Liam playing among a plethora of toys. I cannot believe how big he is and how quickly the time has flown by. He will be walking around owning the place in no time.

Daycare Interviews = Success

We have finally wrapped up our daycare interviews (after having met with 7 different providers) and have chosen someone whom we love and wholeheartedly trust our little boy with.

It is such a relief to have found someone we feel so comfortable with - it will make the transition back into the working world much easier.

Thankfully, Liam only has to be in daycare for 3 days a week (Mondays 11-6, Wednesdays 10-6 and Friday mornings 7-12). I’m teaching a few courses at the nearby college (Fanshawe) and am also teaching my very first (eek!) university course at the University I am currently doing my PhD at. The hours and salary from 3 college courses and 1 university course equate to a very comfortable full-time salary which still allows me to spend the majority of my time with Liam. 

Care starts for him the Wednesday following labour day, but until then I’ve scheduled a couple half days for Liam to get to know Natalie (the provider). His first half day is tomorrow (i.e. 10am-1pm). I’m sure the drop-off will be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but I also know he is in wonderful hands.

We took Liam swimming in a swimming pool for the first time while we were on a (shopping) trip across the border in Michigan this past weekend. 

He loved the water. I couldn’t believe how buoyant he want. Seriously - his whole body just naturally floated. 

He enjoyed it once he got over the initial confusion of the whole being-in-cold-water-swimming-around thing. 

This coming weekend we are cottaging with my husband’s whole family up at Dalhousie Lake (about 6.5 hours from here). I know that Liam will have plenty of time to swim in the Lake and know that he’ll enjoy it just as much! (Naturally, many photos to come). 

How did your baby(ies) take to swimming?

Daycare Interviews

I have set up 5 daycare interviews over the next couple of weeks. We have the first one this evening, 2 tomorrow night, 1 next Tuesday evening, and 1 next Wednesday evening. 

I have put together a list of questions to ask the providers. 

I think I have hit all of the important areas - in my husband and I’s point of view anyways - but want to make sure I have as comprehensive a list as possible. 

What types of questions did you ask, or do you think are the most important to ask?

Daycare

I have been looking in to daycare the last couple of weeks, since I will be teaching in the Fall and need someone to look after the little guy.

If I’m being completely honest, I am surprised at how hard of a time I am having with thinking of him being in the care of anyone else. It really is heartbreaking. My husband feels the same way, saying that as hard as it is to leave for work each morning, he knows that Liam is with me and he knows that I’m a great mommy (ego boost) and he’s safe and protected. How will we ever find someone that we are comfortable leaving our favourite little person with?

I’ve lined up 3 interviews so far, and look forward to meeting with the providers. I am hoping that once I meet a few, my nerves will be settled a little bit by seeing what type of environment he would be in and by getting to know what it is we are looking for in a provider.

The good news is that in September he will only need to be in daycare for 1 full(ish) day and a couple half days, meaning it will (hopefully) be a bit of an easier transition.

How did you find daycare searching to affect you? What did you look for when choosing a provider? Will it get easier - the thought of leaving him in someone else’s care?

8 Months

Yesterday marked 8 months since Liam was born back in November. I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone by, and how much he is constantly growing and changing every single day.

I love you, my beautiful boy. Daddy and I are so proud of you for all of the new things you’re constantly learning and doing. I can’t wait to see what you do next.

Wonderful Weekend

Adam, Liam and I had a wonderful weekend spent with friends and family. On Friday night we relaxed at home. Saturday morning we headed to Fergus to spend the day celebrating Kim’s birthday with a BBQ. 

Liam and Adam must have forgotten to communicate, because they showed up wearing the same thing (how embarrassing!).

We were able to Skype in Rachel from Las Vegas and it was wondering having all of us ladies together.

There was a ton of great food, and of course, great company. It is always so nice to be able to get the whole group of us together. As adults with careers and such, living in different cities, it is not often that we have the chance to all spend time together. When we do, however, we make the most of it. It was a great day, with a lot of laughs.

Adam and I stayed at the Walker’s Saturday night (with Liam of course), and the five of us headed to Kitchener this morning. Adam and I dropped Liam off with Nana and Papa (my parents) and then we met Kim and Jason at the cinema and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. I am sad to see it come to an end, but what an adventure it was. I definitely want Liam to grow up, read the books, see the movies, and appreciate the wonder and imagination that is the world of Harry Potter.

We headed home and were all tuckered out from the weekend, and Adam and I gave Liam a bath and put him to bed. I’m going to head there now, but just wanted to say happy weekend to everyone - I hope it was spent doing something you enjoy with people you love.

Exam = Passed

Remember that hideous exam I had to write a couple weeks back? I received notification from the head of the examination committee that I PASSED. What a huge relief. 

For those of you that don’t know, I am working towards attaining my PhD and have officially completed 2/3 of the components:

1. Coursework (all but 1 course complete)
2. 2 comprehensive exams (Medical Sociology/Health and Inequality = CHECK; Criminology = CHECK)
3. Dissertation

The next step is getting my dissertation proposal finished up and submitted and then I have (up to) a couple of years of funding left to complete it.

Yay for moving up and onward!  Thanks to all of you for all of your support and encouragement. 

Formula Fail

I wrote a post recently about trying to wean Liam from the breast and on to formula. I had originally planned to breastfeed until 6 months, when we could start introducing solids and such, but did not start trying to wean him until about a month ago. I’ve been trying a few times a week - with every bottle, nipple, sippy cup, cup, cup-with-straw - possible and have had no success. I have tried a few different types of formula, but again, to no avail. I’ve even tried mixing in a tiny bit of chocolate and/or strawberry mix to take away the overwhelming-formula-taste, but again, nothing. It’s driving me crazy.

Yes, my husband has tried on numerous occasions, but it still wont work. Someone has suggested I just take an entire day, or weekend, away and leave Liam with my husband to try and sort it out. That eventually he’ll give in. This, of course, would be an absolute last resort, but I am at a loss and have no idea what else to try.

He does eat solids fairly well, and he still breastfeeds relatively well (though has been feeding less and less as his solid intake increases more and more). Still no cereal by itself (*note: I do mix in about 2 tablespoons of cereal to his fruits and veggies throughout the day) but eats pretty much any veggies (minus peas) and fruits we give him. He’s also good at eating pretty much anything he can feed himself.

Does anyone with similar experiences have any advice?

Followwwwwwwww

Are you following this blog? You should be! Cute Liam pictures all over the place :)

NIGHTNIGHT by DEDDY