Month three

Well my love, today you are three months old. If I've learned anything in these last three months it's to savour every moment because the time flies by. I can't believe three months ago you joined my life.

This month we started going to Stars and Strollers. The theatre sets aside one viewing a week of two first run movies for mothers (or fathers) to come in with their babies. No one expects a silent theatre, in fact it's quite the opposite. All the little baby noise are adorable. The first film we went to on our own and it was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Not bad. Then we went with Chantelle and Reed and we saw Sex in the City. Okay. Yesterday we went, again with Chantelle and Reed to The Happening. Poo! You've been amazingly well behaved during these outings, although yesterday you actually cried a couple of times but I think it was because you woke up while in the carseat and were quite hungry.

Your poop went on strike for a few days this month. Scared the poop out of me though. You went three and a half days and when it finally came, I've never been so happy to see a poopy diaper! If someone had told me 5 years ago, that I would be wishing to change a crappy diaper I would have laughed in their face.

We had a ridiculously cute photo session one afternoon after one of our walks. I stripped you down because you were quite sticky and hot. You were so happy that I started snapping some pics. Oh...my...god we had a good time. It's pretty clear that you're the child of two actors because you LOVE the camera and showed off many of your ever changing facial expressions!

Tummy time has still been an uphill battle. You hate it more than going to sleep when you're overtired (and believe me, you really hate that...as I'm writing this we just finished a 1/2 hour screaming session with you so exhausted you just couldn't let it go to drop off to sleep). I've tried putting you on my knees and laying on the floor under you. No good. I've tried leaning you agains the back of the couch (got this idea from your cousin Izzy). No good. I've tried the "Tummy Time Pillow" with lots of toys. No good. The only thing that is going okay is when I hold you against my chest and lean back...only a little. If I go too far you freak out! In the last couple of days though, your neck has gotten 100% stronger. You're really holding your little noggin up when you sit up. And when you are against my chest you really push back to look around at things. So I'm not stressing the tummy time as much anymore. I figure you'll get there when you flip yourself over.

And today, on your 3 month birthday, you grabbed at Sophie and brought her up to your mouth. Oh happy day! It's so fun to watch you develop your motor skills and figure things out. Your chatting has increased with many new sounds from your baby vocabulary and you do the most of your talking on the change table. Not sure the appeal of this location, perhaps because you're laying down and closer to our faces. Perhaps it's the fan that gets you going; you LOVE the ceiling fan. What ever it is, I love it.

You also started to giggle this month. So far it's been because you are increadibly ticklish. At first I was specifically going in for the tickle but now you wriggle and giggle when I'm changing your shirts and I have to take your arm in and out of your tops. There is nothing better than the sound of a baby giggle.

I have to say though that it hasn't all been easy this month. You went through a growth spurt last week and I don't think my milk supply was quite up to the task at first which made you alittle cranky and difficult to keep happy. I went online and did some research about upping milk supply and discovered "fenugreek". Since then, it's been all good. Lots of milk for your growing little bum!

We had a couple of REALLY hot days this past month. So hot that I didn't have a blanket thin enough to swaddle you in, or as I like to say "burrito", so we tried to put you down without wrapping you. Ya...that doesn't really work too well. You'll sleep for about 2o minutes before waking yourself up with kicking legs or flinging arms. After a couple of days of that I found a thin, cooler blanket and we're back to the burrito and sleeping soundly.

Speaking of sleep, we did have a few nights were you made it all the way through the night, but lately you're back to waking up every three hours to eat. Again, I think it's a growth spurt. Now when I say you had some nights sleeping all the way through I have to mention that your mom didn't make it all the way. I tend to wake up about 20 times a night just to check that you're okay. Sometimes you're breathing is so quite and shallow I have to give you a tiny nudge just to hear you take a deep breath and sigh.

Last Sunday was your daddy's first Father's Day. We had a nice quite morning at home and then made our way out to Port Hope so you daddy could play a round of golf with your Gruncle Barry, your Funcle Todd and....Ryan (we don't have a title for him yet).

And finally, you realized the depth of crazy that your parents will go to with and for you. I think you'll either love us for it or leave the house as soon as you're legal. Why??? Just watch:

And that's our month!

I love you my girl. For now and for always.

Mommy

May 26th!!!

You slept through the night!

I fed you at 11, heard a few grunts at 3 but then nothing until 6am!!! Wow!!

We'll see if it lasts.

Month Two

My sweet Grace,

On Monday you turned two months old. I can't believe two whole months have gone by already!

This month you met your Auntie Carly for the first time. She came to stay with us for almost two weeks and what a treat that was; for mommy and you! Of course she loved you to pieces and would hardly put you down, but that's what Aunties are supposed to do.

Your cousins in Prince George are quite enamoured with you as well, even though they haven't met you face to face yet. Nathan shows everyone this video and when I talk to him on the phone, he always wants to say hi to you. Elijah wants to know why I can feed you with my boobies but his mommy can't feed him with her boobies, and why Shyloh (their dog) won't be having any puppies that she can feed with her boobies and that when he gets bigger he's going to go to the vet and get him to put some puppies in her belly so she can have some puppies to feed with her boobies. Ya...he's almost 4 so the concept of breastfeeding is a little beyond him.

As you can tell from the video, you've started chatting and smiling this month. What a beautiful gift! Not that I needed a reason to stare at you before but now...we sit for long stretched of time just hanging out smiling and gabbin! I love it.

You noticed Lucy for the first time the other day during one of your baths. We put your baby bath in the big tub and usually either Mommy or Daddy climb into the big tub to hold you while the other does all the washing. Well, this time, it was just Mommy so Lucy decided to get into the big tub to help out. I had you sitting up to wash your back and you noticed Lucy sniffing around and watching. You weren't quite sure what to make of the little orange FrankenKitty and frowned at her the whole time. Lucy's not been quite sure what to make of you these last two months either. The first day we brought you home and had to change your mecomium poop diaper, which you screamed through, she mewed in condolence to your cries. She often sits just off to the periphery of the action and I'm not sure if she's standing guard or just staying out of reach. Lately she'll sit at the foot of the bed and watch you grunt and squirm as you wake up in the morning.

We've had a couple of great visits out at the Homestead Maizuns and during one of those visits you got to meet your Grandpa Mason.

And at another one you had some girl time with your second Cousin Izzy.

(The picture is also a link to a video of the two of you having your first of many chats.)

Yesterday, at your two month check up, you weighed in at 11 lbs 8 oz which, apparently is slightly above the curve...you go girl. I'm always a little anxious about feeding because you don't seem to eat for as long as other babies. I guess you must be very efficient because yesterday was good proof that you're growing "on schedule"!

The two month doctor's visit brings on THE SHOTS!! I've been agonizing over all the research around vaccinations and their effectiveness and their side effects. I've read internet articles, books and talked to A LOT of moms about their choices. So when yesterday came, I still wasn't sure of the best thing to do. In the end, your dad and I talked quite a bit with the doctor and we decided to go with the Pentacel (5 in 1 vaccine for Diptheria, Tetnus, Pertussis, Polio and HIB) and that we would wait and to the Prevnar (for Pneumococcal disease) next month. Unfortunately, it means we'll have "shot day" every month but I feel better about the amount of "stuff" going into you little body at one time.

The shot itself went very well and you barely cried at all. Just the shock of it more than anything else caught you off guard and you had alittle bit to say at that point (...get it....point....needle... she what I did there... I can joke about it now!). That's not to say the taking off of the bandaid went as well. We won't have the doctor put a bandaid on next time, I know that for sure!!

The best part about this past month though, had to be Mother's Day. I've always known how special you are since you "graced" our lives with your presence but I never knew how special I would feel just for being your mom. You did that for me and I am so grateful.

Daddy shot a wonderful (if inappropriately timed as I hadn't even gotten dressed yet!) video of us on Mother's Day morning with our new video camera. I should take this opportunity to apologize to everyone in advance as not only will we be bombarding them with videos of you but the camera came with editing software and Mommy likes to think of herself as an amateur editor putting together cute clips with music. It's a little bit of a sickness really!

But back to Mother's Day. We went over to the Old Mill for a special Mother's Day brunch but we found out that about 200 people had the same idea. They don't take reservations for small groups so we had to take our chances in a line up that snaked through the place. It was a little crazy but luckily we stuck it out and were one of the last two seaters to be placed. You were as good as gold, of course. With all the people talking and making all the white noise, you slept through the entire lunch. It wasn't until we took you out of the carseat for pictures and a video did you wake up!

And once we got home I noticed you did get me a Mother's Day gift after all! A gigantic poopy diaper. It was so big we opted just to drop you right into the tub. Perfect!

I love you my girl. For now and for always.

Love, Mommy

Month One

My darling Grace,

Yesterday you turned one month old and what a month it's been. A month of firsts for you, me and your dad. First baths, first poops, first smiles.

People always told me that having children changes your life but I never understood that it is more than just a physical change. Mentally, emotionally & spiritally my life is different. Richer. Already you've taught me about simplicity, patience, and love.

Okay, enough mushy stuff, let's get down to the nitty gritty. On March 19th, 2008 you were born at 12:59 and you weighed 8lbs 11oz.

You hardly cried, you just seemed to take everything in. Even when they took you away to clean you up you barely made a sound.

So far, you've been an amazing sleeper. Most of our friends have only seen your open eyes a couple of times due to the fact that you are asleep almost every time they get to see you.

Nice for mommy but not really very social for the friends. At night you often sleep for more than 3 or 4 hours at a time.The first time you slept close to 5 hours I almost had a heart attack and had to make sure you were still with us. In the beginning I was told to wake you up every three hours for feeding whether you were wanting it or not. Ya, that proved to be next to impossible.

In this first month we've had our share of doctor's appointments. In the hospital, the pediatrician detected a heart murmur. Not too distressing since I have one, your dad had one and a large percentage of the population has one. Just as a precaution though, we were sent to a cardiactric pediatrician to have an ultrasound done on your heart (echocardiogram) as well as an electrocardiogram. In very simple terms, she did find "turbulence" in your blood flow at the valve going from your heart to your lungs. The medical term is Pulmonary Valve Stenosis but she quickly told us that your case is very very minor.

"The degree of stenosis is typically determined by the peak pressure gradient across the valuve. If the peak gradient across the valuve is greater than 50 mmHg, intervention is generally warranted. If the peak gradient is less than 25, no intervention is generally needed."

Your "mmgh" is at 15 so as you can see, not too much to worry about. The dr saw you 10 days after your initial appointment to assess if it was getting worse, which it wasn't, so now we are going to check in again in July just to keep an eye on it.

Your weight has been steadily increasing, if perhaps a little slow at your 2 week check up. You went from 8/11 when you were born, to 8/5 when we were discharged. Four days later at your first pediatric appointment you were back up to 8/11 (good eater!!!), but then at your two week visit you were only up to 8/15 (not such a good eater!!). We went back the following week for a weight check and you were up to 9/6 (great eater!!!). And then back again, for your 1 month check up and you clocked in at 9/13.

And what did we ever take pictures of before you were born?!!!

Seems like all we're doing is snapping pics of you. Do you feel hounded by your paparrazzi parents?

People's generosity has been overwhelming. Almost daily we've received a gift for your. Mostly clothes, which is amazing. I think my closet now has more of your clothes hanging in it than my own!

Your Grandma and Grandpa Folka came out for a visit about a week after you were born.

Thank goodness for them, otherwise, I'm sure I wouldn't have had a moment to eat or shower. Coordinating everything with you has definitely been the biggest lesson since you've arrived.

Watching your dad with you has been an additional bonus to your arrival. I won't go into too much detail that might embarrass him but I will say, the love he has for your is limitless.

So here we go. Month by month I'll write you a little note, and hopefully by the time you're old enough to read the internet won't have imploded and you'll be able to see what life has been like with you around.

Love you always,

Mom xo