Aunt Tracey took the train from Toronto to come visit for a few days. We loaded up into the car and proceeded to Niagara Falls, Ontario, for Autumn's first international experience. Crossing the border was no problem, we had her birth certificate and, just in case, her social security number. We picked up Tracey and then went out for Sushi. Autumn was good during the meal, although we did have a code red. Autumn began crying and that meant we pulled out the pumped milk from the little cooler bag and fed her dinner. I guess since we were eating dinner she felt left out. It was the first time we did that.
That was Sunday, the day before this picutre. On the day this picture was taken, Aunt Tracey, Mom and Dad all met at Pizza Plant for lunch. At lunch, Autumn was good.
This is a blog about creating our family. First Autumn, now Gavin. In some ways, it will also be about the world we've brought them into.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Autumn Playing
Check out Autumn playing via YouTube.
Isn't technology great?!?
When you're done, take a look at this: it's hilarious.
Isn't technology great?!?
When you're done, take a look at this: it's hilarious.
The Farmer's Market
This morning, Autumn went to her first Farmer's Market. Every Saturday morning in the city of Buffalo, there is a farmer's market. You can buy everything from Pasta to Breads, fruits and vegetables. The only key is seasonality.
I'm currently reading a book called the Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It's an excellent read, and I would highly recommend it. It talks about eating and how industrialized food takes the story out of food. Think about it: in the Supermarket, Beef is Beef. There might be a little difference in price, but you can be assured that the Beef ate corn in tiny, cramped pens, and then found their way to the shelf. And the point is, there isn't anything wrong with that except for the intriguing fact that Cows don't eat corn. They eat grass. Admittedly, corn is in the grass family, but it's not grass.
Anyway, the other thing is, in the middle of January you can buy blueberries. It's currently blueberry season, so we can get them now. But it makes you wonder if it's a good thing that we can get them in January. The point is: is a red pepper grown in a greenhouse in Israel and then shipped to Buffalo a sustainable food? Does anyone even notice where their produce comes from -- or have all of the stories been stripped from our food?
Well, the best part of the farmer's market is that the stories are back. You can talk to the farmer about the food you buy. You can, if you want to, find out when the potatoes were taken out of the ground, when the apples were picked and what the cow ate. You can find out how they grew their lettuce, and then decide of getting Organic lettuce from California is really better for the environment.
I think about the world we'll leave Autumn. I wonder if when she's my age she'll still have the option of red peppers from Israel in January. But mostly I wonder if food will come with stories again.
I'm currently reading a book called the Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It's an excellent read, and I would highly recommend it. It talks about eating and how industrialized food takes the story out of food. Think about it: in the Supermarket, Beef is Beef. There might be a little difference in price, but you can be assured that the Beef ate corn in tiny, cramped pens, and then found their way to the shelf. And the point is, there isn't anything wrong with that except for the intriguing fact that Cows don't eat corn. They eat grass. Admittedly, corn is in the grass family, but it's not grass.
Anyway, the other thing is, in the middle of January you can buy blueberries. It's currently blueberry season, so we can get them now. But it makes you wonder if it's a good thing that we can get them in January. The point is: is a red pepper grown in a greenhouse in Israel and then shipped to Buffalo a sustainable food? Does anyone even notice where their produce comes from -- or have all of the stories been stripped from our food?
Well, the best part of the farmer's market is that the stories are back. You can talk to the farmer about the food you buy. You can, if you want to, find out when the potatoes were taken out of the ground, when the apples were picked and what the cow ate. You can find out how they grew their lettuce, and then decide of getting Organic lettuce from California is really better for the environment.
I think about the world we'll leave Autumn. I wonder if when she's my age she'll still have the option of red peppers from Israel in January. But mostly I wonder if food will come with stories again.
Friday, July 28, 2006
C the baby.
Well, in the end she came out the belly. This is the first look for mom in the operating room.
This is one of my favorite pictures
One of the reasons we got a Mac was for moments like this. She was a few weeks old, maybe 3. It was early in the morning, after I'd fed her. She was sleeping again, and I was using the old stand-by the football hold. I think I'll always love this picture.
Feeding and pumping
Okay, so it's week 5. Admittedly, the first four weeks were a blur. Some highlights though, for the record:
On the night we brought her home, I passed out. It was late, around 2:00AM. I hadn't been sleeping well -- the hospital bed was like an uneven slab of rocks. Sleeping in my bed sent me into a sound slumber. Anyway, we're fast asleep when Rhona wakes up with pain from her C-section. I jump out of bed really fast to help her to the toilet. At about the door from our room to the hall, I remember feeling a little sick. Next thing I know, Rhona's telling me to stay with her and my mom, who was staying over, is grabbing a wet cloth. I was out cold. Seems I have this strange reflex of waking too quickly. Anyway, no one was hurt, just my pride. Now, with some weeks in between, it's funny.
Her highlights are mostly cute little googly sounds. I love watching her stretch. Which she's doing right now. Which means she could be waking up. Not good. She's already been fed milk that Rhona pumped earlier. Rhona has been a pumping star. It's week 5 and she has at least two days of milk in the bank, and I feed her every morning. You do the math. Anyway, if she requires more food, she's gonna need a boob.
On the night we brought her home, I passed out. It was late, around 2:00AM. I hadn't been sleeping well -- the hospital bed was like an uneven slab of rocks. Sleeping in my bed sent me into a sound slumber. Anyway, we're fast asleep when Rhona wakes up with pain from her C-section. I jump out of bed really fast to help her to the toilet. At about the door from our room to the hall, I remember feeling a little sick. Next thing I know, Rhona's telling me to stay with her and my mom, who was staying over, is grabbing a wet cloth. I was out cold. Seems I have this strange reflex of waking too quickly. Anyway, no one was hurt, just my pride. Now, with some weeks in between, it's funny.
Her highlights are mostly cute little googly sounds. I love watching her stretch. Which she's doing right now. Which means she could be waking up. Not good. She's already been fed milk that Rhona pumped earlier. Rhona has been a pumping star. It's week 5 and she has at least two days of milk in the bank, and I feed her every morning. You do the math. Anyway, if she requires more food, she's gonna need a boob.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Welcome to the world
Ah, a baby. Cuter than you can imagine, she's our little girl. Born June 21st, the longest day of the year after almost 30 hours of labor, they called it and pulled her out via C section. I actually watched her come out of Rhona's belly. Her little cries of waaa, waaa, are something I'll never forget.
We have a video camera. So, soon after she came out, I began taping. After taping for about 20 seconds, I stopped, rewound the tape, and played it back for Rhona, who was getting stitched, and stapled up. Seemed like a good idea.
We have a video camera. So, soon after she came out, I began taping. After taping for about 20 seconds, I stopped, rewound the tape, and played it back for Rhona, who was getting stitched, and stapled up. Seemed like a good idea.
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