Baby Showers and Laundry Mishaps

Last weekend we drove to the States because Jen's mom was throwing us a baby shower. It was a quick trip there and back (we arrived at 1am on Saturday morning, and left at about 2pm on Sunday afternoon) but we had a really nice time. A lot of Jen's family was there, as well as some friends of the family and friends of ours, including my best friend who flew in from Boston for the event. I felt a little bit overwhelmed, but also very lucky that we have so many loving and supportive people in our lives.



We came home with a trunk FULL of baby gear. The two big items that we really wanted and received as gifts were a co-sleeper (from Jen's parents) and a Medela Breast Pump (group gift from Jen's other relatives). We also received receiving blankets, onesies, sleepers, outfits, toys, bottles, a few baby carriers, a nursing pillow, and a gorgeous handmade blanket among other things.

Yesterday I was trying to be productive and get all of the clothes and blankets and whatnot washed and put away, so I threw some of the stuff into the laundry with a blanket. Even though I put it through on a cold cycle, and even though I was careful to separate anything I thought might bleed, something bled all over the new baby stuff. I was so mad at myself. I was up until 1am soaking things in Oxiclean and rinsing them trying to get things back to their correct colour. I was able to get some of the stains out, but most of stuff that was white is now a more "organic cotton" colour. I'm about to go downstairs again now to try to give things one last rinse in the machine. I'm not as upset as I was yesterday, but I'm still upset. Jen reminded me that the baby's going to spit up all over most of it anyway, but I'll be able to forgive him for that a lot more easily than I can forgive myself.

Anyway, off to do laundry... Again.

It Gets Better

I'm sure many of you have read about the recent epidemic of teens, some gay and some perceived to be gay, who have been bullied to the point where they have decided to take their lives. It's been in the media a lot lately. So has news of Dan Savage's "It Gets Better Project", but I think it's worth mentioning again.

Dan Savage, asked gay men and women to post videos on YouTube talking to younger gay men and women about times when they had been harassed for being gay, and share one simple message with them: IT GETS BETTER. I think this is a brilliant step in promoting support and encouragement to marginalized youth.

You can go here to watch some of the bravest and most inspirational testimonies you'll ever see.

My technical skills are not the best, and although I would like to contribute, I have not yet done so. However, I will say this: I am glad I am here. I remember feeling completely helpless after being kicked out of my home for being gay. For months I felt hollow. I didn't know how I would survive --and there were times I didn't want to. But I am glad I did. As I said in my previous post I have a lot to be thankful for. It does get better.

Giving Thanks

Today was a rough day at work. Actually, it's been a bit of a rough week. I've been feeling very overwhelmed and under supported in many ways and then something came up today that sent me into a depressed state where I am not only questioning what I can be doing to change things at work, but if the place I am working is the right place for me at all. Not a good feeling.

But, rather than focus on the negative, as can be so easy to do, I thought I would try to find some things I am thankful for in my everyday life. (This past Monday was Thanksgiving in Canada, so the thought of thankfulness has been on my mind.)

1. I am thankful for by loving and caring wife.
2. I am thankful for our baby who will be born in just a few more months.
3. I am thankful for my family, both birth family and my in-laws who I adore.
4. I am thankful to be healthy.
5. I am thankful for all of the amazing friends I have.
6. I am thankful for my cat. She has such a good disposition and is wonderfully cuddly and cute.
7. I am thankful to have a nice home.
8. I am thankful to have a job in which I feel I have the potential to positively influence peoples' lives.
9. I am thankful that I have the resources to have a comfortable life and that I do not need to worry about my basic needs being met.
10. I am thankful to have hobbies that I enjoy.

Etsy Finds

I woke up early this morning. I really didn't want to get up, but I was tossing and turning for a couple of hours and was starting to worry that I'd wake up Jen if I didn't just get out of bed. So, I've been up since about 5:30am. I crocheted the bean a little red and white striped hat while the cat kept me company. Then I did some ironing. Then some online banking. Jen got up while I was poking around online and we made some breakfast. She's working on a course she's taking now, so I thought I'd take the chance to update the blog with some of those Etsy finds I was talking about the other day.

CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES


birdyboots


bostonbeanies


CritterJitters


thesittingtree


threekittensknitting


woolybaby

TOYS


robinandmould


mikebtoys


isabellsumbrella


littlesaplingstoys


birdandlittlebird


luvlugurumi

ART


joojoo


sloeginfizz


junecraft


sarahjanestudio


naokosstoop


kikiandpolly