June 20th- applied for Jillian's passport...
June 25th- got it in the mail!!!

Wow! That hour and a half that I spent in line really paid off! She looks like she's wearing a wig from the Donald Trump collection, but very cute nonetheless!

We also went to visit a friend yesterday that has a 5 week old daughter...I couldn't get over the size difference between the both of them....both girls are about 10 weeks apart. The 'new' baby is so cute and tiny! You can tell that she's really looking at the whole world, but especially her mom...wow!

Also, seeing Jillian moving her head around independently and 'talking' makes me see how far she has come. She's started to really kick at one of her toys, to the extent that she can kick it away from her...yikes! She must get those strong legs from her mom!

There was no posing this shot!

Oh, I love Friday nights! Michael's finished work and we get to hang out as a family without him needing to work the next day. Right now, the both of them are watching the NHL entry draft. To me, it's like watching paint dry...for Michael, it's like watching the Victoria's Secret models strut their stuff... po-ta-to, po-tat-o.

Michael's started playing this game with Jillian: He lifts her into the air and says, "Up, up and away!" Sometimes she gets into it and throws her arms into the air like she's Superman. Very cute.

It's good to run errands with Jillian. Sure, it's a lot slower, but:

-I get to work out my arms from carrying her car seat around,

-She gets tons of compliments from strangers ("Look at all that hair!")

-She has to listen to everything I say!

In her baby pod
Wearing an outfit that Grandma Riley made.

Ah, summer! The weather's gotten a lot better and we get outside more often. Jillian's not too crazy about the hot weather, but doesn't complain when the A/C is on full blast!

We're having fun living with my mom until we get our own place. It's nice to have another grownup to talk to during the day and Jillian's able to get to know her 'Abuela' better.

Jillian now weighs in at over 14 pounds, so she's doubled her birthweight. She's also over 2 feet tall (long?), and loves making bubbles with her spit. She's a pro with the bottle (phew!) and is really taking an interest with the world around her. She's starting to get used to lying on her tummy, but it'll take some time before she's totally comfy with it. Also, when she goes to bed and we play some lullabyes for her, she'll 'sing' along with the music till she falls asleep. She can sit up with assistance, and although she's got a bit of bobble-head, she's getting better every day. She can also stand briefly with assistance, but I don't do that often as her little bones aren't ready for that yet.

Michael's working back at his old job again this summer. He has a couple of pictures of Jillian on his desk so she can keep him company during the day. He's also taking night classes 3 times a week as well (6-9pm), so he's feeling really worn out by the end of the week. Luckily that class is over at the end of next week, so he'll be able to spend more time with us during the summer.

As for me? I'm getting addicted to Home and Garden TV (a station that talks about renovating, decorating, selling and buying homes).

Soothers and Swings

We've all gotten over our colds now (thank goodness!), and this week, Michael started back at his old company, and still taking classes at night, 3 times a week! I still don't know how he does it.

This week, we've reintroduced Jillian to her swing, and she loves it! In fact, when we tried to take her out of it on Sunday, she started crying! And it's the type that you turn the handle, so we don't have to worry about buying batteries or tripping over a plug!

I've also managed to take her on a few walks this week to the grocery store (it's only 10 minutes away), and its been cold again, but she's been bundled up pretty well. Lately, she's been either really alert or fast asleep. She had her growth spurt right around the 3 month mark (last week), and I'm really seeing a difference. She's still enjoying her little gym that plays music and flashes lights and her bouncy chair. However, she is amandant about not being on her tummy! She'll have her face right in her blanket and start crying. Ah well. I guess she'll catch on when she starts to roll over?

We've also been trying each night to have her take one bottle, so she's not completely dependent on me. Don't get me wrong, I love the time that I spend breastfeeding her, but sometimes I just want to stand up and run around in circles when she's taking her time! It was HORRID to say the least! She didn't want anything to do with the bottle and would scream at us. Then I was putting her soother/comforter/binky/dummy in her mouth and watch her pop it out. Then I would do it again, just to see. Then on Wednesday, she caught on that she could suck on it! Woo hoo! I tried to experiment and added the bottle when she spit out her soother, and voila! She started to drink from the bottle! Now Michael can feed her too!

Now if we can get her to change her own diaper....

Wow, I've been letting this slide for too long!

Here's a quick recap:

May 11th-Jillian starts her baby talk, including cooing...I LOVE IT! We have conversations for 5 minutes at a time, and what's adorable is the look she has on her face at the same time, like she's serious about what she's talking about.

May 19th -While in New York, my dad was getting sick, and it was rainy, so we stayed around Queens. The next day, we went to Coney Island and walked around, got (what else?) a hotdog! Apparently, that's where it originated. It was pretty good, but at $2.49, not the best deal! On the 20th, we went shopping and hung out, then we headed back to Ottawa.

This week, all 3 of us are sick...ugh. I think that Jillian got it first, then I got it, and now Michael. Luckily, it's a summer cold, but we're doing okay. Anyway, I'd better check up on the princess and take a nap; Michael's still well enough to go to the grocery store

jillIan loves NY

Well we arrived safe and sound in the windy city.... I mean the big Apple (-: Michael, Jillian and myself are in NYC... East side as they say... visiting my Dad who works in Manhatten. We're here for the long weekend.

Today we decided to go to Manhatten. (It got it's name from the local aboriginal tribe located here at the time of the Europeans arrival) We had an eventful subway ride into the city from Queens. While on the train, I got offered to buy illegal pirated DVDs. Thanks but no thanks. Then a 70 yr old former drug addict turned preacher got on and gave up a fire and brimstone makeshift sermon. I only thought these things happened in the movies on subway trains but apparently not.

We started off by going to the Seinfeld restaurant that you always see in the show. I really wanted to see it. We got some great pics of the family there. It's located at 112th and Broadway if you have no life and want to look it up on mapquest or some other mapping site!

We then took the subway to Time Square. It was surprisingly busy there. We bought Jillian a toy at the largest toy store in the world, Toys R Us. Then we walked to Madison Square Garden to see a hockey shrine but Messier wasn't there. Between MSG and the Empire State building, Jillian pooped herself really bad and Starbucks doesn't have any change tables. Only adults without kids are supposed to frequent this establishment. I guess parents don't have any money for $4 coffees and expressos!!!

We headed to Micky Ds and they could accomidate our needs. By that time it was too late and Jillian had it all over her back sides and front. The green poop went thru her onezi and her PJs. It was a HUGE mess. As we cleaned her up we could hear people complaining about us taking too long in there.

By this time, we were all "POOPED" and we headed back to Queens. The subway ride was not nearly as entertaining on the way back. The ending to this entry is not as exciting as it should be.

Tomorrow we are heading back to Manhatten. I want to see Carrie Bradshaw in her natural environment. (he he)

Haven't been on top of this lately...let's see...

Had a mini-elementary school reunion on May 9th...it went pretty well, and we were looking at each other's babies, eating and remembering the 'good old days'. Can't believe how long it's been since I finished Elementary school, but I'm not going to throw out any numbers!



Jillian's dressed up for my mom's Glow Party; she holds it every year and you have to wear white because of the black lights on the dance floor. It looks really neat to see everyone dancing and aglow. We had to wait till the end of the Senator's game...which went into double overtime! Thank goodness they won! My Uncle Bunnie was the Chef Extraordinare again...wish I could have eaten the jerk chicken this year, but it was hilarious to see everyone panting and asking for water!


The next day was Mother's Day. Jillian (with Michael's help) got me some flowers and a nice card. Jillian almost threw up on the card itself (she was holding it for me), but changed her mind at the last minute! Michael was very relieved about that! In the afternoon, we went to visit some family at a Mother's Day BBQ, and got a few pictures:

If you go to: http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utic2003iriley/my_photos , I've added some more pictures to the albums.

Jillian's finally fallen asleep, so I'll try to do the same. Thank goodness for Baby Bijorn's!!!

Arg!

So I thought that watching TV while breastfeeding Jillian was a good way to pass the time, right?

I get these weekly updates from www.Babycenter.com to tell me how Jillian's progressing, what to look for, etc. I really enjoy this site as I find it full of information. Anyway, it's saying about how it's better for me to look at her while she's eating, and talk to her, etc., just like you would at the dinner table. Now I'm feeling guilty for watching CSI and Oprah. *sigh*

So, no:
-chocolate ($&%!), or anything else with caffeine
-TV when feeding (which is one of the few times during the day that I watch TV)

Woe is me!!!

On another note, I have gotten complaints about not putting enough pictures on. You can go to:

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utic2003iriley/my_photos and look at her photo album at the bottom. I will try to remember to include this link from time to time; otherwise, you can save this under "Favourites" on your (personal, not public!) computer.

First Immunization-May 2nd
Oh, I was feeling a bit anxious! Jillian got not 1, but 2 shots today, one in each leg. I took my friend's recommendation and gave her some Tempra before I left. When the nurse came in, she was cranky because her diaper was dirty. She showed me how to hold her right leg down, then got the needle. As the nurse was about to inject her, Jillian kicked with her left leg and the nurse ended up getting the needle in her own hand! Luckily, she was nice about it, and Jillian got her shots!

Her crying wasn't as bad as I thought, and by the time she ate, she had calmed down and fell asleep. Actually, she spent most of the day sleeping. Poor girl, when she woke up, she would whimper and cry while I changed her, then cried while she was eating. I know it's for her own good, but I don't like to see her in pain, even if it's only for the day. In any case, it was like when she was a newborn, just sleeping and eating the whole day. I was worried that she wouldn't be able to sleep at night, but she was fine.

Phew! Now we don't have to go back for another 2 months. She's now 11 pounds, 7 ounces, and 23 inches long, so her growth has slowed down a bit from the first month. I'm just astounded that women give birth to babies this size! I couldn't even begin to imagine.

Sunday, April 29th
Jillian got to meet the Riley clan for the first time. I took a ton of photos, and I promise that I will get around to posting them eventually. Anyway, there was a lot of children around, and 6 girls under 3 years old! Jillian was the youngest by about 2 weeks and (mostly!) the quietest. When she heard the other girls crying, she started to cry too. Michael scooped her up and took her to the other room, because he didn't want her to pick up any 'bad habits'. Very cute reaction.

April 25th Train Ride

The only person that got a good night's sleep before the train ride was Jillian, as Michael and I were busy packing the night before...I'm pretty sure we both ended up with less than 3 hours sleep! In any case, we managed to get to the train station for 5:20, and got our tickets as well as checking in our luggage. When it came time to board, I heard those magical words:
"At this time, we would like to ask families with young children to board first."
Ah bliss! I tried to supress a grin as I got ahead of everyone else crowded at the gate...hee hee!

The ride went very well; because it was so early, people slept for the few hours on the way to Toronto. I managed to catch a few zzz's, and Jillian woke me up once to eat. Once we got to Toronto, I learned that I didn't have to switch trains, so we had a quiet hour to ourselves inside. It was just another few hours and then we got to Great Grandma's house! She was excited to meet Jillian for the first time and we got some much-needed rest. Mom picked us up the next day, and we finished our trip to Ottawa.

It was nice to take the train as I didn't have to worry about driving and having to stop whenever she was hungry or poopy. Thank goodness Michael was nice enough to talk me out of driving all the way back!

Well, the departure date for Jillian and myself will be April 25th; so after making the family and friend rounds, I will probably make my next post in early May. Should also have a ton more pictures!

Just wanted to keep you updated!

Someone loves her Daddy!

This is a real smile; Michael managed to make her smile 4 times in a row! I can't believe the progress that she's making! As of tomorrow, she'll be 7 weeks old.

Michael's last day of class is tomorrow, then exams on Monday, then ALL DONE!

Happy birthday Mom!

Cute milestone (early!) this morning; Jillian was lying on me, and was able to raise her head and look at me in the eye for a while! It was an insane hour in the morning, but worth it! She's also starting to bat at the toys in her bouncy chair and her coordination is getting better. She especially likes looking at the orange kitty on her chair; she could look at it for ages on end! She also unofficially weighs 11.5 pounds: I weighed myself, then her, then calculated the difference.

Today also marks the last week in Windsor for the family. Michael's wrapping up his last classes and a few exams and then he'll be done! We're looking forward to going, but we've met some really great, down to earth people here. Windsor has a small town feeling, but you can still get to the 'city' (and some great shopping) across the river. If Windsor and Ottawa were a lot closer, I think that we would have stayed here. A 9 hour minimum drive is just too much for us though.

*sniff* Saying goodbye sucks.

On a lighter note, I am really getting to know late night TV. The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson is really funny- better than Letterman, but I think some of it has to do with his Scottish accent! Also managed to watch "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights". Patrick Swayze also makes an appearance as a dance instructor, but he has a smaller role than the last one. It was decent enough to watch at 3am!

New Pictures!

I added another 23 pictures to my yahoo account.

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utic2003iriley/my_photos

Pick Jillian at the bottom.

Miss Cranky-Pants

Why can I get sleeping pics and hungry/gassy/tired pics, but no smiley ones? I think that picture was taken the night she fell asleep after 3am...long night, but she slept for 6 hours straight!

Anyway, she is lying on me right now and is content (baby definition: fed, dry diaper and sleeping). I'm a little sad because she officially outgrew her newborn sleeper. When we first put it on her 6 weeks ago, she was *swimming* in it. Michael was shocked that she could out grow something that fast. I think he said, "We'd better have at least 3 kids to make this cost-effective!" (Slow down, mister!). So, I'm officially thanking the people that said, "Don't buy newborn things! She'll grow out of it!".

Packing is going...slowly! In fact, I should be doing that instead of hanging out on the computer.

I found a new addiction: www.facebook.com . If you are prepared to go on there for hours at a time, then go ahead. Otherwise, enter at your own risk! The first night I signed up, I was up till 5:30am!

Yes, it's currently 2:42am...

I was waiting for Miss Jillian to wake up to feed her, but she's fast asleep...

I want her asleep, she stays awake...
I try to keep her awake when she eats, and she falls asleep...
I try to put her in her crib when she sleeps, and she wakes up...
I put her on the couch with the lights and TV on, and she stays asleep...

AHHHH!

But she's so darn *cute* when she's sleeping!

Betcha $5 that once I lie down, she'll wake up and want some food!

Michael has classes this week, so he's able to help out more... woo hoo! We're starting to pack up to move back to Ottawa...how painful! Yeah, I'm just delaying the inevitable packing(April). And unpacking(In May). And repacking (In August). And re-unpacking(In September). I am making a pledge *not* to move for at least 2 years once we have found our place in September. It's funny how much you can accumulate, especially when you try to get in back into the packing boxes!

Do you think that I can get away with borrowing my mom's clothes this summer and only wearing sandals? Hmmm...

I get to relive pregnancy again through my friends; 2 are due in June, 1 around September/October, and 1 special person in December!!! Hee hee! It's absolutely *raining* babies this year!

Jillian is growing in leaps and bounds and is starting to make sounds like "ah!". She was grabbing my hair yesterday, and is getting better at lifting her head up, but if I'm not careful, her head will drop against my ribcage, and she'll get *mad*. She's still not crazy about lying on her tummy, but she is enjoying her baths more and more each time. Tonight, she was splashing the water with her arms and legs and trying to suck on the washcloth when we were washing her face!

Our friends Mat & Shannon came by yesterday and they brought Thai food...thank you so much, you two! Jillian was very well behaved to the point that Michael thought that Shannon would leave with Jillian if we gave her the chance! ;) Jillian seems to be a social person at this point in time, as she's very calm during her alert periods and loves looking at new people. Sometimes I feel that if I blink, then I'll miss something new with her.

In any case, time to get some sleep! Is it 3am already?

Have a great week everyone!

Jillian and her Grandpa

Happy Monday!!

Has it really been a month already? My mom says that she can tell that Jillian's gotten bigger in the last 10 days. She's got these cute little dimples on the back of her knuckles on her hands and I swear that even her fingers have gotten bigger! Her tear ducts are starting to work a bit too, so when she cries, she has these teeny tiny tears which can really break your heart!

I ended up taking a lot of pictures this weekend as both my parents came over; so when I get some free time, I'll be able to post some more up. Speaking of which, Jillian spent very little time lying down this weekend! Between my parents and Michael, all I ended up doing was feeding her, and giving her to the closest person when I was finished. It was funny watching my dad and Michael trying to hold her the most; when one was holding her, the other one was dancing around, waiting for his chance to swoop in and take her next. It was really hilarious.

Her eyes are open more and more, so it's great seeing her make that contact with you. Michael fed her yesterday and he loved the fact that she was totally focused on him while she was eating. The only thing that she doesn't seem to like right now is 'tummy time'. I'll put her on her tummy, and she'll be fine for about ...oh... 1 minute, then she'll start to yell at me to pick her up or turn her over! I swear that if her arms were as strong as her legs, she'd be crawling already!!!

By the way Jen, I did read your blog! When is your next update?

I love Jen because she will say *exactly* what is on her mind and get away with it!

Us, 2 years ago...

Why the trip down memory lane? Our 2 friends showed us pictures of their trip to Borocay, in the Philippines. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borocay if you feel like learning something new today).

They're pregnant too, and she's due in October, so this is their last hurrah, as Michael would like to say. In any case, Michael was a *wee* bit jealous as our traveling days are over for the time being. Plus, he wanted to do some more travelling when we left Taiwan, but I wanted to return to Canada ASAP. Anyway, this picture is a nice reminder that we did do our roaming and adventuring before having Jillian. Of course, I doubt that we would cart our kids to the top of that same summit and stand on the edge the way that we did that day! I still see a lot of travelling in our future, especially if Michael has anything to do with it!

Daddy doesn't taste like milk!

Went to the doctor's office today and Jillian's gaining weight well.

Birthweight Thursday March 1st: 6 pounds, 15 ounces

Last week Tuesday March 20th: 7 pounds, 15 ounces

This week Tuesday March 27th: 8 pounds, 15 ounces

I kid you not; she doesn't like whole numbers! Of course, I could have upped the last one if I went to the doctor's with a 'full' diaper...

Mom's been a huge help this week; today, she bathed Jillian by herself in the bathroom.

Usually, Michael and I need to bring the tub to the coffee table, and he holds her while I bathe her. Mom did it in the baby tub in the bathtub by herself, and Jillian was so relaxed, until it was time to get out! Mom followed up with a massage, some baby exercises, then I fed her till she fell asleep...and she's still asleep in her crib! AMAZING!!!

Speaking of zzz's, time for me to catch some!

my sweet jillian
why oh why
do you love
to sleep during the day
and not at night
unless i hold you
and type with one hand?

i am forever grateful
that you do not cry
unless you are hungry
(knock on wood)

thank goodness you are so cute
or you would not get away with this!!!

and its 2:26am!!!

My chub-chub...I love her cheeks!

I had a nurse come and visit the apartment today to get some more baby information and to check on Jillian's weight...

She's at 7 pounds, 15 ounces, so she's bypassed her birthweight, which means she's chowing down like she should!

Also, she'll be meeting her Abuela (spanish for Grandmother) for the first time today! I'm so excited!

I think being prego for 9 months is a good idea, as it gives you time to get used to having a baby:

Stage 1: Holy cow! We're having a baby!
Stage 2: It's the size of a chickpea?
Stage 3: My pants don't fit anymore and I just look fat.
Stage 4: It's kicking me!
Stage 5: Get off my bladder NOW!!!
Stage 6: You mean it has to come out of me somehow???
Stage 7: SHOPPING!!! It's so cute! Let's buy it!
Stage 8: Get out already!
Stage 9: OMG...time to go to the hospital.
Stage 10: Oh, the PAIN! AHHH! Where the heck is the Morphine/baseball bat to knock me out???

(Jillian and her 'bunny' guard)

Jillian is 2 weeks old today!

We've gone through:

-over 100 diapers (yah, it's true!)
-too many wipes to count!
-14 nights of interrupted sleep
-many many phone calls to our family and friends
-1 set of batteries for our camera
-5 lullabies that we sing over and over
-6 story books that Michael reads daily to Jillian
-9 baths
-1 poop incident that we will not discuss

We've also experienced:

-10 cute fingers
-10 adorable toes
-1 full head of hair
-many cute smiles (no, it's not gas!)
-her crazy noises that sounds like an old man grunting
-seeing her get all chubby (I go nuts when I see her tummy, I swear!)

So, yes, I could go on and on about how much we love her!!! We will be putting on some pictures up shortly...I just want to make sure that I don't put duplicate pictures up!

Super news! My friend Shelley is in labour right now! Wish her a good delivery!!!

Woo hoo!

My engagement ring fits again!!! No luck on my wedding band yet; there's no way it can go over my knuckle, but then again, I haven't been able to wear it for a couple of months now. Patience...

If you have time to spare/waste:

http://2004.channel955.com/mojo_main.html

A Detroit radio station that I listen to in the mornings; they're a pretty hilarous bunch of people. Their latest giveaway was Justin Timberlake tickets, but the listeners had to work for it... ewww! If you're brave enough, click on the link and look at the pictures!