sharolyn

Still alive!

2009-07-10T04:39:07Z

People have been asking where I've been been. I'm still alive. Just had a lot of stuff to do and a lot of things on my mind. There may or may not be some exciting news shortly. *sticks hands in pockets and whistles nonchalantly*

Heading to bed soon. I sleep a lot, these days.

WHY didn't I have my camera handy??

2009-07-06T06:00:20Z

Iz got her first taste of ice cream today. I put a tiny bit on the end of a spoon and fed it to her.

She looked, in the following order:

- slightly surprised (cold!)
- thoughtful
- very thoughtful
- OMG GIVE ME MORE OF THAT NOW NOW NOW

I have never seen this kid get so excited about ANYTHING. She propped herself up on her arms, gave me a look like two laser beams cutting directly to my soul, and started making urgent little grunting noises and, I kid you not, SHAKING from excitement.

It was so fun, I had to stop myself from stuffing her full of it, but I figured I'm not quite prepared to deal with Baby's First Sugar High and the resulting crash.

Seriously, no one told me parenting could be this much fun.

Twilight tattoos

2009-07-03T16:03:03Z

Dear god in heaven, what is WRONG with people???

4am Update

2009-07-03T11:16:33Z

I realize posting has been sparse lately. Had a lot on my mind, and seem to be going through a few days of extreme exhaustion/hunger. I can only assume Baby: The Sequel is growing some new brain cells or something, and taking everything he can from Mama.

EVERYTHING. Man, I'm assuming I must have been this exhausted with Iz, but I don't remember it. At this time last year, I was close to the exact same phase of pregnancy (minus a few weeks), we'd literally just moved to Mission and I was still shuttling back and forth between Mission and Kits trying to get all our boxes moved over. I remember being tired and kind of depressed, but not like this.

Of course, at the time I wasn't running around after a very mobile almost-9-month old who seems determined to kill herself before her first birthday... so that might have something to do with it. Today alone she managed to fall off the bed (a short fall, as we just have a mattress on the floor), ALMOST fall off the couch (I caught her arm at the last minute and slowed her descent/guided her onto landing on a pillow), and crack her head against approximately 3,000 dense and likely painful objects. She seems no worse the wear for these misadventures, and determined for more.

This child is going to keep me on my toes.

Oh, also, we took her to Canada Day fireworks on July 1st! She was sleeping when we went to the park, so I was worried she'd be scared when she woke up and heard the noise/saw the flashing lights. Not even close. She was grumpy for a while at being woken up, but then seemed to really quite enjoy them, and even smiled while watching them. I think we have an adventurous spirit on our hands.

Squeaking it in under the wire...

2009-07-02T04:10:16Z

Happy Canada Day, everyone!

Sheesh.

2009-07-01T20:16:16Z

I just spent the entire morning eating everything I could find, was exhausted by 10:30am, fell asleep, and woke up at 1pm starving.

It's just possible I might be a little bit pregnant.

Anniversary weekend

2009-06-30T20:53:34Z

I have a long-ish post brewing about work, and motherhood and how the two combine and how I've realized stuff about myself and my need to work and it will likely be pretty introspective and fairly boring to everyone...

So in the meantime, I would like to HIGHLY recommend to anyone local that if you're looking for a romantic weekend away, check out The Chrysalis in Bellingham. For bonus romance, dump any children you might have hanging about you with their grandparents. For extra, extra romance points, have a long, leisurely dinner at Fino. And to make it all that much better, don't pay for a dime of it since it's an anniversary present from the parents.

Go for a nice walk and enjoy the sunset after.

Spend the night. Sleep in. Have some breakfast that isn't hurriedly wolfed down between diaper changes and bottle feedings.

And then come home to a very unimpressed baby who keeps looking at you EXACTLY LIKE THIS.

Everything really does come with a price tag, doesn't it? ;)

Buffy vs. Edward Cullen

2009-06-25T15:48:50Z

And THIS is what I've been trying to explain about the lameness of Twilight.

(Yes, I know everyone's been posting this, I just never watched it until today. Brilliant.)

Really, we all just want an excuse to talk about ourselves, don't we?

2009-06-24T16:48:56Z

Awright, y'all know I don't normally do these, but...

Reply to this meme by yelling "Words!" and I will give you five words that remind me of you. Then post them in your LJ and explain what they mean to you.

Words from stress_kitten

Kitsilano - Ah, yes... my spiritual home. I lived downtown for years before circumstances led us to move to Kits. I wasn't sure if I would like it or not, quite honestly, but I ended up falling hard in love in about 5 minutes. It managed to be one of those rare places for me where I could look at the faults and love them just as much as I loved the benefits. The snotty Kits people? Annoying, but hilarious. The... okay, I actually can't think of any other faults that Kits has. It's perfect in every way. We lived just over the border into Point Grey, which to me was the best of both worlds... close to Jericho, where I could gaze at the cityscape, away from the craziness of Fourth Ave/Kits Beach, but close enough to everything that I always felt like I was in the middle of things that were happening. I was never, ever bored in Kits... and without sounding too cheesy about it, I honestly felt like there were roots growing out of my feet into the ground itself there. I belonged.

It probably helped that the time we lived there coincided with the happiest period of my life, professionally speaking, marriage-wise, everything. That five year period was the pinnacle for me to date.

Fitness - ...And here I experience love/hate. :) I really, really love the fitness industry, and I loved the time I spent there. I hate the industry for all the negativity that it spews forth, specifically in regards to its advertising and marketing. To me this industry SHOULD be so positive, and I spent a lot of time while I was there trying to make it that, and live the ideals that I believed. It is, unfortunately, more often not that, and seems to be constantly spewing forth a whole lot of negative body messages that I find really offensive and hard to handle. It took me a while to find my balance in that industry, and to feel comfortable standing up for what I believed in. A few incidents helped me clarify my feelings on this, which I've talked about in various places in this journal.

Marriage - The biggest adventure, hands down. Moreso even than motherhood, since once I chose to become a mother, it stopped feeling like a choice and became an essential. Marriage is something you have to choose over and over again, I think, and therefore in some ways it can be a bigger thing.

Searching - Ya think?? <---sarcasm. No, but seriously... Yeah, I feel utterly unsettled and unrooted in this current life. I don't know what to do with motherhood, with living in the country, with the sudden exposure to so many things from my past I'd succesfully managed to ignore for the past 15-ish years. Especially coming off of five or so years where I really felt like I flourished, and now... what? Having said that, I love my kid more than I ever could have thought possible, and would live any life necessary to have her... so it's not like I'm really suffering or anything. But... yeah. What happens now? I don't know. I guess time will tell.

Passion - stress_kitten put this one first, but I put it last 'cuz I wasn't quite sure what to do with it and had to think for a while.

I wonder sometimes if people see me as a passionate person. I'm not sure. I know that I have at times been perceived as cold by the people around me -- and sometimes, I am. At the same time, when I feel really passionate about something, it can be all-consuming for me. B has occasionally accused me of being single-minded about what I want to the point of ignoring everything and everything around me.

I'll probably want to think on this one more.

I am very proud of myself.

2009-06-24T06:01:06Z

I unlocked this entry 'cuz B has now finally received his Father's Day gift.

The pic on the very front cover is this adorable picture of the two of them from a few minutes after she was born. He saw that, said, "Aaaw, pictures of the two of us," then proceeded to open the book, look at the rest of the pictures and fall over laughing.

I am *so* glad I did this. It was totally, 100% worth the work for his reaction alone.

Ugh.

2009-06-23T16:22:30Z

SO annoyed with all Canadian news this morning.

Turned on CBC as usual this morning, only to be greeted with the video of that woman in Iran dying.

For the record: I do not want to watch something like this EVER, and I especially do not want to watch it with my morning coffee. I guess maybe it's good that this video exists, maybe... but I would find it incredibly disrespectful and dehumanizing to casually sit in my comfy living room, sip my coffee and watch someone die on my TV screen.

I switched over to another Canadian news channel. Their story at that particular time? Jon and Kate Plus Eight.

SERIOUSLY??

Life is very different now, in many small ways.

2009-06-21T11:59:36Z

Yesterday, B and I hit Wendy's for a quick lunch while we were out running some errands.

Upon emerging from the restaurant, we discovered that an inconsiderate ass driving an F-150 had parked beside us in such a way that it was going to be very difficult to get out.

"That's annoying," I fumed.

"Yeah," B agreed. "I think I can probably get out though."

"I'm going in there and finding out who it is and getting them to move."

B looked at me. "Okay. We can also just pull the stroller out and walk for the last couple of errands."

I was pissed. "Yeah, that's fine, but they should move their truck. That's so inconsiderate. I want them to move."

"Okay."

I went back into the Wendy's and asked various customers. One gentleman said it wasn't him, but offered to come out and guide us. I said thanks, but I really just wanted the guy who parked there to move his damn truck. Eventually I found the offender, who came out and reparked.

A few hours later, we were at home, and I suddenly looked at B and said, "That truck thing was out of character for me, wasn't it?"

B said, "Pretty much. Especially when I offered you another option that involved walking, which you love."

Apparently, I just REALLY needed the dude who parked badly to know he did it, and suffer slightly for his error.

Pregnancy hormones strike again. The moral: do not mess with the pregnant lady, people. She will CUT YOU.

Pregnancy hormones... activate.

2009-06-19T17:56:30Z

The last two days, I have been deleriously in love with my daughter.

Last night, I lay in bed with her beside me, watching her sleep, and felt like I simply could not get close enough to her.

Then this morning, I woke up with her feet jammed into my ribcage and felt like that was plenty close enough, thank you.

Motherhood: a study in conflicting emotions.

I just have to share a little bit...

2009-06-17T08:03:31Z

I've put this behind a special filter that B will not be able to see. 'Cuz I am sneaky.

I wanted to do something special for B's first Father's Day, so I made a little photo album. It is titled The Many Faces of Iz, and each page has 4-6 photos of Iz in various guises. A few of the best behind the cut. (Disclaimer: I am totally not a professional photographer, and I just used my crappy point and shoot camera, so if you're expecting great art, move right along.)

I've been planning this for 2-3 months, have been collecting various props ever since I first came up with the idea, and totally panicked this morning when I realized Father's Day is THIS WEEKEND. Spent the afternoon doing the photo shoot (fortunately Iz behaved) and got it off to the printers about ten minutes ago.

Also? Baby photographers have my undying respect, because I spent this afternoon being photographer, art director and baby wrangler, and let me tell you, that shit is HARD.

The Many Faces of Iz, cover photo.
Why yes, I *did* choose the most unflattering picture of her I could find, why do you ask?

Geek Girl. THAT is a massive remote control that I found at the dollar store. I don't know why such a thing is necessary, but it is so perfect for this purpose. And it kept Iz occupied, which kept her from immediately grabbing those glasses off her face. Also you can't see in this particular photo, but she's wearing her Darth Vader t-shirt.

Mission Chick. For you non-local folks, you should know that this is totally playing off of the beer drinkin', trucker hat wearin', hick Mission stereotype.

Kits Girl. Likewise, this is the latte-drinking, tanning, self-involved Kits resident stereotype.

Professional Gambler. She *really* enjoyed eating those oversized playing cards.

Ninja Baby. I was disappointed in this series, as it totally did not turn out the way I was hoping. Oh well. And yes, those are cardboard throwing stars I painstakingly cut out of white cardboard about three months ago.

Aspiring politician. I love how this series came out, so I'm including a couple.

Phew. I hope they call come out in print as well as they did in digital. *fingers crossed* So excited to see his reaction.

Oh, and it goes without saying that if any of you spill the beans to him before he gets this, I will personally hunt you down and make you wish you'd never been born. *kisses!*

Izzy practises her defiance.

2009-06-16T03:37:54Z

Why no. I don't think I'll have *any* problems at all with her when she's a toddler, why do you ask?

Political blogs.

2009-06-16T03:25:03Z

Sooo enjoying watching the drama in Ottawa today. Do any of you have political blogs, vlogs, etc that are great reading?

No further detail will be forthcoming.

2009-06-15T03:34:11Z

Spinach poop: the most odious poop.

Good Morning!

2009-06-13T15:53:12Z

Definitely Daddy's Little Girl...

2009-06-13T15:42:51Z

Her sense of humour? It's not sophisticated, but it *is* well established.

That sound you hear is the last of my sanity dwindling away.

2009-06-13T06:12:00Z

Izzy is fully, 100%, undeniably MOBILE. She's doing this weird half-crawl thing that looks more like she's swimming across the floor. It is awesome and terrifying and hilarious, and I have spent SO MUCH time today making sure she doesn't pull the dog's fur out, or pull things down on herself, or just generally kill herself in the thousand and one different ways I'm suddenly aware she could kill herself.

Some baby proofing is necessary, methinks. Immediately.

And yes, there will be video when I get some good footage.

It's a....

2009-06-12T19:33:05Z

So, we got the results of the anatomy scan.

Everyone, without fail, predicted girl. Well, Carly predicted boy, then girl.

The results?

It's... a boy!

I am somewhat stunned. 'Cuz I was so deeply entrenched in girl-land, I just thought it HAD to be a girl. The possibility of a boy just never really crossed my mind.

This is going to be interesting!

I guess we get to find out what happens when a little boy is raised to be a feminist. :)

ARGH!

2009-06-11T20:38:27Z

Just called midwives for third time today. Finally got in touch with a person, and she said they were just looking over the results of my ultrasound and...

THE CLINIC DIDN'T SEND THEM THE GENDER.

I am totally going to explode from irritation.

Apparently they are calling the clinic and asking them to fax it over.

Izzy does lat pulls!

2009-06-11T20:33:18Z

She may just end up being a gym rat, this one...

Happy Anatomy Day!

2009-06-11T16:22:54Z

On Monday I had my ultrasound done where they tell us boy or girl. Only I wasn't quite far enough along so they weren't allowed to tell me yet. Suck. They said my midwives would have the results within a few days.

The midwive's office opened 15 minutes ago. I have managed to only call and leave a message once, which I think shows remarkable restraint on my part.

Highchair question

2009-06-09T23:25:54Z

Internet Mommies: any recommendations for a good highchair for The Iz?

Features I'm looking for:

- Not a lot of annoying cracks and crevices in which food is gonna get stuck and dried up in.
- Even just a little bit cool looking? Like not ugly? Is that possible?
- Not huge/easy to move around.

Are there any features that you loved about your highchair that I should be looking for?