Welcome to My Mornings

Cohen wakes me with joyful noises and greets me with a smile, and often a giggle, when I get him out of bed. Once he's eaten (as he'll now only nurse in quiet and distraction-less places) we have breakfast with Jesse and Mallory. At the table. I love that. I love our breakfasts together and I'm grateful that our schedules (and my husbands stellar omeletes) allow us to sit and enjoy some time together before we all run off into our busy days.

Once breakfast is cleared and Jess and Mal are out the door, I sit with a cup of coffee (or two, but I promise I'll cut back when Cohen starts to sleep through the night) and we play until his first nap.

A rough life, it is not.

I married well. Jesse loves to be with us, works like a dog to pay our bills and still encourages me to go to yoga while he baths our baby.

Judging from the sweat pants, this is a Saturday. Generally our day to chill out and enjoy the company of our family. Sometimes Jesse has to work, but when we get to have him home we're never in a real hurry to go anywhere. Perhaps a bike ride, maybe some time at the park...but all in our own time.
And now, the first in this post's series of "look how cute my baby is" pictures.

Seriously...look how cute.

Cohen making a Cohen face. He's not just happy, he's happiness. I know that I'm blessed to have an easy baby...believe me, I say many grateful prayers. He is warm and affectionate. He is eager to share his smiles and is even working on his laugh. We hope that Cohen's hearty, albeit forced, laughter is is an indication and refelction of the what he hears in our home.

His "I can reach that is I try hard enough" face. Although he also uses it as his "please give that to me" face.

Speaking of joyful children...here's Mallory. She loves to get out for a bike ride and the chariot has been awesome as we can now take Cohen. If Jesse's bikes would stop getting stolen, losing peddles and/or brakes, we could take Jesse too.

Maybe next year honey.

I love, love, love my bike and it's been great to get out this summer. Good exercise too! My bike is built for leisure and the chariot essentially acts like a parachute behind me. I rarely get out of first gear.

We stopped to play in the leaves and Mallory got to work gathering leaves to make a nest for Cohen.

He didn't seem to mind.

Super cute, but I could have chosen a more picturesque location.

Nice bus stop though...get out and vote!

At my parent's in Innisfail.

If we could photo-shop Mallory into this it would be a perfect photo.

For such a rough-and-tumble little dude, my nephew Dillon is a little mush when it comes to Cohen. As we were out on a walk I heard him say, "I love you baby Cohen, you are the best baby Cohen in the whole world". He, Cohen and Jesse are a pretty sweet trio. I see many fishing trips in their future.

Back at home, Cohen discovers smoothies! He's been starting to eat what we eat...which is lovely and exhausting at the same time. Sharing my food with him means I am even slower than usual (and I tend to be the last to finish any meal anyway). Cohen and I often find ourselves alone at the table after Jesse and Mallory have gotten bored and moved onto something else.

Sharing a room is going pretty well. Mallory is very patient with Cohen. On Saturday mornings I often go in to find her softly playing the guitar and singing to him. He watches from his crib and is completely spellbound.

Mallory tried teaching Cohen to play the keyboard but he was quite interested in the on/off switch...so that got a bit annoying and I soon heard, "Mom! Can you come get Cohen?"

We all went to Grandma and Grandpa Fisher's. Jesse and I love the abundance of toast, the many Tim's trips, the extra sleep that they make possible and the kind of conversation that only happens with people who love you unconditionally.

Mal and Cohen, they love the new toys and the ability that Grandpa has to produce treats out of nowhere.

What do they always say? Give a kid a toy and they'll just want to play with the box it came in? Mallory made a car for Cohen and plunked him in.

Cohen was surprisingly content in his little box...er, car.

Mallory and her Grandpa like to take the motorbike and go out for breakfast.

They even found a grand-kid sized leather jacket.

Mallory loves her time with Grandpa. Motorbike, breakfast muffins, timbits, toys from the Dollar Store. They have a special relationship and I love to watch them together.

Best Grandpa ever.

Cohen's back in the box...but this time he gets a ride out of the deal.
As soon as she finishes her toast.

Maternity leave is amazing. I stayed with my mom and dad for a week, getting some Grandma time in for Cohen and getting some sleep for mom! I felt like I could have stayed for a year. I never tire of my parent's company.

Cohen was learning to stand up...kind of...he's not a big fan of holding on.

Home again. We've been trying to entertain more as family life and finances keep us at home more these days. We had a BBQ the other day and, given that we provided less than a day's notice, were amazed that several of our friends were actually able to come. Brooklyn, Todd and Atlas were among those in attendance. Life has definitely changed, gatherings now involve setting up an extra playpen and listening in at the door to make sure our babies are sleeping.

They were! So we happily returned to the livingroom for a glass of wine and many more hours of conversation.

Brooklyn's baby Atlas is a bit of a show-off. Even though he's a month younger he started crawling before Cohen. The night had him over he sat on our immobile little man. I think this might have spurred Cohen on because he started to army crawl the next day.

Now whenever I leave his sight I hear "Mum mum mum!" and the sound of his little hands paddling him in my direction.

I love turning around to see him wiggling towards me. I'm such a sucker, I always pick him up.

So he's a momma's boy. There are worse things.

The Most Friendliest Friends

I have the best friends.

I truly do.

I think of their stories all the time. Times when I ponder a tiny thank-you and feel like I should pass it on, but then I never really do.

I have some old friends. Okay... one old frend. I have Paul.

I remember in high school climbing the divide and sitting for hours (or what seemed like hours in high school) talking about saving the world, about being our true and authentic selves. That's something you can say to Paul. You can talk about being authentic and he looks at you like you mean it.

Paul is my bestest friend, something special, something no one can take away from you. A bestest friend can buy you a present from a second hand store and know you'll see the charm. I have some killer brass candle sticks and a few unfortunate vhs' as proof. A bestest can call you after a month (or three) of not talking, and unload a year's worth of worries and joy...because you are the only one who undersands. A bestest can see right through you...so there's no point in lying.

This is Paul at the Elnora Bar. It's a classy place, very fitting cause Paul's a classy guy.

Paul was the Man of Honour at my wedding. A title he lives out in a way only Paul can. He planned a bridal shower for me. Punch, festive treats, balloons..the whole nine. I know I owe Lisa a huge thanks as well...but I like to tell myself it was all Paul...an enormous act of selfless I'm-gonna-have-to-plan-a-ridiculaous-chick-party-but-it's-worth-it-cause-Christy-is-my-best-friend kind of love.

Thanks Lisa.

Paul.

He walks on water!

I friggin knew it.

Then there's new friends, like Brooklyn. I went to a baby-wearing class when Cohen was a few months old...baby-wearing is very chic these days, and I like to consider myself a cutting-edge mommy. Anyway, I see Brooklyn and the first thing I think is, "Who does she think she is, all showered and bright-eyed?" And then she says, "You look familiar." And I try to think of the last time I showered as I lean my nose to the right to see if I pass the smell test... I don't.

So she remembers that we met at pre-natal yoga and I agree because she looks so pretty and smells so nice I don't want her to leave. Then she gives me her email address on a post-it and I promptly lose it.

Actually I've had it the whole time, hiding in plain sight in my wallet.

So then, weeks later, I agree (like a fool) to sub a Mom & Baby yoga class. I can't find anyone to watch Cohen but I am assured "You'll be fine..just bring him!" So Brooklyn and Altas walk through the door. I thank my brain cells for remembering her and then stumble as I try to convey that I remember her and am happy to see her but I don't recall her name or where we met or how I lost her contact info.

I am such a jerk.

So then Cohen wigs out for one hour and fifteen minutes while I try to teach a yoga class. I even breast-feed him as I walk through the class and try to demonstate Trikonasana. I only cry on the inside and hope they don't complain to the owners that I finished the class early.

After class I sit with Brooklyn and we chat like we've known each other for years. Like old friends catching up. This time I give her my number...much more reliable.

Since then we've spoken via text, email, phone and long walks every week. When I hear the sound of my phone receiving two or three texts in a row, I know it's Brooklyn. She can't fit a message into one page. I'm happy for her uber-texts, always filled with info as to our next adventure. She invented a stroller-cise that puts any boot-camp to shame and is pretty much the best mommy-friend a girl could have.

Atlas and Cohen. Destined to be buddies. Brooklyn and her happy family. Todd , Atlas and Edo.

Camping with our little dudes. I imagine this as the kind of picture our boys will look back at when they're older and say..."Mom, why don't we do cool stuff anymore?"

Super Mom

Put both babies to sleep in a single walk....do-do-do-doop-do-dooooo! Super Mom!

Since we're on the topic of epic mommies...I have to mention Mistie. Not a day goes by that I don't use something she's given me. When Cohen grows out of his pants there's always more sitting in wait. When he was ready to start solid foods I paniced (as only a mom can) over what I needed to have...until I remembered seeing all the needed items in a bag Mistie had given me months prior. All the little things I had never thought about but that a baby surely needs. From socks to spoons to toys that make sounds (and have an off button), I've been set up from the start.

When Cohen was little (so, forever ago and yesterday) she would bring food for my freezer and cuddle my fussing little boy so I could sit and rest. She helped me in a way that (I hope) some other mom helped her...making sure I didn't miss the beauty through the exhaustion. She's like the older sibling that plough's the way so the next can follow more easily in the traveled footsteps. She has a zoo pass and a connection for free-range chicken. The grown-up equivalent of an older friend buying your beer when you're under-age. Not that I ever did that... I just heard that that happened...for other people...never me....

Hi Mom. I love you.

I don't have any picture of Mistie. But I'm sure she has pictures of me. Cause that's what the mom does.

I have more friends than these, and an unending list of people to thank for my lovely life, but I'll stop here today.

Thanks friends.

tin

Our Little Yogi

Mallory sporadically pulls out her kids yoga book and throws down some asana. Usually it's swan pose and deer pose and then she's off to do something else. But a little while ago Mallory asked me about some of my yoga gear and how to use it...and now I think she's hooked.

I showed her how to use my blocks to prepare for Tolasana. As you can see, she took this very seriously.

Moving into Virabhadrasana A. Note the David Swenson Ashtanga Manual next to her. Gone are the yoga postures shown in cartoon animal form in her kids book. She's into the real deal. Full breath, steady gaze...

Then she decided she was warm enough to move into some backbends. Cohen is pretty stoked at this point. He's really into heart openers.

Lion Pose. Of course she's a natural.
Ummm...Tiger pose? Whatever it is, it looks very therapeutic.
Cohen loves watching Mal do yoga and always has a few pointers for her...he's quite the yogi himself, he's been doing mom and baby yoga for like, 3 months.
So now she's moving on from the books and is into Eoinn Finn videos. This is a 50 minute practice called Twisted Sister....she stayed with it beginning to end. Seriously. I can't get her to brush her teeth for 2 minutes but she can stay on that mat for nearly an hour.

A bound version of Parsvakonasana. Most people bind around their thigh...but not Mal, she's new school.

And, at last, savasana. We did a practice together a few days later and when we went into savasana she reminded me to pretend my mat was a hammock.
I may not have given birth to her but that is definitely my little girl.

namaste.

Little Big Things

So, every now and then...maybe a few times each week, I open my door to this...a newspaper left at my door. Usually the Herald, but sometimes the Sun.
I'm not sure who it is but I suspect Morris, our neighbour down the hall. Morris is my prime suspect as he once left a 6-pack of beer at our door. Apparently he came over to see if he could share them but we weren't home. Most people would take the beer with them but Morris left it, which I think says a lot about his character. As for the beer...you should have seen Jesse's face. We were afraid to drink it at first as we weren't sure it was ours to drink. There was no card or note...just a micro-brewed token of some unknown affection.

It's also occured to me that it could be Dema, the surprisingly abrupt Buddhist Monk next door...Monk's can be into politics, right? Or maybe she only reads the Sports pages...I'll have to ask.

What I love most about my little front door gifts is that it means that, at some point that day, I will find a few moments to sit down with a coffee (or tea...sometimes it takes a while to find a few moments) and enjoy some current events. I make it at least to the comment and editorial pages...my favourite.

So, whoever my anonymous paper-boy (or girl) happens to be, I wish them all the peace and warmth they bring me with their simple gesture.

A Week of Days

RRRRoar! Cohen does his best tiger impression...and it looks like bad news for Melman the giraffe.

Next, the kind of photo that breaks a Momma's heart...and exists as proof to our neighbours that he actually sleeps.

I had to include this because I think these socks are so darn cute. Thanks Margaret.

He really doesn't spend his whole life in this swing, I swear. It's just nice because I can move it around so he can watch me cook or read the paper with me...and he has no choice but to look at the camera.

And proof I actually leave the house...concrete pouring day at the Switzers! Kind of like a barn raising in the city. I went along to help but all I really did was eat and whistle at my husband.

Cohen was stoked to watch daddy work. He was pretty happy as long as we didn't take him away from the window. Or set him down.

Grandma was in fine Grandma form, and Cohen loved every second. Is this a gorgeous picture or is this a gorgeous picture?

And then there's this one....good to be a baby...heck, good to be a Grandma.

Meanwhile, the boys continue to work...in the mud, as the pros call it.

Yup, that's my husband....pretty tough. You should see him open jars.

The work is almost done. I've had two cups of coffee, half a bag of doritos, a quarter turkey and several bowls of Borscht. I too, am almost done.

So then the concrete was all in place and looking totally perfect. But wait...Grandma is still in the house! So, after a few bad ideas were at last shot down, they back the truck up and make a ramp to the passenger seat. But before Grandma makes the trip she sends over her jug of pancake syrup and half a red cabbage ....haha...

Glen tests the bridge...and declares it safe for travel.

And after many tears of laughter are shed...Grandma is safe and ready to go home.

Later that same day (big day, eh?) I skip yoga to watch game 7, Pittsburgh vs. Montreal. This was supposed to be a really sweet picture of Daddy and Cohen watching hockey together...until Jesse decided to play zombie. He really plays a very convincing zombie.

For those of you who know Jesse...today (not the big day of concrete and play-offs but quite a lovely day just the same) was a momentous occasion. After months of mocking his beat-up phone it is finally headed to the cell phone graveyard. Not that vanity got the best of him...it finally got to the point where his phone would only stay on when it was plugged in. Not exactly mobile.

Not quite as momentous, but pretty darn cute...Cohen has clearly hit another growth spurt,as evidenced by his little feet sticking out the bottom of his sleepers.


And for my final picture....when your husband holds your son in such a way that you can feel their love and know that all is well and safe in your world...well, that's when you say a grateful prayer and ask to hold that tiny moment forever.