Resolutions

Lately, I've been doing a lot of reading about technology and how it's negativley impacting children. I heard a stat that one in four Canadians are obese. People are spending a record amount of time in front of the tv or computer. Rates of ADHD and autism are on the rise. This scares me as a mom, and after taking a good hard look at my own family I realized I needed to make some changes.


I don't think technology is evil, but like everything else moderation is the key. I have been limiting the time the tv is on for both myself and Claire, and I'm finding after the first couple days of no tv she stopped asking for it. Neither of us seem to miss it all that much. She was also quite addicted to the ipod touch, and the ipad. We've now limited that to a half hour in the evenings. I'm also making an effort to spend signifigantly less time on the computer.


What are we doing to fill all the extra time we now have, you ask? We're playing outside, we're doing crafts, we're baking or cooking. I'm getting on the floor and playing with my kids. It's so nice for all of us, and I know I'm doing my part to make sure my kids are active and healthy. I'm also trying to instill a love of nature for my kids. We do enjoy having Claire involved in some organized sports, but being able to play outside in nature without anything structured is just as important, if not more so.
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Here are some pictures from a nice long walk we went on today.

Five Months

How is it possible another month has gone by? Jack is now five months old and becoming more and more fun by the day. Jack seems to think life is one big adventure, and I can just see the wheels turning in his head as he explores the world. I think he is going to be quite the little trouble maker.


Jack has just started sitting on his own which he is so happy to do. He loves sitting on the living room floor with lots of toys, and his sister near by so he can watch her play. When he is on his tummy, he rolls everywhere, and pushes up on his arms. He wants so badly to figure out how to crawl. Some how he can still move across the entire room without crawling.


Jack smiles at anyone who talks to him, but has full out giggles for mommy, daddy, and Claire. He is happy as long as he's involved in whatever the rest of the family is doing. We just adore this sweet, little guy.


Jack has recently cut his first two teeth! He was pretty fussy before they cut through so I ordered an amber teething necklace. Hopefully that will help with the pain. Either way, it looks pretty darn cute!


Here's a couple video clips of my cute little man at five months old!

Claire's Birth Story

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."

~Rajneesh

When I found out I was pregnant with Claire, I was scared. Not so much about having a baby since I worked with babies and felt confident I would be a good mom. But, I was scared to give birth. Our society teaches us that birth is painful, and scary. That we need drugs in order to get through it. As my pregnancy progressed, I did more and more research on birth. What I discovered was birth was normal and healthy and not as scary as the movies would make us believe. Here is my birth story:

Thursday morning at 4am, I awoke to discover my water had broken. I gave my midwife a call, and she advised me to go back to bed, take a gravol, have a glass of wine, and try to relax. I of course was in no mood to sleep, but tried to rest as much as I could. I was already feeling crampy.

In Early Labour

My midwife called back a few hours later. By this point, my contractions were about fifteen minutes apart. Around 10am, I decided to have a glass of wine, and see if I could get some rest. My contractions started coming every 3-6 minutes and were getting more painful.

Around 1pm, I called my midwife, and she said they would be here in half an hour. By the time they got here, I was in quite a bit of pain, but I was breathing through them and felt like I was on top of the pain.

After about an hour, my midwife checked me, and I was 3cm dilated. I was kind of disappointed because I was in a lot of pain, and they don't consider it active labor until you're 4cm.

Because I had now been awake since 4am, and I was not yet in active labor, my midwives discussed giving me a shot of gravol and leaving for a bit, so I could get some rest, and have energy for the hours ahead. Just as they were about to do this, my contractions increased dramatically in intensity, and were coming every 3 minutes. The midwives said it looked like things were not slowing down, so they decided to stay.

I was having back labor, so during contractions, I would stand hugging Denis, and my midwife would put pressure on my hips to ease the pain in my back. Denis was amazingly supportive throughout. He kept telling me how good I was doing, and reminding me, soon we would have our baby.

By this point, I was doubting my ability to do this and feeling overwhelmed by the pain. I started asking about heading to the hospital. My midwife said, "let's get through five more contractions and we'll head to the hospital. I agreed. I managed to get through the five contractions, but started throwing up. By the fifth one, I was no longer in control. I was crying, and just begging Denis to make it stop. (Like he had any control over the situation)

We headed to the hospital around 6:30, and the ride there was excruciating. The contractions were right on top of each other, with almost no break in between. It hurt so bad, and no matter what I did, nothing helped. I told Denis the whole way there, "I want to die".

We got to the hospital around 7pm. My midwife checked me again, and I was 6cm. I started asking for the epidural then, seeing as I figured it would still be another few hours.

The anaesthesiologist was busy with someone else, so I waited for him to come. While I waited, I used the laughing gas. It didn't help with the pain, but made me slightly relaxed and able to get through.

The anaesthesiologist got there at 7:30, and started talking to me about the risks and such. I didn't care at this point, I just didn't want to be in pain anymore.

As he was talking, I suddenly got the urge to push. It was like my body was just pushing, and I couldn't stop. My midwives were telling me to stop, because they had just checked me, and I was only 6cm, too early too push. I couldn't help it, so they checked me again. I was 10cm. I had gone from 6 to 10 in less than 30 minutes. I kindly told the anaesthesiologist I wouldn't be needing his services. I was soooo happy.

Meeting Claire

I started pushing, and at 8:54pm, Claire came into the world. I reached down myself, and pulled her up onto my chest. She stopped crying instantly. They put warm blankets on us, and we got to just lay like that for an almost two hours.

I had a small first degree tear, that required two stitches due to her having her arm up, when she came out. Other than that everything was perfect. Claire got 9 and 9 on her apgar scores. I had a shower at the hospital, and by 11:30, we were on our way home.

So very proud

Giving birth for the first time taught me that I was strong and powerful. I felt, and still feel like I can do anything after giving birth. It was also so amazing to reach down and pull her up onto my chest. I'll never forget how warm and slippery she felt. We got to cuddle, and I nursed her right away.Thank you my baby girl for showing me how strong I am. 

7lbs of love

 

Life Lessons

We came upon this sign when we visited a local donkey sanctuary this summer. I think it is such a nice message, and something I want to instill in my children. I want them to respect all people, animals, and creatures as well as the planet we live on.


I do feel like a bit of a hypocrite though because I despise bugs. They give me the heebie jeebies and in the past if one dares to come into my home I would kill it, or get Denis to kill it rather since I am too scared. But I know now I need to lead by example and be a good role model for my daughter. I know I can tell her to be kind to creatures all I want, but monkey see monkey do.


Boy was I ever tested today. As I was cleaning the house I could hear Claire talking to something. This is not unusual since she talks to her stuffed animals and herself all day, so I didn't think anything of it. Upon listening a little more intently I could hear her saying, "HI BUUUUUGGG!!! Do you want to be my friend? You're my best friend. Do you want me to pick you up? HI BUUUGGG. I love you." I walked over expecting to see a small ant, and instead found her HOLDING a giant beetle of some sort. My skin started crawling, and I fought the urge to scream. She was so very proud of herself saying, "Look mommy, he's my friend. I'm saving him." I told her that we should perhaps put him outside. She of course did not like that idea, and told me she wants him to live with us. I explained to her that bugs live outside and he might have a mommy and daddy outside that are looking for him. She obliged and we let the bug go. All the while I was trying to stop myself from hyperventilating. After we closed the door she said that she thought he liked her tutu. I agreed and had a sigh of relief that the dreadful bug was gone.


So that was our lesson in empathy for the day. The things we do for our kids...

The Giant Bug

Siblings

Jack absolutely adores his big sister. If she is in his line of vision, he will happily watch her play for as long as she's there. If she is not around he will get bored within minutes. When he sees her, his face lights up and he lets out a squeal of delight. He is utterly amazed at all the things she can do. And I have to admit she is pretty entertaining with all the singing, dancing  and talking she does. 

Claire also loves her little brother. She is constantly patting him on the head and telling him she loves him. She is always trying to pick him up and carry him despite him weighing only about 10lbs less than her. She has never once been unkind to him. It is the most amazing thing to see their bond develop and grow. I look forward to seeing them interact even more as Jack gets older. I really hope they will grow up to love each other and look out for each other like they do now. 

Gymnastics

Claire has been doing gymnastics since the beginning of summer. She is a very cautious little girl so heights and taking any kind of physical risk make her very nervous. We thought gymnastics would be a perfect way to feel a little more confident when it comes to these things.


We did a trial class back in May, and Claire spent the whole 45 minutes glued to Denis' leg watching. This seems to be the way she learns. She observes until she feels confident and then joins in. When we went to the next class, she was already feeling more comfortable and happily participated in the class. Many classes later and she loves going! She has gotten really good on the equipment and after practising how to do a forward roll all summer, she has perfected it.


I love watching her go to class. She always has a huge grin on her face, and is so excited to try out all the equipment. It's pretty cool to see her conquer her fears too. Here are some pictures and a couple video clips of her doing her thing.

 

 

 

Preschool

 

My girl started preschool today. I had butterflies in my stomach this morning getting her ready. I was so nervous for her. I can only imagine that strange adults, strange kids, and a strange place , not to mention being away from me when she's been with me pretty much constantly for the majority of her life is pretty darn intimidating.


When we got there, she went right into the classroom and started playing with some toys. She happily went from activity to activity while I watched. After about ten minutes, I told her I was going to go and that I would be back soon. She got pretty upset, and begged me to stay which broke my heart, but I knew in my gut that she would be okay once I was out of sight. I hung around in the hall for about ten minutes to see how she was doing. Every once in a while she would cry, but she was easily distracted by her teachers.


I came home for a bit, and couldn't resist calling to see how she was doing. Her teacher said she was crying every few minutes, but doing okay. When I went to pick her up, her class was heading outside to play. She was so happy to see me and ran into my arms. She sometimes does this thing where her eyes are full of big crocodile tears, but she's trying not to cry so she does this fake smile thing. It seriously melts my heart when she does it. As I gave her a hug, and told her I missed her, she held back her tears and smiled. I feel so proud of my big girl trying to be so brave.


She goes back on Tuesday. I have a feeling the first couple weeks might be hard for her since she takes a little while to warm up to new experiences, but I know she will love going. On the way home, I told her I was very proud of her, and she said, "I'm proud of me too mommy". She is so precious.

Only Mommy Will Do

Today was a rainy, dreary day. I kind of wanted to head to the mall and pick up a few things, but the thought of getting two children ready, and then dragging them around the mall did not seem very appealing. So, I called Denis and let him know I was going to go when he got home, and leave the kids with him. He has only had the two of them on his own, a handful of times, and for very short spans of time since Jack is nursing and doesn't get bottles.


Claire is a total daddy's girl and happily gave me a hug and a kiss and said goodbye. I fed Jack, and put him down for a nap right before I left. That should give me a good couple hours, I thought. Off to the mall I went. I enjoyed the nice, quiet car ride, and being able to hop out of the car without getting two kids unbuckled. I took my time shopping, and didn't have to worry about anyone but myself.


As I was marvelling in the moment, and thinking how I ought to do this more often, I got a phone call. I could hear Jack wailing in the background and Denis' voice sounding a little panicked, but obviously feeling bad for interrupting my 'me time'. I told him I was on my way home.


Once home, I took Jack in my arms and he immediately calmed down. He snuggled right into my neck, and let out a few whimpers to let me know how much he missed me. Within minutes he was smiling and giggling. That boy sure loves his mommy. It was so nice to have some time to myself, but I have to admit, it's also kind of nice to be needed.

Farewell Summer

Usually I am ready for fall by the time September rolls around. This summer just flew by though and I feel like I didn't get a chance to do all the things I wanted to do. I suppose there's always next summer.


I do love fall though. Today we did one of my favourite autumn activities. We went to the apple orchard. We got to pet some animals, play on hay bales, go for a tractor ride, and pick apples. What a fun day!

  

 

  

  

 

Uh oh...

Somebody needs to tell Jack he is only 4.5 months old. I am so not ready for him to be crawling yet. He can actually inch his way forward and push up on his hands. I think the motivation comes from having a big sister. He gets so excited when he sees her playing, and wants to do whatever she is doing. They sure don't stay babies for long.

The Miron Family

Denis and I finally got hitched on Friday. After seven years, and two children, we were very ready! We had a beautiful day, and it was so nice to have our children there to celebrate with us. Here are some pictures.

Babies and Sleep

I'm not quite sure why sleep is such an obsession in our society. It almost seems like a competition among moms. When strangers talk to you about your baby, they are bound to ask how they're sleeping. When your baby doesn't sleep through the night it can feel like you are the only one and you must be doing something wrong. I really struggled with this when Claire was a baby. I read every book I could get my hands on about sleep, I compared her sleep habits with my friend's babies. I looked at the clock whenever she woke up and kept track of how many hours she had slept. I was exhausted and frustrated. Many nights I brought her to bed with me out of sheer exhaustion. We somehow made it through those sleepless nights and I realized in hindsight how very short that time was. Now at two Claire doesn't always sleep through the night. A couple nights a week she ends up in bed with Denis and I. She's growing up so fast so I soak up all the snuggles I can get. Before long she won't want to cuddle in bed with mommy and daddy.

When Jack was born I had a totally different approach. I had done a ton of research on co sleeping and bed sharing. It turns out bed sharing is just as safe and some research even concludes is safer than an infant sleeping alone. I spent the first two or so months after Jack was born holding him. I made use of my moby wrap so I would have arms free but the only time I put him down was when we went to sleep at night and then he slept next to me. I savoured his newborn sounds and the way his body curled up on my chest. He was comforted by my smell and the sound of my heartbeat and was rocked by the motion of my body when I moved. He was inside me for nine months after all so this is what was familiar to both of us.

When night time came I would start by putting him in a crib next to me and then bring him in to bed at the next wake up. Eventually we've transitioned to my bed completely since he seems to sleep much better there. I have no idea how many times he wakes up a night or how long of a stretch he does because I do not wake up enough at night to look at a clock. It's amazing how the primal mother in me takes over and I put him to the breast and we both fall back into a deep sleep without me even being conscious of it.
 

Is this method right for everyone? No, but it is absolutely right for our family. Even though my baby wakes through the night I feel well rested for the most part because I never fully wake at night.

I wish more moms knew that babies waking at night was normal. It doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. Babies that sleep ten hour stretches are the exception not the rule. I wish they knew that no matter how many books you read and how much you obsess over it, your baby will still wake. I wish they knew that before you know it your baby will no longer be a baby and you will miss those snuggles. I wish I had known all of this the first time around.




An excellent article on how to share sleep safely can be found here



And an article on the benefits of co co sleeping can be found here

Best Friends

This morning when Claire woke up we had a little snuggle in bed. I was hugging her and telling her how much I love her. She pulled back, looked her dad and I right in the eye and very seriously said, "You're my best friends". How adorable is that? I really don't know where she comes up with this stuff. I know one day she will be way too cool to think of mommy and daddy as her best friends, so I will savour it now.

Jack Grew!!!

This picture was taken when Jack was a few days old. He looked so tiny compared to his big sister.

Fast forward four months...

Jack grew!!! People are shocked when they hear how old Jack is because he's such a big boy. I guess all the nursing he does has payed off. Good job buddy.

Danish Traditions

 

My mom's parents are from Denmark. Growing up, we got to participate in many Danish traditions. One of my favourites was going to Sunset Villa - a club for Danes. They have a bakery there one Sunday a month and we would always get a sodavend which is a Danish pop when we were there. Today we took Claire to Sunset Villa, and even though I don't ever give Claire pop, we shared a sodavend. I love being able to carry on some of the Danish traditions that I got to experience when I was a child. Here is some more pictures from Sunset Villa.

 

 

What a Big Girl

Lately I am reminded of what a big girl Claire is becoming. Her language just keeps getting more complex and she comes up with the funniest things. The other day I was cleaning the bathroom. Claire came over to me and asked what I was doing. I told her I was cleaning the washroom. She of course jumped to the only logical explanation and asked, "Did daddy make a big mess in there?" What a funny girl!


She's starting preschool in a couple weeks. I torn between looking forward to some one on one time with Jack and maybe getting the occasional nap in, but also a bit sad that she's taking such a big step towards childhood and away from babyhood. I think Claire will love preschool. She is really starting to be interested in other kids. She loves crafts, and books, and blocks, and songs. She has no idea what fun is in store for her at school.

Claire is potty trained. She has been for over a month now. I was actually dreading potty training because I thought it would be so much work. Well one day we were at Wal Mart and she saw a potty and asked for it. I thought what the heck, we'll give it a try. Lo and behold I put her in underwear and within a week, she was completely trained. I guess she was just ready.


I am just so proud of this little person. She is such a good big sister. I catch her giving Jack a little pat on the head or a quick kiss when she thinks I'm not looking. She makes me laugh when she's trying to have a conversation with him and asking him a question and then answering for him since he can't. Here's a quick clip of her talking to Jack. Gosh, I love this kid!

My Little Fashionista

 

My girl loves when she gets to pick out her own clothes. Here she is wearing a nightgown, shorts, a tutu, and some rain boots. I think she gets her sense of style from her dad.

Four Month Stats

It's hard to believe my little boy is already four months old. It feels like just yesterday I was pregnant and waiting so very impatiently for him to come meet us. As the doctor checked his eyes and ears, Jack was smiling away and trying to grab the doctor's face. Jack was 17.5lbs, and 26 inches long. The doctor couldn't believe what a big boy he was.


 Jack at four months old is becoming very interested in the world around him. He loves using his hands to grab toys and explore. He smiles at just about anyone that looks at him and will even giggle if he's in the right mood. He adores his big sister Claire and wants so badly to be able to run and play with her. He is rolling both ways and is even starting to push up on his hand in a little push up when on his belly.


 We love our little man so much and can't wait to see his little personality develop even more. He is turning out to be such a sweet boy.  Here's a quick clip of his adorable little giggle. He thinks his daddy is pretty funny.

Our Family

As I type, my baby boy lies nursing in my arms. I know before long he will be too busy playing and getting into things to want to cuddle in my arms, so I cherish these moments. I hope by keeping this blog I will have memories to look back on when my children are grown, and I am old and grey.


Claire is our first baby, and she is two and a half years old. She is incredibly smart, and funny, and sweet, but she can also be pretty saucy. Jack is four months old and the happiest, easiest baby you will ever meet. I am going to use this blog to document all those little things that I would otherwise forget. The funny things they say, how I felt when they start preschool, first steps etc. So here goes nothing...