Mama-luia

{Welcome to a chatty, scattered capture of life with a newborn. Consider it old-fashioned blogging, capturing my daily life but without the need to tie my reflections up with a big bow to make A Point.} Clara is five weeks old now. A friend of mine who has seven of her own children said, "I tend to find that by four weeks, it's starts to get really real ." Indeed. Both in terms of the highs and the lows. The highs -- a beautiful child who actually smiles at me and coos in response to my sing-song-y greetings. It's an unmatched high. She is a delightful little human. But, a baby who is not on a predictable routine yet, but who doesn't sleep nearly as much as when we counted her life in days, that's challenging. You know, especially while juggling everyone else's needs. The casseroles dropped off by neighbours are but a fond memory. Life goes back to normal for everyone else. Yet here we are, still grappling with how to create a new sens...

Today I took my youngest two children to the library. On a whim, while I was there, I signed up Elijah for his own library card, and I introduced the library staff to Clara, whom they oohed and ahhed over. You see, at my local library, the staff are on a first-name basis with us. When Noah placed third in our township's public speaking contest, the CEO of the library passed along her congratulations. When I walked in today, she complimented me on my haircut. These staff members are genuinely invested in me and my family, and in our community. I love accessing the library as a 'third place.' Being a stay-at-home mom, especially in a rural community, especially in a place where winter sprawls, bitterly cold and vicious, for months, having a safe, fun, low-cost place to bring my children is gold {also: note I said "low cost" and not "free;" I am notorious for returning my library books late and despite my best intentions to change my ways, I rack up o...