Firsts for our Baby Girl + Infertility News in Ontario

Petite has had a few firsts of late.

She went to see her first movie... Michael Jackson's This Is It. They have "Stars and Strollers" here for parents; movies with the lights a bit brighter and the sound lowered a tad, stroller parking, and an area set up to change diapers and bottle warmers and everything. Hubby was off on Wednesday last week and the three of us went together. It was good. She was fussy at first, but after we got some food into her belly, she was happy and content for the remainder of the time.

Petite took a bath in the big jacuzzi tub too! (Okay, okay, with me, but she was in there!) She loves her bath and really enjoys kicking and splashing in the water so to have that much more water to do it in was loads more fun! The second bath she had with me ended on a bad note though; her head bobbled and she got some water on her face and in her mouth and she really didn't like that at all!

She also went to church for the first time. I've been looking for a church here for a very long time and hubby and I think we have found one that we like. The congregation and priests were very welcoming (maybe it's the baby effect? I'm not entirely certain.) and we're definitely going back there again. Regularly in fact.

Church is something that played a very important role in my life growing up. My family heritage is inherently tied to the Anglican church at home. I myself started going to church with my parents at a very young age. I attended Sunday School, I was one of the founding members of the youth group in my teens, I sang in the children's choir, I was a server assisting the priests at the altar, I counted the offetory after the service, somewhere along the way, I'd memorized the Nicene Creed from the BCP, etc. And although I personally don't hold all the ideals of the Church to be true, I still have a lot of faith in my life. I recognize that I want to belong to a church and attend services regularly. Although, no church here in this province will ever match the fondness I hold for the church my family attends at home, I'll do my best. And what's more, it's important to me that my daughter be baptized at the church at home. As the great, great, great, great, great granddaughter of that church's first rector, I think it would be beautiful and very fitting to have her baptized there. I'm currently communicating with the office there to organize things over the Christmas holiday. Hopefully we can get it together. Wish us luck.

On the infertility front...
I was contacted by one of the organizer's of this past spring's Babysteps Walk for Infertility. Apparently, there's a virtual rally happening on Wednesday December 2 at noon for those who live in Ontario, Canada. Go to www.conceivabledreams.org and take a peek. By putting in your postal code and your e-mail address, you'll receive an e-mail with an electronic form letter that you can forward to your MPP (they give you the name and e-mail addy of your MPP too!) regarding the Expert Panel's recent recommendation that the Ontario government fund three cycles of IVF for infertiles. Oh, I -so- wish the funding had been there for us. Go register on the site and on December 2 at noon, join us to make a difference in the Ontario policies.

Additionally, I was told that they're seeking someone who has undergone (or is undergoing) fertility treatments, who resides in the riding of Ottawa-South, who would consent to being interviewed for a community newspaper. Alas... I don't live in Ottawa-South so I can't qualify. But maybe you or someone you know does. If so, jot me a note (jiliana2 AT gmail DOT com) so I can put you in touch with the organizers/interviewers.

T minus 12 days and counting... til I leave with Petite to fly home to visit my family. For those interested, I'm definitely not taking the stroller or the car seat; those will be waiting for me at home and they're fine to use. Nor will I be taking a pack-and-play; I'll have one of those and a bassinet at home too. And I'll also have a swing to use at home. I'll be carrying Petite in the Moby Wrap (or my arms if she doesn't tolerate the Moby well for that length of time) and I'll be using the Baby Sherpa diaper bag I have (a knapsack). I'll ask for a window seat near the rear of the plane. I'm a big girl... the window seat will be easier for me to work with and Petite won't get her head or feet thwapped by people on the way to the washroom if she's sleeping. Alternatively, if I need to get up frequently and walk with her, I'll ask my seatmate to change with me. Much easier to ask to change that way around rather than to ask to take the window if someone else is sitting there! Wish me luck.

Now if I can just remember to put soothers in one pocket and tissues in the other for the flight...