Loulou's views

I've found that one of the great joys of parenthood is watching your children get lost in the world of play. As much as I love playing with my kids—I'm a very hand-on mom—I also enjoy sitting back and watching my children, as a silent observer.  I love wondering where their wild imaginations will take them, and what they'll think of next. Sometimes I'll catch my boys talking to each other, and I try hard not to laugh out loud at the things they say. Whether they're playing at the park, running around the neighbourhood, or swimming together, they are definitely on their own adventure. Often, I'll catch my five year old deep in play, with his favourite Fisher-Price Imaginext   toys. An entire part of our family room is devoted to these toys, and that's fine with me, because this child of mine plays for hours on end. He has a great way of setting up all his little people and then taking them on a wild adventure from Joker's Funhouse to the Batcave. Heli...

My children are are still young enough for me to cuddle any time I want to but they're also old enough to do a lot of things independently, like get dressed by themselves, brush their teeth, and help with household chores. (Although that last one doesn't happen as often as it should!)  Even though they're getting older every day—they are now five and seven years old—I remember their infant days as if it were yesterday. I recently watched my sister's wedding video, and I got so emotional. She was married in 2008, when my oldest son had just turned three, and my youngest was six months old. I couldn't believe how small my boys were. It brought tears to my eyes. My baby boys and their adorable smiles and laughter caught on video was so heartwarming. I'd give anything to go back in time, just for a moment. The infant days are fleeting, really. New parents go a little crazy when it come to taking pictures and recording their little ones, but you know what? It...

I'm having a moment today... a trip down memory lane, if you will. I started looking through baby pictures of my children, and it's brought a tear to my eye. I'm not sure how the years have gone by so quickly, but if I could give some advice to new moms it would be this: Cherish every second, every sleepless night, every cuddle, and every diaper change. Remember it all. Before you know it, your children will be older, and you'll wonder how the years passed so fast! It's not easy for me to part with special clothes my boys wore when they were babies, like the fire truck pj's they both wore when they were two months old, or the toys they loved the most. I keep all these special things in a big box in our basement, and I'll never give them away. One item that I (and my babies) truly loved was the Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium. If I turn on the soothing music today, it's an instant flashback to the days I'd put my babies to sleep in their crib,...