this is life

9 the magic number

for last night anyway... Thank you Cole, for the 9 hours last night. What a treat. I know this isn't forever and it may have only been for last night, but I tell you this, your momma is so much more patient when you give her a good night's sleep. I did almost get out of bed at 5:30 when I still didn't hear you, but in my heart I knew you needed that sleep as much as I did.

Kaftan

This sunscreen alternative was so cute I HAD to have one for Cole. It just came in the mail yesterday so we haven't had a chance to wear it outside but it is so CUTE! We love it. I found it while browsing Emily Embers blog. When I went to the Lillies of the Valley site I was so excited to find out it was a Canadian company. They were so quick with my order, I can't wait for the sun to come back out so we can go ANYWHERE and try it out! Thank you so much Lillies of the Valley! and Emily for posting about this great little find! 

Teeth

Sweet Cole, please get your teeth quickly so we may get some sleep in the night.

Month Seven

Dear Cole,
This has been a tough month. As much as I don't want you to get older, I will be happy to welcome month eight. So much has happened this month that it's hard to remember where to start. You spent most of the past month constipated. I don't remember the last "real" poop you had. (Yes we are talking poop AGAIN!) For most of the time this didn't seem to bother you, but there were days when you would not let me put you down. There were days when you were just cranky. We tried many things and in the end we did get you to poop. However, with our latest visit to the dr's office we are going to put you on yet one more medication to see if it will help you get your bowels moving. We have also spent this past month keeping a journal of how often you "spit up". I say it that way because it's not really spit up. You PUKE, and you do it often. Sometimes this seems to upset you, and sometimes it's as if nothing has happened at all. I don't mind so much when you've just eaten, and it's before I've put you down. We're usually prepared for those times, burp cloth in hand. It's when you've been playing for an hour or more and all of a sudden you get a little pain we pick you up to see what's wrong and PUKE right down the front of us, right over our shoulders, right on the floor, wherever you are pointed. I don't know what it is about this that gets me so upset. I don't think you are missing out on any nutrients or losing weight because of it. It just doesn't seem normal. We've adjusted your reflux medication one more time, and we're on a two week trial. We will see if there are any more changes to you and your mood and the amount of puke you produce in a day and if we can't get to the bottom of this we are going to see a pediatrician. It is this that makes me worry, it is this that makes me feel so badly for YOU. There have been few days in your seven short months that you have been completely content, and wanted for nothing but love. But you still seem to be happy with us, and you still seem to find the best in every day. In better news this month you have had MANY firsts: You cut your first tooth sometime around July 5th. (You also have another one coming and boy do we know it) You went for your very first swim this month, and then  you went for your second. We have had some very warm weather and we thought it was high time we got you in the water. We went for our first swim at Gail's house and the water was so refreshing, but you weren't so sure. I think it may have been a little cool for you, I think the temp was somewhere around 80. A few days later we took you to Mary Lou's pool which was a very warm 90 and felt like bath water. Not so refreshing for us (I think the pool was warmer then the air) however you LOVED it. You weren't so sure both times when I ducked you under, but I am a firm believer that my child will love swimming and I will do what I think is best to help you get there. You also started rolling yourself over, and over, and over, and over. This was fun for you, you could get around the whole room, and then all of a sudden you realized you didn't need to roll everywhere, you could pull yourself around the room on your hands and belly. Not quite hands and knees, but you ARE crawling, backwards, but still getting around. We can't leave you in the room anymore, or you back yourself up to the couch or wall, or whatever is behind you that you can't see. We also took you camping for the first time and you loved it. You loved being outside and hanging out with everyone. Meeting all the people. It was a blast having you there and we just loved that you loved it. We will take you again for sure and probably for longer next time, so we can do some swimming and some hiking. I don't think you have slept as well as you did on this trip in a very long time!
Cole, there are lots of days when I wish you would just stop growing and slow down, but I can't believe how bright you are and how interested in everything you seem to be. Life is starting to get more exciting for all of us and I know you are going to settle into your own routine soon enough. I love watching you grow and learn and I am so looking forward to the next new adventure!!! Love Momma xo

Zoe

We have a new baby in the family! So cute! Zoe belongs to my brother Alex and his girlfriend Vanessa. Congratulations guys! Take care of her. xo

Month Six

STOP.
please... stop... This momma cannot believe how much has changed in six short months. Some of the most notable things that you are doing now include: Playing with your toes, rolling over from back to front to back (you really don't love being on your belly), eating! cereal right now (but this too will change this week), using your new Jolly Jumper. You are still not happy all the time, and we really never know when your cranky mood will hit us. You can be so happy one minute and then SNAP you're angry as sin. We are learning to deal with this in stride and the angry is far less then when you're happy. It does stress me out though, as I assumed by now you would be a very happy baby. We spent some time at the Scotian Gold Family day with Nana and Grampie, Ria and Rhys. You loved the outdoors and hanging out in your stroller, but you didn't love the loud music, so we kept you at a distance from that. It is funny how you react in different situations (we are glad we decided not to take you to StanFest this year, as we don't think you would have enjoyed it). We also headed into Halifax this past month to celebrate your Cousin Rebekah's 2nd birthday. What a fun time we had with Aunt Katie, Jeff, Ryan and Rebekah! This past month you and I have been trying to have more time out of the house, and we generally have one if not two play dates a week. Momma takes you to visit our friends Robyn and Tucker almost weekly and Tucker loves spending time with you. He really can't wait until you can play WITH him. We took you to the park for the first time, and you enjoyed being in the outdoors (you really must be your fathers son). This time out is also great for me, although some days it is so hard just to get out of the house. We also try to visit with your Nana several times a week. She so loves to have you at her house. Nana hosted a coffee party in your honour this past month as well, and you were STELLAR! I cannot believe how quickly you can capture the hearts of everyone you look at. It is your eyes and your little grin, not many can resist you. Another thing we have been trying this month (unsuccessfully so far) is to get you to go to sleep on your own. It is so difficult to put you in your bed and listen to you cry. You still haven't figured out how to settle yourself down and so you get so worked up that there is no way you can fall asleep. However we will keep trying, I think it's easier for your momma to listen to your cries as she knows it will be best for everyone if you can put yourself to sleep. But sometimes it is just too much and we pick you up and lull you back to sleep in our arms. It will happen eventually though and when it does it will be so good for all of us. Cole, these last 6 months have been a whirlwind, but I can't imagine I had a life before you were born. You are such an amazing little creature, and we love every moment with you (even the crappy ones). It is so exciting to watch you grow and learn new things. I just wish it would all happen a little slower. I love you little monkey!
Love Momma
xo

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the two best dad's I know. Mine:


The hardest working man I know. He's been the best father to me, and an amazing grandfather to my son.
And Cole's:

I could not have wished for a better father for my son. He is the very BEST! I love you both.

First Food

I have been saying for a few weeks now how ready he is to start EATING. I believe he is ready, he watches everything we eat from it being on the plate until it goes in our mouths.
Recently his sleeping patterns changed. He went from bed time at 10pm to bed time at 8pm. He is only taking catnaps throughout the day, and he is hungry ALL THE TIME. He is two weeks away from turning 6 months old, and I was waiting until then. Yesterday it occurred to me we needed to make a change.
So we started him on some solids! Silly mommy got the barley cereal instead of the rice cereal. However just the same he ate with some apprehension. Basically sticking the spoon in his mouth when he wasn't paying attention. He would gag and then swallow or spit it back out. It was delicious fun!
It's been about a week now (yes I started this post last week) and Cole is loving eating. He opens, 'chews' and swallows his food. He even likes to help. What a fun thing to be introducing. I did break down and get him some rice cereal as we weren't sure if the barley was too hard on his little tummy, but he seems to like them both and we'll keep giving them to him. I can't wait to give him something 'real'!

 

Stephen: How are you feeling this morning?
Me: Like I haven't slept for a week.
...
Me: Disappointed because I can't pump and will have no milk to mix with Cole's cereal tomorrow.
...
Me: Confused because I don't know what is bothering my little guy, and don't know how to help him get into a better routine.
...
Me: Is that enough?
Stephen: Yes (smiles at me).

(I love you Stephen, you keep me grounded and put things into perspective for me always)

Month Five

Dear Cole,
Yesterday you turned FIVE months old! Holy @$%*! This month has been very FULL of new things. Your dad was away for the last week in April, as he had to go and be with your Grandpa and Great Grandma. It was a sad time for all of us, as she was really not well. He was there for 10 days and things didn't improve with Great Grandma. It was the last time he was able to see her as she passed on on May 1st. It was a shame you did not get to meet her, but she is in a better place now. Your dad was home for three days before we left again. You were so excited to spend some time with him. We spent the first 2 weeks of May in Calgary so you could finally meet your Uncle Brent, as well as Nana Barb, Auntie Sonya, Uncle Morgan and all of your cousins. There is quite a pack of them in the west. We headed out early in the morning on May 1st, your dad took us to the airport. You were great and sound asleep until security informed us that we would in fact have to take you out of the car seat! Well of course that woke you up, but it didn't seem to bother you that we were in a new place, you were happy as could be and sat quietly in your car seat until we boarded the plane. Everyone warned me about the take off and landing, and if we could to make sure I nursed you on the way up and down. Probably if the plane left on time you could have waited, but we were on a slight delay and I had to feed you before we even started to leave. You were a champ and went right back to sleep and slept for most of the plane ride. I should have listened to your Nana though and changed you before we got on the plane because you were soaking by the time I did get to change you and you didn't like it. Again, you slept on the decent of the plane and were such a good little traveler. When we arrived in Calgary we let Nana go ahead of us and meet up with your Uncle Brent and Auntie Sonya. That Sonya she didn't miss a beat when we didn't show up with Nana and Uncle Brent (even though he had figured we were coming, but wasn't sure) thought we must not have come too. So we snuck up on them and surprised him! He was more happy to see you then he was to see me but that was the plan! Our first days in Calgary were spent eating lots of yummy food and spending time with all of our family. Ayla and Hayden LOVED you! They were fascinated with how big your eyes were and how to make you smile. Ayla didn't take long to learn that if she spit at you the way your Grampy does that you would be quick to give a grin. Hayden just liked to touch your little hands and stare at you, it was the cutest thing. I can't believe how much children love little babies. Especially when they are as cute as you. The first thing we purchased for you when we arrived was a stroller, that was thanks to Nana Barb and Auntie Sonya. We searched high and low for something that was made for small babies as you still can't sit up by yourself. Nana and I had talked about an umbrella stroller and we weren't sure if we could find one that had a soft back and maybe reclined?!? Well we were in luck, we found just what we were looking for a Zellars, and dropped you in and that's where you spent many hours on our trip. It wasperfect for you, you fit in like you were made for it (the straps were rather large for you though) and when reclined you mostly slept. You defiantly got your mall time on our trip, as we went to 4 or 5 different ones and you reacted slightly different to each. There were stores you didn't mind being in, there were stores you hated. There were stores you slept through and ones you cried through. Regardless, we've decided you are a pretty good shopper, as long as you are fed and have a clean bum you will put up with almost anything. ALMOST! We took you to the Calgary tower (we had a lunch reservation) and you went right to sleep on the way there, and up the elevator, you slept the whole time we were on the Observation Deck, but as soon as we got settled and menus for lunch you started SCREAMING. You SCREAMED and SCREAMED and SCREAMED! Nana took you upstairs to change you, she hushed you, she hugged you, she loved you and sang to you. She missed our lunch arriving. I went up to give her a break and see if I could settle you. She passed you off to me and you started SCREAMING again. I tried to feed you, I hushed you, I cuddled you and you just did not want to settle. Once you were somewhat calm I came back down to finish my lunch. You fought sleep like it was your job to STAY AWAKE! You'd drift off and wake up and drift off and wake up. You were NOT happy. We came home from the Calgary tower, I fed you and you settled a bit, but you were still pretty unhappy. Then IT happened. You had the poo of all poos! (Yes I'm talking about poo on my blog... welcome to the world of motherhood) It came from nowhere and it went EVERYWHERE. You were leaking from your diaper up the back, out the sides, it was nasty. I don't know how nasty though because your SAINT of a Nana changed you. THANK YOU NANA! And after that you were happier then you had been since we arrived. We were all so sure you were mad because your ears hurt up there in that tower and the problem was how backed up you were!
Your mom has also learned that you are pretty good to take out for lunch, we took you to an Indian restaurant where we had buffet (your mom wanted to stay there and eat there forever!) and we took you to a noodle house (where I had the best Vietnamese spring rolls ever!) not to mention you putting up with all the noise of family, many nights for dinner. You have become very interested in food and love to watch everyone eating around you. Only one more month and you will be able to finally join us in this endeavor of FOOD! We had one great day with Uncle Brenty, where it was just Nana, Momma, you and your uncle. We spent the day at the Calgary Zoo. This was the only thing on my list of things to do while we were in Calgary. So it was special that we got to spend it with your uncle. You were a pretty good boy most of the day, hanging out in your stroller and in the Baby Bjorn. Lunch time was a bit of an episode when we tried to find a nice "quiet" place and all we found were hundreds and hundreds of screaming children, not to mention the SCREAMING PEACOCK that seemed to keep following us around. Everytime I found a little place to feed and calm you, that PEACOCK thought it would be a great time to start SCREAMING at us. It was a nightmare! We grabbed some lunch for ourselves and ate, trading you back and forth, trying to calm you down. And as we left the lunch area and headed for the butterfly sanctuary we found some peace and quiet. By the time we left the butterflies you were back to sleep. Tucked back in your stroller we enjoyed some more of the zoo. You however decided you were not a fan of the lady giving a very interesting talk on the elephants at the zoo, so we finally found a nice quiet corner for me to feed you and get you changed and relaxed again. The changing part came as a bit of trouble when we went into the family washroom and found the change table was almost as high as I am tall, we enlisted Nana to help change you! The rest of the zoo was uneventful and we all enjoyed the beautiful weather. By the time we were on the train home you were ready for some peace and quiet. You cried most of the way home, but it was ok with us. We knew you just needed the PEACE of home! The last day in Calgary was spent with some time at the Calgary market and then relaxing at Nana Barbs with a quiet family dinner. Now we only had to look forward to the plane ride home. Because you hadn't had a poop since Thursday and we were leaving early Saturday morning, Nana and I were a little worried (as we thought we might have to re-live the Calgary Tower escapade on the plane). However, you handled that plane ride like a pro. You woke up at 5:30am (after having your first full nights sleep in Calgary) and had some breakfast. We got ready to go and you stayed awake and hung out until we got on the plane. We weren't sure when you would want to eat again, and thought you might cause a scene as you hadn't been back to sleep yet. You were asleep before the plane took off and stayed asleep until 10:30 or so. I fed you and you went back to sleep until we landed in Toronto. You woke up had some time to stretch and get your bum changed, and kindly waited to be fed when the plane took off again! You were awake for half of that leg of the flight and by the time we were almost home you were back to sleep. What a champ you were flying! Once home, it was so great to see your dad and get to spend some quality time with him. He couldn't put you down, he was so happy to have us both home, but mostly you! It had seemed like a month had gone by that we were away from him, so it was so great to be home with him and to settle back into a routine. You have really started to amaze us with the things you are doing. You are so good at picking things up and moving them into your mouth, we are going to have to start watching what we leave lying around. You love to chew on your hands, your Sophie, your new little Monkey and your wooden teething ring but mostly our fingers, hands and anything human flesh tasting! The drool that accumulates throughout the day is outstanding. I cannot believe how you've come out of your shell over the last few weeks. You have far less fussy time and far more happy time. Thank you for choosing us to go along on this ride, what fun we are having!

Love Momma