Life With Baby

I know what you're thinking...

Shan...that's every day

Yes, yes! It is!

But, did you know that it's also an amazing Pre/PostNatal Wellness Centre in downtown London, Ontario?

Actually, it's where I went to be treated and to work through my Postpartum Depression. I have met some really amazingly wonderful people there, namely the woman who owns the fantastic space, Jodi.

Jodi and I connected almost immediately, and I appreciated how real she was. I didn't hide from my PPD, I owned it and wouldn't let it define me. And she helped me, every step of the way.

Now is my turn to help her, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

Officially, I am the newest member of the Life with Baby team! I'll be taking care of administrative duties...emailing clients, sending cards of congratulations and sympathies, researching unique and interesting products for the (soon-to-be) retail space, publishing the biweekly e-newsletter...and anything else that we can come up with that lightens Jodi's load and allows her to de-stress and focus on her practise.

I am so incredibly excited about this opportunity, and do you want to know the best part?

For the majority of it, I can do from home!

That's right! I can hop online when Owen is having his morning/afternoon nap, respond to emails and register clients for classes, book appointments etc. and still tend to Owen when he wakes up! Ah-mazing!

I am so in love with my new life as a Mom...and MOMpreneur!

I'm an Awesome Mom

Just going on the record to say, I DID IT!

Tonight (well...last night, considering it's almost 1am...note to self: go to bed!) was our first night without Daddy for a few days. He's travelling for business to Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver (hi family!!) between Sunday and Thursday, so the bath/bottle/story/bed routine has been left in my shaky hands.

I say shaky because I was really nervous for tonight. I spent the day at Life with Baby (more on there later!) and the evening with the Monster. We played toys...he had a nap...played in his jumperoo...showed me how capable he is at taking his diaper off when playing naked-baby in front of the TV.

Then came bedtime.

8:30pm

Eek! I rushed to fill the tub while putting his humidifier on, laying out his pj's, making his bottle, setting up his Tylenol (he's teething very badly these days and is still sick, so it's the only relief that he really gets), choosing his story and grabbing his duckie-towel.

He was splish splashing away, having a great time. We played peek-a-boo, I snuck up on him over the side of the tub a few times (he LOVES it!) and then he was dried off.

Then the real panic set in. We have sort of a crazy routine with dimming the lights at certain intervals and whatnot...and for the next few days he's just going to have to adjust (and really...maybe this will turn out to be good and shorten bedtime a whole bunch come the weekend!)

I kid you not, maybe 6 pages into his story The Nativity (from Grammy Dale) and the Monster was asleep. I finished the whole story and he was out like a light. Dim the lights to the point where I could barely see...plunk him down, cover him up and turn on his Rock-a-bye Baby Beatles cd and off I went!

He's been asleep since about 8:45...it's 12:45 now.

I'm awesome.

I promptly rewarded myself with q few minutes of peace and quiet, followed by Sex and the City 2.

Again, I'm awesome.

GIVEAWAY ends MONDAY!

Don't forget to enter the Giveaway over at Sweet Stella's for a customized Board Book! It can be like the one shown, My Family, or can be about shapes...your kiddo...favourite animals...you choose!

Enter today!! The winner will be announced on TUESDAY morning!

Y3W Friday

I think Owen's feeling better!

Oh, and for you nose-pierced Mommas out there...be careful! It hurts when the little Monster grabs my nose!

Sweet Stella's: Thankful Thursday: Slowly but Surely

Sweet Stella's: Thankful Thursday: Slowly but Surely: "Slowly but surely we're getting back into the swing of things. Today's topic...cold remedies for babies and parents! I am very thankful for..."

My Sick Monster

Oh my poor baby is sick, sick, SICK!

When he refused dinner and started screaming, while blowing snot-bubbles and looking pitiful we took him to the after-hours emergency clinic part of our Doctor's office.

His lungs are clear, ears are okay...just a sick little boy who has a bad cold. Tylenol at regular intervals, Pedialyte and water for extra fluids whenever he'll take it, humidifier (which we were already doing) and lots of snuggles.

Poor Monster...doesn't he just break your heart?

An Evening in Pictures

Since we got home from Florida, things have been crazy busy...and I've neglected to take any pictures of the Monster!

We've changed a few things up, like his bed time. Instead of 9:30pm bath and 10:00pm bed, we've gone to 8:30pm bath and 9:00pm bed (the whole routine takes no more than a half an hour, so it's usually about 8:50pm when he's out for the count). It seems to be going well! Last night, he was in bed by 8:50ish and...well it's 9:53am and he's just waking up now.

We've also added in some cereal for breakfast, mixed with a little cinnamon to make it more appetizing. That Monster ate. it. up! yesterday. He was very happy with this addition, so I think we'll stick with it.

He's still not interested in crawling, and actually will scream if he flips over onto his belly. Rolling and crawling, apparently, are for chumps. He likes to sit and look, bounce on his bum and play with everything in sight.

Here are a few updated pictures from last night

See the teeth??

Looking oh-so-impressed with all of the pictures

Even upside-down, he's beautiful!