Work out of home – Marketing & Communications Director for all of Alberta’s Ronald McDonald Houses
# of Kids? Ages?
1 Beautiful 16 Month Old Daughter
What movie makes you cry?
Life As a House, Homeward Bound, Toy Story 3 (all three — like tsunami of tear)
Tell us about a mom/dad who inspires you?
My mom – I cannot imagine how much energy she exerted when she was raising myself and my brothers. She was (and is) endlessly creative, allowed us to RUN FREE (she didn’t even bother putting furniture in our living room for five years – we just played in there instead.) But she also has strong morals – and a very strong sense of helping others.
What’s the fondest memory you have of your life as a mom/dad so far? The biggest challenge?
I’m going to cry typing this but – holding my daughter as soon as the c-section was over. I cried, I whimpered, I couldn’t believe that she was in my arms after a very long pregnancy journey. It was completely overwhelming and even now the pure emotion of it can stop me in my tracks.
The other memories always involve how much I love to hear her laugh and chatter. And the way she can give hugs – I can picture a few of those very special moments an done of my greatest wishes is that I will be able to picture them for many, many years. Coming to get her when she wakes up in the morning or at nap time – her cheesy grin plastered across that precious face – and thinking to myself “I cannot believe she is mine”.
The biggest challenge has been coming to terms with the vulnerability it takes to be a parent. Your heart and soul is now out in the world and you cannot protect them (nor do you want to all the time) but the pressure that puts on my own heart and my own anxieties can be really challenging.
Would you rather be able to see 10 minutes into your own future or 10 minutes into the future of anyone but yourself? Why?
10 minutes into my own future — I own my own future, not anyone else’s and I don’t think that I would want to take that from anyone – getting to see before they do. I would almost be nervous to looking into my own future. Now – ten minutes into my own past – I would love that to be able to reflect on some situations where I could have handled things differently. (What a boring answer — but it’s truthful!)
You and your oldest child switch bodies for an hour. What do they do? What do you do?
This would be fun – since our daughter is only 16 months. I would do bathtime to try and figure out why she all of a sudden hates it. I would cuddle with ‘dada’ just to get a glimpse into the adoring way she looks at her father. Or maybe I would just take a nap!
My dear daughter would probably spend the whole time reading grown up books. She might also want to try driving – I’m pretty sure she would try driving.