Comments for mattblair.ca http://mattblair.ca Redesign in progress Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:15:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on What I learned by calling out the Public Safety Minister for something stupid he’d said on Twitter by Jason http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/16/what-i-learned-by-calling-out-the-public-safety-minister-for-something-stupid-hed-said-on-twitter/#comment-2658 Jason Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:15:06 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2830#comment-2658 The other night while listening to the news on the CBC -- you know, Quebecor's favourite broadcaster -- on the drive home, I chuckled as I thought to myself, "For the first and hopefully only time in my life, I am apparently on the side of child pornographers." The other night while listening to the news on the CBC — you know, Quebecor’s favourite broadcaster — on the drive home, I chuckled as I thought to myself, “For the first and hopefully only time in my life, I am apparently on the side of child pornographers.”

]]> Comment on What I learned by calling out the Public Safety Minister for something stupid he’d said on Twitter by JJ http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/16/what-i-learned-by-calling-out-the-public-safety-minister-for-something-stupid-hed-said-on-twitter/#comment-2656 JJ Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:08:57 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2830#comment-2656 Yeah, well done, Matt. As you say, there's clearly opposition to this bill, and if it can be organized in a respectful fashion, who knows what it'll be able to achieve. Yeah, well done, Matt. As you say, there’s clearly opposition to this bill, and if it can be organized in a respectful fashion, who knows what it’ll be able to achieve.

]]> Comment on The diaper is half full by Jason http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/09/the-diaper-is-half-full/#comment-2649 Jason Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:29:25 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2805#comment-2649 Congrats again to you and Kate, and the whole family. I gotta say, hearing first-hand accounts of the whole parenting thing is, at the outset, somewhat terrifying to me; upon further inspection, though, it becomes a matter of people who I already knew beforehand who were probably logical, reasonable people, acting logically and reasonably through a period of huge change in their lives. Sorta makes it a little less scary. Fortunately (hopefully?), though, that sort of change is quite a ways off for me yet. Keep up the good work, kids! Congrats again to you and Kate, and the whole family. I gotta say, hearing first-hand accounts of the whole parenting thing is, at the outset, somewhat terrifying to me; upon further inspection, though, it becomes a matter of people who I already knew beforehand who were probably logical, reasonable people, acting logically and reasonably through a period of huge change in their lives. Sorta makes it a little less scary.

Fortunately (hopefully?), though, that sort of change is quite a ways off for me yet.

Keep up the good work, kids!

]]> Comment on The diaper is half full by adam reed http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/09/the-diaper-is-half-full/#comment-2644 adam reed Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:21:41 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2805#comment-2644 For me it was. "I used to just life my life, now I enjoy every minute of it." For me it was. “I used to just life my life, now I enjoy every minute of it.”

]]> Comment on The diaper is half full by Karen Milton http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/09/the-diaper-is-half-full/#comment-2643 Karen Milton Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:49:24 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2805#comment-2643 I would add "it turns out food tastes just as good cold", "nobody leaves the house anymore anyway" and "I actually function better on two hours' sleep" to that list. I have more, but I'm too tired to remember them right now. I would add “it turns out food tastes just as good cold”, “nobody leaves the house anymore anyway” and “I actually function better on two hours’ sleep” to that list. I have more, but I’m too tired to remember them right now.

]]> Comment on Paternity leave is the greatest idea the human race has ever had by Kelly O http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/06/paternity-leave-is-the-greatest-idea-the-human-race-has-ever-had/#comment-2639 Kelly O Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:55:43 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2797#comment-2639 Congrats, Matt and family! Congrats, Matt and family!

]]> Comment on Paternity leave is the greatest idea the human race has ever had by Polly http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/06/paternity-leave-is-the-greatest-idea-the-human-race-has-ever-had/#comment-2638 Polly Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:43:40 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2797#comment-2638 Hey Matt, I agree that "enjoy every moment" is not exactly the right sentiment, although every little blue-hair who meets your daughter will tell you to do exactly that. It's difficult to enjoy baby poop that leaks out of the diaper and onto everything, or the moments when your daughter is shrieking and you have no idea why. But if you really take time to savour the sweet moments, to take time to memorize the scent of your baby's hair and the curve of her cheek when she sleeps, then I think you'll have mastered parenting a newborn. Other than that, the one thing we have really learned over the past year of parenthood is not to worry. We don't worry if Alexa misses a nap or gets to bed late. We don't stress if she eats poorly one day. I learned to ignore the parenting books (all they did was make me feel like a lousy person), and go with teaching the rules for being a decent human: share, don't hit, be gentle with people and books, brush your teeth before bed. As a result, we have a pretty sweet-tempered, adaptable little one-year-old. Hey Matt,
I agree that “enjoy every moment” is not exactly the right sentiment, although every little blue-hair who meets your daughter will tell you to do exactly that. It’s difficult to enjoy baby poop that leaks out of the diaper and onto everything, or the moments when your daughter is shrieking and you have no idea why.
But if you really take time to savour the sweet moments, to take time to memorize the scent of your baby’s hair and the curve of her cheek when she sleeps, then I think you’ll have mastered parenting a newborn.
Other than that, the one thing we have really learned over the past year of parenthood is not to worry. We don’t worry if Alexa misses a nap or gets to bed late. We don’t stress if she eats poorly one day. I learned to ignore the parenting books (all they did was make me feel like a lousy person), and go with teaching the rules for being a decent human: share, don’t hit, be gentle with people and books, brush your teeth before bed. As a result, we have a pretty sweet-tempered, adaptable little one-year-old.

]]> Comment on Paternity leave is the greatest idea the human race has ever had by Amber http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/06/paternity-leave-is-the-greatest-idea-the-human-race-has-ever-had/#comment-2637 Amber Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:05:18 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2797#comment-2637 I found the lactation clinic at Sinai was great. You should make appointments, but they have drop in too I think. They were really helpful and we went back every couple of days to make sure we were getting the hang of everything. I think we went 3 or 4 times in the first week after we came home. Definitely worth the schlep back to the hospital. I found the lactation clinic at Sinai was great. You should make appointments, but they have drop in too I think. They were really helpful and we went back every couple of days to make sure we were getting the hang of everything. I think we went 3 or 4 times in the first week after we came home. Definitely worth the schlep back to the hospital.

]]> Comment on Paternity leave is the greatest idea the human race has ever had by Brent M http://mattblair.ca/2012/02/06/paternity-leave-is-the-greatest-idea-the-human-race-has-ever-had/#comment-2634 Brent M Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:07:44 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2797#comment-2634 Congrats Matt! Sounds like you have a very good attitude about the whole thing. I had a month off with my little one, and I agree with the sentiment about leave being the most fabulous idea around. Imagine this: about 30-35 years ago, women were lucky to get six weeks!! Anyway, the view from two months in is equally spectacular. Here's some advice from the "wish I'd known" column: GET A LACTATION CONSULTANT. Have them come in and do a few housecalls over the first two weeks. We were sent home and told all was well, but our daughter wasn't latching well to the breast, something that's not apparent over the firsr week or so with the baby's mouth so weak. Fast forward a month and breastfeeding was excruciating, with shredded nipples, breast infections, you name it. We (my wife!) toughed it out and things are mostly healed now, but all could have been avoided with some timely pointers from an expert. It's well worth the couple hundred bucks, trust me. Anyway, I'm sure you'll do just fine, and will no doubt be 'present' in every moment. It'll be great, and I assure you that even the challenging times are fabulous. Congrats. Brent Congrats Matt! Sounds like you have a very good attitude about the whole thing. I had a month off with my little one, and I agree with the sentiment about leave being the most fabulous idea around. Imagine this: about 30-35 years ago, women were lucky to get six weeks!!

Anyway, the view from two months in is equally spectacular. Here’s some advice from the “wish I’d known” column: GET A LACTATION CONSULTANT. Have them come in and do a few housecalls over the first two weeks. We were sent home and told all was well, but our daughter wasn’t latching well to the breast, something that’s not apparent over the firsr week or so with the baby’s mouth so weak. Fast forward a month and breastfeeding was excruciating, with shredded nipples, breast infections, you name it. We (my wife!) toughed it out and things are mostly healed now, but all could have been avoided with some timely pointers from an expert. It’s well worth the couple hundred bucks, trust me.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ll do just fine, and will no doubt be ‘present’ in every moment. It’ll be great, and I assure you that even the challenging times are fabulous.

Congrats.

Brent

]]> Comment on Harper government reopens same-sex marriage issue, promises not to reopen it by Erin http://mattblair.ca/2012/01/12/harper-government-reopens-same-sex-marriage-issue-promises-not-to-reopen-it/#comment-2581 Erin Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:05:16 +0000 http://mattblair.ca/?p=2738#comment-2581 Thanks, Matt. I was hoping it was all just sensation journalism but I guess I'm not surprised. Thanks, Matt. I was hoping it was all just sensation journalism but I guess I’m not surprised.

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