Wow. Like, really, wow. I have not written a damned thing on this blog since October! My goodness, much has changed since then.
Fia is a growing concern; she's crawling around, getting in to a ton of stuff, and standing up with, and without support. It's been a really busy time for the fam, compounded by the fact that we've let the winter blahs seep in with the drafts in our two and a half bedroom rental. We did not, for a second, think that raising a kid would be all roses, but the housebound winter days are getting a bit old. On with Spring!
I've purveyed the humble blight we call our living room - barricaded with an old trunk and a baby gate - and have come to a single conclusion; namely that I will be tripping on toys of some kind or another for a long time to come. It's really not so bad, though. At least we don't have to constantly entertain Fia. She's pretty comfortable getting lost in her own little world, and exploring the nooks and crannies of the disaster zone.
Isolation from the outside world, and Fia's limited independence has also allowed Rae and I to get going on some me-time hobbies. We've adapted the spare bedroom to accommodate Rae's craft projects, and I've started coughing and wheezing playing hockey once a week. We're finally starting to get a bit of a life, outside of purely parenting.
God, it's been so long since I wrote something, that I nearly forgot I had started this damned blog. I'm back - back to writing, and back to work. Ahhh work, eight full hours of uninterupted time. It's good to be back, and even better to get some time away from the house. Rae and I were at each other's throats, so this is certainly a timely and welcomed turn of events.
Fia has grown so much. She bounces her days away in her Jolly Jumper, to the sweet sounds of our youth - Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea, indeed.
So, this blog writing will again be a regular thing. I'm back from my time away with a lot of things to write about. It was good to be home with my family, and now its nice to be back to work.
It's amazing how time flies when you're having fun. We've spent over a week in Sudbury visiting my family, and we've had a blast. I'd forgotten how fun a summer in Northern Ontario can be. Between driving four-wheelers, picking blue-berries, yard-sailing, saunas and swims, I've rediscovered the simple pleasures of life North of the French River and it's been an absolute pleasure to share this part of me with Rae.
Most importantly, we've had the opportunity to visit with a whack of family members. I'm so happy they've had a chance to meet Fia, and feel so fortunate to have so many people who care so much about our family. It's been a nice visit, and I can't help but wonder why we hustle and bustle away in the big smoke, with a life in nature so attainable.
Fia's been an absolute joy to travel with. We'd heard that if we were going to travel, this was the time. She's been great in the car, and has adjusted well to meeting new people and sleeping in the bassinet on the floor of my mom's spare room. We've even managed to have a few hours to ourselves, which was really great.
We'll be back in Toronto early next week, and although it will be nice to be back in our own place, a small part of me will wish for a cool Sudbury evening by the lake. Who knows whether we'll live in the North, but it's been nice to dream about the possibility.
Well, we were warned the quiet train would be leaving the station, but we're confident it's not for forever. Fia has had her fair share of restless nights, and fussy evenings. Around nine o'clock it starts; a wah wah waaaaahhuhuhuhuh. It's a real treat to hear her academy award winning whimpers trailing off into the night; so exasperated, she sounds like we've pushed her to the outer bounds of her sanity. I've read that we have it better than most parents, but the few hours of walking her around and consoling her makes for a long night.
But lo and behold, we've found a solution. Apparently, our girl really likes some soother time when she's drifting off. I know there are some anti-soother folks out there, I say better she falls asleep with a soother in her mouth, than on the boob. This soother business has made for a much more enjoyable evening, and I for one will be encouraging her to use it for the time being.
The weather's cooled, and the rhythmic hush of a slow rainfall is reminding me of the last time I was free and clear of a daily grind. I must have been about sixteen when I last had the chance to sit back and enjoy a rainy summer's day without the worry of a job I needed to go to, or the guilt of not finding summer employment quickly enough once school was out. If only stay-at-home-dad were in the cards for me, my wiring's more in tune with this pace than any other. Paternity leave is the next best thing, I guess.
Fia's growing right on schedule. Rae and I are perpetually enthralled with her new sounds and expressions. These really are the best times; who knew that a coo could warm our spirits, or that a fit of crying could dampen them quite so much.
We've heard a lot of "oooh wait until she's not so sweet" comments, but these naysayers are out of luck. Fia is still a calm and happy baby. She gets a bit fussy at certain times of the day, but she's still pretty chill. We're lucky to have the support of two parents at home, and Fia's especially lucky that we're not forcing her in to a rigid, un-natural schedule too soon. She'll have a lifetime of schedules, and she's definitely got her own sleep, poop, eat routine hashed out, so we're not in a huge hurry to impose too much structure.
Neither of us can wait until we can make her laugh. We were joking today that the creulest irony would be if she turns out too serious - living in constant embarrassment for her goofy parents. I have a feeling she'll be in like a dirty shirt on some serious family inside joke making, and I look forward to subtly programming her with some quips. We're seeing plenty of smiles and a few almost laughs, so it won't be long now.
My partner Rae (we've decided Rae sounds a lot better than partner, so we're going to start referring to her as an actual person. With a name) and I consider ourselves very fortunate. Not only do we have a cute and healthy baby, but I have the great fortune of not having to worry about work for the next few months. Starting Monday, I'll be off for over four months on paternity leave. I've also managed to use a chunk of banked vacation time, so really, I'll have only worked two days since Fia was born. Two long, long days of work.
I can't imagine having it any other way, and count my lucky freaking stars for every second I get to spend with Rae and Fia. Our family is truly blessed. Truly. Blessed.
What an amazing experience starting a family is. For the first time in my life there is no confusion what my priorities are, and I'm filled with a great sense of purpose. Being at work for today has really hit that home. Why do these people care so much about this stuff?
Anyway, I hope to catalog as much as possible of it via this blog; I know there will be a few stretches where I'm too busy being a dad to write about being a dad (thank God), but I hope to keep this a pretty regular thing.
So, here's to a great summer with an amazing partner and beautiful baby girl. I'm the luckiest guy on Earth.
Well, after a week, I'm finally getting around to posting the arrival of our beautiful baby girl Fia Simone. In this past week I've slept on chairs and waiting room couches; I've laughed and cried and paced around not knowing what to do next. It's been wonderful, and I knew it would be a great experience, but I didn't know how great it would really be.
There are not words to describe the abolute joy I've felt; this all feels so right. My partner and I have a family now, and we're pleased as hell. We're part of a club now, and membership comes at a high price, and delivers high rewards. Outsiders have an idea of what it's like, but they don't really know. I didn't know. I know now.
I'm also happy to report that my partner and I have a knack for this parenting business. Fundamentally, we stole our approach from a rather unlikely source (at least for us). Tracy Hogg's book The Baby Whisperer was a real source of inspiration for us. Fundamentally, she preaches a very simple gospel; treat your baby like a human being. I'm happy to report this approach is working out so well. We respect her; we speak slowly and explain what we're doing. We also take care of her needs. The result? A very content baby girl who knows her parents have her back. We'll worry about routine soon, but for now, we want her to know we'll be there for her when she needs us, and we'll do our best to take care of her needs.
As suspected, I have so much more to write now that she's here. I can't wait to get into some of the specifics soon.
