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We have become a society that consumes voraciously, mindlessly, and needlessly. Tomorrow, Friday the 28th, is Buy Nothing Day in North America. It's not just about changing habits for one day, but "about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment to consuming less and producing less waste." Please join me in participating by... not participating! BUY NOTHING!
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/usreport_us_usa_holidaysales_death
Need I say more? Dear God...
This is the view of Mount McKay from our balcony.
This is Julia's little play area.
As you can see, she's quite happy here!
Our Little Pumpkin!
If there is one thing Ryan absolutely hates, it is those tiny little ponytails people put on top of baby girls' heads.
...So of course I had to do it to Julia and take pictures to post! :-)
I just love this picture. I think it looks like Julia is sitting there dishing with a girlfriend. :-)
Cute as a bug's.... BUM!
Pretty Julia on her ninth month "birthday".
Yummy! As if that bum wasn't already cute enough! I just couldn't pass up this outfit when I saw it in the store!
Daddy's girl
Loving her new swimming pool!
This month we took Julia camping for the first time. She didn't mind it, but unfortunately I realized I no longer love camping like I used to. (what a lot of work!?!) We didn't get any pictures... too busy making sure Julia stayed out of the fire, out of the water, didn't put everything in her mouth... sand, bugs, rocks...
Last week we celebrated our 11th anniversary. We got a babysitter and left Julia for the first time! We had a lovely dinner at Matahari (Asian cuisine), walked Whyte Ave, browsed Chapters, and went for coffee. It was lovely to spend an evening as a couple. And Julia had a great time at home playing with Maggie and Barry.
Julia's latest: Four teeth. Eating everything we eat. Babbling a mile a minute. Cruising (walking holding onto furniture). Walking pushing a chair or stool. Busy, busy, busy!
Trying to see what is in the birdbath... 
Yes, she did manage to rock it enough that she got to find out! She didn't mind the splash of water on her head though. 
She sure likes water. Here she is in her "pool" (a garbage can lid!). Poor thing! Maybe we should just buy a baby pool, eh?!
Lounging against Dad in a most unladylike fashion, with her dress up around her waist!
Enjoying spaghetti. I think she looks like me in this picture - or at least how I looked when I was little.
No matter who she looks like, she sure is a cutie!
Waiting and watching for Daddy coming home from work.
The Easter bunny visits our house...
I have Postpartum Depression.
Whew, there. I said it. I've known for a couple of months now, but I haven't told many people. I have been pretty withdrawn, so I haven't even been talking to many people. And it's not really an easy thing to talk about. A lot of people don't understand. Heck, I don't understand. All I know is that there are a lot of tears, a lot of anxiety, a lot of anger, and a lot of withdrawing being done. It hasn't been easy for me to accept. I mean, why should I be depressed? Trying to get pregnant for about eight years, finally giving up, then ending up with our little surprise miracle who is perfectly healthy, not to mention such a good baby; it should make me the happiest woman in the world. And I am happy. But I also have PPD. Which doesn't sound like it makes sense - but believe me, it doesn't feel like it either. Part of making sense of it is understanding what "depression" actually means. I thought that people who are depressed are just sad all the time. Well, not necessarily so. Other symptoms of depression include anxiety and irritability, which happen to be my worst symptoms. It also helps to recognize why I have PPD. It's not because I feel like I have nothing to be happy about; like I said, I actually am happy. Here's something I read in my research: "Current research still has not determined the exact cause of postpartum depression. What is known is that pregnancy and the postpartum period following the delivery are times of great biochemical upheaval, complicated by increasing social and psychological changes." Biochemical upheaval, for sure. I've never felt anything like it. I don't even feel like myself anymore. Which is part of the reason I did not want to start the medication that was prescribed to me; I was afraid of feeling even less like myself. I was also leery about the way it was prescribed: by a doctor who doesn't know me at all, and didn't take any time to get to know me. But that is another story altogether! "The Trials of Trying to Find a New Doctor in Edmonton". Scary, scary stuff. Not something you want to read when you're alone or right before bed. But I eventually managed to get a second opinion from a professional who knows me and who I trust implicitly, and he agreed that the medication should help me get better quicker. Which is important because we are under a deadline! Ryan's parental leave benefits run out in about three more months, so it's imperative that I'm doing well by then. He never planned to take the full amount of leave time he was entitled to (he would have been back at work full-time a month or two ago) but then I started having troubles, so he's staying home with me. Thank God he can! I've been seeing a therapist, which has been helpful. She's teaching me coping strategies for when I feel anxious and overwhelmed. And I'm trying to force myself to be social when I just feel like withdrawing. I am already doing better. Two months ago I was a total wreck. Now I'm only a partial wreck. :-)
Well, here I am another year older. Yes, the year I was thirty was a pretty amazing year for me. But the year I was thirty-one was even better - I became a mom! Here's a picture of me on my 32nd birthday, with Julia, who is wearing her "Got presents?" t-shirt in honour of my birthday!
And yes, she does smile a lot - just not when she sees the camera for some reason!?
