Blowing Up

This etsy thing just keeps happening! Today’s excitement is the Unicorn Parade Shop on the Urban Outfitters blog!

Unicorn Parade on the UO Blog

… and I’m still swamped with orders from the Jezebel mention! I have about a million mini killjoy banners to make, which can get a bit repetitive, but I’ve been making some new, interesting things as well, like this cat portrait banner:

How fun is that??? I’ve already gotten a couple of requests for other cat & dog portrait banners, and I might be making one of little pizzas.

Today I’m taking a break from banners (except for one I finished & shipped already this morning) to focus of cleaning the house, FINALLY recolouring the faded green ends of my hair and of course plenty of baby snuggle time!

Snuggle Time

Tonight is Taylor’s office Christmas party, so Gwen is having a babysitter for the first time (actually Sym’s dad and stepmom, so TWO babysitters) and I’m trying not to stress about it. Instead I’m stressing about having NOTHING to wear since I’m still in that awkward fashion twilight of being too small for my maternity clothes and too big for my regular clothes and sweatpants are all that fit me right now.

OH WELL, I’m sure I’ll figure something out.

Three Weeks

This baby. THIS BABY, I tell you.

She is three weeks old today, and this morning I took her to the doctor for a checkup. In case you were wondering she was diagnosed with FLAWLESSNESS.

She’s grown another centimeter, she’s gained over two pounds (!!!) and she’s basically perfect.

But I already knew that.

Saturday With Sym/Raw Canvas

On Saturday I spent almost the whole day out NOT doing baby things. It’s true! Taylor stayed home with Gwen and I went out with Sym in the afternoon and some friends in the evening. I actually slept way in that morning so I did almost no baby things that day- it was weird.

I had some boring errands to run (the post office to mail banners, Canadian Tire to pick up window insulation kits, Michael’s for more exacto blades) that I dragged Sym along to, but I was able to make it a fun afternoon for her and therefore for myself as well.

Sym in Starbucks
Granville StreetNutella CrepeSym as a Mutant Reindeer

We got salted caramel hot chocolates at Starbucks, after finding the window insulation kits we looked at all the Christmas decor at Canadian Tire (and bought a few things like a stocking for Gwen and light-up Rudolph deelyboppers for Sym), we had a late lunch at Cafe Crepe and I let her choose some small, inexpensive things to buy at Michael’s. It’s really important for me to make sure Sym doesn’t feel left out or unimportant now that Gwen has been born and this was a nice way for me to spend time with her while still getting things done, since I’m super busy right now.

In the evening I met up with my friend Bonnie and some of her friends at Raw Canvas, a kind of art restaurant down in Yaletown.

Pre-Painting Drinking
Huge WineMeats & CheesesFine Art Works

The menu there is really simple (for $17 you get a tasting plate with your choice of three items from the meats & cheeses side of the menu and three from the accompaniments side) but the real point of going is the painting: you chose what size and shape of canvas you want and have access to a whole wall of locally made acrylics and the help of a resident artist who can give you tips and advice and show you different techniques.

Of course, I already have my own technique- it’s called being a giant control freak and planning/designing/sketching what I want to paint for sometimes weeks in advance, so this was WAY outside mt comfort zone! I actually brought one of the sketches I did for the flowers on Gwen’s cradle with the idea of using it for inspiration and it kind of worked? Like, I don’t LOVE what I bought home but I think if I work on it some more I will like it better. The other problem I had was with their brushes- I like to use tiny brushes to do a lot of fiddly detail on things, and the brushes there are used by dozens and dozens of drunk people so they were scrubbed to death and in worse shape than the ones I have for the daycare kids! I think if I go again it’ll be a BYOB night (Bring Your Own Brushes).

This was all the first time I’d been away from Gwen for any significant amount of time (like, longer than the length of a dog walk around the park) and it was hard, but I think it was good for me to get out. I did miss her a lot though!

Baby Bear Wearing
Bright EyedLap BabyLittle Hand

I mean… who wouldn’t???

Bee Eff Effs

I can’t decide if Georgie actually likes Gwen or if she just likes basking in her reflected glory. She does hate when Gwen cries- like she’ll run up and stare at you with her golden puppy eyes as if to say “WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO THAT BABY TO MAKE HER CRY??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU STOP IT IMMEDIATELY.”

Week 2

Yesterday Gwen was two weeks old, and I CANNOT BELIEVE IT. How is time going so quickly??? I celebrated by shipping SIXTEEN banners and finally colouring my hair for the first time in probably a month. NO MORE GREY ROOTS. I still need to redo my blue ends but baby steps, right?

Finally Fixed My Hair

I also spent an hour in the shower scrubbing and shaving and exfoliating and I feel like a human being again- like, I’ve been getting tons of sleep thanks to Taylor’s opposite schedule but during the day I’ve been focussing on Gwen things, etsy things and housework things and less on Tanie things. I’d say that has to stop but I spent the morning on Gwen & housework and I’m about to spend the afternoon on Gwen and etsy so… Oh well. I kind of wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sleeping In

The first week after Gwen was born, Taylor stayed home from work and we both kind of stayed up most of the night with her- he was more likely to be awake for the first half (like, midnight to 4am) and I was more likely to be awake for the second half (4am onwards). It worked well because we were sharing the baby care equally and we both got some sleep, but not a lot. This week he’s back at work and it’s EVEN BETTER. He’s arranged to work from home for the next six to eight weeks, which is AMAZING, because he works nights and since he’s up anyway he’s been doing everything with her! I’ve been getting so much sleep I don’t even know how to deal with it. Last night I went to bed at around midnight and this morning he woke me up at eight. EIGHT. That’s later than I normally sleep on a weekday!

It also helps that Gwen is such a good baby; sometimes I don’t even want to go to bed- I just want to stay up and gaze at her and count her little fingers and toes. Last night I stole her from Taylor and snuggled with her in bed before I fell asleep and it was pretty much the best thing ever. I still can’t believe we made this baby and I grew her in my belly and now she’s here and more perfect than I ever could have imagined. WOW THAT WAS MUSHY. Sorry. It’s true though.

In unrelated to my adorable baby news, I woke up this morning and my blog layout was all messed up, so I apologize for the ugly font and too-wide pictures. Apparently all my CSS edits vanished overnight? UGH SUCH A PAIN since I don’t remember how I changed it in the first place. THANKS A LOT, WORDPRESS >:/

Gwen at One Week

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Taylor just uploaded his pictures of Gwen from yesterday, and I’m getting emotional looking at them. She’s napping so I can’t look at the real thing while I’m on my computer, although I often go stare at her while she sleeps. I just love her so much!

Eight Days

Can you believe Gwen is over a week old already??? I certainly can’t. Taylor keeps saying stuff about he can’t wait until she’s a bit bigger and we can do this or that or blah blah blah and I’m like NOOOOOOOOOOOO PRECIOUS TINY INFANT CAN NEVER GROW UP. Yesterday she had her first visit to the doctor, and she’s already regained the 1.5% of her birth weight that she lost AND MORE, and grown one centimeter.

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Since she was one week old yesterday I asked Taylor to take some pictures of her, but he hasn’t uploaded them yet so for now here’s a bunch of random stuff…

Cool Dad
Little Bear

On Wednesday we took her out for her first shopping trip downtown. She was a total angel and slept the entire time we were out, but I way overdid it and spent the evening literally sobbing from my various pains- my embarrassing problem from September is back, and my milk came in, but since it won’t come out (breastfeeding is a no-go for me again) I was a swollen mess. ANYWAY I’m recovering/deflating nicely now so PHEW.

The Sun'll Come Out

While we were out Taylor bought me a fancy new down-filled waterproof parka from The North Face so I don’t have to choose between being cold and wet this winter, and LITERALLY the second we stepped out of the store the sun burst through the clouds, so Vancouver people can thank me for any nice weather we have in the next couple weeks.

Gwen All Wrapped Up

This morning I successfully got her into a properly wrapped Moby for the first time! We took Georgie out for a walk together, and it was GREAT. I officially love this thing, so much simpler for short walks than busting out the stroller, plus it means I’ll be able to take Georgie to the dog park again!

Anyway, this baby bundled on my chest is starting to wake up so I’d better go, but if you want to look at fifty billion pictures of my baby and my pets all day please follow me on instagram YES FINE I ADMIT IT I WAS WRONG ABOUT IT. Happy Friday everyone!

Gwenny Gwen Gwen

Gwendolyn Violet

Back when I was pregnant Taylor and I spent a lot of time trying to think off baby names. We had a list of some names we liked but there was nothing we were like, IN LOVE with. We just couldn’t think of a name! Sym made suggestions, our friends & family made suggestions (multiple people suggested “Daisy,” which is weird), my mom and I spent a couple hours on baby name websites, but nothing jumped out at us.

After she was born the brainstorming continued, and finally we picked something: Gwendolyn (Gwen or Gwenny or Itty-Bitty Baby Face) Violet. Taylor and I agreed on Gwendolyn together, and Violet was Symphony’s suggestion (I am so happy she could be involved, I really want her to feel included in the whole baby thing).

Sisters

(This picture is from Friday, before we left the hospital. I’ve been kind of slow in downloading the pics from my camera)

I swear one day I’ll have a real post, but for now I ACTUALLY caved in and got Instagram to better inundate you all with baby pics (like my recent blog posts haven’t been enough)!

Follow me!