tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28404140293461613592024-02-07T19:17:08.043-05:00Half a BiteIn which some fleeting thoughts (and sometimes baked goods) become pixels on your screen.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-21715622921665399602012-11-19T14:13:00.001-05:002012-11-19T14:13:45.295-05:00Permission<br />
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One of the hardest things about dealing with a miscarriage is that everything outside tells you to just get over it and move on. For a while, I had a huge conflict in my head between feeling the most profound grief I'd ever felt, and a weird feeling that I wasn't supposed to feel that way.</div>
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The world keeps turning. No one knew the baby but me, so no one grieved him quite like I did. There was no funeral, and few people even knew about the pregnancy in the first place. When someone (not in the know) says hi and casually asks, "How are you?" - how do you tell them in one moment that a whole life has passed by?</div>
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Indeed, in hindsight, it went by so quickly. Some days, I wonder if it was all just a dream.</div>
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Comforting words and advice from well-meaning loved ones can really sting, especially when they strike up that same conflict in my head. </div>
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"It was probably very sick so it's better this way." </div>
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"Don't think about it, you need to move on."</div>
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On a good day, I can rationalize to myself that they mean well. On a bad day, it's really hard to hear, "Don't feel the way you feel."</div>
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Feelings are feelings. They're just there. You can't help them, and you can't make them go away... at least, not without replacing them with something else. Like guilt for feeling so sad in the first place.</div>
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The best piece of advice I received from a dear friend was: </div>
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<b>Give yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you need to feel. </b></div>
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I have. And I just wanted to put this out there, in case you, or anyone you know, need to hear it too.</div>
Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-52296343062807965492012-11-16T13:05:00.001-05:002012-11-16T13:24:50.725-05:00Prayers and angels<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA">Lately, a lot of my friends and family have been asking for prayer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">For big things. Hurricanes, heart surgeries, tragic accidents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">For smaller things. Patience to get through a bad day. Guidance on a job situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve been feeling especially inclined to offer prayers lately. Because I personally know a little special someone up there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">I think that maybe God felt that I needed an angel. And I am so blessed to have one.</span></div>
Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-55351376006368521402012-11-14T12:20:00.001-05:002012-11-14T12:50:11.857-05:00Family YearbookI was a yearbook editor for many years in high school and university, so when someone gave me the idea of putting together a "family yearbook", I dove right in.<br />
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Now, I used to do it all from scratch in Adobe Pagemaker (dating myself a little bit), but there are so many websites that have easy software and cute templates now. So I hung up my yearbook hat and went with Shutterfly. I first used Shutterfly to put together a guest book for my wedding three years ago, and have done lots of event and vacation scrapbooks since. I'm a fan of Blurb as well - their software is closer to the desktop publishing software I used to use, with the ability to customize - but I find that Shutterfly is a little more intuitive (the tradeoff for customization opportunities).<br />
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I'm also very impressed by the fun new templates they've been coming out with, especially the ones with specific themes. They even gave me the option of adding a clear pouch to stick in the back, which can hold small pieces of memorabilia. Clearly, they've been paying attention to their target market!<br />
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There was no defined method to this. Some people like to stick to a specific number of allocated pages per month, but I tend to define things in terms of events. As I did in my yearbook days, I gave most events at least two pages, because I like to look at my book in spreads. I ended up with 32 pages, which consisted of:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Title and end pages (1 each)</li>
<li>Pregnancy photos (4 pages)</li>
<li>Vacation (2 pages)</li>
<li>Graduation (2 pages)</li>
<li>Moving (2 pages)</li>
<li>A friend's wedding (1 page)</li>
<li>Our cat (1 page)</li>
<li>Darian's baptism (1 page)</li>
<li>Halloween (1 page)</li>
<li>Christmas (2 pages)</li>
<li>Other various baby photos, including his monthly "birthday" photos (about half the book - ha!)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Anyway, here is our 2011 yearbook. I call it "the crazy year" because it was the year everything changed for us.<br />
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It should arrive just in time for me to start working on 2012 :)<br />
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<div style="margin-top: 0; text-align: center; width: 425px;">
<a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EZOWrJs2asnpg&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=115">Click here to view this photo book larger</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 425px;">
Turn your favorite photos into a <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books" style="color: #6666cc;">photo book at Shutterfly.com</a>.</div>
<img border="0" height="1" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=photobook&c2=blogger" style="background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0;" width="1" />Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-59350034658308547872012-11-09T16:36:00.002-05:002012-11-09T16:36:59.996-05:00The world is awesomeA few days after the miscarriage, I took a much needed day off. It was the best thing that I've done in a long time.<br />
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It was a rare warm day for late October. My plan was to see where my heart would take me, camera in hand, and also throw in lunch with a friend and a relaxing massage in the afternoon.<br />
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The morning started off foggy. I took the opportunity to sit in a coffee shop and slowly sip a cup of tea - a rare treat when you've got a toddler.<br />
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Mid-morning, the fog lifted. And then everything, I mean EVERYTHING, just looked... <i>beautiful</i> to me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rFyf2qjdmjgoAeviutPucdSrONjFpJUDXBj4eqjO2QrrXI7GU0z2BJnudQx9s0Qy9G2RmrZqls3LWD94j7QpmCTX_iSxUyjaDdh00hK6sQ2TPWTpxH-TIHihJBDcBk55Olks_XOWkWE/s1600/dayoffcollage3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rFyf2qjdmjgoAeviutPucdSrONjFpJUDXBj4eqjO2QrrXI7GU0z2BJnudQx9s0Qy9G2RmrZqls3LWD94j7QpmCTX_iSxUyjaDdh00hK6sQ2TPWTpxH-TIHihJBDcBk55Olks_XOWkWE/s320/dayoffcollage3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I met up with my friend <a href="http://www.datesandquinces.com/" target="_blank">Alyson</a> and her adorable little girl for lunch. After our original plans failed, we ended up at <a href="http://www.bythewaycafe.com/" target="_blank">By The Way Cafe</a>. Alyson told me the story of why she and her husband call this their "victory cafe" - after going through a really tough time moving to Toronto, the stars aligned one day and things settled. And they celebrated at this very same cafe.<br />
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It seemed a fitting sentiment for my day too. Things are going to get better.<br />
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My little angel must have been with me all day. Showing me how awesome our world is. Whispering to me, "Don't worry mommy... I can see it from here." And that thought warms my soul.<br />
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So when I'm feeling down, I look up, look around, and find beauty in something. I think that's what my baby would have wanted me to do.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-82354253395784445482012-11-04T22:43:00.001-05:002012-11-04T22:43:16.539-05:00ThankfulBecause it's November, a lot of my American friends have been talking about things to be thankful for. And difficult as it has been, this experience has given me so much to be thankful for.<br />
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I am thankful that my body reacted quickly, and dealt with the miscarriage on its own.<br />
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I am thankful for doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators who work so hard. <br />
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I am thankful for amazing friends, who have been unbelievably supportive to me through this. Especially my online mommy group, most of whom have never even met me in person.<br />
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I am thankful for my awesome husband, who always gives the most comforting hugs.<br />
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I am thankful for my beautiful child. It's been hard not to smile with him around. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC612Agy6DNAK5xhYGUYIeu5846FmZSo3APQe_4zR35H4D3B9dPbvqQGp45rSk9g-arj6T_U5XcgVJ6oTruXMntkOS9heHQhGM0erNuMt7PNP_dePjFxcXzTNSc__q4i1bnxYIQsUQuWc/s1600/IMG_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC612Agy6DNAK5xhYGUYIeu5846FmZSo3APQe_4zR35H4D3B9dPbvqQGp45rSk9g-arj6T_U5XcgVJ6oTruXMntkOS9heHQhGM0erNuMt7PNP_dePjFxcXzTNSc__q4i1bnxYIQsUQuWc/s320/IMG_0833.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am thankful for a great job, and a great boss who has been completely understanding, and given me the flexibility to go to all of my appointments and also take a much-needed day off for some me time.<br />
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I am thankful that I had a wonderful day off, to recharge my soul and remember that the world is actually a pretty awesome place. (More on that later.)<br />
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Most of all, I am thankful to have learned how deeply I was capable of loving someone that I never even knew. My baby taught me that. For someone who only lived inside me for six weeks, that's a pretty amazing accomplishment.<br />
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<br />Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-1407777814893957282012-10-28T12:26:00.001-04:002012-10-29T12:27:45.045-04:00AchingMy computer is nearing the end of its life, so I've been going through old photos, backing them up and pruning them in an effort to clear some space on my hard drive.<br />
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I'm usually the one behind the camera, so there aren't very many photos of myself. The most recent ones I found were from Darian's birthday, back in July.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lGpzslcjKD30NpTJGkpU5NlDHqEpN3VKsLfUhJXeZUukVDMbaxZa9QGIz0z6hCVh0GHn4EEjYVsDe1RNdAe6y9vRYjO9ds6noR8FVL5q9mbMLx7juBFSqTQEcvQkzg4dQVXHQ31lfj4/s1600/dbday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lGpzslcjKD30NpTJGkpU5NlDHqEpN3VKsLfUhJXeZUukVDMbaxZa9QGIz0z6hCVh0GHn4EEjYVsDe1RNdAe6y9vRYjO9ds6noR8FVL5q9mbMLx7juBFSqTQEcvQkzg4dQVXHQ31lfj4/s320/dbday.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Two months before the BFP. Three months before the miscarriage.<br />
<br />
I couldn't help but reflect on what my life looked like just those three short months ago. I realized that this was the smile of someone who had never experienced a loss.<br />
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But it was also the smile of someone who didn't realize how much she could love a child she had never known. <br />
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For the first few days, I thought I was only grieving the loss of the hopes and dreams of what this baby could have become. I mean, I had never known the baby as a person; I hadn't even felt pregnant.<br />
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But then, a couple of days later, I started talking to him. "I'm sorry that I couldn't carry you," I said. "I'm sorry that you never even got have to heartbeat." I ached for my child, who would never get to know his big brother, or see daylight, or learn to walk. I ached for him, because I loved him, and I missed him.<br />
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I honestly did not know I was capable of this. I don't know if it makes me sound like a terrible mother. But how can you really know how you feel about someone you've never met?<br />
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This has been a terribly painful experience so far, but I think/hope that I will emerge a better person for it.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-43322842261175029512012-10-26T13:32:00.000-04:002012-10-26T13:32:13.920-04:00A lossOn September 19, I had one of the biggest surprises of my life when I found out I was pregnant with baby #2. That week, I happened to be at home with my son who was sick, so I had the fun opportunity of getting him a "Big brother" shirt and dressing him up to surprise daddy that evening.<br />
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Daddy was shocked, to say the least.</div>
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We hadn't planned for two under two, but after a few days went by, we started getting excited and envisioning our new lives as parents of two.</div>
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The pregnancy progressed very smoothly. Maybe too smoothly. I commented many times how strange it was that I felt no symptoms, as I had been nauseated, fatigued, and terribly run down while pregnant with Darian. But I told myself that every pregnancy was different, and to count my blessings that I was feeling so great.</div>
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On October 17, I had a dating ultrasound. Early ultrasounds aren't standard for low-risk pregnancies, but I had requested one for peace of mind because of the lack of symptoms. Thus started a rollercoaster of emotions that we've been riding for the past week.</div>
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The ultrasound showed what looked like a 5.5 week pregnancy. I should have been close to 8 weeks. No heartbeat. Nothing was diagnosed; I was ordered to do bloodwork, and a follow-up ultrasound in a week. I was not optimistic.</div>
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Two days later, the bleeding started. I cried at the sight. I didn't know whether I would cry, given that I knew it was inevitable. But it felt good to start letting it out after holding my breath for the past two days. In hindsight, I'm grateful and amazed that it started so quickly, on its own.<br />
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By God's grace, I hope that our baby is now in heaven, and has a good spot to sit and watch over us. Over the past week, I have been slowly trying to move on. I find that there is something new to think about, something new to grieve, every day. But that feels like progress, I think progress is good. </div>
Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-75025133172931261632012-02-29T14:01:00.000-05:002012-02-29T14:01:06.325-05:00Secrets of parenthoodThere are a few things about parenthood that people don't usually talk about.<br />
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You might not fall in love with your baby right away. <br />
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Your relationship with your spouse will probably change, and maybe not for the better at first.<br />
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You won't forget pre-baby life. You may even remember it fondly.<br />
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Sometimes, you won't like your baby. <br />
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Sometimes, you'll wonder if it was worth it.<br />
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But even if you have doubts about whether you'll like parenting, you will love your child more than anything. And it will all fall into place from there. One day at a time.<br />
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<br />Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-1037283465968224922012-02-02T14:15:00.001-05:002012-02-02T14:15:23.281-05:00Wall art from a collectionThis was such a simple project, but I've gotten so many compliments on it that I thought I'd post it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MHBskPcmVjE/TyrbzucnhAI/AAAAAAAAHiw/KV1M3RoLD1c/s1600/IMG_6628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MHBskPcmVjE/TyrbzucnhAI/AAAAAAAAHiw/KV1M3RoLD1c/s320/IMG_6628.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We all have a collection of something. No matter when or how it started, it probably means more and more to you as it grows.<br />
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For several years, I've had a collection of programs from musicals, plays, and operas that I've seen. This collection has been living in a shoe box for several years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjVNRIpVfyBYiuNLL19qStjh2gfNaem4micFO74zoPNT-s37fAFt74Jf8LjYRMav-_2lULuPWkehLCPr_TmCWlcbQPRcU99M4TfyTcdtGkTY7lOUkVRcqy35qNE-XlIdsCZ_GU3U7Sns/s1600/IMG_5298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjVNRIpVfyBYiuNLL19qStjh2gfNaem4micFO74zoPNT-s37fAFt74Jf8LjYRMav-_2lULuPWkehLCPr_TmCWlcbQPRcU99M4TfyTcdtGkTY7lOUkVRcqy35qNE-XlIdsCZ_GU3U7Sns/s320/IMG_5298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Sorry, I didn't take pictures of the process, but I'm sure you can imagine how I did this just by looking.) <br />
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Anyway, now that I have <a href="http://halfabite.blogspot.com/2011/10/works-in-progress.html">lots of empty walls to fill</a>, I thought I'd do something with these. The programs were all the same format, slightly larger than 5x7. So, I picked 18 of my favourite, and cropped the covers to 5x7.<br />
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I arranged them in 3 rows of 6 pictures = 3x7in down and 6x5in across (or 21x30 in total in case you forgot your multiplication tables :) ) I taped these together at the back.<br />
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Then, I found a 24x36in poster frame from Michael's that was slightly bigger. It even came with a backing poster that had black borders, so I cheated and used that as a makeshift mat. I stuck the whole thing in the centre of the mat and popped it into the poster frame.<br />
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What I love about it is that it's a conversation starter. When people come over, they ask about such-and-such show that they see pictured in the frame, and that often starts a conversation about theatre, which I obviously love.<br />
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There you have it! If you have a collection that's sitting in a shoebox, go dig it up and show it off!Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-79752878849205790872011-12-30T22:24:00.000-05:002011-12-30T22:24:03.177-05:00Fluffy bumsSo, I use cloth diapers on Darian's bum. I love it now, but I made a LOT of mistakes in the beginning which could have steered me back to disposables had I not spent a significant amount of money on the things.<br />
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<br />
<b>The Prep</b><br />
<br />
Let's start at the beginning. Long before I was pregnant, I came across a thread on The Nest about cloth diapers. I was intrigued. So I looked it up, read about the virtues (Save the environment! Save money! No rash! No poopsplosions! And they're cute!), and decided that when the time came, I'd give it a shot.<br />
<br />
Victor wasn't convinced, but since I'd be the one staying home, changing most diapers, and doing laundry, he agreed.<br />
<br />
Once I was pregnant, I tried to read up, but was overwhelmed without actual samples to look at. At a friend's suggestion, I visited a local cloth diaper shop. The woman in the shop gave us a riveting demonstration of the different types, and we went ahead and bought the whole starter kit of 30 brand new diapers plus all the accessories. <br />
<br />
From what I had read earlier, I thought that all-in-ones would take too long to dry, and pockets would be too much effort to stuff. So I got some Totsbots Bamboozle bamboo fitteds with covers, and some Grovia all-in-2s with snap in cotton soakers, all "one size" which would fit from about 9-35 lbs. (I'd explain it all but others have done a better job, so you can read more on <a href="http://awesomeclothdiapers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Awesome Cloth Diaper Blog</a>.)<br />
<br />
Victor and I had agreed to stick with disposables for the newborn stage, and then transition to cloth as parenthood became more manageable. I figured that the baby would start fitting in the one-size diapers within about a month. I was excited.<br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Starting out</b><br />
<br />
Darian was born at 7 lbs 11 oz. The newborn-sized disposables lasted about two weeks before he started outgrowing them and we decided to try out a Grovia. He was probably around 9 lbs by then.<br />
<br />
I snapped it to the smallest setting, put it on him and it looked HUGE. A couple of hours later, I changed the diaper and was disappointed at how wet it felt. I thought there was no way they'd last through a night.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9nCznVSAgXo/Tv57tPVcEJI/AAAAAAAAHbw/C7CK80Mj3Es/s1600/tummytime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9nCznVSAgXo/Tv57tPVcEJI/AAAAAAAAHbw/C7CK80Mj3Es/s320/tummytime.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Huge, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At one point, he had an explosive poop which scared the cat, but more importantly, leaked all over the place.<br />
<br />
We had slightly better luck with the Bamboozles, but they were also way too bulky. <br />
<br />
Not only that, but Darian was a very gassy newborn, and the bulky cloth diapers made it difficult for us to deal with that. Thin disposables, being much thinner and more flexible, made it easier for us to pump his legs to help with the gas.<br />
<br />
Finally, I did find the laundry a little overwhelming. Both the Bamboozles and Grovias seemed to take forever to dry.<br />
<br />
I started to think this was a mistake, and an expensive one.<br />
<br />
<b>Growing into them</b><br />
<br />
So, we kept using mostly disposables through the first three months. I kept using the cloth every now and then, but by no means full time.<br />
<br />
I also took back some of the Grovias, and exchanged them for Fuzzibunz.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, I loved the Fuzzibunz - they fit Darian well, they are fairly trim, and the microfibre inserts dry quickly. And stuffing pockets wasn't as big a deal as I thought!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dJc3PmEJa-M/Tv591WRfkbI/AAAAAAAAHcI/VepF622dGno/s1600/christmasfuzzibunz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dJc3PmEJa-M/Tv591WRfkbI/AAAAAAAAHcI/VepF622dGno/s320/christmasfuzzibunz.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy bum, happy baby!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When Darian turned three months old, Victor went back to work. Left to my own devices, I started using cloth full-time. I braved night-time cloth diapering with the Bamboozles and lo and behold, they worked! I joined cloth diaper buy/sell/trade communities and sold off some of the Bamboozles in order to buy some more used Fuzzibunz (saving enough Bamboozles just for night-time use). <br />
<br />
Also, Darian started growing into the diapers, and outgrowing his gas issues, so that they bulkiness was no longer an issue. I started noticing that the cloth was way better at containing poops (it wasn't a big issue when Darian was a newborn because poops were regular and small... but as he got bigger, they got bigger and more forceful). And I got into a groove with the laundry.<br />
<br />
So now, I'm loving it. I almost never deal with diaper leaks, and if I do, they're very tiny. I even use cloth when we go out - even though the diapers are bulkier to carry, it's so much easier to do that than change clothes while we're out. Today was our first garbage day without a single diaper in the trash. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YCyPaTJlnts/Tv5-AtHITWI/AAAAAAAAHcU/skiIW81qjBM/s1600/yumdiapers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YCyPaTJlnts/Tv5-AtHITWI/AAAAAAAAHcU/skiIW81qjBM/s320/yumdiapers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And they're delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>If I could start again...</b><br />
<br />
- I'd start with trying a few different types (natural and synthetic fibres, pockets, AIOs, AI2s and fitteds) rather than deciding that one or two would work for us<br />
- I'd try to start with some cheaper brands or buy used <br />
- I'd consider buying newborn fluff, or at least realize that one-size wouldn't work for at least a couple of months<br />
- I'd join a community where I could chat with other cloth diapering mamas and learn a lot more<br />
<br />
So, that's my story. I realize that a lot of these mistakes have been discussed in blogs and whatnot (including the one I linked above), but hey... live and learn.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-29214324426938353102011-11-14T16:35:00.001-05:002011-11-14T16:37:01.568-05:00A new ministryI've been involved in music ministry at church since I was 13 years old - 17
years. I loved it. It was definitely my calling. The choir was also instrumental (no pun intended) in developing my relationship with Victor.<br /><br />Whenever the parable of the talents came up at mass, I thought to myself, "I'm good. I'm doing my music thing."<br /><br />When
I had Darian, we stopped. On top of the fact that we live farther away
from the church now, it's just too impractical to commit to Thursday
night rehearsals which conflict with his bedtime, too hectic to try to
get to the church for the hour-long warmup before mass, and too
difficult to try to keep him quiet up there in the choir loft.<br /><br />I've
kind of lamented the fact that I'm done with it for now. I keep
thinking, "We could join the choir again in a couple of months..."<br /><br />This
past Sunday, sitting in the congregation, I realized that I've spent
all those years behind the piano losing touch with the liturgy. For me
personally, it's become hard to properly reflect on the readings,
homily, and sacrament when I'm always on my toes for the next hymn to
play. It had become sort of a performance.<br /><br />Also, DH took Darian
to the children's liturgy for the first time on Sunday. Apparently they
had a really great time and we're looking forward to continuing that.<br /><br />All
of this is to say, I realized that my 'ministry' now is to raise my
child in the church. Among other things that this child has brought me, I
feel like God has given me the opportunity to get re-acquainted with
the liturgy and my faith, and to start fresh through my baby's eyes.<br /><br />And I am thankful for that.<br /><br />Maybe
one day when he is much older, we'll re-join the choir, but for now,
I've finally made peace with the fact that I've moved on.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-66100331333518136422011-10-14T23:11:00.003-04:002011-10-14T23:11:44.829-04:00Hard wiredYou know how most newborns are swollen, wrinkled, and generally kinda funny looking?<br />
<br />
Before Darian was born, I had told Victor, "When he's
born, I'm going to have a rush of hormones telling me that he's the most
beautiful thing in the world, but please feel free to tell me if our
baby is funny looking. I want to know the truth."<br />
<br />
Well, he was born and we both thought he was the most beautiful and adorable thing, ever. Of course.<br />
<br />
Anyway, this morning, I was looking through some pictures and videos from the early days. And it turns out, he was a little funny looking. I mean, he was cute like all babies are cute, but really... his face was kinda wrinkly and not quite filled out, his features kinda misproportioned, and he looked super grumpy all the time.<br />
<br />
And I found this video. It's not so notable... except that about halfway through, I say: "Why are you in such a good mood?"<br />
<br />
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<br />
We watched it and said, "... THAT'S a 'good mood'??" How were we so incredibly deluded?<br />
<br />
Darian smiles and giggles regularly now and my heart overflows with joy to see him every day. I guess back then, 'not crying' signified a 'good' mood.<br />
<br />
It's amazing how we are wired to get through the dark times... and then forget them.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-28776832660975224522011-10-13T09:23:00.000-04:002011-10-13T09:23:17.167-04:00Regrets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I won't lie. I sometimes miss my pre-baby life.<br />
<br />
They say that you don't even remember what was life was like before your
baby entered it, but that hasn't been the case with me. I
remember it clearly, and I have fond memories of it.<br />
<br />
It was a pretty good life. Victor and I lived downtown, biked to work, walked to any of the nearby restaurants for dinner out on a dime, and travelled now and then. Just before I got pregnant, we were toying with the idea of visiting Peru. Now we've had to lament the possibility that we may never get to see Machu Picchu.<br />
<br />
I don't want to go through life with regrets, and I've wondered whether this will be one. I've had some pretty awesome experiences, but Machu Picchu was one that I really wanted to add to the list.<br />
<br />
But then the other day, while I was changing Darian's diaper, I tried to entertain him by razzing my lips. And he copied me and razzed back!<br />
<br />
And I can say with certainty, THAT was the most awesome thing that's ever happened to me in my life.<br />
<br />
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<br />Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-9246222742900338332011-10-03T10:09:00.000-04:002011-10-03T10:09:03.967-04:00Works in progressWhen Darian hit the 11-week mark, it's like he became a new baby. He's spending a lot more time being alert, less time fussing and crying, sleeping well, and he's happy to let us put him down in his chair where he can amuse himself with his hands for maybe half an hour at a time. Sometimes I don't even know what to do with him anymore now that I'm not operating in crisis mode 100% of the time.<br />
<br />
So, with that being said... back to some non-baby related business.<br />
<br />
House projects came to a bit of a standstill when he was born but I've started finding a little more time on my hands now that he naps well. So, I thought I'd post before pics of the next rooms that I want to tackle.<br />
<br />
The den: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQksEuytzOFVLk38-5HjLb11AQv04ZSWMWCS086py0xzC1zVYCFE1nWoZFKEI0ltuQLFaYjnlMaYxJ4dZ25oF3HqdVULyHtMRXH79ArqIlhTy0ct_sPMG7vHnqvYJCFI0t8Jc0YKF1iEQ/s1600/IMG_5170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQksEuytzOFVLk38-5HjLb11AQv04ZSWMWCS086py0xzC1zVYCFE1nWoZFKEI0ltuQLFaYjnlMaYxJ4dZ25oF3HqdVULyHtMRXH79ArqIlhTy0ct_sPMG7vHnqvYJCFI0t8Jc0YKF1iEQ/s320/IMG_5170.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a big long room, no bathrooms or really interesting features. The pic doesn't do the paint colour justice, but it's a very pretty light aqua (BM Palladian Blue - I had blogged about it <a href="http://halfabite.blogspot.com/2011/03/paint-scheme.html">here</a>). Behind me is a window and a small futon, and on the right, across from the desk, there are a series of bookcases (it was hard to get a good picture of them). I'm hoping to turn this area into a playroom / music room / office. The biggest challenge is figuring out how to divide the space since it's so long and skinny.<br />
<br />
The living room:<br />
<br />
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This room is directly above the den, so again, it's long and skinny. It's painted in BM Litchfield Gray. The main thing I want to tackle is decorating that huge blank wall behind the TV - get a wider TV stand, get a bigger dining table, put up some artwork in the dining area, and maybe, just maybe make an accent wall out of the long wall. The photo wall above the couch will be expanded - this is just what I managed to do with the frames I already had before we moved here - and the artwork will be changed up to be more harmonious.<br />
<br />
So many ideas swimming around in my head!Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-5423413711044806662011-09-29T13:32:00.001-04:002011-09-29T13:32:07.970-04:00Sherlock & DarianA lot of people have been asking me how the cat is getting along with the baby.<br />
<br />
He mostly ignored Darian when we first brought him home. As far as he was concerned, Darian was just a noisemaker who woke him up from his naps. Sometimes he'd even get up, give Darian this "What the heck?" look, and walk off in a huff.<br />
<br />
Lately, Sherlock seems to have accepted that Darian is part of the family. He sidles up to us when Darian is nursing and sniffs him, or nuzzles up to his feet. When visitors come to our house, Sherlock keeps a close eye on them as they hold Darian.<br />
<br />
Sherlock never showed any interest in the nursery chair before Darian was born or immediately after, but it's now his favourite spot. I guess he thinks the party is at Darian's crib.<br />
<br />
I hope they become great friends one day.<br />
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<br />Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-826899657056113172011-09-26T21:40:00.001-04:002011-09-26T21:40:17.845-04:00Mama BearYou know how they say that it's really dangerous to get between a mama bear and her cubs?<br />
<br />
I totally get it now.<br />
<br />
The other day, Victor and I were taking a walk and stopped at an intersection waiting for the light to change. It turned green, and literally one second later, an impatient driver honked at the front car for not moving on the green light RIGHT AWAY. This car horn was about 10 ft away from us. <br />
<br />
Darian woke up and started screaming. Luckily he only cried for a few seconds and drifted back to sleep.<br />
<br />
To this day, I am STILL angry at this driver. You make my baby cry? I'm gonna get you. Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-80986680829756048682011-09-07T14:02:00.000-04:002011-09-07T14:02:11.232-04:00DependencyDarian is rather a high maintenance little boy. He loves to be held, and it's pretty hard to put him down and let him amuse himself so that we can get stuff done. He's recently started to become interested in his mobile and playmat, but those only work for maybe 10-15 minutes before he gets bored and starts to fuss.<br />
<br />
This is kind of frustrating, but yesterday it occurred to me that there will come a day soon enough when he won't need or want to be held as much. There will come a day when he'll stop letting me hold his hand, and there will come a day when he leaves home.<br />
<br />
And on those days, I will never regret that my house was dirty all those years ago. I'll only regret that I couldn't hold him more.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT3yN1BQhAJlRWDTYv-r59h1KS51PjB2k2LEMP32efYpcxP0lQOfdiXsXF_ffm1mT0o3dxrdWSicB7ur2eCgiwI9xS4380qh0kcVcuFuymlsh7pbh3tHDyGrC9irjY7jVvJWrD-Nd7js/s1600/mommy%2526darian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT3yN1BQhAJlRWDTYv-r59h1KS51PjB2k2LEMP32efYpcxP0lQOfdiXsXF_ffm1mT0o3dxrdWSicB7ur2eCgiwI9xS4380qh0kcVcuFuymlsh7pbh3tHDyGrC9irjY7jVvJWrD-Nd7js/s320/mommy%2526darian.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-44039563191482831672011-08-24T19:14:00.000-04:002011-08-24T19:14:01.942-04:00A birth storyMy beautiful little boy Darian Thomas was born on July 14th, 2011 at 9:17 AM.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQfkzKGJZViUfo95-5-2i_ivRNpE9f-yQfxthDDC_cBAhCbKzAntra2Wgs7ILvg1qbCh89MJpPdf9Pvu-BzNQw2Ta2uql0oxWfUcpZdjpLLvs5QLF57ae6LVGy9wJGsKGqdHrvvD9Y3Y/s1600/darian1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQfkzKGJZViUfo95-5-2i_ivRNpE9f-yQfxthDDC_cBAhCbKzAntra2Wgs7ILvg1qbCh89MJpPdf9Pvu-BzNQw2Ta2uql0oxWfUcpZdjpLLvs5QLF57ae6LVGy9wJGsKGqdHrvvD9Y3Y/s320/darian1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few days old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrc5H71_Z6gSMsQtTkPFhA0ckDr9kNFEBwYv15H5WIEsmaI8bqlJx-uNqU_IJT7MIC6yJMxXcpLxh444YV0pUwtYm4NUMzlqMhbowa0pVQiI4hBIW5dLRL5Hf6vhVvialGy2eD8c3ClcI/s1600/darian2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrc5H71_Z6gSMsQtTkPFhA0ckDr9kNFEBwYv15H5WIEsmaI8bqlJx-uNqU_IJT7MIC6yJMxXcpLxh444YV0pUwtYm4NUMzlqMhbowa0pVQiI4hBIW5dLRL5Hf6vhVvialGy2eD8c3ClcI/s320/darian2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a month later!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Around noon on July 13th, I was relaxing at home when I started noticing painless contractions. I suspected Braxton-Hicks contractions, but Victor insisted on timing them, and we realized that they were about 15-20 minutes apart. I tried not to get too excited for fear of false labour and went about my day. (We even kept dinner plans that we had with Victor's cousin from out of town; I kept having contractions during dinner while she - an ER doctor - told us all sorts of interesting labour and delivery stories.)<br />
<br />
I already had an OB appointment scheduled for the next morning. As I got ready for bed, I figured that I'd go to the appointment with my hospital bags and be prepared to check in if necessary. But it turned out that I would need to go sooner than that. Around 10:00pm, the contractions started getting quite strong, so I started tracking them. Within half an hour, they progressed from 10 to 5 minutes apart. At 12:30am on Thursday morning, we headed to the hospital.<br />
<br />
By the time we got to the hospital, the contractions were strong enough that I had to stop in my tracks and brace for each one. After quickly being admitted, I went to L&D triage, where the first thing the nurse asked me was, "So why are you here?" I was utterly confused - after all, wasn't this L&D triage?<br />
<br />
After I told them I was having contractions, they led me to a bed and I waited what seemed like forever to be seen. I started having to take the contractions either leaning over, or squatting. Finally, a nurse came in, asked me a series of questions about my medical history, hooked me up to some monitors, and told me that I'd be monitored for 20 minutes. The monitors limited my ability to move around and I had to take the contractions lying awkwardly reclined in the stretcher, which was hard. The nurse told me that my contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes. She left the room and the monitors stopped printing after 15 minutes; Victor went to tell the nurses but they said it was OK.<br />
<br />
Finally, they took me off the monitors and I asked to go to the bathroom. When I came back, the nurse told me that they needed to monitor me for another 5 minutes! I started getting annoyed at this point; they had ignored Victor when he alerted them earlier, and I couldn't take another 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
A medical student came in. He started asking me the exact same questions that the nurse had asked me earlier! I was completely annoyed, but in too much pain to protest. Victor answered most of the questions for me while I took the contractions squatting beside the bed. Suddenly, I felt nauseated and said that I had to throw up; they managed to get me a container just in time. I guess that's when they realized how far along I actually was. Another nurse came in soon after that and checked me - I was already 9cm dilated!<br />
<br />
I was surprised, relieved, and anxious that this might soon be over! They wheeled me up to the labour & delivery room. I was asked whether I wanted an epidural; I had always planned on it, but I briefly thought about what the instructor had said during our prenatal class - "If you've gotten this far, you're almost done!" But Victor kept saying to me, "There's no trophy at the end," and I decided that I didn't want to push through that pain. The anesthetist was thankfully very quick in getting me that epidural, and I took the opportunity to get some sleep.<br />
<br />
Soon after I got the epidural, I was told that I was fully dilated but that the baby was only at -1 station. They told me to wait for the contractions to do the work; otherwise I might spend hours pushing. Eventually, they administered pitocin to help it along. At some point, I was told to give a practice push... I couldn't believe it was almost time! I felt excited to meet my baby but anxious that everything was about to change. The practice push worked well and the OB fellow told me that she could already see the head. <br />
<br />
At this point, I was REALLY ready to meet this baby. But I had to wait a little while longer to let him descend further. I slept a little longer, lulled by the sound of his heartbeat on the monitor. The night shift ended and a new OB resident introduced herself... turns out, I recognized her as a former student of my boss and one of my former TAs from undergrad. The nurse's shift also ended and two others took over.<br />
<br />
It later turned out that the OB fellow from the night shift had to stay late to supervise the resident because it was a busy morning. I remember feeling really glad that she'd be there... it was an emotional time and I had become attached to everyone who had been taking care of me through the night. Finally, the resident came in and told me it was time to push! I don't know why I expected it to be more ceremonious, but for some reason I was really surprised that the time had come, just like that.<br />
<br />
I pushed through five contractions. At the fourth contraction, I felt very aware of the moment that his head was crowning and hoping that the next would bring our baby into the world. Finally, he was here! Victor took a look and said, "It's a Darian!" (our boy name). I didn't cry, laugh, or feel emotional; I was simply stunned. He cried as soon as he was out and they said that he had a great set of lungs (that's my boy!). They wrapped him up and gave him to me and I said hello and happy birthday.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5DfLxBYOR1kRGh9Iik7_DKxqo7B286qoQVF9_Lfnc6ZZ7V3vAb9N_R5D3ioMB0h8bZgr7wp-SP1PfpfCKJEv1HS-4U1uHSm5MompI1obAud0RSJL8cXlCnahGUK7GPNv3HUJ5-Dqirc/s1600/darian3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5DfLxBYOR1kRGh9Iik7_DKxqo7B286qoQVF9_Lfnc6ZZ7V3vAb9N_R5D3ioMB0h8bZgr7wp-SP1PfpfCKJEv1HS-4U1uHSm5MompI1obAud0RSJL8cXlCnahGUK7GPNv3HUJ5-Dqirc/s320/darian3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six weeks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Darian is now six weeks old and Victor and I are totally in love! There are rough days and nights, but then he flashes a little smile and all is forgotten. He furrows his brow a lot, which always makes him look like a skeptical little man. He is growing like a weed and becoming more and more interactive every day. I am so excited to watch this little guy's personality develop as he gets older.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-8545150914532655392011-06-07T14:05:00.000-04:002011-06-07T14:05:44.521-04:00Living in a Star Trek worldI giggle a bit inside whenever I see someone on the subway, street, wherever reading from a Kindle.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G8ei818Cq-QdbNbUZYAITXDmCd5ei5YsXz5SbLE1pvyD1T2ivQh20EpKSx19VcMEkLW0zzrvVKwY4I-o_cg3Or643Dnk7wqqXkUORjqmJ0i8El0-oHAGOvcvkq8Drwc02aETJDpMP7w/s1600/kindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G8ei818Cq-QdbNbUZYAITXDmCd5ei5YsXz5SbLE1pvyD1T2ivQh20EpKSx19VcMEkLW0zzrvVKwY4I-o_cg3Or643Dnk7wqqXkUORjqmJ0i8El0-oHAGOvcvkq8Drwc02aETJDpMP7w/s320/kindle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://artofmanliness.com/2009/06/09/win-a-free-amazon-kindle-the-toilet-paper-national-bathroom-reading-giveaway/">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>It reminds me of Star Trek.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9Ywq8ZA3X6dmDWCJDtPY_zOjOQB1FBlCk1aWBBASYDUroJz8to2PeTlihox-84hVHZ9oNaj1Z6CxyAK-K4qIfMf2_UUr2eq71rzIDCZH0gE8JeAnXHqUQ9fPWiH0oZUHQEUnhvhltfw/s1600/piccard_tablet-300x226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9Ywq8ZA3X6dmDWCJDtPY_zOjOQB1FBlCk1aWBBASYDUroJz8to2PeTlihox-84hVHZ9oNaj1Z6CxyAK-K4qIfMf2_UUr2eq71rzIDCZH0gE8JeAnXHqUQ9fPWiH0oZUHQEUnhvhltfw/s1600/piccard_tablet-300x226.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://tablets.mobi/2011/03/17/tablets-ground-breaking/">here</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Except that on the show, I recall that they used to be handed individual tablets with individual messages; sometimes an officer would have a handful of tablets to review. It seems that our smartphones and such are even more advanced!Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-54229259972928119262011-05-11T10:37:00.000-04:002011-05-11T10:37:30.218-04:00Thank youI am very gratified and humbled by the people who have been offering me their seats on the streetcar and subway during my daily commutes. <br />
<br />
I mean, it's pretty jerky NOT to do so when a woman looking like this is standing in front of your face:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3uVaeJ6hTAgOxVHwcsHcYjYscVLWRGfoDODSKTEXfox1dDOv13z3AEDpDCZ0kSg4WlDadq-RM8-Hld1QQGSgzNb8CDJ6cvTfjV98f_bXEqgJ5USbaDJZOU4bPExYa5Hz0BMwGGxjXWF4/s1600/29weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3uVaeJ6hTAgOxVHwcsHcYjYscVLWRGfoDODSKTEXfox1dDOv13z3AEDpDCZ0kSg4WlDadq-RM8-Hld1QQGSgzNb8CDJ6cvTfjV98f_bXEqgJ5USbaDJZOU4bPExYa5Hz0BMwGGxjXWF4/s400/29weeks.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first Mother's Day ~29 weeks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>But I am still very grateful. There is kindness in the world. Thank you, people of Toronto.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-10699612981128447822011-04-17T14:48:00.000-04:002011-04-17T14:48:57.298-04:00Stream of consciousnessI had the best conversation with a kid on the subway last Friday. He was about 4 or 5, and I met him with his dad while waiting for my train to go home. I love how kids' thoughts just gush out, no censoring or retooling.<br />
<br />
Kid: Hi! (he said 'Hi' to several people before I finally responded.)<br />
Me: Hi buddy!<br />
Kid: What's your name?<br />
Me: My name is Adriane. What's yours?<br />
Kid: My name is Oli. Are you coming on my train?<br />
Me: Sure, I'll come on your train. <br />
<br />
The train arrived. We both got on.<br />
<br />
Kid: Are you coming to my stop?<br />
Me: Which stop is that?<br />
Kid: St... George.<br />
Me: No, I'm not coming to your stop. My stop is St. Clair. It's 3 after yours.<br />
Kid: Oh. Are you coming to my home?<br />
Me: No, not today.<br />
Kid: Oh. How about tomorrow?<br />
Me: Maybe tomorrow.<br />
Kid: We can have a picnic!<br />
Me: Oh yeah? What will we have at the picnic? Will there be sandwiches?<br />
Kid: Yeah, sandwiches!<br />
Me: What else?<br />
Kid: Peanuts.<br />
Me: Anything else?<br />
Kid: Peanut sauce.<br />
Me: How about orange juice?<br />
Kid: Yeah, orange juice!<br />
Me: OK, maybe tomorrow then.<br />
Kid: Yeah, we'll have a picnic!<br />
<br />
They arrived at their stop. I wonder if his dad gave him a stern lecture later about not inviting strangers to their home for picnics.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-87338082862288273132011-04-11T15:32:00.000-04:002011-04-11T15:32:01.326-04:00An Easter thoughtEaster is quickly approaching, so I thought I'd share something that really touched me from this past Sunday's homily at my church.<br />
<br />
I have very blessed lately, but I've witnessed a lot of sadness and heartache with recent world events and also events in my friends' lives.<br />
<br />
This week's message was that Jesus' resurrection could not have been so glorious if he had not had to endure the pain and suffering of dying on the cross. That final awesome chapter wouldn't have been so awesome without the turmoil of the middle chapters.<br />
<br />
We're singing this hymn at an ordination mass on April 29. An ordination is a happy occasion, but I like the sentiment of remembering that there will be trials ahead, and to turn to God during these times.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Be Still My Soul - words by Katharina von Schlegel, music by Jean Sibelius</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i><br />
<i>Be still my soul - the Lord is on thy side;<br />
bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;<br />
leave to thy God to order and provide;<br />
in every change - he faithful will remain.<br />
Be still, my soul - thy best thy heavenly Friend<br />
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.</i> <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LbAuTB8uLaQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-90090286364927160202011-03-31T12:06:00.000-04:002011-03-31T12:06:57.545-04:00ConvolutedI was having dinner at my local sushi joint last night when I witnessed the following exchange.<br />
<br />
A university-aged couple walked in. The server showed them to their table, which had a booth on one side and chairs on the other. The guy headed for the booth seat.<br />
<br />
The girl said, "Do you want the outside [chair] or the inside [booth]?"<br />
<br />
He thought about it for a second and responded, "Do <i>you</i> want the inside?"<br />
<br />
"Maybe," she replied. So he offered her the booth seat.<br />
<br />
I had to laugh, not only because it seemed like such a passive aggressive way to communicate, but because I'm sure the hubby and I have had this exact same exchange before. More than once. Fortunately, he just laughs at me.<br />
<br />
This is so silly. Why do we do this?Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-51024919744895280122011-03-30T00:44:00.000-04:002011-03-30T00:44:42.913-04:00Kitty heavenA lot of pets <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html">don't deal well with major changes like moving</a>. So we were very relieved and pleased when Sherlock not only made it all the way to our new house without pooping in the car, but also seemed to love this new place right away.<br />
<br />
Because the two places were such a short distance apart, we actually left him at our old place for a couple of hours while the movers unloaded everything into the new house. So by the time we brought him over, his new home was a city of boxes.<br />
<br />
It has lots of rooms, closets, nooks and crannies to discover. Particularly while our stuff is still all over the place.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IKst_tl7wxaZFPNqLU_9SBGc0d3yafFW6C0tv2PkVtFOJq_FucHIADb162duKpwTtGecc7yTXQ_73TyD6mu3wcmcgieNeXA_JrKJc3bBjUc_kBcxmdr0PCdv9B0Gldffwb-uMgEre4w/s1600/IMG_4260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IKst_tl7wxaZFPNqLU_9SBGc0d3yafFW6C0tv2PkVtFOJq_FucHIADb162duKpwTtGecc7yTXQ_73TyD6mu3wcmcgieNeXA_JrKJc3bBjUc_kBcxmdr0PCdv9B0Gldffwb-uMgEre4w/s320/IMG_4260.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZrM5vjnJNN8oAhFRM_egpT9mL8DqbvLKxxEWroXntBULIcWcUxMtkBfuvu1uIeCBQxzkgr6OxWGS9QFg6OELjpKoSBVujkP5SXKRQ34IboMlufkoMEJdBd_XWaz1574KSAnjrONKAWk/s1600/IMG_4259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZrM5vjnJNN8oAhFRM_egpT9mL8DqbvLKxxEWroXntBULIcWcUxMtkBfuvu1uIeCBQxzkgr6OxWGS9QFg6OELjpKoSBVujkP5SXKRQ34IboMlufkoMEJdBd_XWaz1574KSAnjrONKAWk/s320/IMG_4259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Every time I unpack a box and move it out of the way, there's even more to investigate.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtSlcXETNbhz_UMnV8wTkjZXkoxgqJZpmhhGg-leDhN0fnSbrT61HSj6QBTjbPVH0eD4vck-FfupuHldPdn81hJNbtQ3JSqpMCJ78FZVU8T5cFkcRisZy-UOwlAVWzunZRNkvhcHzExk/s1600/IMG_4256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtSlcXETNbhz_UMnV8wTkjZXkoxgqJZpmhhGg-leDhN0fnSbrT61HSj6QBTjbPVH0eD4vck-FfupuHldPdn81hJNbtQ3JSqpMCJ78FZVU8T5cFkcRisZy-UOwlAVWzunZRNkvhcHzExk/s320/IMG_4256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
And did I mention his new cat tree?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNggr4gZmgH9I119OmSViw5v2Q72ieCrd9lIuaaH5zJRKRQgzzmpZfjAkyP8Qilnn62G0B5TcS0RraZpilM4FEr2ibcu1-7eay2SeYE5ZCC1DBz9q3c1hqboZwdFnHy2p68AkCW5xhH6c/s1600/IMG_4261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNggr4gZmgH9I119OmSViw5v2Q72ieCrd9lIuaaH5zJRKRQgzzmpZfjAkyP8Qilnn62G0B5TcS0RraZpilM4FEr2ibcu1-7eay2SeYE5ZCC1DBz9q3c1hqboZwdFnHy2p68AkCW5xhH6c/s320/IMG_4261.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
And a great lookout spot in the kitchen?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFkwUkX2lTN6ZT_qcRnL6Sa0sH5j5AZuFoO6xrce9nGOEJkKj7nFeQj0Y8x1pE6U_jxkUqN6WAbEtTeexFJEiO-n9zVSAz4Hnio3rpsP09IIQmEwiBWYf1cBRItEh-Vf9uvfDo925Ilk/s1600/IMG_4267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFkwUkX2lTN6ZT_qcRnL6Sa0sH5j5AZuFoO6xrce9nGOEJkKj7nFeQj0Y8x1pE6U_jxkUqN6WAbEtTeexFJEiO-n9zVSAz4Hnio3rpsP09IIQmEwiBWYf1cBRItEh-Vf9uvfDo925Ilk/s320/IMG_4267.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Yes, Sherlock is very happy here indeed. As are we.Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840414029346161359.post-39333492886458420992011-03-23T20:11:00.001-04:002011-03-29T10:24:53.278-04:00Our last night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here's our lovely condo before:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/ringpopbio/_/rsrc/1271716872508/home/IMG_2515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://sites.google.com/site/ringpopbio/_/rsrc/1271716872508/home/IMG_2515.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Annnd here it is now:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/adriane522/38379e62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr293/adriane522/38379e62.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Yup. Tomorrow is moving day!<br />
<br />
I've lived here for six and a half years. The first few years, I lived here with my brother, and then when I got married in 2009, the bro moved out and the hubby moved in. Living in 550 sq ft has been frustrating at times, but we've loved this cozy little home.<br />
<br />
But we are very excited for our new home!Adrianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13753165680347692458noreply@blogger.com1