The Happiest Of Babes

Someone learned to laugh.



Pardon the extreme angle of the video -- she refuses to do her trick if she can see the camera so we had to go stealth. Also, Ryan wishes you all to know that he doesn't always sound like that. Hah.

Long Walks Are Good For Your Soul

This afternoon I bought a jogging stroller. This evening I took Gretchen out for a test drive & I love it. It's a lot easier for me to use when I'm on my own than our gorgeous Bertini (which from now on will be used only when Ryan is here to help me carry it up & down the stairs).

I can fold/carry this new stroller with one hand. ONE HAND. Being a mother is all about learning to do everything you need to do with ONE HAND.

Our walk was lovely. We went downtown where I procured a skinny decaf latte & proceeded over the bridge to East City, through the park & back across another bridge & up to our home. One big circle.

On the path in the park there were some messages written in chalk:


I smiled.


I quacked softly.


I don't think I have a very convincing duck walk.

Some of the other messages included, 'make a funny face', 'shuffle to the left' & 'shuffle to the right'. What a sweet idea.

I wonder what kind soul wrote those messages.


Snuggled up in her new stroller with rosy little cheeks.


Two paths, so quaint. We headed left...


... and over this bridge.



On the other side of the bridge we found a cute couple of mallards taking an evening stroll. I'm sure I've seen these two before -- sometimes they end up on the busy road and I hustle them across to safety.

...

Hmmm.

I have an idea.

I think that each night around six or seven I will head on a similar walk -- perhaps through the park to East City to get a tea or hot chocolate & back. Sometimes I like to have a little routine, a little something to look forward too & this might just be it. I should invite friends to join me if they so wish.

I think this is a fabulous idea.

Stay tuned for more evening walk photos. There's so much to see in the park.

Guten nacht.

Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week Three

Today I weighed it at Weight Watchers and...

I'm down another pound!

This makes for seven pounds in total & I'm rather pleased with myself.

...

In case you missed it: details from week two.

Kiss, Kiss

My little squid.

(We've been calling her this on and off for the past few couple months & I think it's going to stick.)

The Greatness Of Eight

Good evening, my little fawns. Nadia, a fellow Canadian & blogger over at My Thoughts, Ramblings & Musings and A Good Clean Life, has tagged me in a little meme this eve.

I'll take this as a good sign since eight just happens to be my favourite number.

...

Eight Things I'm Looking Forward To:
01. All of the new things that Gretchen will learn -- picking up toys, making new sounds, holding up her head! So many new things happen each week & all of them are so exciting!
02. Completing my silversmithing course & designing my own little works of art.
03. Ryan (fingers crossed!) being able to go back to school in September.
04. Constantly learning new things about being a mother and new ways to be a good mother.
05. Everyday I look forward to watching Jeopardy with Ryan. It's a little daily tradition that we have cooked up.
06. Getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight!
07. Getting back to my happy weight!
08. The possibility of having another baby sometime in the future.

Eight Things I Did Yesterday:
01. Napped with Gretchen.
02. Walked downtown & back.
03. Tried to enjoy the hot hot sunny day.
04. Ate Red River Cereal.
05. Snuggled with the babe some more.
06. Gave my boy a kiss.
07. Read a little of my new metalsmithing book.
08. Talked to my mom on the phone.

Eight Things I Wish I Could Do:
01. Live somewhere in New Zealand or Nova Scotia, or in Portland, OR.
02. Own a house with a backyard.
03. Spend more time with my friends.
04. Create something new & beautiful everyday (soon, I will, I shall).
05. Pay off all of my debt in one fell swoop.
06. Pay off the debts of my friends/family in a second fell swoop.
07. Lose the weight I'm trying to lose in a rather quick manner (even though I know I can do it one bit at a time).
08. Not worry about anything, ever again, anymore. Phew.

Eight Shows I Watch:
We actually just got a TV/satellite/HD-PVR all at once & I'm still amazed by all of this technology in my hands. Simple amazed.
01. Iron Chef
02. Divine Design
03. Sex & the City
04. Gilmore Girls
05. Jeopardy
06. The Mom Show
07. LOST
08. Unwrapped/How'd That Get On My Plate/How It's Made

...

I won't tag anyone in specific for this one, however, if you do end up filling it out, please send me the link so that I may visit & read.

Merci & nighty night.

Rainy Day Love

Today may have been rainy, but that didn't stop us from having a most wonderful of Tuesdays! This morning I bundled up Gretchen in the cuddlywrap to spare her from the drizzle and we bussed over to Easy City to hang out with the mama's at the La Leche League meeting. I love those ladies & it was really nice to chat all about the mama stuff without boring anyone! I only wish we could meet up more often -- I really ought to grab some of their phone numbers.

After the meeting we walked back downtown & I enjoyed a decaf coffee at Natas before grabbing a sub (yum, yum!) and heading back home. Gretchen & I spent the rest of the afternoon snuggling on the couch & watching cooking shows on HGTV. Swoon.

This afternoon we had some tummy time on the boppy. She still isn't a HUGE fan of the whole ordeal, but she's getting more tolerant. We just keep sessions fairly short.



Also, there was a pretty package in the mail for us today -- robot baby legs! Thank you so much, Emma! They are just fantastic.



I hope you're all having a delightful Tuesday -- au revoir & much love.

Camels & Otters & Goats, Oh My

A couple days ago my friend Kim & I took our sprogs to the zoo. This time Gretchen managed to stay awake almost the entire time -- she even got to see the otters.


Hitching a ride in Jane's stroller.


Quick little Otters.


She prefers the comfort of the cuddlywrap.


Gretchen & Jane watching the spider monkeys. You can see Gretchen's little toes poking out the end of Jane's stroller.


There's a child at the end of that tunnel.


She wasn't too sure about the slide to begin with, but I think she loved it in the end.


This is Gretchen at the Otter tank. I think they swam a little too fast for her to focus, but she sure loved watching the water.

There shall be many more trips to the zoo this summer. Many, many more.

Someone Doesn't Want To Be Alone Right Now

I tried to nurse Gretchen down a couple times tonight but she just didn't want to be in that big bed without me.

As soon as I put her in the sling she settled & has been sleeping ever since. I am completely happy to wear her until I go to sleep. Then I'll just slide her out of the sling and onto the bed.

Thank goodness for slings, and proximity & snuggly babies.





My apologies for the grainy photos -- Ryan's blackberry was the closest picture taking device with working batteries.

The Start Of A Very Good Thing

I am now the proud owner of a beautiful jeweler's saw & a sturdy little bench pin.



Thursday afternoon was my first silversmithing course. Our first lesson was an introduction to the course, followed by learning basic metal sawing techniques. I sawed two little pieces from a brass sheet (and only broke two saw blades in the process).

B a b y s t e p s .

This afternoon while Gretchen napped I cut a square from a sheet of a nickel alloy & a circle from a sheet of copper.

I love this already.

Next Thursday we'll be learning more metal forming techniques, like using a doming punch and dapping block, as well as texturing with hammers.

On Friday I ordered some delightful new implements from Romazone, a supply shop that I found on Etsy. They should be arriving early this week -- gorgeous hammers, a ring clamp, stamps & more.

I am so excited about next Thursday's class.

More soon, mes amis. As for now I think we're going to take a walk downtown to procure some coffee beans from the local roaster. Delicious.

Hot Hot Heat & The Colossal Stroller Episode

We just got in from a walk downtown, running errands and such, in the hot Saturday afternoon sun. It is 23 degrees out there & it's dripping down my face.

Today I decided to use the stroller (for the 2nd time ever & the 1st time alone) so that I could pick up diapers & pet food while we were out. The only downfall of babywearing is that you can't cart around as much stuff -- though oh my goodness it's easier to wear Gretchen than to stroll her.

Difficulty number one would be carrying the stroller down our stairs (we live on the 2nd floor) and then going back up for Gretchen. Our stroller is the Bertini which is kind of swank & kind of huge, so the trip down the stairs is mainly spent trying not to be crushed by it.

Walking downtown was nice -- hot! -- but nice. Thankfully there's a bit of a breeze.

Difficulty number two would be getting home & trying to carry Gretchen, diapers, pet food, my purse & the stroller up the stairs -- which I managed to do in two trips, believe it or not. Gretchen was sleeping & stayed asleep so I put her down & went back for the stroller. I heaved it up the front stoop & all the way up the stairs, sweating all the way (and only cursed once).


The sleepy little muffin.

There has GOT to be an easier way.

Our somewhat disgruntled superintendent has made it clear that we aren't allowed to keep it in the front hallway, which I would never want to do anyhow since she smokes like a chimney & I don't want the lingering smell of smoke seeping into our stroller. Ick. Really there is no place to store it other than inside our apartment at the top of all those stairs.


The swank beast.

I don't think I'll be taking the stroller out alone any time soon.

Phew.

Pass me an ice cold Coke Zero. Merci.

Good Morning, Little Fawns

Photo by Fiver13.

Wishing you all the happiest of Saturdays!

Fawned Friday

Lots of pretties to see this week -- happy fawning!



01. I've been a fan of these rings for a while.

02. Pretty magnolias found on a pretty blog.



03. Laptop beauty.

04. The importance of play.



05. Be yourself.

06. Gorgeous doming punch & dapping block set.

07. Tea shirt!



08. Can you tell I have a ring obsession?



09. Mama tea.



10. Doughnut mug!

Have a lovely, lovely day, mes amis!

A Good Night's Sleep

Good morning!

Last night Gretchen & I lay down for a nap around 7pm and woke up at 11pm. I thought I'd never get her back to sleep -- silly mama, taking a nap at such a bizarre hour. However, I managed to nurse her down at about midnight & after I joined her in bed again we stayed there til 8am this morning.

I am so rested!
Gretchen is so rested!

I think this is the first night that I have caught up on sleep since the night before I gave birth. My body feels fantastic & Gretchen is incredibly cheerful this morning! It's a win-win situation.

Speaking of the happy girl, here she is, in her new goldfish jammies:







I can't get enough of those smiles.

This afternoon we are going to go up to the zoo to see the otters (!!!) with a friend of ours and her daughter. I'm crossing my fingers that all of the animals will be out romping in the sun.

I hope it is beautiful & sunny in your neighbourhood today!

Peace & love, from my family to yours.

Twelve Weeks

Gretchen is twelve weeks old today.



Can you believe it?

Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week Two

On April 6th I hopped aboard the Weight Watchers train once again. I was on the program before I was pregnant & now that it's safe for me to start losing weight again (doctor & midwife approved) I am back on the program.

So far, things are going great. In my first two weeks I have lost a total of 6 lbs! My short term goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to my pre pregnancy weight and my long term goal is to lose an additional 20 lbs to get to my happy weight -- 40 lbs in total & just 34 lbs to go!

Theoretically I would like to be at my long term goal by August 22nd since I'm going to be a bridesmaid that day (for a friend who is also doing Weight Watchers). I would like to be at my short term goal by June 17th (coinciding with a another friend's birthday who is also on the program & in the wedding).

So, to break it all down:

April 6th, starting weight: 200 lbs
April 22nd, current weight: 194 lbs

Goal for June 17th: 180 lbs
Goal for August 22nd: 160 lbs

I will be updating each week with my progress and should I forget, please hold me accountable! I want to do this & I want to do this right!

...

If any of you would like to join me in my weight loss journey, please let me know & link me to your blogs -- sometimes it's just easier to do something when you have a friend doing it with you.

Hats Off To The Young Mamas

If, like me, you are addicted to Momversation, then I'm sure you've already watched the recent session. This one's all about the young mamas and it makes me happy right down to my toes that they are talking about this.

I was twenty one when we decided to have a baby, twenty two when I delivered and I'm now twenty three years old. In my social circle (and in general) I am not the "youngest of the young" when it comes to joining motherhood. I have friends who were in their teens when they began their families & I look up to those mamas everyday.

Us young moms are often at the dirt end of the pity stare down, but we really don't need to be. We're a tough crowd & sure we may need help, but this isn't exclusive to young moms, heck no! It's not even exclusive to new moms! At any age there are going to be difficulties in raising babes -- those difficulties are just packaged differently.

I recently had an ageist experience where an older woman asked me, "Well, who's baby is that?" as I was rocking Gretchen back and forth in her car seat. If I had been in my 30s I doubt she'd have been half as curious. I've also had the, "Was it planned?" conversation a few time which is basically like being told, "You look too young to have done this on purpose."

Don't pity us younger mamas, just smile & know that love is love and our age has nothing to do with how that love translates to our wee ones.

Something Pretty Arrived In The Mail Today

Good evening, friends! Remember a little while ago when Ryan ordered that lovely Fawn mobile from Salty & Sweet?

Well, it is here & it is simply beautiful.



I think we have a fan.

...

Did you receive any fun mail today?

Those Eyes

A content little Miss Fawn after a soak in her tummy tub.

She loves the water. I think that's because her & I had a bath together the night she was born. I've heard that a lot of little one's do not like having baths, but not her -- she relaxes and is completely calm.

♥

More Images From The Farm

Last night I finally procured a fancy new (wireless, ooh la la) keyboard, so I am back to work on my desktop. This means more lovely photos from my afternoon of riding.







Oh, I want to go again soon. Who'd like to be my riding partner? Ryan is afraid of the "unnaturally large" creatures.

The Fawn Belongs On The Trails

Yesterday I went riding with my mother. It was the first time I'd been on a horse since my 21st birthday & it was fantastic.







I really need to do this more often.

...

It was also my first time being away from Gretchen for more than an hour. We both survived.

Fawned Friday (Though A Wee Bit Tardy)

My birthday took over a little on Friday, so I'm a little late with your weekly dose of fawning. I hope you'll all forgive & forget.



01. I just bought this print by the lovely Emily Burtt.

02. A fantastic babywearing blog.

03. This is one of my new most favourite shows.



04. This soup looks just scrumptious.

05. Beautiful family portraits!



06. I really want to learn to make this.

07. This sweater must be incredibly cozy.



08. A sweet little fawn top.

09. I can't wait until she has her baby!

10. Recycled felt pillows.



I hope you enjoyed my picks for the week! Muah!

Welcome To The Newly Renovated So Fawned

My dear little So Fawned has undergone a bit of a transformation this evening.

I decided she needed a new look for the new sunny season & this is what I have come up with so far. I'm sure I'll be tweaking a few things here & there, but I'm feeling pretty happy with what I have done.

One new feature is that you can now share posts using the fancy pants social media buttons down at the bottom of each entry, should you find a certain post tasty enough. There are simple little individual buttons for Digg, StumbleUpon, Del.icio.us, Facebook & Technorati -- if you're into that sort of thing.

Thanks for your patience during the renovations!

Twenty Three

Someone Is Eleven Weeks Old Today