Introducing Solid Food

Today was a big day for Sophia as she got her first taste of solid food. We decided to go with something nice and easy and selected a Gerber Rice Cereal.

What's in that bowl? For me!?

Hey you! Give me more!

Sophia took the food like a champ but it was really more obvious that me and Chrissy were more excited than her.

If you are up to it - the full first 3 minutes of her trying food are below. Sorry for the jerky zooming - I suck.

Swimming Lessons

Chrissy wanted to start Sophia early with swimming lessons. One of the early lessons I have learned is that if "Mom" wants to do something it is in everybody's best interest to do that....so, Sophia is in swimming lessons.

I thought she was a little young but according to the course offering through the Edmonton rec-facilities she was capable, "Starfish is the entry level with a focus on orientation to water, buoyancy, movement, entries. (child must be able to hold their head up)".

For the last couple of Tuesday's we have been heading off to our Clareview Recreation Centre for Starfish swimming lessons.

Sophia takes to the water really well. She doesn't get upset or scared and is now even starting to splash around a little bit. It helps that she has her mothers buoyancy as opposed to the lead-lined bones of her father.

She doesn't even mind getting her head dunked. Pro-tip from Chrissy blow air in the baby's face right before dunking. They will instinctively take a big gulp of air.

Chrissy's parents have come to watch a couple of the lessons and we often sit and visit in the lobby with them afterwards. Sophia has started picking up new tricks like trying to eat peoples faces. In the picture below Baba is getting sized up.

Being in the pool really seems to take it out of her and often she falls asleep before we even leave the parking lot. That works for us, as we can take long luxurious car-trips through the Dairy Queen drive through.

City Managers Cup Champs

It was a slow spring for hockey this year. Our team took a year off on hosting our charity hockey tournament and I decided against traveling to Ottawa for our annual rec hockey trip to instead spend more time with Christina and Sophia.

In attempt to get my "hockey fix" in I participated in a fun tournament at work - The City Managers Cup. Our team from last year did alright, losing out in the semi's to the eventual pool winner. So, I thought it was a little weird that they ended up dropping us down a tier. With a couple of pick-ups from our Section / Department we looked good going in.

It turns out not only did we look good, but we were good. We walked through the competition, never trailing once in our 4 games and took the Div 5 championship.

Everyone else looks fresh and it looks like I just ran a marathon.

My buddy Riley and myself

Flaunting our trophy and championship rings at work

Sophia's Baptism

As good Roman Catholics, or at least raised by good Roman Catholics, it was inevitable that our daughter Sophia would be baptised.  Earlier this month, our heathen child was made part of the flock.

When deciding on Godparents it really wasn't too difficult - Chrissy's only sibling Alex, and my closest in age and proximity sibling, Monica. However, in choosing Monica to be the Godmother we forfeited the opportunity for Monica Kehrig Photography to be the official photographer - a near flaw in our otherwise perfect planning.

I say a near flaw as Monica took some pictures for us prior to the big day with Sophia in her gown.

The lovely baptism gown was a surprise gift from her soon to be Godfather, Alex. After knowing him for 5+ years I would have never guessed he had such good taste. 

Due to Monica's involvement in the ceremony most of the pictures that day were taken by my sister-in-law Alison who was fighting off a flu and also taking care of her daughter with a cold at the ceremony. She is pretty impressive - another signal that Alex has good taste....I should have realised sooner I guess.

Thanks to the Godparents who will be helping watch over her, thanks to Mom who made the trip for the baptism and to everyone who came out for the ceremony.

37th Birthday and Easter Weekend

This year my birthday happened to occur on the same weekend as Easter, which is pretty sweet. Extra long gluttonous weekend!

I think Chrissy sensed that I was having issues living with a set schedule (needed for Sophia) so for my birthday she chose to wake up early (on little sleep) and take me out to the Farmers Market for the first time with Sophia. We arrived early before it got too nuts, or at least not too crazy unless you wanted to buy tulips.

It was a small venture out and greatly appreciated as the rest of the weekend was spent mostly hanging with Sophia around the house or consuming copious amounts of food and drink.

In the absence or any of my nuclear family being in Edmonton over the weekend Chrissy's parents helped me celebrate  by baking an angel food cake and picking up a bucket of Chicken (my sole request).

Overall a pretty great birthday and weekend.

Bonus: Chrissy's gift to me was tickets to Return To Grace the following week - basically an Elvis tribute show. The perfect "first" date for us in months.

Sophia's first trip to Edmonton Valley Zoo

As the winter was unseasonably warm Chrissy and I have been itching to get outside with Sophia. However, as first time parents were are still timid on excursions due to length of time between feedings, catching a cool breeze, and the need for Sophia to be in near constant motion to be content.

Finally, we decided that it was time for a quick sojourn to one of our favorite spots: The Edmonton Valley Zoo.

Sophia slept through most of it but her Mom and Dad had a nice time.

Even meeting an elephant for the first time wasn't as exciting as sleeping.

Even though it's a bit of a drive from our house I think Chrissy is going to get herself an annual pass and do many a walk-through with Sophia this summer.

Bonus - We ran into the Bells.

First Family Day Weekend in Saskatoon

With some apprehension to how a 3 month old would do in the car we packed ourselves up and headed to see my mother and family in Saskatoon for Family Day weekend.

Much to our surprise and glee, Sophia was excellent for the 5 hour car ride sleeping the whole way with the exception of a bottle break in Lloydminster.

Grandma was a great host and many of my siblings, neices and nephews got to meet Sophia for the first time including a very pregnant Nikki.

No visit is complete with out Mom's home-cooked meals. Sophia had the best seat in the house.

The weather in Saskatoon was pretty temperate so Chrissy and I took Sophia out for a walk along the South Saskatchewan river valley in the Downtown.

The first of many visits back to the promised land...