Happy Birthday Mom!

As Joni Mitchell famously sings, "We can't return, we can only look behind from where we came and go round and round and round in the circle game." Both my mom and my son were born under the Chinese zodiac sign of tiger-metal, a combination that occurs once every 60 years. I was born in the exact middle of this cycle and also have metal as my element (though I'm a monkey!). Apparently, "metals" are success-driven, unwavering in their efforts and undeterred by setbacks or hardships. They have the strength and energy to bring about the changes they desire. They are self-reliant but can be highly inflexible, stubborn and unreasonable. I'll let those who know Mom and me form their own judgement about the accuracy of this description!

We love you Grandma!

Winter Wonderland

Goodness, the cold weather has arrived with a vengeance! Felt like -15 last night with the 50km/hour winds though today was lovely, sunny and a balmy -4. One more day of freezing temperatures and then, apparently, a high of 8 for Thursday. Thankfully, Jean and I held onto our winter wardrobes from Montreal and Toronto so we're pretty equipped to keep warm. And I don't think Eliot's feeling too hard done by either!

"Starfish" snowsuit from Auntie Karan

Rainbow Baby staying toasty

More Bookish Thoughts...

I decided to read Never Let Me Go because The Globe and Mail reviewed the movie so favourably. Admittedly, the plot came as a bit of a surprise...

The young characters in Ishiguro's novel have been cloned for the sole purpose of supplying organs to "real human beings." As the book unfolds, the reader learns that these children are part of a "humanitarian" experiment whereby they live out youth in a boarding school until they leave to fulfill their destiny. This unlikely premise doesn't make for the most exciting read but it does raise difficult questions about human nature: How do we come to terms with fate when there's no hope of escape? To what lengths is it reasonable to go to improve one's quality of life? What advantage lies in delaying the inevitable? And, most profoundly, what does it mean to be free?

Sleep Baby, Sleep

Apparently, newborns can sleep 20 hours a day! Eliot is logging more awake time now than when we first brought him home but he certainly doesn't miss any opportunity to catch a few winks.

Crashed out on Mom's shoulder

A lap nap

You're boring me!

Our Extended Family

We are truly blessed to be part of the Oak Bay United Church community. Between meal drop-offs, impromptu babysitting and lovely homemade gifts, we have felt incredibly supported and cared for. A huge thank you to everyone for such an outpouring of love!

Laurie and John - Extraordinary babysitters!

So content on Priscilla's blanket

Proud Godmother Dawn

Story time with Sarah and Joanne

Rainbow blanket from Barbara Ann

Baby Catwalk

Thanks to the impeccable taste of our family and friends, Eliot is by far the best dressed member of the family! No mean feat for a guy who's only two weeks old...

Puppy dog sleeper from Jan

Adorable hand-knit hat from Patti

Corduroy overalls from Great Auntie Angela

More Bookish Thoughts...

I must interrupt the Eliot updates with some thoughts on my latest read. Billie Livingston's short story collection, Greedy Little Eyes, certainly depicts a lot of unsavory behaviour: murders, a suicide, an accusation of incest and a kidnapping, just to name a few.

What makes the book enjoyable is its intimacy; Livingston writes with calm, honesty and humour and her voice evokes a trust that makes the reader feel like a confidante. The terrible events described thus become cathartic releases as opposed to horrific tales. As one amazon reviewer astutely wrote, "its the good the bad and the ugly together, forced to duke it out."

Grandma & Grandpa Smith

We got to introduce 10-day-old Eliot to Grandma and Grandpa Smith on Monday; how great that they could make it down from Whitehorse so soon after his birth. Needless to say, he continues to be a big hit with everyone he meets - especially with strangers at the doctor's office!

Grandma Smith

Grandpa Smith

Gazing up at Grandma

Active little hands

What's in a Name?

Many people have asked Jean and me about the provenance of our son's name. Eliot is after the brilliant 20th Century poet and playwright (and fellow Libran), T.S. Eliot. Andrew was both my Grandad's name and Jean's Grandpa's middle name. We each have a cousin named Andrew and, if Jean had been a boy, her name would have been Andrew. We could hardly leave the name out!

I obviously have boundless admiration for T.S. Eliot; I can't think of another poet who conveyed both utter despair and supernatural bliss more profoundly. Here's one of my favourite quotes from "The Dry Salvages" (part of the Four Quartets) that I think speaks volumes about parenting:

...These are only hints and guesses,
Hints followed by guesses; and the rest
Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.
The hint half guessed, the gift half understood, is Incarnation.