Canada Day

Those who can do math will already know that today was not Gwen's first Canada Day. However, after spending most of the day endeavouring with maddening futility to remember what we did last Canada Day, I am declaring this the first Canada Day that Gwen actually celebrated/participated in/enjoyed. (My blog, although it usually serves as an external brain in these cases, was no help: all I posted last year was a diatribe about people who criticize other people's parenting. Even my Google Calendar let me down, with the only event noted there being "EI Payment". Hey, what can I say - non-working parents have differing priorities.)

Anyway, today was a terrific day. After Gwen's nap, we went outside and enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine. We had filled Gwen's inflatable pool and I guess it looked pretty inviting, because she walked right into it - fully clothed. Her pool has this attachment you can plug a hose into and then water will spray out into the pool: I turned that on, and she thought it was just the living end. She had a blast. She played in there for a good 20 minutes. For Gwen to stay in a 3-foot radius for 20 minutes is quite remarkable. She got out and got dried off, but a few minutes later she decided to take another dip.

At some point during the into-the-pool, out-of-the-pool game I decided to take her sandals off, and when she got back out of the pool she spent some time walking around our yard in bare feet. That's the first time she's done that: just one month ago, I wrote that she didn't like walking around our yard at all. It is sort of a big deal to me, too, since my memories of summer don't often include shoes. I think when I was in elementary school I probably didn't wear shoes at any time between June and September, and only grudgingly during the two months on either side of that. So it makes me happy to see my girl walking around barefoot too.

I noticed that Gwen's cherry tree - I call it "her tree" because it bloomed for the first time on the day she was born - had actually produced some cherries. This, too, is notable, because it's the first time that's happened as well! Chris picked a few for her, and I got the pits out and fed them to her. She was delighted, with juice running down her chin and hands gesturing for "more".

I also had the pleasure of giving Gwen home-baked bread today. Baking my own bread is just one of those things that makes me feel good, even if it is with the use of a breadmaker and not exactly the way the pioneers used to do it. I'm pretty sure this is the first time since Gwen was born that I've managed to make bread. As with all things food, she enjoyed it heartily.

It was a great, relaxing day with a lot of special little first moments. At some point during the pool frolicing I thought, "I should get the camera," but then I dismissed the thought, choosing instead to just hang out with my daughter and enjoy the moment, rather than attempt to record it. So instead of photos, you have a wordygirl's recollections of the day.

Here's hoping your Canada Day was just as enjoyable.