Vancouver Island Vaca

Vacation was great. Tofino is just awesome. We had 2 days of sunny weather, the rest was misting to monsoon, but we were in a cabin right on the ocean and we just relaxed and rented videos and hung out with Oliver and ate sushi and napped and hiked in the rain. It was bliss. I will get some of Joe's photos uploaded - the ofoto ones are all mine and don't compare with Joe's. Oliver had quite a day at the beach. Feet in the surf, sand everywhere - he kept sifting it through his fingers, toes, over and over, and over. Tasted quite a few rocks. He LOVED it. When you guys live here again, we'll vacation there together. You'd like it. The beaches are like Second Beach, and the place we stay is really wonderful and cozy.

9-10 Months Photo Shoot Fun

Uncle Alex Toddles With Oliver

Am busy this week getting ready for vacation and tying up some projects, swimming lessons, and Oliver is walking, as in hanging onto everything in site and going between the baby bed and the stove, refrigerator and drawers. I bet Joe that by his first birthday he is a-walkin'. His little buddy Asa from swimming is 1 year old and walking. YIPES!!! When I am in stores, I sort of mentally measure the percentage of toys that are derived from the television and motion picture industry and it is astounding. Totally reaffirms our decision to raise Oliver in a non-television household. We'll do dvd's, but they can keep the rest of it. I watched Sesame Street when we were in Monterey and decided within a few seconds that it was an insult to any childs intelligence, completely banal. And it's not that I am going to rob him of his childhood, I can't wait to read Pinocchio and Harry Potter to him. Anyhow, enough of my ranting!

Mama Ter's Natural Childbirth Retrospective

Ok, well I'll dive right in here...Wednesday night, I took a hot bath, hadn't in so very, very, long. Laying in the tub with low lights and relaxing, I thought of first stages of hard labor (which I did in the tub) and then the entire birth experience. It was absolutely traumatic, but I would do it again. It is what our bodies are designed to do. Women have done it since the dawn of time, are doing it right now. And after the brief period of pain, you have this amazing little person in your arms. What could ever be better than that? And being pregnant and experiencing the bodily changes was absolutely magical, I never felt more beautiful, one of the greatest experiences in my life. If you are in shape before you get pregnant and you breastfeed, getting your body back is no big deal. Breastfeeding burns a boatload of calories - you'll have to eat like a horse to keep up with the babies feeding needs. I was at the pool the other day and there was a woman there with an infant, maybe 6 mos. old and she looked awesome. Totally fit.

 

New Loves at 8 months

Growing, growing, growing. Some of these are a wee bit blurry - he's constantly in motion (or sound asleep). Kicking. Throwing things. Laughing at the dog. Sits up on his own. Pulls himself up, but no walking or crawling (moms not ready yet). More into people and experiences than toys. Peek-a-boo. Putting his big toe(s) in his mouth. Is a nudist - will probably end up disrobing in public as did his uncle, my brother. Trying to 'help' with dressing and undressing. Loves music - Beatles, Elizabeth Mitchell, and singing and instruments. Lots of 'gitty-gitty-goo' time. Loves spanish. Two bottom teeth. Loves to watch cooking. Swimming lessons start Monday morning. Into all kinds of food. Still loves hiking. Socks go on, socks come off, socks go on, socks come off...

An 18 Pound Little Man

I was looking at a photo of Oliver and I that was below a photo of Joe and I on our wedding day and I can definitely see some of each of us in him. He is soooooo special.

Saturday it was almost 60 degrees here and we all hiked up to Fragrance Lake. It was stunning. I have a new pack that puts Oliver on my back instead of front and it was our first 'big' outing - 3-4 hours of hiking and it worked really well. Quite a relief as he is about 18# now. 7 months of packing Oliver + 9 months of pregnancy weight have made these legs pretty strong. Wish I could say the same for my poor back.

 

Age 5-7 Month photo shoot

So my digital camera had a sensor failure and was being repaired. Boy am I glad to have it back! Oliver is changing so much right now. It's just amazing....