Blankie Bear

Blankie Bear entertains Abigail with a little dance.
But see what happens when Blankie Bear turns creepy...


For the record, Robin made these videos - incase you could not tell.

Baby Wearing - revised photos

Baby wearing is far from a new practice, but you'd think it was from the number of women I've encountered who say "I wish they had those in my day." It is unfortunate that it has taken this long for baby wearing to become popular, and even now I only see a small percentage of moms baby wearing. I suspect this is because most women have had little exposure to or experience with baby wearing. Perhaps one day we'll see the Hundred Monkey phenomenon when enough people start baby wearing and expose others to this brilliant idea!
Here are some photos:


Dual napping. Or maybe she's nursing. I don't remember.



Hands free!



Little newborn back-carry.


A day out with the family.

What's better than a sleeping baby? A sleeping baby on the go!



Baby wearing isn't just for moms. Robin turns heads when he carries Abigail. He received many compliments at Canadian Tire when he had Abbie in the pocket sling (not pictured).


Newborn in the Ergo and with the sun cover




Getting bigger...

Aside from walks in the park and shopping at the market, baby wearing is useful around the house.


Here I am stirring food in a metal bowl, not cooking on the stove-top.



Basically, it's awesome anywhere and my 2 year old still loves a front carry (facing me) or a hip carry.

More photos:

Drooling at an evening outdoor concert.

Watching a parade (see photo above for her sleeping through the Pipe and Drum parade).


Front-facing






Back carries





This is still one her favourite carries (the front wrap cross is so versatile!)

Apparently I don't have any photos using the sling. Probably because it's my 'quick solution' babywearing option. You know, what I keep on hand for outings when I suspect she'll want to be carried and I'll want my hands free.

I love our sling, Ergo and wraps.

Last of the Family visiting

We've had a wonderful time with Alan and Corey here visiting. Alas, the week is passing all too quickly. What'll I do next month when there are no more houseguests??

We've been keeping busy.... shopping, walking, cooking (or baking on Corey's part), eating and settling Abigail. Alan gave Abigail a Croozer bike/jogging trailer/stroller which will be perfect for next spring. Kids have to be at least one to ride in it. Alan seemed a little disappointed by this, but it will still get plenty of usage starting next year and will be very handy to have! If every gift we received was only good for the newborn stage we'd be scrambling next year to get stuff.

Abigail and Robin (and everyone else including Darla) are fast asleep. I hear snoring... I won't say who... I suppose I should join them (not snoring, sleeping; I don't snore!) now that I am finished uploading photos and drinking my tea. I hope the family enjoys these little photos. Corey and Alan sure love Abigail! Good thing we're bringing her to Winnipeg this summer for a visit. We'd considered leaving her home with a housesitter ;)
(Obviously I'm tired and typing crazy things.)

6 Weeks

6 wonderful weeks have passed. Wow.

Abigail now weighs 10lbs 12oz and is 22.5 inches long (grown 2" since birth).

Corey and Alan arrive today. Robin and Abigail have gone to the airport to pick them up. So I have 2 hours alone. What to do...

Okay, well after I finish vacuuming and cleaning and...

they'll be here.

Hence I am sitting with my tea right now! When the tea is done I'll get back to cleaning. Good thing it's a huge mug...

I've been trying to capture video footage of Abbie giggling, but whenever I bring out the camera she looks at it funny and stops what she was doing.

I'll capture it eventually. I'm sure I'll have some footage for month two's video.

Month One - the movie

Abbie is well over a month old. When did that happen? She'll be 6 weeks this Friday. I've put together a short series of video clips from her first month for your enjoyment.
She giggles a lot now, so month two's video will be even cuter!

Abigail is Welcomed by Community

Saturday marked Abigail's introduction into a loving and supportive community of friends. We laughed, we cried (some of us), we ate. In all seriousness, it was a wonderful ceremony, if I may say so as the Priestess. However, it wasn't me that made it wonderful, it was everyone in attendance and what they shared with Abigail - their supportive presence, hugs, blessings, and a bead for Abigail's nursing necklace. Abigail was a happy girl. I barely saw her that day except when she needed to be fed or changed. She was too busy being loved by her community and I was happy to share her.

I kept the ceremony short and simple. After casting circle hand to hand I invoked the directions, their associated seasons, which Abigail will pass through in her first year of life, and community. Robin described how Abbie came to have the names Abigail and Marion (middle name) and I discussed her magical name given to her in the womb. I read Sherri's beautiful blessing written for Abigail before her birth and we then invited others to share their blessings. I had also requested that blessings be written down to be saved in Abigail's scrapbook. I've never requested this of blessings before (at my wedding and at the baby shower) and I have always regretted it. I get caught up in the moment of receiving and acknowledging the blessing - and at the end of the circle I've forgotten the details. I always remember the intention of each blessing because there was a token accompanying it.

Robin and I gave our blessings last. Robin blessed her with family and friends to guide her and the strength and independence to choose her own path. I blessed Abigail with friends in unexpected places and with a song. This is a song I learned in community many years ago when I was in theatre. It is a favourite of mine - a Pueblo blessing I learned from Barbara Poggemiller.*

Hold on to what is good even if it's a handful of earth
Hold on to what you believe even if it's a tree standing by itself
Hold on to what you must do even if it's a long way from here
Hold on to life even when it is easier to let go
Hold on to my hand even when I have gone far away
Hold on

Although it was not my intention, the song brought tears to many eyes. I successfully managed to hold back my own tears. Following the blessings, Abigail greeted everyone and received a bead for her nursing necklace. Circle was closed and we returned to socializing, making origami butterflies, and oggling Abbie. The kids played with butterfly gliders (good idea Mandy!).

It was a good day. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to take many photos, so I'm relying on those taken by friends.

*I just discovered that there is a FB group of her "devotees"!! This really shouldn't surprise me. Barbara Poggemiller is more than memorable - she is a force of transformation.

glue on you

what was i thinking when i decided to put together the birth announcement cards by hand? and why did i decide they would look better with ribbon added? because after i put all 100 or so of these together i still have to personalize them for recipients and label envelopes, which is work enough.

silly silly mandy


that being said, however, yes, you can expect to finally receive something in the near future. (and you had better appreciate it! or else. something.)


ericka arrives tomorrow - on my birthday! what a great birthday gift PLUS she's bringing a present. :D


abigail's community welcoming ceremony is quickly approaching. i'm almost done writing the ritual... and then i suppose i should prepare some food for saturday.


i'm not going to think about how much work i have yet to do... no, i'm just going to go back to folding, hole-punching, ribboning, gluing, and personalizing announcements.


(i've added a trekkie photo for your enjoyment, because, really, what's a post without a picture of abigail??)

10 3

Abigail is up to 10lbs 3 oz. Not too shabby for 4 weeks old :)
I'm down to... well, I'd like to lose another 10 lbs.

Another weekend is upon us. What'll we do?? I know that I'll take the opportunity to hopefully finish Abigail's wool pants. We have a few errands to run such as buying a space heater. And I STILL want some shelves for Abigail's room... I have to sort through clothes again as well. We have to figure out how we're going to store clothes - those she has to grow into and those she has outgrown. Since we do plan on having another someday, we'll be keeping the clothes. However, we're already at negative storage space... Perhaps I should look for the vaccum-sealed bags "as seen on TV" so we can store more in less space...

We miss you already Grandpa

Another beloved family member has returned home to Winnipeg. Abigail will miss her grandpa!

We had a wonderful time with my dad in town. We shared a lot of quality time together... with one or another usually on a laptop in the living room (it was not always Robin - he wanted me to make that clear to readers). Dad found it quite funny how the "modern" family spends time together - of course, he was just as guilty. Mom had her puzzle books; dad had his laptop (I have my knitting; Robin has X Box). [I would just like to add that mine is practical because I make baby stuff and gifts.]

Grandpa took Abbie clothes shopping - a first for him. In addition to clothes, he bought us the Sign, Sing and Play Kit for learning baby sign language. I got a new Disc World novel that I hope to pick up soon and the Sara Bareilles CD - which I LOVE. I hadn't bought a new CD in a loooooooong time.

Things change so fast with a newborn. I can't believe she will be FOUR WEEKS old tomorrow. [Robin corrected me that she'll be one MONTH on April 7, not Friday] We'll find out her current weight tomorrow at the midwives' office.

I had to take this photo this morning because it is the last time she will be wearing her Mommy and Me sleeper :( She's outgrown other NB clothing, but this one was a special gift from her Aunty Corey that we received long before her birth. It seems like only yesterday I was anticipating dressing her in this sleeper and cuddling with my baby... and now she's too big for it!

Some of you may remember when I used to say I preferred toddlers and would be happy to skip right over the newborn phase. I take it back! Don't take my cuddly newborn from me!!!