Good Morning From Julia

Testing Testing...

Julia - 4 weeks old

I can't believe that Julia is now over four weeks old. She is definitely growing larger. Last night we went to the Dari Delite and for the first time I saw a baby smaller than her. I'm so curious to know how much she weighs but I'm going to have to wait until her 8 week doctor's visit.

The first two pictures that I'm posting are very special. In the first one, Julia is lying on a quilt that was made for her by our lovely friend Dianne. Be sure to click on it and see it enlarged so you can appreciate all of the incredible detail that was put into it. The little people near Julia's feet are particularly cute. Thank you so much Dianne! We have scouted out a spot in Julia's room and are going to hang it up. Next we have a picture of Julia hanging out on the quilt that Grandma Julia and Patsy made for her with love. As I type she is lying on the quilt checking out the world around her. I think she'll enjoy playing on this one (as soon as she's into toys). In the picture below you'll see Karen working her magic with Julia. Karen babysat Julia while I attempted to go on the annual canoe run. Unfortunately the wind was not cooperating and I ended up having to abandon the trip to return home to feed the little monkey. On the bright side, everyone else had a wonderful river run - including Daddy who was well entertained by a gal named "Candy Hot." (aka our good friend Janna)Karen had Julia so cozy that she slept like a lamb on the couch. Well it is a hot and muggy day here in Freddy beach. A perfect day for a stroll in a shady park. I think we're O'dell bound pretty soon. Until next time, we're off to enjoy the lazy hazy days of summer.

Super Daddy

Seeing as how his first father's day has just occurred, this post is about what a super-duper dad Mark is. As I type he is on the ground rocking Julia in her vibrating chair (whose vibrations alone just don't cut it for Julia). Mark is talking to her in French about animal sounds. He has just helped her get through one of her gassy fits. No small miracle! As Julia grows these two are going to be partners in crime. Julia is 26 days old today and we couldn't be more in love with her.

Junebug! Julia in June

In the above photo Julia is relaxing on the deck with grandma Margaret.
Next you'll see Julia I hanging out with Julia II and I in the park along the Saint John River.
This next photo cracks me up because it looks like Julia is some forest creature whose photo was captured in the middle of the night.
Julia's sweet skin has been assaulted by a nasty case of baby acne and/or heat rash.
Next you'll see the incredible duo who came all the way from Toronto to hang out with Julia, Mark and I: Grandma Julia and Auntie Patsy. Patsy was a most special figure in my life growing up - an auntie extraordinaire you might say. Little does Julia know how lucky she is to have been born into a family with such loving relatives. Then again, how could anyone not love Julia to pieces? She's so adorable and fun to be around.
Julia is swaddled and happy in a lovely knitted blanket made by Grandma Julia herself!
Patsy has the magic touch and was able to calm Julia whenever her little tummy started to act up.
As I type, Julia is suffering from another bout of the hiccups. They like to strike quite frequently. We are about to head downtown for the Saturday market. Public appearances with Julia can be tricky because we don't tend to make it very far before we're stopped by adoring fans who want to see her. Who can blame them, really?

Julia Photo Update!

Last night Auntie Meghan reminded me how long it has been since I've done a Julia update. As I type, the little one is sleeping in her swing chair. I'm still learning the art of being productive while she naps. The trick is learning to also rest when she naps. It's not easy to do both at the same time! Then again, sleep can be seen as something very productive....
You'll see a few shots of Julia and Grandma Margaret. It has not been easy to adjust to life without her around. Toronto is very lucky to have the best Grandma ever. Fortunately, Grandma Margaret and Nanu Cathy are coming back for a visit in July! They're also bringing their posse of kd and zak.

Below you'll see some shots with Daddy. We are anxiously counting down the days until Daddy is on summer holidays. Only 3.5 to go!

Here is a picture with Auntie Meghan before she went back to Victoria. Do you see a family resemblance??

Baby Bray BOMB!

Sure, Julia looks all sweet and innocent. What her angelic little face doesn't tell you is that she harbors an evil superpower! This morning Daddy got a dose of Julia's talents. After an early morning feeding, Julia was handed over to her papa for a change. From our room next door I heard a loud squirt, followed by Mark saying "oh my god!" Julia had revealed her talent in her father's company: a 6 foot squirt of baby poop. I got out of bed to see the carnage, and sure enough, her closet door was dripping with yellow baby-poop. Keep in mind, the closet is six feet from her change table. Julia made sure that the poop also landed all down the inside of her laundry basket, her lamp, the side of the change table, as well as some boxes that were on the ground. Daddy's arm got covered too although he was too busy being grateful that his head wasn't down any lower. Several hours later we discovered that the wall perpendicular to the closet also had poop splatters over it. How does such a tiny girl manage such an impressive feat? It's superpowers I tell you! So consider yourself warned if ever you find yourself changing Julia's diaper. She's full of surprises!