i've got a folksy baby...

The other night I was experimenting with how the little sea monkey responded to different songs on my playlist. I would play a song for a few minutes, observe, and move on to the next song. It turns out that this babe has the same taste in music as his mama. Some songs would make him 'dance' much more than others. He loved anything Rufus Wainright, The Acorn and Nick Drake. But his favorite song of them all? Ressurection Fern by Iron and Wine! Good pick little guy!

(When I told this to Warren he reminded me that my experient was not fair since I don't have much Queen on my i-pod!)

I daydream about my child growing up knowing the words to all of mama's hip music, and dosn't hear the likes of Justin Beiber or Eminem until he's at least old enough to drive.

Please watch this ADORABLE video! My heart is melting! Good job litle girl!

Love Always,

Joan Blondina

bring on the good vibes...

 

The Birth Project

As I am approaching closer and closer to the day I will give birth I am working very hard at understanding my options, hearing positive stories about birth and working on creating good energy and confidence for this summit I am about to climb. However, I can't help but notice the lack of support for a positive, natural birth experience. It's become very clear that most people have a negative view of birth.

I got to thinking about this: when a teenager prepares for a driving test, practicing their signalling, parking and merging, do we tell them horrible stories about car accidents we've been in, or heard about, or saw on the news? Do we feed them statistics about how many people a year die a bloody death in automobile accidents? Do we show them photos of crashed up cars who were hit by drunk drivers? NO! Of course we don't! Because that poor young person would probably get in the car on the day of their exam and have a meltdown!

So why, then, do people feel the need to share with me the horrors of childbirth? Why do people feel the need to tell me all of the reasons I might need a c-section or an induction or an epidural? I don't think it's to educate me. I think it's to share the fear that they themselves have about childbirth. FYI: not helpful people! Please, the next time you are tempted to tell your pregnant friend about a cousin who suddenly birthed her child at 28 weeks or a neighbour who "failed to progress" and was rushed to surgery think about what kind of negative energy you are passing on to her. We've all seen "A Baby Story" and "Knocked Up". We don't need any more of that! Please, a pregnant women should be supported and cheered on!

So, I've got 7 more weeks! Start sending me some positive vibes!

Finally, if anyone is interested, "Birth Without Fear " has been an amazing tool for preparation for birth. I read it all night when I'm awake and everyone else in the house is asleep.
Particularly, read this post!

Love Always,

Joan Blondina

pondering the bump...

7 months pregnant

I hear so many women say "I loved being pregnant" or "I hated being pregnant". For a while now I have been wondering which category I fall into. Do I like being pregnant? Well, if there's one thing I have at my disposal it's several awake hours a night to think about these things. Last night, between the hours at 3am and 7am I thought about where I stand.

If when I thought about pregnancy I considered each sensation, change and challenge as apart from pregnancy I would be miserable. There's the backache, the insomnia, the HEARTBURN (oh god the heartburn), the shortness of breath, the weight gain, the swelling of the hands and feet, the stretching feeling in my groin, the inability to wear regular jeans, the punches to the bladder, the LEG CRAMPS (oh god the leg cramps), the itchy boobs, the stretch marks... any single one of these conditions would be enough to make a non-pregnant person fall in a crying heap to the floor.

But surprisingly, it's really not that bad. It's actually quite amazing and beautiful.

I liken it to travel. In order to go anywhere cool and exotic you need to fly in an airplane. Does anyone really LIKE flying? If your flights runs perfectly smoothly you still have to go through airport security, wait around for hours in a terminal looking at nothing, sit on a plain in a compact little seat possibly beside a stranger with a cold for god-knows-how-long, eat airplane food, use the tiny airplane washroom and adjust to the ever fluctuating too-cold and too-hot temperatures. When you finally arrive to wherever you were headed you have to stand FOREVER in a sea of impatient smelly people to wait for your luggage to show itself along the conveyor belt and most likely you have to go through customs. God help you if after all that you need to catch a taxi to get to where you are going. But, you know what: I love flying! It's exciting. It's adventurous. And typically it leads you to somewhere that you've never been before and new experiences that will forever change who you are. All of the challenges and annoyances are part of the fun. They make you a better, more adaptable and interesting person in my opinion.

This is how I see my pregnancy. I have a long list of discomforts but if you ask me how I'm feeling I say "I feel great!", because I do. Each pregnancy related ailment is an adventure in it's own. Each discomfort I feel tells me that there is a beeb growing away, and my body has sacrificed its comfort for the comfort that he needs and deserves. I listen closely to each sensation. Pain tells me to rest. Discomfort tells me to move. Fatigue usually tells me to eat something nutritious. Insomnia is preparing me for the sleep deprivation I will have once this baby is out and needs me every hour of the day until he moves out of the house.Pregnancy is messy, but it's oh-so-wonderful too.

So, I guess what I'm saying is I love pregnancy not despite all of the discomforts, but because of them. And you know what else? There are so many great things about being pregnant: I get to wear all of my flowey empire waist tops that I never liked wearing before because they "made me look pregnant"! I get to feel my baby move around inside of me all day long! I have strangers smile at me just for being round and full of life! I get to buy cute little onesies, and receive adorable gifts from friends and family. I get to make something unexplainably beautiful for my husband, and give my parents a grandchild.

So, here's to celebrating this amazing miracle that I am very blessed to have inside of me.

Love Always,
Joan Blondina

may the new year bring...

...love. peace. contentment. adventure. 

In years past the sleepy time between boxing day and new years eve has been a low time for me. I can often be found weepy on the couch for some unexplainable reason. I presume it has a lot to do with the knowledge that within the next few days all of the beauty of Christmas will be packed away for next year, and we will be left with a cold, lifeless winter until spring comes who-knows-when. Depressing to think about, I know. But this year I realized that New Years Day had come and gone and not once did I have that sick feeling in my stomach about the months to come. Probably, and I am just guessing here, because we have an early spring gift on the way. The stork will be delivering our little spring chick no later than early March! How can I feel depressed about that? It's amazing how much this little one has changed me and he doesn't even know it. He has no idea what we have in store for his little life. Until his time to see the world and all it's beauty, I take comfort in knowing that while he lives in my belly he is the most cozy and safe he will ever be.

 "Rest up little guy while you can. It's a beautiful world and I want to show you everything!"

Happy New Year!

New Years Eve 2010

Love Always

Joan Blondina