At the movies

So I saw Sicko yesterday...sort of. I decided to try out the whole "movies for moms" thing at the Galaxy as I just had Blake yesterday. And, they were playing Sicko...even better! Unfortunately, Blake does not share my affinity for movies, or maybe it's just Michael Moore movies. Dear god...perhaps he's a conservative like his dad!

Anyway, I would definitely recommend this one. Although I did have to leave before the final few moments (too much crying...which mysteriously ended as soon as I got to the car and turned into happy smiles...like "Thank God...she's finally doing what I want now!"), Sicko is Michael Moore's least strident, and I think most effective, documentary to date. The stories are relentless and after watching it, I don't see how anyone in the free world could doubt that the US system of health insurance/healthcare is pretty much a complete and total disaster.

George got to hear a bit about the movie after I got home, and after about three stories of woe, he told me to stop as he couldn't take it anymore. I didn't even get to the really, really upsetting ones either.

Anyway, it all makes me glad that I live in Canada and don't have to pull out the cheque book whenever I head to the doctor. I'm happy to pay the taxes that come with universal health care.

So, two thumbs up from me for Sicko, and one sucked thumb from Blake.

Blake's fifth month

To Blake:

You're now five months old! This month, you have discovered your toes and they are now your favorite toy in the whole world. You found them the week before you turned five months and they have been your constant companion since then. If you're laying on your back, your feet are in the air and your hands are holding on to them. I've even seen you do this in your sleep! No wonder you still can't sleep through the night...you're too darn fidgety!

The other big trick you have discovered this month is the ability to drool like Niagara Falls. You are now permanently bibbed, and re-bibbed, and re-bibbed each day.

As well, anything that you can reach is now ending up in your mouth for a thorough oral exploration. (Yes, this means that you're now a grabber...which Faith has found means her hair gets pulled a lot now.)

And finally, you have become quite the squealer. I'm surprised you can't break glass with your happy squeals!

Mornings now start around 6:00 am. You're up by then, no matter how many times we try to put you back to sleep. So, I feed you and watch the news and the weather for the day. By the time your sister gets up and wants to hold you, Dad is gone for work, and I'm rushing to get ready before you decide that you're bored and want some more attention. (This pattern seems to continue throughout the day.)

You still hate getting into your car seat, but I keep the "sun toy" in the chair so you can play with that in the car until you fall asleep. When I'm driving, I can hear a little "crinkle, crinkle, crinkle" sound and know that you are staring determinedly at the toy and your little fingers are scrunching the sun's rays trying to figure this thing out. It's just so cute and I have no idea why.

In the evenings, you're now getting a bottle just before bedtime as you now sleep until about 1:30 or so. In fact, at the end of the day, the only thing you seem to want to do is eat. Your sister even gets to give you a bottle now, which she thinks is pretty cool.

Actually, you seem to just keep getting cooler and cooler.

Faith's first missing tooth

Faith lost her first tooth on June 5th, after wiggling it for a few weeks with her finger. So, we decided to pull it out with a washcloth tonight to see if it would come out. Faith tried, then George tried, then I pulled it out with a quick tug. Faith thought it was great until she looked in the mirror and saw a little blood...then the tears started! But, it stopped very quickly and she decided the whole thing was very cool and wanted to call Nana and Papa and Gramma and Grampa right away.

What work does your Mom do?

The question for the day in Faith's class was "What work does your Mom do?" (Their studying "work" this month.) I asked what Faith thought my work was.

"Doing laundry, making dinner, stuff like that."

When it came time to answer the question for school, though, she said, "Playing with my brother and I."

All in all, I think that was a much better answer.

A morning conversation

"I think I put my underwear on inside out."

"Don't worry Mom. I do that all the time."

Loving it...

Faith has decided that she completely loves school now. She told here teacher, "I never want school to end."

The secret?

The classroom just got a whole new set of Barbies, including "one with hair down to her feet!"

Good to know she figured this out before the end of the year!

Blake's fourth month

To Blake:

Four months! Four months have passed and I can't believe it. We've gone from the dead of winter, skipped right over spring, and have started summer. Now, instead of a sleepy baby you've become this talkative, smiling, flirty little person. You especially love dropping Faith off and picking her up at school so you can smile at all the older women...the five year old girls just love to hold your hand! You ride around in the Baby Bjorn like you own the world...face out of course, with your little sun hat on, and just laugh and smile.


Big events for you this month were your baptism on April 29th. We had a lot of family come up from Harrow, and Nana and Papa arrived from Florida . Papa got to meet you for the first time and give you the inspection. You passed of course.


For your baptism, you were so well behaved. You essentially fell asleep half way through and didn't wake up again until we got home and it was time to eat (you always know when it's time to eat!). You looked very cute in the baptism outfit -- a shirt, pants with suspenders and a little hat -- that Gramma got you. And, we even had the blanket from Nana's baptism to wrap you in.

Other big events this month included you rolling over for the first time! It was quite a shock when you did this on your sister's birthday, and a nice present for her. I turned around for a second and then looked back to find you had gone from your tummy to your back. You looked a little stunned by the whole event!

You've also taken to trying to fit your whole fist in your mouth, and sometimes two fists. You chew on anything that gets near your mouth...blankets, bibs, fingers, hands...and have decided that drooling and blowing bubbles is an Olympic sport. It should be gross but it's actually pretty cute for reasons that mostly have to do with you being cute whatever you do.

Your big sister still thinks that you are the best thing on the planet. She's been changing your diapers (!!), giving hugs and kisses, and singing you lots of her made-up songs that you love. I took the picture below of the two of you on your fourth month birthday, and even though it's blurry and off-centre, I totally love it. It just seems to capture how much she adores you.

You hit 12 lbs 9 ozs on your fourth month birthday and now feel like a "stuffed little sausage" according to Gramma. This is a pretty accurate description even though you don't really strike me as breakfast food. You are, however, a very solid little kid with curly hair that looks a bit like a mad professor after we give you a bath and horseshoe shaped bald patch at the back. Don't worry...it'll all grow back and then fall out again when you hit middle age.

Love and kisses!