Hello Friday

I love when the kids are all lounging on the bed together (even if they are just shedding all over our blankets).

Lydia, Winston & Kitten.

So, it would seem that I'm absolutely & disgustingly ill right now. I have some sort of cold thing which has been making life very difficult these past few days. Being sick & pregnant is a miserable joke. Today is my last day of rest since I have to work a full day tomorrow (and sadly, there isn't really a way for me to take the day off). Please send healthful wishes my way.

Time for relaxing in bed with some knitting, my peppermint tea & maybe some yogourt. I hope you're all having a better Hallowe'en! I don't think I'll be doing much tonight... though maybe a scary movie is in order. Much love.

ps. Today I am 7 months pregnant! That's right, 28 weeks & just 12 to go. Amazing.

Twenty Seven Weeks & Four Days

I did a photo shoot with a couple friends today & after a while I let them both get behind the camera.

Sometimes it's nice to let go & see yourself through someone else's eyes (literally or figuratively, take it as you will).


(A) Taken by Meaghs & (B) Taken by Steve

You can view more of the belly saga here.

My Inside Room

♥ tea & the smell of it steeping
♥ steamed milk & the feel of a warm mug in my hands
♥ baby deer
♥ spicy scents
♥ soft cotton yarn
♥ feeling my baby moving
♥ being kissed on the forehead
♥ warm feet in bed, cozy & tucked under the covers
♥ finishing a project & feeling so pleased at what you've accomplished
♥ autumn & its colours
♥ hugs
♥ jasmine rice in a pretty bowl
♥ listening to my partner sing & play guitar
♥ the excitement of photography & learning a new technique or way of seeing my world
♥ brass, silver & vintage metals
♥ quaint flower gardens & ponds
♥ feeling safe
♥ bright, clean, sunny rooms
♥ creating & sharing

Ladies

I promised the other night that I would share photos from my most recent photo shoot -- so here are a few of my favourites. The girls were such a treat to photograph & even though I was battling a raging head cold at the time of the shoot, I'm quite happy with the results.











Head to my flickr page for more (and for the larger versions).
Much love friends. Guten nacht.

Tis The Season

Today was the first snow.

It snowed & snowed, huge white, wet flakes all afternoon from the time I left for work until I went home. None of the snow stayed, and it's going to be a little warmer tomorrow, but we've been given our first taste & there's plenty more on its way.

The apartment has been pretty chilly lately, so today we finally gave in & plugged in our little space heater (which is much cheaper than the three yucky baseboard heaters which just give me nosebleeds anyhow). It will be nice when we're in our newer, warmer apartment in December -- just in time for Christmas & all things festive & fabulous.

Is it snowing where you live? Are you looking forward to it?


Winston gets pretty cold in the winter, but he's got plenty of sweaters to wear outside & even some little boots. I'm not even joking. For now he's spending all of his time under the covers on our bed, with his little head on a pillow.

I appreciate a nice snowy Christmas, but I could do without the cold. Mostly I'm a little worried about walking on the lovely ice that forms on the sidewalks which the city is slow to clear at times -- I can be a bit of a clumsy winter walker & this year our daughter (26 weeks, 4 days today) is already throwing me off balance. I think I'll have to invest in some heavy duty hiking boots to navigate the streets this season.

I even pulled out my winter coat (which is missing a button, but wouldn't do up around my belly anyhow, so it doesn't really matter) when I went to work today. As much winter is my least favourite season, I certainly love to be all bundled up in my coat, a sweater, mittens, a cozy knit hat & as many scarves as I can manage.

Have a cozy, warm night friends. I'm off to tuck my cold little feet into bed with some knitting & the newest issue of Real Simple. Much love & guten nacht.

ps. I did a really fun photo shoot last night & I can't wait to share some of the images with you. Soon, soon.

To Yesterday, With Love

It's days like yesterday that make me love my hometown so much.

I woke up around 9am & biked to the farmer's market with my friend (& neighbour) Iris. It was cool & crisp outside (-1 in the morning) but the sun was shining gloriously over the market. I enjoyed a samosa & a wheat grass shot, left with honey & apple cider. On the way home we stopped in at Art in the Park, looked at all the pretty pieces & painted prayer flags. The flag I made bares my due date, while Iris quoted Spinoza. After Iris & I parted ways, I met up with a friend for tea & desserts at Black Honey. We braved the chill & sat outside to enjoy the waning days of patio season.

When I got home, Caren, my gorgeous friend who owns Buttercup & Co., asked if I'd come to Art in the Park with her, so off I went again. This time I tried to bring Winston, but he was misbehaving (on account of my friend having her pup Grace with her as well) so I brought him back home before heading to the park again. Once we got to the park we took another look around, chatted with the oh so talented artist responsible for Lucky Jackson & Almost Famous. I adore her art & someday it will hang in our baby's room (once the spending strike calms down).





We also ran into a few friends, including the lovely Cushti (who I had most definitely ran into at the market) & her little puggle, Vizzini. The pups had a little meet in greet, which I think turned into the most entertaining park of Art in the Park. We certainly got a lot of attention.







The entire day was so lovely & the good vibes continued into the dark. I loved having a Saturday off (for the first time in a long time) and I loved spending it enjoying my city & the beautiful things that happen here. Bye for now. Have a fabulous, lazy, Sunday afternoon, friends.

A Greener Life, One Sax At A Time

We all know that plastic bags are bad, right? And we all know we should be using reusable totes and such, right? And we all know the glory of Envirosax eco-friendly bags, right?

If you're still in the dark about that last one, listen & learn, mes amis.

The Envirosax line takes eco-friendly shopping to the next level. Not only do they fold down into a tiny little wad that totally fits into your purse/pocket/smallest clutch, they are durable, easy to clean & absolutely gorgeous.


They're compact & Kitten approved.

A friend of mine owns an eco-chic boutique in town called Buttercup & Co. (where I've been known to work on occassion) and she carries an awesome selection of these little bags for just $8 a piece. Convenient, affordable & oh so green.


Pretty, pretty (& full of my groceries from yesterday).

There are several branches of the Envirosax design, from their Graphic Series, to their adorable Kid's Series. I am the proud owner of two lovely bags, one with a monochromatic damask pattern & one with little red birds which you can view here & here.

Visit their site to learn more about their philosophy & you can also take a peek at their brand new blog.

I'm not sure you'll ever see me blabber on about another product like this, but seriously -- I love these (no, no, I haven't been asked to write this -- I'm actually this excited). I've even wrapped presents in them & today I heard a story about a woman using one as a bib for her little one when they were out at a restaurant sans a cloth bib -- I'm positive their potential doesn't end here. Fabulous. We're just one step closer to living a greener life.

Peace, friends. Stay healthy & be good to each other.

Edit: I sent a message to the lovely folks at Envirosax letting them know I love their bags & sent them a link to this entry -- they e-mailed me back within hours offering me a free bag of my choice. What nice people! Soon I will be the proud owner of a 3rd pretty bag. Good feelings all around.

Merci, Merci

This happy girl just found out that she won a contest over on Joanna Goddard's A Cup of Jo blog yesterday! This means that in a little while this beautiful piece of art will be gracing my walls (and most likely my daughter's walls once we have her room all finished at the new apartment in December).



The piece is by artist Sofia Baroa & it's absolutely lovely. Please take a moment to check out her shop & also Joanna's lovely, inspiring blog.

Thanks again, muah.

The Best Kind Of Boring

We had our midwife appointment this morning & everything is completely on schedule. I'm measuring exactly where I should be (ie. I'm 26 weeks tomorrow & measuring 25.5), my weight gain is completely normal & (though she most likely won't stay there the entire time) she's already hanging out head down.

All is well. All is average.

And that's exactly how we like it.

Twenty Five Weeks & Five Days

Today marks my 180th day of being pregnant -- which means there are just 100 days to go. I feel as though everything is moving so quickly (most of the time) and I want to savour it all. Tomorrow we have another appointment with our fabulous midwife where we'll get to hear our daughter's heartbeat again.

We will never tire of that sound.





I hope you're all having a fabulous Wednesday evening (and not battling an awful head cold, like myself). Bye for now.

ps. I thought it might be appropriate to include my little fawn figure in one of the photos. She was a gift.
pps. Have I ever mentioned how much I despise the flooring in our apartment? If not, let it be known. I can't wait to move.
ppps. Guten nacht ♥

Minor Catastrophes

A couple nights ago I learned that if your cat has been traumatized by the sound of an air pump, it is best not to pick her up in an attempt to console her.

Click here, here & here to view the aftermath.

I was very worried about infection (cat scratch fever and all) but the antibiotic ointment that I put on the first night seems to have done the trick. It's bruised & it's not pretty -- but it's also healing just fine.

I'm just happy that my poor, gray Kitten has calmed down since her traumatic episode. No more air mattresses & their pumps, s'il vous plaît.


My little Kitten & Winston napping on the bed this afternoon.

Thanksgiving Chez Ma Mère

My partner & I live in the city, in the middle of downtown on the 3rd floor of a very old building. This being said, it was so nice to get out to my mother's house this evening where Autumn is in full swing & the view is gorgeous.

















This little man would be my mother's pug, Leeroy. He may not be the sharpest little pup, but he's oh so adorable.

I'm so glad that I brought my camera out tonight (not that I should ever be without her anyhow). This is my favourite season & it's such a shame when it passes so quickly. I'm so happy that it's still so warm out these days -- perhaps that means we can fend of the snow for a while yet & enjoy Autumn to its fullest.

I hope you're all having a marvelous Monday. Take care.

Edit: I've had much more energy lately (thank goodness for the 2nd trimester!) & I'm thinking about opening my Etsy shop up again soon. Keep an eye out for new prints. I have missed it so.

She's Got The Right Idea

This is pretty much how I'd like to spend the rest of my day.

The boy & I are both coming down with something... sore throats & headaches abound. However, instead of napping, I am going to spend a fabulous afternoon at my mother's house for Thanksgiving dinner (#2) and to celebrate my little brother's birthday (with a piñata).

My mother lives in a home that backs onto a lovely greensbelt (which will eventually be no more, thanks to the city & their road construction and suburb expansion). I am hoping that I can go for a walk while I'm there this afternoon to take some fall photos & enjoy the weather before the chill arrives. Luckily it's 23 degrees today.

Please cross your fingers & send healthy thoughts to my home so that I don't have to be a sickly pregnant woman who cannot rely on her normal cocktail of neo-citran & buckley's to help her through the day.

I hope you're all well on this lovely Monday afternoon. Much love & good health.

Three Point One Four

If it is any indication of how monumental the meal we had tonight was, this is a photo of the leftover pies.


Five extra pies.

It was epic & so full of love.

Twenty Five Weeks & Two Days

Hello to my belly.



Taken the morning of Thanksgiving Sunday.
In my kitchen.
In panties & my red, wintry snowflake tank top.
Even thought it was 20 degrees out today.

Oh Canada.

Happy Thanksgiving

This weekend is Thanksgiving which means spending time with friends & family, eating fabulously prepared meals and taking walks in the country, camera in hand, hoping to capture some of the magic that happens in the fall.

I have so much to be thankful for -- especially my fabulous partner & our healthy daughter who is on her way this winter.



I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, whether you're celebrating Thanksgiving or not. Enjoy the season & smile.

Cringe

No, I don't look bigger than when you saw me on Saturday.
Yes, I'm sure I'm not carrying twins.
No, I'm not actually about to topple over at any moment.
You're right, my girls aren't getting any bigger. Thanks for noticing.

Being pregnant is like a free for all where people (especially strangers & peripheral characters in your life) say things about your body that would otherwise be considered completely ignorant. I really love being pregnant, but I swear it's like a bizarre social experiment sometimes. Shush, people. Think before you speak.

Knitting Love

The day before our spending strike began, I bought a rather substantial knitting fundamentals book. Learning to knit (more than just a straight line) has been on my crafty to do list for quite some time & I will be grateful to have a nice quiet hobby to work on this winter after our daughter is born & I am at home most of the time.









The book is beautifully put together & completely charming. I want to learn to make blankets, socks, scarves, hats & mittens (and I have also figured out a few ways to get my hands on yarn without crossing my own picket line). I'll be sure to share any creations that I manage to produce.

Tea VS Me

I just had one of those 'as if I just did that' moments.

I made myself a cup of tea, added too much milk & decided to warm it back up dans le microwave. When the timer went off I took it out and took a huge sip without checking the temperature. It was so hot that I actually had to spit my mouthful of tea onto the kitchen floor.

Classy.

The dog just stared at me for a moment & then tried to lick it up.

Kitties

Today I discovered Penguin & Fish & fell in love with their little kitties. I am swooning over their little turned down mouths & I love that they stand up just so.





The kitties are all lovingly handmade by Alyssa from Minneapolis, MN.

Check out her website, blog & flickr as well.

The Spending Strike

I have excellent news! We had been apartment hunting for months now, trying to find something just right and yesterday we were offered an apartment for December 1st and it is absolutely gorgeous. I don't know that I've ever been more excited to move in my entire life (which is saying something, considering the fact that I have moved 16 times in total). Our new apartment has brand new maple flooring, new carpeting, new windows, a small mudroom entrance & a cute fire escape (that I know I'll want to have a tiny little potted garden on). The kitchen has new cupboards, everything is so clean & knowing it will be ours in less than two months makes me smile every minute.

Now this is where we have to make a few adjustments -- you see, we pay month to month for the apartment that we live in now, so when we leave here on December 1st, there won't be a last months rent coming back at us that we can hand over to our new landlord. Soooo, we have decided that in order to save up 1st & last, as well as making sure we have some savings for xmas, we are going on a spending strike.

We even shook on it.

We will only spend money on the things we really need (shouldn't we be spending like this anyhow??) so that we won't have to worry about having the money to move & be comfortable. Our biggest expense is that we eat out far more often than we cook at home which is simply awful of us. Unfourtunately we love our local hang outs & the fact that waitresses know our names, we receive excellent service & have memorized all of the menus. We also live less than a block from a fantastic brewery & directly across from a Belgian taproom which we both used to indulge in quite frequently (though of course now my partner orders delicious stouts & I enjoy how good they smell).

We have both promised each other not to buy anything that we don't absolutely need -- this means no new clothing until after December 1st, no new computer parts for the boy, no new crafty items (sob!) for myself -- if we can live without it, we can live without it til December! Today was the first day of our spending strike & so far so good. I did groceries, made a casserole & no one has cried about their lack of a pint this evening.

I think we'll do just fine.

I have already sent a plea out to our close friends & family to ask them not to invite us out to dinner, or to the movies, or to do anything fun that requires cash... no concerts, no shopping trips & no midday soup dates (unless, of course, one of us makes the soup). They have also been asked to strike me down in the street if they see me shopping or attempting to exchange money for anything I don't need to survive (Note: coffee/tea from our favourite cafes has been deemed a survival necessity in these times).

My hope for these two months is that we both learn to make this whole frugality thing a habit, as opposed to something we are forcing upon ourselves. In the mean time I will keep you updated on how the strike is going. If you have any tips on how to live life in a more thrifty manor, I would love to hear them.

Sleepy Dog

Signs That Your Pregnant Belly Is Running The Show

1. You open the door of a bathroom stall into yourself because you thought you had more room.
2. The waitress at the local diner that you frequent finally asks you if you are expecting.

I love my belly.

Six Months

Today I am six months pregnant & loving every moment, every kick, every hiccough & every stretch mark.

Hello Little One

Today you are 23 weeks & 5 days old. We are nearly at the 6 month mark.

I am beginning to learn your schedule. You are almost always moving, except for a few hours in the evening where to take it easy & rest up so you may wake me up several times each night, especially around 3pm (reminding me that I have to pee oh so very badly). You often kick hard enough for your dad to feel it, and sometimes in a place where I can see it.

You prefer hanging out on the right side of my belly & you often have the hiccoughs, which are adorable & make me feel like I have popcorn in my stomach.



This photo was taken yesterday, at 23 weeks 4 days, while I was in the back room at work. No amount of cream, lotion & vitamin e will stop you from turning my belly into a haven for stretchmarks, but I love you anyhow.

You are apparently about the size of a papaya these days (slowly working your way towards eggplant status). Sometimes I feel you push your back or you bum so far out that I feel like you are trying to tip me over (which seems very likely given my balance these days).

On Tuesdays I take you to yoga where we stretch & breath our way into a blissful state & sometimes you give happy little nudges & I feel so peaceful.

There are only 16 weeks left until we get to meet you.

I am already so in love.