I blinked

Today I blinked and all of a sudden, my baby grew up. I took this photo and when I hit the button to review it, I was stunned at how big and strong and what a little person she's become!

She is 14 almost 15 weeks old... the fastest 4 months of my life!
Remember when she couldn't see more than a foot in front of her face? Remember when she couldn't hold her own head up? Remember when she was mute and had no control of her adorable smiles? Remember when we brought home that lime green sitter chair not that many weeks ago and she couldn't hold herself up in it? I don't ever want to forget these things as time keeps flying by!
What a beautiful, grown up Lady-baby you are becoming, Rowen!
P.S. Remind me to tell you about our Family Date Night adventure to the Drive-in Movies last night!

Kitty at my foot...

Baxter and Rowen, two of the biggest loves of my life!!

I believe I've mentioned before that Rowen has "finger toes". She's starting to explore with her feet as much as she does with her hands, it's so adorable we can forget how mildly creepy it can be at times. Like... when you wake up to your baby stroking you with her toes, that is creepy but SO DARN CUTE.

Kitty at my foot....

and I wannnnna touch it!

Meow meow meow-meow MEOW-MEOW!

"Momma singing this silly song is making me giggle! Touching the kitty is so fun!"

Random oldie and a hat pic

Just had to pop in and share this photo. Holy cripes when I think that the Rowen Baby cannot possibly get any cuter, she allows me to put my hat on her little head and makes adorable faces while we take photos!

Randomly found this on the computer. I baked peanut butter chocolate heart cookies for Valentine's Day last year. Fast forward a year later and we had a Valentine's BABY. Man oh man. p.s. This photo also makes me miss our old loft.

Momma's first night out

Rowen and I had a busy weekend! Lowell was working all day Saturday, so he dropped us off at the mall when he headed out. Rowen and I shopped a bit (new hairclips!) and then walked home together in the hot hot sun. Then we strapped ourselves into the Ergo and headed to the park and met up with Uncle Bert and Aunt Nat and their friends. We got some snacks from Fresh on the way home and then Rowen and I got cleaned up for our evenings. Lowell and Rowen had their first night in together without me and Momma had her first night out in MONTHS!

It was a good good friend's "Bacherlorette of sorts" and I tried my best to not stress about the Baby and trust her Daddy. I only called once and texted maybe.....6 times? And I had my first drink in almost a year!! It was a lovely time but around midnight, my boobs sprung a leak and it was time for Momma to head home!

Knuckles are so tasty!

Eating her hand at 12 weeks in the belly

Eating her hand at 20 weeks in the belly

Eating her hand at 13 weeks outside the belly Knuckles are so tasty. Rowen doesn't like pacifiers or sucking on her thumbs. Must be knuckles or occasionally the back of her hand. She's been nomming on her hand for months, since the first time we started spying on her but it's certainly cuter to see it in person. She was pre-occupied with all the new surroundings when she first arrived but recently, she rediscovered her hand friends.

E-V-O-O on the Ro-Baby

Rowen had a Doctor's appointment yesterday to check out the red patches on her arms and legs. Poor girl has very dry skin and I was afraid it was turning into eczema. She doesn't seem uncomfortable or bothered so we're to just keep going with the moisturizing constantly. I've tried a few different baby moisturizers... does it seem strange to anyone else that "alcohol" is an ingrediant in most bottles lotions? So I started using her all-natural olive oil based bum balm... and then just straight olive oil! I put olive oil in her bath water a few nights ago, just on a whim and according to the Doc, this is A-Ok! It makes for a very, very slippery baby though.

The baby in the bathroom mirror met us at the Doc's Office. Rowen was pleased to see her friend there!

Oh! And our little baby tank weights 15lbs 1oz now! My stomach may be flopjibbily still but my arms are starting to look good carrying this amazing ever growing bebe around!

#1 Kitty and #1 Baby

I'm pretty sure they're both thinking "You're different from the other humans...."
Bax is adjusting to life sharing the number one favorite spot with Rowen Baby. He likes to head butt her feet.
I can't believe I forgot to this when I first wrote this post earlier. Today, Rowen is 3 months old!! 3 months already! I know everyone told us how quickly time would fly by, but we had no idea... I marvel at how strong she is! She was always a big long baby, but now I swear she's the strongest baby in the world.
I tried swaddling her in her swaddle blankets they other day and she grinned as if to say "Nice try, Momma", kicked her legs and busted the thing open.
Happy 3 Months Rowen Baby!

our first Momma's Day

I woke up to this and a sack of Lush stuff waiting for me on the coffee table this morning:

Lowell wanted to take me out to Breakfast/Brunch... Perhaps Dim Sum or Easy? Anywhere! It was my choice. I chose McDonald's, bahaha. I abused my powers. I figured we can go for dim sum or regular breakfasts anytime and since Lowell dislikes McDonald's and we never go there. The last time I convinced him to eat Dirty McDonald's breakfast with me was when I was pregnant and we were braving the mall on Boxing Day. Bahahaha... I pretty much constantly crave Sausage Egg McMuffins but rarely do I succumb. Only on special occasions apparently.

We were there during breakfast-to-lunch switchover and I contemplated getting some McNuggets too.
Next, since Rowen was snoozing happily in her stroller, we headed to Clafouti. The next stop on my food trek. We got there and plain croissants and pain au chocolat AND cinnamon brown sugar croissants were sold out. All my favourites! Actually, they were just sold out of everything.
So we headed to Dlish for Cupcakes. I chose to get a Red Velvet and a Dark Chocolate. They didn't survive the trip home though.... wah.

They were smushed but still very delicious!
We also hung out in the park for a bit.

Rowen seemed the most interested in checking out the grass and cement on the ground than anything else. She makes the best faces when the breeze gets her and her little Ro-hawk wafts in the wind. I can't wait to take her to the park this summer!
When we got home, I took a long shower will Lowell hung out with Rowen Baby. Lowell and Rowen had gotten me a bunch of my favourite stuff from Lush and I decided to break out a chunk of my most favourite Lush soap that got discontinued. Bathing in I Should CoCo and using Big and American Dream in my hair made the bathroom smell like my early 20's. Serious smell-flashbacks!
It was a lovely Sunday afternoon and first Mother's Day.

I love Rowen Baby so much and want to cuddle her and squidge her face every day for the rest of her life!
Oh! And just before this, I was scrolling around my posts page and realized that I never published our Easter entry! So HERE it is! Cute photos of Rowen as the Esster bun-bun, right this way!

Mama Day!

My first Mother's Day! (But hey, not to discount all my past "Cat Momma's Days, they were all great too!) Last year, we didn't even know about the Rowen Baby yet... my how things change in a year. Some days, I'm still in awe that I'm a Mother to this adorable little human. How cool is that?? I can't imagine my life without Rowen, she is just everything. I can't believe she is 3 months old already tomorrow! I can't wait for the next new magical thing she surprises us by doing. Every cliché about a Mother's Love continues to be true. I love you, Rowen Baby! And I love my Momma, even if we've had our troubles I couldn't have survived the adventure that was the first few weeks of Mommahood without her here with me.
Now I am off to take a shower with my new Lush things and then see what else we get up to today.
Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers, Pet Mommas and Mother-figures and Mothers to be!!

Rowen in the window

Miss Baby Rowen has a hang in her new bumbo seat and watches Daddy as he waits for the streetcar.

She can now handle a few minutes on her own in the seat before floppy baby bobblehead kicks in and she needs rescuing!

Of course...we know she can't actually see that far yet.

But it was still cute to send this photo to Lowell's phone while he was still out there.

Photos: All Aboard the bandwagon!

These were taken on my Samsung Galaxy X using that hip hipster photo app... Life lately observed by Mr. Android:

Stroller Envy... and other baby items I want or thought I wanted.

More things that I wish I had known about...merchandise edition.
There are so so SO many things to decide upon when you're about to have a baby. Some things are not as important, i.e. "Hmmm what colours of these teeny washclothes should I pick for my registry?" and some are huge. i.e. my first huge decision: Midwife vs. GP vs. Ob/Gyn And some decisions that fall somewhere in between.
Here are a few more random "things I wish I had known" I thought that I'd share.
Cloth Diapers vs disposable
I had this grand idea that I would save a bunch of money and go with a handy cloth diaper system and "occasionally" incorporate disposables for going out and such. I spent WEEKS researching different brands, different services and stores and then committed to putting a kit on our "fancy store" registry. The week before Rowen was born, we ordered the kit. After the baby arrived though, I realized that even though the system was simple enough, I just did not have time to do the upkeep. I WISH I could have committed to it, I really do! But... disposables just turned out to be so much easier. SO MUCH EASIER... and those first few days and weeks at home with a newborn are hard enough, we just needed to do what we could to simplify.
It's like how my Momma friend Jenn recommended that we should NOT keep any formula in the house, so that you would commit to breastfeeding even if any issues came up. If it's in the house, you'll be tempted to use it when you're sore, frazzled and sleepless.
Some good did come of the cloth diapering experience though. We were introduced to a beautiful olive oil based diaper cream that is AMAZING. It's 100% natural, smells great and just felt so much nicer to apply to baby's delicate newborn skin. She had developed a mild diaper rash and this stuff cleared it up and it was so much easier to apply than the classic thick, sticky, zinc oxide creams or oily, non-medicinal synthetic stuffs we stocked up on before she was born. I recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm to everyone!!! It's so awesome!!!
Baby Bathtub

WE DID NOT LIKE THE PUJ. Okay, so to be clear. I am not bashing this tub... it's pretty cool and I know so many people who loved it. I did my nerd research and lusted after this thing. But it certainly was not useful for our 9lb longbaby. Living in a tiny condo, any sort of space saving idea was welcome and this thing is some sorta space age foam and folds flat and hangs up out of the way. It was great in that sense.... but not for us in every other way. By the time we put baby in the tub, there was no room for any water and she was so long that she kept kicking the thing open. Bathtime turned into a stressful experience - water leaking out, baby getting cold, baby falling into the sink, Mommy yelling at Daddy... just a bad scene!
We wound up going with a basic plastic basin baby tub that fits neatly in our kitchen sink and it keeps baby submerged properly and I can manage to bather her alone. Most importantly, she LOOOOVES her baths now and everyone is happy.
Stroller envy
The very first thing I spent time doing my nerd research on was our stroller. I absolutely love our Maxi-Cosi infant carrier, it was perfect. But the stroller portion turned out to not be as lightweight and maneuverable as I would have liked. Living on Queen Street, I started noticing all the other Moms (and occasional hipster Dad) with these sleek, modular things. I feel like such a little kid experiencing what I have come to refer to as STROLLER ENVY. It started off innocently enough and then turned into a full-blown obsession. My name is Zoe and I have the Stroller Envy.
But Holy Jebus, these sleek little things are expensive. I've been dabbling with the idea of picking up a second-hand Bugaboo or Uppababy as my Momma friends who have these have endorsed them as being worth the money. I've been watching videos online and okay, yeah, these things with their flippy compact seats, easy to adjust handle and zippy shock-absorbing tired look amazing. There are features that I never even thought about wanting... things like a reversible handle (the thought of not being able to see baby when she first transitions to her stroller pains me!), UV protection in a canopy, a viewing window in the canopy for when she faces forward, shock absorption in the tires (city sidewalks are BUMPY).
So yeah, I'm totally caving to peer pressure. I feel childish that I have the Stroller Envy, I really do. But I justify it with the fact that having a good stroller that's easy to maneuver is important to me. Especially since we do not have a car and walk or take transit everywhere. Stroller = freedom. I am absolutely LUSTING after the Bugaboo Cameleon. I watch the Bugaboo Cameleon video HERE at the bb buggy site daily and drool. The special edition dark purple is just heavenly. When the time comes (i.e. we win the lottery), I have a shopping cart loaded up and ready to click "submit". ;)
Edit: Upon further extensive research, I think I've decided that the Uppababy Cruz Or Bugaboo Bee is the ideal candidate. Has the looks and features that I'm looking for and it's within our price range! I prefer the idea of buying new and having a warranty and original receipt vs buying secondhand if possible. Cameleon, you're gorgeous and I went into Ella + Elliot to push you around again today. And I introduced Lowell to you today and he likes you too, but, Beautiful Cameleon, we simply cannot afford you!
Nursing clothes
But seriously. I already ranted about this but it's important. I wish I had known to pick up a few maternity pieces that are nursing compatible. It's not completely necessary to have an entire "nursing" wardrobe, no. However, when starting to venture out of the house with baby, or say when you have company, it does make things easier. Now that we've got the hang of nursing, it's less of an issue. But at the beginning, there certainly is a learning curve and anything that can make things easier is welcome.

Related topic: nursing covers. An awesome little garment that is helpful. Yes, breastfeeding is great and natural and while I have no problem doing it in public, I do prefer to be discreet. The discretion has nothing to do with embarassment but moreso the fact that I do not want to flash my naked boobs all about. I hated the "nursing aprons" that were big and bulky and usually in some gaudy ugly print. I looked and looked for a nice, understated cover and came across two that I thought were great. The Jolly Jumper nursing pashmina is great. It's like a pretty scarf and comes in different colours. The Ollie Golightly linen apron is also pretty, lightweight and understated. (It's the one I wound up getting)
Sleepers
One word: Zippers!!! Those little snaps are a pain in the ass. In the middle of the night after getting no sleep or when baby starts to become more active and kicky, having a quick ZIP-UP sleeper makes such a huge difference. Most of them, even cheaper ones have a little flap of fabric to guard baby skin from the zipper so that's really not an issue. I wish we had gotten more zippered sleepers!!

Mmm Natas!

What a lovely weekend! On Sunday, my Aunt came down and took Rowen and I out for lunch at one of my favourite Vietnamese places, then we grabbed some delicious tarts from my favourite Portuguese/Brazilian bakeries. Mmmm natas, oh man oh man I love them.

This "Aunt" is one of my Mom's oldest friends. We're not actually related but she's probably been there for more of my life than my Mom's real sisters. I think it's so awesome that Rowen will also have a whole bunch of these "fake" Aunties and Uncles in her life too!

Yeah, it's a poop post.

Did you know that exclusively breastfed babies sometimes go up to a week or more without pooping? And it can be perfectly okay?

I never knew that until I was learning about breast feeding. What they don't tell you is that on the day that THE POOP ARRIVES, it is a POOP STORM. I assumed that it would be a neat little poop since the thinking is that they absorb and use most of the milk... not so! It appears that the poop just sits in there and waits. It's a lot of poop. A LOT. Multiple diaper filling, GOBS and GOBS of crazy orange yellow thick gloppy baby poop. And somehow the baby doesn't even seem bothered by the massive amounts of poop pouring out of her little butt all at once.

I call the yellow poops "cheese" and Lowell gets disgusted and sad and asks me to please not call it that. (But if you think about it....it's actually quite fitting. Just sayin'.)

Well, today I ranted about how I have stroller envy and just blogged about poop. HA!