Elliot is 8 months old!

Our little big man is 8 whole months old this week. We are so close to a year I can't believe it. It still feels like yesterday I held his beautiful warm newborn body against mine.
Today I caught him rocking to the beat of songs on Gemma's iPad and even when she was singing. He is clearly a music lover just like his sister. Elliot is a strong crawler and only getting faster. In the last week he has been practicing hard at pulling to a standing position and even trying to stand from his crawling position. He almost always falls flat on his forehead. Poor little bubbie boo.
He's also responding to his name and his nicknames. Gemma is still calling him EyeLet and Eyelettee. Speaking of his sister she is definitely his favourite. If he wakes up grumpy I just take him down stairs and that frown turns right side up the second he sees or hears her. Whenever he is crying over a little fall or frustration over a toy, Gemma comes running saying "it's ok! it's ok! Gemma's here" and he stops fussing instantly. Their bond is so strong and melts my hormonal heart.
Elliot is going through a growth spurt at the moment so he's having a few to one wake ups a night for more milk. But normally sleeps from 6:30pm to 7am. He's also having a hard time napping and falling asleep on his own while he's learning this new standing thing. He likes to fuss and crawl around and practice pulling himself up on his crib rails before he falls asleep. I also think he might be trying to suck his thumb that little cutie pie.
This weekend we leave for our first camping trip! Wish us luck!

Love and Hugs

Elliot is 7 months old!

Oh buddy what a big month we're having! You have two new eye teeth which makes 6 in total. You're still drinking all your bottles and eating with us at the table for most meals. Only problem is you seem to be constipated from all this new food. We are trying to help you the best way we can with prune juice and visits to the osteopath and even reiki. It's so sad to watch you in pain and we are hoping to find you a solution soon.
The biggest thing is you're mobile! You first surprised us by sitting up on all fours and rocking back and forth for a few days before crawling a few days later. Just like that. It's unbelievable how fast you are growing right before our very eyes. Slow down baby boy! We're all trying to catch up to you!

Love and Hugs

Elliot is 6 months old!

Oh little man of ours! Well we made it through the big growth spurt and the sleep training and now you can eat solid food! You are definitely prepared with two new top teeth and 4 all together now. We are feeding you the baby led weaning way and you love it. You will slap at the food and squish it in-between your fingers and are getting better and better at swallowing.  Your favourite is definitely corn on the cob. You're like a happy little rabbit once you get that cob up to your mouth.
You are also doing this adorable thing where when you laugh or someone makes you smiles you crunch up and put your fingers in your mouth and wiggle your toes. It's like your whole body is just happy to be happy. That's how I would describe you Elliot, Happy to be Happy. Sometimes when it's just the two of us at home and you are playing and I catch you and you smile that big gorgeous smile back at me my eyes well up with tears I love you so.

Love and Hugs

Elliot is 5 months old!

This month is all about the sleep! Papa started teaching you how to sleep my little darling and it was horrible and wonderful all at the same time. We all suffered through the first night until we figured out you like to fall asleep on your belly. Every Doctor and their dog says this is dangerous but we have chose to trust you and let you sleep the way you want to. You have also vetoed the routine we set up for you with the bath-book-bed. You want nothing to do with the book and want a BOTTLE like there is no tomorrow. It's funny how when we get your jammies on you instantly become ravenous no matter how much you ate a few minutes before the bath. So we are following your lead my baby boy and after a few nights of cries and cuddles we are now sleeping solid through the night. You are just the sweetest little dolly my boy and we feel so lucky to be your parents!

Love and Hugs

Elliot is 4 months old

Elliot at 4 months old. 

He cracks me up! Seriously the funniest little man!

I am writing this with a breaking back holding Elliot in an ergo strapped to my chest. Little Man is going through a  mega 3-4month growth spurt/leap and he's having a hard time sleeping. He's still in bed with us and wakes 4-5 times a night lately for breast and comfort. Sometimes I go to bed with him and snuggle him close and kiss his soft warm head and feel so blessed and lucky and other times I'm like Get This Kid Outta My Bed!
He got two teeth at 3.5 months and they are the cutest little choppers ever. He is a big boy and every time we go somewhere and people ask his age they can't believe his size. The other day at the pub a mom called all the other moms in the vicinity to come have a look at how big he was. Lol! He was 16lbs at his 2 month check up and my back and arms are telling me he will be registering over 20lbs at his 4 month check in.
He's started rolling on his side and his belly and trying so hard to sit up. Yesterday at music class he was rolling and all the other Moms where oohing and ahhhing at his skills. I smiled smugly of course. ;)
We started swimming classes last week and he is just such a doll in the water. Smiling happily away floating and gurgling. Honestly he is just the happiest little dude. Giving out smiles like they're for free or something. His innocent love just slays my heart. Watching his warm smiles emerge when he looks at his Papa or his sister is truly one of the happiest moments of my life.
We started giving him a mixture of formula and breast milk during the day and he had a hard time at first but has it down pat now, thank goodness. It's such strange relief for me to know anyone can feed him if I'm not there. I know a lot of Mom's like to breast feed till 1year and beyond but for me this works best. I still breastfeed all through the night which is also easiest for us because right now I am a walking zombie and if I had to wake up 4-5 times and make bottles I would probably fall down. This Momma needs her sleep!
Speaking of that, I'm going tomorrow to talk to my nurse partitioner about possible Postpartum Depression. I'm just not sure if I am depressed or just overwhellmed and exhausted. When I have the two babes at home together I'm not such a great lady to be around. I have an idea of how a perfect Mommy should be and I am falling WAAAAAAAY short. That's why I'm going to get help my little Man! Fear not, I'm your Momma and I will fight fiercely to do the best I can!

Love and Hugs

0-3 months with Elliot René

One Month old

Two months old

Three Months old

It's been so hard to find time to do these posts month by month with the two babes at home. Heck sometimes I don't even change out of pi's for a few days straight. But Elliot is such a magical lovely little prince and I want you to get to know him too. So here's a little update.

 Elliot was 9lbs 15oz at birth and it really shows in his difference with Gemma at that age. She was 7lbs 2oz and ate like a steam horse basically non stop till she was 6 months old. Elliot eats, then relaxes and then likes to be rocked to sleep. However he does have his sister's bad habit of napping for only 35 mins at a time. He makes up for that at night by sleeping cradled up to my side and only waking every 2-3 hours to nurse and then floats back to sleep.  (where as Gemma was up every 45mins for an hour at a time)

Everyone who meets him says he's such a happy little soul. He smiles so easily and has started laughing in his own manly way. You tickle under his chin and in a husky voice he says "AHHHHHHAAAA!" It's so so cute! 

He adores his sister and smiles at her whenever she comes in the room. While we are eating lunch he likes to sit on my lap and stare and beam love to her. Gem loves him just as much for instance if he cries she will run to the couch, pull up a pillow, holds out her arms and says "He needs his Gemma!" I let her hold him and she tells me to go and sings him Tinkle Tar and ABC's while gently stroking his head. Cutest thing you ever did see.

We have recently started the slow switch to bottle feeding. Elliot has started biting down on my nipple while teething and I've decided it's time to try a bottle. He's not really excited about that but we're not giving up. Momma could use a break here and there too. 

Taking care of two kids at home under 3yrs is no joke. It's an extreme lesson in falling into a complete loss of control. My to do list is out the window, the house is a disaster and tantrums are abundant. Basically I drink a lot of wine. And go to bed early. But honestly I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I am so happy you are here Elliot. I am madly deeply in love with you my son. 

Love and Hugs

39 weeks and 6 days on our way to be induced

Here I am the morning of Dec 15/2014 right before we left for the hospital to be induced. I was full of emotion. Scared, happy, nervous, excited and the list goes on. I think everyone knows we had been planning another home birth since the beginning so finding out we had to birth at the hospital AGAIN was a challenge from God I was willing to learn. All I really wanted was to hold my healthy baby boy any way possible. 16hours after this picture was taken my wish came true! Elliot Rene Klein was born on Dec 16th at 12:16am and it was glorious!

P.S. It feels SO GOOOOOOOD not to be pregnant anymore!

Love and Hugs

37 weeks pregnant or 21 days to go

37 weeks this past Tuesday! Whoa belly! A few things that have been happening:

-I feel very heavy. Like a few metric tonnes heavy. It's hard to move around in any and all positions but I'm trying to stay positive.
-I have a hard time sleeping. I go to bed around 9-9:30 and finally fall asleep at 12 and then up at 1:30, 3:30 4:30 to pee and up with Gemma at 6:30. Everytime I get in bed I think maybe tonight will be different. Maybe tonight I will finally sleep. And nope. Haven't slept through the night since July. Again just trying to stay positive. Pffffff.
-I am getting so exciting for Labour and Birth! I really really think we will have a home birth this time. Little Man is healthy and I am healthy and there is no reason he can't be born in water here in our living room.
-Vince and I do meditations and hypnobirthing practices a few nights a week and it's so wonderful to go into my birthing body and see our birthing take place. Bliss!
-Our Midwife came for our home visit yesterday and dropped all her stuff off which made us even more excited. Later that day our Doula came by for her last home visit before the birth and we talked more about our hopes and fears and plans and Vince said as we went to bed that night, "Well we are all birthed up!"
-He's right! We're ready little man whenever you are. We love you we love you we love you!

Love and Hugs

The 52 week portrait project catch up (weeks 40-44)

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 40: We had a little early Christmas family gathering in October since my sister in law has flown down to Florida to be with her family for 3 months over the winter. (Her father isn't feeling well) Gemma received this tutu as a gift from my Mom and decided it was a perfect outfit to go grocery shopping in. I heartily agreed.

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 41: My nephew William graced us with one last visit before he flew south for the winter and Gemma was so happy! She thinks Weeeeel (how she calls him) is hilarious. They are just 3 months apart and it's always a joy to watch them together. They truly enjoy each others company!

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 42: They had a little trick or treat at the farmers market in Cambridge the Saturday before Halloween so we dressed Gemma up in her strawberry costume from last year and watched her prance around. She wasn't really interested in the candy and honestly probably didn't even notice she was wearing a costume but we had fun! LoL!

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 43: Papa is always trying to sneak a kiss, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 43: Our big girl loves two things: Cooking and her Manuwa (that's what she calls her bunny)

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 44: If she's not helping to cook in the big kitchen then she is surely cooking in her play kitchen and sharing her soup with you.



So that's whats been happening around our house lately. Sorry I am so late to update this portrait project. Gemma's baby brother is due in 25 days eeeeeek and I am really feeling the crunch to get things ready. I have also been taking lots of time to just get lost in the moment with Gemma cause I know soon my hands with be overflowing. It's so wonderful to just sit and quietly watch her and soak her all up. I'm sure you can understand!

Love and Hugs

33 Weeks pregnant

Whooohooo sliding into home base pretty soon! Here I am on last tuesday night at 33 weeks or 7.5months or 49 days to go.
Feeling so much better! I think it's all the hypnobirthing practicing Vince and I have been doing. It's just so blissful. And I have faith. Faith that everything will work out the way it's supposed to and you know what? It is! We found a birth pool rental so late in the game and an amazing Doula student and a lovely woman to encapsulate our placenta.
Don't get me wrong, carrying around an extra 30lbs on your pelvis is no joke. Bending over is not happening anymore which means if it falls on the floor it will stays there until after Dec 16th. Also Sunny's been wearing her harness for over a week now and lets not even talk about the length of my toenails. I have started fantasizing about one of those motorized chairs that attach to your banister so you can ride up and down the stairs in comfort. Why do old people get all the cool stuff anyways?! (i.e. walk in jaccuzzi tubs) Whilst shopping the other day I considered asking the nice lady at the help desk in the mall if they have complementary vespa ride on thingies for pregnant woman to get around on. I don't think that's too much to ask.
I am just so excited to meet this little man of ours! I love him so deeply already and I don't know but I've got a feeling he's gonna be a pretty awesome person.
Love and Hugs

30 week baby bump update

Hi guys well this picture is from last tuesday when I finally hit the 30's! Now I'm 31weeks and a few days which mean 61 days till Little Man is here!

I caught a pretty bad cold and have been feeling sorry for myself ever since. Just joking it's not that bad. But it's true I have been low on energy and that's why this post is so late.

Anyways I wanted to tell you that a funny thing is happening...I am finally starting to love my baby belly! Yay! It all started with reading this little card from a Canadian Mompreneur named Charisse. She runs a great shop out of her home called Pixel Paper Hearts. And the card goes something like this: "Girl you are totally rocking that baby bump like it's the must have of the season"

And I was like, hell yeah! I am rocking my baby bump! Lol! Sounds so silly but it really made me laugh and feel good about myself. I think also there is the fact that I have been able to start eating vegetables again. I know it sounds crazy but eating only ice cream and baked goods will not make you feel better. You will feel sad and gross. And I LOVE vegetables normally! So it's good to feel a little more like myself in that sense.

I'm also feeling more and more excited. His birthday is coming so fast now and I'm getting more used to the idea that yes this baby will be mine! I think because of the miscarriage I still have a hard time bonding and believing for a very long time into my pregnancies but I can sense that feeling leaving me. We've even starting gathering things for his nursery!

Ok this post is getting really long now so I'll let you go. See you soon in a few weeks with the next update at 33 weeks!

Love and Hugs

39/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 39: It was so hard to choose Gemma's picture this week so I went with two! We took her to a pumpkin patch called Shantzholm farms and she had such a great time visiting the animals, taking a hay ride to the pumpkin fields, drinking apple cider with her Papa and playing in the kids maze. It was a wonderful fall weekend!

Love and Hugs

Completely rational/ Just a little funny for your Friday

Gemma likes sneaky food on sneaky food all the time! Have you seen the rest of these from the Picky Eaters Club?  There is also another #pickyeatersclub member who will only eat his oatmeal if he has multiple spoons. Gemma would have to agree with you on that young sir.

Love and Hugs

38/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 38: Out for a Sunday afternoon stroll around the neighbourhood. I would follow that funny little ponytail anywhere it goes. 

Love and Hugs

37/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week of 2014"

Week 37: At the Ancaster fair. Gemma made a bee line straight for the goats and wouldn't budge. She  could have stayed there all day, that is until she found out there were free balloons outside the stables!

Love and Hugs

27 weeks or 6months preggo or 91 days to go...

Hi guys, well I have finally made it to 6months! Whoohooo! I feel like a whale and worried I may have to be wheeled around by the end of this pregnancy or maybe get one of those motorized scooters. Why are my boobs so ginormous you ask? Beats me, probably just to piss me off further. Anyways definitely getting those puppies reduced after this pregnancy. URGH.

Ok enough with the negativity eh?!

My sciatic pain is starting to lift! I feel like I can walk better and sleep better and smile more often. I haven't cried in over 10 days. I have the mental capacity to bond with my little man in there. I finally feel like I am rounding out of the survival mode I was in for so long. It's a blissful thing. I even had an image of holding my little man's newborn body and feeling his warmth and curled up legs against me. I can't wait!

We started Hypnobirthing again and I am so excited. I'm starting to believe in myself again that I can do this birthing thing. Screw you pain you will not keep me down. My brother used to have this poster in his room that said something like "You just gotta get back up" And that's what I'm gonna do.

Love and Hugs

Weeks 31 thru 36 of the 52 week portrait project

Week 36: Was Gemma's 2nd birthday! It was a rainy fall day outside so we brought the party indoors. We had a brunch to accommodate for her nap and invited our family. She had a blast and was so enamoured with everyone signing Happy birthday to her. I thought she'd be freaked out but she smiled quietly and loved it! Her best bday gift by far.

Week 35: Weekends are for lazing around reading books on the couch in your under ware.

Week 34: In the middle of preggo sciatic pain time my Mom came to the save the day! (like all month basically) Here Gemma is at the Aquarium in Toronto with Mom and Auntie Britt and cousin Will. I wish I could have been there to watch her discover all the fishes.

Week 33: Too sick to take pictures

Week 32: Too sick to take pictures

Week 31: Mom and Dad show up again and take Gemma to the park! She never wants to get off those swings! Seriously gotta think about getting a set for our backyard next summer.

So there you have it we are all caught up! I'm am finally feeling relief in my leg and can certainly get back to taking pictures and capturing moments with Gemma so stay tuned!

Love and Hugs

24 weeks (5.5months) bump update

Here we are at 24 weeks with baby #2! I love this time because the baby is now viable and could live outside the womb with intensive medical assistance. Of course I hope this baby stays in until 40weeks all comfy cozy but it sure does take a load off my mind knowing he's got a great chance either way.

I'm pretty grumpy in this picture. I was trying with all my might to smile. This pregnancy has been tough. I am sicker, more exhausted, more hormonal (bitchy/depressed) and in more pain than my first pregnancy. I developed sciatica about two months ago and I will save you the sob story but there have been emergency visits, narcotic prescriptions, convulsing with pain on the floor, a sea of tears and tons and tons of guilt.
Thank goodness I am finally starting to see the other side. With the help of my tribe of heroes: A rock of a husband, my parents taking leaves of absence from work to help me, heavenly Reiki from Sabrina, Osteopathy and massage therapy, I have stopped crying and started sleeping almost 2 hours at a time. Take that sciatica you jerk!

Now all I'm left with is a hefty guilt hangover. I not supposed to lift over 5 lbs till the baby is born which means we had to put Gemma in daycare full-time. I miss my daughter like nutso. I feel so shitty I can't take care of her myself. I miss our days together. She's mine and I want her back everyday all day.
There was a time there where I was in so much pain I could hardly breathe. I was sure I was cutting off oxygen to my little man in there and mixed with the heavy drugs I was on and all the crying I was sure he was in major distress. My midwife and Doctor and even Sabrina (Reiki) would check his heartbeat and tell me he was just fine. They reassured me he's in a lovely floating bubble of happiness and has no idea how much pain I am in. Phew. Then why do I still feel like shit.

Ok so Sabrina gave me some mirror work with affirmations to say to myself a week and half ago. I haven't started yet. I know she's right, I know it will work but I don't want to do it. She said I could start by writing them down in a journal at first if I need to. Have you guys ever done anything like that?

Great news is, Little Man is moving like a crazy person in there! He's a future olympic gymnast I'm sure of it. I am so in love with him it's sick. We definitely have a bond already and I can feel his happy go lucky spirit at all times. I love when he's awake and moving. I hold him and talk to him and all the pain seems to melt away. He's my Little Man and I can't wait to meet him. It feels like I've never wanted anything more in my whole life!

Love and Hugs