It starts with an S and it ends with a T

Good grief. Who knew that such little beings could have SO MUCH POO?!?! 
Oh well, at least we can be sure K is getting enough to eat...

My nose is a poser

My sense of smell is sooooooooo bad that it's basically non-existent. In my 30 years of life i can count the number of things i have smelt on one hand and i basically needed to inhale all these substances for my olfactory system to kick into gear in order for my brain to register i was actually smelling something. (Inhaling Tiger Balm? Been there, done that - finally smelt it once it was basically in my nostrils.) When I was young I used to ask my family how they smelled things because I was really at a loss. This always confused them because they didn't understand how I could not smell nor could they give me an explanation beyond "You bring your nose to it...and just...breathe in?" and this always confused me because I did everything they said they did but I still couldn't smell. I think my dad eventually gave up and he ended up telling me that I would "grow into it." Aww, bless.

My first whiff of anything came during grade 8 science class. Our teacher was teaching us how to waft and passed around a jar of "clear mystery liquid" for us to practice with the instruction to only waft the smell because the scent of the liquid was so strong. Waft?! PFFT. I stuck my nose on top of the jar opening and inhaled that sucker. A nice big deep breath. My blatant disregard for instruction paid off - for the first time ever, my olfactory system started firing and the scent of white vinegar filled my nose. You have no idea how excited this made me. Unfortunately my smelling experiences have been few and (very) far between since. Oh well.

I used to wish I could smell, that it was as easy as simply "growing into it", but now I resigned to the fact that my nose is basically decorative and have even embraced my lack-of smell in some circumstances (such a blessing during my first trimester). Despite this, I'm so intrigued by this whole olfaction thing. When my husband cooks and randomly adds in spices purely based on smell, I think it's one of the best things ever. When my sister graciously agrees to smelling a plethora of soaps or lotions so I don't end up buying something that will make me smell like a granny, I think it's one of the best things ever.  Sure, I don't get how the whole olfaction thing works, but I think it's amazing all the same. And it really is.

p.s. I really hope K doesn't pull something like this otherwise I'm in trouble. Good thing hubby can smell. :P

Future / Past

This chorus of this song has been stuck on repeat in my head for the past couple of days and I still haven't gotten sick of it which shows how much I enjoy this one both musically and lyrically.

It's been good to think and reflect on these words and what they mean.

You are my first,
You are my last,
You are my future and my past.

hello there, i'm still here

It's been a while, but so much has happened since the last time I posted! Here are some of the highlights:

1/ Arrival of Baby
We were blessed with the sweetest little girl in the whole world, K. She has overhauled our lives, but in the best way.  She is just awesome and continues to bring us so much joy, and I am so thankful that she is here.  November 14, 2013 marks the day our little family grew from two to three, and our hearts became even fuller.

2/ Official start of Maternity Leave
I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to spend everyday with K for one year (thanks hubby)! People often ask me if I'm stir-crazy from being at home all the time and quite honestly no, I'm not. (I think being a introverted home-body really helps me out in that department, haha.) Internet is key though (not sure how mothers used to do it without it) because without the ability to go online, check e-mails, go on facebook, or stream TV shows, I'm pretty sure I might have gone loco by now. However, I have the internet at my fingertips so throw a book or two into the mix and I'm more than good to go. (Or rather, not go anywhere).

That being said, hanging out with other mommies and their little ones during the day is always such a treat. :) Yay for friends being on mat leave too!

3/ First Christmas with K
This Christmas she was only just over a month old so she definitely will not remember a thing, but we will. And it was lovely. :)

4/ K's Developmental...Development
From blob to blob with flailing limbs to little person with pretty decent control of her neck, limbs, and digits (there's nothing like intentional movements to excite this OT mommy), it has been such a pleasure witnessing K develop both motor and cognition-wise. While she has always been fun, she is interacting more and more with the world around her (this includes us!) and it will only continue getting more fun from here. We're also starting to see more glimpses of her personality shine through now and I'm excited to discover more about who she is and have her discover more about us in return. Exciting times ahead!

With all these highlights I've had my share of low-lights as well, but I choose not to dwell on those things as much as possible. Why focus on the not-so-good when there are so many things to be thankful for? Onwards and upwards, I say, onwards and upwards.