Baptism Pictures...well...sorta

Here you go! Pictures of the baptism...and of Owen in his outfit on the lawn

C and I all coordinated (not on purpose either!) for Owen's baptism...the only picture we have of yesterday

Looking a little mischievous...

Looking up at Mommy...

And looking ridiculously handsome!

Thanks for being a good sport, Monster! Mommy and Daddy love you!

Big Weekend!

We celebrated something very special today...Owen was baptised at my church.

It was a beautiful ceremony, and he was incredible! Wide awake and happy during the actual baptism, then he fell asleep stretched out (and sort of falling off) on my lap during the sermon.

The day went well, and we shared it with lots of very close friends and family.

There were yummy cupcakes by me, BBQ by C and toys for the kiddos to play with in the backyard. Beer and wine on ice, lemonade and water too...my Mommy pal, P, brought a fantastic cheese tray to help me out with food, and Nana brought a white chocolate cheesecake cut into squares. With the many "uncles" in attendance (aka C's pals) food was at a premium!!

So...with a great day like that, what could we possibly forget?

PICTURES! I'm such a bad mom!! I forgot to take a single picture of my Monster all dressed in white for his baptism!! Photography in the church was not permitted, however the AV Dude Dave made me a copy of the video that he took today!

Momma T took a picture of C and I all decked out just before we headed into the church, but Little Miss O was rocking Owen in his carseat so we didn't pull him up for a picture.

Guess what I'll be doing Monday afternoon....? That's right...putting him back into his baptism outfit and taking pictures in our backyard on the grass...we'll see how artsy I can get!

Pictures to follow tomorrow!

Change is A'Comin...

You'll notice over the next week that there are some changes that we're making to the blog...well at least the appearance of the blog.

I follow a blog over there on the right called My Eggs and Ham, written by the every witty CatMD (one of The Bump ladies who...{rightfully so} handed me my butt a few times, and has become an online momma-to-be that I respect greatly) . Well...she has a fancy new blog design that is just awesome and incredibly....unique!

Cat mentioned that she is pals with one Transatlantic Blonde, Melania, designed the blog and button for her...and Melania has designed something absolutely awesome for us! I'm so excited to unveil it next week when I have a little more time after getting the house in order for Owen's Baptism (which is this Sunday!).

So, stay tuned for designs and buttons a la Transatlantic Blonde!

While you're waiting on us to update over the weekend...take a look at Cat and Blondie's blogs - they're awesome and full of just the right amount of snark and sass!

Have a good weekend!

It's Official!

I can officially say...MommaT is pregnant!

I am SO excited. Maybe excited isn't even the word. Overjoyed? Elated?

FREAKING OUT!

Little Miss O is going to have a brother or sister come December. Owen and Squid (the ever affectionate name that MommaT and R have given their new little one for the time being) will be 6 months apart...and hopefully the absolute best of friends, just like GodMomma, MommaT and I are.

It's all coming full circle, and I think I speak for the three of us when I say that our lives couldn't be happier than they are right now (well...until Squid makes his/her appearance in December!). How amazing is it that in...15 years...we'll look back on a picture like this...and see a reflection of it in our kids who will all be friends with one another?

10 Weeks and a Mental Health Update

Greetings everyone!

My, how fast 10 weeks have gone. The days and nights run together...and I cannot believe how big our Monster is!

10 weeks ago (well...at 6:52pm...)

And today...at 11am...

He's massive! He barely fits into anything that's size 0-3, and is in nearly everything 3m or 3-6m. See why we call him Monster?

Gaetane was over yesterday afternoon, and as soon as I opened the door she said "You're better! You look so much better!"

Owen and I were in the midst of tummytime, so she joined us on the living room floor for some rolling around and playing. We talked about my fitness goals, how I've been doing mentally, and I was so proud to share this with her.

I stopped myself during a freak-out last week! Owen was just tired...and he's doing this new thing of whining and crying, not taking his soother and just being an overall pain in the booty when he is fighting falling asleep. I was exhausted from doing my friends wedding cupcake tower over the weekend, and was just about at the end of my rope. I wanted to go out for a while, just get out of the house and get some fresh air. He would not cooperate even a little bit. I started to get angry...and frustrated. I grabbed his soother with the intention of whipping it down the stairs...

However...I clenched it in my fist, took a deep breath and calmly asked Owen to shush, quietly gave him back the soother, and he was fine. I took a step back and smiled. He smiled back.

Such a huge achievement! And I celebrated by getting some gifts for a friend who recently found out that she and her husband are expecting a baby boy this coming winter, and I got a great deal on a new cake stand with a tall glass dome at HomeSense...to replace the one that I broke from my friends' wedding on the weekend. Oopsie!

But yes, yes....it's getting better! And I feel better alot of the time. There are still low days (like today...because I'm tired) but for the most part, the good days are outweighing the bad.

It's a Roll Over!!

Our first big milestone!! During tummytime yesterday, Owen was making these little wiggles...luckily my camera was right close on the coffee table!!

Yahoo!! A few months ahead of schedule even!!!

Baby Gear Review #5 - Wishlist!

The final instalment! Yes, I could talk about our baby monitor and the tag-along toys that Owen enjoys, but what’s the fun in that? Instead, I decided to make a wish list of some of the things that I wish we had in the early days, and some of the things that we’re going to need to get in a few months’ time.

Stroller cupholders

Like I said, our stroller doesn’t have any cupholders and I’ve looked into whether or not Quinny makes something that can clip on. Well...they don’t. I think this might be a good alternative, but I’m going to have to find something to go along the front for when Owen has cereal and toys that need to be put in/on a tray. Thankfully, we’re a ways away from that, but nevertheless...something to investigate!

Edit: look what I found at Walmart for $10! LOVE The Safefit Snack Pod!!! First right now, it neatly stores a bottle of water, my blackberry and iPod when we're out for a walk. Later on...it'll slide down to hold a sippy cup and some snacks for Owen!

Highchair
The one pictured is the Bumble High Chair...which matches our Bouncy seat. I don’t know what high chair will suit us best...perhaps something that’s portable so we can take it with us when we’re out? Or maybe something a little more substantial and stationary like this one. We’re going to have to decide on this in a few months...he’s already 2months old!

Bumbo
When I was pregnant, I thought this was the dumbest thing ever. Really...a little squishy seat that helps babies sit? D-U-M-B. He’ll learn to sit on his own, TYVM! However, now that I see that there is a tray...it’s a good alternative to a high chair! It’s about half the price of the Bumble high chair, and it’s portable. Light weight, and can travel with us anywhere that we go? I think we may have a winner! And cost wise, it's about half as much as a traditional high chair!

Frog Pod
I put this on our Cheeky Monkey registry (what feels like eons ago now!) and I still love it. It would hold all of Owen’s bath toys, his soaps, shampoos, bubbles...it’s perfect! I absolutely love the little drainable pod that you scoop up the bath toys in! And it’s cute!

I know that there will always be things that we’d like to have, but really, at the end of the day, all he needs are clean clothes (no matter if they are new or not), a place to sleep (be it a borrowed bassinet, his carseat, swing or crib) and two parents that love him to bits. Is a fancy diaper bag necessary? No (though a prettier one would be nice for Mommy since it doubles as her purse! Haha) Will he suffer because we went for the lightweight stroller with airplane compliant travel bag rather than the big clunker with cup holders and an infant tray? No.

We love him, and no amount of baby gear, fancy bottles and formula for spitups, crazy toys and contraptions, will ever be able to replace what’s most important: his parents.

Baby Gear Review #4 - Splish Splash!

Bathtime!! It’s quickly becoming one of my favourite times with Owen, and I can’t wait until he can sit up on his own, splash and play in the tub with some toys. How much fun will that be!?

We started with a regular ‘ol baby tub in the bottom of our guest bathtub, borrowed from GodMomma, but quickly found that he’s too squirmy and wiggly...and that we have a hard time manoeuvring around one another. So...we’ve moved onto...

Puj Tub
We got this as a gift at one of my baby showers. Looking at it, I was a little sceptical. However! It’s awesome! The first time we used it, I couldn’t figure out why the water was draining all of the time. Well, totally user error – I had it angled wrong and the drain hole was below the water line. Once we fixed that issue, Owen was a happy (and warm) camper. The tub sort of snaps into itself, then bends to fit the shape of the bathroom sink. It’s made out of a foamy material, so it cradles the baby and sort of forms to their body. It also helps to not have a second pair of hands in the way, and since he’s so secure, I’m getting more confident in bathing him without help. The only downside is if you have a smaller bathroom sink, the faucet will get in the way.

He likes it, I swear!

Piccolo Washcloths
You’d think a washcloth is a washcloth, right? Well...we have about 50 of them and these ones are by far the softest ones that we have. I’ve found that ones that have patterns or characters on them are rather scratchy, and since a baby’s skin is so sensitive...I use those a spitup wipes more than anything else. But the Piccolo washcloths are super soft, patterned or not!

Johnson & Johnson’s Bedtime Bath Products
I love these products! The lavender and vanilla scent is awesome, and Owen seems to sleep alot better after a bath with these products specifically. We put a bit of the head-to-toe wash stuff in the Puj Tub to make some bubbles, use the shampoo for his lovely locks, and then lotion him all up with the lotion before getting him into his sleepsac. Absolutely I would try other products, preferably of the organic sort, but for now...this is what we like! If you have any recommendations for bath products that you absolutely love, please leave them in the comments!

Duck Towel
This was a gift from Sue and Larry in Florida. It’s soft, huge and cuddly, and I think probably Owen’s favourite part of bathtime – when it’s over! C scoops him up to put him into the towel, and the dries him off while I clean up the mess that we’ve made in the bathroom. The hood keeps his head warm, and it’s big enough to wraps around him a bunch so that he stays snugly.
Like I said, I can’t wait until he’s older and can sit in the bigger tub, splash around and play with bath toys. That’ll be fun. Wet and messy, but fun!

What's in store for tomorrow? Well! It's our Wishlist - a few things that we either still need to get, wish we had already, or items that are just dream worthy!

Baby Gear Review Part 3 - Feeding Time!

Happy Wednesday! Ready to discuss feeding? We are!

Nuk Orothodonic Bottles
These bottles were great in the beginning as they have a wider nipple base. So when we were back and forth from breast to bottle, there wasn’t much confusion. C really likes these bottles since they’re a little wider and he finds them more comfortable to feed Owen with. However...they only fit 5oz. and now that Owen is growing...he’s up to about 5-6+oz with every feed. They’re cheap though! $15 for 3 bottles at Walmart! Don’t mind if I do...

Playtex Ventaire
I LOVE these bottles! Since we started using them and have found a formula that we like, Owen hasn’t been spitting up nearly as much. We have three of the 6oz bottles with slow flow nipples, and 2 of the 9oz bottles with fast flow nipples. We use the fast flow nipples in the afternoon when he’s the most awake, and the slow flow’s over night or in the evening when he’s sleeping part way through his feeding...well until we burp him! Then he gets right angry with us and wants his bottle back immediately! These bottles are great, about $6 each, so compared to the competition...they’re cheap and effective!

Similac Advance Formula
We started with this formula, in the pre-made form, when we were in the hospital and needed to get Owen’s blood sugars into an acceptable range, so...we kept using it when we were at home. Holy expensive! And holy constipation! The cans of the pre-made formula are about $20 for 12 cans. When we were using them, each can lasted 3 feedings...but now that he’s up to 6+, they don’t last very long! We also noticed that we were only changing poopy diapers once every 3-4 days...not so good for a little one! So...we probably wouldn’t recommend this one.

Enfamil Gentlease
We started Owen on this formula about 2 weeks ago and have noticed a significant improvement in his spitups and diapers! We’re buying the powder now, about $28 per can, and it lasts us a week currently. Nana suggested that we take a trip to Costco to see if there’s a price difference...so we will be doing that sometime in the next couple of weeks since Owen is just going to keep eating more and more. Well...until he’s on “solids” (aka Mommy’s Pureed Yummy Food)

Not a whole lot to review in the feeding section of our lives, but tomorrow we’re onto bathtime!

Edit: There have been a few additions and changes to our feeding routine (like Owen being up to 7oz!) since I wrote this originally, therefore....three more things to review before I let you go for the day!

Parents Choice Gentle Formula

An online-mommy let me know that Parents Choice and Enfamil are identical in their makeup, both have the Omega's added, Iron fortified, and have gentle products for my farty little Monster. We started on it yesterday, and I'm surprised to find that it's a full $10 cheaper (though, we've yet to price it at Costco to see if we can save even more dough!). It mixes just fine, no gritty residue, and Owen doesn't seem to mind the difference. Heck...in a pinch yesterday he went from Enfamil, to Good Start, to Parents Choice! What a trooper!

Nuby Formula Dispenser

Oh Erin and Shizz...you were SO right! I bought this yesterday while I was out and panicking that Owen was going to wake up and realize "Wait a second...3.5oz isn't enough Mommy!!" when we ran out of formula. I forgot to bring a little tupperware/rubbermaid container with me, and was going to be out for lunch with a friend, so I picked this up. LOVE LOVE LOVE. What a lifesaver! 3 feedings in one...which means I don't need 3 separate little containers taking up all of the room in the diaper bag. It only fits enough formula in each compartment for a 7oz. feeding, but that's a-ok with me!

Nuby No-Drip 10oz. Bottles

We haven't used these a whole lot yet, just a 6oz. overnight and C was a little too tired to notice if he liked them. But we have them, and they were $7 for 3 bottles! SCORE! I picked them up because they were 10oz. instead of 9, are sporty and can be used as toddler bottles with the right topper (sold separately). My favourite part about them are the nipples - they're vari-flow, so the baby can control the speed of the flow based on their suck, and they have little nubbs on them...perfect for an early teether!!

Baby Gear Review Part 2 - The Diaper Bag

Today is the review of the diaper bag...and all things that go in it!

Skip Hop Via Messenger Bag
I was a little hesitant when we were picking out a diaper bag for my Mother’s Day gift this year. I wanted something stylin and almost like a purse, however C wanted something practical and manly. We compromised with the Skip Hop Via Messenger Bag in black, with a sleek silver lining. Do I wish it had a lovely black and white damask design? Yes. However...the pockets on the inside are amazing enough to make me not care about it being girly! It has two bottle pockets, which are lined with pockets for flexible icepacks, a zippered pocket and three open pockets. The zippered pocket we use for the formula scoop since it gets sticky, and two of the three pockets we use for diapers and wipes. The third pocket is my stuff – extra deodorant for the days I forget, breast pads, and typically an extra soother or two. The big open space in the centre usually has a hat, receiving blanket, sweater and onesie...just in case! On the outside there are another five pockets and two bottle holders. There is a long rectangular pocket on the front which usually holds my wallet and camera, then a pocket on the back that is antimicrobial for dirty diapers. On the flap there are two pockets, perfect for keys and a Blackberry! All in all, a very wise purchase! And it comes with stroller clips, so it hangs right on the handles so everything is within reach, right when I need it.

Pampers Swaddlers
Our diaper of choice! The Newborn ones even have a line that turns green when it needs to be changed, making those first few weeks at home a little bit easier for new parents!
They fit snug, which is great since Owen is on the long and lean side of things, and they are very absorbent as well. They don’t get bulky when full, which I really like, and we have very few leaks. He could go an entire night of not being changed, and not leak through everything he's wearing/touching.


Huggies Organic Diapers
HATE. I have nothing good to say about Huggies diapers. They leak, they are bulky...he blows out of them (he blows out of Pampers on occasion, but not as often by far) To be honest, I haven’t met a mommy yet who prefers Huggies to Pampers. To each their own, I’m sure those Mom’s are out there...but I am not one of them. Edit: I wrote this a few days ago, and last night reaffirmed my loathing for these diapers. He soaked through them, his clothes, his sleepsac, and his carseat liner (we had sleep issues last night). Yes, we hadn't changed his diaper in a while, but had it been a Pampers...it would have been full and damp, but not soaking through everything!

RazBaby Keep-it-Kleen Pacifiers
Owen LOVES these and we think they are super cute. The great part about them is that if they drop on the floor, they close up, keeping the soother part nice and clean. My only gripe with them is that if Owen sucks really hard, the keep-it-kleen part makes a ring around his face. But...if they keep him happy, we’re all for them!





Avent Translucent Pacifiers
By far, these are Owen’s favourite. They are orthodontic, which we love, and Owen finds them easy to suck on...which we also love. They’re inexpensive, and he doesn’t look like eyes with a pacifier. It’s a soother...not much to say here! Oh! They have glow-in-the-dark handles, which makes finding them in his bassinet/crib/carseat at night super easy!

Arm&Hammer Diaper Duck by Munchkin
We got this as a gift from Tracy&Crew, and honestly...it’s awesome! We’ve had a few blowouts in the car...stroller...carseat...while we’re out shopping and if there’s no public garbage (sorry City of London!) that we can dispose of the goods in, this comes in handy! Just pop it in the diaper bag, and we’re good to go! And it smells good too!

Tune in tomorrow when I review all things feeding!

Baby Gear Review - Part 1

As promised (via facebook), here is my Baby Gear Review of some of the things that we use in and around the house...be it good or bad. There are so many things that I want to discuss that I’m going to have to dedicate the entire week to reviews and do them little by little, including ending the week with a little wish list of things that we still need to get.

Maxi Cosi Carseat
To be honest...it’s a carseat. It does its job of keeping Owen snug and safe for a stroller or car ride, and provided a safe place for him to sleep for the first 6 weeks when he refused the bassinet. *note to all: no his bones won’t be crooked because he slept in his carseat!* It’s very lightweight and has a great system for keeping the straps tight, so that he is extra safe. I love the brown and turquoise (shocker...since that is Owen’s entire nursery). The only thing that I wish it had was a sunshade that came over the front a wee bit more, since we spent alot of time outside.

Quinny Buzz Stroller
LOVE! This is one of my favourite baby items that we have. It handles like a dream! I can turn it with one hand...no joke! It’s super lightweight, and it comes with a handy travel bag that is small enough for the overhead bin on an airplane! The only problem that I have with it is the lack of cupholders! Since we’re going for walks more and more, and Mommy’s trying to get fit to keep up with Owen, it’d be nice to have somewhere for a water bottle! And there isn’t a kiddo-tray for when he’s older and will have cereal and toys...I must investigate attachments.

Monkey Gym
Owen hated this the first time that he used it. I think it was too soon (about 2-3wks old) for him and he got more scared of all of the little animals hanging above him. Now though, he kicks, pivots, squirms and talks to the animals. It’s great for tummy time as well as it comes with it’s own Boppy-like pillow...which has been sucked on by a teething little boy a few times in the past week or so. It’s collapsible, so it will be great for travelling, has a little pocket to hide toys and a mirror that plays music and has some lights on it (we haven’t used that part yet though)

Bumble Bouncer
Again, we used this too soon and he absolutely hated it the first few times. Now that he kicks and squirms and can make it bounce on its own, he seems to enjoy it much more. It doesn’t take long for him to find the bugs that hang overhead, and he seems to enjoy the vibration and womb sounds. He’s getting so big though that it’s almost too small for him. If you’re looking for a bouncer chair that looks nice, is soft and cuddly, but that you’re not shelling out a tonne of cash for, we really like this one!

Cloud B Sleep Sheep
By far, my most favourite thing. I’ve gotten it for MommaT, who is expecting her second kiddo (affectionately nicknamed Squid) in December, and have recommended it to many an online-mommy friend of mine. Owen absolutely LOVES it, and it’s given us many peaceful nights as he falls asleep within seconds of it being on. He likes the ocean waves and bubbling brook the best, and we find the whale sounds to be a little...odd...being that they’re coming from a sheep and all! It is fantastic! We have the travel size version, and literally...it goes with us everywhere. To softball, the doctor...road trips and even just over to Nana and Papi’s house if we’re going to be there for a while. In a word, it’s a life (and sanity) saver!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post as I review our diaper bag, and all things that go in it...including the diapers we love (and hate), wipes, soothers and other little gadgets!

1st Needles

Oh gosh...

Yesterday we had Owen's first doctor's appointment where needles were involved. The entire day until 4pm, I was anxious as all get out, and I think that Owen was picking up on it.

We went for a nice lunch with Nana and Lu, which Owen slept through. I had to coax him awake with a bottle, which he only took half of. Oi...this was not setting him up to be the calm little boy that I was hoping to take to the doctor's in a few hours.

We rushed over to the grocery store to print out his baptism invitations (another post for another day), and home to get a new mini-bottle for the doctor's office just in case, change a poopy diaper and then we were off to get C from the office.

Owen was a superstar yesterday at his appointment. He was screaming from hunger once we got into the baby-room, but I didn't want to give him a bottle until after the shots, knowing that it would be the only thing that would calm him down in case they didn't go well.

Height - 23"

Weight - 11lbs 2.5oz.

Head circumference - 40.5cm

That's right...he's a little (big) monster! He's doing really well, and is still in the highest percentile for his height. Must be those strong Szem genes!

Dr. Gari inspected his every inch, and once she was happy...out came the shots. Thankfully, she and Sharon did the shots at the same time, and I sat back while C made sure everything went allright.

Owen's face quickly went beat red and the highest pitched squeal of a scream that I have ever heard came out of his mouth. I mixed a bottle and Sharon passed him to me for a snuggle. It was kinda nice to be the good guy, offer a snuggle and a bottle and cuddle him up after the shots.

I'm very thankful that C was there. I was fearful for my mental health...knowing that the shots would likely result in ridiculous screaming from Owen. I was worried that I wouldn't react well, or that I would just break down crying. I actually let out a little giggle when he screamed, and snuggled with him to make him feel better.

And I don't think he's any worse for wear!

Projects!

Remember all of those Early-Mat Leave projects that I listed? Reading the Twilight series? Landscaping? Creating a studio space for myself?

Well, I just realized that I never showed off the fruits of C's labour! Here's the backyard before...

The during...

This is Juliet...

and this is Sawyer!

And here's the after!

6 Black Cedars, 1 Celebration Maple and 1 Newport Flowering Plum!

Can you guess the names of the cedars along the back?

l-r: Desmond, Kate, Jack, Hurley, Sayid, and Sun...our own little Oceanic 6!

Owen and His Ducks

Video time! Ya...I'm becoming that mom...the one who takes a million pictures on her cell phone, and video's too!

Owen has a fascination with the ducks that hang on the back of his crib. Whenever he's getting changed, unless it's mid feed because of a major blowout, he is quite content to stare, giggle and talk to them.

It's kinda neat too, because these ducks used to hang on my crib!

Enjoy!

8 Weeks Ago Today...

I was out for lunch with Nana for her birthday....shopping at Chapters and getting plants at the garden centres. I didn't have any more of the annoying 3 hours contractions...I thought for sure we were headed for induction.

Wow. 8 weeks. That is absolutely insane to me.

That thought popped into my head this morning, as I was making Owen giggle while folding laundry and running from room to room to get things put away and tidied up a little. Once I realized that he was in a really great mood, I figured that I would have time to go through his 0-3month drawer and take out anything that didn't really fit anymore.

11 onesies...1 pair of pants (that fit, but they are too short)

My baby is getting so big, so fast! He's moved into nearly all 3 month clothes, if not some 0-6month clothes.

Our mission for today is to get some summer rompers at Old Navy using a giftcard from the Palser's. The only thing that we have that really fits him right now are long sleeved onesies and sweatpants, and it is too darn hot for that!

It was so sad to pack away some of the onesies...little plain white ones from Cousin S that were the only things that would fit him when we got him home from the hospital...his Ralph Lauren blue striped one from our first family picture...

Did I expect him to stay this small forever? No...but I thought it might last a little longer than 8 weeks.

*sigh* 8 weeks...next thing I know, he'll be off to school.

Mental Health Checkin

Well, I dropped the ball already on the weekly mental health check-in. It really wasn't intentional, I swear.

This week's been a rough one. I've had some external stressers, challenges with C, and we have a little boy who seems to be eating more and more, and teething a little bit more everyday. Yes, my 7 week old little boy is teething! Ack!

I said in a previous post that it seems as though the big things no longer set me off...but all of the little things do. C and I were having a conversation the other day about the big vs. little, and how I feel like I'm getting crazier and crazier as I'm having more small outbursts, rather than less big freak-outs.

Does that even make sense? He argued that it's good that I'm able to deal with the bigger issues and be rational about them. I argued that being irrational about the little things makes me feel like a bomb waiting to go off.

I've also been feeling overwhelmed by options and change. Owen is changing so much everyday it's overwhelming. There are clothes that don't fit and need to be packed up for a potential sibling. There is playtime that needs to be established, tummy time to do, and bedtime routines that need to be followed to bring some much needed structure into all of our lives.

We've transitioned to the bassinet, and while the first night (and last night!) went really well...there have been a couple of nights that have just not been good for anyone. Owen seems to do really well after a bottle, snuggle and story, then into the bassinet. He sleeps for 5-6 hours at a time, but then after his overnight feed...seems to be up every 10-40minutes for his soother/SleepSheep/rock/snuggle/gentle voice...anything. It definitely has worn on us both, and has put me on edge for the latter part of the week.

And then there's the teething...oh the teething! He goobers and sucks on everything! Over the weekend, it was my knuckle. Now, he's moved to his hands, soother, C or my hands, and even his playmat pillow that we use for tummy time!

It definitely makes for a slightly crankier version of the little boy that we love, but hopefully...we'll get through it!

So you see, all of these silly little things put me on edge. Add in the hormonal imbalance, and not sleeping because of the bassinet transition...and my mental state leaves something to be desired. I've been struggling for support in various areas, and have had a few tough conversations with friends and family about what they can to do help (or hurt) the situation, which is rather delicate right now.

Today, after a good nights sleep (I don't even remember C feeding Owen at 3am, or getting him back to bed. I remember 6am snuggles...but that's about it!), I'm feeling motivated and positive. I've already cleaned out the garage, loaded up the Jeep with beer and wine empties that we've accumulated over the past...5ish months, and after lunch will be trimming up the Hydrangeas, moving the spinkler and tackling whatever other bushes outside need to be tended to, while C tackles the inside and Owen (hopefully) naps.

It's shaping up to be a good day, and man am I in need of one!

Our Smiley, Giggly Boy

Every morning, I get to wake up to the most beautiful boy...who smiles and giggles and lets me kiss all over his face to make him giggle even harder.

Watching this little boy...and giggling when he giggles, certainly makes dealing with his alter ego (the red faced spawn of Satan...sorry, C) a little easier everyday.

Help Raise money for the Winners Walk of Hope in support of Ovarian Cancer Canada!

Help Raise money for the Winners Walk of Hope in support of Ovarian Cancer Canada!

Well folks, this is the first of hopefully many charity walks that I will be participating in over the next year as I work and train toward my goal of....

the CIBC Run for a Cure, October 2011!

That's right! I'm going to RUN. You read that? R-U-N!

My goal for the Winners Walk of Hope is to raise $1000.00. The walk will take place in London, Ontario on September 12th!

Time to lace up those shoes and start training! I definitely want a good finish in the Winners Walk, and can't wait to see C and Owen at the finish line! (and of course any other family and friends that may want to come out!)

Help me reach my goals by clicking the link above and sponsoring me!

Coke + Cotton Candy

What a weekend!

It started with Tea for Three at the Idlewyld Inn with Godmomma and Momma T - what a nice girly date out...with no babies or kiddos! I have a feeling that there are going to be many more girly dates in the near future!

Sunday morning, the Family Szem was off to Wiarton. C was registered to run in the Shore-to-Shore 13km, and of course Owen and I wanted to be there cheering him on, Gatorade in hand, as he crossed the finish line.

We spent the day at Sauble Beach yesterday, and got to talking about fitness goals and whatnot...things that have been sort of eating away at me lately (no pun intended). We also talked about incentives...but that will be another post for another day!

Part of this PPD issue is that I don't have the want, or motivation to cook, or even eat sometimes. It's so much easier, and less daunting, to seek comfort in a Mocha Frappucino from Starbucks and the convenience of the drive through when Owen is fast asleep in the back. Clearly, not healthy, and packing on calories that I really don't need. But, go home and make a sandwich? A salad? No thanks, I will enjoy every drop of my frothy, chocolately and coffee-y good Frappucino...thank you very much!

Well...knowing that my hubby has been working with a personal trainer since April, has lost about 35lbs (he'll disagree, but...yes yes he has), just ran 13km this morning, and that I'm going to have a little boy to keep up with...I certainly need to be thinking about gym memberships and things of the sort.

I casually mentioned to C while we were sitting at a coffee shop (having, what else?! A Mocha Frap!) that maybe I would run the 13km Shore-to-Shore with him next summer. I was sort of joking...but it got us talking about the types of things that I could do that would be more in my comfort level...aka shorter than 13km.

So far, I've looked into the CIBC Run for the Cure, Great Strides Walk for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Relay for Life for the Canadian Cancer Society, and a Create-Your-Own-Event for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. In addition to training for a walk...(or run like C is encouraging me to do...eek!), I'd like to do something good for charity, and one that means something to me, not just something random (not that a random charity isn't deserving, but I need some personal motivation here!)

That's a huge step from going to the fair last night and having a Coke and cotton candy! How in the world am I going to walk, let alone run, in a race?! The part that I know, know I will struggle with is the diet. C is incredibly disciplined. The personal trainer gave him a sample meal plan in April, and he adopted it immediately. No carbs after noon? No problem! Protein shakes at 10am and 9pm? Done! Seriously, everything that was on the shopping list and meal plan was no issue for him.

I, on the other hand, enjoy my Frap's...and ice cream...and any other sweet that I can get my hands on, and preferably it will have chocolate of some sort in it. Though...I need to have more willpower when it comes to things like that, and it very much might mean C taking the reins on lunches and dinners for me to ensure that I'm eating what is healthy and good, and not just taking the easy drive-through way out.

I think, too, that the routine and training will help with the PPD. It's not getting worse, persay, but it's not getting any better and it's sort of...rocky...right now. The smallest thing will send me into a fit, and the larger things sometimes don't bother me at all. Having routine, structure and a healthy diet is going to go a long way for sure.

Let's just hope that my feet can go that long way too!