Wine minds think alike

How absolutely beautiful is this photo by Carina Okula? Vince and I are both missing France bigtime right now. Vince thinks it's that weather and I think it's Guelph. Could be a mixutre of both, the damp grey skies are definitely reminiscent of winter in Paris and then there are the old brick homes and horse motifs around exhibition park in Guelph that remind me of Fontainebleau....
Either way we are on a bit of a wine kick. (You can't think France and not taste wine right?) We've been researching the vintages at the LCBO along with Beppi's suggestions in the Globe and have come up with some good bottles such as this outstanding Languedoc from Foncalieu for $15.95.

It's soft and full and just want I have been missing from French wine this past year. Can't wait until I can have more than 1/4 of a cup a day!

If you'd like a few more tips about buying and choosing wine please check out my post on the Foire aux Vins from last year.

Love and Hugs

Gemma is two months old!

Here she is our little miss.

Side profile of the total cutness that is her cheeks.

Just hanging out and loving her purple bow.

Well holy macaroni Gemma is 2 months old. I swear we just brought her home from the hospital yesterday didn't we? She is growing leaps and bounds and we are so deeply in love with her. She has rewarded all our efforts through her first month with beautiful gummy smiles and solid eye contact just for us. It's totally infectious and melts my insides every time. 

We are officially mobile! Gem and I have been all over town this last month. Hitting infant playgroups at the community center and internet mommy meetups and even a breastfeeding clinic last week. Our goal in the next two weeks is to make it to a Mommy/Peanut yoga class.
Our little babe got a bad case of infant acne. It's finally starting to subside but boy was it sad. For me that is, not Gem. She had no idea and was happy as a clam. It was great taking her to those mommy meetups and hearing that it's so normal and so fine. 

Since our last update she's been sleeping a little better, hence I could sit here and write this post today. She's also slowed her feverish breastfeeding pitch and it's so nice. I honestly thought she would be nursing non stop for the next 8-10 months without a breath. But finally we are getting a full-ish feeding and a deffinite break... now if we can only get her to take that break in the form of a nap in her bassinet!

Love and Hugs

Can't think, too tired.

source

Wow this is hard! Gemma is going through one continious growth spurt and meanwhile I am begging her to take a break and sleep! 

She wants to eat non-stop and when she does drift off it's only while in her mama kangaroo carrier or beside me in bed. (Which stresses me out to no end) 

Thank goodness I've got good women around me. I've started going to Momstown meetups and Britt gave me some incredible advice about using compression to get a fuller feeding thus a longer sleep. Last night Gemma slept for over 2 hrs straight! Alone! Can you believe it? 

I'm trying not to jynx it but I'd love to know, how do you insure your 1 month old goes the F#$%K to sleep?

Love and Hugs  

Gemma is one month old!

Here's my little lady. She's getting so big, seriously where did the last 30 days go?! Time is no friend of mine that's for sure. Let's see if I can remember a few things that have happened in the last month:

-Gemma is a rockstar at breastfeeding but not so much at sleeping. If she had her way she would eat around the clock FOREVER! When she does finally nod off she'll only stay sleeping if she's beside us in our bed. (I kinda love that!)
-She loves bath time and even sleeps happily through most of it. Go figure!
-She's started smiling little by little and giving me solid eye contact which melts my heart everytime.
-Gemma speaks in a series of loud grunts. Funniest thing you ever heard, that is unless you are Vince and trying to sleep cause you have to wake up at 5:45 to drive to Sarnia for work and your daughter won't stop loudly insanely grunting through her 3am feeding!

Every day I wake up she looks even more grown up than a few hours ago, apparently this girl has places to go and people to see, move out of the way folks, my girl is on the move!


Love and Hugs

3 weeks later......

 39 weeks and 6 days ( the night before my I went into labour)

 

Gemma at 3 weeks

Hi you guys! I'm so sorry I've been missing in action this little while but WE HAD A BABY!!!!!

I had the 40 week pic all ready to upload the night before my due date but you know what? My water broke at 5am on my due date! Gemma Marigold was born 31.5 hours later on Sept 12, 2012, and it was Awesome! And she is Awesome! Everything is Awesome!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the lovely cards, and gifts and well wishes. We are so blessed with the best family and friends in the world! 

We're still getting used to our new groove so bear with me as I wade back into the world of blogging. I promise to post updates and pictures as often as I can. Love love love love you!!!!

Love and Hugs

39 weeks and out of control!

Today we are 39 weeks pregnant! Whoooohooooo 7 days to go! I am drinking lots of raspberry leaf tea and taking primrose oil and shopping my face off!

I just can't stop buying anything with bows on it. Please help me! Bows for her hair, bows for her feet, bows for her neck, bows! bows! Bows everywhere!!!!

Hopefully she will come soon so the shopping can stop and we can just cuddle her instead.

Love and Hugs

Be- 38 weeks pregnant

Hi you guys! Well we are officially on Klein baby watch 24/7 over here. She is welcome to come anytime. Unfortunately I think she's kinda camped out in there and may not come out EVER! Or maybe it's just that feeling (I'm scared) that my fate is to remain a pregnant person for the rest of my life!!!!!!!!

Okay get it together freaky Sam.

Other things that have been happening:

-We have all the necessary supplies for a successful home birth bought and in the living room wating for the big day. We also picked up our birth kit from the Midwives which includes all the emergency medications to be keep in the fridge and other stuff like an IV thingie and forceps. You never know!
- Umm I have gained 32 pounds. She is a monster in there these last 3 weeks. I am afraid if we get to the 42 week mark I will be beating that woman in China who gave birth to a 22 pounder.
- I can't stop crying. Everything is the worst and hurts my feelings. I feel like a 14year old who just got her period for the first time.
- But then there is all the meditation we've been doing which helps a lot! I love it! I'm a spiritual junkie! And really excited for her birth. Everynight I go to bed it feels like Christmas and I think maybe tomorrow.......maybe!


Love and Hugs