hostel for a few nights when they were young adults!

During the night, my friend and I explored down town Ottawa!

Running through the streets just so we could get to the frozen ice cream store before it closed!

Then later the next day, I met up with friends from back home, and family, to stand for my 6th or 7th time in a row, at Parliament hill. The March for Life 2017(pro-life protest) I know a lot of my friends are pro choice. (I was actually scanning the pro-choice side to see if I could find any of them! lol)  I am pretty open about many issues, but this one I just can't be! I'll leave it at that!

Unfortunately, the speaker system never seems to work, so we never end up hearing the motivational talks! Good time to catch up on sleep!

The Killaloe for Life crew 2017!

Tired from the March, and waiting for our bus to arrive.

After the march I went home to Killaloe! I was home very briefly this time! I took the time I did have though, and spent it with my mother to celebrate mother's day a little bit early! We went to this really delicious polish restaurant (The Wilno Tavern) and had a great time! I never understood, up until now, how difficult it is to be a mother! As a nanny I am beginning to understand just why Mom was....the way she was! I appreciate what she has done for me, even more now!

My incredible mother!

Anyhow, I'm back in Toronto again! The rain has finally stopped, and it is nice and sunny! Things at the Toronto Wildlife Center have gone full baby mode, just like Sandy Pines! I don't think there was a moment at my shift yesterday where I didn't have a baby squirrel in my hands! Still loving the weekend job! 

Happy Mother's Day to all you incredible mothers out there! Rock on!

Day in the Life of a Nanny!

People lately, have been asking what I do as a nanny, so I thought I'd give you a little break down on a day in the life of ME! I'm going to let you in on all the chaos....and fun!

7am: I like to run in the morning, so this is the latest I can go about doing that! Some days it happens! Other days, depending on the weather, or how I feel, I do a small workout in my bedroom instead.

7:45am: I am dressed, taking one last deep breath, enjoying the calm and peaceful atmosphere of my bedroom, before I enter the storm!

7:45 - 8:30am: A frenzy of washing last night's dishes, getting the boys to eat breakfast, feeding the dogs (myself), getting the boys dressed, and off to school!

Then from 8:30am-3:30pm this little guy and myself get to hang out!

 This little guy has a very low attention span, and is really good at getting into trouble, so finding activities to do was very challenging! Now though, I've got a little list of things that involve learning and playing that keep him occupied for awhile!

To start our morning together, I usually play an ABC song on my phone for him to watch, while I clean and tidy their bedroom.

I then try to get him playing with some of his toys for about 1/2hour. I play with him, or he loses interest. I try to show him how to build things with play mobile, Lego, and blocks. He is much more interested in destroying the finished product though!

Then we go into art! I have to mix up the activities! One painting will be with the paintbrush, the next his fingers, then a part of cut up fruit to stamp onto the page. Sometimes I let him paint my hand, although he tends to aim a little higher at my face!

Then we do baking! Which he loves, and I love! So it is actually lots of fun! One on one is much better, because I can take his focus away from chucking the batter! I tried to do this activity with all three once, and it was a nightmare! 

After all that, it is usually warm enough outside to take Dulce for a walk! The two are perfect to walk together, because they go at relatively the same pace!

By this time it is usually lunch! He is a fussy eater, so this goes on for about an hour!

Then it is outside time! We might play games in the backyard, or go for a hike down the nearby trail. We might build forts, or explore the creek a little bit! He is very well behaved outside, so this time usually gives me a little breathier. (Until he starts climbing up the scaffolding!)

 3:30pm. The boys come home from school! The kids run wild shouting, and doing things they shouldn't! Several time outs happen, then after about an hour, they settle down!

4:00-5pm.

Then it is supervised play in the backyard!

Or I will take the eldest two for a hike, and do some Geo caching with them! Geo caching is a new thing I have started doing! It's basically a world wide treasure hunt! Toronto is full of these treasures, so I thought I would try it out! The boys really enjoy it too!

5pm: Dinner; when everyone has lost their cool (including myself) and the fussy eaters just don't want to eat! 

Then after that, I am relieved of duties! I usually go to the gym, and take a yoga class to get rid of any negative energy I have built up! Then I come home, work on my novel, catch up on social media, and sleep! (And eat way too many evening snacks, because that is what stress does to you!)

Sometimes the mother takes the youngest on an outing during the day, then I do some rapid house cleaning, and take Tank for a walk!

 Overall, I am starting to enjoy this job more and more each day! I thought I had it all together when I started this job! I mean I'm the eldest of eight, I have worked at summer camps, and been a summer nanny for other families when I was younger. I guess because of that, I had underestimated how much of a challenge this job was going to be. I am learning so much through this experience though! It is basically parenting boot camp! I feel like after this, I will have a lot more knowledge and experience necessary to be an AWESOME parent, or an even better nanny for another family!

For now through, this experience is preparing me for my next possible adventure! I am learning how to interact with children who don't understand my language, and how to teach them English, which is good, because I got asked to help out at a mission in.......

Africa! Uganda, January 2018!!

I'll let you know more details in a later post! 

Anyhow, I hope you all start to experience some warm weather like we are! Can't wait for summer!