the home stretch

By all accounts and due dates I have hit my third trimester of pregnancy ~ the home stretch. It is weird to think in a mere 3 months we will have a little one as part of our family, yet at the same time, it feels like I have been pregnant forever. I spent the first 3 months in bed sleeping and complaining that I was too tired to do anything (only to find out why). The second trimester I felt great, I was active, motivated and more “like myself”. These past few weeks have been hard. I am growing so fast that I am finding even the simplest task hard to complete ~ putting on socks, bending down to get containers, and cleaning the bath tub are among almost impossible things to do. I am tired again as I am not sleeping well, besides the joint pain which wakes me (my hips are killing me), the bathroom breaks make sure I am up every hour. It is almost as accurate as an alarm clock. Joel doesn’t even hear me anymore.



I am looking forward to the holidays as they are just around the corner. Besides enjoying 10 days off work with Joel, we have a few things planned. We will finish setting up the nursery including baseboards (despite Joel’s protest), carpet will be installed in the basement, we will clean the house and put it back in order, and then we will enjoy some family time.


This year is a different one for us as some of our family will be away for Christmas. Sarah, Jay and Martin are heading down to beautiful Arizona for 10 days to enjoy among other things, the warmth! I am very jealous and wish we were joining them this year, but know they will also enjoy their alone time together.


Since we would not be together at Christmas, we knew we had to celebrate early so Martin and Barb hosted us for “Christmas dinner”. We enjoyed a great meal (turkey, stuffing, the works!), our gift exchange and 2 games of Cranium. As many people know I often opt out when games get brought up as I am very competitive. I know this about myself, and realize it doesn’t show off my best qualities therefore I choose not to play, and am fine with watching. The Hayward’s are not known for their graceful wins (Songs of “We are the champions” are often sung full volume), but I decided since last time we were at Sarah and Jay’s and played a game (that I sucked at but had fun playing) I would give it another try. My mom had bought me Cranium a few years ago for Christmas and I had never played before, so Joel and I brought it over and we played after the gift exchange. We split up into 2 teams ~ Sarah, Barb and myself vs. Jay, Martin and Joel. Although our first game was a learning experience, we still had fun winning. 


Martin and Barb bought me a beautiful baby carrier ~ a peanut shell! (what a perfect name since we have nicknamed the baby peanut) The carrier says it will work from newborn to toddler, and includes a video to learn different ways to wear it. We also received a gift for peanut, a very cute little hat and the Robert Munsch book “I Love You Forever”. This is one of my favourite books (even now) and while reading it the following day I spent 30 minutes crying.


My parents have had a good week as their house finally sold. It had been on the market for about 3 weeks and my mom was prepared to pull it off the market for Christmas. Luckily she does not need to worry about it anymore and they are getting ready to move the weekend of January 22nd.


That weekend also happens to be the weekend of my shower, the day after my birthday, and the day before my sister in laws birthday! We have planned a family dinner to celebrate the birthdays on that Saturday night.


I went this past Saturday with my friend Dana to register for gifts for my baby shower. I found it hard, overwhelming, but fun all at the same time. Dana was so patient with me while we spent the entire afternoon in the baby section of various stores.


This week my mom has been over to paint the nursery for us. Joel and I are both impatient when it comes to painting and neither of us are perfectionists like my mom. She did an amazing job and so we will start setting up the furniture later this week and weekend. (Assuming Joel does not have to work ~ if he does I will ask for my dad’s help) Once that furniture is set up, I can wash all the bedding and move it out of the downstairs bedroom which will also mean I can start cleaning my house. This excites me because I know it will be a big job that needs to be done before Christmas Eve, and if I can do a little every night it will not be as overwhelming.


Well, I better get going and feed my little peanut. Enjoy ~

Pictures

I will write about what a great weekend we had at a later date, for now here are some pictures my mother in law took. Enjoy ~

100 and counting....

Tomorrow marks a special event ~ 100 days until I am due. Now of course we all know that it is unlikely (not impossible, just unlikely) I will deliver on my due date (which I am saying is March 15), but I am still excited! I have started to purchase essentials for the baby and me (post pregnancy) each pay cheque ~ things like diaper wipes, breast pads, etc. I started packing my hospital bag, which although that might shock some of you, those who know me well will say it is very typical of my personality. I like to feel organized and since I cannot yet set up the nursery, or rearrange my room to accommodate the bassinet, this was the next best thing.



This week had many work highlights. Yesterday I attended the WCB Basics seminar which is a full day class offered to explain basic WCB principals including how they calculate your rate. Although I went in thinking it would be dry, it was actually super interesting. I feel confident explaining what I learned to our industry and why a safety program will benefit them. We are always gearing our messages to the “WIIFM” (What’s In It For Me) group, and now we will have another resource to show them safety pays.


I am in the middle of designing the December MRFA (Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservice Association) newsletter which will be printed and mailed late next week. I will also start working on our electronic December newsletter next week.


I have made many changes to our tool kit which is a free resource we provide to restaurants (within our WCB rate code) to assist them develop a workplace safety program. When I first started at MTEC, this tool kit redesign was one of my priorities. I knew restaurant owners, managers, supervisors, and workers would have a limited safety background (as I did) and this guide was supposed to lead them step by step to building a full safety program. After reading it my first week (and yes, I think it really did take me a week to read it cover to cover), I knew we had to reorganize it, simplify it, and make it much more user friendly. I asked Christine if we could make this our priority for the year, and she loved that I was willing to make open suggestions to how we could improve it. (It was created before she started here and knew it needed work) This week I just completed edit number 3 of the book, and we hope to launch it for the beginning of January! (Both online and paper based) Our new tool kit, although far from perfect, does provide industry specific examples, sample forms and checklists, and is more of a step by step guide on how to build a safety program. You literally could pick up the book and if you followed each section until complete, you would have a solid safety program. Of course, we did not include everything, but for our industry this would be considered an advanced program. We are still a far way away from the construction industry, but are starting to see some real growth within our program.


We hosted our first in house free WHMIS training session last Tuesday! We had 12 participants attend from various organizations/industries. (This was not specifically designed for restaurants, although the MSDS example is for a dishwasher chemical) Christine hosted a similar session in Thompson yesterday and had 9 attendees for the course. We have scheduled more classes for January – March.


MTEC has hired someone to replace my maternity leave that will start working with me one day per week in late January or early February. I have agreed to continue supporting MTEC with producing and distributing their monthly electronic newsletter as well as any website changes or maintenance while away for the year.

Enough about work.....


This weekend Joel will move the dogs downstairs on Sunday after my mom completes a few touch ups on the basement. It is fully painted, and carpet has been scheduled for December 22nd to be installed. Joel should receive the linoleum this week to put in the puppy room, but for now their crates will just rest on the subflooring. (Pictures coming soon)


My mom is also planning to paint the nursery ceiling tomorrow. Once it is dry, she will start on the walls and hopefully all will be complete for next weekend. If it is, that means I can start setting up the nursery! I am starting to get a little impatient with the mess in our house, and feeling some pressure to get it done before Christmas (only because that is my preference), but seeing an end in sight is really starting to lighten my mood.


Saturday evening we have plans with family. Since Sarah, Jay and Martin will all be celebrating Christmas in Mesa Arizona (so jealous!); we are having our family dinner and gift exchange. Barb is making dinner, and although I offered to bring something she declined. This is actually a huge relief as I would like to clean the house, finish laundry and get a few things organized.


Sunday will be a relaxing day I think. My parents will be over as they have another open house from 2-4pm.


Monday I will attend my workout class for the research study, Tuesday I have the MFPA (Manitoba Food Processors Association) Christmas dinner to attend with Christine, Wednesday we have a doctor’s appointment (probably our second last one with Dr. K before I start going to the Boyd Medical Group for appointments), and Friday I have the MTEC Christmas lunch as well as Joel’s Christmas party to attend. It is shaping up to be another busy week!


That’s all for now ~ enjoy!

Another Just for Fun that I found....

Another fun survey I received.......

Are you over 35?
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EXPLANATION: There is some evidence that the older you are when you conceive your baby, the more likely you are to have a girl. The sex of the baby is partly controlled by the level of the hormone gonadotropin, and this declines with age.
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Were you living with the father of your baby when you conceived?
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EXPLANATION: One very large study of 86,000 people shows a figure of 51.5 per cent male births for those living with a spouse or partner before the child's conception or birth, and 49.9 per cent male births reported by respondents who were not.
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If you are married, how long had you been married when you conceived?
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EXPLANATION: The theory is that the longer you are married, the less sex you have. Infrequent sex means that you are less likely to conceive close to when you ovulate. Male sperm move faster but don't live as long as female sperm. So by having infrequent sex, you are less likely to have sex close to the time you ovulate. That means that a longer-lasting female sperm is more likely to win the race.
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Is the father of your baby over 40?
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EXPLANATION: It seems that the older a dad is the less likely the male sperm are to fertilise the egg and the female sperm win the race. The latest evidence is that the quality of sperm does deteriorate with age and older men produce fewer male sperm.
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How many children do you already have?
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EXPLANATION: The research here shows that the more children you have, the more likely you are to have a girl. This may be linked to the fact that the more pregnancies you have, the higher your levels of the hormone gonadotropin. This seems to be linked to a higher chance of having a girl.
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Were you eating a high or low calorie diet when you became pregnant?
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EXPLANATION: A study divided 740 British women into groups according to their calorie intake. 56 per cent of the women who had the highest energy intake had boys. 45 per cent of the women who had the lowest energy intake had boys. The average calorie intake for women who had boys was 2,413. The average calorie intake for women who had girls was 2,283. It has been suggested that our bodies only invest in boys (who are more fragile and statistically less likely to survive) when food is abundant. In times of famine or low food production we "play safe" with more robust girls. Remember, whether you're having a boy or a girl, a healthy diet is very important before and during pregnancy.
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Does the father of your baby work in any of these occupations: airline pilot, deep sea diver, submariner, timber mill worker, flour mill worker?
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EXPLANATION: Some studies have looked at the father's occupation and the ratio of boys and girls. Occupations that involve stress or pollutants seem to lead to more girls. But these are small-scale studies that have only looked at certain occupations.
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Were you under stress before you became pregnant?
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EXPLANATION: We know more boys are born at times of stress, such as after wars, and research carried out so far seems to confirm this. One theory is that the mother's high stress levels lead to increases in both testosterone and cortisol. This may lead to changes in the egg, which makes it easier for male sperm to penetrate. Just how this happens no one is sure, but there is much mystery still about the moment of conception.
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Which season did you conceive in?
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EXPLANATION: Farmers have noticed this effect in animals for many years. A study of 63,976 births in the area of Essen, West Germany, from 1965 to 1970 showed that more boys were conceived in early summer, and more girls in winter. In spring and autumn the figures were the same. This may be related to a better diet in summer, or could be because more viral and infectious diseases are around in the winter. Male sperm and embryos are acknowledged to be more fragile and it may be that they are more affected by mothers catching infections.
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Did you conceive after having your ovulation induced hormonally?
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EXPLANATION: Studies carried out among women who used hormones, such as Clomid, to induce ovulation show that you are slightly more likely to have a girl if artificial hormones are involved.
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In your pregnancy, have you suffered from severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum)?
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EXPLANATION: Some experts think that the link between severe pregnancy sickness and female babies is due to high levels of oestrogen.
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Were you born in a tropical climate and living in a tropical climate when you conceived? (Only answer yes if the answer is yes to both parts.)
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EXPLANATION: A global survey of birth data showed that more girls are born in the tropics than anywhere else in the world. Scientists are not sure why. One possible theory is that it is the effect of the hormone melatonin, which has been shown to cause changes in the reproductive systems of animals in response to the length of the day. More females are born when the days are longer. Or it could be that high temperature alters the survival of male or female sperm in semen.


 
Based on your answers, the research suggests that you are slightly more likely to have a boy!

24 Weeks Picture

Since the change in my due date, I have had a hard time wrapping my mind around how far along I am and keeping track of it.  So, based on my first due date, this would be almost 25 weeks.  Based on the new one, this would be closer to 23 weeks.  To help me, I am going in the middle, and saying this is 24 weeks. :) Please disregard the fact that I am wearing pj pants.  Enjoy ~

Life in a renovation

Our house is starting to come together and I am seeing an end in sight! My cousins came over last night to work on our basement which means we are about a week away from having our drywall complete. Once that happens, my mom has offered to paint for us. Thursday we will go to look at, and hopefully pick out flooring, and then this weekend will be spent debating paint colors. We will also pick up the paint for the nursery since my mom has also volunteered her services for that. It seems everything else that needs to be completed in the house is waiting for the basement to be finished. I have cleaned out our dresser which will be moved to our spare/computer room, but we have chairs in its place that need to be moved downstairs. We have a lot of cleaning to do in the nursery, but until the dogs move downstairs there is no point in starting that job. We have furniture waiting to be put together in our downstairs bedroom, but again it is for the nursery and until it is cleaned and painted, it must wait downstairs. We have our fireplace room full of boxes that I am organizing and labeling for under our 3rd floor, but until the sanding is done, they will not be put away. Luckily, an end is in sight and slowly I will be able to put our house back together.



I have been cleaning and organizing a lot lately, but am starting to get really tired again. I was successful in cleaning the linen closet this weekend, and started on the 3rd floor storage. I should be able to finish this weekend coming up, although it promises to be a busy one with both our friend Kevin’s birthday and my dad’s.


Saturday was an exciting day as we picked up our brand new van! Now I know vans aren’t that exciting for some, but honestly this vehicle is sweet. I was set on getting an SUV while Joel wanted me to at least look at a van. He explain the practicality, and of course the price difference. I was still set on an SUV but decided to humor him and at least look at one. After seeing the only domestic van they still make, I was sold. We got a 2010 Grand Caravan SXT. The SXT model was the only one we looked at because of its adjustable pedals. For anyone who is short you will appreciate this feature. Since getting pregnant, I could see the steering column in my little car and my growing belly getting closer and closer together. We knew the car would likely last until I was 7 months pregnant and likely not much longer. When I drove Joel’s Jeep 2.5 weeks ago, I could barely get in so I knew that vehicle would no longer be an option. The van we picked up is perfect for us! It has very simple “sto-n-go” seats for both the rear and middle row (although the rear ones are considerably easier than the middle to “sto”), the side windows roll down, all doors except for the front 2 are automatic from both inside the vehicle and on the remote keyless entry, it comes with built in “uconnect” which is a hands free phone, remote start, touch screen radio controls, back up camera and a rear DVD player. For someone who was set on an SUV, I am really impressed with this vehicle and think it will be perfect when the new addition arrives. Now to put my car up for sale….


After picking up our new wheels, we headed out to Steiner for a visit with Chris and Sarah. While Sarah prepared a yummy supper for us, I sat with their son Ryan. Ryan was born last March (actually Sarah was due around the same time I am). Joel and I were both really impressed with Ryan; he never cried and spent most of the night flirting with me. Even while we ate, he sat quietly on the floor playing with a Fisher Price toy. He had huge smiles every time I would look at him, wave, or talk to him. I would tell him that his friend (or maybe girlfriend) was in my belly and he would giggle away. He sat on my lap and was fascinated by my necklace, but never made a fuss. It made me really look forward to this time next year and made me reconsider any worry I had about travelling with a little one.


I bombarded Sarah with a lot of questions, not about my pregnancy, but more about labour, what to expect when we bring the baby home and certain baby products. Sarah had lots of great advice which I really appreciated. I find women often have advice for me, but being able to ask the questions I want answers to was really helpful. There are many lists, checklist, advice articles, blogs, newsletters, etc. that I have read, but being able to actually discuss it was much more helpful.


Sunday Joel spent recovering, (he may have had a few too many bevies with Chris) and besides the little cleaning I did, I relaxed too. My parents stopped in for a quick visit to see the van and drop off a couple of items they picked up while in the states.


They have hired a woman to take over my maternity leave and I will start training her in the new year once per week. Although I will still be contracted for our monthly newsletter and website updates, she will perform all of the regular day to day duties. She seemed very organized, and I think will fit in well here.


Joel and I have started to talk about our plan for me returning to work. Luckily I do have flexibility within my position and Shannon offered open hours for my return. This means if we decide I could come back part time (financially), MTEC will accommodate that for me. Or if I need later/earlier hours to be able to pick up/drop off at daycare, they will work with that too. I am very lucky to have these options, and returning to work will be hard enough so it is nice to have the support. I have a home daycare I am hoping will have space for us, but we will also start looking and adding our names to waiting lists just in case.


We have picked out names (sorry they are a secret for now) for both a girl and a boy, and have a few back up names in case the peanut doesn’t match the selection. We borrowed a book from Chris and Sarah because we were finding the internet sites slightly overwhelming. There were hundreds of names listed for every letter of the alphabet. Joel’s attention span is short, so the internet would hold his interest for the first 50 “A” names, and then he would start puttering in the kitchen, or find something else to do. He definitely had an opinion about the names, but since most of the sites included every culture, tradition, and variation of that name, it got to be a daunting task. We would scroll names, and for every 100 we saw, 1 would be worth considering. This book was smaller, and included information like chances of mispronunciation, misspelling, popularity, alternate spellings, nicknames, etc.


I do have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon where we will receive my triple screen results. I had called about 1.5 weeks ago to confirm everything was negative, but it will be nice to hear what the doctor has to say. I should also be getting my referral to an OB-GYN. I am 24 weeks pregnant (based on my original due date which I prefer).  I have really noticed my growth this past week (seriously I think I doubled in size) and there is no mistaking my pregnant belly.  I will have Joel take a picture so I can post it later this week to show you.  I am still feeling a lot of movement in the early mornings, but by early afternoon peanut seems to relax.  By mid afternoon peanut is right back at reminding me (s)he is there.  Joel and I often feel movement in the evenings while lying down watching TV, but by 8pm most of that has stopped for the night.


My mother in law’s prediction ~ girl March 11 7lb 7oz. and for those who do not read the comments, Jobina's prediction ~ girl March 13 7lb 5oz.


I love hearing what everyone thinks, so keep the guessing coming. For now, that is all… Enjoy ~

Finished!

I can finally say Joel has officially finished his part of the basement. (... I thought of a much better idea for our laundry room, but it will have to wait for now)  We just have to wait for my cousin to finish the drywall and next week we will go look at carpet and lino.  If all goes well, hopefully by the end of the month the dogs will be downstairs. This means I can start setting up and decorating our nursery. Right now everything is in boxes in our spare bedroom downstairs (previously stored in my parents garage but since their house went up for sale we moved it into our place), so it will be nice to have order back in the house.


We unofficially bought a car on Tuesday night from Pembina Chrysler Dodge Jeep. We had test drove a Grand Caravan from Gauthier’s on Regent last week and were quite happy with it. The back sto-n-go seats were easy to set up and take down, there was plenty of room for the dogs, baby, stroller, groceries and any other items we may be hauling. With (automatic) sliding doors on both sides and a power lift gate, it makes it easy to access any part of the vehicle. The ride was comfortable as most vans are, and the one we drove even had a DVD player in it. Joel and I both thought if we are going to get a van, we wanted a “pimped” version (I still think I am too young for a van, but such is the choice when you have 3 “kids”). When it came down to negotiate with the dealership on Regent, we couldn’t believe their “tactic”. We had to write up an offer before they would appraise our trade in and put down a $500 deposit. We had to tell them what we wanted for the trade rather than them providing us with a figure. After writing up our offer, and putting down the deposit, they came back and said they would not give us what we wanted for the trade in. No problem, we can work with you on that. But the next steps are where it gets sketchy. They wanted us to make another offer with a lowered value on the trade in to see if they would accept it. Joel told them there was no way he was doing that and to come back with an offer on the trade. They did, and it was a joke! Joel actually put on his jacket and was walking out the door. So our salesman went back “on our behalf” to the business manager and the new offer was $2300 more than the first! Joel knew they were trying to play games and was not impressed. We ended up leaving knowing that we could find a better deal either in Steinbach or at the dealership on Pembina. We decided the try Pembina first and everything there went so smoothly! We told them what we were looking for, the reasons we wanted it, and asked them to locate one that had the options we were set on. They appraised the trade in at $2700 more than the best offer from Regent! The payments are still less than those pitched at Regent, and the salespeople, business managers, and finance people were so helpful. I would recommend this dealership to anyone; it was a great experience with no hassles.


This Saturday we are planning on visiting our friends Chris and Sarah who live in Steinbach. They built their house just over a year ago (the same time we moved into our house, they were moving into theirs) and had a baby boy last March. They have probably been (with the exception of family) two of the most excited people for us when we announced we were pregnant. Sarah and Chris are both so “into” being parents. So before we head out to visit, we will pick up the van and hand over the Jeep.


The baby is kicking more and more and seems to have a schedule when it comes to eating. Our peanut kicks a lot around 8:30am for breakfast, 11:45am for lunch, and then somewhere around 6pm to make sure dinner is coming. Peanut also enjoys kicking while I am lying down watching TV or reading in the evening, but has a new routine which is waking me up at 5am kicking away. Not surprisingly, Joel and Martin are both early morning people. If Joel “sleeps in” until 7:30am on a weekend, it is a surprise. He is usually up for hours before I crawl out of bed.....


Sunday I have big dreams of tackling the basement storage area. Since the house is a 4 level split, we have storage below one of our levels. It is only about 3 feet tall, but works perfectly for those big Rubbermaid bins full of once a year items like a Christmas tree and decoration, etc. Since we knew we would be finishing the basement this year, we kind of slacked in the organization of these items, so this weekend I am hoping to have enough energy to tackle the job. Joel will pull everything out for me, but I will need to sort, repack, and label our storage containers. I would also like to get our upstairs linen closet back in order. I usually straighten it once a month, but I need to actually pull everything out and start fresh. We have accumulated so many odds and ends that don’t have a home so they end up in that closet.


Once the basement is finished, Joel have I will move the 2 large chairs we have from his grandparents out from our office. Hopefully that will free up enough room to move our dresser (which is completely empty after my organization this past weekend) to that room. This will leave more room for the basinet beside the bed, and will allow Joel enough space to finally get a night stand.


So I am still nesting and organizing and cleaning, but have found I am starting to get tired again. I was feeling better than I had in months, but really feel drained lately. Might be time to start having naps again….


Oh further to the predictions, my dad is guessing a boy because of all the movement. He is still unsure of the date.


So now, that is all, enjoy…..

ultrasound pictures

The baby. The head is to the right, one arm is up by the face, the other is bent close to their body

The Skull

Top of the head

Arm near the top with a fist

head to the left, arm tucked in close under chin

The spine

The spine from another view

The heart rate of 141

Final one is of stats - based on the size of the baby they have changed by due date from March 10th to the 20th.

Predictions on due date:

Sarah: March 13th 2010

Shannon: March 17th 2010

Christine: March 18th 2010

Feel free to take a guess....

2 years and everything happens in 3....

On the weekend I went out with Joel’s family for Barb’s birthday. Sarah brought up an interesting fact that never really sunk in until now. 2 years ago on Nov. 2 was my first family gathering with the Hayward’s as Joel’s girlfriend! (I did meet many of his cousins, Sarah and Jay at his going away dinner, but I attended that only as a friend) At that time Joel and I had been dating for roughly 3 months and he was living in Victoria. This was the first (of many) time he came home during his 9 month stay in Vic and the first time he told me he loved me. Although my response was not typical, (I did not take him seriously) he made a point to remind me again the next morning. This was also the weekend he told me he was going to move home. We had talked for a long time about different situations to make “us” work ~ me moving to Victoria, him moving home, continuing the long distance thing, etc. Me moving to Victoria was debated at great length but not knowing anyone there, having a job that wasn't particularly transferable, and the cost of living there made that option not realistic.  At some point though we both knew long distance would have to end if we wanted to get serious.... Well serious is what we got! Joel moved home in May (mother’s day) into our apartment. We lived there for a mere 3 months before buying our house. 3 months later we got our first puppy Monster and moved into our new home together. 3 months after that in November we were engaged! (side note: Sunday is our engagement anniversary) Not surprisingly, 3 months later we had our second puppy Chaos, and were married! (although the married part was surprising in some aspects)  Moving slightly from tradition, 4 months after our wedding day we confirmed I was pregnant. On a smaller scale, Joel and I will celebrate our one year wedding anniversary and 3 weeks later (hopefully) the birth our little peanut.

I often get surprised looks when I tell our story or questions on the pace of our relationship. I never really know how to answer these inquiries except “When you know it is right, everything falls into place.” Drama is nonexistent, security and feeling safe are always there, loyalty is never doubted, and most importantly you wake up every day and wonder how you ever lived without that person before. I can honestly say Joel is my best friend, and I love him with all of my heart.  I can’t help but smile a little when people say they have been together 10 years as I let my mind wonder to what Joel and I will have done by then…….

Nights Out and Upcoming Plans

This past weekend was spent with family. Friday night was quiet since Joel had to work in the morning. We did our usual weeknight routine which consisted of dinner, clean up and reading/TV. Saturday we had planned a dinner with Sarah, Jay, Martin and Barb for Barb’s birthday. (which is today!)Sarah and Jay were in town for a comic convention (Jay, not Sarah obviously) and we thought it would be a good day to celebrate Barb’s day. I always laugh when people talk about their mother in laws, or as many are referred to “monster in laws”. I have been lucky to marry into a family similar to mine, gain a sister and Jay (Jay, what is our official relationship?) and a second set of parents that not only treat me as their daughter, but with love and respect. I have never understood how someone could marry into a family they didn’t get along with. I think that is because I am so close to my parents. We headed out for dinner to Maxime’s which I have always enjoyed. This time was touch and go, our appetizers were great, our service was good, but our prime rib was super fatty. I was disappointed, as was Joel, but we still enjoyed our meal. After dinner we headed back to Martin and Barb’s condo and enjoyed a cheesecake dessert. (Double D’s) Barb opened her presents and we stayed until 11pm talking and visiting. Joel and I were supposed to go to a social after dinner, but when we left at 11pm decided against it. Sunday we celebrated my grandma’s birthday (which is actually on Halloween) with my parents at Paladin. Although it is similar to a Perkins in feel, the food was good. I had been craving homemade fries for a couple of days and although they do not have them, I was able to order a poutine which calmed the craving.



Joel and I headed to the Dodge dealership on Saturday before dinner. Although we didn’t leave a lot of time, we did get a chance to see 2 different vans. We looked at a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan and a 2009 Honda Odyssey. I couldn’t believe the price difference between the 2 vehicles. A base model Honda was almost the same price as a fully loaded Dodge. And in all honestly Joel and I preferred the Dodge. The spacing was impressive, the sto – n – go seats were successfully put down and up with one hand (by me!) and the adjustable petals will come in handy when I am 9 months pregnant. We are going tomorrow to test drive one. We did try to test drive the Honda, but after 2 tries, the salesperson could not get one started, we decided it wasn’t meant to be.


Joel has finished closing in the basement and the dog’s room. He even wired the 3rd wall scone that we have. He will finish this week/weekend and then Ryan will start taping whenever he is free. Once that is complete, Joel and I will have someone install the linoleum for the dog’s room and I can get started on the nursery! Well actually my mom is doing a lot of the nursery for me since I am choosing not to paint myself. I should have our nursery accessories and bedding in the next 2-3 weeks! We also plan to curtain the laundry room where I cannot drywall so that it is not so scary in there.


Tonight we are attending the Dogs and Stork class offered from the Winnipeg Humane Society. The class is supposed to teach dog parents how to transition your dogs and prepare them for the arrival of the new baby. A lot of articles I have read suggested buying a doll and carrying it around (like you would a baby) so the dog learns appropriate behavior without the fear of actually hurting your baby. Basically the idea is to not set your dog up for failure, but rather correct them now so later they understand. I am intrigued by this idea, and think it is worth trying. I of course will wait to hear what the class says tonight about it.


We have also confirmed our prenatal class. We are attending the session in January through Mother 2 Mother. Although the city offers free prenatal, the classes in our area are during the day when I am at work. Once I start my maternity leave which will likely be February, I will attend any that I can. I will also attend the Happiest Baby class also through Mother 2 Mother, and Joel and I will attend the Newborn Care class. Since Joel hasn’t really taken a liking to any of the books I have suggested, I figure the least he can do is attend the newborn class which will focus on diapering, bathing, etc.


I have another doctor’s appointment in 2 weeks which I am really looking forward to. Although the ultrasound suggests I move my due date to March 20th, advice I have read (or gotten through friends of Sarah’s ~ Thank you for asking for me) suggest that you keep your due date the same. Chances are you just have a small baby. Both Barb and my mom were early from their due dates, so Sarah was the first to make a guess. Her guess was March 13th which is 3 days later than the original due date and 7 days early from the new date.

I should have my ultrasound pictures in this week and will post those as soon as I get them.

That is all for now, Enjoy ~

Nesting

This week is an exciting week for many reasons. The first is we are over “the hump”. I have hit 21 weeks which means I am more than ½ way to meeting our little peanut.

Our basement made huge progress this weekend as Joel removed the back entrance stairs, made an upstairs closet, and is almost done putting up the drywall in the basement. I even helped with carrying out material (garbage) to the garage, screwing in some of the drywall, sweeping, and generally trying to tidy up behind Joel. My cousin came over yesterday to see the progress and let us know when he can start taping. Joel had wired their new house for extra lights (his trade) and so Ryan will tape and sand the drywall for our basement (Ryan’s trade). Actually while Ryan was over we mentioned future plans and I was excited to hear how “do-able” they are in terms of price. It looks like we may re-stucco the house when we add the French doors as our new back entrance. This would happen at the earliest in the spring, but it is exciting to know we could do it!

We did go last week for an ultrasound which was exciting to see however they do not tell you anything about the progress. The technician told me that a radiologist looks at the pictures then sends a report the doctor to relay to me. I have a doctor’s appointment today and am hoping for the results. Although Joel came with me, they would not let him in the room for the “medical” portion of the exam which lasted between 30-45 minutes. Joel was invited in for a tour of the baby (their term, not mine) which lasted about 10 minutes. We were able to clearly see the heart beating (and all 4 chambers), the spine, and the top of the head. During the medical portion I was able to see the baby’s hand move across their face as though they were wiping their forehead. These ultrasounds require you to order the prints if you wish which I did, so Joel humored me and we have them on order. Unfortunately, they do take between 4-6 weeks. We have asked for them to be put on CD which means I can then send them to my family, as well as print as many copies as I wish.

I have started my nesting phase, which included our personal files this weekend. Joel had bought a filing cabinet for me when we got the new office set up, but I just did not have the energy to organize files during my first trimester. That changed this weekend when I went over to Staples and picked up the pieces I needed to start and finish the job. (I needed the metal piece that fits inside the filing cabinet and holds the files) 3 hours later, we have clearly labeled files and one garbage bag of junk. It felt good! This phase also included my office this morning. I reorganized my large book shelf, computer, desk and scanner. I feel much better about it, and I was able to Lysol everything down while I did it. Once it was done it made me feel a lot calmer (I was fairly grumpy this morning) and definitely more rational. This weekend I am not sure what I will be compelled to organize, but I do know something will be on the “to do” list.

I have noticed my appetite has increased especially in the morning and later in the evening. Although I am trying not to over indulge, I also know that I need to feed little peanut when they are hungry.

I had been reading books to help with the transition to parenthood. Many included preparing our dogs for the baby, breastfeeding, what to expect when you are expecting, baby sign, maintaining a healthy marriage after the baby arrives, what to expect the first year from your newborn, and the lists go on and on. I like to read so it is not a surprise that I have taken delight in reading about what we are in for. This weekend however I received a gift from my mother in law. The book was titled “The Rules of Parenting – A personal code for raising happy confident children”. Even the first few pages of this book have brought a smile to my face. It reminded me that although there is advice out there, and books on every topic, that parenting is natural. And sometimes you won’t know what to do, or say, but that is okay too. It reminded me to relax and enjoy my pregnancy (which I have been very much) and that some things will come natural. Similar to the video my mother sent me of an elephant giving birth (her baby isn’t breathing, but by kicking it the mother revives the baby elephant) I need to remember some things are instinct and will come naturally.

I have picked out Joel’s gifts for Christmas and since he does not read my blog (actually I am sure he doesn’t even know where to look for it) I can mention what I have decided. About a month ago my mom and I were in the exchange headed over to E-Children. Along the way we saw a big sale at Tod Hall Toys. We stopped in and I found many neat games, puzzles, and generally things that would interest Joel. They also had a baby section that I was browsing when I stumbled across bacon flavored jelly beans. My husband LOVES bacon and jelly beans even though sweets are not his thing that I knew I had to get them for his stocking. This was only the beginning. I found bacon band aids, a bacon air freshener, and many other bacon novelty items that I needed to buy him. So I left the bag with my mom so Joel cannot find it in the house. He has also asked for the new NHL game for Wii which I will get and put in his stocking too. Joel’s Xbox stopped working last year, but he likes playing wii. Unfortunately for him most of our wii games are mine, so he has a limited selection of games that he actually likes. I will also try and find something small that is logoed with Calgary Flames. (Last year’s theme of gifts)

My research study is going well and they have started to create an advance option with their cardio work outs. For the most part that means incorporating arms into the routines. I much prefer the workouts when we can do this because it challenges me more than some of the routines in the past. I had to do a 3 day diet analysis and need to set up a meeting to review it with a dietitian. I am looking forward to what she will have to say. Next week a volunteer will also call me to confirm my physical fitness outside of the class, and although it might not be a structured class.

Anyways, that is it for now, so enjoy ~

19 Weeks plus a "just for fun" update!

At the end of August I had posted a entry titled "Just for Fun" where I used some common old wives tales to predict the gender of our baby.  Well I am going to update that same list today to see if anything has changed now that I am almost 1/2 way to meeting our little peanut. The first answers are from August and the second set of answers in red are from more recently.  We have an ultrasound this Wednesday so I will update this after the appointment.  Enjoy ~

Sleep Position

Pay attention to which way you lay down in bed tonight. If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you'll have a boy. Right side? Your pregnant with a girl.
Verdict: Boy. I always sleep on my left side if not on my stomach.
Verdict: Girl.  I prefer my right side and often wake up facing that side of the wall.

Upset Stomach
Little girls aren't always sweet. Extreme nausea means you are having a daughter.
Verdict: undetermined. Demends on the day and how they classify "extreme"
Verdict: Boy. I had minimal morning sickness, and I feel great nowadays.


Soft or Dry Hands
If your hands are dry during pregnancy, you are having a boy; soft -- expect a girl.
Verdict: Boy
Verdict: Boy

Food Cravings
Your favorite pregnancy foods may tell you what sex the baby is. If you're craving citrus while pregnant, you're having a girl.
Verdict: Boy. I have not craved anything citrus.
Verdict: undetermined. Depends on the day. I sometimes crave fruit, and other days I don't.......


Adult Acne
If altering hormones makes your skin break out, expect a girl.
Verdict: Boy. My skin has actually improved for the most part.
Verdict: Boy


Graceful or Clumsy Pregnancy
If you feel as though you're gliding through they day, you'll have a girl. Stumbling? It's a boy.
Verdict: Boy
Verdict: Boy



Face Weight Gain
If your face gets fuller, it means you're having a girl.
Verdict: undetermined. Maybe someone can help me out here......
Verdict: Girl

Sugar and Spice Food Cravings
Craving salt during pregnancy? Potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn means a boy is on the way. Need a little something sweet? Ice cream, chocolate, and candy means you're having a girl.
Verdict: Girl. A slurpee a day.......
Verdict: Girl, although for the most part I don't drink slurpees anymore. :)


Mood Changes
If you're experiencing pregnant mood-swings, expect a baby girl to arrive soon.
Verdict: Girl
Verdict: Girl

High or Low Pregnant Belly
If you're carrying the baby low on your stomach, expect a boy. If it's high, you're having a girl.
Verdict: undetermined yet
Verdict: Girl

Baby Weight
If you're carrying baby in front, it's a boy. Is the baby weight spaced all around your middle? It's a girl.
Verdict: undetermined yet
Verdict: Girl


Pendulum Test
Dangle a chain with a charm over your palm. If it swings back and forth: boy. In a circle: girl.
Verdict: Boy. Thank you Mindie.
Verdict: Boy.  did not retry this test, so stays the same as boy.


Model Your Hands
"Show me your hands." If you would hold your hands palms up it's a girl. Down? You're having a boy.
Verdict: Boy
Verdict: Boy

Toddler Advice
Get baby advice from a nephew or friend's little boy. If a toddler boy shows interest in your belly, you'll have a girl. If he ignores you, it's a boy.
Verdict: undetermined.
Verdict: If our dog Monster counts, then Girl


Eat Garlic
Guess the baby's sex by eating garlic. If the smell seeps out of your pores it's a boy. If there's no scent it's a little girl.
Verdict: undetermined. Had 40 clove garlic chicken and I never thought to ask anyone......
Verdict: Girl



Key to Pregnancy
If you pick up a key by the round end, you're having a boy. If it's by the long end? A girl.
Verdict: Boy
Verdict: Boy


Even and Odd Numbers
If your age and year of conception are both even or odd, it's girl. One even, one odd means a boy.
Verdict: Boy (24 and 2009)
Verdict: Boy



Baby's Heartbeat
If the baby's heart beats more than 150 times per minute, you're pregnant with a girl. Less than 150, it's a boy.
Verdict: Boy (131)
Verdict: Boy (148 ~ but note mine was also under 150 when my mom was carrying me)

Stress Test
A child tends to be of the same sex as the parent who is less stressed at the time of conception.
Verdict: Boy. Joel is always less stressed than me. :)
Verdict: Boy

Dream Meanings
If you dream about having a girl while pregnant, you will wind up having a boy and vice versa.
Verdict: Boy. Dreamt about having a girl at about week 8.
Verdict: Girl. I dreamt about having a boy named Preston at week 19.

Breast Size
If your right breast is larger than the left while pregnant, you are having a girl. If the left is larger, it's a baby boy.
Verdict: undetermined. Will have to ask Joel...... ;)
Verdict: Boy.

Thanksgiving Dinner

This weekend was the first time in a long time that I hosted anything at our house. We had Thanksgiving dinner with my parents, Joel’s parents and my grandma. Although Martin cooked the turkey and stuffing, my mom brought the cabbage rolls and wild rice casserole, and my grandma brought the pumpkin pie, I was completely overwhelmed! Now this is hard to explain, and even harder to admit to myself, but I just couldn’t do it. I had tons of help, but nothing was going right on my end. And with everything I forgot, the feeling of failure got stronger. I had everything organized and ready to go in the morning, so all I had to do was turn on the stove. I had the potatoes peeled and cut up waiting in water, the carrots chopped and ready to go, the asparagus sitting patiently, and I forgot it all! So we had to wait for the veggies. Then once everyone had loaded up their plates, I remember the meatballs I made were still in the oven. For dessert I had searched high and low for an oil based cool whip for Joel (he is allergic to dairy products but loves whip cream on his pie) but forgot it in the freezer until we went to serve the pie. By this point I was feeling awful, frustrated and completely disappointed and when I started to cut the cheesecake I had made, I almost started to cry. It stuck to the knife, and I could barely cut through the crust. It was a mess! Actually it took everything in me to stay seated instead of running to my room and locking the door for the rest of the night. Now this seems silly and by the next day it was still hard to understand my overreaction, but really it was just too much for me. I have always been the host, I love to host, but this time no matter what I did, everything seemed to fall apart. Although the dinner was excellent, and everything worked out, I realized this weekend, I just cannot host right now.



Monday morning Joel and I worked on the basement and we are finally starting to see real progress. It is funny how just a couple of sheets of drywall make such an amazing difference. I helped Joel with about 4 sheets of drywall which does not sound like a lot, but many of them required cut outs for lights, vents, plugs, etc., so we were happy with our progress. We called it a day around noon.


This week should be quiet for Joel and I. Friday we are going out for my mom’s birthday. Mom has wanted to go to South Beach for awhile now, and this weekend the Foster Martin band is playing, so we thought it would be a perfect time to try out the casino.


This week marks 19 weeks of pregnancy! I have mixed feelings about it. I am almost half way done which I am excited for but extremely nervous. I cannot wait to meet our little one, but at the same time, I have so many doubts about what I will be like as a mom.


We still do not have an ultrasound date, but should have one assigned by my next appointment which is October 27th. Starting to countdown!


Well, I that’s it for now, maybe I will get inspired and write later in the week. For now, enjoy ~

18 Weeks

Here is a picture taken at 18 weeks + 1 day
(It looks much more like my 16 week shot)

success all around

Shopping was a huge success! I found a comfortable dress, a cardigan, a winter jacket, and a few maternity tops as well as groceries, a hoodie for Joel, and a rocking chair with ottoman! Although the glider (rocking chair) is not in espresso like the crib and change table, it does match the hardwood floors of the nursery. I am starting to get excited to get my crib bedding so we can finally pick out colors and start putting that room together.



While I was shopping away, Joel, Martin and Barb were working away on the basement! I was delighted with the progress they made, and felt slightly guilty for being away while all that work was done. Barb (aka Habitat) helped Joel where she could, brought the boys lunch, and even vacuumed up the basement. I can actually walk down there now without shoes! Martin and Joel finished putting in the insulation, and vapor barrier. Joel has recruited my dad’s help on Saturday to finish putting up the drywall, and maybe even move the old fridge out of the laundry room. Once those things are done, Joel will be able to buy the rest of the drywall needed, and start pulling down the stairs! Although this is a major renovation, it is starting to finally take shape and I am excited to see it get closer to complete. Joel decided he is in fact going to keep the pool table and set it up in the basement. Joel toyed with this idea a lot and I am glad he is going to set it up. He thinks with the size of the basement, there will be room for both a child’s play area as well as the pool table. Hey, if nothing else, our little one can use the pool table as the top of their fort!

This week I had company visit on Monday. My friends Dana and Julia who I have known since grade one came to catch up with me. I played many games of baseball (although not traditional baseball, a game we invented outside on the school playground), basketball, competitive badminton and volleyball with these ladies. I even coached junior volleyball with Dana while in my last years of BH. We would later pick classes in high school based on each other so we would not be separated. I am pretty sure Dana stayed in multimedia for as long as she did despite her hate for the teacher because of me, and I can honestly say I considered dropping AP English more than once, but successfully completed it with the help of these girls. (And pre-calculus math!) We had many laughs in the hallways waiting for sports games and practice together, which sometime included meatball ping pong and developing the basketball bible. (What happened to that?!) But our relationship was not merely based on sports; I remember rollerblading throughout Linden Woods for hours waiting for it to be 10:30am so that we could visit a friend (we later remember she was out of town!), doing Tae Bo at 3am 4 times in a row, trying on Dana’s old spandex dance outfits, and discovering ICQ together. In our middle school years, I used to have my dad drop me off at Dana’s on his way to work, which unfortunately for all of us meant 7am. It is funny how in life, many things change. You graduate and some go onto school while others start working, you find companions, and maybe even move in together, you start your own family, etc. With everything that has changed, I am pleased to say I still consider these girls among my closest friends. Many people come into your life with a purpose, to teach you something, but they move on after the lesson is learned. These girls have taught me many things, and I am honored to still be a part of their lives.

This weekend is again filled with friends and family. Friday one of my closest friends from high school has joined the army and so we are attending her going away party. She goes to basic training on Oct. 19th, and although I could not be happier that she is doing something she is truly passion about and excited for, I am sad to see her leave. Carrie is a lot like me in how she was raised and in her personality. Although we do not speak every day, we have an unspoken understanding that we will always be friends, and be there for each other if the other one needs. So on Friday we honor Carrie and celebrate with her, her other friends and family out in Ste. Agathe.


Saturday Joel is working on the basement with my dad and moving our new shed from Lilac to our home. My parents are building a new deck and replacing a metal shed they had on their site with something more practical. This means the old shed has been generously donated to us, which will be great since our garage is not very big. I will spend Saturday getting ready for Sunday.


Sunday we are hosting thanksgiving dinner at our house. We hosted this celebration last year as well, and although Sarah and Jay will be missing from the family, we still should have a good day. (Sarah and Jay are headed to visit his side of the family) Martin is cooking the turkey for us, and my mom is bring cabbage rolls and wild rice casserole. My oven is just too small to host a family dinner, so I recruit help. My grandma is bring the pumpkin pie which leaves little for me to do! I am making mashed potatoes, asparagus, carrots, and a espresso cheesecake. I have never made a cheesecake before, and this recipe is for a non-baked version, so we will see how it turns out. If not, we always have the pumpkin pie. Monday will be a relaxing day with my boys and getting ready for the week ahead.


I had a doctor’s appointment on Monday and Joel was able to hear the heartbeat finally! It came in at 144 which is a strong heartbeat. According to the old wives tales, this represents a boy. (anything over 150 would be a girl, where less than that would be a boy) However, my mom told me yesterday that mine was less than 150, and I believe Barb said Sarah’s was as well. So, we will just have to wait and see. Joel and I have continued to work on names, and have started to get more in sync with selections. We have found some names we like, however do not love which leaves us still searching! I would like to have a few options for both sexes, so when we finally meet our little peanut, we can decide what suits them. I still do not have an ultrasound booked, which is both good and bad. On a positive note, I am healthy and there are no concerns, so they are not rushing me for an ultrasound. On the other side, I would love to see how our little one is developing, and confirm we are only expecting one little peanut and not two. I know, my negatives are not really negatives and they are completely selfish, but I still would like to see.


Things are good; I am feeling back to myself and even have all of my energy back. Joel has been so helpful for the days I struggle or feel bad which helps too. (although I think it is starting to get to him)  I am starting to feel movement which is strange and the coolest feeling ever, however it is not strong enough yet for Joel to feel it on the outside of my tummy.


That is it for now ~ Enjoy!