Vancouver The First

It’s been a crazy few days – V has been in full social butterfly mode since the plane touched down on Monday morning. Here’s a few photographic highlights….

If you want print-worthy files of any of these, just let me know and I'll send them your way.

SURPRISE!

Here’s the footage of a shocked SJ Ferguson meeting Miz V for the very first time. You see, to get back at SJF for SHOWING UP WITHOUT WARNING to the bebe wine and cheese back in March, Miz V and I decided to turn the tables and just appear on her doorstep. Check it out, she was actually (briefly) speechless!!

Diving Belle

Row row row your boat…or at least enjoy the ride.

MEC lifejacket = water fun! Plus, makes her look like a daisy.

Time to hit the lake!

New Wheels

As Miz V settles into her third month on planet Earth, she has enough neck control to sit up for measurable periods of time. This is excellent news, not simply from a development standpoint, but also from the child-conveyance-device perspective.

That is to say, she can now fit into a lightweight stroller.

It's umbrella time! While her apple green convertible pram is still the bees knees as far as we're concerned, it is a bit broad in the beam. Wide. Spacious. Roomy. It is awesome for big outings, but would make serious enemies on public transit. So, let's explore options...Which lightweight stroller should she fit into? Which would fit our budgets? Which would Laura be able to push without unleashing a string of expletives at her darn thumbs? There was much debate and research around the realm, with many websites scoured and product reviews scrutinized...

We spent the morning running the gauntlet of stroller showrooms. Miz V was very patient about being plunked into seat after seat like a sack of flour, poked and prodded by one 5 point harness after another. In the end, her favourite was the same as mine: the Maclaren Quest Mod.

I like it because it corners like a Porshe on rails, and I can collapse it with one hand. This was the only two handled stroller that I could steer without twinges of pain. It also feels very sturdy - the knock-offs we checked out seemed ready to disintegrate in a slight breeze. But it's quite light - around 12 pounds. It should work for the next three years easy.

Miz V likes it because it goes fast. The girl has a need for speed, my friends.

Shaking my head, I refuse to tell you what I paid - suffice to say that since it was the 2007 model, the inflated retail price had been reduced by $95...but on the bright yuppie side Miz V at last has her British brolly stroller and can hold her head high among the Bugaboo set...cross your fingers the other 3 month olds don't taunt her for having last year's graphic print...(please note the previous comments are extremely sarcastic and should be read in a heavily ironic tone.)

More places to go!

shameless Dr Horrible plug

This week only!!! Joss Whedon and pals put on a supervillain musical!

Miz V gives it two thumbs right up the nose!

Jump Around! Jump Around!

jump up jump up and get down!

As her neck gets stronger, Miz V gets to try more extreme sports every day. The Jolly Jumper was a very welcome gift from Lis Unger and family, and V now gets to spend a little time each day working off her little person aggression.

This clip is sideways. Pretend it's arty.

Matt built a little contraption to fit the hook, as our antique house has irregular doors. Also, this picture shows the scale of bebe to doorframe and coffee table.

She's still a wee thing. But bouncy!

hand update

Bringing everyone up to speed on my hand recovery...the carpal tunnel syndrome is almost entirely resolved. My dexterity and nerve sensitivity are virtually restored, and the swelling is gone. Mostly. But nothing worth mentioning most days.

The DeQuervain's, however, has more stamina. The thumbs are still ranked somewhere between sore and excruciatingly painful, depending on the moment. I have braces designed to support the thumb that allow me some movement, and aren't too rough, so I can hold the bebe. They do get very very hot, so I am wearing them less and less. Mostly for driving, pushing strollers, picking up stuff. There's not much else I can do, other than mild anti-inflammatories and keep splinting. Anecdotal evidence from the 2 other people I've met who had this shows that the condition should correct within a year. I'd keep my fingers crossed, but that's bound to aggravate it.

On the good news side: my rings (which had to be cut off back in October when the swelling threatened my fingers) are back from repairs. It's good to have them back!

Fergalicious!

It was a Fergus weekend, full of food, conversation, relaxation and bebe-dandling. Miz V had a lovely time hanging out with Grandma Linne:and showing off her bumbo-enabled table manners to Grandpa Harvey:
Miz V slept great in the Pack N Play, and was relatively well-behaved for the kind neighbour Linda, the intrepid babysitter who watched over her while we all took in a unique opera concert at the Elora Festival. Huzzah for successful visits - and for reaching the 3 month milestone!

eat!

So for the past three months, I've been the sole source and provider of food for Miz V. And while we enjoy each others company, it's time that we have more options. Specifically, this weekend Matt and I have our first "no bebe"event - the Kiri Te Kanawa concert at the Elora Festival with Matt's folks. Miz V will hang with a neighbour. And we don't want her to starve or worse - fuss.

So this week we've accelerated the process of introducing bottle feeds. The pump is my new constant companion. And V has rejected bottle after bottle. Loudly and with extreme prejudice. What to do? To the internet!

And a few googles later, I decided to swallow my sticker shock and try this:

No, it's not a condom.

What this is, in fact, is an Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Baby Bottle. According to the website,

The Natural Nurser Ultimate Baby Bottle is made from high quality 100% polycarbonate-free and bisphenol-a free materials that is warm to a child’s cheek, like a breast, when filled with warm milk. A patented nipple design helps alleviate nipple confusion for breastfeeding babies. Shaped like a breast, they encourage the same type of open-mouthed latching that is required for breastfeeding, making bottle feeding and breastfeeding more easily interchangeable.

Shaped like a breast? Warm to the cheek? Wacky! Turns out Miz V is very much her father's daughter when it comes to firm preference for the well designed and executed . I.D. (International Design) magazine chose this bottle as one of their Design Review winners for 2008, right alongside the iPhone in the Consumer Products category. And while the price is high, we haven't much storage space anyhow, so having one or two bottles in use is infinitely preferable to a kitchen full of bottles and gadgets that make her howl.

She doesn't love it, but more important - she doesn't hate it. And it does seem comforting.

It was funny, this evening she let Matt give her the bottle, but she kept her eyes locked on me as if checking to see that it was okay to eat without me.

So, more options! I just think it's funny she refused all traditional bottles and settle for this odd new device. We have an early adopter on out hands...

Under the Blanket.

Goofing with Miz V on the dining room table. Right now, a burp blanket is the best toy going.

Book Time! Black on White

Reading, or rather, interpreting Black on White. The video is about 2 and a half minutes long, and features an impromptu sneeze - I suppose in response to the overwhelming fan support for video of sneezes. What can I say, the bebe knows how to pander. Can't imagine where she gets that from.

V meets the Mango

Matt's buddy Michal and his family came over last weekend for bbq and to hang out. Michal commutes downtown in a Mango velomobile. He brought it by as he's sold advertising for the sides and was applying decals. Matt decided to let V sit at the wheel and start getting a feel for the type of vehicle she has to look forward to when she grows up, given the direction of fuel costs.

V loved it! She sat in it for over twenty minutes, kicking and gurgling and looking around. The narrow recumbent seat was at the same angle as her blue bouncy chair, so she just kept kicking and jiggling.

Doyle was less enthusiastic, and would prefer the Mango not occupy his driveway.

This video shows the Mango and the Kapral family working on the decals. Featured are Michal, his wife Dianne, their older girl Annika and younger girl Lauren. And seated at the controls - Miz V. Note that she has almost kicked off the purple socks Grandma Donna made her

happy drum dance

Goofing off in the garden - Miz V playing with Matt. Features belly drumming and an attempted backstroke. Good times...