spring.

Dear Sofie,

It's been three and a half months of us spending our days together. You are getting so big and changing each day, it is truly amazing to watch and experience. Two week ago you started smiling with your whole face. You break into a grin, your face and eyes light up and you giggle with pure joy. Sometimes you have to look away because I think you are just too happy, too excited. It's unreal. Yesterday you started staring at strangers and doing this. We didn't get too far on our walk because people kept stopping to talk to you. You are pure joy.

Some of your favourite things these days are: staring up at trees and leaves from your stroller when we walk. We are having a stunning spring in Halifax, which is practically unheard of. I'm happy to say you are taking it all in. You haven't been napping as much during the day, I think because you are too interested in what's happening around you. You also love being naked and practicing your rolling on the floor. You can roll over on your side. You love this. You love squealing and your dad and I love listening to you.



We love you Sofie.

mama's day

I'm really excited for a first mothers day. I'm excited to spend the day just doing normal things with my little family. We have the car share booked for the morning, which will include a trip to TIBS for breakfast (perfect day for indulging in a delicious buttery croissant) then onto Kent to pick up some soil for my garden. Then home to do some planting on the terrace, the weather looks like it will be a nice day. Followed by an afternoon walk on the waterfront with a stop into Sugah! for half price ice cream! their ice cream is half priced all weekend for Open City festivities! Yum! So basically I'll spend the day eating and gardening. Perfect.

mother and child

albert groenheyde

Happy Weekend!

3 months

Dear Sofie,

You turned 3 months old a few days ago. 3 months! I remember the first few weeks with you thinking, I just need to make it to 3 months. Once we get to 3 months things will make sense. And now we are here and you are going through another growth spurt and I'm realizing it's not different at all from those first few weeks. You still cry the same way, I'm just better at figuring out what you need. And in between your crying periods, you smile. Today we sat for 45 minutes and I talked non-sense to you, just to keep you from a)fussing, b)screaming, c)nursing. It worked. You looked up at me and smiled and I talked and talked about nothing in particular. Sometimes in a French accent. Today you wanted to be fed every half hour. It was hard and it was a lot. It started last night at 2.30am and I just put you down to bed at 8.30pm. I'm hoping and hoping that you stay asleep for a good solid few hours. I'm so tired and my boobs are so sore.

We went to our breastfeeding support group today and you smiled at your other baby friends. There was an 8 day old baby there. That was how old you were when we went to our first group. As soon as I walked through the door on that day 3 months ago I burst into tears because I was having such a hard time feeding you and I just needed someone to help and make it easier. I love going to this group and talking to these women. I'm so thankful that it's close and you and I can easily walk there. Today it stopped pouring rain just long enough for us to get there and back. And as I was putting you to sleep this evening I realized how seemingly bizarre and also completely normal one of the conversations today was. We were talking about nursing around the clock and the wear and tear that it has on your body. I couldn't tell you how much water I've drank in the last day, how ravenously hungry I am all the time (even when I just finish dinner, all I can think about is, what's next?) and how worn out my body feels. Someone mentioned using coconut oil on your nipples to soothe them and the conversation quickly turned to the many uses of coconut oil including hand moisturizer and oil for cooking. And as I was rocking you tonight I thought how coocoo that would sound to some people. I envisioned your dad reaching for the tub of coconut oil now on our counter by the stove and stopping to think, wait, what has Jill used this for today? Seems totally normal to me but I'm sure not so to many. Maybe on par with having a placenta in your freezer? While mine was never in our freezer, I did get to see it after your birth. The nurse held it up for us to see and explained how it functioned and it was truly amazing to see.  I wonder what you'll think when you're older?

I love you little girl. I love you so much. Especially on days when you make me work so hard for a smile or a giggle.

Love Mama.

growing pains

On the night that I ended up going into labour, we put our first offer in on a house. Sofie was 6 days overdue and I was sure we still had another long week ahead of us with no baby. So it seemed reasonable to try to buy our first house. Naturally. After inspections and lots of back and forths with a 4 day old baby, that offer eventually fell apart. I wish I had been keeping track of how many times since then Sofie has gone to look at houses. She's kind of a pro now. I'm not sure if anyone else is trying to buy in Halifax right now but it is crazy. We've been outbid on every offer we've made, and every property we've seen has sold over asking, usually with multiple offers on them. It's a bit discouraging, to say the least. We're just looking for a place for this girl. Even though I know she'll be happy and amazing no matter where she is.

Wish us luck tonight!