Mommy To Mom To Mother

I am not a big fan of e-mail forwards. Don't get me wrong, I have certainly sent my share, but over the years I have gotten WAY more selective. 97.5% of the ones I receive are anything but forward-able and are just downright annoying.

It seems as though there are millions of people with nothing better to do than abuse bandwidth by sending out chain letters, useless advice, bizarre warnings, jokes, cartoons, poems, photos, quotes, political statements and other junk. Thousands more are filling our unsuspecting e-mail boxes with unwanted advertisements as we speak. And those few forwards that are actually amusing or interesting continue to circulate like some incurable plague, finding their way to the same mailboxes over and over and over and over and over and over and over...

Today, I received a forward from my mommy friend, Kendra and it is worth sharing:

Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up...
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade...it is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother.

The Images of Mother. . . .
4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't know everything!
14 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother? She wouldn't have a clue.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's so five minutes ago.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

I, of course ignored the instructions at the bottom of the e-mail that said I should forward it to seven incredible mothers I know and instead choose to share it here.

The best is yet to be.

Day 5/100

Social Butterfly

We were suppose to do a group activity today with our Mommy & Me group, but I just wasn't up for that yet, so instead we went to the park. It was your first visit and to say you loved it would be an understatement. Between watching the other children play and the dogs chasing balls and the nearby train zooming by, you were in heaven. There was so much for you to look at.

You were also thoroughly tickled over the swings!


Even though I thought I was sort of "hiding out" with you today, we had our first Doc Band inquiry as well. A little girl wearing a T-shirt that appropriately said "Social Butterfly" came right up to us at the park and asked me point blank, "Why is he wearing that helmet?" to which I replied after taking a deep breath, "The back of his his head is a little too flat so the helmet is going to help make it perfectly round like yours.". Easy enough.

She stood there for a moment and then said, "Well, he's not crying, so it must not be hurting him." and then fluttered off.

Good point.

The best is yet to be.

Baby Proofing Season

It is only a matter of days before you start crawling and as I look around our home, there is a lot to be done to make it a safe zone for you. Lucky for us, you have your very own helmet to protect your head for the next few months!

I have read dozens of articles on baby proofing that include outlet covers, gates, and cabinet and toilet locks, but it's the not-so-obvious things like; blind cords, carpets without nonskid backings and loose tiles that have me worried. For all you seasoned moms out there, what else should we be considering?

Looks like I'll be crawling around on my hands and knees this weekend trying to discover other potential Lucas hazards and then we'll be calling in the professionals.

Shocking facts about child safety:

• Each year in the Untied States, approximately 6,000 children die, and another 120,000 are seriously injured or permanently disabled due to preventable household accidents.
• Every day, almost 39,000 children sustain injuries serious enough to require medical attention, totaling more than 14 million children each year.
• Children are 7 times more likely to die from a preventable household accident than from all childhood illnesses combined.
• Each year, more than 2.5 million children are treated in emergency rooms for fall-related injuries.
• The number one cases of death among infants and toddlers are preventable household accidents.

This household will NOT be a statistic!

The best is yet to be.

You Should See The Other Guy

Lucas got his DOC Band on Wednesday, which makes today, Day 3 of him wearing it.

So far, so good.... He has very quickly adjusted to it and doesn't even seem to notice that it is on. Aren't children amazing?

He is doing a lot better with it than I am. I just keep reminding myself that he is same baby with or without the band and there is no need to treat him any differently. I am so thankful for all of the support I have around me and for having such a happy and otherwise healthy baby.

Here is the first photo taken of him wearing it.


The best is yet to be.

Day 3/100

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

"If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead." - Erma Bombeck

This is going to sound very strange, but I miss having sports in my life.

I didn't realize it until I was at the gym last week and found myself on an treadmill, followed by an elliptical machine and then the StairMaster positioned in front of the TV broadcasting Sports Center on ESPN. It was only then that I thought to myself, "why am I watching this?". And then it dawned on me that I always choose the exercise equipment in front of the television showing football, basketball, baseball or golf highlights. I'm not even listening because I usually have my iPod on, but I am watching it and enjoying it, too.

You see, your dad isn't a sports fan. He doesn't spend hours couching it all weekend because there is game after game after game on T.V. and I'm actually very grateful for this, but even so, it's strange. After almost eight years together, I am still not used to it.

I grew up with a major sports fan for a father and depending on the season, learned to root for the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox and Washington Redskins. I followed Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Fuzzy Zoeller on the PGA. Every guy I ever dated watched sports. All my male friends watch sports. Yet, I met, fell in love and married a non-sports watcher. Sure, he knows the basic rules (although he gets a kick out of saying "basketball contest"), played organized sports growing up and loves to run and cycle nowadays.

We tune into the World Series, Super Bowl, an occasional play off game and some University of Arizona (my alma matar) or Cal (your dad's) games, but other than that, sports are seldom on in our house. What does he/we watch instead, you ask? A LOT of car auctions and car-related shows like Top Gear and Chasing Classic Cars and anything that Alain de Cadenet is hosting. Nice, quiet, civilized shows with no one to root for or against. In other words, no need to scream, yell or throw things at the television set (the part of sports fanhood that I don't miss).

I wonder what sports you will be into watching and playing when you grow up. I hope at the very least, you enjoy watching them. It would be comforting to be around that noise again.

The best is yet to be.

Strike A Pose

I haven't walked into a Sears in years. Okay, I take that back...over the holidays I was on the hunt for an ugly Christmas sweater for a party that we were invited to and I thought, if anyone would have one, Sears would. No luck. It turns out that they have really upped their game, but back to the point of my post.

Sears is an institution and has been around since 1925. I remember many trips there as a child to try on shoes, match up my Granimals, look at new washing machines with my mom, or buy a new hammer or other tool with my dad. Sears carries it all. Plus, what child born in the 70's doesn't remember drooling over the behemoth Sears catalog at Christmastime? Oh, how I enjoyed going through page by page to come up with my 'wish list'.

Growing up, Sears is also the place that my mom took me to have my portraits taken from time to time. Looking through my baby book, it's filled with pictures taken at Sears. They must have had a promotion running, where you can buy one photo and get a second one for free with no sitting fees. That's the same package I signed up for on Saturday after buying almost $400 worth of other shots! And you thought Sears was inexpensive. Me too! :)

Here are a couple of photos from your first Sears Portrait Studio session:

No baby book would be complete without a formal picture taken in overalls. The little dog in this shot was a gift from the hotel staff in Florence. You love this toy!

Blue eyes...enough said!

Wardrobe change. You can't crawl yet, but you can stand very well with support. I am off camera to the right of you, just in case.

I should add that it was after your photo shoot that you fell off a child size chair in the waiting area and not only bumped your head, but also somehow got a major scratch on your nose. Oops! I felt terrible, but was glad it was after your pictures had been taken.

The best is yet to be.

Keep Calm and Carry On

In 1939, upon the outbreak of World War II, the British Government's Ministry of Information commissioned posters to be distributed throughout the country as a means of allaying public fear. Three different posters were produced and while the first two designs were widely distributed the third poster, simply bearing the words 'Keep Calm and Carry On' along with the royal crown, was held in reserve intended for use only in times of extreme crisis.

Although hundreds of thousands of these posters were produced, only a handful ever saw the light of day. Even now 'Keep Calm and Carry On' is a phrase which perfectly encapsulates the traditional British 'stiff upper lip'.

The phase has become very trendy over the last few years and after a co-worker gave me a postcard bearing the words almost three years ago, I find myself repeating them to myself in times of stress, wariness, and utter exhaustion; like when you won't take a nap and we both know that you need one. :)

The best is yet to be.

What's Your Sign?

"We need not feel ashamed of flirting with the zodiac. The zodiac is well worth flirting with." - D.H. Lawrence

According to Wikipedia, my favorite go-to Web site for detailed descriptions, definitions and history, horoscope, in astrology, is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" (horoskopos, pl. horoskopoi, or "marker(s) of the hour"). Other commonly used names for the horoscope in English include astrological chart, astro-chart, celestial map, sky-map, star-chart, cosmogram, vitasphere, radical chart, radix, chart wheel, or simply chart.

It is used as a method of divination regarding events relating to the point in time it represents and forms the basis of the horoscopic traditions of astrology. However, no studies have shown any scientific support for the accuracy of horoscopes, and the methods used to make interpretations are, at best, pseudo-scientific.

I enjoy reading my horoscope from time to time, you can't pick up a magazine or newspaper without coming across it, but I don't put much stock into it. It is usually too vague to have any significance to me or what is going on in my life at any given moment. I do, however, find it interesting that some of the characteristics of a Cancer (June 21 - July 22), which happens to be my sign, I really do possess.

The symbol for Cancer is a crab and crabs live in the inter-tidal zone of the ocean, where tides rise and fall twice every day. Because of the constant change, Cancer develop a hard outer shell for protection. Cancer can use the hard outer shell of our home as protection. But it's more than just that. Typically, sensitive Cancer can hold feelings quietly behind our own walls.

Crabs also have large pinching claws, and Cancer can hold onto things, especially from the past. Cancer are fiercely loyal and have a difficult time letting go. But Cancer are also quick to bring those you love inside the safety of your outer shell while you nurture them. Cancer love is protective, but unless tempered, can be smothering.

Cancer motto could be, "A good defense is the best offense." Like a Crab in its cave, our attack can consist of baiting our opponent into our territory. What appears to be a retreat to others can be your best aggressive tactic. As we feel our way through life, building our security by developing your home and family relationships, remember that unexpressed anger can turn into resentment and depression, so find someone you can trust and share your feelings.

Yep, that pretty much describes me to a T!

You are a Gemini (May 21 - June 20) and the onesie that I bought for you before you were born and are wearing in the photo above says: "Born curious but keeps you guessing", which is cute and in your case very true. Your mood can change on a dime, but you are extremely focused and taking it all in. This frightens me a little and made me want to do a little further investigation into your sign.

From what I have read, Gemini go everywhere together, hand-in-hand, symbolizing your dual nature. Our world comes in pairs: good and evil, male and female, in and out, yin and yang -- and you Geminis are living proof. Some might say Gemini are an entanglement of paradoxes, but the truth is that Gemini have an easy acceptance of opposites. Gemini world is one of duality. Gemini can like this and that, one thing and its opposite. It's like you see your world through a radio and Gemini can tune experiences and points of view in and out as your interests change.

You Geminis are curious, talkative, versatile and mentally active. Your mind can bounce around from one topic to another with great ease, making Gemini the champion of cocktail party chatter and lighthearted social encounters. Others will think that Gemini are fun to be with, but your ability to change with the changing winds can also lead others to see Gemini as shallow.

Gemini motto might be "A rolling stone gathers no moss." You are the eternally youthful child, no matter your chronological age. A razor-sharp wit can have you verbally dueling with the very best of opponents, who moments later are your best of friends. As you fly through life, don't forget to take time to smell the flowers.

If this is true, could your dad and I could be in big trouble? Soccer one minute and piano the next? Knock-down drag outs over your freedom or lack there of? Oh boy... I suppose things could be worse.

What's your sign? Do you read your horoscope? Do you believe the characteristics assigned to your sign? What has been your experience with raising a child with a different (or same) sign than you or your spouse?

The best is yet to be.

Fashion Icons

I am smart enough to know that even though I may love a dress that Jennifer Aniston is wearing, fall over myself (literally and figuratively) over a pair of stilettos that Victoria Beckham is in and have to contain my excitement over a daring Carrie Bradshaw ensemble, these looks aren't going to work on me. I just couldn't pull them off as effortlessly. I'd kill to have Jennifer Aniston's body though.

Audrey Hepburn
Grace Kelly
Katharine Hepburn

These are my fashion icons.

These women are legendary. They are known the world over for their sense of style, grace and of course, acting in some of Hollywood's most memorable films; Breakfast at Tiffany's, Rear Window and The Philadelphia Story respectively. And in Katharine's case, for pushing the envelope and making it acceptable for women to wear pants. Thanks, KH!

I grew up watching these women because my father was a huge fan of old Hollywood classic black-and-white films. I learned to love these movies and even at an early age, I knew that there was something very special about these women that made them worth admiring and emulating.

I also learned to love these classic movies and I miss watching them with my dad. They are smart, witty, and sometimes suspenseful. The lead actress is always gorgeous.

Their clean, classic, flawless style remind me to keep it simple. They didn't over exude their sexuality, instead they exuded intelligence and class from every pore.

I mostly go for comfort when dressing, especially now that I have a baby. I love flats, jeans, cardigans, T-shirts, pearls, tan, black, navy, white, and the less is more philosophy. I love capped sleeves, stripes, boat necks, layering and well-worn shoes. These days, I live in lululemon yoga pants, tank tops and hoodies.

I believe at the end of the day, however, you can make a potato sack look good if you combine it with confidence, a smile and a little bit of mystery.

You are going to have to consult with your dad on men's fashions. I am sure he'll have a thing or two to say about Steve McQueen, a fashion icon in his own right.

The best is yet to be.

Pool Time

On Sunday, we met your aunt, uncle and cousins in Palm Desert and stayed the night at the brand new Westin Desert Willow Villas and you got to try the pool for the first time!

I wouldn't call you a water baby just yet, but you certainly weren't scared and didn't cry.


I think you had more fun playing with a plastic cup on the sidelines.

One thing is for sure though, baby, you need a tan! You are as white as a piece of paper.

The best is yet to be.

Gimme Gimme Gimme

I need a manicure, no a facial, and a massage.
I need some girl time.
I need a cocktail.
I need to take a long cleansing breath.
I need to have a good cry.
I wish I were getting lost in an epic novel right now on a plane on the way to Paris.
I wish we never ran out of toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex or peanut butter in my house.
I wish I had a garden of big beautiful bright cheery sunflowers and a personal chef and that there were clean sheets on my bed.
I want to have a snot coming out of my nose, tears running down my face laugh fest.
I want to run so hard that it feels like my heart might burst right out of my chest.
I want someone to clean out my wallet, balance my check book and organize all my photos.
I want to return to Africa.
I crave adult conversation.
I crave a Crumbs chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting.
I would like to sleep for 11 hours straight without interruption.
I would like to have a dog.
I should drink more water.

Gimme a break, I really just need a manicure and your smiles.

The best is yet to be.

you know your child has a cochlear implant when...

This post is dedicated to my fellow mommies and daddies of kiddos with cochlear implants. I've been thinking about this list for a while, and it's my way of expressing what has become our "normal". I know many of you will be able to relate, even with a special kid without a cochlear implant. Please add to my list in the comments section!

You know your child has a cochlear implant when...

...his hearing aids made better chew toys than amplification devices.

...you're on a first name basis with the employee at Sally Beauty Supply, because you buy so much wig tape.

...you momentarily wonder why anyone would try to teach the alphabet in the bathtub when your child can't hear in the bathtub, and then you remember...

...you worry about rough play, tumbles, jumping, etc. because his coil might fall off.

...you have a fear of plastic slides.

...you carry along static guard and dryer sheets when you go to the park.

...you find yourself pointing out every sound that you hear (while pointing to your ear), even all those lovely potty sounds.

...you pop his coil off once and a while and yell really loudly, to make sure that he really can't hear without it.

...you've ever gotten strange looks or questions while in public.

...you know what "ear gear" and "critter clips" are.

...you never leave home without extra batteries, a back-up processor, a remote control, or extra wig tape.

...you've discovered a contraption, like an aloksak or food saver bag, to allow your child to hear while swimming.

...children without cochlear implants start to look stranger than those with cochlear implants.

...you decorate your child's CI to make it look "cool".

...you've ever been driving and gotten hit in the back of the head with a flying processor.
...you've had to search high and low for a processor that your child has mysteriously hidden somewhere, maybe even having disassembled first.
...you know few, if any, other kids (or even adults) with cochlear implants. You've made most of your connections through the blogging world, or on facebook.
...you've traveled far and wide to meet up with other families of children with cochlear implants.

...you've taken the John Tracy Clinic correspondence course.

...you are a member of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Hand and Voices, or the American Society for Deaf Children.

...you've ever received or know of others who have received hateful comments from a member of the Deaf community.

...you check the Ling sounds every day, and get worried if your child doesn't respond.
...you refer to his processor as his "ear".
...your child takes off his "ear" because he's mad, frustrated, or doesn't want to hear you anymore.
...you spend at least 2 hours a week in formal therapy, but all playtime is unofficial therapy time, and you're always looking for a teachable moment.
...you narrate everything that you do, and even elicit strange looks at the grocery store from your repetitive comments like "up, up, up you go", "do you want a piece of cheese? hmmmm, cheese? I like cheese. Do you like cheese?"
...you marvel every day at how the simple act of attaching the magnet allows your child to go from 0 to 95 in an instant.
...you've adopted the "I love you" sign as your family symbol, even if you don't use sign language with your child.
...you can't imagine life for your child without it.

All You Need Is Love

As a celebration of your first eight months of life and a special Valentine's gift for your dad, we made him a photo book using iPhoto.

I used to be a PC, but five months ago, the hard drive on my two-year old Dell went kaput and I have been getting used to Mac ever since. I love the Mac photo program. It is awesome and making this keepsake was a lot easier than I thought it would be. There are tons of color, layout and text options. If you are an Apple user, I highly recommend taking a look at it. You can make calendars, greeting cards and postcards too.

Here is our finished product:


Needless to say, he loved it!

As a side note, but still in the Valentine's Day spirit, I subscribe to BabyCenter's Baby Bulletin weekly e-mails and earlier last week I received one that made me smile that I want to share:

7 signs that your child loves you

1. Your newborn stares into your eyes—he's actually working hard to memorize your face. He doesn't understand anything else about the world, but he knows you're important.
2. Your baby thinks about you even when you're not around. Between 8 and 12 months old, he'll start to scrunch his face and look around when you leave the room—and he'll smile when you return.
3. Your toddler throws wicked tantrums. Nope, those screaming fits don't mean he's stopped loving you. He wouldn't be so hurt and angry if he didn't trust you so deeply.
4. Your toddler runs to you for comfort when he falls down or feels sad. Kids this age may not truly understand the meaning of "I love you," but their actions speak louder than words.
5. Your preschooler gives you a flower picked from the garden, a finger-painted heart, a sparkly rock, or another gift.
6. Your preschooler wants your approval. He'll start to be more cooperative around the house, and he'll look for chances to impress. "Look at me!" will become a catchphrase.
7. Your grade-schooler trusts you with secrets, like his first crush or his most embarrassing moment. You're his confidante, even if he shies away from your hugs in public.

Who knew that a temper tantrum could be a sign of affection?

The article, How love blossoms between you and your child is worth a read too.

Happy lovers day, everyone!

The best is yet to be.

my valentine

monster love ballads
{4 cassettes or 2 cd’s}
+++
found today:
a box full to the brim of old love letters and love art i’d given to my boyfriend.
he’d saved them all.

Innovations For Modern Parents

Now that you are eating solid food and enjoying three meals a day, I have found myself immersed in baby food feeding supplies and I am loving Boon products!

The Boon tag line is Innovations for Modern Parents. I don't know that I would call myself a "modern" parent and I'm not particularly wild about modern design per say, but I do appreciate cool products with a creative edge and modern convenience.

Surprisingly, I found Boon products at my local grocery store. Not the usual place for innovative, sleek, modern baby goods.


The baby food dispensing spoon is one of the very best baby product discoveries I have come across. On-the-go, one-handed feeding....genius! I also love the sphere-shaped snack ball. Seriously, who comes up with this stuff?


After visiting the Boon Web site, I learned that they also make great toys, bath gear and organizational items. I am really digging their Flair highchair too, but not quite ready to pull the trigger on that yet (AKA fork over $230!).


The best is yet to be and I am liking the feeding phase. Never thought I'd say that!

Like Father, Like Son

Lucas got to sit on Daddy's Vespa this morning and he squealed with delight.

This boy likes wheels. Have you seen a happier kid?




The best is yet to be.

Hopes, Dreams & Wishes

Long before I ever thought I'd even have children and certainly long before I had you, I bought this little sweater. I found it at Old Navy, of all places. It was originally $16.50 and had been marked down to $3.99. The tag is still on it.

I thought it was adorable. Navy blue is my favorite color and I loved the heart with the arrow going through it. Something came over me and I just had to have it. I remember thinking at the time, I'm no where near ready to have children, why on earth am I buying this?!?

It's simple and sweet really. This tiny little sweater represented something stupendous and wonderful to me. It represented where my life was going to be someday. Where my life, if I was lucky enough, was heading... True love, romance, marriage, children, baby clothes, bottles, blankets, giggles and a lifetime of memorable firsts and happy moments.

The sweater stayed safely wrapped in tissue paper in the back of my pajama drawer for years and Valentine's Day always reminds me that I have it. Until now, I have only shared it with one person...your daddy.

It's a bit too girly for you and I don't think you'd fit into anyway, it's a size 3-6 months, but it hangs in your closet, as a reminder to me of my hopes and dreams and wishes and the realization that they have come true.

I love you, baby. Happy Valentine's Day!

The best is yet to be.

Snowmageddon

We were hoping for a little bit of snow this winter, and we certainly got our wish. Between last weekend and this week, our town has been blanketed with almost 40" of snow. The last time we got this much snow was in 1996. Some places are calling it "snowpacolypse" and others "snowmageddon." Whatever you want to call it, Jack Frost has certainly let loose on the northeast. I keep wondering whether it's ever going to melt. At this rate, we'll still have snow on the ground in June.

Lucas is, in a nutshell, thrilled. When he convinces me to take him outside, I can't get him to come back in. I have to bribe him with the prospect of watching Elmo's World, his most recent obsession. It's a little scary too. If he weren't so brightly dressed, I'd be afraid to lose him. It's a good thing that Daddy likes to romp in the snow and go sledding, because I'm only good for walks in his sled.

Enjoy the pictures and the video clips! I made a video out of several different clips, showing a variety of Lucas phrases: "snow", "stand up", "help, please", "cold", "brrrr", and more "snowwwwwww!" The second video is a bunch of still shots I pieced together of Lucas sledding with his daddy.


almost as tall as he is...
our neighbor's car...

total snowy joy...

ummmm... is he allowed to eat this stuff?

sledding with daddy...

playing in the snow with Aunt "Eeeeeee"

I guess the snow brought some new firsts for Lucas too... his first real sledding experience, his first cup of hot (warm) chocolate, and his first movie, "The Jungle Book." It looks like I won't have school again until Tuesday, so I'm really enjoying the time off with Lucas. Hope you're staying warm...

Whale Watching

You were measured for the Doc Band today and it was hands down the hardest thing I have had to witness you experience to date. Yes, even worse than the catheter you had to get when we were having your kidneys checked out.

A gauze mask called a stockinette was fitted over your entire head and face and you were placed on a metal perch and photographs were taken of your head from every angle. Technically, this process is called Digital Surface Imaging and it uses 15 high-resolution cameras to capture a 360-degree image.

You screamed bloody murder as a loud cartoon played in front of you and one clinician held your arms close to your sides and another waved a brightly colored wand above your head. You were scared and had no idea what was happening to you and there was not a thing I could do about it. I couldn't talk to you or touch you, for fear of you moving, so I just sat in the back of the room and sobbed.

Your custom fit Doc Band will arrive in two weeks.

On the lighter note, today we also went for a great walk on our beautiful beach with our Mommy & Me friends, Jenn and her son Tristan. We saw a whale! It was gorgeous day.

The best is yet to be.

she

 

she is:

+ a girl with a guitar
+ sweet service
+ running legs
+ all natural
+ a dar williams song
+ quietly brave
+ a full garden
+ his true love
+ a spring day
+ their mother
+ a kitchen classroom
+ a world traveler
+ homebirth
+ the prettiest

happy birthday sweet amelia.
i am so grateful to call you my sister/neighbor/friend.

love, lindsay

Guess Who Came To Dinner?

Last night you got to meet my favorite canine, Winston and his person, Edwin. I do believe that you are just as smitten as I am.



The best is yet to be.

If You Give A Mom A Camera

Most people are shocked to learn that every single day, without fail I text a photo of you to your grandparents, aunts and dad. It's not a big deal and it's my little way of making them feel close to you, even when they are far away.

Here are a few of my recent favorites:





If you give a mom a camera, inevitably it's because you are as cute as a bug and she'll want to snap your photo and share it with the world.

I love my little boy!

The best is yet to be.

Dressed For Success

I have been told that I dress you in too much blue and too many stripes. I may be guilty of that, but I also love to put you in orange, green, red, jungle animals (especially monkeys!), spaceships, robots, cars, planes, trains, dinosaurs and monsters too.

As I've perused the baby departments at numerous stores, I have come to the conclusion that I like clothes made for boys better than I like clothes made for girls. It’s not that I don’t like frilly dresses and ruffles, it’s just that I prefer the bright primary colors that are more common in clothes marketed for infant and toddler boys and the themes used in both boy's and gender neutral clothing.

The themes in baby boys clothing celebrate predominantly male (and mostly working class) occupations such as firemen, construction workers, mechanics, pilots, and soldiers. Activity themes seem to be popular as well; involving clothes the promote going on safari, hunting, fishing, eating and playing sports.

Even as infants, we start to socialize baby boys into occupations. You rarely find occupation themed clothes for girls. Little girls clothes have flowers, frills, and occasionally animals (i.e. butterflies, dragonflies and lady bugs), but they don’t have occupational themes. They also rarely have activity themes outside of shopping or cheer leading. In fact, to me the worst subset of little girls clothes are those that say “princess” or “diva”. Diva is often used in a derisive way to indicate that the girl is overly demanding, and unlike the fireman or construction worker a princess doesn't earn her title – she’s born with it or marries into it. Princess themed clothes also seem to play up baby girls looks – looking like a princess means looking pretty. I've seen a few shirts that have messages about boys being handsome or cute, and then there's the ever witty (dreadful) sayings: “Chick Magnet”, “I drink until I pass out” or “That’s how I roll”, but those are much less common in the boys department.

I believe that one of the reasons that baby clothes are so strongly gendered is that babies themselves are often androgynous. If you put them only in a diaper, it’s often hard to tell what sex the baby is, but that androgyny doesn't fit well into our gender polarized society, so this is where the clothes come in. Those clothes have underlying and blatant messages. Baby boy clothes say: be active, be bold, enjoy the outdoors, and get a respectable paying job. It doesn't seem that baby girls clothing have the same messages.

Today's parents have a seemingly infinite choice of where to buy baby clothes and also the particular style they want, as long as you can find something that fits....the sizing of children's clothes is still a mystery to me, but that's the topic for an other post.

The best is yet to be.

Tree Trunk Gorge

Me on the big 1 (Photo -Tim Pickering)



Yesterday, Willz, Tim Pickering, Martic a slalom dude and I decided to head down to Tree Trunk Gorge for a little bit of a huck fest. We rocked up there and the flow was nice and it was all good to go. Tim and Willz decided they would fire it up first and both portaged the shitty entrance rapid which isn't nice at all. Tim dropped in first off the big 1, he had a sick line over the waterfall and Willz had a sweet line too. After the first drop, there is a super clean 20-footer, both the boys aired a big boof of it and stomped it. They were both super stoked on how the run went. I was now up next and super keen to run the drops, Martic wasn't keen to run the Gorge so Willz decided he would run it again with me , so I wouldn't be alone in there (good dude!). We both portaged the entrance rapid. I decided that I was going to drop in first. I was a little nervous. I gave Tim the hand signal and then made my way to the lip. It felt like I was in the right place and on line I then hit the connector with a bit of an angle and bounced off it and landed in the pool up side down, rolled up straight away and all was good. I was still super stoked on it. Willz was up next, he styled the falls again. We both had sweet lines of the last drop - such an amazing boof! We were all stoked on how the run went, a mint days boating. Thanks to Tim and Martic for the sweet photos, shot boys!

Happy February!

Today marks 6 days before the start of the Winter Olympics here in Vancouver and I sure hope there is snow on the mountains because the weather here in the city couldn't be more spring-like!

Just wanted to remind you all that my classes are going full blast and that there are no Olympic cancellations.

-There is still room available in all of my Mt.Pleasant classes even though their website currently says that they are full.

Class sizes have been increased, folks on waiting lists are being called, and the website will be updated asap!

So come on down because I'd love to see ya and the place is really impressive.

-The Lilli'Q classes are going really well and I am really grateful to have that place during the Roundhouse closure. It's a sweet place with a lot of fun stuff going on.

With the exception of Tuesday evening Prenatal Yoga there is still room to drop into the Tuesday evening Mixed Levels, Thursday afternoon's Baby & Me & Thursday evenings Prenatal Yoga classes.

-Registration for all classes at the Roundhouse starts March 6th!!!

www.roundhouse.ca or 604-713-1800

-Registration for all classes at Mt.Pleasant is ongoing.

www.vancouver.ca/parks/cc/mtpleasant/website/index.htm or 604-257-3080

Lilli'Q Cafe and Playhouse (1268 Pacific Blvd @Davie St.)

http://lilliq.com/ or 604-681-2965

*The best way to ensure your spot is to call the cafe directly

Well, those are the updates! Hope you are enjoying this absolutely glorious weather.

I've gotta run for now. It's weekend two of my long awaited Yin Yoga teacher training with my favourite teacher in town, Bernie Clark.

In the words of my Teacher "Yin is in" and it truly is...

If I can find the time down the road I may start up a Yin class or two.

Whether it's me or someone else I truly can't recommend Yin Yoga enough.

You can always go to www.yinyoga.com to learn more.

My practice has naturally become more Yin-like in the past few years and I have never felt better. In my life. It is delicious and needs to be experienced.

I'll try and update my schedule at some point this weekend ;)

Namaste,

and enjoy the sunshine!

Lori

Eight Months

I love watching you grow and change from month to month, week to week and day to day and would be a millionaire if I got paid to watch you. Quite simply, I find you fascinating and a joy to be around.

You are eight months old today and what a month it was. In the last month you:

• Wore shoes for the first time...yesterday.
• Sit comfortably in shopping carts and high chair making grocery shopping and the dining experience so much more enjoyable for everyone involved.
  
• Fell off the bed (on my watch). :(
• Learned to wave your arm as a form of greeting hello and bidding farewell.
• Love bath time and I would say it is one of your favorite activities of the day. You love to relax in the tub and splash and play with your rubber duckies and frogs and chew on the wash cloths and feel the spray of the shower water.
  
• Look like you can't wait to take off, but aren't crawling yet, just rolling over and scooting backwards.
• Began attending Kindermusik class with our Mommy & Me group and seem to really be enjoying it.
• Sprouted your top two teeth and now have a lateral incisor on it's way. I have to say that teething has got to be the hardest thing to watch you go through.
  
• Eat two solid homemade baby food meals a day.
• Self-feed finger foods Cheerios, Puffs, Wagon Wheels, carrots, etc.
• Love playing with anything that's not a toy (remote controls, plastic bowls and lids, measuring spoons, cell phones, daddy's caps, straws, silverware, keys and pens are among your favorite).
• Getting used to using a sippy cup.
• Dare I say, have a schedule consisting of a morning nap, an afternoon nap (sometimes) and always a 7:00 bedtime.
• Have an increased self awareness, greater focus on your surroundings and what appears to be a genuine curiosity.
• Show affection by touching and licking our faces, grabbing and reaching for us and the ever present big wide smile whenever we walk into the room.
• Have kept your beautiful baby blue eyes.

Happy eight months, baby.

The best is yet to be.