...I would be a giraffe.
It only makes sense. Tall. Freckled. Efficient (why bend down to eat when I have this convenient long neck to eat the luscious green leaves of the tree tops?). Easy childbirth (plop!). Boys fight over you! And you get to be in funny shows.
I just think it would be cool, that's all.
(This was brought up in an editorial meeting today. Don't ask me how. Because I can't remember.)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The goods
So, after looking at a girlfriend's Valco (after all the great advice posted on here - thanks ladies!), I still got the coffee & chocolate BOB. The Valco was pretty skookum (extra points for using that word), but I wasn't about to ask my MIL to purchase it at the steep retail price and she was concerned that the warranty wouldn't be valid if I purchased the one I found on Craigslist. While a stroller of that high quality really shouldn't need the warranty anyway, I thought she had a valid point and wanted to respect that.
I checked out the BOB at the store and was almost instantly sold. How smooth it is! Granted, the weight of a carseat and a kid is not included, but boy is that thing easy to push around, which will be a bonus once I'm walking with the doggy. I LOVE the foot break and the tether, and it folds down super easily.
To match, I purchased the Graco Snug Ride Milan, a pattern that's neutral but stylie. BONUS: It was the only Snug Ride model on sale for $40 off today. Score! The two pieces look quite nice together. I also got the car seat adapter and the handlebar console, great for water bottles, keys, wallet and poop bags for Dora.
The only drawback to these purchases is that the BOB is not exactly compact, even when it's folded. That means it takes up the entire floorspace of our hatch (we have a Mazda 3), which is Dora's domain. And the carseat sure takes up a lot of room, too, forcing the passenger seat to be pulled way up near the dashboard. We bought this vehicle as our "family car," but obviously, it's not meant for that. Dora will be getting a car harness so she can sit behind me and keep an eye on the baby. ;) And once Wayne and I get to where we're going in terms of a posting at the end of the year, we'll have to reconsider our vehicular situation.
I am so happy to have this little mission accomplished. The big stuff is done: crib, change table, toy box, stroller, car seat. I am even repainting a bookshelf I got from the office for FREE, so that minimizes another cost. The next big thing to buy will be a glider - do you know anyone looking to sell theirs? It's a tough piece to come by second-hand. I mean, who would want to sell a chair that comfortable?!
I checked out the BOB at the store and was almost instantly sold. How smooth it is! Granted, the weight of a carseat and a kid is not included, but boy is that thing easy to push around, which will be a bonus once I'm walking with the doggy. I LOVE the foot break and the tether, and it folds down super easily.
To match, I purchased the Graco Snug Ride Milan, a pattern that's neutral but stylie. BONUS: It was the only Snug Ride model on sale for $40 off today. Score! The two pieces look quite nice together. I also got the car seat adapter and the handlebar console, great for water bottles, keys, wallet and poop bags for Dora.
The only drawback to these purchases is that the BOB is not exactly compact, even when it's folded. That means it takes up the entire floorspace of our hatch (we have a Mazda 3), which is Dora's domain. And the carseat sure takes up a lot of room, too, forcing the passenger seat to be pulled way up near the dashboard. We bought this vehicle as our "family car," but obviously, it's not meant for that. Dora will be getting a car harness so she can sit behind me and keep an eye on the baby. ;) And once Wayne and I get to where we're going in terms of a posting at the end of the year, we'll have to reconsider our vehicular situation.
I am so happy to have this little mission accomplished. The big stuff is done: crib, change table, toy box, stroller, car seat. I am even repainting a bookshelf I got from the office for FREE, so that minimizes another cost. The next big thing to buy will be a glider - do you know anyone looking to sell theirs? It's a tough piece to come by second-hand. I mean, who would want to sell a chair that comfortable?!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Stroller madness
Well, this Saturday, MIL is taking me shopping for baby's new wheels: a stroller. I have done the research and have narrowed it down to two, taking into consideration that what looks and sounds fantabulous and trendy for city life in B.C. is NOT what we need. When we're living in Quebec, Ontario or New Brunswick next winter, we need some serious traction, durability and strength.
Phil & Ted’s Sport (I've had my heart set on this one for a long time)
BOB Revolution (This one is comparable but has MUCH better reviews)
I am now leaning toward the BOB but the only drawback is that it does NOT have the doubles option. I thought having that option would be especially helpful as I make friends in our new new neighbourhood and babysit their kiddos; that way, I could still go for a walk or to the store without one toddler whining the whole way about walking. Then, once we have a second bambino, we don't need a doubles stroller.
What do you think about this? You can skim the reviews on those links for yourself if you like, but here are the nuggets I picked out for each:
BOB Revolution
Pros:
Indestructible
Easy to manoeuvre
Awesome sunshade coverage
Lightweight (22 lbs)
Great suspension
Worth the $$$
Drives itself
Easy to wipe clean
Turns on a dime
Good for tall people (don’t kick the wheel axle when jogging)
Washable fabrics?
Great customer service
Babies constantly lulled to sleep
Swivel front wheel for strolling can be locked for jogging
Cons:
Large frame (I’ll see how it fits in my trunk)
No doubles option
No accessories (must be purchased separately = $$$, but this is standard)
Crotch strap not adjustable (but slouching should be remedied by adjusting upper harness)
No tire pump
Footbrake hard to reach
The JJ Cole Bundle Me (which we have) doesn’t fit well
Phil & Ted’s Sport
Pros:
Doubles kit!
Compact
Light
Versatile (more than two configurations for the doubles)
Great customer service
Perfect for air travel
Fits in trunk
Small footprint
Great for stores and crowds
Lay flat feature for newborns
Good shocks
Cons:
Foot rest made of fabric (gets muddy with toddles)
Foot kicks wheel axle while jogging (for peeps with a long stride like Wayne and me)
Stiff/hard-to-use brakes
Cheaper quality
Doubles seat too low for walking in fresh snow?
Fussy to fold
Sun shade not big enough
Can’t reach foot brake with double kit in use
REALLY BAD instructions for assembly
Phil & Ted’s Sport (I've had my heart set on this one for a long time)
BOB Revolution (This one is comparable but has MUCH better reviews)
I am now leaning toward the BOB but the only drawback is that it does NOT have the doubles option. I thought having that option would be especially helpful as I make friends in our new new neighbourhood and babysit their kiddos; that way, I could still go for a walk or to the store without one toddler whining the whole way about walking. Then, once we have a second bambino, we don't need a doubles stroller.
What do you think about this? You can skim the reviews on those links for yourself if you like, but here are the nuggets I picked out for each:
BOB Revolution
Pros:
Indestructible
Easy to manoeuvre
Awesome sunshade coverage
Lightweight (22 lbs)
Great suspension
Worth the $$$
Drives itself
Easy to wipe clean
Turns on a dime
Good for tall people (don’t kick the wheel axle when jogging)
Washable fabrics?
Great customer service
Babies constantly lulled to sleep
Swivel front wheel for strolling can be locked for jogging
Cons:
Large frame (I’ll see how it fits in my trunk)
No doubles option
No accessories (must be purchased separately = $$$, but this is standard)
Crotch strap not adjustable (but slouching should be remedied by adjusting upper harness)
No tire pump
Footbrake hard to reach
The JJ Cole Bundle Me (which we have) doesn’t fit well
Phil & Ted’s Sport
Pros:
Doubles kit!
Compact
Light
Versatile (more than two configurations for the doubles)
Great customer service
Perfect for air travel
Fits in trunk
Small footprint
Great for stores and crowds
Lay flat feature for newborns
Good shocks
Cons:
Foot rest made of fabric (gets muddy with toddles)
Foot kicks wheel axle while jogging (for peeps with a long stride like Wayne and me)
Stiff/hard-to-use brakes
Cheaper quality
Doubles seat too low for walking in fresh snow?
Fussy to fold
Sun shade not big enough
Can’t reach foot brake with double kit in use
REALLY BAD instructions for assembly
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Baby B in 3D
Here I am! Back from the windy east coast, I am happy to announce that we know what we're having! It's a...
...BABY!
Haha, gotcha. We're not telling. When I showed Wayne the 3D photos and DVD, and it revealed the gender, he wanted to tell everyone (even though 10 mins. earlier, he didn't want to know at all!). So we told our parents, and then stopped there.
I have to say, for all the people who advised me not to "ruin it" by finding out the gender, I know I made the right choice to find out. I have figured out that knowing this one piece of solid information in our very unstable life right now (i.e. not knowing if Wayne will be home for the birth, not knowing how much time we'll have together if he is, not knowing where or even when we'll be moving at the end of the year...agh!) has created a sense of comfort and peace for us. We spent our entire 8 days together referring to the baby by name and being able to actually visualize our lives with him/her and discuss how we will parent this little miracle. We got to talk a lot about the important, but different, roles moms and dads play in the lives of their sons/daughters and how we need to be conscious of these roles. And now, when I get a little jab in the tummy/side/cervix, I can chastise the little kicker by name...gets me ready for all those disciplining moments!
The UC Baby experience was so relaxing and sweet. The ultrasound room is more like a massage room at a spa, with a massive flat screen tv mounted close to the ceiling and a theatre of chairs available for all the loved ones you want to bring with you! Having Danielle there (Wayne's stand-in) to experience it with me was extra special and I'm grateful to have found out the gender with her. We were in there for over 45 mins. and the technician got some great face shots of our little one. Check them out below!
I highly recommend this service and was pleased with the experience. It was a little pricey, but so worth it because Wayne couldn't come to ANY ultrasound appointments with me.
...BABY!
Haha, gotcha. We're not telling. When I showed Wayne the 3D photos and DVD, and it revealed the gender, he wanted to tell everyone (even though 10 mins. earlier, he didn't want to know at all!). So we told our parents, and then stopped there.
I have to say, for all the people who advised me not to "ruin it" by finding out the gender, I know I made the right choice to find out. I have figured out that knowing this one piece of solid information in our very unstable life right now (i.e. not knowing if Wayne will be home for the birth, not knowing how much time we'll have together if he is, not knowing where or even when we'll be moving at the end of the year...agh!) has created a sense of comfort and peace for us. We spent our entire 8 days together referring to the baby by name and being able to actually visualize our lives with him/her and discuss how we will parent this little miracle. We got to talk a lot about the important, but different, roles moms and dads play in the lives of their sons/daughters and how we need to be conscious of these roles. And now, when I get a little jab in the tummy/side/cervix, I can chastise the little kicker by name...gets me ready for all those disciplining moments!
The UC Baby experience was so relaxing and sweet. The ultrasound room is more like a massage room at a spa, with a massive flat screen tv mounted close to the ceiling and a theatre of chairs available for all the loved ones you want to bring with you! Having Danielle there (Wayne's stand-in) to experience it with me was extra special and I'm grateful to have found out the gender with her. We were in there for over 45 mins. and the technician got some great face shots of our little one. Check them out below!
I highly recommend this service and was pleased with the experience. It was a little pricey, but so worth it because Wayne couldn't come to ANY ultrasound appointments with me.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
18 weeks
All is well on the baby front. Heartbeat is 135 BMP and baby is developing normally. I think s/he is pretty darn cute, too.
I now have a bump and it makes me feel better about seeing the numbers on the scale finally start to increase. I think I've gained almost 5 lbs. now, which would normally freak me out, but I know it's a good thing.
I'm eager to find some maternity pants, skirts and shorts, and some long tanks and a couple of summer dresses. Alas, this will have to wait until next payday. Thank goodness there is a four-day weekend coming up where I can live in yoga gear.
For anyone not-yet-pregnant or who is planning to have another kiddo, I've found that since I've popped, but have no maternity pants, the BellaBand is a real life saver. Yes, I am sitting at my desk with my pants unbuttoned. :) But the handy dandy BellaBand is holding them up.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Love your neighbour
So we are reading through 1 John in our Life group right now and the theme of loving people - and how badly we suck at this - is our focus.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1 John 4:19-21
What I didn't realize is that the term "brother" refers to "fellow believers." I realize that this makes sense: how can you claim to have a close, solid, "loving" relationship with the Lord, yet take an issue or be unforgiving or cruel to a fellow believer? As Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did (or did NOT do) for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40)*. One commentary I read explained that like the spokes of a wheel, in which God would be the hub, believers who grow closer to the Father also grow closer to one another. Therefore, it is impossible to deepen your relationship with Him if you have issues with others. (This would explain why pastors ask you to pass on taking communion if you are in the midst of a conflict with a "brother," to go settle it first, forgive one another, and then partake of the bread and wine.)
Anyway, we got to talking about the difference between loving our "brothers" (and "sisters") and what Jesus calls the "second greatest commandment": loving your neighbour. I began to understand the reason why differentiating the two reasons to love was essential: loving your brother is about deepening our own relationship with God, and expanding the Church as the body of Christ. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 25:40. Because He calls the Church His "body," we are only sinning against Him if we exercise anger or cruelty (or whatever) toward another believer. However, loving your neighbour is about reflecting the heart of God to those in a fallen world who may not have ever experienced it before. This comes with The Great Commission. Many people who don't understand Christianity will wonder if we are "nice" or if we serve others because we "have to." Well, no. We are redeemed and saved and that's that. And while the Great Commission is a command straight from the lips of our Saviour, like all commands from the Lord, it is something we should feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to perform out of this "love" John talks about, not out of duty or hassle. Being a Christ follower is all about receiving the love and forgiveness, mercy and grace He gave us when we certainly didn't deserve it. It is also about overflowing with so much of these godly qualities that it should spill out and onto those around us who have yet to meet Him.
Now that I think I have a handle on that (phew!), our group is praying and brainstorming this week about how we start as a group to bless and serve others as the fruit of this study. Giving blood was one option that came up - and practical one that would surely bless many people - but two of us are pregnant, one is not a Canadian citizen yet, one can't give for health reasons, and that leaves half of our group. So it's not all that inclusive. Serving food to the poor is another option, but we need to figure out what exactly that would look like.
Have you got any creative ideas you've done in a group (or not) to bless your neighbours? Comment here! I'd love to hear them. I promise, I won't claim them as my own ideas. :)
*Italics and parentheses added
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1 John 4:19-21
What I didn't realize is that the term "brother" refers to "fellow believers." I realize that this makes sense: how can you claim to have a close, solid, "loving" relationship with the Lord, yet take an issue or be unforgiving or cruel to a fellow believer? As Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did (or did NOT do) for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40)*. One commentary I read explained that like the spokes of a wheel, in which God would be the hub, believers who grow closer to the Father also grow closer to one another. Therefore, it is impossible to deepen your relationship with Him if you have issues with others. (This would explain why pastors ask you to pass on taking communion if you are in the midst of a conflict with a "brother," to go settle it first, forgive one another, and then partake of the bread and wine.)
Anyway, we got to talking about the difference between loving our "brothers" (and "sisters") and what Jesus calls the "second greatest commandment": loving your neighbour. I began to understand the reason why differentiating the two reasons to love was essential: loving your brother is about deepening our own relationship with God, and expanding the Church as the body of Christ. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 25:40. Because He calls the Church His "body," we are only sinning against Him if we exercise anger or cruelty (or whatever) toward another believer. However, loving your neighbour is about reflecting the heart of God to those in a fallen world who may not have ever experienced it before. This comes with The Great Commission. Many people who don't understand Christianity will wonder if we are "nice" or if we serve others because we "have to." Well, no. We are redeemed and saved and that's that. And while the Great Commission is a command straight from the lips of our Saviour, like all commands from the Lord, it is something we should feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to perform out of this "love" John talks about, not out of duty or hassle. Being a Christ follower is all about receiving the love and forgiveness, mercy and grace He gave us when we certainly didn't deserve it. It is also about overflowing with so much of these godly qualities that it should spill out and onto those around us who have yet to meet Him.
Now that I think I have a handle on that (phew!), our group is praying and brainstorming this week about how we start as a group to bless and serve others as the fruit of this study. Giving blood was one option that came up - and practical one that would surely bless many people - but two of us are pregnant, one is not a Canadian citizen yet, one can't give for health reasons, and that leaves half of our group. So it's not all that inclusive. Serving food to the poor is another option, but we need to figure out what exactly that would look like.
Have you got any creative ideas you've done in a group (or not) to bless your neighbours? Comment here! I'd love to hear them. I promise, I won't claim them as my own ideas. :)
*Italics and parentheses added
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