There's something about babies

I had no idea how much attention a baby attracts! When we're out and about all sorts of people try to get a glimpse of the baby in her carrier. People have craned their necks going by on the sidewalk and nearly run into things in the grocery store trying to get a peek at the baby attached to the dangling legs. Many stop to ask about her: boy or girl? (I dress her in blue to cause confusion) how old? what's her name? This often starts a conversation, which is welcome in Vancouver where strangers are not usually friendly in passing. Sometimes these people are not those you would expect to be interested in a baby - reminder never to judge a book by its cover!

There's something about babies. Before I had my own, sure, I thought my friends' babies were cute, but I didn't take much notice of strangers' babies. I wasn't a baby person per se. Now that I have a baby I feel like I've joined a club, the club of parenthood, where baby people are honorary members. We've shared a common experience and when these other parents and grandparents see a baby they remember the babies in their lives, no matter how long ago those babies grew up. I have already caught myself doing this with a friend's newborn! Holding a baby must also make a person more approachable so strangers are more likely to stop and talk once the baby is spotted.

Before Helen was born I was always subconsciously on the lookout, but for dogs, not babies! I notice strangers' dogs, like to guess their breed, and plan my walks so they go by dog parks. I suppose this is how baby people are with babies.

Randy with a 10-day old bundle on Father's Day.

Me with a nearly 3-month old today.

My very own Silken pillow

I just finished my very own Silken pillow! A Silken pillow can be used as a nursing pillow or for propping a baby up on the floor. One of my friends in New Zealand had one shaped like a horse and when I returned home and friends and family started having babies I wanted to make something similar. Since I can't draw (even the outline of an animal) I got our Jack Russell, Silken, to lie on some newspaper and I traced her for the pattern. She was middle-aged at the time and thus able to lie still for long enough! I've made several for other people and it was fun this time to be making my own! I was pleased with the result and had a bowl of ice cream to celebrate. No pickles.

Silken posing beside the first Silken pillow.

My Silken pillow.

A pregnant woman's best friend

What is a pregnant woman's best friend? You're probably thinking dog ... goat ... husband? Not to make Randy feel that he's been replaced (he does give a very good foot massage) but as far as getting me through the workday right now, my compression stockings are my best friend.

And how's this for sexy?

It seems like pregnancy symptoms hit you at your weakest point. I had a varicose vein that had never bothered me and I would not have known about except that a doctor had pointed it out to me. Then I hit the 6-month mark of pregnancy and wham - bulging vein, spider veins, nasty pool of swelling below my ankle - and something had to be done.

Not only do I have these nice-looking ones, I also have thigh highs! Sorry, no photo. They came with special gloves to use to put them on (that are very similar to my furniture-moving gloves that I kept from the woodworking shop) and my latest technique for taking them off is to lie on the bed and call Randy.

They will be useful for a subsequent pregnancy (in good time) and maybe on long flights, then I'll pack them away until I'm 80.

Easter Weekend

I got some quality goat time on the Easter weekend! We went to Vancouver Island and spent a day in Victoria, then went to Parksville and Nanaimo visiting friends and family. We walked along the waterfront in Victoria and looked at the BC Legislature:

                                      


We visited Roger, the yellow-belly marmot that lives at the Empress Hotel. This is a very swanky hotel and Roger hitched a ride here about 5 years ago from his native land in the Rockies, presumably to enjoy a warm-weathered retirement.

Roger and some bee boxes outside the Empress Hotel

Then we went to a park where there was a (children's) petting zoo! You could go right into the goat pen and the only rule was that you couldn't pick them up - it is tempting with the little kids (kid goats, that is, not random kid humans). I chased away some young children and got some quality goat time!

 

There were other animals too, including peacocks and mice. The mice were alive and moving around and some were brown and black, all things I'm not used to.

The mouse enclosure

Mice safe in their kleenex box

We did visit people too, but we didn't get any photos of them...

We were lucky enough to stay at the Paradise Seashell Motel in Parksville where you get free mini-golf on their world-famous pirate-themed course with your stay!

Last ski day of the season

I had my last ski day of the season last Sunday. I did well to squeeze in a couple more days recently because I thought my last day had been at the end of January. I've been having problems with pain in my lower legs that's getting worse every year and the last day I skied (at Whistler) I had to stop and take my boot off every run because my leg hurt so much and my foot was asleep!

I went to a sports medicine doctor and was diagnosed with compartment syndrome, which means the fascia surrounding the muscle groups in my lower legs is too tight so when I exercise the muscles cramp and the nerves pinch and tingle. Our bodies are weird and wonderful things. I had been managing but with extra weight and blood volume even walking at any pace faster than a saunter was painful so I guess it's not a surprise that skiing was out! Plus, my doctor did say I probably shouldn't be skiing anymore anyway.

And then in February I got a cold that took forever to go away so I had very little activity for a month and my legs had a good rest. Then the sun came out and Randy was going to Cypress (our local mountain) so I thought I'd take my skis along just in case. I also took snowshoes in case skiing didn't work and a magazine in case nothing worked! But I lasted for 6 runs! The funny part was that it was my lower legs holding me back, not my general energy level or belly!

I was so happy to get in a few final turns but now I'm looking forward to spring. The snow on the local mountains won't last much longer anyway.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Randy and I stayed here for Christmas this year, a first since we've been together. Well, we didn't stay in Vancouver itself (I don't think I ever want to spend Christmas in rainy Vancouver!) but we stayed in BC.

We spent Christmas at Big White ski resort near Kelowna with some friends. Unlike the coast that has been dry, dry, dry, Big White has a good snow base and the skiing was great - especially for this time of year. We had some fresh snow on 3 of our 4 ski days. I was really happy to ski for four days in a row (okay, 3.5 days because we had a slow start on Christmas day) without much warm up as well as other considerations.

                     On the slopes at Big White.                   Just before the aliens laser-beamed Randy away.

Skating at the outdoor rink. Well, technically, sitting in a snowbank beside the rink.

We had planned on going on a backcountry ski trip with some friends over New Year's but the lack of snow changed the plan. Most people went surfing instead but Randy and I skied into a hut for one night and came back to Vancouver for New Year's eve. It was so nice to escape the city again and get above the clouds into the sunshine!

In front of the hut at Cerise Creek. What a wonderful view to wake up to!

Our camera wouldn't capture us and the valley below.   The valley below - I should photoshop us into this one!

Happy New Year!!

My thumbs are not green

We don't have good luck with houseplants in our apartment. I'd like to blame it on the physical environment that I cannot change because the only other explanation is that it's me.

Randy bought me a rose plant for Valentine's day two years ago and it was the cutest little plant with small, pink flowers. I tended it with care but noticed one day that it was covered with something that looked like cobwebs. Hmmm. On closer inspection I discovered that it also had aphids. In fact, so did our other house plants. Aphids and I go back a while - back to my days of doing field work for Pioneer. The canola was covered in aphids and as a result so were we. Our sweaty, sunscreen-slathered skin would be covered with them and when it was time to re-apply the sunscreen there was no choice but to smear the little aphid bodies all over your skin. I accepted them in the field, but in my apartment it was another matter. And what's with the cobwebs?

I emailed a green-thumbed friend of mine and she diagnosed spider mites! I mixed up a home remedy in a spray bottle and went to town. It did the trick and the mites and aphids died ... and so did the plants. Maybe I overdid it. Apparently rose plants are very difficult to keep inside so I felt like I did well keeping it almost a year. The ivy on the other hand ...

Here's the rose plant just before things went bad. I guess the mushrooms should have been a sign.

I learned that jade plants are susceptible to root rot if over-watered. Oopsies. I killed it with love.






I also learned that houseplants do not need a holiday outside. But look (on the right) - a new shoot!


I think this is what a cactus looks like when it's trying to run away:

On Valentine's last year Randy asked the florist what type of plant was easy to keep and he came home with a jade plant. Jade plant #2.

 I've been very careful not to over-water it ... and yet it still looks like this now. <sigh>

I refuse to read anything into these experiences about my nurturing abilities. A dog or goat would be much easier to keep. If it was hungry, I'd hear about it. If it was over-fed, it would be obvious before it suddenly started dropping off body parts.

Hopefully the jade plant survives but if not I'll be looking forward to jade plant #3 on Valentine's day. Third time's the charm, right?