My beautiful birth of Courtney

Here are some of the details of my beautiful birth of Courtney.
(But not all of the details!)

With the help of 2 midwives, we had a 100% natural birth at home. It lasted almost 24 hours.

It all started when I was getting up on an hourly basis due to my 41.5weeks of aches and pains (and pee).

I knew something was different.

It was 5:30am.

Dave was already up and having coffee and watching sports.
He came back upstairs to have a shower at 7am and I told him that I had not gotten back to sleep and that he should stay home with me.

My mom was staying with us, so he didn't think anything was different with me as I was already so far overdue and I always felt terrible each morning after little or no sleep.

But I told him that this time I was feeling strange new intervals of the same strange pain over and over and over...

He decided to stay home (lucky for all of us!) and take care of me.


I tried to get some rest, yet I could feel contractions showing up every 15-30minutes on and off.

After a few hours, my mom had gotten up and was preparing herself for the lunch date we had planned at noon with Dave's mom Lee.
Dave went downstairs, called his mother and explained that today was not a good day for lunch.

He then proceeded to explain 'the situation upstairs' to my mom.
So I'm sure they both paced around frantically while I had some privacy upstairs coping with my pain.

We thought it would be a good idea to watch a movie. What better movie than
Team America: World Police.
It was the first movie we ever saw together, so it made me laugh. I could not get through even half of it.

At around 3pm we called our midwife and it was her birthday, so we felt horrible already for disturbing her. We had just seen her on Tuesday afternoon for a very uncomfortable 'stretch & sweep' to hopefully get things going.
I had promised her I would try not to go into labour and spare her birthday, oh well. I tried.

Genvieve showed up around 4pm, said hello to my mom -who was surprised to our midwife arrive at our house! then she definitely knew that our lunch date was off with Lee and there was a baby coming sometime soon!

She looked happy to see us, as we had made it 41.5 long weeks together.


I used a TENS machine to help cope with contractions which was a lifesaver.

I also had a warm bath half way through and used a birthing ball.

And many many focused Karate breaths. I felt like I was doing my brown belt passage (all over again!).

Our second Midwife Amanda arrived at our house around midnight to assist Genvieve.
What a tough job!

At 1:52am Courtney Julianne was born.
It was a beautiful birth.

The midwives have never delivered such a healthy baby before.
she scored 100% APGAR test.
She was big: 8lbs 14oz, 23".
100% natural.

I got to cut the umbilical cord and it was a very special moment.
Finally she was in my arms.
She cried very loudly and Dad got to hold her for the first time while our midwives took care of me -after I held her skin to skin of course!

Our Scottie dog Lola ran into our room after hearing the first few loud cries, Dave quickly ran downstairs with her (to put her outside!) handing my mom our baby in a wild fury.
It was a very thrilling moment for her! here is our baby! ha ha.

The long day kind of seemed like a blur to me, but it was all so beautiful.

I think that by taking Karate (years ago) helped with my breathing and pain tolerance. This was not an easy task.

We also took Hypnobirthing courses, which was great for visualization techniques and trying to stay focused. I listened to a hypno cd for 2 months every night, and then all day long during contractions.

I loved my beautiful birth.
I enjoyed having a natural birth with all the comforts of being at home.
The pushing felt very extreme, not enjoyable to feel at 100%!
I wish I had a little bit of laughing gas. But I held David's hands throughout and now he has scars on both.

Our midwives left our house around 5am. What a team!
We gave our many thanks again them both.
And we thanked Gen for leaving her birthday dinner date with her friends to be with us.

They also had follow up care at our house 3 times including help with breastfeeding.

Many thanks again to our Midwives and to my husband and to my mom.

Courtney Julianne

We welcome with love, our little girl
*Courtney Julianne*
March 25th, weighing 8lbs 14oz and 22"

Cola Dog visits the Crowe's

We sure had a nice time taking care of Cola the Schnoodle!

Lola was very excited to have a new dog to play with for 2 weeks.
She was a great furry bundle of fun and taught Lola that it was okay to snuggle up with Dave.
Lola taught her how to walk on a leash and to race after squirrels.

We were sad to see her leave today, but she seemed very happy to see her mommy!

Lola stood by the door and watched her friend leave. It was pretty cute but sad at the same time for Lola. She is quite puzzled as to where that friendly furball went!?

Maui our Siamese cat is quite happy to have my lap back to sleep on.

We sure hope to see Cola in the future!

MiniPops

So I was thinking about Kailey and the potential for her to join up with Jalen, Kennedy and her little brother Charlie to become the latest pop sensation in Alberta.
Who needs crappy nickelback when you've got a lineup of my good looking relatives?



I saw her photos posted today on facebook and it looked like a very happy birthday. And it looks like you all had fun at the big bad Leduc pool! I loved watching Kelsie try to synchro swim there. Time goes by so fast doesn't it.



Actually, I don't think I have seen Kailey since her 2nd or 3rd birthday.
I also havent seen my cousin Dawn in about 6 or more years either.
Its difficult to see everyone when you live in Ottawa.
We both wish more of you would come visit or keep in touch a lot better.
Phone Calls are our favorite.
We only seem to get to Alberta once a year now. Its difficult to see everyone.
But we sure had a great time with all of you on our last visit.

We cant wait for Grandma and Grandpa to come visit in March. It will be chilly here, but we think it will be a great trip for all of us.

Kennedy the little fortune cookie

What a little angel. All dressed up in a pretty little ladies lunch dress.



It sure is fantastic to see almost everyone out for this annual event!

Clearance bin vs Clear thinking

A lot of hoopla has been generated around receiving a few scraps of fabric called panties wrapped in pretty tissue paper and supplied with pretty hangtags via post.

I was impressed for all about a day with the concept and then got to thinking longer and deeper about the full idea at hand and am more disappointed in the consumer than anything.

Koodos to the garment industry once again for pulling 'lace' over peoples' eyes.


I've worked in the garment industry for many years as a merchandiser and have seen ideas come and go. And I have witnessed all sorts of abuse to coworkers, models and factory workers. The garment industry is tough as nails. It is dirty. Cheap. And full of disgusting people trying to take your money at every cost possible.
I could go on forever about what I have experienced, but people still think its cool to leave comments stating that I am 'out to lunch' for some reason. However, I feel it is intentional to gain more exposure to themselves if anything.

This new 2009 concept of blogging for additional income also astounds me.

Since when did being a twenty-something automatically make you a product whore?

It is what it is girls? think about it.

Its all about trying to act hip so that you can grab free products and more attention to your blog. Or is it to get misc online awards? This is a virtual sellout by any definition.

What normal person would pose in their underwear and post it out there to the world; if not to seek more followers?

My p.blog does not advertise assorted companies on its sidebar for a reason.
Does yours?

I have lived all over Canada and have worked with many people overseas.
As well as the latest fad...anyone remember cargo pants? I used to design them at Buffalo alongside my friend David (Bitton).

But underwear by mail, by any means is a great idea. Dont get me wrong.

I am just not impressed with www.pantybypost.com sending clearance items that are $5.99 and charging $28 for them.

This to me is unacceptable.

They could be sending new items right from the shipping warehouse that has just arrived. If they are in fact working with 'a family run company' (which company isn't?) they could simply share their advertisments and promote the latest collections this way.

"unwrapping something special from my mailbox would be far more gratifying"
Sure, if it were brand new stock!
I think: What a scam!

If your special someone wants to spend his or her hard earned dollars (recession anyone?) why not go straight to the source of new collections?

www.agentprovocateur.com

or here:
http://www.laperlausa.com/USA/servlet/com.dsdata.taxi.tecx.SetIDWebObject?ID=9427&IDType=prd&ColorValueID=0002

or here:

http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=9H-229128&page=1&cgname=OSPTYANGZZZ&rfnbr=1939


Do you think Tiffany & CO. would send old clearance items via post?
Think about it.

Oh, but they too send pretty tissue paper and use amazing stationary.



"After years of factory investigation in China , while critical and unfortunate, it is safe to state that none of these factory workers can afford a piece of the garment that they produced and exported to the U.S. The wages that they receive can barely lead them to a sustainable living style."

"As the number of apparel wears branded with “Made in China ” increases dramatically in developed nations such as the United States , the workload of Chinese workers behind the scene producing the products rises significantly as well due to the increasing demand. Conversely, these workers' work conditions did not improve as they are continuously required to produce more for the market, instead, conditions has worsen and become more critical as day progresses due to many factors mainly attributed to corporations' endless pursuit of low production cost."

Source:
www.chinalaborwatch.org/200711204textile.htm

highly addictive

Not sure what you're listening to these days, Happy 2009, and happy year of the OX.

But I found out last night that Ben Folds is playing in Toronto Feb 17.
But sadly, he's playing at Kool Haus (down in Queens Quay).
Which is a horrible venue.

To me, it resembles a large metal shed.
Or miniature airplane hanger.

Which for music is not the place you want to spend your money.

I once saw Australia's one and only Ben Lee play there alongside Ben folds.
Once they were finished Rufus wainwright headlined the show.
Sound quality was a big let down.
And most people left.

And we had to stand the whole way through on hard concrete.
-talk about getting old hahah.
Even Matt Good plays smaller venues now where you can sit down and watch him instead. He said himself that he was tired of people moshing to his music so he tours alone with only a guitar. At times I wish Ben folds would find smaller venues and do the same. Who is he kidding? I think he is milking the college kid circuit far too long. And his fan base is much larger and cant go smaller.

So we wont be going to see him.
Which sucks as we really love his music and he only plays in Canada every 5 years it seems.

All in all, I'm not on for coffee in February with one of my BC friends that now calls Toronto home.

I was looking forward to Yorkdale mall and Bloor street.

I miss living there.

Ottawa has a little bit of life to it. We try to get out as often as possible. But notice that all of us 30 somethings seem to stay inside and play boardgames or have Wii parties vs hitting the downtown market area. That area is filled with university people and no one above 32. What is a couple to do here in Ottawa? suggestions? Power center shopping, eating at Boston Pizza, hitting starbucks?
I seem almost 100% content mixing my own martinis now.
All this fine china and crystal from our wedding loot must be used accordingly.

Wanna come over to our house in the 'burbs instead?

The time we have spent with our close friends and Dave's parents is invaluable to some storefront eye-candy...or expensive haute cuisine. Mmmmmm fine dining IS missed!

This break is nice. But we will move back one day.

I am a merchandiser and the lack of visual and mental stimulus is killing me slowly.
And Dave is a lawyer and misses going to court and working on Bay Street.
Yet Ottawa is allowing us to breath and learn all about work life balance.

Its highly addictive.

Yet with all the life time, what is there to do in the 'burbs if you cant walk anywhere? Our dog Lola is extra happy here vs living downtown without a backyard. We couldnt take that away from her now could we.

I know, Monopoly anyone?

almost the end of 2008

I started this blog back in 2004 when it was a brand new online tool and back in a time when no one seemed to know what having a blog was all about or what to write on one. Now it has become a widely used tool across the world. I actually created mine so that I could keep my family updated with what I was up to across the miles while living in Montreal. It was difficult to get everyone to email and use MSN, so reading a daily blog seemed useful.
I also used to write a lot more creative pieces years ago (along with formal updates)yet hope to start again in the new year.

Its been neglected now over the months due to many more methods of keeping in touch with my people.

There is still MSN which I rarely use now but still find quite gratifying for its instant rapid responses.

And I find that Facebook has pretty much taken the place of MSN. Some people use Facebook for email purposes as well and have eliminated their hotmail accounts in the process (due to their expiration from not using within one full month).

There is also myspace, which I joined a while back. I find it to be a fantastic tool for musicians. It is great for finding new talent and spreading the word on existing favorites. Personally, I hardly know anyone that has joined it besides a few of my online junkie friends who seem to use it more for a site of self expression if anything if they're not musicians at all.

For fun I created a full blown myspace page for Dave's old university band 'Mordecai Lingus' one night.

I had their old cd on iTunes and decided to load some tracks for the hell of it.
He expects a full out cult following.

I will let you know how it does.


Last week I joined Twitter and found it to be an exclusive treat once again like my blog used to be. Only a select few are aware of it and use it daily.
However, do I feel it is necessary to let people know what I am up to 24/7, not really but if the technology is out there, why not. Its also linked to Facebook and for now it seems more exclusive to have Facebook status reports updatead 'via Twitter' or 'twittelator' than simply via Facebook.
Or again are we just the types that like to be the ones in the know?
Not sure. Or are we all just lonely and mad at our pc mac world of non-existent human contact. Whatever happened to the days when coffee shops were filled with laughter, good indie music and not glowing mac books and generic cd's.

Through Twitter I was able to exchange a few words with Matt Good the other night. He let me know what his favorite song of all time was. I found the track and agree. But then I wondered if I still lived in BC would hot coffee be on order and piles of cd's exchanged instead; however hopeful. It was nice to touch base with him and the song is one of the most atmospheric and memorable. There is a long list of my own dreamy favorites, if you want to know any of them please just email me.

As for the classic medium of all time=books. I found an old Camus book I bought in Toronto years ago. Exile and the Kingdom. I haven't read it. So I decided to pick it up last night and try reading more offline. I still find The Stranger is one of my favourite books.


As I write this, strangely I just got an email from an old highschool friend that found me on facebook who now lives in Japan. She added me as a contact on her Flickr account. Which I also belong to.
It is a fantastic site for photosharing and seeing a very visual peak into peoples lives...and what they find beautiful too.

Its almost the end of 2008. My sleep pattern is all off track. Thanks for the great year. Its been a long one.

Happy Anniversary Emily & Derek!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Thank you Brent & Beth for the W-gifts!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Birthday Mom!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

NIFTY AND FIFTY?!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Honeymooners

On the Friday of our trip to Mont Tremblant we went to
the Spa Scandinave

http://www.scandinave.com/

aka: polarbearing...

Come on thats super relaxing fun...esp dunking yourself into the frozen river...!

The first time we went down to the river (which you can see in the background of the first photo) we saw a deer passing over the frozen ice!

"Wow what stupid humans" - the deer must have thought?!...

but we continued down the staircase into the slushy cut-out into the ice

3 times.

It was 5 degrees.

There are also other "cooling" pools that are a warm 12 degrees and an icy waterfall to stand under if you're brave enough.

Dave went right into the river (!) I went in half way, that was enough for me. WOW! My new husband is the bravest man I've ever seen! This river was much colder than the last polarbear club I went to in Saint Saveur a few years back.

After the plunging you have to go to these quiet relaxing rooms.Where you sit and whisper about how cold you just were, or sleep (as it feels like you've just run a billion miles actually..!)

You must do the above in the below order:

A) hot

B) cold

C) relax.

This is the process.

As for the heating stations:

there is:

A) Dry sauna, 200 degrees (think cooked turkey)
B) Steam room

C) Outdoor hot tubs

D) Warm outdoor pool

E) Outdoor campfire (which is constantly burning so you can either heat up or dry off!) --which I did once..just for the hell of saying that I stood in my bikini in front of a roaring fire while it was snowing...now thats camping!

No wonder I caught a cold the first week home!

We had a nice wintery day together and it was fantastic.

Our wedding rings sure got hot in the dry sauna -yow!

It was a great chilly Friday.

Just Married!!!

February 16, 2008

Yes we did it! At last!

Thank you everyone for sharing our special day with us.

It truly was a wonderful day.

The best day of our lives (so far!).

The W-photo's are now starting to roll in and we have posted them on our Flickr account for you to see them:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peppermintlab/

And if you haven't sent us yours, please do so as we would love to see them -and your special point of view!

Love Patti & David Crowe

Vivienne Westwood blasts government's stance on terrorism suspects

By Joelle Diderich, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PARIS - Rebel British designer Vivienne Westwood on Monday used her catwalk show in Paris as a platform to protest a British government push to extend the number of days that terrorist suspects can be detained without charges.

Westwood sent models down the catwalk wrapped in T-shirts and silk blankets printed with "56" - the maximum number of days the government reportedly wants to hold terror suspects, doubling the current limit.

After the display, she launched a stinging attack on Prime Minister Gordon Brown, amid growing speculation that he will call an early election.

"I'll be voting against him, definitely. Anything to get him out," said Westwood, who is best known as one of the founders of the punk movement in the 1970s.

Britain's Home Office said that, while a 56-day limit on such detentions has been widely reported, no formal proposal was ever made and that officials are still trying to determine how much longer they would like to hold terror suspects.

Brown, whose second full day in office was marked by a failed terror attack in London, set out plans in July for tough new anti-terrorism laws, saying police need greater powers to hold and question suspects in increasingly complex and global plots.
Currently, suspects need to be charged or released within 28 days.
Westwood accused the British leader of behaving like a "tyrant" and said the measures would not help to protect British citizens against terrorism.
"We need people (in court) in front of the law - this will protect me," she said.

The designer has a history of mixing politics and fashion. For several years, she has been calling for the release of Leonard Peltier, an American Indian Movement activist convicted of killing two FBI agents in a shootout on a South Dakota reservation in 1975.

Lola the explorer!

We went up to the Crowe's nest Friday & Saturday for Dave's dad Wayne's birthday....and boy did we have a nice relaxing time!

Great weather and S'mores too!

Lola, Dave and I went around the lake in the canoe...saw a few turtles and frogs!

Lee and I also picked some wild raspberries!

We are back in the city now (as I was supposed to work today but now am not!) hope to make some french toast and go for a nice stroll down to the market to look at some wedding invitations! (yes we are still planning along over here!)

haud muto factum

– nothing happens by being mute.

Stylist and fashion guru Isabella Blow, a vibrant and often outrageous presence on the British fashion scene, has tragically died aged 48.

Thanks to Vogue being written about 3 or so months prior to actually being published/released I read about the loss of Isabella Blow just last week. I could not believe the sad news of the world losing such an icon.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=453384&in_page_id=1879

She had an unfailing eye for beauty, and "discovered" Stella Tennant, Honor Fraser and most famously Sophie Dahl, whom she first encountered weeping on the street after an argument with her mother. Undeterred by Dahl's then-voluptuous size, she whisked her off to Storm model agency and cast her in a Vogue fashion shoot.

But it was her passion for fashion, and her ardent support of British designers, which will be her most enduring legacy. She was an early supporter of Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan and milliner Philip Treacy, using her own body as a billboard to advertise their skills by wearing them at every opportunity.

At the sort of event where most fashion editors would wear workaday black garb, Isabella could always be relied upon to turn up in full fashion regalia - even if it was nine o'clock in the morning. No event was too early - or too casual - not to warrant outrageous clothes, towering heels and a slash of crimson lipstick, all topped off with a jaunty Treacy hat, which she was never without.

There was never a dull moment when Isabella Blow was around. To her many friends and admirers, she was the quintessence of British fashion: a passionate supporter of new talent and an outspoken champion of the avant garde.

She began her career in 1981 as an assistant to Anna Wintour, now editor-in-chief of American Vogue. Returning to London in 1986, Blow worked for British Vogue, The Sunday Times Style magazine and most recently Tatler, as their fashion director. She had a penchant for plucking rich young society girls from relative obscurity in the shires and taking them under her wing before championing them as models.

For her passion and her character, she will be sorely missed. The world is a far duller place without her.

Mystery today surrounded the death of Isabella Blow, one of the British fashion industry's most eccentric characters, amid claims that she may have poisoned herself.

The 48-year-old fashion director of Tatler magazine, a self-confessed depressive, was found collapsed in her Gloucestershire home on Sunday and pronounced dead in hospital yesterday morning.

Her art dealer husband, Detmar Blow, said she had been very ill after fighting ovarian cancer but declined to say whether she took her own life.

7-7-7

We always talked about this date years and years ago.
Long before it ever crossed the minds of the masses.
We laughed and joked and teased each other about this magical date as this was to be our day to get married as nothing on the calendar would be as lucky for a pair of goofy friends like us who talked and talked on the phone.

Instead we are happily settled into our new home in Ottawa down in the market.
I can hear the peace tower bells ringing in the distance too.

Everything is as lucky as can be.

We arent married yet, but that is on the horizon not to worry.

Off to Otown

Well I've heard a few requests for more pblog "updates".

So here is one for you. Even though this was meant to be a place for my friends and families that are living

in more distant places such as Edmonton etc. Not for my friends that actually SEE me in the flesh.

Those are the luckier of the sort.

I have also heard that the pblog is to some, a sort of morning ritual.

So thank you for this. I was also told that if I were to post more the readership would return.

Yet I believe that everyone is busy with their facebook accounts and fail to find the time to read blogs anymore.

A Blog, that's so 2004.

I've lived in a quite a few cities to date. Now its time to get moving into the next.
So what if I am taking a break from the dust and cat & dog fur that's flying all over the house as we speak.


I think I have developed some mild dust allergies.
I guess because its my 30th birthday next month its already bringing me lots of good fruitful age-related surprises.



Thanks for that.


I am happy packing up stuff and getting rid of all the garbage that seems to follow us around house-to-house.
Its good to cleanse the house. Get rid of far too many greeting card collections. Odds-N-ends regarding my closet.

Such as my VANS.
Yes I am going to donate that little bit of what was once such a big part of my exterior coolness in the past.

I couldn't donate my collection of concert t-shirts though. Its a real struggle to part with it. I stacked it up to be as high as my knee, then the rest just had to go. I really "edited" it down.
I know that I never wear any of them anymore, not even to bed.

I do not however own the above: "Jails Hot!".
Sorry folks.

As per Ottawa, Dave and I found a nice old 1900's Victorian "row house" as they call it.
My mom says that "row house" sounds very ghetto and I am not supposed to use the term.
I will miss hearing the roars of children 9 floors down below at the school across the dirt path of which, is soon to be a grand new road. And I will miss that fresh ooze of fresh greasy hot tar when it hits +40 some time soon.....Mmmm. Gotta love Mississauga.
I will not miss the 403, or Hurontario traffic.
I will miss the Mississauga city hall fountain that Lola and I walked to.
I will also miss our sister city Kariya Park, and the ducks and its own zen garden with little pebbles raked daily. That's about it.
Oh, and I will also try to forget why it was that we moved here in the first place.


Down below in the open field, no one ever came to clean up the Tim Horton's garbage that I complained about either earlier this year.

There's no reward with complaint. In 2007, no one cares about anything or anyone, or even the state of the environment. I really feel upset about all of this. But what am I to do? put my head back into the sand and keep consuming.

So I had enough of my boycott and went to buy us lunch as I wanted to see who was working there and what this ignorance looked like. I arrived bitter as ever for my sudden hunger.
A bunch of students frantic as ever were microwaving bacon and spilling coffee on the floor was what I saw.
A young woman with a khaki colored hiijab then asked me for my order, and I felt guilty as I asked for a traditional summer Turkey-BLT. She snickered at my reply. I felt bad for not being a vegetarian like I said I would this year. I then went on to purchase soup and coffee. And as my bonus to the combo, I even got a choice of doughnut. How filthy of me.

"Vanilla dip, please"



Ok, off to Ottawa it is. I promise to start-up my creative writing again.
Time to get back to my packing up.


M-GOOD news,
For those that didnt know already, Matt Good is streaming his new cd that comes out July 31st.
iTunes has it streaming, its fantastic.
It will just be hard not to be connected to the internet while we move to hear it this week.
Trust me it will be a fast PC hook-up!


Cheers to you and yours, and Happy Canada Day!