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 ~