Moments like these make me glad my phone has a camera.

Q explored this old cassette player in a friend’s store for ages! There was even a cassette inside! It didn’t take long for Q to figure out which was the eject button.

I discovered this flower blooming in my garden on December 4.  In Toronto, Canada.  I didn’t even know it was there (and I sure never planted it!)

I cut all the blooms off before the snow came a few days later.  It is December 13 and the cut bloom still looks great!

december flower

Alright, so today, I had to take Q to get new passport photos taken.  I had a window of 2 hours within which to get the pics taken and get them to the passport office.  Sounds like a lot of time?  Did I mention Q is a year old?  Yup.

Rewind: When I got his original pics taken, they forgot to charge me, but of course I was honest and told them.  Fatal flaw?  Perhaps.  Nonetheless, it cost me about the same amount for the pics as the passport.

Lucky for me, the photos were guaranteed, so I didn’t have to pay twice, being that the originals were rejected.  But, get this: I went to pick up the new photos and they credited my card for the amount I had paid last time.  That’s it.  I got them for free!  Not only that, but I ended up with 2 poses and the original (because they realized that it was too cute for me not to have).

Unfortunately, because of a variety of technical difficulties, it took 1.5 hours to process the new photos.    1.5 hours of my precious 2!  I got them at 11:27 a.m. and the passport office closed at noon.  I had exactly 33 minutes to get from the photo place to the passport office (in a neighbouring city).  Not likely.

As it turns out, I was at the passport office at 11:41 and out of there by 11:52 (photos accepted).  I question how that is  humanly possible.  I didn’t even need the toys that I remembered to pack this time!

Time must be an illusion.

This afternoon I had to go to the Passport office to get my one year old (Q) a passport.  Now, he doesn’t actually need one, but I’m doing it anyway – mostly because I had thought he needed one and had already gotten the photos done.

So, he and I set off in the late afternoon.  Late afternoon on a Friday.  To the passport office.  An hour before it closed.  Good timing, mommy!  Talk about a recipe for disaster.

Once there, we waited for close to an hour (which is an eternity in the life of a toddler).   He got restless really fast.  Lucky for me, I had a stray bottle cap (he hasn’t even used a bottle in about 6 months) and the lid to a Tupperware.  Insisting the cap was a “ball,” he threw it clear across the room. Way to think ahead, mommy! 
Add ingredient to recipe for disaster.  Shake.

Finally, our number was called and I was saved by a nice man named John (so I thought).  At the moment I reached the counter, Q decided that he’s had enough of the stroller and started screeching (that his new thing; we’re so proud).  Panicking, I took him out and held him. 
Add ingredient to recipe for disaster. Shake.

After about 5 minutes of distraction, John informed me that Q’s picture has been rejected because it appears that he is “glowing.” How angelic.  I have to get new ones and go back.  Then, John added “you can just bring the pictures when you come back.  You don’t need to bring him.”  Ouch.  Burn.

Repeat tomorrow.