Random Pics from December

Some of our visit with Suzy, some around the house, some at Rafa's work Christmas party. Some favorites.

Dear Diego

Dear Diego
You are 11 months old now. You are walking, talking (with your hands, despite your father you have learned a couple of signs already), listening, understanding, dancing, singing. You are such a little boy now. We are always joking that you have stopped crawling altogether now because 'crawling is for babies'. There are no babies left in this house. In the last week you have done many amazing things but two have stood out. I was watching TV this week, a movie in Italian. Someone in the film said a phrase which included the word 'bravo'. You immediately turned around to find me and clapped your hands. Bravo! You are clearly a genius. I also have to be much more careful what I watch on TV from now on. You have been loving books. We read books at night before bed. Today I had shut off all the lights and was singing you to sleep. In honor of Christmas time I was singing Silent Night. You recognized the tune and sat right up to look for your book of Christmas Carols. Wow! Little man you are a joy to be around and it is so much fun to watch you learning.
Today was our last day together on maternity leave, and also your father's last day at his current job. You're going to be spending lots more time with him in the next little bit. Good thing too because you seem to be preferring him lately. Today you fell and cut your tongue on one of your sharp little teeth. You wanted your dad and not me. Just for the record I think that's great. I love to see you together.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve - our first together. What a fun and wonderful journey we have started. I was thinking today that you are growing up fast and while I'm sure it will go too fast I am really excited to see who you become and talk to you all grown up. I know I've told you this before but I sure am glad you picked us.

Mom.

Walking

Walking - and now... standing up on his own. It's all down hill from here - or up hill - or.. down hill and then up hill and then down again. Either way we are officially moving around.

Ten Months

Snow

Quick Update

Lots has happened - and when I have more time I'll post the pictures that go with this update - but if I wait till then something else really important might happen.
1. Diego and I had a lovely road trip - we rented a car (!) and went up to my mom's. We got to see the dress rehearsal of the play she was directing. Diego tried desperately to get up on the stage (clearly he has it in his blood) but I managed to man handle him off. "Diego - you are not in the play!" From there we went on to Suzy's house in Whitney - just outside of Algonquin park. Diego did great in the car and then we had two nights and one full day of playing, eating, talking and generally doing not a lot. Lovely.
2. Diego is walking. He's been taking a few steps but the big open floors of Suzy's house and the motivation of keeping up with her 2 1/2 year old son got him really moving.
3. In the spirit of 'big boy' developments we have put Diego on the floor with a twin mattress. He HATED the crib - would stand at the bars, shaking them and screaming for up to 45 minutes. At Suzy's it occurred to me that not much could happen to him as long as he was close to the ground so I put the crib mattress on the floor, laid down beside him, we went to sleep and then I slipped away. Magic! So, we've bought a lovely new mattress which the salesperson tells me will last him 20 years. When it starts to be uncomfortable he will just have to move out. The other fringe benefit of this new mattress is that Rafa and I sleep much more comfortably when we end up crashing with him. It's win win really. There is a gate at the door of his room and a closet organizer to hang on the wall so that all the stuff in the room is stored one meter above the floor. Good to go.

I have some lovely pictures to go along with all this good news - which will come along shortly.

Treats for Mom

I've started Christmas shopping, and that inevitably includes some treats for me - I mean things are on sale! I bought some lovely new underwear and a very pretty new sewing box. It's nice.

In less nice - Diego has gone back to crying himself to sleep. I decided tonight that it's time to choose. Let him cry it out - all the way till he gives up - or accept that he is going to sleep on my chest till he's 3. The problem now is that it's sometimes one and sometimes another. I feel like he's confused. Anyone got a vote?

Seven/Eight Months and On the Move

video updates

Six Months and Learning to Crawl

Photo Update

We've been somewhat out of commission lately but are feeling better now. Diego is sleeping by himself in his crib - which has been a struggle lately - leaving me with two hands free. So here is a photo update!

A visit from Melanie, Landen and Rylie

From a walk with Kate and Isla

At the Santa Clause Parade

The one toothed wonder!

We're a bit cranky....

Diego has been sick and, as a result, super sucky... I'm writing in this blog to distract myself from the fact that he is crying himself to sleep upstairs. We went to the children's outpatient clinic at the hospital today (great, fast, and friendly!) and got a more or less clean bill of health (simple virus - ears good - lungs good - nothing to worry about) and so I've decided that this isn't a "I have to sleep on my mother's chest or I might die" sort of illness. Deigo disagrees. He's finally quiet. I'm going to go on to more challenging computer work (a.k.a. the online course that I have been trying to complete this week with a baby sleeping on my chest - not going so well) now that I'm not distracted. Wish me luck!

Fall Beautifulness

Enough said...







Oh - and we got an actual tooth today - or at least the tip of it. Maybe it's just me but the thing looks huge. Either Diego is destined to grow up really big or we are going to be spending a lot of time at the orthodontist.

Halloween

This weekend we went to visit Kendra. Among many exciting events Diego took his first, hesitant, 'steps'. I call them 'steps' because they were more like shuffles, with feet not leaving the ground. However there is definitely forward, unsupported propulsion happening. We had a wonderful weekend, hanging out, talking, drinking (in Rafa's case), running, eating and even trick or treating. Here are some pics of our Halloween Bee and his friends.

Crazy Naps

Forty minutes of crying - followed by 25 minutes in the crib - followed by 1 hour of this...

He hasn't moved - if I wasn't sitting right beside him I couldn't be sure he was breathing.

We have the car today (!) and have already done some shopping (a short car nap is likely what let to the latter I WON'T nap crying fit) and when the boss wakes up we're going to hit the road again. Fabricland, Walmart and all places Rafa hates going to followed by a trip up the road to get 8 organic, free range chickens for the freezer. A day full of excitement. Now... Diego just has to wake up.

9 months

Dear Diego - you are 9 months old now and less of a baby every day. You are crawling like a mad man - standing up easily - and beginning to let go! It won't be long now before you begin to take your first steps. You are more fun to be around everyday. You have learned to play lots of fun games and pick up on new ones quickly. We love to hear you laugh. You have also started eating 'grown up' food. We have to be careful these days about what we eat because you will, inevitably, want some of it. But the biggest news, little man, is that last night you broke all records and stayed in your own bed - without help from us to go back to sleep - from 10:00 to 6:00. I know I can't expect this of you everyday but I sure appreciated it last night. To top it off you and I laid down this morning and slept for another two hours! To celebrate - here is a picture of you eating from your very own big boy bowl.

The wonders of the Internet

We love the internet. When we are without internet we are lost. You can turn off our phone, disconnect our stove, cut off our cable but please, please leave us our internet. The internet is our conduit to news, entertainment, music and most importantly these days, family. Thanks to the internet we talk to Rafa's mom almost every day. She is really a part of Diego's life, something that I am so grateful of. We also regularly see his father, brother and close friends. We once even had a 'futbol' date with 3 of Rafa's high school friends and their families. 'Skyping' in isn't exactly like being there but it's pretty close. Here is a picture, taken by Rafa's dad, of one of their chats.

Thanksgiving - A Tee Pee and "The Ball Series"

That's a lot of topics for one blog. Well, a fair bit has been happening around here. First - Thanksgiving at my mothers was lovely. I don't have any pictures of the fabulous feast cooked up by Sue because I was too busy eating. My mother does however and perhaps she can supply them later on. We did have lots of fun hanging out with family and took a lovely walk in the fall woods:

Which led us to the newly set up tee-pee. (This was a project of mine and my brother's in high school. An 18' Soux tee-pee. I did the sewing on my great-grandmothers treadle foot sewing machine.) I was thrilled to see it up again. It's so pretty.


Playing around at mom's led to a new favorite game - the ball roll.

Food Series

We're really doing food now. As you can see. All going well. The only surprise - how quickly the poop gets VERY different.

Fall Walks

Now that fall is here we have been taking lots of lovely walks. We have also taken out our baby backpack and have been trying it out. So much fun!

Nothing is Safe

A Day at the Beach

Today my friend Melanie and I went to Picton Sandbanks with her two children and my little D.

Lots of fun was had by all... most of the time.


I do feel like I have to take advantage of the good weather. Has anyone else noticed that the leaves are turning?


Thanks to Melanie (and Mike who lent us a truck with more space for all those car seats). It was lots of fun.

Month of Visits

Our month of visits continues and has been so successful that it is being carried over into September! This last week we had a visit from Rafa's friend Claudia (origionally of Barranquilla and now living in Montreal) and Rishi Trikha. We have had so much fun with these visits that we have not taken any pictures (oh shame!) so you will just have to believe me. Thanks for coming everyone. It was great to have the company.

First Fever

Our first fever last night. It had to happen eventually. I'm actually rather proud of us for having 'held it off' for so long. Don't know if had anything to do with us really. Diego is a pretty hearty kid. The fever broke sometime between 12 and 5am as he slept on my chest. Today, all's well besides a bit fussyness and extra cuddlyness. Here we are working on the computer.

Really on the Move

Today Diego discovered his tongue - that you can sing into a cup and it resonates - that the toys are in the basket by the TV - and that you can climb the stairs. (He only got up one, and with some balancing from Mom but it's not going to be long. Those baby gates from Sears really are going to arrive just in time.) It was a big day! We are working on a better sleep schedule and it's going well. I'm going to try night weaning from 12am to 5 - I don't expect that to do particularly well. Kendra has been posting pictures of her little girl - who is no longer a baby. I know everyone says it but they really do grow up very fast.

A Bunch of Stuff

Another Visit: my Uncle Dan and family came for a quick visit on their way from Arden to their home in Montreal. It was great to see them and introduce them to Diego...



who every day is more little boy and less baby. This weeks excitement is the discovery that he can grab on to things and pull himself up to standing. Our new favorite toy "the piano" is just the right height for this. I've ordered some baby gates. I think they are going to arrive just in time.



Also, now that Diego's naps are a little bit more regular I have started some new projects. Those of you who are following this blog from the beginning will remember that what I really wanted to do the week before Diego was born was empty my kitchen cabinets, clean and paint. I resisted. I did my first one this week. It's amazing what a coat of clean white paint can do for an old anything.

Lot's of Visits

August is the month of visits I've decided. Here are pics from just a few.



This is Suzy's new son Emmet. We had a great visit with the whole Scott family and, ironically, discovered when I looked at the pictures that the only member of the family I didn't get a picture of was Suzy.



We had a great visit from Melanie and Landen. I dragged them all over the city - as I put my new jogging stroller through it's paces.