Dock Walk

Short video clip of M and V walking the dock at NOTLSC after the first day of the Youngstown Regatta. Miz V is getting better at managing the "walking with lifejacket".

Dashing Through the Snow (or, Her Chariot Awaits)

Okay, so now we have one baby and three baby conveyors. The big stroller, the Uno for the carseat and for heading out around the hood, the Maclaren for travel and the car, and now...The Chariot Cougar 1. This is a very high design CTS (child transport system, can you believe that!) tha has many nifty possible attachments. It transforms into a jogging/running stroller, a bike trailer, a conventional (albeit boxy) stroller and - yes, the primary reason we had to have it - a SKI TRAILER. M had the opportunity to rent a similar trailer while we were in WHistler, and both he and Miz V loved the experience. So, one presumed tax return later, we now have a supercharged CTS with suspension. Miz V does really enjoy it, mostly because

it means she gets to be outside having fun. This weekend we took it out for an 8km jaunt around Hardwood Hills near Barrie, and both the weather and the exercise were terrific. I just wish I had a skiing rickshaw to ride in too, especially for the last 3 km...

Hurry Hard!

To celebrate the Family Day holiday, L & M booked some ice at the curling club so M could try his hand at this noble sport. V came along for the ride, as she always does, and she did us the solid favour of watching quietly for an hour and then napping for an hour, giving us time to enjoy several ends of practice. Yay for sleeping bebe!

Congee Congo!

With a big trip coming up soon, we're all breaking out our table manners and getting used to eating at restaurants. Here's V's first time ordering a la carte: congee at the super kickass dumpling joint Mother Dumplings in Chinatown.

Then and Now

So, how big is she now? In answer to that question, I present two photographs.

The first one was taken at the Toronto Criterium, the cycle race held on May 30 - she was around 6 weeks or so. The second was taken this weekend, October 4 (to mark by events, the afternoon of Nuit Blanche) at roughly the same place outside St Lawrence Market. She's approximately 5 1/2 months, nearly 6 months.

So that's how big she is now. Happy October!

Cottage Highlights

We're back from the road trip! Above, some highlights!

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...

happy drum dance

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

Baby's First Boat Ride

Last weekend we went out to Toronto Island and RCYC to have dinner with Matt, who was crewing in a regatta. This shot is the two of them playing on deck.

Baby's First Bike Race

Tonight Miz V braved the grey skies to check out the Toronto Criterium.

A criterium is a short course closed circuit cycling event run on blocked-off city streets. The Toronto race was run in the St Lawrence Market area, right near Matt's new office. V and I met him after work to check out the race.

Matt wore V in the carrier under his jacket - the weather was a bit too chilled so this arrangement worked well. She's really into "looking" at the moment, so she was facing out so we could yell "BICYCLES" at her whenever the pack raced past. She seemed to take it all in with her now-patented arch look of cool appraisal.

As you can see, the sight of the little miss in her daddy-kangaroo pouch was pretty freaking adorable.

So adorable, in fact, that she drew a lot of attention as we wandered around to watch the cyclists. She attracted paparazzi and shutterbugs throughout the evening, many people taking pictures of her watching the race. She may even end up on the brochure for next year's race!

Ya gotta love a good bike race.

Saturday Goof Off

Giddy Up! A silly little video featuring songs and yawns

basement quattro - march of the flooring

Matt's been moonlighting.

Slaving all day at the computer, he then parties the night away with dense foam underlay and particle board in the basement. Last night, he got the padding in place and has worked diligently on solving the problem of leveling layers.

Next stop: laminate!

basement III: drywall delight

rock and roll, ladies and gents - the basement is starting to look like an actual room!








Saturday was a blitzkrieg of drywall action. Matt's brother Kevin came over and was a huge help, his own reno skills being top of the class. Together with Matt and Tom, the trio were able to make big strides in the crucial area of "walls".






Coming up this week: mud, sanding, scraping and leveling!

happy fun basement! now with...wiring!

More basement fun...last week and weekend were all about the wiring.

Matt took point on the network wiring, while Tom used his mad lx skills to set up the power supply.

Next stop: drywall!

basement update

Matt and Tom spent a good number of hours this weekend moving the basement project forward.

The story so far: Matt's managed to clear out a large portion of our junk pile and toss out the nasty old carpets. Then, it was time to level out the floors with a little extra concrete.

Up now: starting to frame up the walls. Progress has been really great - two of four walls up!