What a year!

It's been quite a while since the last update to the blog so there's lots of content for this edition. Add on the fact that Paige is now much more mobile and naturally we've been taking photos like crazy. The past two months have been full of fun and new skills (except no words yet, a fact that has us a little bit concerned) but most importantly has seen Paige's personality really begin to shine through. You'll see what I mean.

Being the 'take charge' type she is, Paige has already decided that she'll be following in her mother's footsteps...







On November 3rd, Paige celebrated her 1st birthday. It was a quiet affair with Paige displaying her usual calm demeanor and decorum. Shyeah, right!




The same day, Paige walked for the first time. She'd been close for some time but Jenn and I had decided that a minimum of 5 steps were required before the lurching she'd been doing actually qualified as walking.
As you can see, one of her favourite activities is unloading the recycling bin. It's fun to watch her sort through the basket, looking for...I'm never quite sure what...and in the meantime dumping the contents out on the kitchen floor. Usually, once's that chore's been taken care of, she'll move on to emptying the pot lid rack which is at her level and removing the shoes from the back door shoe rack. It always looks a bit like a tsunami has blown through when she's finished.

Another of Paige's great interests is dogs. Every time she sees a
dog, she makes little noises, and she's been doing this since she was about 8 months old. Fortunately her passion is somewhat sated whenever we get together with Paige's aunt Julia and uncle Duncan, who have a beautiful and exceptionally tolerant springer spaniel.





Her other fascinations have caught us a bit by surprise. For instance, for a few months in the fall Paige was fascinated with hats and scarves. This from a girl who would not leave her sun hat on in the summer for love nor money. I've stopped trying to figure girls out... All I know is that this girl is some kinda cute. Here she is wearing the new bicycle helmet that we bought her for her birthday.

Here are a couple other photos that we so adorable (I know, I'm biased) that I couldn't help but post them.

I hope the update gives you an idea of how Paige is doing. Thankfully, she's growing well, learning new skills and having fun with our nanny Miriam during the day when Jenn and I are at work, so life is grand.

Joie de Vivre

Hello again!
Well, Birthday Season is nearly upon us once again--(Paige's, mine, my brother's and my Dad's birthdays are all in November) but this year it will get kicked off with the newest Malcolm's birthday first. It's been a year of learning; for Paige of course, but just as much for her mom and dad. I have now been home for nearly two months and have learned first and foremost how much energy it takes to be a full-time caregiver. Yikes! But I've loved (nearly) every minute of it. I'll try posting a couple of videos and see how that works.

Here's one of Paige in her little giraffe rocking chair -- er, should I say her "Crazy Train".



The past month has been full of fun for Paige and great amusement for mom and dad. For a while, Paige's favourite toy was the wicker recycling bin that we store under the desk in our dining room. Never mind the expensive toys that Grandma and Grandpa buy. No sir! Give a wicker basket anytime!


She's also discovered that the refrigerator is full of unusual and intriguing things. And despite daddy's continuous requests, she just can't bring herself to close the door when she's done!

But the greatest thing about Paige is her overwhelming enthusiasm. Whatever she discovers, she tackles it head on and with great gusto. It's a joie de vivre that you can't help find infectious.

So with that we will bid adieu. Before we go though, Paige would like to serenade you with a brief trumpet concerto. Trumpet Concerto in Shrill Sharp Major.

On the move!

It's been an eventful couple of months since the last Paige blog update. The most momentus of Paige's developments is her newfound mobility.

Paige had all the skills but failed her driving test since her little legs couldn't reach the pedals. Sorry, no driving for you for another 15 years!


Paige also learned how to read in the last couple of months, which proves her Grandfather Pettigrew's claims of prodigy.








Seriously, Paige first started crawling just before her 9 month birthday and has been a whirling dervish ever since. She absolutely loves her newfound freedom and almost immediately began crawling up stairs, or climbing onto whatever stationary object presented itself. The challenge has been teaching her how to come down the stairs since each time we've tried to demonstrate it to her, she shrieks in protest, as if to say, "But I only just climbed UP all those stairs! Why would I want to go down?!?". A couple of days ago though, the penny did drop for her as to how to descend but she has yet to perfect the motion, striking fear into her parents hearts as she wavers precariously at the edge of each step.


Her mobility also posed a challenge during our trip to Nova Scotia. We stayed in B&Bs most of the way, and the rooms were inevitably furnished with beautiful and delicate antiques, thus ensuring that Paige required an escort at all times when we were in the room. Not the most restful of vacations perhaps but full of fun and wonderful vistas.

Despite the wildlife and the vistas, Paige did manage to catch a few moments of blissful rest...







Paige is as gleeful as ever, and thoroughly enjoyed our many walks and
hikes in Nova Scotia. She made a concerted effort while we were away to meet every single Nova Scotian we passed. If they weren't immediately taken with her, she would stare at them and then escalate to happy shrieks if they continued to ignore her. Many an elderly lady was charmed by her big smile, her big round blue eyes and her whispy blond hair.

It is only now sinking in for Jenn and I how social a little lady we have on our hands, and we're delighted that she is pleasant and chatty with everyone (including squirrels, birds, whales, and especially dogs!).

I have now taken over as primary daytime caregiver for Paige and am absolutely adoring it. Of course it's exhausting chasing her around all day, taking her for walks and visits to the park and such but the smiles (she now has five teeth -- two on the bottom and three on the top ) are worth it.

Eight months and full of beans...

...or carrots, or prunes, or cereal. She thinks the occasional envelope is a good source of added fibre. Really, anything goes on the food front. Paige is a very enthusiastic eater. Her latest antics include pulling my hand with the spoon into her mouth if I'm not going fast enough, and, if I seem to be stopping before she is full, looking up at me with a wide open mouth like a baby bird! Said mouth currently contains 2 teeth, with more on the way soon, we think.

We are having a great time these days! Paige is soooooo smiley and fun, most of the time. Yesterday we were out running errands, and kept having to stop to chat with people that she had "captured". Oh, what a trial to have such a lovely social little person.




She started to sit up very solidly at the beginning of June, which has been great! It makes her so much more able to play, and watch the world go by. She's also starting to get mobile, with an increasingly speedy "army" crawl.



She has been to the cottage twice so far. I think she loves it as much as we do. For her, a large part of this may well be the legion of adoring fans who shower her with attention. On the holiday Monday, she had her first swim!


Paige and Grandpa are "hat people", and don't care what anybody says about it!












Recent "discoveries" include grass, and swings, and dogs.

...now we are six (months, that is!)

Paige is "helping" me with this post by banging on the computer. Her great-grandma P. taught her how to bang on tables when we were in B.C. just after Easter, and Paige has learned this lesson well. We had a lovely visit out west, also getting to visit with some family members Paige hadn't met yet, and my friend Carol, whose 3 1/2 year old son Charlie was an endless source of giggles for Paige.

Aside from banging on things and waving her arms at random, other favorite activities these days are gumming eveything she can get her hands on (window envelopes are particularly amusing), rolling all over the place, "talking" in a series of long vowel sounds of various volumes and inflections, dropping things on the floor on purpose, and jumping.

It seems like jumping is just about the best thing in her world. Her face just lights up when she goes into her bouncer, and she can really catch some air! Quite seriously, if you are ever having a bad day, give us a call and come watch her bounce. You just can't be in a bad mood after that.
And now, a message from my "helper":
;.'
vm /nhmkn brt6uiuouv rt

She is a lovely healthy big girl. The official 6 month statistics are weight 7.9 kg (17 lb 7 oz), length 73.5 cm, and head circumference 43.5 cm. What does this mean in the 'real world'? She is finally starting to "grow into" her head a bit, and she is a very long baby. She's really taking on good lanky Malcolm proportions.

She has just started to eat some solid food (still won't take a bottle, but we're having some success with a sippy cup). So far, rice cereal is OK, but by the faces she makes, green beans and applesauce might as well be poisonous!

We've managed to get her to take some naps in her crib--usually one per day, with significant screaming at the beginning, but it is progress!

We're really having a good time with her--she is so smiley and interactive. She just beams at people wherever we go. Last week, she was on Breakfast Television! I was there to do an interview for a media campaign about allergies, and the host scooped her out of the stroller and asked if she could put her on camera--who was I to say no to a TV debut?

Other "milestone" stuff: no teeth yet, still doesn't sleep through the night, can sit by herself (although her balance ability has some catching up to do to counteract her curiosity and the effect of gravity on her lovely big bald head!)

Why I love baby slings...

...enough to think that other people might like them too!

There are many theoretical reasons to love baby slings--babies who are "worn" have been shown in studies to cry 51% less, sleep better, develop more quickly, etc. In many cultures in the world, baby-wearing is the norm. In some, it is traditional that a baby's feet not touch the ground before their first birthday!

With all of the Bjorn's and the like around these days, I don't know that I would have thought to try a sling. Fortunately, my friend Sara loaned us one that she had used with her little darlings. When Paige was just 2 days old, I put her in it for the first time, to go for a walk around the block. She promptly fell asleep. We started to use it shortly after that when she got fussy--put her in, walk up and down the stairs a couple of times, and she would be asleep.

This seemed magical for a baby who really didn't seem to want naps otherwise, no matter how much she may have needed one. Seriously--Paige is a baby who will fuss and cry and refuse to go to sleep while being rocked or bounced in loving arms, but will conk out within minutes (sometime seconds) of being put in the sling. All theoretical stuff aside, that is why I love the sling. I'm not sure she would ever nap without it.

(testimonial alert!)
I really don't feel like I am exaggerating when I say that our slings have saved my sanity.

While she naps in the sling, I can do all kinds of things. Many websites, etc. tout the idea that you have both hands free. This is true, but to be honest one of your arms is limited to working below your shoulder.
It is easy to: sit and read, work on the computer (she's snoring in my lap right now), walk, grocery shop, lie down for a nap. It is slightly more difficult but still doable to: load and unload the washer and dryer, bake, chop ingredients for dinner, knit, go to the bathroom. It is not recommended to: cook at the stove, run.

She will fall asleep in the sling no matter who is carrying her--me or her dad, her grandparents and one of her great-grandmothers. Everyone's initial comment is that she looks squished, but as she is sound asleep at the time, I guess she is comfortable! People have also commented that they are surprised how fast she settles in it.

I do sometimes envy friends whose babies will go down for a nap in their crib--there are things that I just can't do while I'm wearing her. That said, I love the fact that Paige can and will have her nap in the sling wherever we are at the time, so she can have her nap when she needs it. Our original padded ring sling is great at home, but takes up half the space in our diaper bag. I also love our Baby Trekker, but it suffers from the same space-hogging problem. So, I made a pouch sling--still comfortable for her and for me, but folds up to the size of a wallet!

I've been making slings as baby shower gifts--I love choosing a fabric to reflect the style of the adult who will wear it. Pouch slings can be used for several different wearing positions, for kidlets from newborns to toddlers (up to about 30 pounds), and are really easy to learn how to use.

Order a custom-made sling for yourself or someone you know!
Give me a call, drop me a line, or leave a reply-post here.

I don't have any pictures of my ring slings up yet--keep your eye on this space.

March Madness

Our little poppet is now 4 months old!
She continues to be a source of much amazement and amusement. She's a young lady with very definite opinions and wants--one of her best tricks lately is digging in her heels and her head and arching her body vigorously off whatever surface she is on (bouncy chair, high chair, laps) when she want to move. She loves to be held standing up--dancing with "the baby in the mirror" is a favorite activity.

She started to laugh a couple of weeks ago (apparently Mommy and the other ladies at yoga doing sun salutations is hilarious!) and although it sounds a bit like someone hyperventilating, it is one of our favorite sounds. This week, she figured out how to roll from her front to her back. Everything goes into her mouth--chewing is another favorite pastime.


The official statistics: weight 7.1 kg (15 lb 11 oz), length 64 cm (just over 25 inches), head circumference 43 cm (17 inches).
What does this all mean? She is a very proportional lovely healthy baby, who happens to be the size of an average 6-month old. She still sleeps less than any of the other babies we know, but seems to be thriving in spite of that. I'm sure (or at least clinging to the hope) that will change with time!