Sunny Day!!!

Well, it seems as if fall is trying to make up for our rainy summer weather.... what a gorgeous day! Thea and I are going down to Dallas Rd. today after her nap. She really likes going down to the ocean and watching the waves doing their thing.

It is so nice finally having our place get a little more organized. It feels like it has been forever just fighting with the housework but finally it feels like I'm getting on top of things. There is still stuff to do but it isn't quite as overwhelming now.


I am going to be competing in a bardic competition in early December at a local SCA event. Not sure what I am going to be performing yet but I figure it's time to put my hand back into things. I am also going to try and get some evening Christmas/seasonal gigs so if you know anyone in Victoria who wants a harpist/singer for their party, please get in touch with me!

Here are some more pictures of recent stuff (mostly me and family). It has been wonderful seeing Thea grow. I was thinking of how people keep saying how fast the time goes when you have children. I am thinking that maybe time goes just as fast when you _don't_ have kids but having them around is like carrying a measuring stick with you everywhere. For instance, the difference in me turning 30 this year as opposed to turning 28 two years ago is not that great from a physical or mental developmental standpoint. I expect the difference between Thea turning 1 year old and turning 3 years old will be _significant_. In a way it is kind of nice having that measure. This was the years won't just be passing by unnoticed until one day I look in the mirror and find that I am no longer 30 but am 45 (or however old).

Speaking of my little darling, I must go and give her a cuddle and put her down for her nap. Hope all is well in the wide world today...

Love...

Naughty Blogger!!!

Okay, so it has been, like, 7 months or something since I last posted... LOTS has happened (most recently, I moved our computers out into our dining nook so that we can use them while Thea is napping in her nursery. Where to start...

Being Thea's mom has been the most rewarding experience of my life. She is a total joy! I am such a lucky mom (and everyone knows it!)
Thea has six teeth right now (four on the top, two on the bottom). She has been eating solid foods for three months (mixed baby cereals, baby food, etc.) We just started her eating "grown-up" foods a few weeks ago (she LOVES eating pasta and it is really cute when she figures out that she can suck a strand of spaghetti up). She REALLY likes broccoli and cheese sauce and grapes for desert.
She and I often go swimming at Gordon Head Rec Center where I have a pass. We also go to the Commonwealth Pool sometimes but it is usually so crowded and when they have lessons we have to leave (which we don't have to do at Gordon Head) so we tend to make the longer trip and go to our favorite pool (Gordon Head).

We haven't been out walking as much as I would like (my own fault for getting too involved in housework and/or lazy to get out). My resolution is to try and go out walking at least three mornings a week (though, I suppose, I should start with just going for ONE walk). Today looks like the day for it. The sun is shining and it is a beautiful windy fall day. As soon as she is up from her morning nap we will go (and maybe swimming after that).

I am starting a part-time job at the new Saje store in Mayfair Mall in a week and a half. I am soooo happy they are finally opening a store in Victoria again (even if only to feed my Saje habit... gotta have it!!!) I will be working there Saturdays and Sundays so any of you who are local come on down and see us! The store is having it's grand opening the weekend of the 24th of October.

Colin is doing very well at work (though I am really happy he has cut back on his late nights recently). He was promoted to assistant manager of the body shop (he is already the asst. man. of the parts dept). I am really hoping that this current economic situation doesn't hit us too badly (though I think the auto industry might get hit pretty hard by the things that are going on. He has been playing a lot of Warcraft lately (which is also okay with me as long as it's in moderation) while taking care of Thea so that I am able to have some time to myself.

Well, I had best make use of my precious free nap time to have a shower and feel human for a little while before I go back to my Mommy Doodies (oops... I mean: Duties) I really hope that you are all doing well. Please feel free to post comments or (gasp) send me an email if you have a moment. I am on Facebook now as well so I can be contacted that way too.

Love to you all!

Weekend trip postponed

(Our beautiful baby Thea)

Well, Colin and Thea and I were all ready to head up to beautiful Port Alberni today when my mom called to say that my step-dad, Ted, had fallen off a ladder at work and had a box fall on his chest and had to go to the hospital. He is as okay as you can be when something like this happens but we are postponing our trip until Monday...



It's times like this I am really REALLY glad that Colin is off work so we have this kind of flexibility (instead of only being really glad like I usually am). So we will probably have a nice quiet weekend at home.



I took some Doula training this past October as part of my path to becoming a midwife and am now hoping to do some volunteer work with the Cook St. Midwives. It will probably be a little tricky because I will have to figure out childcare after Colin goes back to work but I think it will definitely be worth it!

Having experienced how wonderful it was to have Stephanie (Thea's Fairy Goddess Mother and my best friend) as the Doula for my labour I can hardly wait to get out there and start helping other women through their experiences. The more I think about being involved with labour and birth (and all the other stuff that comes with it), the more it just feels right as a vocation. I have not felt this right about anything in my life other than my husband, my daughter and my music. Maybe having some experiences with actual birth will change my perspective on this but for now it just feels so right. I hope it is! :D

(Thea's best Christmas present)

Well, all the best to you all. Hope that winter isn't getting you down. I saw lots of daffodil shoots the other day when I was out for a walk so hopefully spring is just around the corner. Lots of hugs to you all!

(My sleepy family :)

Thea Arrives!!! :D

We are overjoyed to announce that at 1:03 pm on December 17, 2007, Thea Willow Myrranda Tate joined our family. She weighed in at 8 lbs 2 oz and has been an incredibly healthy and happy baby. We will be starting a blog for her soon that we hope friends and family members will contribute to. We plan to have her blog printed off and bound after her first year so that she will have something to look at when she is older.

Thank you all, so much, for your good wishes, support and all the wonderful presents for Thea. We can't wait for her to meet all of our wonderful friends!

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Baby Shower

On November 17, our good friend, Stephanie and her parents, Bob and Sue Gill, were kind enough to host a WONDERFUL baby shower for Colin and I. It felt so nice to be spoiled by all our friends for the whole afternoon! We played several shower games (how big is the belly, don't say the word "baby", and draw a baby on you head) which led to quite a lot of laughter.

After the games we partook of a lovely potluck lunch (my fav was the sushi and all the chocolate, of course) and then I was put into a rocking chair for about an hour while the various guests came by one and a time and applied henna to my belly (as seen in the photos above).

After the very fun henna experience we opened all of the wonderfully thoughtful gifts that were brought to us by our dear, dear friends. It's funny how overwhelming the outpouring of love has been this year for both Colin and I. First with our wedding and now with baby Thea on the way... well... all we can say is that we appreciate all your love, best wishes, and support SO MUCH... now more than ever!

It is now 12 days until due date (which means any time in the next month or so). We have almost everything together now for our home birth (fingers crossed that we don't need to go to the hospital for any reason). It's just a matter of waiting for Thea to pop out now. It is such an exciting and joyful time waiting to see who this new person will be... we can't wait!

Sprit of Midwifery

(Some photos taken this weekend for me by my friend Mike Hrycyk... thank you Mike!)




Hi one and all! I had a great time this past weekend at the midwifery conference in Vancouver. It was two days of talks on recent findings, research articles and thesis projects, along with some great informal discussions with midwives from around the country (and some from across borders too) about midwifery as it is, where it is going and how we can help to get it there.





There were a few talks that stand out in my mind especially: One was a research project on 5 years of home birth. The results of that study were quite groundbreaking. They showed that in most areas of labour and delivery, home birth is a safer, better alternative to hospital births (attended either by a midwife OR a GP/obstetrician). This study was important because it will help to pave the way for greater advances in legislation in provinces where midwifery is not yet regulated/funded and for other pro-midwifery endeavors.


Another research project that was very enlightening was one about university students' attitudes towards birth. It was somewhat surprising to see what the results of a UBC-wide survery were (hopefully they will post these findings online and I will be able to link to them for those interested).


There were many other wonderful talks including ones about post-partum obsessive complusive disorder, spirituality in midwifery and others that were completely facinating.





On a personal note, I had a wonderful time meeting so many wonderful, thought-provoking women. I had the great experience of meeting with some of the current UBC midwifery students and getting to talk to them about their experiences and thoughts. As I said, it was a wonderful weekend!





I also had a fantastic time at Mike and Jessica's place. Thank you so much for being great hosts this weekend guys! On Friday night we went to Langley for a birthday party with some of their friends, Cory and Mike, and had a wonderful time eating Chinese food and meeting their fantastic kids!





On Saturday we went out for dinner at the Eatery (my fav sushi place in Vancouver) and had a nice intimate dinner with some friends. It didn't go very late (which is probably for the best given that I was REALLY tired by then). After dinner we headed back to M&J's place and Mike took some really nice photos of my preggers belly. We then watched all of 10 minutes of a movie before passing out on the couch and then heading off to bed.





Sunday morning we made a quick trip to Granville Island (where I had cheese croissant, chocolate eclair and apple strudel for breakfast... mmmm...) and then to the ferry where we arrived just in time to run across to the car loading deck and throw me onto the ferry.





I had an amazing three days but the best part of it was coming home to my island and seeing Colin's smiling, wonderful face waiting for me at the front of the arrivals area. Sigh... maybe it is the newly-wed in me talking but I missed him every minute I was gone and it was the best feeling ever to be back home in his arms again...

Baby and life news

This was taken at the end of August (after I had my gallbladder removed and was able to eat fatty foods again). My baby belly was just beginning to pop out and ice cream was becoming the most wonderful thing ever invented (as it still is).

My body is feeling mostly good now. My gallbladder is almost healed although when baby Thea starts kicking, that seems to be one of her more favorite places to drum... ouch!

My belly is now ~42" around and growing about 1/2 - 1 inch per week. I have regained my pre-pregnancy and gallbladder weight and added about 10 pounds and from all the ultrasounds and measurements my midwives have been taking, our daughter is very healthy and progressing well for her age.

Physically things are going pretty well. My only complaints are that I have been having MASSIVE amounts of heartburn (yes, yes, I know... we are going to have a hairy baby) and difficulties moving around with a basketball sized critter in my tummy.

Baby preparations are starting to get really exciting now! This weekend Colin and I went up island to visit with my parents on Saturday (and to do chair massage in Courtenay on Sunday). While we were there my parents (and aunt Marilee and uncle Rick in absentia) had a mini baby shower for us. We now have some baby clothes and blankets, a playpen/change table for camping and travelling with, and a stroller/car-seat. The neatest thing that we recieved was a mobile from my aunt and uncle that lights up and swirls sparkles around in a watery sphere that hangs over the crib. VERY nifty (in fact, we may need to get another one for the baby as we might just set the one we have up over our own bed)!

In non-baby related life I have been auditing Chemistry and Biology at Camosun College in preparation for entering a bachelors program to become a midwife about 2-3 years from now (depending on finances and how our baby is growing up). I have never been so excited about taking science before and have never done so well! I got the top mark in our Chemistry mid-term last week with a 93% while the class average was in the low 70% area. Biology hasn't been quite as stimulating just because it is such a large amount of information being crammed into too-short lectures with other students who just won't shut up during the lecture... I wonder how long it will be until I snap and start throwing things at them? It has been really great to finally be passionate about a career path that is next to a guaranteed money-maker (midwives are currently funded by MSP in the province of BC and are HUGELY in demand). It is also wonderful to find a career that will allow me to use my intelligence on a daily basis and to interact with people in a way that is both meaningful and compassionate. Colin is also really looking forward to the day when he no longer has to work in the auto industry and has a little time to discover what _his_ passion is.

Another thing I am doing in the next few weeks to learn more about the career of midwifery is to attend the Spirit of Midwifery conference being held in Vancouver from Nov 1-3 (so for those of you in Vancouver who are free the evening of Saturday, Nov 3 for dinner, I would love to hook up!). It is two and a half days of speakers and exhibitors. I am really excited about it from a couple of standpoints... firstly, it will be really neat to attend a conference about childbirth while only five weeks away from giving birth myself... should be some interesting insights. Also I will get the chance to hear all about recent developments and challenges in the field from the experts. I hope to meet a bunch of the faculty and students from the UBC Midwifery program while there as well. I want to find out what they think of the program, what suggestions they have for good volunteer work to help familiarize myself with midwifery, and just to find out what the personalities involved are like.
There will also be instructors from a couple of the Ontario midwifery schools present so I will be able to sound them out about their programs as well.

As it stands Colin and I have decided that Vancouver is our first choice of program (being closest to our families and least disruptive to our lifestyles), Ontario is our second choice (either at McMaster in Hamilton or else at Laurentian in Sudbury - largely due to the MUCH lower cost of living that in Vancouver), and the Seattle Midwifery School is our third choice (only because they do not grant a bachelor's degree and after the program is finished I would have to do almost an entire extra year of PLEA certification which is both costly and time consuming).

One of the biggest benefits of the UBC program is that from the sounds of things they are pretty nice about trying to arrange clinical placements that are convenient for their students. The scariest thing about UBC is that they usually have between 100-150 applicants per year and they only accept 10 of them. I REALLY hope that I am one of those ten the year I apply.

So that's my life in a nutshell right now... lots of school, lots of prep for baby, and lots of prep for midwifery. I am EXCESSIVELY happy with my wonderful husband and am really looking forward to what the next years bring us.