Last weekend

I'd blog about this weekend, but there really isn't much going on except packing. Although we did have a wonderful time at a friend's place last night. Max stayed up until 11 (!) eating, playing and accidentally drinking someone's non-virgin margarita. Oops.

Last weekend, I got back from Toronto on Friday night and met Max and his temporary caregiver (our friend Renee) at home. Max totally spazzed out and was obviously excited to see me. The last time I had been away that long, Max wasn't really old enough to verbalize that he knew who I was or that he missed me (but he did, of course!). A big thanks to both Renee and Kerry for taking care of Max while we were away - you were both lifesavers!! Kerry apparently had a great time with Max - even when he got up at 4 in the morning and never really settled back down to sleep. Max even called Kerry Mama a few times until he was admonished into just calling her Yooey. Interesting.

Saturday morning, I actually had to go in to work to discuss the team project I was involved in for my course. I took Max in with me and he played with phones, exercise balls and a truck that a classmate had for her own son. I had intended to go to a Doors Open Ottawa event that day, but Max had a great nap after we got home from the office, so that settled that. But late in the afternoon, I decided that we had a car (thanks Grannie!) so we should get out and do something special. We buckled in and headed out to the Aviation Museum. As it turns out, if you show up in the final hour of opening, you get in for free. Max's attention span lasts about an hour anyway, so that worked out perfectly. Max loved all of the planes and vehicles on display. As we'd done at other museums, we also got Max dressed up, this time in pilot gear. He looked awesome, but I didn't have the camera with me (it was in San Francisco with Mom). We hung out after the museum closed on their outdoor play structure and then headed home for the evening. Good times were had by all.

Then, Sunday morning, I woke up at 5 am to a raccoon on the roof of the house. At first, I wasn't sure whether what I heard was in or out - I couldn't get any direct sight lines from the street - but eventually I spotted it while leaning way out the bedroom window. Yikes. I called around, but as it wasn't in our actual living space, I was told that hosing it down or just waiting were the only real options. I headed back to bed and then woke up with Max a couple of hours later. We went out for breakfast at Bramasole, where Auntie Laramie informed us that the restaurant was closing that day. Weird. From there, we headed out to gymnastics, where Max showed me how to hang on the rings again. Plus, we got a dose of the parachute - awesome.

Our morning wasn't even over yet: we then went to Britannia Park for the midwives' collective annual picnic for their clients over the years. It's a pretty cool event. Anyone who has used midwives in Ottawa or Carleton Place is invited to hang out at the public park, so it gives the midwives a really organic advertising campaign while at the same time allowing them to catch up with the babies they delivered (and the parents, I guess). Max's midwives were both there, so we got to say hi and talk about toddler things, recent deliveries and other stuff. Max fell asleep on the way home and then I passed out on the couch. I woke up at 3 and got some neighbours to help me get on the roof and make sure the raccoon was gone, but nobody had a tall enough ladder. I hadn't heard anything in a while, so assumed it left during the day. Eventually, Max got up at 4:30 (4 hour nap - a record!) so we laid low for the evening.

Overall, it was one of the best weekends for Max and I in a loooong time. I'll chalk it up to absence and fond hearts. Hopefully, he and Holly will have a similar reunion when I get back from BC!