Recently, I've been taken aback by Felix's attempts at sentences. It's one of those things that is funny because it absolutely amazes and delights me as his mom, but I'm aware that every kid learns to speak and knew this would happen. It's just so cool to see it develop day by day and coming out of the mouth of your baby who wasn't even in our life 2 years ago!
Some examples as of late:
This morning - "Mommy, read book AGAIN?"
"One helicopter, TWO helicopters!!" (pluralizing!)
"More chocolate cheerios please mommy?"
"Thank you mommy/daddy" (sometimes he just covers all his bases and calls one of us mommy/daddy).
"Be careful mommy!" (As I'm backing the car into the garage...this one blew me away...and as I had to do a re-do he said, "It ok mommy")
At the High Park Zoo "WOAH WOW WOAH...EMU big eyes!!"
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Breech Update
I have to thank my amazing friends and my grandma for their "everything is going to turn around" and "even if it doesn't, it's not the worst thing that could be happening" conversations, emails, and phone calls over the past few days.
I got called in to have an ultrasound yesterday afternoon to check the baby's position (despite being told this wouldn't happen until after my next check-up and only if the baby was still breech...so it gave me a bit of a scare to be called in on a day's notice and earlier, but I guess my midwives were just trying to be proactive.)
Stephen met me at the hospital (good thing or I don't think I would have been able to resist finding out the baby's gender!) and in two seconds the ultrasound technician had confirmed that the baby was head down again. SWEET! However, I am almost certain that Baldy has flipped back and forth about 3-4 times in the past week just from where I am feeling kicks vs. hiccups so I'm not confident this is the end of this.
The highlight of the ultrasound, though, was getting to see the little critter again! When it scrolled by the face we saw the baby with both hands near its mouth sucking one thumb and then the other. It was SO CUTE and amazing to me that there is really a baby in my big belly doing cute real baby things...it made my heart absolutely melt.
I got called in to have an ultrasound yesterday afternoon to check the baby's position (despite being told this wouldn't happen until after my next check-up and only if the baby was still breech...so it gave me a bit of a scare to be called in on a day's notice and earlier, but I guess my midwives were just trying to be proactive.)
Stephen met me at the hospital (good thing or I don't think I would have been able to resist finding out the baby's gender!) and in two seconds the ultrasound technician had confirmed that the baby was head down again. SWEET! However, I am almost certain that Baldy has flipped back and forth about 3-4 times in the past week just from where I am feeling kicks vs. hiccups so I'm not confident this is the end of this.
The highlight of the ultrasound, though, was getting to see the little critter again! When it scrolled by the face we saw the baby with both hands near its mouth sucking one thumb and then the other. It was SO CUTE and amazing to me that there is really a baby in my big belly doing cute real baby things...it made my heart absolutely melt.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Baldy is Breeched, Boody is Bummed
On Monday night, I felt some weird sensations in the general area of the baby and then started getting some inner-groin (what I hoped were) punches. The next morning I went to my main midwife (I see 4 of them on a rotating basis to get to know all of them) for my 34 week appointment and was excitedly discussing birth plans and possibilities.
Perhaps I'm weird, but I have been really looking forward to experiencing childbirth again. I had such an awesome, empowering, worry-free, all-natural experience with Felix that left me with these incredible superhuman endorphins and pride at being able to do it on my own.
Anyway, she started listening for the heartbeat where it could usually be found and we could hear it but it was quieter. She gradually moved the doppler up until we could hear it and then she felt my belly and could tell for certain that the head was right under my rib cage.
I know that many of my friends have gone through this and they end up with amazing little babies after a c-section...and I know that I have told so many of my friends that it doesn't matter how you get your baby, it's that they were safe is the important thing. Yes, logically I know that and fully believe it, but I am really so upset and disappointed that I might not get that amazing experience this time.
All hope is not lost at this point. I'm 34.5 weeks and they don't really start worrying until 36 weeks. The midwife said there was lots of fluid and still plenty of room for the baby to turn and it has been head down for every appointment until now.
I'm going to see a chiropractor today, found a bunch of yoga positions that can help, and will try accupuncture. I've even sourced out a hypnotist who has had success with getting breech babies to turn. At 36 weeks (if necessary) they will schedule me for an ECV (a procedure where an OB physically tries to turn the baby which I hear is painful...but I'm thinking not as painful as recovering from surgery).
The stats I read online say that 97% of babies are head down by 38 weeks and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm not in that 3%. Rationally, I know there are plenty of worse problems I could be having with this pregnancy and I am so lucky to be having my second baby having encountered so few issues...but it still is really freaking me out...and I know I sound like a big self-involved whiner to 3-4 of my friends who have gone through this and read this blog regularly.
Perhaps I'm weird, but I have been really looking forward to experiencing childbirth again. I had such an awesome, empowering, worry-free, all-natural experience with Felix that left me with these incredible superhuman endorphins and pride at being able to do it on my own.
Anyway, she started listening for the heartbeat where it could usually be found and we could hear it but it was quieter. She gradually moved the doppler up until we could hear it and then she felt my belly and could tell for certain that the head was right under my rib cage.
I know that many of my friends have gone through this and they end up with amazing little babies after a c-section...and I know that I have told so many of my friends that it doesn't matter how you get your baby, it's that they were safe is the important thing. Yes, logically I know that and fully believe it, but I am really so upset and disappointed that I might not get that amazing experience this time.
All hope is not lost at this point. I'm 34.5 weeks and they don't really start worrying until 36 weeks. The midwife said there was lots of fluid and still plenty of room for the baby to turn and it has been head down for every appointment until now.
I'm going to see a chiropractor today, found a bunch of yoga positions that can help, and will try accupuncture. I've even sourced out a hypnotist who has had success with getting breech babies to turn. At 36 weeks (if necessary) they will schedule me for an ECV (a procedure where an OB physically tries to turn the baby which I hear is painful...but I'm thinking not as painful as recovering from surgery).
The stats I read online say that 97% of babies are head down by 38 weeks and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm not in that 3%. Rationally, I know there are plenty of worse problems I could be having with this pregnancy and I am so lucky to be having my second baby having encountered so few issues...but it still is really freaking me out...and I know I sound like a big self-involved whiner to 3-4 of my friends who have gone through this and read this blog regularly.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Group Photo Time
These pics are from our very brief trip to Saskatchewan for G&G's 60th wedding Anniversary. Before flying home, we met up with our buddies for a bbq and visit. Someone suggested we should get a pic of all of our toddlers and babies together and this is what happened. 
Poor Cohen, left all alone...tough being the only one tied down!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Our Big Boy
With baby number 2 on its way in six or so weeks, we thought it was time to start getting Felix ready for his new toddler bed.
We set it up on Friday and positioned it where his crib used to be, but kept the crib in the room just in case. We let him pretend to sleep/play in the toddler bed a few times over the weekend, but didn't want to push the issue too much.
Last night Felix was very overtired (Mondays are tough at daycare especially after weekends when we have mixed up his schedule). Stephen was off to work on the other house and I didn't really have the energy to even attempt the toddler bed. However, when I put Felix down for the night in his crib he started yelling "LIE DOWN LIE DOWN LIE DOWN LIE DOWN". He wanted to lie down in the other bed.
So, I put him down in the bed and told him to keep his head on the pillow and kissed him goodnight. As I shut the door I heard his little footsteps and the door open with "Mommy?"...we repeated this step a few times. Finally, I sat down in the chair beside his bed trying to stay as still as possible (not an easy job when you are uncomfortably pregnant!) and every time he lifted his head (mainly to giggle or do something cute for me) I told him to lie down and go to sleep. Eventually, he did just that!
He woke up once asking for water, but other than that he stayed in the bed all night and didn't wake up until 7:30 - a very successful sleep-in by Felix standards! Much much easier than I expected, but we'll see how night #2 goes.
We set it up on Friday and positioned it where his crib used to be, but kept the crib in the room just in case. We let him pretend to sleep/play in the toddler bed a few times over the weekend, but didn't want to push the issue too much.
Last night Felix was very overtired (Mondays are tough at daycare especially after weekends when we have mixed up his schedule). Stephen was off to work on the other house and I didn't really have the energy to even attempt the toddler bed. However, when I put Felix down for the night in his crib he started yelling "LIE DOWN LIE DOWN LIE DOWN LIE DOWN". He wanted to lie down in the other bed.
So, I put him down in the bed and told him to keep his head on the pillow and kissed him goodnight. As I shut the door I heard his little footsteps and the door open with "Mommy?"...we repeated this step a few times. Finally, I sat down in the chair beside his bed trying to stay as still as possible (not an easy job when you are uncomfortably pregnant!) and every time he lifted his head (mainly to giggle or do something cute for me) I told him to lie down and go to sleep. Eventually, he did just that!
He woke up once asking for water, but other than that he stayed in the bed all night and didn't wake up until 7:30 - a very successful sleep-in by Felix standards! Much much easier than I expected, but we'll see how night #2 goes.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Waddle
We went to the CNE last weekend (I'll post pics soon)! When we got home one of our neighbours was asking Felix what animals he saw at the petting zoo. Stephen asked Felix if there was an animal he saw that waddled. Felix responded - "Mommy".
Yeah, I get it...I'm becoming extremely pregnant as the days go by...and now even my 21 month old is rubbing it in. ;)
Yeah, I get it...I'm becoming extremely pregnant as the days go by...and now even my 21 month old is rubbing it in. ;)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Best Street
I've been asked if I'm glad we moved back to Toronto...and yes, it was the right decision for us. I really miss my old job and I really miss my family, but you can't have it all. I love that Felix is getting to grow up near cousins (not much liklihood of that happening on my side of the family, unfortunately) and in a multicultural city where he could take up activities such as falconry or see things first-hand such as the chalk art at Nathan Phillips square last week.
One of the very best things about our life here is our street and our neighbours. Last night was the annual Harvest party in the tiny but vibrant community garden at the end of our block. Felix sprayed the garden with the hose happily for about an hour and then ran around with all of the older kids with a huge smile on his face. Screeching, jumping with joy, etc. He knows the names of most of our neighbours and exactly which house "Bob" "Peter" "Odiiiiiiin" "Alex" "Ollie" etc live in. His big smile playing with everyone in the park reminded me that this little being is so much like his Dad and I who love being in the midst of a big warm group of friends and get absolutely giddy and silly.
The community feel of our street (and I'm sure I've blogged about this before) actually reminds me of the best of those Saskatchewan close-knit community events...except it is a bit different because in Toronto you have a zillion different choices about what you could be doing on any given night, and most everyone on our street chooses to hang out with each other, light a sparkler, and go for a walk around the tiny garden (with Joni Mitchell blasting) in memory of everyone's favourite neighbour, Janis.
One of the very best things about our life here is our street and our neighbours. Last night was the annual Harvest party in the tiny but vibrant community garden at the end of our block. Felix sprayed the garden with the hose happily for about an hour and then ran around with all of the older kids with a huge smile on his face. Screeching, jumping with joy, etc. He knows the names of most of our neighbours and exactly which house "Bob" "Peter" "Odiiiiiiin" "Alex" "Ollie" etc live in. His big smile playing with everyone in the park reminded me that this little being is so much like his Dad and I who love being in the midst of a big warm group of friends and get absolutely giddy and silly.
The community feel of our street (and I'm sure I've blogged about this before) actually reminds me of the best of those Saskatchewan close-knit community events...except it is a bit different because in Toronto you have a zillion different choices about what you could be doing on any given night, and most everyone on our street chooses to hang out with each other, light a sparkler, and go for a walk around the tiny garden (with Joni Mitchell blasting) in memory of everyone's favourite neighbour, Janis.
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