Eight

My little boy is getting so big.  He was eight months old on Tuesday, so I guess I'm two days late on posting this entry, but my blogging is sporadic at best.  Since he didn't need to see the doctor or get shots this month, I don't know exactly how much he weighs right now... wait, we bought a bathroom scale.  Let me go weigh him.


Okay, he weighs 18 lbs.  That puts him in the 25th percentile.  I'm so glad he's just a small guy.  He's not crawling or scooting around yet, which is great by me since we'll have to get a gate once he starts motoring, and he'll be making messes left, right and center.  He definitely wants to crawl - when he's on his tummy he's trying hard to figure out how to get somewhere and getting frustrated.  But I'm happy to have him stationary!

He's also mastering the pincer grip - picking up cheerios, cooked veggies, bits of cheese, etc., between his fingers and thumb.  I absolutely love watching him pick the food up between his index finger and thumb and try to get it in his mouth - I could just about burst with pride when he gets it in.  He gets better every day.  It's unbelievable to think of how he has grown from a helpless newborn into this wonderful little boy who can already feed himself (a little).

Something I am extremely grateful for is that I don't have to break him of a bottle.  How blessed I am that I was able to exclusively breastfeed him since he was born. We did leave him with sitters a couple times with some expressed milk in a bottle, and he drank it, but it never became habit to have the bottle.  I am SO fortunate that I have not had to work and that breastfeeding has been so wonderful.

And for the last couple months, since he started eating solids, I've been giving him water out of these cups.  The shape seems to work great for him, and they are cheap, so if I leave them behind somewhere it wouldn't be a big deal.  I do wish they had a lid though.

I'm just beginning to look around for the kind with the straw, which he should be able to get the hang of quickly now that he's eight months.  But I've only seen the fancy insulated kind, and I do not want to spend that kind of money on one cup.  Another reason I'm glad I chose the cheap ones is that I just recently found out that some kids who drink from the cups with the valve develop a tongue thrust when they use their tongues to stop the flow, and then have difficulty speaking.  Hooray for the cheap cups!

We also have a new rule.  Grant needs to eat at least one full jar of fruit before bed so that he doesn't get up to eat at 5 or 6am.  He ate lots of fruit last night before bed and then didn't get up until 9 today.  Thank goodness!

And he is getting his first two teeth!  The front two on the bottom, just as expected.  He was not feeling great when they were cutting through the gums, and had a very stuffed up nose for a few days, but he seems to be feeling much better the last couple days and especially this morning.  His little teeth are so cute!  I can't wait to get some pictures of him when they come all the way up!

It is SO wonderful being at home with Grant all the time.  I love him so very much.  He brings so much happiness to Trevor and me.  Now that he's here we just can't believe we ever lived without him.  Definitely, people should have children because they want them, but having always wanted them, I can't imagine never having him.  There are no words to express how much I love him.  We are SO glad he came to be in our family and that Heavenly Father sent him to us.

Thank heaven for little boys!

Cake

Trevor has been very busy learning all about cameras since last December, when we bought our first digital SLR, a Canon Rebel XS.  We LOVE it.  We've taken more than 10,000 pictures in under a year.  Now that we are both getting better at taking pictures, we are venturing out to take pictures of someone other than Grant.  We've done one family shoot and one maternity shoot, and since I've been busy honing my cake decorating skills at the same time, we introduce our latest blog, featuring the two things we hope to soon get actually paid to do.  My cake prices will be basically the materials cost for the next little while, if you're interested, and we haven't yet started charging for a photo shoot - so if you'd like us, let us know!  We're available weeknights and weekends, so get your name on the list!


Click here for the new blog: a sneak peek of our maternity shoot and a shot of my latest cake!


Edit [November 10, 2010]:  This link doesn't work anymore - sorry!  I don't make cakes, but I do take pictures.  Come find me here instead.

Learning

As my last post was a bit of a rant, I want to sum up the learning I am already doing. In reflecting on this, thanks to the wonderful Visiting Teaching message from the Church's magazine which caused me to do so, I realized how much continual learning I am immersing myself in from day to day:

1. Cake decorating classes: I took the first two Michael's cake decorating classes while in Vancouver, and since we have been back in Lethbridge I have made four different cakes to practice my skills. I also plan to take the third decorating class this fall.

2. I began (again) the Harry Potter series at the beginning of July while in California and have just finished the 6th book. Seventh book here I come! (Haha, is this learning?)

3. I read the book for the ward's Book Club each month and then meet with the other women at the end of the month to talk about the book and eat treats.

4. I also read two other books this month, both by James Patterson, just for fun.

5. I am currently working on my online bookkeeping course that I started in Vancouver and have a goal to work on it for at least three hours each week. At this rate, I should be done in just a week or two.

6. I practice photography with the tips and rules that Trevor has taught me and I'm sure I am getting better!

7. I regularly read Maclean's, Today's Parent, and the Ensign.

8. I am eagerly awaiting my mom's visit in September so she can bring with her the sewing machine she bought me (and because I love her) and have my name down to take sewing classes with my sister-in-law at Fabric Addict.

9. I read my scriptures each day, at least one chapter out of the Book of Mormon. I am currently here. I've read the Book of Mormon at least 10 times.

10. I look for cultural learning experiences. For example, Grant and I went to the International Festival in Lethbridge at the beginning of August and watched many kinds of dancing from around the world, including belly dancing and Phillipino.

There you have it - 10 ways I'm already following the Lord's counsel to seek learning. One of the Young Women's Program's value motto says: "I will continually seek opportunities for learning and growth" and I am working to expand my skills, enrich my knowledge, and develop my talents in order to receive the promises mentioned in the message this month:

“Lifelong learning is essential to the vitality of the human mind, body, and soul. It enhances self-worth and self-actuation. Lifelong learning is invigorating mentally and is a great defense against aging, depression, and self-doubt” (Elder Robert D. Hales, “The Journey of Lifelong Learning,” in Brigham Young University 2008–2009 Speeches [2009], 2, 8–9).

Directions

All my life I've wanted to be a mom. I've planned for it and prayed for it and just plain yearned for it. Always, always, always. I practiced on countless dolls, beanie babies, barbies, stuffed animals, pet hamsters, mice, a cat, and about a billion different fish - and finally I have my little boy!!!

I love him so much! But this post isn't about him - it's about me (like most of my posts). The mystery now to me is, after all the planning and wishing and hoping, why do I feel like I should have some kind of answer for the question "What did you do for school?" other than "I started my nursing degree.... and never finished it."

Even before Grant was born, I had found that the old saying is true - a woman's work is never done. I have plenty to keep me busy from day to day, between laundry, baby messes, the running of a household, cooking, cleaning, blogging, church responsibilities, bill paying.... you get the idea. It's not that I don't have enough to do! But here is the dilemma: Should I go back to school part-time? Full-time? Before I tell you the answer that will most likely win out, let me highlight the two different scenarios that are possible:

1. I could return to school full-time starting next September, for three years, and complete my nursing degree. It would be a lot of work and money, and we'd have to put off buying a house and having another baby.

2. I could do a program that is newly offered at the college, Emergency Medical Responder (the lowest-on-the-totem-pole version of a paramedic).

This is something I've wanted to do since I was very small. My mom used to tape the old show with William Shatner, Rescue 9-1-1, for me, since 9pm was way past my bedtime, and I loved to watch it. I didn't dream of being a nurse or doctor, but a paramedic.

The big appeal for this is that it is now at the college, as I said, which means it won't be such a crash course in comparison to the one offered at St. John's, and it is offered starting in January 2010, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-10pm! That would be ideal, as Trevor could take care of Grant, and he would no longer be nursing as he turns one year old in January. Even if Trevor were late coming home from work, I could most likely take Grant to his Grandma Curtis' house, which is not far from the college.

SO... I'm sure you can guess where I'm going with this.

I would LOVE to finish my nursing degree, but I feel strongly that my work is here, in my home, with my baby, and I very much cannot justify putting him in daycare, delaying buying a house, and putting off having another baby for it.

The EMR course seems like a happy middle ground for me. I would be done in three months and get those fancy letters at the end of my name - and the fancy piece of paper on the wall. Perhaps this is more an issue of me being happy with where I am. I do love being at home with Grant, and it is SO much better than working - I simply can't stress that enough. And I want to have another baby - many more, if I can. And we obviously want to buy a house as soon as possible.

So that will most likely be what I do. Right now I am just finishing up my bookkeeping course, and once I finish that (in the next few weeks) I will allow myself to (most likely) apply to the EMR program at the college. Hopefully the January session won't be full by then.

Wish me luck!

Note: Sometime in the future I would still love to finish my nursing degree and I am determined to - but it will wait. Being a mother in the most important work in the world.

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

No other success can compensate for failure in the home. ~President David O. McKay

Parties

Grant was able to go to his first little birthday party at a friend's house on August 1st! His friend Troy turned 2 on July 30th. Happy Birthday Troy!

One of Troy's presents was a bubble machine, so it had to be tried out!

Grant also tried out his little car while we were there.

And on August 6th, we went to my friend Crystal's birthday party - it was a dessert potluck, so I naturally had to demonstrate my -ahem - cake making skills. No, I'm definitely nowhere near as good as Bakerella, but I'm working on it. This was my first attempt at making these fun little Happy Meals. I used a white cake mix for the cupcakes:

My very own recipe for the brownie burgers, white icing colored with food coloring, and a sugar cookie recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker for the sugar cookie french fries.

Assemble them...

Bakerella graciously provided the template on her site for the boxes, as well as some blank fry holders, which I added text to in Photoshop (first time using it, too!). I also made my own paper for the lining of the boxes in Photoshop. I had it all printed at a local place - the fry holders on regular paper, the boxes on cardstock, and the lining paper on vellum, since they didn't have tissue or tracing paper. I think they came out great! Next time, I need to cut the cupcake buns smaller, and the brownie burgers shorter. Also, too much icing made the burger tops slide all over the place, but I was pretty happy overall!

There you have it!

Stats

Grant's checkup on July 20th revealed an interesting growth curve:

27" long = 75th percentile

16 lbs. 9.5 oz. = 37th percentile

44cm head circumference = 68th percentile

So while he has always been long and skinny, he is especially so now! He hasn't been below the 50th percentile for weight before, and now he is way below - the result being that cheap baby clothes (e.g. clothes from Walmart, the fat people store) that fit him in the length hang off of him since he's skinny. He's wearing 9 month sleepers now, 12 month Gerber onesies (since they fit small), and mostly 6 month other clothing. We sure love him!

Johns

Last Thursday Grant and I went out to Blairmore as friends of mine who live north of Calgary were there camping, the Johns family. It's been far too long since I've seen them - I saw them last summer briefly, when I was pregnant with Grant. I love this family - their names are Ryan and Dianne, and they have two very sweet boys named Karson and Braeden. I've lived with them for a few weeks of each summer during high school, babysitting their kids, camping with them, vacationing on Tie Lake. They are the sweetest family, and have always been so very generous towards me, especially when I was a goofy teenager (we all know how that feels!). They really are the best, and I was so happy for them to meet Grant!

Six

My little guy is already six months! And since I'm behind on posting his six months update, he's already six and a HALF months. I know the time will just keep slipping by, but I'm busy enjoying every stage of his growth as it comes along. He went for his six month shots on the 28th and did very well. He was very sleepy the rest of the day and ate hardly anything, just wanted to breastfeed, but no other side effects.

On that note, did you know breast milk can cure pink eye (just squirt it in, lol!) and is like a portable Polysporin (who needs Poly To Go when you make milk, eh? EH?)

Back to the baby. He's able to sit up by himself now, for a longer period each day. He can roll all the way over to his tummy and get both hands out from underneath (did it for the first time on Trevor's birthday, the 21st), still LOVES his Jolly Jumper, and can drink perfectly well out of a little sippy cup now. So no bottle for him, and I can now leave him (not that I want to) for long stretches of time if I leave enough milk.

Our days are a nice routine now. Grant and I play, watch TV, read books, nap, snack, and clean, while Trevor works as an engineer. He's really working on learning how to talk, and makes the most hilarious faces all the time (Grant, not Trevor)! He's also learned how to squeal when he's happy, which is nearly all the time! If he's not hungry, then you have one happy baby on our hands!

I wanted to make these for Trevor's birthday, but as I planned to make them a month ahead of time, when it came time I completely forgot. Fortunately, I was able to stop by Crazy Cakes and am now furthering my personal mission of telling the world how wonderful they are. And I didn't have to mess up my kitchen to celebrate Trevor's birthday. I'm pretty sure he's officially old now (compared to people my age) at the ripe ol' age of 27.

Grant eats baby cereal just once a day usually, for breakfast, since he doesn't like it very much. He eats veggies or fruit with chicken or beef for lunch and dinner. A larger version of the Shoppers that was in the strip mall by our house just opened, and I found some organic baby food on sale this week there, so I stocked up. Trevor and I feel as though it's worth the money to get him all organic stuff, at least while he's this small, since the nasty stuff really builds up in babies - like the pesticides used on the crops. Bad for babies!

On that note, we ordered this high chair and then had to wait for six weeks for it to be made, and it was very expensive, but definitely worth it. We think it will pay off in the long run, since we'll only have to buy one highchair for all our kids - and the plastic ones they have now are huge, bulky, and a massive eyesore in your kitchen.

We hope to someday have a big, made-by-Trevor dining room table to match. And, don't forget, if Trevor makes it, it will certainly be built to last through the Second Coming. Thunderstorms? Tornadoes? Hail and brimstone? No match for Curtis Family Dining Table To Come. We've already outgrown the dining room table we have now, but can't upgrade yet. Soon. We're trying to do all we can to save for a house, then we'll have some breathing room.

Pancakes

I've tried some good pancakes, some mediocre pancakes, and some baaaad pancakes. One year, during Stampede in Calgary, I attended five (yes, five) Stampede breakfasts on five consecutive days. Believe me, I did not EVER want to see another pancake. This recipe, published in Martha Stewart Living and brought to my attention by Bakerella in her Good Morning post, is AMAZING.

Let's see... start with the Maple Orange butter. Trevor made this while I started on the pancake batter, and it lasted for three or four times that we made these pancakes. I think it needs more orange juice though, as I'm not sure it was worth the trouble since it didn't taste much different than normal butter. However:

You'll need:
1 stick softened butter
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup

• Combine all three in a small bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon the mixture on a piece of wax paper.
• Roll and re-shape back into a stick of butter.
• Twist the ends to secure the wax paper and refrigerate.

Then the pancakes!

You'll need:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar, plus two tsp for blueberries
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 egg lightly beaten
2 cups blueberries
Extra butter for coating griddle
Maple Syrup
(Makes about 16)

• Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk together buttermilk, milk, butter and egg in medium bowl.
• Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined.
• Toss blueberries in a small bowl with 2 tsp sugar.
• Heat a griddle over medium heat. Take extra butter and run over surface of griddle. Repeat as necessary throughout process.
• Pour batter on griddle 1/4 cup at a time.
• Add some of the sugared blueberries to each pancake.
• Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
• Flip and cook the other side for about 2 minutes.

Keep the finished ones on a cookie sheet in the oven at 200 degrees F to keep them warm.

You should also note that the first time I made these, I had taken care to be sure we had all the ingredients, but the second time we didn't have any buttermilk - so I instead added 1 3/4 cups milk and a little extra flour (I'd say 2-3 tablespoons) to thicken it.

We have a great cast iron pan that we use - a minute on the first side, a minute on the second side, and voila!

Add the Aunt Jemima's....

And dig in! These are seriously to die for. We use half the batter when we make them, then keep the other half in the fridge and have them the next day, with the two of us eating four pancakes each every time we make them. The cornmeal REALLY gives them a little Je-ne-sais-quoi, and the blueberries (we have used both fresh and frozen at different times, both are great) are incredible delicious. And I know pancakes.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, June 2009. Online version here.

California!

Grant and I went to California from July 7 to 13, 2009, and had a fabulous time! I love California and miss it whenever I'm away. I used to spend time there nearly every summer growing up since my grandparents lived in Sierra Madre before they died, as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins. My mom lived there until, for some reason unknown to me, moved to the great white north. Now I'm stuck here. Luckily, little Grant and I got a bit of an escape in our week long holiday.

We stayed with my aunt and uncle, Alex and Bryant, and their son, Cader. Grant got to meet them, as well as my big sister Meg, who lives in Singapore. Cader even got to be the "big" cousin for once!

We had a very nice time bumming around, reading Harry Potter, shopping, eating out, and generally enjoying July in Southern California. I'm pretty sure one of the highlights of Grant's trip was our big purchase, a new stroller, second only to getting to meet Auntie Megan.

(Greatest umbrella stroller ever!!!)

She even bought him a new swimsuit with rash guard - cutest thing ever!

Thanks to Megan, Alex, and Bryant for the best week all year!

Stampedin'

This past Saturday we took Grant to his first ever Calgary Stampede - yeehaw! Calgary is my hometown and I've been to the stampede every year of my life, worked there two years in a row during high school, and still love it. I think my favorite thing right now is the chuckwagon races. We didn't go to those this year, but Grant did try out a cowboy hat.

Jumping

Here is another video Trevor took today of Grant having a fantastic time in his Jolly Jumper. He's really got it down now. This is my favorite baby age so far - he still doesn't need to be fed baby food, and he's SO much fun!!!

Skills

All the things Grant can do at his all-of-five-months! (My baby is growing up!)

1. Roll from tummy to back

2. Say "hiiiii"

3. Grab an object with both hands

4. Laugh!

5. Look around for the person he wants to see.

6. Grab stuff and immediately put it in his mouth.

7. Rip paper.

8. Bear some weight on his legs.

9. Get a good steady bouncing rhythm when jumping in the Jolly Jumper.

10. Look for a dropped object and want it back.

11. Smile spontaneously.

12. Sit in his Bumbo at home and watch patiently while I make dinner.

13. Wear sunglasses and not take them off.

14. Poop his pants.

15. Burp really big burps.

16. Throw up many, many times a day and not be bothered.

17. Sleep through the night (between 8 and 10pm until 7:30-10am)

18. Mash all the keys on the keyboard.

Payoff

I gave up my own schooling, I suffered through the darkest, dreariest, rainiest winter of my life (and one slightly less dreary a year later), outlived an 88 day long garbage strike, survived not one, but two terrible jobs, the worst landlord on the planet, who came with the one of the worst basement suites in Vancouver, neighbors from you-know-where, walking up to six blocks each day just to get to the car (in the rain/mist/snow), a flooded home, appliances so loud we had to unplug them to hear the TV, standing outside the door in the rain to get cell phone reception, living in 300 square feet with no dryer and wet clothes draped over every piece of furniture, and many days of isolation, disappointment and frustration, endured a grumpy husband who hated school and the constant runaround that is the UBC Civil program, and FINALLY...

THE BIG PAYOFF

Namely, my talented husband pulled through, mostly unscathed, and finished his degree. He is now an EIT (Engineer-in-Training) for around three more years and can then get his P.Eng. (Professional Engineer). We can live comfortably with what he makes now and pay off his student loans before too long. It is an IMMENSE comfort.

I've noticed that some couples my age, with or without kids, think that I am "on maternity leave" or will return to work at some point. Without wanting to be unkind, prideful, or boasting, I mostly just nod along. The truth is, I'm not on maternity leave from anywhere (though I get one last EI check this week, yay!), and I don't have to plan on going back to work - ever. Unless Trevor dies. In that case, I'll buy a home with the life insurance and get myself back to school!

I'm reminded nearly every day that other people don't have these luxuries. It makes me so proud of think of how hard Trevor has worked to get where he is. He studied every single evening when he was going to Lethbridge College to get high enough grades to get into UBC. He never took a break, and even after he was accepted, he had to endure what is probably the toughest six months any student ever experiences in the country - the Civil Engineering Bridge program at Camosun College in Victoria. The failure rate is around 25%, and no one over the age of 30 has EVER passed. During those six months, Trevor was either in class (which was 40 hours/week), studying at school, studying at home, or at church. It was ROUGH. But he did it!

It makes me tear up when I think of how much work he put in and that he made it. I can't believe how well he is able to take care of Grant and me now that he can work as an Engineer. We are SO blessed. I don't mean any negative feelings to anyone else who chooses work in another field (and thank goodness there aren't more geotechnical civil engineers) but I am so fortunate to have a husband who makes enough for us now, and has so much earning power as life goes on. I know of a few people who have husbands who have just graduated and can't find a job, or have been graduated for a few years but can't find a permanent job, and my heart really goes out to them.

Hopefully there will be more than enough work in the fall and winter for Trevor's company to keep him! Either way, it is such a relief for him to have a useful degree in an industry that continues to be in demand, recession or not.

I feel as though I have the best life ever - I'm living the dream.

Visitors

Yesterday, Carolyn (my former stepmom) and her fiance Bob came for a lunch visit. They put up with me while Grant was well-behaved and cute as a button, as always. He loves to go out. We went to Boston Pizza (which I go to every chance I get) and he sat in his little Bumbo and looked around. Then we took some pictures at home before they returned to Calgary.

I took these myself (!!!) with the 85mm and their native resolution is big, so if you click on them you can see them up close!

Thoughts

In this video, Grant speaks out on the economy. This is what he thinks.

Missing...

I'm one of those wives who nearly always knows where everything is. Trevor asks where something is, I tell him, simple as that, right? Mostly. But I have had this repeat problem with the little cord that connects my mini point and shoot Nikon (not our nice Canon SLR) to a USB, and our computer doesn't have a card reader. I lost it all the time in Vancouver and haven't seen it since we moved here. Part of the problem is that I don't use it very often since we have a really nice camera now, and the cord for that one stays permanently attached to the computer. But, the SLR doesn't have video (someday we'll have a 5D Mark II, but for now, dare to dream...), and my little one does have video, so I've taken a couple videos of Grant (Trevor doesn't do anything worth videotaping... and neither do I, actually). Anyway, I'm back on the hunt...

Update: I found the cord in one of the diaper bag pockets. Yay! Now to put it in a "safe" place next time.

Note: I have a certain few things that I always put in "safe" places and can't find them again later - birthday money that I'm saving, my patriarchal blessing, and this silly cord. I find them and lose them in a vicious cycle of lost and found.

Favorites...

Here is a work in progress of the little things I find to be the best for me, my skin type, my hair type, and my little family:

Hair Products:

Shampoo - my favorite is still Herbal Essences because it smells so good.

Styling - BedHead After Party - the pink tube that is a must for use after flat ironing. Expensive but lasts a very long time since you only need a tiny bit.

Flat Iron - the original ceramic CHI iron can't be beat. I'm on my second one and still love it. They have also come down in price an awful lot.

Skin Products:

Face Cleansing - My complexion does best when I just use water on my face. I haven't found soap that doesn't make me break out even worse! I do love the Zap-It brand Quick Stick - it's a little roller that clears up zits in a hurry.

Makeup - I've tried other makeups: Revlon, Avon, etc, but still LOVE Mary Kay. It lasts forever, so works out being cheaper than other makeups, and it feels so soft. I don't know what they put it in, but it doesn't go bad like some other makeups I've tried. The Avon stuff goes bad and gets really, really sticky, but the MK powders, nail polishes, and even mascaras - I have never seen them go bad - it's amazing. Their mascara isn't heavily perfumed like the Avon stuff is either.

Makeup Remover- Mary Kay wins hands down. I've tried Avon and the expensive L'Oreal, which both stung my eyes for hours afterwards! The MK stuff uses silicon and water, its a clear liquid like water, not a cream, and it's incredible. Come over and use some of mine sometime if you doubt. It doesn't sting at all, and you can be so, so gentle on your eyes.

Baby Products:

Diapers - Well, I've tried Costco, Safeway, Superstore, Huggies and Pampers, and I prefer Huggies. The Safeway ones were awful, and all the other ones were pretty good. The Pampers fit smaller and are soft, but I slightly prefer the Huggies. I've found that I can get them cheaper than the Costco ones when I get them on sale. The smallest, size 1/2, are 18 cents/diaper at Costco normally, and I've been able to get Size 3 for 15 cents/diaper on sale at Walmart, so I stocked up on 3s, 4s, and 5s when they had that sale!

Wipes - I like the Pampers Unscented Aloe wipes - the Huggies wipes I've found to be too thick and much less soft than the Pampers. I stock up on them when they are on sale for 2 cents/wipe at Superstore or Walmart and probably have enough for the next six months.

What are some of your favorite things?

Breastfeeding

I've been thinking for a while that my first and only post on the topic of breastfeeding may have not been entirely positive. In the early days, 99% of women (according to the Vancouver PHN) have trouble. I had a few minutes where I thought 'Maybe we should switch to formula.' I even made a couple bottles of formula to supplement, realized what a hassle it was to sterilize the bottles, cool them down, sterilize different water in a new pot, wait for it to cool down, mix the formula (we had free samples or I never would have even tried; it's SOOOOO expensive), and then get the formula the right temperature for the baby and coax him to drink from a bottle - NO THANKS! It was a massive hassle!!! I can't even imagine going out with sterilized water in a thermos, sterilized bottles in a bag, cold sterilized water and the formula, blah blah blah... no way! Pulling up my shirt and sticking the boy on is SO EASY! I am truly saddened for anyone who needs to use formula or feels that they need to.

I LOVE BREASTFEEDING!!!

It's so great. And if I thought making a bottle during the day was a hassle, doing at night would be even tougher. Again, it's so easy to just pull up my shirt! I can't possibly think of a more convenient thing. It's like this:
Do you want your baby to be less likely to join the growing ranks of overweight children, adolescents, and adults?
Do you want your baby to have less gastrointestinal infections, HALF as many ear infections, less allergies of ALL kinds, a higher IQ, and a lower SIDS risk?
Do you want your baby to be less likely to develop celiac disease?
Do you want your baby to be more willing to eat all kinds of foods when he starts solids because he's already had a little taste in your ever-changing milk?
Do you want to give your baby more than 100 ingredients that just can't be made in a lab or formed in cow's milk?
Do you want to prevent constipation in your little one?
Do you want to keep diaper rash away, and have way less yucky diapers to change?
Do you want your baby's mouth to get a workout that ensure optimum oral development and some perks for baby's future teeth, like less cavities?
Do you want a quicker postpartum recovering for yourself? Lower risk of uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, premenopausal breast cancer?
Do you want to save yourself a HUGE stack of cash?
Then... breastfeed!

I can only say this because I LOVE breastfeeding. Sure, it was rough at first, I was sore and putting cream on all the time, I had bloody scabs and a lot of pain, but I pushed through it without formula and now it's so great. I can't even imagine anything easier or better.

I also know that sometimes formula is needed (although with planning, even adoptive moms can breastfeed their babies!!! Cool hey?). At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your baby is getting fed - that's what really matters. I'm glad babies can do fine on formula, but I am incredible thankful for breastmilk, and that even cheap chocolate hasn't made Grant's tummy upset. I really do have the perfect baby.

If you're expecting, I strongly encourage you to try nursing - for at least six weeks. Give it a whirl. Even when your baby is fussy, it doesn't mean that you're not making milk anymore - your baby might just be fussy. It might take a while to figure out what bothers him or not, but I highly recommend the book published by La Leche League - "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding". If your baby is fussy due to things you are eating, it gives you a step-by-step guide to figure out what is bothering him and what you can do. When I first heard the title when Grant was just a few weeks old, I scoffed at it - pfft, womanly art, that's so corny. Now, I'm like "OOOOO I am sooo strong, I make milk! It IS a womanly art!"

One downside: He won't take a bottle, so I'm going to start him on a cup in the next few weeks, but for now, I can't be away from him for long. But, if I had given him a bottle more often up until now, he would know how, and it's still no big deal to me. I miss him terrible when I'm away from him, and I'd rather not pump.

Happy nursing!

Waiting

I love blogging early in the morning, before my day really starts. Grant likes to sleep in (just like his parents), so if I get up with Trevor and send him off to work, I get to sit quietly in the pre-eight AM stillness and just wait for my little guy to get up. It's too early for people to be mowing their lawns, I don't hear the neighbors in the basement, and this morning there isn't any wind or cloud. The sun is already bright (this is Southern Alberta, after all), and if I open the front door I can hear crickets and smell the dew on the grass. It's a great time of day, although I usually don't appreciate it like I should. I love sleep an awful lot.

The title of the post is in reference to my actual subject - the waiting I'm doing before I start Grant on solid foods (if you can call rice/oat/wheat cereal a solid). I've read a lot of literature that has found that their little intestines are just not ready until the full six months old, and babies who don't get solids before six months have less gastrointestinal, respiratory, and ear infections - I'm all for that, if I can help it. Ever since he was born I've felt strongly about waiting the full six months, without having to read it or be told. It's been that way with a lot of things for me - breastfeeding, how I've always put him to bed, when to use baby powder or diaper cream, when to give him baby Tylenol, immunizations - I haven't needed other moms to give me advice, I feel as though it's come so naturally to me. I never nursed Grant lying down when he was a newborn because I needed to see his latch, and it was much too hard to do when he was that small, and he never slept in the bed with me, always his own in between feedings, and now he has no sleep issues at all and has been sleeping through the night since six weeks old.

I definitely have to give credit to my mom - she taught me a lot about babies, young children, and their development. And I'm proud of the fact that my doctor in Vancouver, who delivers many, many babies, told me that I was the most natural mother she's ever seen (and her youngest obstetrics patient). I bought What to Expect the First Year (because it looks pretty right alongside What to Expect When You're Expecting on my bookshelf) and I never read it because I have absolutely no concerns. I feel so good about myself as a mom and so relaxed. I do things for Grant as my feelings dictate - that being said, I feel strongly about getting him immunized and waiting to start solids.

Now, I'm not totally naive - I know that I have an exceptionally GOOD baby. He's using his voice more and more, but still never cries. If I were a mother of a fussy baby who didn't sleep, then my opinion on starting solid foods could be entirely different. I know that I would be going crazy if Grant still wasn't sleeping through the night and I'd be desperate for sleep. I certainly don't mean to condemn anyone for their choices - I only know my own baby and am trying to do the best for him.

I don't know if other moms feel pressure to start their babies on solids before six months - the only time I felt any kind of pressure was at the doctor's office here in Lethbridge at his four month check up, and the doctor said I could start solids soon, around five months, and I said "No, he can wait." Although right now, it seems to me that I'm in a small minority.

I'm determined to wait the full six months, and then he can start cereals and learn how to drink from a cup, since he won't take the bottle while Trevor and I are out on date night anyway. I'm very excited about teaching him to drink from a cup =)

Seriously, being a mom is the best thing ever.

Carseat

Here we are in Lethbridge - I keep meaning to write, I have had so many little thoughts that I've wanted to blog but haven't done it. So here's a quick update. Mr. Grant is now 26 inches long, (eep) which means we need to get him a big carseat! I went to every store in town that sells carseats today - Zellers, both Canadian Tire stores, Sears, Toys R Us, London Drugs, Superstore, and both Wal-Marts, before deciding on a really nice one that I had seen great reviews for this morning before leaving. There are so many different types of carseats that only Zellers sells this one - here is the link to the American Toys R Us website that has it:

Click here

Anyway, we decided to spend $200 on it instead of getting a $100 one, which was the price range I was looking at otherwise - the difference with this one is that it, along with only one other I could find that was not nearly as nice - is that your child can be in the 5-point harness until 65 pounds. The majority of carseats only hold your child in the 5-point harness until 40 or 47 lbs. So, in the case, we CAN put a price on our child's well being in an accident - it cost us $100. But, as Trevor said, if we got in an accident, we'd really be upset if Grant got hurt and we thought we could have lessened the damage at all. Without this specific carseat, he'd be in a carseat the same size, held in by the car's regular seat belt over him, so I imagine that he could suffer some physical damage that he might not with the 5-pointer.

Anyway, everything is great at our new place. We love the barbeque and the flat top stove. We've even had to use the central A/C a couple times already. It's a hot day out today, which made the running around a little tiring.

Grant has just started rolling over to his back from his tummy in both directions - hooray! I am waiting for him to learn how to roll from his back to his tummy. He's definitely trying to get around when he's on his tummy. He wiggles around like crazy and tries to propel towards toys.

Trevor has a company truck right now, but is eagerly looking at trucks/SUVs so that we can buy our own and take advantage of his company's truck allowance.

I'm off to mess around with the new carseat and have Grant test it.

Giveaway

A cute Lethbridge mom's home business, Peek-a-Boob nursing covers, is having a giveaway, which I am posting about here to get three extra entries!!! If you want to enter, go to:

http://peekaboobcovers.blogspot.com/

Happy Breastfeeding =)

Families

If you're wondering why Mormons build temples, watch this video, published by the Church:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x_-TQivCx8

Our intent in building temples is to enable family relationships to extend beyond the grave - the happiest doctrine I know of that exists on the earth. It offers an incomparable sense of peace, knowing that I will be reunited with my husband and my children in the next life, and that death is simply the next step - and is not goodbye, but "see you later".

This post is to relate my past Saturday, April 18th. I was very priviledged to be able to attend the temple wedding in Cardston of a guy friend I have known since high school. The temple wedding ceremony is short, simple, and beautiful.

I felt a nervousness on my way to Cardston and until the ceremony was over - I knew what to expect in the temple, but I haven't been to the temple since last August and I was very excited. There are hardly any places left in the world where there is real silence and peace, and the serenity of the temple really allows the distractions and challenges of life to fall away.

After a temple wedding, which is done in a small room with chairs on either side of an altar, the couple stands on one side of the altar with their families behind them and looks into mirrors that are on each wall - symbolizing eternity - and the entire family and others in attendance can see the new couple and themselves being reflected "into eternity" as the reflections bounce back and forth in the mirrors.

As I watched the temple ceremony and looked into the mirrors afterwards, I felt a deeper and deeper sense of gratitude for my wonderful husband, my baby, and our life together. There really IS such a thing as happily ever after, and I'm living it right now. It takes work, and desire, and a lot of kindness and tolerance, but I simply can't BELIEVE how happy I am. I didn't know that this much happiness could exist inside one person. I'm afraid that I might burst.

There IS happily ever after - it must begin in the temple. The Lord offers life in greater and greater abundance in temple marriage. I know that this kind of happiness can last forever, whatever adversity comes our way. I can't believe that the Lord would be so good as to allow this joy to continue forever. Families are meant to be together forever!!! And now my dear friend is able to begin his very own eternal family! Wow - Heavenly Father is SO good to us.

Houses

My house hunt was AMAZING - okay, perhaps not amazing - but it did result in the perfect place - I can't give away the details just yet.  Scroll down if you want to skip all the mumbo jumbo in between.

I arrived in Lethbridge on the 14th, planning to stay for a week to find a place to live before all the good ones were snatched up!  As soon as I arrived, I begin the hunt, with the following in mind: 

1) Please Please Please no basements!!!  

2) Less than $1000

3) A bedroom far enough from the refrigerator that we don't have to listen to it all night while trying to sleep, and far enough that we don't have to unplug it to watch TV.

4) The Ideal Place:  2 or 3 bedrooms, a dishwasher, a decent kitchen, accessible laundry, in the main floor of a nice house.  Trevor wants west side, but I have hardly any preference.

House #1:  

The stats: 2 bedrooms, $850/month including utilities and cable (utilities are rarely included).

A westside basement suite - oops.  This ad did not say it was a basement, and it was - a very tiny one at that.  No wonder utilities were included in the low price.  This suite was just done by a professional contractor and was nice, but very, very tiny, had low ceilings and was only the basement of half a duplex with a noisy family upstairs.  Definitely no.

House #2:

The stats: 3 bedrooms, $1000/month + utilities.

A southside house with absolutely NO curb appeal.  I have not seen a house that needed a TLC host to straighten them out more than this one.  They spend a little bit on the inside and totally forgot about the outside.  It was an extremely run down wood sided place, and the inside was obviously not done by a professional.  It was awful.  They chose a rough, dark blue/gray carpet for everywhere except the kitchen and half of the living room, which were large black and white checkers.  The checkers could have worked if they had had an entire design to match - but they didn't - and making half the living room checkered to become a dining room was a huge mistake.  The design was revolting, and was a big no from me in spite of the 3 bedrooms and full-size appliances.  This was a character home upgraded all wrong.  

House #3:  

The stats: 2 bedrooms, $925/month +utilities

Very attractive white split-level on the west side.  Old cabinetry and wooden railings have been repainted white and give the home a nice, clean look.  Two big bedrooms - master bedroom is the biggest I've seen so far, and the biggest I'll see in my entire hunt.  Great kitchen - stainless steel fridge/flat top stove/microwave, dishwasher, mini deep freeze, barbecue.  Big west facing windows and lots of closets with a little patio out back.  Driveway for our car (hooray) and front and back yards.  I know this one is a great deal as soon as I look at it.  I spend a while talking to the owner, a married girl about my age, and her dad.  The students living there now have the same picture as I do, and I commented on it since I suspected they are LDS.  They are, and that really gets my foot in the door, but at $925, I know I'm going to have competition.  I let them know I'm interested, and she says she'll email me with a sample of the rental agreement and some more specifics.  They don't have a formal application, but I would have taken one...

House #4:

The stats: 3 bedrooms, $900/month + utilities

Nice southside duplex.  Split level - 3 bedrooms and bathroom downstairs, small living room, dining room, laundry/half bath, kitchen and patio upstairs.  The dining room and kitchen were small and dark, and the upstairs half bath was awkward - it was a long room with the sink next to the door, and the toilet hidden on the other side of the washer and dryer - weird.  Great location - right on the green strip next to Scenic Drive.  The lady said she had received lots of applicants.  Second best of the four I've seen so far by a long shot, and the 3 bedrooms is a big plus.  I took an application.

House #5:

The stats: 2 bedrooms, $1100/month + utilities

Pleasant west side condo.  Out of our ideal price range, but since I'm looking for May 1st, it's a renter's market, and there's almost nothing to choose from that's not a basement for less than $1000, so I figure we could negotiate.  I've got the time to take a look, after all.

Bedrooms are an okay size, kitchen is nice, and has a good size dining room.  The living room has a really good layout, and I like the bedrooms being a floor up.  The owner lived there for a few years and says the neighbors never bothered him, and the place only has neighbors on one side.  I like this one better than the 3 bedroom southside duplex, so I take an application.  This guy doesn't have many people coming to see it - probably because the price tag is over $1000.  

House #6

The stats: 3 bedrooms, $1000/month + utilities

Very well decorated condo on the westside.  Great paint job in every room - the kitchen is a really tasteful green color.   Enough space for us and a little office!   A close second next to the house, that's winning out because it's a house and has a much better kitchen and appliances.  Once again, the three bedrooms is a big plus and would be really great.  I would love love love to have an office for all our family files and our computer desk.  I take an application for this one.  And I'm pretty sure the owner is LDS.

House #7

The stats: 2 bedrooms, $950/month + utilities

This place was advertised as a condo, but turned out to be a third floor apartment.  I almost didn't go up to see it, but decided to take a look.  Definitely too small for a family, and the third floor of the building smelled smoky.  In suite laundry and a wraparound-style kitchen was good, but overall just too small.  Also, the girl who lives there now had the place in a big mess and had owned a dog, so the place would need some work to look good again, and while the landlords recognized it, who knows what they would have actually followed through with - we could have showed up on May 1st to a poor quality place after a lot of promises like the place we live now in Vancouver.  Even putting that aside - still too small.

House #8

The stats:  3 bedrooms, $950/month + utilities

Nicely sized three bedrooms in a west side duplex.  Small backyard and a nice exterior.  The current tenants have jam-packed four kids and a LOT of stuff into the house.  Rent includes the undeveloped basement, which would be nice for storage, but the kitchen is a tough sell for me.  House still has original orange and brown curtains and really needs some updating.  Worst part by far is the living room carpet - absolutely must be replaced ASAP and is possibly a major health hazard.  So disgusting that I leave as quickly as possible.  Besides, there was a family with young children there filling out an application - let them have it.  They can have the toxic carpet and the pushy landlord if they like.

Which one would you choose?  Post your comment below and tell me - and yes, I signed a lease yesterday!  Make your guesses...

Personality

Here is my personality type, if you're wondering.  Although the introverted and extroverted percentages are very close - and it's true that sometimes I am introverted and sometimes I am extroverted.   I have become much more calm (maybe my personality is just being squished?) since moving to Vancouver.

ISFJ - "Conservator". Desires to be of service and to minister to individual needs - very loyal. 13.8% of total population.

Take Free Jung Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Beginnings

Trevor and I have been anxiously waiting to see if his old company in Lethbridge would be able to offer him a job this spring when he finishes school, and he just spoke to them yesterday and they CAN!!!!!!!!  YAY!!!  We were so worried that he wouldn't have a place to work in May, and that we would be living with my dad and grasping at straws for a place to work so we can start saving for a house.  Needless to say, we are SO very relieved and thankful that the Lord has answered our prayers so generously once again.  Here I am cheering on gas prices and the Alberta economy  *ra ra ra*.

The little guy is just waking up from his nap, so this update is going to be short.  We now need a place to live in Lethbridge for May 1st.  Obviously Trevor's mom is very happy that we're able to move back to Lethbridge.  We already have the moving truck booked, now comes the fun stuff - packing.  At least I don't have a baby that can walk yet - he'd be following me around the house unpacking everything I had just packed behind my back.  

I've also just started teaching him his first 5 signs - I know that the earlier I start signing to him, the longer I'll have to wait until he signs back, but then I'll be able to move onto some new signs right away so I'm starting early.  First 5 are:  Mom, Dad, Clean (for changing his diaper), Sleep, and the all-important Milk.  

On that note, he just started rooting and swirming so I've got to fulfill my duty as "Milkbags", the tender term Trevor's mom started referring to me as when she was here (LOL).  

Movie

This is my personal review of the movie Revolutionary Road.  There are no particular spoilers.

First of all, the film is rated 14A.  I'm not sure if I was aware that it was 14A before I went.  I went to a showing of this movie at Ridge Theatre in Vancouver during Movies for Mommies, and the facebook page for this event said it was a "love story", so I didn't particularly search for the rating (I had trust in Movies for Mommies although I hadn't been yet).  Alright, so I should have taken the rating as a warning.  In writing this post, I also found out that in the US, this film is rated R.  I no longer trust M4M.

Second of all, I am absolutely shocked that this is called a love story.  This movie was IMO a hate story!  I am very disappointed that I spent actual money on this movie!!!  I do not think it was appropriate to show at a M4M showing.  There were many swears, the F word being the most popular, and two very graphic sex scenes.  There was a lot of general anger in this film - yelling, screaming - as well as obscenities, intoxication, and plenty of adultery.  

I have been so looking forward to going to my first M4M, and was foiled in my last attempt due to the car being towed.  Now, my chance to go had finally come and I braved the rain, spent the money, only to receive two hours of a lot of trash that I can get for free on TV - literally free, because the first three months of our TV service is free.

Also, I am very disappointed by The Mom Show, which I have enjoyed watching every other time on TV.  That is, until yesterday when they had a repulsive conversation about pornography and how great it could be for your marriage.  I am strongly against anyone taking part in any type of pornography, married or unmarried, watching it alone or with someone else.  

It has not been a week that has given me hope in the world - it has definitely been the opposite.

Tonight Trevor and I are going on our first date without the LO - to the symphony.  I doubt that the beautiful music of Bach and Haydn will disappoint!  We are excited for a few hours away, but I know I will be so worried and missing my baby the entire time! 

Sleepyhead

I thought Grant must be dead today when I woke up... I was even afraid to go out to his crib and see if he was alive or not... but he was still alive, thank goodness.  I have a huge fear that he is going to die.  I was worried though, because he slept from around 11:30pm until 8:15am, when I woke up on my own and went to go see him - it was 8:20am, and he was starting to wake up, then he heard me come in so he started to wake up even more.  Then, since he slept all night, he was awake almost all of today and wanted to be held lots and lots!  He doesn't know what to make of his little toys and things yet, so he just wants to be held when he's awake.

I am working really hard on getting thank you cards out - I mailed the ones out today for the people who made meals for us... I'm bad, it's been almost 8 weeks!!!  Eep!  I feel badly, especially since one lady scolded us through Trevor's mom when we didn't have our wedding thank you cards out at 5 weeks.

Trevor is struggling to get through his last few weeks of school, and it will be REALLY tough.  If he doesn't pass math, then we'll be somewhere where he can work as a technologist (probably Lethbridge) for the summer, and back here for September - December, if we can somehow make the money work - I don't think he can take out any more Alberta student loans, and maybe not Canada Student Loans either.  Ugh.  We need lots of prayers for him to pass, and also to get a job afterwards that is for sure.  

More on that later.

"Owie"

Yesterday afternoon, at 4:38pm (lol), Grant was lying in his crib just goofing around, practicing waving his hands and making sounds with his mouth and (accidentally) said "Owie" very distinctly.  Hahaha!  I don't think anything was actually hurting him though... so it was just another random sound to him.  Also, he is already over 12 lbs.!!! I obviously bought way too many Size 1 diapers, but I am probably saving them for the next kid since they are expensive.  Good thing we are ready with some Size 2's, since it won't be long (sniff!).  He's not supposed to be growing up so fast!

Answer?

This is the answer to my big long email - hahaha!  It doesn't even make sense.  More evidence that landlords are crazy...

You can park in the stall this Fri night, Sat night and Sunday night as we need it at those times.

Thomas Peters

Parking

This is a copy of the email I sent to our landlord just a few minutes ago; tell me what you think.  It is followed by the email he first sent us - there is a little loading stall just out front of our building and I have parked the car there a few times in the last week - twice overnight, but not for more than 1 day and 1 night at a time (I'm desperate here, I'm trying to carry my own stuff plus a baby and all his stuff).

Hi Thomas,

Sorry about that, that is our car.  We can refrain from parking it there.  Let me give you some background.

I suppose we probably wouldn't have wanted to buy a parking permit for only 2 months, but we actually have never been able to obtain a parking permit for the area, in spite of  reassurances to us that it would be no problem.  The only reason it was complicated is due to the fact that we wanted to keep our Alberta plates and insurance instead of switching to ICBC. 

I worked very hard to obtain a parking permit when we first moved here, and we should have been able to - we had to compile a list of documents for ICBC - our rental agreement, a piece of mail addressed to us here, a letter of enrollment from UBC, our car registration and something called an MV23 form from our insurance agency.  While I quickly obtained everything else, our insurance agency had no idea how to help us obtain an MV23 form and the BC branch of our insurance company would not even speak to me on the phone as I have Alberta insurance. 

Our insurance broker was able to determine how to get this form for us after a few weeks, during which time we had a temporary permit that was good for mid-March to mid-April 2008.  This form was going to cost $30, so I gave our insurance broker our CC info to bill us and he told us the company would either mail or e-mail us the form.  We waited a few weeks for this, during which time our temporary permit expired.  We assumed that any tickets we received would be forgiven as soon as we purchased our permanent permit since we are actually residents and they had forgiven one ticket already when we obtained our temporary permit.

Keep in mind that this list of requirements was to apply to ICBC for a student status exemption, which we would have had to wait for, and then take that with our other documents to City Hall.

After more than two months of waiting, during which time we had been reassured again by our broker that the form was on its way, we found out that our broker had made some error and had not properly ordered the form, and our credit card had never been charged.  We still wanted a permit obviously...

But we wanted to find out if the city would forgive the tickets before we paid $30 for the form and another $30 for the permit.  The city told us they would not forgive the tickets, whether or not we had all the paperwork for the permit, and we are not about to pay more than $450 (5 tickets at $90 each) to pay another $60 to get a permit. 

So for the time that we have been living here, at least since last spring, we have been parking in the "free" zones - the last few stalls at 11th and Pine, and along Pine Street, somewhere between 11th and 16th Ave.  It has been more of a pain with a baby, of course, and when we buy groceries.  We have eight weeks to go and we are counting them down...

All that being said, you probably won't have another tenant who is out-of-province and needs a permit!

It is possible for us to find parking, it is just usually a 10 or 15 minute walk just to get to our car.  I parked at 11th and Burrard today, which is fine.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  You can probably understand our frustrating with the entire situation now that it has been over a year.  

I'm hoping that maybe we can use the loading stall for just a few minutes at a time to unload groceries?  I can move the car after unloading.  

Thanks.

Skye

From: Thomas Peters 

Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 10:35 PM 

To: Trevor Curtis Skye

Cc: Laura Peters 

Subject: car

Hi Trevor & Skye, I am presuming that you have a car Alberta plates DUA 714.  If not then please excuse me from being presumptuious and ignore the rest of this email.... We have noted this car parked in our private stall on many occaissions when we have come to the building.  Laura and I have not been able to park because of this car occupying our stall. This has been frequent. We have avoided towing as we don't want to cause hardship. I understand you have a baby and might like its convenience.  I also understand that you may not want to pay for a city parking pass in order to park on the street.  None-the-less we need to be able to use our stall. Please let me know if in fact this is your car.  If so maybe you can find some other arrangment to park... (possibly we could help you by allowing you to park at specific times only, although I am not sure how this could work.) Please get back to me if in fact this is your car.... Let me know if it is not yours. Kind regards, Thomas Peters

Travel

The little one and I are going to Los Angeles to visit family for a few days in July, which I am SO looking forward to - my older sister, Megan, is allowing us to use her points again and paying the taxes for us, as she did last summer when I flew to Calgary.  This time she won't be out on the west coast, at least not north of the 49th, but wants to meet the baby (obviously!) - and she usually lives in Singapore, so we don't get to see her much.  Now... to get passports!  Neither Trevor or I have a passport, and Grant doesn't yet either, so I've begun filling out the forms for our passports - the exciting part will be the photos.  How they will get Grant to hold his head up, have his eyes open, mouth closed, and not be frowning or smiling all at the same time seems pretty impossible for me.  When his eyes are open, his mouth is always open too!  So wish me luck.  I'll post again once the pictures have been done!