Cast of Characters

Currently on board:

Emma – my daughter, youngest of three. Born summer of 1993. Smart, tall, kind, slim, beautiful, musical, and excellent with children. She’s nice to her mother, too. Now attending university, studying nursing.

Daisy – born June, 2013. She’s a baby made of circles: round tummy, round cheeks, round eyes, all in the smallest package I’ve seen in a long while. At 16 months, she looks about 10 — but perfectly healthy!! Just small. Dark brown eyes. Daisy is Personality Plus. She has a ready, infectious laugh, and, occasionally, a screech of outrage. She’s helpful, affectionate, and beginning to be empathetic. She’s quirky, she’s fun, she’s so positive. (She’s Poppy’s little sister.)

Zoe – born August, 2013. A cautious and delicate little flower, slim, blue-eyed blond Zoe took a long while to settle in to daycare, and remains the one most readily upset by mishaps.  We are working on resilience for this one! But when she’s feeling secure, she has a lovely smile and a lovely baby chortle, and I aim to see more of these!

Liam – born April, 2013. Such a happy, easy-going, friendly little guy, built on the solid plan. Not chubby, just solid. Liam’s blond curls, twinkling blue eyes, broad grin and drool-wet chin are his signature. He loves the other children, he loves the dogs, he loves his food. He’s not so fond of naps, but he’s coming around! He’s a sweetie.

Gwynn – born August, 2012. Daniel’s little sister, and like her brother, a strong, sturdy blue-eyed blond. Gwynn is a lovely little girl. A chatterbox, full of happy verbosity, energetic, positive, helpful. I love having her around, and she loves being The Big Girl.

 

Previous children:

Anna – born autumn, 2005. Blue eyes, infectious grin, and ever-ready chortle make this girl very appealing, but it’s her husky-dusky baby Bacall voice that blows the top off the cute-meter for this tot.

Darcy – born … um… I forget! If I were allowed to have favourites, Darcy … but I’m not. Oh, well. The strong, solid type, Darcy has a brilliant mind, (if a bit hockey-fixated), a gentle demeanor, and a killer sense of humour. Miss him to bits.

Daniel: – born spring, 2010. Built on the square plan, Daniel is a cuddler like no other, a blond and blue-eyed smiler, and now a proud big brother to his adorable baby sister.

Emily – born late summer, 2005, sister to Tyler. Big cheeks and dark, dark chocolate eyes. Lightning-bright smile, easy-going nature, charming and friendly. She’s a pleasure to have around the house, this wee pixie-girl.

Grace – born spring, 2009. A wide-eyed watcher, Grace is calm and curious, but don’t mistake her quiet demeanor for lack of resolve. This girl is no pushover. If she’s three beats behind the band a lot of the time, we’ll assume it’s because that little mind is busy thinking Deep Thoughts.

Jazz – born winter, 2009. A tiny, fine-boned, harum-scarum bundle of energy, Jasmine’s (aka Jazz) kind and open heart keeps her Very Firm Opinions from sending her over to the Dark Side. Usually.

Malli – born summer, 2004. A little imp disguised as a blond-haired, brown-eyed angel, this cherub knows that if her glib tongue can’t talk her way out of one of her many predicaments, her angelic smile will often do the trick. Though not so much with Mary, darn it!

Nigel – born winter, 2005. Wide blue eyes and unruly blond almost-curls, and a trusting disposition. The only thing that prevents him from being almost too sweet is his mischievous sense of humour. He knows where all the others’ buttons are, and loves to push them – but only for a laugh!

Nissa – born spring, 2008. Petit and sparkling hazel-eyed charmer. She’d be a speed demon if she were less tottery — and I’m sure that’s in our future. Currently she satisfies her need for chaos by hiding shoes. Or hiding rocks in shoes.

Noah – born summer, 2007. A solemn, easy-going little dude who loves to talk — we’re up to three-word sentences now!! — loves his book-and-snuggle, and loves Emily’s hugs.

Poppy: – born spring, 2010. Round, calm, sunny, with a vibrantly, decisive positivity to her … except when another child is crying, and then it’s insta-tears. She’s an empathy cry-er like none I’ve ever seen. She makes up for that by blowing kisses to all and sundry when she’s happy. Blue-eyed blond with the perfect Gerber baby face. Adorable.

Rory – born spring, 2009. Quickly growing into a tall, lean lad, this little red-head is easy-going, cheerful, and interested in everything.

Rosie – born late summer 2011. Rory’s little sister, they share the same red hair, quizzical expression and goofball sense of humour, but where Rory leans to the anxious, Rosie is fearless. A fine-boned little sprite, she has a ton of positive energy.

Tank – Born summer, 2007. The name says it all… if, that is, tanks had wide grey eyes and a hearty grin. Oh, and if they could climb like monkeys.

Thomas – born summer, 2002. Slim, lightning-quick, and a true comedian, Thomas is master of the comic pause, intentionally and unintentionally. He has a slight tendency to anxiety, but a joke or a session on the mini-tramp is usually all it takes to bring the impish sparkle back into his brown eyes.

Timmy – born summer, 2005. With his sparkling blue eyes, ears like sails, and tremendously expressive face, this active little guy has the same endearing appeal of the youngest of Disney’s seven dwarves. Only smarter. Much, much smarter.

Tyler – born fall, 2007, brother to Emily. This boy has the roundest blue eyes I have ever seen, and a cheerful, relaxed disposition.