Monday, November 27, 2006

Let it snow, let is snow, let it snow!

Its a freakin' winter wonderland out there today. Justin is inordinately pleased, Snoopy is chilly and the rest of Vancouver is a tad flummoxed. As it happens every year, the city is freaked out by snow (even though we live in Canada and it do snow here in Vancouver at least a few times per year). I am a snow bystander, so it really doesn't bother me all that much. I shall just bide my time and wait for the nuttiness to end.

Nate graduated to toast fingers yesterday with pear puree on top. He seemed to like the squishiness of them and mauled them more than ate them. He did manage one in total. He is not happening with vegetables as finger foods (spits them out with the most disdainful look). I think we shall stick with toast, cheerios, and baby mum-mums for now. He even will eat a bit of grated cheese every now and again.

Today I am wrapping Christmas presents (they are Christmas presents, not holiday presents, even though I am not invested in any kind of religiosity) to send back to the East coast for ma famille. I must must must clean my house. I've been dragging my lazy butt about this it seems like forever and today I am going to try to get a few rooms done.

But first I must watch Jon Stewart.

Priorities.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Go nucks go!

Things happen when I'm left alone in the house with just a computer. Weird things. Shopping things. Tonight I was checking out my email and got some crap junk mail from eBay. What did I do? You know, dontcha?

You do.

I went a browsing. I went a buying. As a result Justin and I are going to see the Nucks vs. Oilers at good old GM place! I was going to keep it a secret, but what the hell--I can't keep fun hockey news to myself. Besides--I won (see what eBay does? only they can convince you that spending money is winning). OOOOOHHHH I'm a winner. Yep. A big winner. Win win win.

After I bid I spent an agonizing few minutes deciding whether or not I actually wanted to win.

Did I spend too much?

Could we afford it?

Would Justin be excited?

Could we get a sitter?

Was I being stupid?

Y'all, ever since Justin came to live here (and became a huge hockey fan) I have talked about how I wanted to take him to a game, but it had never worked out.

And there it is.

An eBay adventure.

Friday, November 24, 2006

Are you awake? How 'bout now?

This was yesterday's title. I got up all grumpy because someone from the payroll department in Ottawa called me at 4:30 am to discuss my return to work. It seems that they forgot all about the time difference. Sheesh, Upper Canadians. I didn't really get back to sleep so yesterday was fun city. I also got my eyes tested yesterday and they are apparently worse for the wear of having a baby. My optometrist informed me that having a baby (and all the hormones etc) either makes your eyesight better or worse. The catch is it can go either way, and it is permanent. The good news in all of this is that I still need glasses for reading and computer work but I now need to wear them for movies and for driving at night (not a big deal since I don't drive).

Last night I went over to my friend Lori's place and got to spend some quality time with her daughter Sosi. We had a blast, she and I. I think we were both really excited to just hang without the baby around. She got 100% of my attention and I got to concentrate on the pure fun of playing. We watched Raffi (thanks Tiffany and Clara for the Raffi DVD introduction)and sang and danced and played dollies.

Raffi rocks.

You know, before I had a kid I kinda thought he was creepy.

Go figure.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Sleep baby sleep

So, we are having more Mr. Nate-sleeps-through-the-night nights than not. This makes us so very happy I can't even tell you. He's been going to bed at 7pm and getting up at 7am (sometimes even 8am!) most nights. Of course by saying this I've jinxed us, but I'm not going to think about it. He is still up there slumbering away and it's 8:03 am.

In other news, the boil water advisory is still in effect. We are doing just fine y'all, ignore the news, if you are getting it. I heard that Canadian Tire distributed flats and flats of water to people in the Downtown East Side (for those of you who are unfamiliar with this area of Vancouver it is a region that contains the most homeless people and urban poor). This makes me believe in corporate responsibility just a little bit, and I have resolved to buy things there more often.

I've been in a bit of a blah thinking about going back to work. I love my job and work with some amazing people, but there be just so much to do before I go back that I get a bit panicked. I want to return to work with as much set up here for Justin as possible so that it is less overwhelming for both of us. I'm going back on the 15th of December. The crap news is that I still don't fit my pre-pregnant clothes very well and have to buy a few things until I take care of that. Ugh.

There's my baby now!

Gotta run.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Don't drink the water

Seriously, don't drink it. Vancouver has issued a boil water advisory for the last few days. Boiled or not, I wouldn't drink the stuff anyhow cause of the very funky colour it is straight out of the tap. Bleck. People, because of this water advisory, have lost their ever-loving minds. It's like some apoca-frickin-lyptic mob mentality. People are filling shopping carts full of big bottles, little bottles, evian, whatever they can get their hands on. They are screaming at cashiers, lining up forever, and generally acting like there will never be another drop of water available EVER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. We have water and things will be fine (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

In more fun news, Mr. Nate is clapping now all on his own, is starting to do something approaching a wave and is eating finger foods! Cheerios are now my favorite things in the entire world. Wait for it and I shall tell y'all why. After Nate finishes his food, he will happily sit for another 15 mins or more if you deposit a small amount of Cheerios on his highchair tray. His eyes brighten, he reaches out with glee and snatches them up (they never really had a chance). It's almost creepy.

Things are all straightened up now after our little trip. The laundry is done and away, bags back in the storage, fridge filled and so on. The thing is we have such amazing and wonderful friends everywhere (thats y'all) it makes me sad that I can't just fold the damn country so we can be more a part of each other's lives. I feel like this even more now that we have Nate cause he should meet and spend time with all these incredible people.

Blah blah blah. I'm done feeling sorry for myself now.

I've got Tom Petty stuck in my head. That American girl song.

Bet you hate me now.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Home again, home again


We had a lovely trip to Lethbridge to visit grandma Jo and Opa (who are as taken with Nate as Nate is with them), and then a fantastic visit with Mama T and her family. T's two daughters are absolutely beautiful and brilliant and lively and charming and wonderful, no surprise given their parents. We were so happy to touch base and spend time with their family, and Nate adored everyone (I suspect he has a crush on Clara, even though he and Pippa are close in age and Mama T and I are considering a marriage contract). Clara was incredibly patient with Nate, letting him crawl around after her and take her toys and so on. She is such a little momma bear, helping with the little ones and is very patient with them. Nate will henceforth be known as Mr. Nate (Clara patiently explained that he was Mr. Nate because "hims a he"). Pippa seems like such a self-possessed baby. She is happy to be on the floor rolling over and gurgling and giggling and playing on her own with as little or as much attention as you are wanting to give her (very very much attention in my case, my hands just itched to hold her). I will post more pictures when we get them all sorted out, but I just had to post this one.

Makes me want to have more kids y'all.

Dangerous.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Messy baby

He's eating like gangbusters now. Nate hates being in the highchair and really dislikes bibs, but food, especially fruit of any kind, is consumed post haste. The new front teeth are working out pretty well too! Except he bit Justin trying them out (snicker).

We saw our friend Jack off this morning, she is on her way to Australia for a well deserved trip. As much as we will miss her, we know she is going to have a fabulous time.

I posted pictures of the pumpkins we carved at Halloween, as well as the laksa I made on my birthday.

Favorite things



Friday, November 03, 2006

Happy Birthday Momma!

Today is my birthday! This year I pretty much forgot when it was and when November was coming and what day it was at any given point. There have been so many things to do since we got back from Halifax. Justin made me the bestest birthday latte this morning, and I had a wonderful morning cuddle with my lovely Nate who beamed at me when I got him out of the crib (like I was a superstar -- who can beat that?).

We didn't get any kids for Halloween, sadly, but we did carve some fantastic pumpkins (I will post pictures as soon as we download them). Today I'm making Laksa for dinner and I'm totally looking forward to it. I found some fresh laksa leaves at the market and some lovely galangal.

It's hard to believe that this time last year Nate was still inside. I can't imagine life without my family.

I'm a very lucky girl.