Dear 4 months old Alice

Dear Alice,

Four months ago, when I looked into your big gray eyes for the first time, I didn't know what to expect. I could simply not believe that, during 10 months, you transformed inside me...from a minuscule dot on the first ultrasound at 6 weeks to a long and lean brunette at 39 weeks and 5 days.

So far, you made the beginning of this motherhood adventure a pure delight. It is a privilege to take care of you and I'm well aware that, until now, you have been an extremely easy baby with a wonderful personality.

Like most mothers, I'm in awe of each and every single one of your accomplishments: a smile, a stronger neck, a foot in your mouth, a belly laugh, an attempt to crawl, etc.

I profoundly cherish the quiet moments that we share together such as a morning stroll with the dog, an afternoon cuddle in bed or a relaxing evening bath.

I'm always moved to see that holding you against me and talking to you can make your frustrations go away in the blink of an eye. And your smiles, there are no words to tell you how much I appreciate them.

Oh, I can also be a bit creepy! I will confess that I can't stop staring at you...especially when you sleep. I love the calm movement of your little body as you breath.

However, one of the thing that I love the most is looking at you interacting with your daddy. When you two are sound asleep on a Saturday morning, when he uses the dog as a horse for you, when he struggles to attach all the snaps on your pj while your kick your little feet in the air but mostly when I see that you recognize him when he comes back home from a long day at work. His eyes lights up as he covers you with kisses.

So, after 4 months, I now know that when two people love each other very very very much they can create together the most amazing thing in the world and bring even more love into their lives...but, Alice, you are way too young for me to tell you about that kind of stuff ;)

Mom (wow, I'm a mom...your mother!!!)
xox

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PJ from the lovely blog Bunny and Dolly asked me to be a guest blogger while she takes some time to bond with her brand new little boy, Levi. If you want, as of today, you can take a look at my post "ready or not".

Have a wonderful weekend xox

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courtney: I try to enjoy each seasons but I simply can't control myself...I always want the next one!!! And at the country house, in two weeks, I will knit a fall hat for Alice. xox

taryn: You are totally right about the winter coat situation. The first month (April), we had a few cold days (not winter cold but I needed a coat) and I had a carrier over my jacket. It is ok...but it doesn't work with all jackets.

uk lass in us: Ah ah ah, you are so funny (kid face planted in the snow)! I can't wait to see that (um, bad mum moment)!

Cold weather cocoon

Season wise, I'm never totally happy! In winter, I daydream of sandals, ice cream cones and picnics at the park. So obviously, now that we had a few 40C (104F with humidity factor), I often think of wool sweaters, warm tea and afternoon walks surrounded by colorful fall foliage.

But how do cold seasons work with a baby? There are two issues: how will I keep Alice warm without making her sweat buckets and how do I transport her when the streets will be covered with snow (we don't have a car)?

Last winter, when I was pregnant, I was fascinated yet traumatized by numerous women pushing their stroller without much success after a snow storm. Their kids, paralyzed by too many layers of clothes, were often screaming their little lungs out. That normally a 5 minutes walk to the local bakery suddenly turns into a mom nightmare. Anyway!

Last evening, I received an online shopping epiphany: a carrier cover designed with !"#$%?&* Canadian seasons in mind (and on sale)! Alice will be so comfortable (and totally adorable) in her cold weather cocoon!

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lin: Thank you so much for telling me that there is actually a name for that condition!!! Sometimes, I take my shower and I honestly don't recall washing my hair but I know that I did because it smells like shampoo! Crazy!!!

marina: Thank you! I can't wait for Alice to fit in your criss cross reversible dress...that pattern is on my list :)

little gray pixel: Totally genius!

la franglaise: Ouin, pour le moment je ne rigole pas mais éventuallement, j'espère, je vais en rire (pour le moment je suis frustrée)!!! Ah, Paris, tu n'es donc pas une ville parfaite ;)

daniela: Really? Oh, I want to see a picture of the hat on Olivia.

uk lass in us: It is "good" that I'm not the only one with that stupid memory problem. I also do the "what did I come in this room for anyway" thing. This is bad!!!

peanut: You lived in the High Artic? So awesome! I worked up north for a few months and a lot of mothers were using amouti (didn't know it was the name, thank you!). I love it :)

marie christsine: Ah, t'es donc gentille m'tante Marie :) xox

baby poop chart: Ah, funny but totally true (you can never trust your baby's poop)!!!

Motherhood side effect

Maybe I'm the only one but now that I have a baby I, sometimes, experience some little memory problems! Nothing serious...just annoying enough for me to get pissed off when it happens.

Anyway, one of the great thing with having a motherhood blog is that I can "record" some information that could be useful in the future...much more reliable than a little post-it on the fridge!

A while ago, an awesome mama (allo Jacinthe!) showed me a pretty nice product: a fabric travel high chair. I know that Alice is too young to use it at the moment but since I can't fully trust my memory until I purchased the seat...well...the link is on my blog. To quote the manufacturer, "this super cute and always trendy seat will make your life so much easier and always get you noticed". I don't know about the last part but it would indeed make my life easier!!!

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lola: I'm also not a super big makeup+fashion person but I do love a cute little outfit. I don't know if Alice will be a "princess" but I will also go for the cheesy "you're a beautiful kind person on the inside and that's what matters".

lina: Thank you! My mom's house is pretty awesome :)

ali: Um, boys probably also have "issues"...I just don't know what?!?

oscarlucinda: Thank you so much! I hope that Alice will be a balanced girl...fingers crossed!

daniela: Glad to know that you also believe that balance is key. I'm sure that you will teach wonderful values to Olivia...to super cool mamas :)

kara: You rock! I'm all for traveling, volunteering and learning about other people...especially the not too much tv or facebook. You are my idol :)

lila: Thank you so much! What you said (you run the risk of them looking for that validation elsewhere) is super smart. Each child is different and I will do my best to make sure that Alice has a balance life.

kim u: I think that you are so right about the media setting up "wars" about mom stuff! We each have different approaches, as long as it works.

taryn: Thank you so much!!! I'm curious, what are the boys issues? I will tell my mom that you said that she has a beautiful home :)

one claire day: You are totally right and I love how you said it (more about their childlike innocence, the twinkle in their eye, the way their emotions are completely genuine). I love to find interesting (with a bit of controversy) articles! Thank you sssooo much for what you said about Alice but, must of the time, I don't know what I'm doing!!! Pretty scary when you think about it!!! Thank god that I can get inspiration from wonderful moms like you...you are doing such a great job with your daughter! xox

rita: This is where I grew up. It is a pretty cool house! I will try to find the book Cinderella Ate My Daughter. Thank you for the info. This is so cool that you don't have a TV! We have one but rarely watch it. I'm also worried about the princess culture. I also think that it’s up to the parents to make sure that little girls (and boys) get a balance life.

kate: I hope that you have a lovely pregnancy. The toy is from IKEA. Alice loves to play with it! Oh, your blog is Habibi. If I'm correct, this is "my love" in Arab, right? Take care :) http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70108177

ella: Oh Ella, I think that it is good to have strong opinions (also guilty). But I realized, now that I have Alice, that each babies are so different and what works for Alice might not work at all for other babies! Oh well, it makes talking with other moms much more interesting (love to learn new stuff)! xox

Little girls

Recently, an article titled How to Talk to Little Girls found its way to numerous motherhood blogs. Basically, it says that in a society were 25% of young women would rather win America's Next Top Model than the Nobel Peace Prize, people, when interacting with young girls, should not compliment them on their appearance. Instead, they should focus on more intellectual things...such as the conflicts in the Middle East (aahhh, me and sarcasm!!!).

I would be devastated if Alice would rather impress Tyra Banks instead of heading to Oslo to receive her Nobel Peace Prize! On a more realistic level, I would also be devastated to see a tween Alice wear mascara, eyeliner and lipstick to go to school (according to the article, 15% to 18% girls under 12 years old wear makeup regularly).

I won't do an article review. Actually, the article inspired me to write a little something about "parental gray area". How come every aspect of motherhood (and fatherhood) seems to be black or white? Pacifiers, diapers, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, etc., It seems to be 100% good or 100% bad....nothing in between! However, life is full of gray areas and finding the right balance is, to my opinion, key.

We do, as a society, put a lot of emphasis on beauty standards and it obviously has a drastic impact on the way that little girls perceive themselves. However, I don't think that lecturing a passerby who told Alice that she is as cute as a button will have changed the way that my daughter will grow up.

I think that, as a mother, it's my job to make sure that Alice receives the right balance of physical compliments and, as the author wrote, intelligent conversation that respects her brain.

So the next time I meet a little girl, I might ask her what her favorite book is but I might also compliment her on the lovely dress that she is wearing. Even better, I could do both!!!

note: pictures taken at my mom's house this weekend...Alice's first trip to the country!

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one claire day: I think that I should do a cat and dog photo session this week. I don't want them to think that they are not photogenic anymore ;)

anonymous (jRob): It is from...IKEA! http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70108177

courtney: But it is sssooo much fun to take baby pictures. They are sssooo cute!

ali: Ah, thank you Ali xox

astrid: I also can't wait to see your baby pictures.

tiffany: Wow, thank you so much Tiffany. I hope that you will take A LOT of baby pictures...soon soon soon :)

lila: I get pretty much all of Alice's clothes second hand. I'm always happy when I find something adorable and in perfect condition for 3$ - 7$.

shine little light*: ah ah ah, glad that you like them :)

kate / tinywarbler: I try not to take too many pictures that are humiliating...like her pooping face (oh, wait, I did that already!!!).

joanna goddard: Thank you so much!

Alice and Ro-bear

I used to take "not baby" pictures...but baby pictures are sssoooo much fun! Maybe I should take one "not baby" picture a week or something like that?!? Yes, I can do that!

Have a lovely weekend my friends xox

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jacinthe: Alice veut aller au Tex Mex!!!

bess callard: My mom told me that I didn't sleep like that at all! It looks pretty comfortable!

giselle: Ah, all babies are cute :)

taryn: Thank you!

Good morning

I woke up to find a sleeping kitten in the most unusual position.
I find it fascinating yet scary!

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lola: Good! I'm not the only one who freaked out by the "sleep on belly" thing. Thank you for the book title. Oh, I really don't get (I understand it but I don't get the point) of the Freudian thing!

one claire day: I had to control myself when I saw all the beautiful colors. The navy ones are superb and the mint green is so retro. Is Lalie ok (you said you were rushing to the doctor)? After a few days of belly rolling, Alice doesn't freak out anymore and I know that she can breath in that position. However, I can't wait for her to learn how to roll on her back!

j: Alice also does it in her sleep. Dan, as a joke, told me that he considered attaching Alice on her crib so that she can't go on her belly!!! Ah, husbands ;) Baby Houdini! Super cute mental image.

supergirl: I think that I will try, as you said, parent training!

ella: Oh yes, I remember this picture! I know Alice's poop face. However, it is always (like always) while I breastfeed her! So I don't know what to do about that!?! I still have to get her pee face. Happy to know that part-time EC works for you.

A stylish kido :)

A while ago, I came upon the blog One Claire Day. Claire lives in Australia with her family. She also has a dog that looks just like Brian, well, a clean version of Brian.

Claire has a little girl named Eulalie. She is pretty much a style icon! However, since bloomers would make my adult butt look rather big, I concluded that it would be wiser to draw inspiration from her style and adapt it to the way I dress Alice.

As I was reading her latest post, I saw the cutest pair of baby shoes ever. Claire told me they are from an Australian company called All About Heidi (and when I could not find them online, one of her lovely readers wrote me a comment telling me where I could get a pair).

I know that shoes are not necessarily the most useful item in a 3 months old baby's wardrobe...especially not when it is 35C (95F). This is why I ordered a 6-12 months old size. The handmade shoes are supposed to give good grip for crawlers while helping socks (!"#$%?&* socks) to stay on. Every shoe is adjustable by loosening the tie at the front and or the velcro. Perfect!


On a side note, Alice knows how to turn on her belly. The thing is, she doesn't know how to return on her back. Since her little 14 weeks old neck is not very strong yet, she eventually can't keep her head up and plopped her face on the mattress. FREAKING OUT MOM! How can she breath like that???

Also, when on her belly, she eventually starts to "cry" out of frustration. I roll her on her back and, ta-da, in less than 5 seconds she is back on her belly freaking out! Poor little bunny :(

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lola: I think that I will get a book. As you said, I can use some of the concepts for potty learning. What is the title of your book?

little gray pixel: Pee is always without warning for Alice...unless I don't "read" her properly.

taryn: This is so interesting. I love learning those kind of cultural stuff. How was life in China...especially pregnant? I would love to see a picture of the bum less pants.

kat - housewife confidential: So happy to know that EC is not an urban legend ;)

joeynomad: I didn't know about the musical poop device! I must google it because it looks super funny (not that I want one but just out of curiosity).

lina: Thank you! I didn't realized,when I wrote that post, that I would get many Freud references (I vaguely studied that a long time ago). Now, I must refresh my memory on his poop-sex-all the rest theories. Oh, where are you from? I don't have any access to your blog (if you have one). And please, don't be sorry for the long comment. It was super interesting :)

clairsy: Thank you so much for the link. Motherhood is full of "what to do" dilemmas. Well, it is part of the fun, right? I still don't know what to think of EC for Alice.......

daniela: Oh! Thank you for the links. Your comment came just in time since I'm going to a last yoga class tomorrow and I didn't know if I should talk about it with the teacher. And don't be sorry for the "long comment". Not to sound like a call centre message but your comments are important to me :) xox

kim u: Yes, it is interesting but not for everybody.

sarahvine: Hi Sarah, I'm a bit sad! I really want to know your opinion (and, omg, you are a doula...I love doulas!!!) and I don't want people to feel "not welcome" to write something on my blog. Learning from so many wonderful women is honestly such a privilege for me!!! So thank you thank you thank you for telling me your EC story. And yes, I'm having fun :) Take care.

Ignorant Claudia

When I was pregnant, Dan and I watched the film Babies. Later, while making our list of things to buy for the nursery, we added a dried corn cob. Why? Well, in the film, the Namibian mother cleans her baby's butt with a dried corn cob. Aside from the fact that Dan and I are immature (!), my point is that there are many ways to deal with the "joy" of baby poop and pee.

I will confess that, until 14 weeks ago, I had never changed a diaper. The concept slightly horrified me especially knowing that on certain (multiple) occasions I gagged while picking up my dog's poop on a hot summer day or trying to catch my long hair kitty cat to remove a piece of poop stuck to his tail (not cool)!

Anyway. It turned out that changing Alice's diapers is really not a big deal. I actually get satisfaction looking at a brand new diaper perfectly installed on Alice's little body (don't tell Dan but sometimes I re-adjust Alice's diaper after he changed her...yes, I'm a perfectionist freak)!

If the Namibian mother was next to me while I perfectly attached the "velcro" on Alice's diaper she might tell me: "How come Alice is not a diaper-less baby like Ponijao (the Namibian baby)? You should try elimination communication"!

Elimination communication is a toilet training practice (inspired by traditional practices of diaper-less baby care in less industrialized countries ) in which a caregiver uses timing, signals, cues, and intuition to address an infant's need to eliminate waste. Caregivers try to recognize and respond to babies' bodily needs and enable them to urinate and defecate in an appropriate place like a toilet (thank you Wikipedia).

However, if the Namibian mother was next to me I would probably ask her: "Really? Do you think it is realistic to try elimination communication in an industrialized country not really open to the concept of a 3 months old diaper-less baby?" I would also add in a sarcastic voice: "I can't wait to try that next Saturday during brunch!"

Dear blog friends, since I don't know the Namibian mother at all, may I ask for you opinion on the subject? Have you tried elimination communication or are you a believer in "traditional" toilet training?

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little gray pixel: As soon as I get it, I will let you know.

taryn: Yes, hopefully it will work!

one claire day: Ah, if only I could be Scandinavian ;)

fast times in münchen: THANK YOU!!! Because of you, I know a little girl who will get adorable shoes very soon!!! xox

The alternative!

Alice started to pull on my necklaces, with her tiny yet very strong hands, while I breastfeed her. Now that my necklaces are stored in my jewelry box (for an undetermined period of time), Alice found a new victim. In less than a week pretty much all my tops have deformed collar. And when she is not attached to my breast, she can spend hours drooling on whatever soft material she can get (especially when she is traveling in her Ergobaby).

I strongly believe that less is more but sometimes it is good to splurge a bit...especially when it can possibly solve a small grabbing/drooling situation. Consequently, Alice will soon be able to entertain herself with an adorable mommy necklace from the Finland based Etsy shop Koukku.

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woolandthebear: Wow, we are really sisters. You should find it in the states. It is not at all a Canadian product. Hope unicorn cake will have a perfectly normal skin (because normal can be good).

bess callard: It is 100% sure that Pharmaprix has it.

courtney, anne and oneeyedrabbit: Thank you so much :)

ella: Oh, "blip" yoga teacher!!! What you said totally make sense. I won't do this exercise anymore. Thank you for the info. And both your kids look super happy (from the pictures you post), with and without the mama baby classes!

We get it!

A burp cloth could be practical...but that would not be funny!!!
Have a lovely weekend my friends.
xox

I really love...

...Glaxal Base Moisturizing Cream.

Alice might sleep like her dad but, sadly for her, she probably inherited my sensitive skin. Poor little bunny has eczema on her face, knees and elbows.

Glaxal Base to the rescue!!! You won't find it in the baby section of the drugstore. It is actually in that remote area that screams "I have skin problems and I think that paying 50$ for moisturizing cream is wwwaaaaayyyyyyy too much".

When I self-diagnosed Alice with eczema (yeah, eczema and I are long time enemies) and told our new family doctor that I was using Glaxal Base to control the damage, he was amazed that I knew this "magical" product.

The cream is hypoallergenic, lanolin-free, non-greasy and it doesn't smell like a teenage girl on a Friday evening (perfume-free). It is also pretty inexpensive. Oh, and it works like a charm on Alice's delicate skin.

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190.arch: We are going to try aqua baby, with two friends+babies, in September. I hope it is going to be fun. Why didn't you have a good time with aqua baby?

a loopy life: You should try. It is crazy how fast babies learn stuff!!!

renae @ theredwren: I Love you is amazing...Alice doesn't burp much but, wow, that baby can fart!

one claire day: You are probably right but I can't help it at the moment! I love it when she does new things.

kara: Ooooohhhh, music baby and art class (especially with chocolate pudding)! I must investigate to see if we have that in Montreal. Thank you for the suggestion.

clairsy: It is so much fun to have mom friends. I made two mom friends at yoga class and in the fall we are all going to try aqua baby.

Alexandra Durão: I hope that Alice won't be snoring like her dad ;)

Yoga baby - part 2

As I filled the registration papers at the front desk, I told myself that yoga baby could just be another "take money from naive new mom" thing! Well, it tuned out that it is not entirely true...or false!

Yoga baby is a wonderful opportunity for Alice to connect with her body. For example, we did some exercises that were aimed to help her figure out how to turn on her side. The day after...surprise...my little lady was on her side! Yes, I know, this could simply be chance but I like to think that my 125$ investment has something to do with it!

Now, lets talk about my investment. Realistically, my baby and the baby next door, who doesn't go to a fancy studio every week, are both going to figure out how to be on their side, how to put their feet in their mouth, how to roll on their belly, etc. Yoga baby is something that I decided to do because I felt that socializing with other moms could be fun (it is the case)...and even better if Alice and I could benefit from it physically and mentally (it is also the case).

To conclude, I'm happy that I tried yoga baby (7 weeks session) but there are so many other fun activities that Alice and I can do together: salsa baby, aqua baby, baby massage, cardio baby, etc.

So, have you tried any of those baby + mom activities?


Starting at the top of the head, use both hands to outline the baby's body. Finish with the feet. Repeat the exercise but finish with the hands.

Bring the knees to the belly. Maintain the position a few seconds. Repeat a few times.

If possible, bring the toes in the baby's mouth. Maintain the position a few seconds. Repeat with the other set of toes.

Take both hands and slowly (and carefully), lift the baby in a upright position (sitting). If baby is not happy with this movement...well, ignore this exercise!!!

Take both feet and slowly (and carefully), lift the baby's body until desire state.

Just for your information, in yoga class, we did it all the way until the baby was completely upside down. However, some mothers looked freaked out and we don't do it anymore!

Baby is on the back. Take one ankle and slowly rotate the baby on the opposite side (like on the picture). If you feel like it, rotate until the baby is on the belly.

I - (L)ove - U : With you hand, trace "I" (purple), after a "L" (green) and finally "U" (blue) on the belly. It works magic for babies with little belly full of gas!!! Oh, work clockwise.

note: Always say : good girl/boy! you are doing a great job! woo hoo (using some sort of Homer Simpson voice)! Also add many kisses :)

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bess callard: I know!!! And the story is so freakin cute :)

giselle: I was scared the first class but not anymore. It is a very small group and the teacher is always there to make sure that everything is super safe (for mom and for baby).

woolandthebear, one claire day, ali, courtney, kate / tinywarbler: Thank you so much! You are so nice! xox

a 3 months old and her dad

Same old, same old and I love it!