super star

in a few days, it's a New Year.

A year of big changes for you my wonderful boy.

Hope you are always healthy and happy.

Mateo is not feeling well

Mateo has a big big cold - that Mommy caught too because her system is a bit low ( not sleeping for more than 5 hours in a row takes its toll after a few months!)

The house has been calm for a few days - Daddy finds it boring...and he has to do so many more chores...

But the sky will be brighter tomorrow - we can see it in Mattie's eyes already!

Get well my baby.

they finally met!

We had been waiting for this time for a few months now : for Elias and Mateo to finally meet!

They did not get to spend that much time together : Mateo was in everybody's arms and Elias was sleeping a lot ( he is such a difficult baby Annona!!) or spending time in the shade.

I think the moms look a bit tired on this picture but we can see that they were so happy to see each other again.

Miss you Annona.  Kisses to E.

your parents Mat

Our Wedding Day - December 10th 2008.

So many people close to our heart were with us  - that's why it was so special, that's why we are so lucky.

You were there too Mattie.  

When you are older, I am sure you will laugh looking at the pictures of you.  Mommy dressed you up in an outfit similar to Daddy's. You looked stunning!

I still need a few days to process the whole emotion...there are so many things to say but I don't know where and how to start...

ahhhh....

i love pictures with Mat. Love this one : so spontaneous! 

Okay, okay, I was posing a bit but it still looks natural don't you think?

M surprised me during the holidays and offered to take pictures of us!

He also wanted me to take pictures of him and Mat.  People DO change.

a different nose to chew on

Mat likes to eat his daddy's nose -maybe the size has something to do with it :)

And I thought Mat only liked dad's nose since he never chews on mine...Wrong! He found another nose to drool on!

Love it!

inspiration

when I saw these colored bars I knew that my camera would go hunting for them...

they remind me of my life with Mat : lots of colours, lots of sun and full of surprises

love and smiles

Daddy did not want pictures of him on this blog but I don't think he will mind...

It took Mommy hundreds of pictures to get this perfect shot!

I love my Dad! I spent so much time with him in Mexico. I will miss him when he will go back to work... 

it was my anniversary

every month, every week, every day I am doing new things.

What I started doing while I was in Riviera Maya :

- grinning in a new way

- holding my sippy cup with one firm hand

- climbing everything - chairs, Dad...

- taking longer naps - 2 hours!

- having a more regular poo

- getting rid of my eczema (thanks to the sun!)

- standing up in bed

- wanting to walk

- eating fruits with more appetite - apple and pears!

- showing my character more when things did not go my way...

- and of course, gaining weight.  I think I weigh 25 pounds now! 

It was a big month!

I'm back!

We just came back from Mexico last night! (I enjoyed the airplane ride - did not cry once!)

I loved the sun - I even got a tan on my legs although my mom put on 70 baby sunscreen!

I tried the pool but the water was too cold.  I wanted to go in the see but the sun was always too hot.

What more can I tell you?

I had a different bed there - it was comfortable.  I slept in onesies.  I  had naps in Dad's arms everyday. Did not try Mexican food since I am still breastfeeding and eating cereal. I had a great yellow stroller.

Mexican women were crazy about me.  Every time I was with Dad all the girls stopped to talk to me.  They all wanted to hold me and kiss me.  I like it there!

see you in a month!

my mom is really busy for the next two weeks so there is no time to write posts about me...

she is taking care of me, working and getting ready for the wedding...

if anything really special happens, she might write...

do not worry - she will have good stories to tell and tons of pictures too when she comes back from Mexico!

hasta pronto!

6 months

and 2 days!

you

you can roll over easily from one side to another

you like to drink water

you do not like the bottle

you do not use pacifiers

you cry when we wake you up

you smile when we dance for you

you recognize your name

you still wake up once during the night to drink

you are super nosy and look around every where

you like to fall asleep in daddy's arms but never in mine

you like rice cereal but not carrots, sweet potatoes, corn, zucchini, apples and bananas! (that's all the things I tried up to now but you are not interested!)

you poop only every four days (!)

you feel the most comfortable when you are at home

you still do not like being in your cat seat - we bought you a bigger one but it still does not do the trick (!)

you like it when we blow air on your face

you like taking a bath - and you love showers too

you put everything in your mouth

you had your first cold this week

you like to lay in bed with us - and you like it with Oma too!

you still like to play with your hands

you have a little rash on your armpits

you like to go to bed late (10PM)

and you wake up late (8h30) - we like that!

you like to stare

you like music

....

Dankeschon

Last Thursday and Friday, I went to Québec for work.  I love to go to Speaq every year.  I get to see everyone (which is so nice and energizing!) and I also get the chance to give workshops (with my buddy Isabelle- it was great!).

This year, it was possible thanks to Oma and Opa because they came with us Mattie! It was hectic but it all worked out : breast feed - cocktail - sleep - breast feed - workshop - breast feed - business lunch - breast feed - workshop - breast feed...

My parents made it possible by waiting for me every where I asked them to : at the hotel room, at the lobby, at the workshop, at the restaurant...

I know it was a bit boring for them...so : Thank you!

And you, Mattie, you were a champion (as always!)  - except for the ride home - you cried for almost an hour...

Mama's patient so it was not so bad after all...

happy birthday daddy!

Hi Daddy!

I love you!

Thank you for waking up with me every morning while mommy is sleeping.

Thank you for playing with me every day.

Thank you for talking to me on the phone.

Thank you for encouraging and applauding me every time I do new things.

Thank you for all the great songs.

Thank you for the dances.

Thank you for the diaper changes.

Thank you for the showers I sometimes take with you.

Thank you for everything you do with me.  

and by the way : Da-da-da-da-da-da-da! 

It is so fun to spend time with you.

Have a great day!

Your son

drinking from a sippy cup!

What colour is your world?

Mamma was supposed to be on maternity leave for one full year but since very nice projects are coming her way (6 months in advance!) she is deciding to start now! I can work from home and get to plunge into the universe of children.  So nice! So different! I went to Chapters for books and new ideas.  I found this one that I might even use...

My world is pink, orange, red, yellow, white...somedays it is a bit blue, green, other days it is purple and seldomly is it grey or brown and it is never black. 

I hope your life Mattie is like a rainbow - a little bit of everything...

exploring with the stroller

got this great idea from this book (Keri Smith's books are always so cool!) : will collect things we find during our walks... 

What will we find Mattie?

We'll do it just for the fun of it! And we'll keep a few pieces...It will be a museum of our unique world.

"At any given moment, no matter where you are, there are hundreds of things around you that are interesting and worth documenting."

who does he look like?

me as a baby or M as a baby?

he is finally taking naps

strangely enough Mat has not been a baby who likes to take naps.  He would spend the whole day playing his toys, playing with me or just hanging out on the floor, or on his mat, or in his blue chair or in his bed...but sleeping, forget it! He would get tired during the day and cry a bit but he did not want to sleep...Unless he was in the car of course where he always falls asleep or if he is in M's arms, my mom's arms or Lily's arms...but in my arms : never!  I excite him too much - eh, can you blame him? :) 

He started napping last week so I thought it was worth mentioning.  At the age of 5 months and a half!!

It is crazy how much stuff I got done this morning while he was sleeping : taking a shower, folding some clothes, working, eating lunch, writing these posts, getting our stuff ready for when he wakes up and we go for a walk! Incredible! I like those naps!

couldn't help it

yes, yes, I know! It is way too early to pack for the vacation but I couldn't help it....I just wanted to have an idea of how much stuff baby stuff I could fit in my carry-on for the plane.  I could barely fit in the diapers and few pairs of shorts.  Baby stuff takes so much room! I thought : everything is so small - it will squeeze in easily but it doesn't!

And mamma has a LOT of stuff she wants to bring.  It's a wedding after all! And we are staying two weeks!  So many pairs of shoes and tops...more than usual. What am I gonna do? Lily offered some space in her luggage and I am sure my mom will too... 

getting ready for hot weather

went to check for baby car seats yesterday at Babies R Us (since he has already outgrown the new-born one) but instead of buying a seat, we bought some new onesies to get him ready for Mexico.

I can't wait to see him sleeping under a palm tree with the warm breeze caressing his body.

hi mom!

if he is the king

what are we? :)

the day you were born

In Spanish, there is a beautiful expression for giving birth.  They say: dar luz.  To give light. This is what I did a few months ago.  I gave birth to you, my light.

I have procrastinated so many times on writing this post.  I want to tell you what happened that day but when I start writing the details, everything seems so trivial.  I wrote a draft of this post describing and explaining everything that went on that day but when I came to type it here I just thought it was useless - not interesting. The only thing I remember clearly and that I feel is important is when you came out.  Your voice was so beautiful. You did not even cry, nor scream.  It's as if you just said hello. The first thing I said to your daddy was : "Ohhhhh...il a tellement une belle voix!" I know it is a funny thing to say but your voice was amazing, so soft, so gentle. We cried when we saw how beautiful you were.  You looked so awake, so old already! And you had so much hair!

You were great Mat from the beginning.  You were born at 11h20 and I did not get to spend the night with you.  I was still under shock from all the drugs and I got to see you only the next morning.   The nurse told us that you had spent a wonderful night.  I thought you were such a champion, so strong.  I think I instinctively knew that you would be amazing!

We love you so.

wish

I started writing a list of all the things that I hope you like but then, while writing it and having fun writing it, I realized that I was writing all the things I like and that your daddy likes.  Dancing, reading, coloring, cooking, fishing....And then I thought that it was not fair to impose our likes on you.  You are your own person and you can choose your own passions. 

I wish that you write your own list...

countdown

The countdown has now started Mattie boy.  In less than 2 months, Daddy and I are getting married! Yep!! We are so excited! So excited that you will be with us during this special time.  So excited that you will be on the wedding pictures!  So excited to be with our friends and family. (Get ready Mat, you will be kissed so much!) So excited to be in the sun.  So excited to be on holiday.  So excited to travel with you!

Mommy still does not know what you will wear.  Mommy wanted you to wear while pants, no top and a shiny bow tie but apparently this is a crazy idea! You are not a Chippendale after all! 

Any original ideas anyone?

purees

When I was pregnant and imagining my life with a baby, one of the things I was looking forward to was making purees - simple baby food.  Isabelle gave me a great book for extra ideas (they look yummy for mummies too these recipes !) and I also got a fun book from Verica for older children.    

Today I prepared my first carrot mélange - no fancy recipe - just carrot and water - that I pureed and poured into cubes that went to the freezer!   

M tried it to give him some tonight and he did not seem that interested.  Hum? We'll try again tomorrow!

do you remember? will you remember?

I have always been fascinated with perfumes and their bottles.  I counted how many perfumes I have worn in my life and I was close to 30 different ones.  I started wearing perfume when I was in grade six - I bought Ivresse from Lise Watier that my aunt Thérèse wore.  It was subtle...I felt like a grown up even though I was about 11!

Annona has often told me that I was the only person she knew that was so interested in perfumes...

Perfume is wonderful Mat.  There are certain smells that you will never forget.  You will associate delicate smells with the girls you will love....and I hope that you will remember my smell too.

I still associate Eau de Rochas to my mom even though it probably does not exist anymore.  She wore it when I was young.  I could name you all the perfumes she wore.  I still smell her neck all the time to see what she is wearing.  

I can name all the perfumes that my friends have been wearing since I have known them...and I can enumerate the perfumes Lily, Nana and Joanne wear.  

And scents can bring you back to so much more.  They can be related to passions.  When I smell ceramic tiles, I always think of airports down south and it makes me happy.  Fresh cut grass makes me think of summer fun.  The smell of tea makes me think of Annona's mom who showed me how to prepare a great tea pot. Clarins sun lotion reminds me of Luc and all the fun we had together. Parsley makes me think of Oma.  And the list could go on forever...

When flights are delayed I am never that upset -it means I get to spend more time at the duty free perfume section. The new Pharmaprix and Jean Coutu are now even better than before - I try perfumes all the time at the entrance.  M always says : We are not stopping in the perfume section Tan.  Go straight through! 

And so I go back the next day with you ! :)

Perfumes allow you to say : I am here.  It gives you presences.  It redefines you when you need it.  It allow you to start new chapters in your life.  

You already have your first perfume too Mattie - it is a baby perfume that I received from Sharnee, Philippa and Cara.  Some days, I wear it so I can smell like you...

This what I wore when I found out you were in my belly- the title is significant now that I think about it! It smells woody and sexy... The bottle reminds me of Olive in Popeye.
Then, when I was pregnant most perfumes made me feel nauseated - so I went back to a favourite - a simple girlie light smell - it puts Johanne and me instantly in a good mood! I love the bottle so much!

Then I gave birth and was able to go back to another favourite that my brother bought me - it also smells divine and classic.  This is the first real whiff you had of me Mat. 

And now, I needed a change - something new - something different.  I found this new smell that I love so much.  It is sweet but not too strong. I should be going through a few bottles of these. Hope you like it Mat.

expressing it better than me

a few days ago I bought the October Oprah magazine which is all about LOVE.  It features articles where people share their feelings about different kinds of love and one of them really describes the way I feel about Mat :

"When I saw my baby....I felt a huge billowing of love that sat like a gigantic, soft helium balloon on my shoulders.  I didn't know a person could feel that love, it was so large.  I watched my little one wake up from her nap (Mat does not take naps though...hum!) and kick her little feet and - whoosh!- that feeling of love grew exponentially.  How could this love be this big?  That enormous, soft helium balloon got bigger and higher until my love filled the skies.  Boundless, as they say."

I love the part that says that the love filled the skies.  It's really how I feel.  I feel that my love for Mateo is in the air.  It is everywhere I go. I have always been have a very happy person but now, I feel even more content.  If a surgeon opened my body, he would see the words Mateo and M written on my heart.

cereal for the first time!

After the boob, Mateo is always very calm and super happy but today he was still grumpy after which is really strange for him.  Was he still hungry? I don't really know but I thought I  could give him his  first teaspoon of cereal.  He grimaced at first, seemed surprised, did not swallow right away, then smiled and then finally swallowed.  Good job!

a bit grumpy today

I want to get things done and I am still in my pyjamas at 4Pm.  He wants to be held today.  He wants mama's attention. That's okay - I am not complaining! I would like him to sleep but this is the look he is giving me...Too cute...

So I hold him, kiss him, play with him, pinch him, photograph him, read him stories and repeat everything again.

I have just put him in his saucer now - he seems to be fine...let's hope it lasts more than 5 minutes...

5 months!

time is flying - he does not seem like a baby anymore - he is a little man!

happy birthday Tete! 

discovering cold drinks

He liked the feeling of an ice cold glass on his tongue.  He was licking the glass - so funny!  He did not want to let it go...

more pictures of this great photo shoot

LOVE this last one - look at Mateo's hand on his tummy.

Thank you for this WONDERFUL gift Elias.  Chukran habibi.

new expressions!

sleeping around

Mateo, this weekend you slept around and I think you liked it!

On Friday, we went to visit Elias and Luc and at around 10, we put you to bed and you fell asleep right away.  It was so cute to see you on their bed with your special blanket.  We woke you up at around 10 and you slept through the car ride home and ...until the next morning at 8h30. 

And then, on Saturday night, you laid in Jacques and Cesar's bed and you liked that too.  You even turned on your stomach like you do at home.

You're easy Mateo!

your cousin Maika

what a cutie pie.  

She looks like my brother but like mommy Karine too !

She is still too old for you but soon, I am sure you will have fun playing with her!  

fall is here.

last week, you woke up in the middle of the night and your feet, your ears and your face were cold.  I warmed up in my arms and before putting you back in bed, I put your socks back on (because you wiggle your feet so much and that is why they come off...) but a few hours later in the early morning, you were cold again...

Daddy did not like this situation and went to buy a small heater for your room the next morning. We tried it, but mommy thought the room was too hot now...a dry room is not good for babies, right? - so we decided to buy new winter pyjamas.  I think Daddy likes to buy baby clothes more than me. So off we went to the store (mommy always says yes when shopping is involved). We bought 4 new thick ones with long legs. 

It worked - you are warm now.

Buenas noches mi querido.

Mateo, my love

other moms having great ideas

check this

reminds me of what we put on your wall Mateo, but much funnier!

discovered this great site thanks to my friend Dominique

Mateo asked me to go

I swear it's true!