Staying Warm

Let me start by saying, Canadians are nuts - "oh sure, H can go outside, she'll be fine as long as it is twenty below or warmer." We've decided that since she is Canadian, she must be tough and probably likes nothing more than the thrill of an arctic gust so cold that it crystallizes one's snot. So, we've been taking walks and took her first hike on "the mountain" yesterday. We didn't take any photos from the hike, but have plenty of the different ways we have bundled her up.

When we go by car, the cozy cover (sort of shown here) on the car seat keeps H warm.


For short walks, we use the snow suit.


For longer walks, and this weekends hike on "the mountain," we start with the mama kangaroo baby carrier.


And, top it off with the "m coat" - for Maternity, Mama, and Myself. It has a reversible panel - the wide side goes down when pregnant, the wide side goes up when carrying the baby in a carrier, and the panel goes away when mama goes out by herself. Very handy.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Who Likes the Baby Racetrack?

Cats do.

Dogs do.

Babies aren't sure.

How to Build an Infant Crawling Track

The last few weeks before H's birth, we were overwhelmed with the important things that we had not finished. A little over a week before she was born, we knew we would fail as parents if we didn't get the baby crawling track built before her arrival. Here is how we built ours. In our home, it is known as the "baby race track."

Supplies (all except the vinyl purchased at Home Depot):
- (1) 1" x 16" x 8' pine
- (2) 1" x 6" x 8' pine
- double sided carpet tape
- carpet foam
- vinyl

Tools:
- Scissors
- Stapler
- Utility knife
- Drill
- Screw driver

1. Apply double-sided carpet tape to the edges of the 1" x 16" x 8'


2. Remove back-side of tape


3. Attach the carpet foam to the 1" x 16" x 8' by laying the carpet foam on the side of the 1" x 16" x 8" with the double-sided carpet tape exposed


4. Trim the excess foam by running a utility knife through it using the wood as a guide.


5. Lay the 1" x 16" x 8' - carpet pad assembly on the vinyl. The carpet pad should be in between the 1" x 16" x 8' and the vinyl.


6. Trim the vinyl to size, leaving enough to fold the vinyl over the sides and ends of the 1" x 16" x 8'


7. Fold the vinyl over the sides and ends of the 1" x 16" x 8' and staple it down using a staple gun.


8. Attach a sheet of vinyl to each of the 1" x 6" x 8's.


9. Set the 1" x 16" x 8' on the 1" x 6" x 8's. We achieved this by setting the 1" x 16" x 8' on a stack of yoga blocks and journals (they are not visible in the photo since they are under the 1" x 16" x 8')


10. Near one of the ends, use a clamp to provide a tight fit.


11. Install L-shaped brackets on both sides every 18 inches and reinforce intermittently with woodscrews. We started on one end of the crawling track, used the clamp to tighten the system, installed the L-shaped brackets, reinforced with woodscrews and then moved the clamp down 18 inches and repeated.


12. Apply the carpet pad to each of the 1" x 6" x 8's by applying the double-sided carpet tape to the 1" x 6" x 8's, attaching the carpet pad, securing the carpet pad with the staple gun, and cutting the carpet pad to size using the utility knife.


13. Wrap the vinyl around the 1" x 6" x 8' - carpet pad assembly.


14. Secure the vinyl with the staple gun.




Et voilà - a crawling track.


In hindsight, I would have done a few things differently. First, I would have used something lighter. The 1" pine results in a pretty heavy crawling track. Second, I would have used something a bit stronger to tack down the carpet pad. It currently bulges up slightly in the center of the track. Finally, I wish we would have used something other than vinyl - something more natural. We may actually recover it if we find a more natural material that is smooth (let us know if you have any ideas).

It's a Girl! ... but what is her name?

Thirty-three hours after K's water started breaking, after many hours of active labor and pushing, after the contractions stopped and it was obvious our plans for a natural birth had to be changed, after a transfer from the birthing center to Jewish Hospital, after an epidural and pitocin, after her heart rate dropped to an unsafe level, after three attempts to pull her out with a vacuum extractor, and after a successful attempt to pull her out with forceps, our wonderful Hera joined us (on her due date, no less!)



I called K's parents, and they announced the arrival of Kira to friends and family. I called my mom, and she announced the arrival of Hera (pronounced Hair-uh) to friends and family. I called K's colleague, and she announced the arrival of Shira to colleagues. Shira even received welcoming flowers.



Nobody got it right the first time. I can only conclude that if they all got it wrong, my tired emotional self was not communicating clearly.

I will set the record straight. It's a girl. She is our Hera (pronounced Hear-upside down e, which blogger does not like, or Hear-uh), although we often call her Shira Kira Hera.