Yoga baby - part 1

Ardha Navasane - Half Boat

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - Bridge

Adho Mukha Svanadana - Downward Dog

Prasarita Padottanasana - Wide Legged Forward Bend (move baby from side to side)

Sukhasana - Easy pose

One of my favorite activities of the week is to go to post-natal yoga with Alice. Well, no, let me rephrase this. My favorite activity of the week is the part of post-natal yoga that involves Alice (about half of the 75 minutes class). Honestly, during the other part of the class, I'm always a bit annoyed at my new lack of flexibility and strength...but this is another story!

Alice and I started post-natal yoga about six weeks after I gave birth. It is not the most efficient class considering that on average I have to feed her once and change her diaper twice but the exercises that we learn are great. I do most of them at home and sometimes, drum roll please, my anti-yoga husband also does some of the exercises (proof in part 2 of this post)!

So, even if there are tons of baby yoga books/web sites available, I decided to channel the Jane Fonda in me and do a mini baby yoga presentation that you can try at home with your kido. Have fun :)

And if you love yoga and Babar (perfect combo!): Babar's Yoga for Elephant!

note: Of course, do the positions safely (for you and for baby) and don't push it!!!

* * * * *
kate / tinywarbler: You should totally make a few pair of pants. Instant gratification.

anonymous: This weekend, the "big girl bed" is moving to our bedroom. This is very exciting!!!

new duds: Pretty sure your cat does the same ;)

mjb: When we were shopping for baby monitors, I didn't get the reason why video baby monitors existed. Now I know but it is good that we didn't get one because I would always be looking at it during the night. I can be a bit intense!

oneeyedrabbit: Same value here: I'd rather comfort my child as fast as I can rather than have her wait and cry and cry.

vanessa - lynn david handbag co.: I don't think that separation anxiety is a bad thing as long it doesn't get out of control. And if our monitor is "full blast" the dog barks...not cool!

susanna n.: Co-sleeping rocks :)

little gray pixel: What kind of strange noises? I'm just too curious!?!

joeynomad: I cursed in both English and French during an entire evening...I think that more "how to" illustrations could be pretty useful in that book!

checks and spots: Thank you! Denial is not that bad, right!?!

renae @ theredwren: Oh yes, Alice turned 3 months old yesterday! The crib is moving in our bedroom this weekend. I feel super happy about it!

daniela: I really like her books (I have 3 books from her) and all the projects are super cute. It took me forever to make the first bloomer but only 1.5 hour for the other one.

190.arch: Oh, thank you so much. You are so nice :)

sarah ahearn bellemare: This is so "funny" (well, not funny ah ah!!) that she was sleeping on a cheap pack n play thing when there was a fancy organic mattress available! This is the kind of thing that would happen here! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. xox

clairsy: Perfect! I will keep the gang together.

taryn: Thank you so much :)

Denial

Initially, this post was supposed to be about the struggles that I had with my latest sewing project: baby bloomers (or my difficulties with !"#$%?&* elastics)!

However, when I looked at the pictures that I took to illustrate the final product, I realized that I was in denial. It is getting ridiculous! Alice is too big for her wooden bassinet and she would be much more comfortable in her "big girl" bed...in her nursery...without me...far from the pack! I say pack because when night comes, we all sleep in the same room. Dan and I in our new queen size bed, Alice in her bassinet next to me, Brian in his dog bed next to the bassinet and Mr. Poon (cat) on Dan's head ;)

Soon the pack will be divided and, honestly, it breaks my heart. It has nothing to do with practical reasons (ex: night breastfeeding) since Alice sleeps, without interruption, from 10:00pm until 5:30am. It is purely emotional. Yes, I suffer from separation anxiety with my baby.

Dan suggested that we temporarily put her crib in our bedroom until my mother instinct tells me that it is right to separate the pack. Or maybe I'm just buying time until the official transfer to her nursery...in 5 years!?!

Pattern from Simple Sewing for Baby

* * * * *

little gray pixel, claire, peanut: Perfect! I love economical yet effective solution. Thank you so much :)

taryn: Oh, totally! Babies are little furnaces. I always bring extra t-shirts for me and extra outfits for Alice in my bag when we go somewhere with the ergo.

leslie: I want to see what you make with the Nani Iro fabric.

intwosometwiminds.com: Coconut oil??? I didn't know that it was a natural anti fungal. I should also get some for my husband (smelly feet)!!!

oscarlucinda: Everything made by Nani Iro is wonderfully pretty...but so $$$.

bugheart: According to the comments that I got, buy cornstarch. And yes, it can smell very bad! I don't use the baby carrier when it is very hot unless I have no choice (going to yoga class).

claire: Love the idea (up with books and down with smartphones).

joeynomad: Ergo rocks :)

Anonymous kitten

This story main character shall remain anonymous in order to protect her identity...and because in a few years she might be mad because her mother wrote a blog post about her private area and her stinky armpit (ah ah ah)!!!

The main character, that we will name Kitten, has some little problems. Upon examination of certain areas (aka diaper area and armpit), Kitten's mom recently discovered two skin rashes.

If kitten is like her mother, she probably has sensitive skin and doesn't tolerate very humid (or very dry) environments. Kitten's mom goes to baby yoga class once a week and takes an ergo baby carrier to reach her destination. For a strange reason, on yoga day, it's always extremely hot (38C / 100F with humidity factor) and both mother and daughter get soaked wet. Kitten doesn't seem to care but her little bum and pubic area get red and irritated. Also, Kitten's armpit, with all of its lovely extra layers of fat, gets red and produces a Camembert like smell!

Kitten's mom carefully washes the areas (as soon as they are back from yoga class) and things get better. However, since summer just started, kitten's mom is worried that things might get out of control.

Do you have any tips that could help Alice...um, this anonymous baby?

note: I made a little pair of pants for Alice using lovely Nani Iro fabric.

* * * * *

bec hem: Technology freaks me out a bit (a lot)! I don't know how we are going to "control" it with Alice.

oscarlucinda: I didn't know Press Here.I just looked it up on amazon and it looks awesome. I will order it asap :)

anneemall: OMG, this is a killer list! I just added it in my favorite and I look at each book

kate so: Let me know how Nelson likes camping.

a loopy life: Feet pictures....a classic!

rosessimone: Wow, you are a breastfeeding queen ;)

It's a book

It is not because I have a blog that I'm into technology. As a matter of fact, I have the gift of systematically ruining any computer/camera/printer/fax/scanner/cell phone/GPS/MP3 player/video game console that crosses my path. Consequently, I developed a certain aversion for technology.

For example, during Father's Day lunch, I asked my dad a question that he could not answer. He immediately took his smart phone, between two bites of chicken fajitas, opened Google and started typing. This is when I shouted "no cell phones allowed during Father's Day lunch"!!!

I'm not saying that I want to move to a remote shack without electricity and communicate with pigeon post. I'm just saying that, to my opinion (and of course, you may have a different opinion) technology should be use in moderation.

So imagine how delighted I was when I discovered It's a Book by Lane Smith. The story, whose main characters are a book loving monkey and a techie donkey, has a great message: you should focus more on books and less on electronic gadgets (and that books are simply awesome)!

What a perfect addition to our little kid book collection! And if you are curious, the author also made an animation film based on the book.


* * * * *
kim u: This is a great product (placemat). Thank you so much for the link.

all lit up: It is perfect since Dan and I were breakfast/brunch people anyway!

pennies for luck: Yeah, since we didn't know that Alice was a girl until the last echography, most of her clothes are with neutral colors. Generally, I enjoy the "cute boy" comments because it is funny.

taryn: I like that advice (just stick to my normal routines/activities and include the baby in them). We are also doing that but sometimes I get a bit nervous. Dan has to tell me to relax because my "freaking out energy" is not good for Alice!

la franglaise: I don't know why but I'm actually not surprised by your comment. Paris is wonderful but I can totally visualize the "ah, ben voilà l'invasion des poussettes!". Be strong :)

intwosometwiminds.com: Thank you for the info :) I still have to get better at holding the baby with one hand and using my fork with the other one, ah!

anonymous (tibi): I would love to be more like you but I just can't. I get the concept but, deep down, I would still feel horrible if Alice was crying at the restaurant. I'm such a chicken!

uk lass in us: We almost never go to fancy restaurants anyway (even before Alice)!

one claire day: When we go out, just like you, we make sure that everything is "perfect" to have a happy baby. Anyway, baby or not, I could not go on without Saturday breakfast at the restaurant ;)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

We used to have breakfast at the same restaurant every Saturday. Before I gave birth, I said goodbye to the staff for an undetermined period of time because I never believed that it would be possible for our growing family to keep the same eggs and bacon schedule.

After a few weeks, I started to analyze Alice's personality and realized that it would be feasible to enjoy again the "good old" breakfast. However, I strongly believe that my freedom ends where somebody else's freedom begins. In other words, I want to have breakfast at the restaurant with my husband and my baby but I don't want to ruin somebody's breakfast with my "could be fussy" baby, my big stroller and my breastfeeding.

Honesty, I don't think that I could start the weekend with evil eyes coming from clients or, even worst, the staff!

So I decided to make a few changes. We wake up early (On the picture, I was in the process of waking up Alice!) to be at the restaurant when it opens, we get the most "stroller friendly" table and I make sure that Alice has a belly full of milk and a clean diaper.

So far so (very) good. This weekend was our 5th consecutive Saturday breakfast. Alice always get tons of compliments...and many "what a cute little boy" from customers! Whatever!

For those of you with kids, have you ever felt unwanted in restaurants (or any public places) with your family?

* * * * *
roberta jane: We are planning many trips to parks and to the country. We are also renting a cottage this summer in a really nice part of Quebec. Alice will have a very good time...she looks so happy in her little tent (we tried it many times already)!

erstwhiledear: The packaging is very nice. Small and easy to bring with you everywhere.

ingrid: I'm sure that O will eventually love it! Alice was so excited the first time we tried it. She was "talking" to the tent for 45 minutes and suddenly she fell asleep. Cute :) Oh, you will be in a play again! How cool is that! What is it?

pauper: We are lucky because the country is not too far (about 1 hour) and my parents are planning to give us rides (we don't have a car) for day trips this summer.

ulla v.: I didn't know that this tent existed until last week. People look at us funny when they see the mini tent at the park. They think it is a dog tent or something like that ;) I love what you said about the "ordinary everyday life in a family".

daniela: I really love the tent (and Alice loves it). We don't use it for night sleep so I don't know about that. We use it for little day trip and Alice is always supervise. I know that we are going to use it a LOT this summer.

ella: Exactly my point! I can't decide in advance but people don't get it. It is like if they want to know a specific date. Bizarre!

Tent in the city

Dan and I are both from the country. You know, lost in the middle of corn fields and maple forests. We each spent our childhood exploring what looked like a never ending playground filled with discoveries: a large toad near a stream, a dead deer under a tree (!), a multitude of blackberry plants, an abandoned sugar shack, etc.

Alice will have the exact opposite: a life in the city surrounded by concrete, cars, tall buildings (the occasional prostitute on the sidewalk), etc. However, we don't see this as a problem. Dan and I are totally committed to give Alice an access to both worlds. It just requires a bit more planning than opening the backyard door.

With the right attitude, Alice's backyard can be the Montreal Botanical Garden, the Mount Royal Park (designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who also designed New York Central Park), the Jean-Talon Public Market, the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, the Jazz Festival, etc.

With this in mind, I just got a second hand baby Pea Pod tent for our numerous urban excursions. For example, after a stroll in the Old Montreal, Alice could relax in her cozy UV protection tent while Dan and I enjoy a picnic near the St Lawrence river. Perfect :)

* * * * *

little gray pixel: Don't worry. I won't do that! And I love your concept: "eat the same healthful meals as a family and exercise daily as a family".

lola: I also think that kids should question what they are told. Well, maybe not the "take your bath" or "do your homework" ;)

clairsy: I don't know any Tiger moms (yet). In the book, the author writes that childhood should not be fun. To my opinion, this is so sad!!!

ali: I think that we all have a bit of tiger mom in us! Love your dental hygiene comment...ah ah ah! And yes, I also loved her self-deprecation (is that a word in English???) humor.

isa: Wow, I love your sewing style. SSSSSSOOOOOOO pretty :)

shannah: I just purchased Simplicity Parenting. I will let you know what I think of the book soon! Thank you so much for the info :)

Are you a tiger mother?

As a response to my post about competitive mothers, a friend asked me if I knew the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Already too fed up with competitive mothers, she didn't want to read the book but since I'm new to the phenomenon I decided to give it a try.

As the cover suggests it, this book "...was supposed to be a story of how Chinese parents are better at raising kids than Western ones. But instead, it's about a bitter clash of cultures, a fleeting taste of glory...". I won't write a review except that, for your information, I found the book very entertaining. No, this post is about a few (highly debatable) questions that arose while reading it.

We all want the best for our kids and the way we raise them will impact the rest of their life. However, what is the best strategy? Amy Chua, the author of the book, presents many educational paradoxes between "East" and "West" that made me think about how I was going to raise Alice in the years to come.

Question 1
Should I force Alice to do things because I know that in the long run it will open doors for her or let her choose her own path?

A real tiger mom thinks that kids don't know what is good for them. Therefore, they should never question what they are told to do!

Question 2
Should I tell Alice that it is ok to fail as long as you tried your best or insist that she works even harder because I believe in her intellectual / physical capacities?

A real tiger mom doesn't accept failure. She will have her kid practice over and over again the same piano piece or mathematical problem until it reaches perfection (add tears and many "I hate you mother" in the process)!

Question 3
Should I tell Alice "white lies" in order to spare her self esteem or be honest with her at all time?

A real tiger mother will not tell, for example, her overweight daughter the she is beautiful. She will tell her that she is fat and that she should change her diet and exercise more!


So, are you a tiger mother? If not, do you have a favorite book that reflects your values regarding children education?

note: there is not much tiger blood in me!
note note: my first note is not a Charlie Sheen reference, ah!

* * * * *

courtney: I like your attitude :) (Yes. Bug off!)

verypurpleperson: Wow, this is great! I didn't know that in Southeast Asia women are expected to breastfeed until the child is 2 years old! Very interesting!

lola: I totally agree with you (if my babies were young enough to require milk or formula of some kind, it should be mine) and I also understand the want my body back thing.

lina: Tripp Trapp rocks! I didn't know that pregnancy hormones can effect the quality/quantity/taste of breast milk. There are so many things to learn about breastfeeding.

isa: This is what I would like to do (in the morning and before going to bed at night). Oh, you are from Montreal! Do you have a blog?

kara: Oh, the biting looks so scary! Thank you for the tip (a firm "no biting").

susanna n.: I'm just like you. I used to think that it was bizarre to breastfeeding a baby that can actually ask you for milk! Crazy how opinions can evolve!

ali: Ah! I don't know if Alice will be like your first kid (too busy living life to nurse).

kim u: Sorry, I'm French. What is a MIL? I'm very happy to get good feedback about the Tripp Trapp since it is a bit expensive.

jennifer: I'm pretty sure that you are not a minority. And even if you never breastfed Gaius, he is a cute, smart and healthy kid!

190.arch: Interesting point about cow milk. I will read more on the subject.

lin: OMG,I was so surprised with the 4 years average! I love to learn new cultural things like that!

genevieve: One word : wow :)

uk lass in us: Really? I didn't know that some babies refuse solid food after, I dunno, 6-7 months! Ah, so much stuff to consider.

daniela: Just like you, I hope to reach 6 months, hopefully 1 year and after I will see! Oh, so sad to learn that you have a boobies situation!

sew nancy: I totally know that I will also be sad to stop breastfeeding :(

kine: As long as you have a happy kid! This is what I find the most important. And I'm sure that German strawberries are super good!!!

yvonne: This is so sad when shit like that happens! I would have felt just like you! I will remember your exact words: a great nutritional insurance policy. Perfect explanation!

sid.: Oh, yeah, breastfeeding two kids at the same time must be something extremely intense!

anonymous: You are right dear (!), it is time to toughen up :)

shayna: Oh no! This is awful!!! I wanted to cry when I read your comment. Poor you! xox

Thoughts on breastfeeding - part 2

Yesterday, I had my first taste of locally grown strawberries of the season. While savoring my snack, I told Alice that one day I will introduce her to the world of sweet, delicate and juicy berries...not the sick looking stuff that you get at the grocery store in the middle of winter! I can't wait to sit Alice in her design classic Tripp Trapp high chair and start the messy business of "open your mouth, the plane is asking permission for landing"!

That said, it is not because I dream of homemade purees that I wish to put the boobs to rest. On the contrary, I would love to breastfeed Alice as long as possible. However, how long is possible or acceptable in our society?

Breastfeeding is an extremely simple act. Yet it is highly complicated and victim of numerous taboos. Family, friends and strangers (people with and without kids) all asked me for how long I was planning to breastfeed Alice. In respond to my unclear "as long as possible" answer, I got many subtly disapproving looks and some direct "but why"?

Generally people are all in favor of breastfeeding but as soon as the kid reaches a certain age (somewhere between 4 and 6 months) they don't find it that cute anymore!

According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, Health Canada and The World Health Organization, breast milk is all a baby needs for the first six months. It is also recommended that breastfeeding continue, after introducing solid food, for the first two years of a child’s life or as long as it feels right.

So, I'm curious, how long did you breastfeed your kid?

* * * * *

nadyne k.: For Alice? Um, yes sure. (it is totally for me...ah ah ah)

joeynomad: Oh no! I'm with you. Gastros are horrible!!!

kate / tinywarbler: I'm feeling better and I'm waiting for the second laugh.

one claire day: If is funny (yet a bit sad) that you freaked out Eulalie when she laughed for the first time.

clairsy: Thank you for the best wishes. It worked since I'm feeling fine :)

oscarlucinda: Yep, it was exhausting.

alyson: It was my first food poisoning and I honestly don't want to experience it a second time!

erica: My doula talked about frenectomy during our prenatal class. Just like you, she said that some doctors are unaware of the situation. I'm happy to know that things went well for you and your baby.

bugheart: Please, be very careful in Mexico! But I'm sure that you will be fine and having a good time :)

anonymous: Now I'm so good at taking care of Alice (breastfeeding) and having lunch at the same time. I just don't eat any soup or very hot stuff that could fall on her head.

all lit up: Oh no! Not a changing diaper war ;) I really like the image that you gave me (60's protester). Hopefully, things will get better very soon.

Little wonder

The weekend started with a new found hatred for shrimps. The little creatures were part of a (usually) delicious mix of pasta, tomatoes, artichokes, feta cheese and chili flakes. And yes, there is a link between shrimps and my baby.

The thing is, babies have a gift. They instinctively require attention as soon as their parents sit down to have dinner. This is when you start to eat your meal so fast that you barely take the time to taste it...the time to spit up the suspicious shrimp...the time to realize that food poisoning is just around the corner!

Food poisoning is bad. So food poisoning while breastfeeding a two months old baby is horrible! At one point, I'm pretty sure that I told Dan that I would prefer giving birth again (silly, silly me!) than living another hour of, well, you don't need the details. Just let me tell you that Alice was not impress with her cut short moments with the boobies! I can multi-task but there are limits ;)

Most of my weekend turned out to be gastrointestinal oriented until last night when Alice filled my heart with so much joy that my extreme dislike for the crustacean was gone in a second. Alice laughed. A pure, innocent, high pitch laugh that can only be done by a baby.

And I know that it is pretty silly but I was so happy that it was me (and not a stranger at the park) who made her laugh for the first time...simply by placing my lips on her tiny right sole and blowing just enough air to produce a fart noise!

Yes, a fart noise! How appropriate after a bad case of food poisoning...ah ah ah!!!

note: As long as the food poisoning symptoms are confined to the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps), breastfeeding can continue without interruption as there is no risk to the baby.

* * * * *

On a completely different subject, Alyson from the delightful blog Unruly Things asked me (and, thankfully, other people that are way more qualified than me to write on a design blog!!!) to be a guest blogger while she discovers her brand new baby boy. My "style dilemma" will be posted tomorrow (June 7th) and I would love to know your opinion on the subject!

* * * * *

lola: Oh, poor kid. If Alice is like me, she has a long life of rolling off, tripping, falling, etc. As long as it is not too serious!

vanessa-lynn david handbag co.: You already got your periods!?! Not cool! I got the UID Mirena. It is basically a very expensive (400$...good that we have insurance) tiny t-shaped thing with hormones in it. It comes in a BIG box that will scare you a lot. It is good for 4-5 years and you rarely have your periods during that time. Some people told me that it was very painful to have it installed (I asked my doctor, as a joke, for an epidural). According to my doctor, an ob-gyn (or a doctor that does a lot of contraception stuff) should do it without much pain (I didn't feel much). So far, I'm happy with the result and there are not that many options available anyway if you want to breastfeed.

j: As I wrote in the previous answer, I like my IUD. Well, since I got food poisoning, I didn't fully try all aspects of the product yet (ah!). For breastfeeding women, I think it is a good product. It is not for everybody (there are a few conditions) but so far, for me, it works. I did bleed a bit but nothing crazy. You can also read the comments that I got about the product from other bloggers: http://auxpetitsoiseaux.blogspot.com/2011/04/ignorant-claudia.html

bec hem: Breastfeeding is so nice. I still feel like a cow and I don't love to breastfeed in public places that much but I look at Alice's face and things get easy again. There are many resources available if you have problems breastfeeding so, please, don't hesitate to ask for help.

one claire day: I don't even want to think about the 4 months vaccinations!

bess callard: Ah, thank you so much! I can't wait to see you tomorrow :)

pauper: No, but I would love to make clothes for Alice. I'm working on a little kimono but I need to get a better fabric stash since it is, well, pretty much gone at the moment,

cal's mum: Mastitis is SO scary. I would be very upset if I had to stop breastfeeding now...not ready yet (for me and for Alice). So sad to know that you had mastitis. And I will go and read the symptoms again just to make sure that I know them. Take care.

cara carmina: Thank you so much :) Yes, I have a thing for squirrels.

erica: I also love when Alice looks up at me mid-feed. Oh no! Poor baby. I almost cried when Alice got her vaccinations...far from surgery! You are a strong strong woman. Is everything ok with your baby?

Thoughts on breastfeeding - part 1

Breastfeeding is, when I think about it, a pretty strange thing. Many times a day, I open my shirt, quickly expose a breast, guide my baby in the right direction and (drum roll please)... I provide enough milk to keep a little creature alive!

Until this week, my feelings regarding breastfeeding stopped there. It was something that I had to do in order to have an healthy and happy baby. I didn't really get the "breastfeeding is such a precious moment" thing. I simply felt like a prize winning milk cow and I was actually happy with that because I know that so many women struggle with breastfeeding.

However, the "breastfeeding is such a precious moment" thing hit me in the face Tuesday when we came back from the clinic. Alice just turned 2 months old and, as a birthday present (!), we decided (after much considerations) to have her vaccinated. Things went smoothly at the clinic (except that I was scared shitless to have my intrauterine device installed but this is another story) but, as soon as we got back home, Alice started to cry like she never did before.

Maybe it is my mother instinct but without realizing it I was lying on my side in bed, skin to skin with my feverish baby, rocking her gently with my left arm while breastfeeding. At that moment, I truly realized how precious and emotional breastfeeding can be. Alice slowly calmed down (the baby acetaminophen probably helped a bit!!!) and eventually she fell asleep with her little hand touching my chest. This was truly a magical moment for me.


* * * * *

luke and pamela: Oh, cool! I used to be part of a community garden. It is so much fun...especially with a baby on your back :)

ali: Well, there must be a lot of "limited" people...ah ah ah!!!

courtney: Thank you so much Courtney! So, are you going to re-open your blog...it was so good!

claire: Can I see the list please?

liz: Thank you for the link. Pretty strange things over there!!!

veronica darling: Ah! The joy of fusible interfacing (it was, however, a challenge on t-shirt material).

anneemall: Thank you so much :)

sofisan: And since it is an old t-shirt, the cushion is super soft. I really like it and it is eco-friendly.

daniela: Well, I also think that Alice's mom is kinda cool ;) ah ah ah!!!

oscarlucinda: Just taking time to read a "not baby" related book is pretty wonderful! Just 1-2 hours makes such a big difference (to my opinion anyway).

olena: I really like Alices' mom (!), it is just that it makes me a bit sad when during a day 99.9% of what I talked about is baby related.

su: I think that the old me is pretty happy to be back (part-time only)!!!

may: I don't really have tricks. I just take some time to do "me"stuff...like having a pedicure (aaahhhhh, love pedicures).

kate / tinywarbler: Thank you Kate. I was pretty please with the tea towel idea.

taryn: I agree! I'm totally devoted to Alice but sometimes it is good to think about other stuff. I find that I'm more relax when I come back to Alice after a little "mommy break".

jacinthe: ah ouin! Je dis pas non à une petite visite chez H&M.

asphalt and air: OMG, thank you so much for all the information! I'm actually pretty excited to go on holidays with Alice (and my husband and my dog)!

gayla: I'm actually working on a cute kimono for Alice :) Can't wait to finish it and take a few pictures.