You speak Frenglish

I come from a traditional Québec family. That means that I was raised speaking French. For your information, Québec is a Canadian province where people originated from France and not from England like the rest of Canada. In Montreal, most people speak or at least understand a bit of English. However, most of the country side is purely French.

I met Dan in highschool. We were 16 and it was in chemistry class. He was basically part of the only English family in the area. Ah, my lovely "maudit anglais" ("damn English"...you should also know that there is a bit of friction between "French Québécois" and "English Canadian").

Anyway, long story short, I ended up going to an awesome English college. To my parents' (they are both teachers) great dismay, Dan and I have been speaking Frenglish for the past 10 years!

People told us that the best way to raise a bilingual kid is to have one parent speak French (me) and the other English (Dan). Easier said than done! So far, we failed miserably!

When we go book shopping, things are getting ridiculous. For example, I love the Scaredy Squirrel books. Does this mean that if we get a book in English I would never be able to read it to Alice? So far, we got half of the books in English and the other half in French!

And I also want to take a Wee Hands class (sign language class: "Long before your baby can speak, she has the ability to understand speech & wants to communicate with you. Most babies are able to sign back to you by the time they are 8-12 months of age") and the class will probably be in English...but I'm supposed to communicate only in French with Alice!

And how does it work when we have visitors speaking only French or English? Suddenly, I (or Dan) will switch language? Ahhh!!!

Oh, and what about those cute animal Alphabet prints in English (well, the "R" works in both English and French)?

CONFUSING! Are any of you are raising bilingual kids? Is it working?

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kara: I don't think that I'm brave from writing about the subject! If it happens to me, well, it probably happens to other women. The thing is that people are shy to talk about sexuality so you can feel pretty lonely, especially after having a baby, if you are in that situation. Maybe with time, things will change...hopefully :)

courtney: But I'm badly intolerant to alcohol!!!

new duds: I'm going downtown this afternoon and I'm planning to get that book. It looks super interesting. Thank you for the info. And you are right, baby or not, sex funk can happen ;)

lina: I'm totally with you about the boob thing. Thank you so much for the video. It is so freakin funny. And Dan told me that they also have a TV show. Cool!

clairsy: As I wrote, my mom reads my blog. But my mom also knows that in order to make a baby, well, I needed to have sex in the first place so, you know, it is not a big secret!!! Good point about the second child = having sex ;)

lila: I also think that patience is key but how long will it takes?

sara: Je pense que beaucoup de femmes sont dans la même situation. Après tout, il y a quand même un bébé qui est passé par cet endroit! Ah, ta sage femme a bien raison. Ah, mais pourtant tu es super belle :)

taryn: Thank you! Well, no situation is perfect! You are very funny :)

bugheart: Each post-baby delivery is different. Maybe you will need a lot of actions in the bedroom...we never know!?! Thank you for the link.

peanut: Hi Shelley, as soon as I have some free time (probably tomorrow) I will send you an email. What you told me really touched me so I want to take the time to answer you properly. Take care xox

The challenge of getting back to business

If you read my blog, you know that I had a baby. You should also be well aware of the "normal procedure" required to get pregnant: sex, intercourse, love making, fornicating, the birds and the bees! Some of you might think that this post might be a little too personal but, again, I said that my blog would be honest and any subject can be discuss as long as it is done properly...especially since my mother reads my blog!

When I was pregnant, I often encountered local advertisements for informal group counsellings about post pregnancy sexuality. Every single time, I said to myself : "Really? You had a baby so obviously you know how it works! What kind of weirdos attend those activities?".

Tomorrow, Alice will be 5 months old and I now understand why such activities exist. It turns out that getting back to business can be pretty complex!

After I gave birth, I lost blood for approximately 6 weeks. I had a 2 weeks break and got my IUD installed. For your information, an IUD can also cause bleeding. In my case, it lasted exactly 1 month. I told Dan that if after 30 days I was still bleeding, I would get that glorified florist wire removed and he would get a vasectomy! The vasectomy never happened and I still have my IUD.

Alice was at the time 3 months old, her crib was (still) in our bedroom, we were (still) doing co-sleeping..and her vision was getting much better! Is it me or all those things are major mood killer? Add the fact that at the end of the day, the only thing I want to do is to get in bed...and sleep until Alice gets hungry at 5am.

On a less logistical aspect, when I became a mother, an intense emotional attachment with my baby was created. As wonderful as it is, this emotional attachment can also have a negative effect on the relationship (aka sexuality) of the "old couple" (high school sweethearts) that we are. Dan and I often jokes that dogs think one word at the time (food food food, play play play, sniff-butt sniff-butt sniff-butt). If I was a dog my constant thought would be Alice Alice Alice.

At the moment, I'm trying to find the right balance between our role as parents and our role as husband and wife (wow, that sounds so cheesy but what can I say).

This morning, I took a big breath and decided to write this post because I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one in that tricky situation. Having a baby requires a lot of adjustments and feeling guilty because I unintentionally neglect my (I will say it) sex life won't do me any good.

As they say, the first step is admitting that you have a problem. Now, what is the second step?

If you want to leave me a comment but are too shy (totally understandable) you are always welcome to write me an email at clo_wn@hotmail.com

UPDATE: Lina sent me this super funny video that is totally related to my problem!!!

note: Alice received this morning by the mail a super awesome wood rattle from future mama Tiffany. Thank you "sister", you are the best! xoxoxoxox

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shine little light*: Thank you so much!

one claire day: It was a surprise for me when I looked at my Google Reader that day :)

Lavender Lemonade

If like me your are stuck with a beautiful box full of dried lavender and you often ask yourself What the *blip* Am I going to do with that?, I have a lovely little recipe for you (and you will look all fancy serving lavender lemonade to your friends!).

Lavender Lemonade
2 table spoons dried lavender (or 1/2 cup fresh lavender)
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
4 cups cold water

Place the lavender into a pot and pour boiling water over it.
Cover with a lid and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
Strain out the lavender (the color won't be pretty).
Mix the sugar into the hot lavender water.
Squeeze the juice from the lemons into a pitcher with the cold water.
Add the lavender water and stir (the color will magically be pretty).

Enjoy!

If you have other recipes with dried lavender, please, let me know since my box is pretty big!

Bonus (!): A silly picture that we took at our friend's house last evening using her computer. Note that Alice regurgitated on the second picture!

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ali: I didn't know that you lived in Japan (jealous)!!!

barbara: Thank you. Sahsiko is so fun to do.

courtney: I'm pretty sure that Dan didn't do a background check to see if I knew how to do Sashiko before we got married...ah ah ah!

leslie: Another lucky lady who lived in Japan!

indigorchid: You should absolutely try.

daniela: Thank you. I noted: landing + breastfeeding = happy baby (and happy mom).

kim u: I would love to visit a craft store in Japan...wow wow wow!

kate / tinywarbler: Wait a few more weeks and you will have for sure a minute or two to be creative :)

bess callard: Thank you! We should talk, if you ever want some of Alice's stuff that we don't use anymore (too small).

claire: Oh, thank you. We had such a good time. Can't wait for our next vacation.

last day of may: It is such a lovely box. We also got it second hand. I know that it would be great to have another baby but I think that one kid is best for us. Take care :)

lindsey [homegrown spud]: Hi Lindsey and welcome to my little blog. Congratulations for your pregnancy. You should do whatever YOU want (tell the news or not). I'm also a very positive person (yet a lot sarcastic!) and I always try to focus on good things. Some days are a bit difficult (hello teething) and each babies and families are different but with the right attitude, things are always much better. Now I must take a look at your blog. Take care!

Sashiko

During our vacation, when Alice was sleeping, I discovered the fine art of Sashiko embroidery. I was looking for a no-brainer activity for those quiet evenings at the country house and Purl Soho had the perfect craft idea for me. I purchased a little kit a few weeks ago and read their Sashiko tutorial approximately ten minutes before we started our road trip.

From what I understand, Sashiko embroidery is from Japan (of course!) and passed down from generation to generation. I read that this skill would also be used to judge a woman's suitability for marriage, ah! It is generally done in white cotton thread on navy blue fabric. Since I'm a bit rebellious, I used white and pale blue thread (but you can't really see it on the pictures).

Have you ever tried Sashiko embroidery?

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jamie: As I told you earlier this week : peadpod tents rock :)

taryn: The first day or two were difficult since I wanted to do certain activities but I knew that Alice would not be happy there (too long and not kid friendly). As you said, I will be fully ready for the next trip.

daniela: Alice doesn't have a pacifier but I think that this could have helped her with the ear-popping incident. We tried to find a drugstore or a grocery store on our way but nothing! What did you do with Olivia during the airplane trip?

sara-ananda: Parfait :)

Alice in Charlevoix - part 2

Our first family vacation started with the unexpected return of aunt flow. I knew this day would come sooner than later since Alice has been sleeping through the night (6-8 hours) for the past 3 months. Luckily, my IUD took care of it in less than 48 hours! *sigh*

Going on a 8 day trip with a young baby was a bit of an adaptation for me. Alice was, as usual, delightful to live with but, like every baby, she needs a clean diaper, a full belly, a few restful naps and a lot of entertainment.

Things went pretty smoothly as soon as we accepted that some activities would have to be put on hold for the moment. For exemple, I believe that a fancy terroir restaurant might not be a good setting for a 4 1/2 months old baby and that hiking in a land of black flies and mosquitoes could be pretty harmful for a little one's delicate skin.

So we decided to simply enjoy our stay at the country house and make sure that this first family vacation was full of good memories and not full of failed expectations. We played board games, tried the BBQ many times, used the spa as much as we could, read on the porch, roasted marshmallows and went for lovely walks. Alice was all smiles during the entire time except when we started the two hours drive in the mountains. The poor thing was pulling her ears with her little fingers and screaming every time we would go up or down a hill. As a new mother, it took me a while to figure out that it was the ear-popping sensation that was causing her such discomfort.

Oh, we almost had to call 911 when our rented car got stuck on a very remote "road". We were looking for a "non-touristic" beach when we decided that it was realistic to drive over those big rocks. Is there something more disgusting than the noise of rocks smashing the metal parts underneath a car?!? We made it but it implied a lot of sweat, insects bites and dirty hands from pulling rocks manually out of the way! We never found the beach. Maybe next year!

Now, I would like to show you my top 5 items to bring on a country vacation with a baby:

Bummis Swimmi
PeaPod Tent
Ergo Baby Carrier
Perlimpinpin Organic Nap Sac
Pronto Changing Station
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anneemall: Thank you so much!

the franglaise: Merci beaucoup! We also have a beige one but for a strange reason, it is too big (even if it it the same size as the red one)!?! We had such a good time taking silly pictures with Alice (and the dog). xox

sara: Merci Sara. Il faudrait bien prendre un autre café et discuter livre de photos. Oh, as-tu facebook (oui oui, le Hot Mama Club a une page facebook)?

one claire day: I know, I freak out whenever you put a picture of Dottie on your blog ;) The "big mouth" picture is pretty funny (well, I look like s**t but it was so freakin early in the morning). xox

celia: OMG, thank you so much for that awesome comment. It is super interesting to read about all the phases. I must admit that I would love to go to your place during the "baby dance party" :) And, I almost cried when I read the part about the choking-puking incident. That must be terrible for you to see your adorable baby girl like that. You are an incredible mother and you are doing such a great job. You totally rock. xox

courtney: You should go on family vacation. It is really not that complicated. The country house is a pretty good option with kids...especially when there is a spa ;) xox

shine little light*: Thank you. I needed to get a new swimsuit that could fit my new...um...full of milk boobs! And baby swimming class starts in September.

lila: We played Uno like crazy since it doesn't take forever to finish it. It is perfect when you have a baby...and Alice had a lot of fun with her card (the one with nothing on it!).

luke and pamela: Thank you so much :)

Alice in Charlevoix - part 1

Going on vacation with a baby is, by itself, an adventure. Your traveling schedule might change completely, your sleeping routine might become inexistent (my eyes on the 3rd picture says it all!), your desire to accomplish certain activities might vanish but in the end, you realize that going on vacation with a baby just opened the door to a multitude of delightful moments full of belly laughs, drooling smiles, warm cuddles and quiet times...well deserved quiet time!

See you next week

Our small family, minus the cat who stays at a friend's house, is going on vacations for a week. It will be Alice's first long car trip (5 hours + little "boobies time" breaks). We rented a cottage in the country (with an outdoor hot tub...oh yeah!!!) and are planning to just take it easy: crafts, BBQ, board games, good books, hammock, walks, picnics...you get the picture.

I have many post ideas and little giveaways...but first things first: vacations!

See you next week and xox

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~mama e: So true. Some people forget that having children requires sacrifices and it brings big responsibilities. Babies are not just cute little creatures. They have needs and it is our job, as parents, to take care of them. Thank you for all the book tips :)

clairsy: Blurb is so much fun. Creating the design is always pure joy for me! The quality is pretty good (well, I only ordered one book) and the price reasonable.

One Year, 39 Weeks and Five Days

Like for most mothers, the arrival of a brand new baby implies the beginning of a never ending collection of pictures. I can't explain it but, in my case, it is visceral!

But, I asked myself, what to do with those adorable portraits?
Simple, you make another* Blurb book :)

As the title implies it, the book will focus on my pregnancy (39 weeks and 5 days) and Alice's first year with us. There won't be much text (only a few dates and my birth story) but I hope that, as the expression suggests it, a picture is worth a thousand words.

* A few years ago, I made a Blurb book with 100 of my favorite pictures from my first 365 photo challenge.

* * * * *

tassy: There is a baby Whisperer Book?!? This technique looks pretty good. I love what you wrote about :"You will leave but you will always come back. They trust you. So they go to sleep". Knowing that my baby would not trust me anymore would break my heart!

little gray pixel: CIO is such an interesting subject. I never got comments that were that generous before. You are so right. There is no "ONLY and BEST method" since each baby is different. For my friend, as you said, it will work with practice. Um, this situation is a lose-lose situation: let the baby cry or don't let the baby cry. Yes, people can be a bit judgmental...even if they are doing that to "help" you! Take care xox

lina: Alice didn't have colic but, OMG, you have no idea how much I admire mothers (and fathers) who had to deal with colicky babies. It must be horrible to feel so powerless while your baby is crying...every evening. You rock Lina :)

j: I didn't know Ask Moxie. I will look at it now. I can't wait to read about the tension releaser vs. tension increaser. It sounds very interesting. There is a difference, I think, between a bit of crying and true CIO method. Anyway, you know your baby and what is best for your situation. What is your bedtime routine? So, you are going back to work soon...enjoy every moments until you go back teaching.

peanut: Thank you so much for the story. It is very interesting! I'm so happy that you enjoy my blog. I always try to be honest and positive at the same time. Not always easy but so far so good. Are you doing any special treatment to have a baby? You don't have to answer me if you don't want to talk about it. One of my good friend is in that difficult situation. Take care.

~mama e: I think that I'm also turning into a baby book freak. I really love to read about that subject (especially cultural stuff). The teething necklace is good since it is small enough for Alice to keep it in her mouth or play with it using her little fingers. I just have to be careful if I use it when Alice is in the Ergo. If she falls asleep, she gets it in the forehead and, well, not cool for her ;) xox

courtney: Already 11 months? Wow, crazy how time flies!!! If I can ask, you must be pretty tired going to work and having cut nights. You are truly a super hot mama :)

daniela: Oh, you have a sleep routine. We don't really have one at the moment. Alice normally sleeps at 8:30 and I feed her one last time at 10:00 but I know that some babies go to bed at 7:00 and I don't know how to do that. I think that if books are stressing you, well, go easy with them. Too much information can be pretty bad! Good luck and take care xox

melissa: I'm getting an amazing book list. Maybe I should start a "baby book" book club! That could actually be cool. Anyway. Oh, 1:30am! This must be pretty difficult for you and your husband. How did it go? A sleep plan (I must read about that)?

joeynomad: Thank you! I'm so happy that, for the moment, Alice is a super sleeper. But things might change and I hope that I will never have to try the CIO method.

pj: Yes, the next meeting is tomorrow. Take a plane right now...we are waiting for you ;) I love the "The Happiest Baby on the Block" (well, I have the DVD since I didn't know that it was a book in the first place). Wow, 4 weeks already!?!

maya: You can do it hot mama!!! xox

Anonymous: You are so right. I'm very happy to do the African way (it works for us) because, as you said, time will go by so quickly. It is more demanding but, oh, so much better!

Channelling Africa - part 3

Previously on Aux Petits Oiseaux : Part 1 and Part 2

A message from a hot mama:

Hi! I'm the hot mama member who had experienced the CIO technique this week with my 5 month old! First I wanna thank u all for the suggestions, support and stories!

We decided it was time for the Marquise (as we call her) to do her nights in her own bedroom because she was already usually sleeping for 10 hours straight + my BF is on parental leave for the next 3 weeks before starting school and work again! The main reason we thought of the CIO was because since we had big heat in Montreal...the Marquise wouldn't go to sleep unless I breastfeed her over the crib...yeah yeah I was bending over the crib with my nipple in her mouth for few minutes until I would take it out and I would have to do it 4 to 5 times before it worked!!!

However...so we decided that it was time to stop that bad habit...and have done the CIO the first night...our hearts were so broken we have now change the way we deal with it. The Marquise still needs to learn to sleep in her room alone...but we have install the same sheets she had in her bassinet in our room and I have left one of my breast pad next to her so she still have the same smells around her. Also, we go see her every time she wakes up during the night...which happens 3 to 4 times a night now (compared to maybe 1). No need to say we are exhausted but I think in this case we need to stay strong because I would not be able to deal with this alone when BF is going back to school and work in September! It sure is a big change but it has to be done at some point and for us, its now or...lol never!

Again! Thank u for not judging :)

Channelling Africa - part 2

Previously on Aux Petits Oiseaux : Part 1

Once a week, a friend from prenatal/posnatal yoga class and I hang out at a bakery. Last week, we decided to each invite another new mom and create the Super Hot Mama Club (it's not really a club...especially with a name like that). This get together is a privileged moment where we can vent about baby stuff and eat delicious croissants while breastfeeding and changing diapers.

At one point, we talked about the pressure, from family and friends, to practice the Cry It Out (CIO) method. When Alice was 3 months old, I was with my mother-in-law when Alice fussed a bit in her bassinet. I responded immediately and soothed her with great success. Then, my mother-in-law told me: "Don't ask yourself why Alice doesn't cry. You don't ever let her cry". This could have been a compliment but the tone in her voice implied otherwise.

At first, Part 2 of this post was supposed to be about why I don't prone the CIO method. I wanted to tell you that channeling Africa really works since I can count on my two hands the number of time that Alice cried (for more then two minutes) over the past four months. Well, I can quickly tell you that in order to do so, you basically need paid leave from work, serious support from your family and friends, understanding the importance of breastfeeding and meeting your child's needs even before crying occurs...so pretty difficult to do in most Western societies where you have to go back to work asap!

However, last night, I received a phone call from a "member" of the Super Hot Mama Club that made me truly realized that each family dynamic is different and that channeling Africa is maybe not the ultimate answer to a cry free baby...and a happy mother!

For that Super Hot Mama, bed time is a challenge. Her five months old daughter, cute as a button, made the sleeping routine physically and psychologically difficult. Honestly, for her, channeling Africa is not the solution. Offering the breast when her baby is upset is counterproductive since she wants to get rid of the "nurse my baby to sleep" situation.

When I hung up the phone, I knew that the next few nights would bring its share of anxiety for her daughter but I was mostly worried for my friend...how her mother's heart must be crushed while listening to her daughter's cries from a distance.

Do you have any suggestions? Did this situation happen to you? How did you manage?

* * * * *

vanessa - lynn david handbag co.: I don't know why people are always saying stuff that is going against maternal instinct. It is driving me crazy!!!

emily: I simply can't do it...maybe when she will be a toddler but not at the moment.

lara kasabian: I'm with you, cry = there is a problem. Since I have a year paid maternity leave, I can take the time to listen to my baby and help her even before she starts to cry. So happy to live in Quebec (my part of Canada). No problem with your English (it is very good), you know, I'm French. Take care xox

uk lass in us: Well, some people use CIO for other moments. Not my cup of tea but sometimes you maybe have to take drastic measures!?! Oh, are you talking about the 5-10-15 sleeping method?

lila: I never did CIO. It looks cruel (for the entire family) but maybe you have to do it for certain situations (ex: baby sleeps in its room alone)!?!

zel: Africa rocks :)

giselle: Really? Good to know that from somebody actually living in Africa!

kara: Wow, we must be sisters ;) We are doing the same mama stuff! Let me know what happen with 2-3 years old kid fits. I should get some Dr Sears books at the library. Take care xox

taryn: I also love "read your baby, not the books". And yes, mother's intuition rules.

~e: Thank you so much Erica. I actually started to read baby books after I gave birth. More a curious thing than a "I don't know what to do" thing. I also don't like labeling parenting but I like the attachment parent theory. I took what felt good for us. I loved The Happiest Baby On the Block (the only one I had while I was pregnant). I don't know the other book...to google now! Thank you again xox

anonymous: I got the fabric via Purl Soho a few years ago to make that dress. I didn't see that fabric available online in a while. For cute fabric in Montreal (but not Nani Iro) there is l'Effiloché on St-Hubert street (bad service but good selection) and I recently read about a great place in NDG but I don't remember the name (pretty pointless sorry).

Channelling Africa - part 1

First of all, I'm aware that this post could also be titled "You don't know what you are talking about !"#$%?&*" or "You !"#$%?&* are such a pretentious mother". My point is that you are about to read my most...um..."controversial" posts (there are 2 parts)!

When I was in my last trimester, I read an article titled Why African Babies Don't Cry. The author, who grew up in Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire, was describing her quest to figure out why African babies are said to cry less than European and American babies.

Her first observation was that African babies are literally cocooned from the stresses of the outside world. They are well wrapped up before being carried or strapped onto their mother.

However, after she gave birth, her grand-mother told her the following:
Offer the breast every single moment that your baby is upset
Co-sleep
Drink water to keep you hydrated and the milk flowing
Make feeding your priority
(and my favorite) Read your baby, not the books. Breastfeeding is not linear – it goes up and down and also in circles. You are the expert on your baby’s needs.

If you read my blog, you might know that until I gave birth, I had pretty much no contact with babies. Consequently, I had no idea if this "African theory" made sense or not. So I read Dangers of Leaving Baby to Cry It Out (CIO) and the debate about how to respond to a baby’s cries : the “cry it out” method versus the “attachment parents” method (respond immediately to crying baby and attempt to soothe her using various methods).

The article also presents cross-cultural studies that show that parents in non-Western societies are quicker to respond to their crying babies. For exemple, !Kung people respond within ten seconds over 90% of the time during the baby’s first three months, and over 80% of the time at one year. In contrast, American caregivers have been found to be deliberately unresponsive to an infant’s cries almost 50% of the time during the baby’s first three months.

When we came home from the hospital, I didn't really know how to respond to Alice’s cries. This is when, out of the blue, I decided that channeling Africa would be the way!

My next post will explain how this method worked for us so far, how difficult it is to incorporate it in Western societies and how my part of Canada (Québec) makes channeling Africa possible for new mothers.

* * * * *

lara kasabian: Hello vintage treasure hunter friend :) Wow, a crib is such an awesome piece of furniture to find in the "trash". I love that you called it the crib of luck! Take care xox

lin: I'm planning to eventually do a photo "home tour" but I have a hard time taking proper pictures. Oh, bedbugs are the most evil type of bugs. Very (VERY) difficult to kill. You don't want bedbugs !

sophie: Merci beaucoup Sophie. Tu peux trouver le tissu (qui est présentement en solde!!!) online via purl soho. Il est encore plus beau que sur le site web. J'adore ramasser des objects abandonnés mais je reste prudente car c'est terriblement difficile (et $$$) de se débarasser des punaises de lit. Je suis très heureuse de savoir que tu aimes mon blog. xox

su: The fabric is very pretty and most of all...on sale! The staple gun is so intense!

clairsy: Thank you so much!

leslie: Yes, the car seat is pretty black/white ;) Gray areas are a bit more complicated but they make much more sense since babies/mothers/families are all different.

Don't let the bedbugs bite

They say that somebody's trash is someone else's treasure. I totally agree! Most of our stuff is second hand from thrift stores or websites similar to craigslist. However, finding a "treasure" in the trash (for free!!!) is the Holy Grail of consumerism.

Sadly, like in most cities, Montreal has a problem with bedbugs. We are always careful and only select items that are "safe" but, last week, I saw an "unsafe" item next to a garbage bin at the public market (I know, why would you bring a piece of furniture there?) and after much considerations I took it with me. Don't worry, we are not infested with evil little creatures but you should have seen me: Alice sleeping in her stroller, Brian attached to my wrist with his leash and me kicking the top of the little stool with my foot to remove the suspicious fabric cushion (I only kept the metal part). I probably looked like a mad woman but upholstery was on my craft to do list for years. This was finally my chance!

There are many (re)upholstery tutorials available online and the material that we needed was easy to find (fabric store and hardware store). It was a simple and fun little project...especially without the bedbugs! The only thing is that I screamed pretty much every time we used the staple gun. It is not called a "gun" for nothing.

Total budget for this project: 10$
(note: it is good to know a friend that owns a staple gun)

* * * * *

marie christine: Ah, merci Marie! Et Alice était avec toi le jour de ses 4 mois.

anne: J'aime bien écrire des trucs "sentimentals"...je dois retenir de ma mère!

ulla v.: Thank you Ulla. I hope that you are right and that it will always be fabulous.

pj: Already 4 months. I almost cried that day!!!

one claire day: Thank you so much Claire.

joeynomad: Oh, I didn't want to make anybody cry ;)

emily: I'm just like you. It is so lovely to look at babies sleep.

daniela: Big hugs and kisses to you and your lovely baby from Canada.