My New Digs

Here's some pictures of the new - unfinished - digs

The front

The back - walk out basement

Entertainment unit in living room

"island" in kitchen, counter faces dining room/living room

Full kitchen, "island" houses the sinks and dishwasher, other appliances on the right. Appliances get delivered possession day Feb. 1!

view from upper deck. Our back yard is on water and has a walking path down to a play structure

there is a door off the master bedroom to this covered deck section, I'm taking the picture from the dining room door

One bedroom, same carpet for the basement

Master bedroom walk in on the left, ensuite right

the girls bathroom

 

Basement with underlay, carpet was upstairs ready to be installed

Similarities

My sister posted some fun pictures the other day which made me think of similarities. Here's a few from our family....

Joel on the left, a little older but Maddy has that same expression!

me as a little one

Maddy 5 months old

Mika 5 months old

But, if you want to see even more similarities.......

Final Plan?

So there are more changes in the plan, but this time I think for the better! J and I have decided to move out of town. Not far, a simple 20 minute drive, but we are pretty set on this plan. There are many reasons to support our decision, but I won't go into that on here. We are waiting for an assessment from Revenue Canada and Joel to be home to make it all official, but I'm feeling really good about this. Every time I picture us there, I smile so I feel this is a good move for us.

So why am I still impatient with my kids and stressed out?! I can't seem to get my grove back this run. I am feeling a little crowded with no "me" time (we are staying with my parents remember) and although I have ventured out, it always feels like I should either be including them or that I am bothering someone else (I usually escape to another family members palce for a couple of days). Peanut and I have had many good days of play including spooning with beans/rice (thanks Auntie S!), markers to make J crafts/pictures for Christmas, bath swims, trips to walmart, cuddles on the couch and in bed, and yet I still feel myself getting annoyed with her when she starts demanding my attention. I feel like I should be giving more to her, I just don't have the energy to do it and it's getting hard. Since J left the kids have been on opposite schedules and so it means I am always catering to one of them.

Bug has been getting up multiple times in the night and with Peanut awake for the morning at 5:30am and still up once a night (usually needing a full change of clothes), I'm just worn out and tired. Bug has started solids and had a little reaction to oat cereal. The first couple of times it was just a change in mood and a few arches of her back, but last time it included a red rash on her face. I was just talking with my sister about this, and I was thinking it was cereal in general, but after keeping her just on rice for 3 days I noticed she went back to herself) So I think we'll avoid that one and see how she does on everything else.  The solids haven't help her sleep like some have suggested, I'm thinking she may just be growing or having a hard time adjusting from one place to another. Hopefully once we have this home to ourselves we can spend some time working on routine and give her some stability. (I think she might be wanting more predictability in life)

So I have been feeling off for awhile now, but hope having my hubby home for the 2 week stretch will be like hitting the "reset".

FAQ

So I keep getting these frequently asked questions, and I figured I'd just answer it all here....

You sold your house? I didn't know it was for sale.

Yes. We sold our house. No, it wasn't really up for sale. What? Well, J and I were planning to list the house in the spring on com free. We did have 2 Realtors come in and assess the house, but I didn't like what they had to say. So I asked J if I could put it on kijiji, just to see what would happen.

Well the first time I listed we had a lot of Realtors emailing about listing it for us, but I ignored them, and re posted it, and re posted it, and re posted it every few days. We had some people email questions and set up viewings (that ended in no shows). Then we received an email from a woman who asked if she could come that day to see it. I figured, why not?! So although I didn't clean the house, stage it, or really do anything to prepare for their visit, I did allow them to come by. It was a couple and 2 kids. About 5 days later they made a verbal offer to us. After a little bit of negotiation, we settled on a price and possession date.

So what were you planning?

Well originally we had thought we would rent a home in Bissett, however the people couldn't get it finished in time, and Joel's company refused to pay live out. So we thought maybe we would rent an apartment, but then we were offered a place to stay at my moms. This would save us 4 months rent, and allow them to leave their dog here while in Mexico. So the month of December is a little crowded, but come January we'll have the place to ourselves, and will rent an apartment for April.

What's going on with J?

Well, he has quit his job in Bissett to take another opportunity. He will fly in and out of Winnipeg to Red Lake, Ontario. It's a mining town and although he could drive to it, it really doesn't make sense because of the distance. He will still be on a 4 week work schedule, with 2 weeks off. It is still being an underground electrician, but it is a shaft electrician. He does his first run starting Sunday.

Are you okay with that?

Yes. J is my partner, and would never take an opportunity without first discussing it with me. Ultimately though, he needs to be happy with work. He is a planner in his own way, and would never risk his family's security.  He is taking this new job to increase his experience in the mining field, but also because it is a 4 year contract and will provide more stability and security. 

How do you do it with 2 little ones and a hubby who is not home?

I think I have the better deal out of our family. J is our sole provider and that is a huge responsibility. Now that's not to say I could never get a job, but he is doing what he does so that I can stay home with the girls. He selflessly works this schedule so we are financially secure, and so that his girls grow up having their mom full time. Although I know he misses his girls (all of us), he is doing what he feels is best for his family. It works for us in many ways, and he wouldn't do it if it didn't.

Where will you live and what's your plan?

We plan to rent an apartment in April (the ones in Sage Creek that are month to month) while we wait for the home we are building in Sage Creek to be complete. We have selected a builder and a lot, and just need to sign the paperwork which will likely happen at Christmas time while J is home.

So here is the FAQ answers, but if you have more, just let me know. :)

Life as I know it.....

Life these days has been.... stressful. This move hasn't been easy for me, and for someone who prides themselves on being organized, I have been far from it during this move. Actually I down right sucked at this.

So what's going on these days? Well I've moved into my parents with the girls. We are all here for the month of December, btu then we will have the place to ourselves from January - April. J's company declared a shut down to show profits for the year, so he has applied and been accepted in the same field but a different location. He will fly right out of Winnipeg on a charter flight. The job is a more lucrative area which for his career he is really excited about. He has really thought a lot about this and I'm happy to see him finding his way and proving himself. He gets excited talking about it, and that is really nice to see. He likes learning new things to provide a backup plan in case the industry changed. Talking to him in person these last couple of days has been wonderful. We have had a lot of miscommunication lately due to stress on both parts and this was just what we needed to get back on the same page. J will jump into the new career quickly, likely before Christmas, but I am on board 100%.  Depending how this works out will depend on when the girls and I go to visit our family in Riverton. Joel would like to come with us to spend some time with his newphew (and S&J), but with the change we're not exactly sure if that will work. We have also been house hunting and found something we really like. We are going back tonight to relook at it, compare it to a build, and have other opinions weigh in. I have a few boxes to finish up today and then we have a cleaner coming over the weekend to get the house ready for the Dec. 1 possession. So all in all, I am feeling much better now that my hubby is home. I miss him when he's gone and I think more clearly after talking and spending time with him!

For those who are trying to keep up

So plans changed yet again. ..... For those of you who are trying to keep up, here's the latest.

I have been house hunting for a finished show home or newer home that i can see our family in and have found two. I dragged the troops out with me yesterday in a whirlwind of viewings. It was a long day and we saw so many but i narrowed it down to two possibilities.

J comes home Wednesday night to move us into my moms and into storage. We will sign the paperwork in the morning on Thursday then view the homes. If he likes them we will make an offer for Dec 15 possession when he's home for Christmas.  If he doesn't we will head over to the apartments in sage creek and rent something for Dec 15. Then when he's home in Dec do one more viewing of homes on the market and if we still don't find anything sign the paperwork to build. Very crazy very busy but something will work out within all of our plans.

Fingers crossed

What's a plan?

So after about 30 different plans, I think we finally have one.... We're renting an apartment. Where? Sage Creek. When? Im not sure. Until? Im not sure. So you see details are still slim but we're getting there..... This adventure sure is just that, a crazy adventure!

Good luck

Bug has her shots today and i wish her luck!

Believe

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.” Author Unknown

With J's time coming to a close, his spirit to find us a place is really lost. He started the journey so positive that he could find something and that something would work out. Yesterday he was frustrated, but today he had lost all hope.

I feel for him, he so badly wants us to be out there with him, and we want to be there too, but finding a place to rent in a small community can be hard. We have many advantages that help, but we are also a family of 4 with 2 small kids. Not everyone is pumped about opening up their homes to us. I understand. Kids spill things, they break things, they are kids. A few of the houses would be for sale while we rented them so I understand their reservations. I am a fairly clean person, but people there do not know me. I'm sure they hear "mother of a 19 month old and 4 month old" and worry that our house may be chaotic. I've seen people without kids that live in more of a mess than we do, but people don't understand that isn't me.

I tried to cheer J up tonight, but it seemed near impossible. I told him if it didn't work for November/December, it might for the spring. I think he really had his hopes set on having a plan before coming home and the unknown is hard. He knows we are relying on him, and the pressure of that can't be easy. I have a plan though, we will pack one pod to storage and a smaller one that can easily be moved up there once we find a place. They can deliver it and it will include all the things we are living with now - minimal but functional. 

He will be home soon and then he will feel better. He will wake up to Bug and Peanut's smiles and the world will be right again and his hope will be restored. I just wish we could help him see that something will work out, we just don't know when yet.

We jumped in.....

So our house has been conditionally sold and a deadline of Nov.15 has been set for the sale of their home & financing. They were pre-approved so we are basically just waiting on their home to have a clean offer.

That being said we also put a hold on a lot to build our home! We will write the conditional offer when J is home next week. I'm excited, relieved and stressed, but still feel good and positive about the whole thing.

J is going to look for a place to rent where he works as he plans on picking up some extra weeks. Should know in a few days if that option would work, but so far it isn't looking good.  As you can imagine there isn't a huge demand for places up there. 

I think being out there would be fun.... yes I won't know anyone, yes it is a small town, yes it will mean not seeing my friends/family as much, yes it will mean living with minimal everything BUT it will mean seeing J every night, it will mean a bigger down payment on the house, and it will mean the kids & I will learn to do a lot of different things for fun! I think it could really be a good experience for all of us. I know J is trying hard to figure it out because he will get pretty down if he can't see us as much.

If nothing else, we can pay the $150 per night for the hotel up there. J says it is a dive and I'm a little leery to bring 2 kids there if J says it's a dump because let's be honest, J's standards and my standards are 2 totally different things!

Of course we always have the plan of staying with S & J who have kindly opened their home up to us for the month. It would be nice to spend that time with G and S, J works so although we will see him, not nearly the same as we will see the other 2.

Life has been hectically busy, between packing, visiting friends/family, doing things with the kids, and trying to get everything organized for donations, it seems for every one thing I cross off the "to do" list, I add 3! But J's parents did this, actually his mom because of a similar situation with M being away during a couple of their moves so I know it can get done. Wishing I had more time, but I know once J is home things will go a lot quicker.

That's all I've got for now, so here it is.

A little sad....

So I have been reflecting on the wonderful things this home has brought me.... besides the obvious of shelter and warmth, this is the first home we owned after barely living together, where J proposed to me, where we came home as husband and wife from a trip to AZ, it is where we shared our wedding story with many friends and family.  This is where we had 2 positive home pregnancy tests, it is where I was able to share those test results with J in a fun way, it was where our daughters were brought home to from the hospital. I spent hours in our fireplace room planning our wedding, dreaming of a baby and finally a second baby. This makes me a little sad to think that although those things will always be a memory, but no longer in our everyday life. This house has been good to us and I love all the wonderful things that have happened to us here. I hope it brings as much happiness to J & M as it has to us!

Sunday!

I can't wait for Sunday night, I get to share my bed with a wonderful handsome man ~ Come on Sunday!!

Slowly Going Crazy

J is out to kill me, I'm sure of it!

Ok not in a literal way, but more in a he drives me crazy way.  This time he has said one thing and then completely changed his mind and tells me he never thought that way in the first place! This time it was about the show home idea.... we had talked about purchasing it, but he hated the pillar and couldn't get passed that. Now he says he wants to revisit the home without the kids because "the pillar wasn't that bad"! AHHHH!

Life here has been good, we have a clean house which makes me happy. A clean house is a stress free house. It's pretty much the key to my heart which is why J working so much has it's bonuses. :)

Peanut is still getting up 2 times a night - midnight and 3am, almost like clock work so I know it is more routine than anything. Once J is home we will work on staying away one night and coming home to hopefully a new routine. (however I have said that before and just never followed through so we'll see)

Bug still is sleeping through the night - she is opposite Peanut - Peanut I could count on one hand how many times she slept through the night and Bug I can count on one hand how many times she hasn't slept through. Bug is still chewing away and is a drool factory, but I still give her tons of kisses. She rolled over yesterday from back to tummy, but has yet to repeat it. She "sings" every night and I just love listening to her.

Peanut is learning more and more everyday, especially in terms of vocabulary. "hug" is the latest to enter into everyday conversation as well as pretty much any word at the end of a sentence. "M, please pick up your cup", M: "cup", etc. She has become such a good eater and has passed her fussy stage.  Texture is still somewhat important, but not like earlier this year. Color has also been an obstacle we have conquered. She loves to dip turkey (or anything really) in ranch sauce, however once it touches her hands we can not continue eating until her hands have been wiped clean.

This week coming up is a busy one, I have dates from Saturday - Tuesday already scheduled which means it will be a good week. One is a showing and the other ones are just fun days with friends (& sisters!). For now, I'm off to tidy the linen closet. Oh one last thing.......

Happy Birthday Jay! (for tomorrow)

Another Day, Another Showing.....

So after 2 showings yesterday, one promising and one on the fence, we have another one tonight. This time it is a couple with a son. They have sold their house to a builder and are looking to stay in the same general area. They started looking at houses $40k-50k less than ours and are now approaching our price range. I know she is serious about it, but her husband may have another idea. His 2 requirements were that the price was low and that it had a double garage (which ours doesn't, our garage is only a single). That being said we'll see what happens. I still believe our most serious buyer was the second showing we had last night. There were 5 people that came to inspect the house and provide insight. Hopefully they will see our houses potential and get passed that there may be a few cracks and that it is not perfect. (come on, you are looking at a 50 year old house)

So far still waiting, but I hope to hear soon.....

Okay here's the deal....

Ok so instead of answering every one's question one by one, I figured it was time to "put it out there". J and I have listed our house and have been negotiating back and forth with one couple. I had some more interest in our home last night and showed it this afternoon during a lunch hour.

I have given the couple a deadline of Monday to make a solid offer with deposit through a lawyer to have a Dec. 1 possession.  Now that being said we could easily make Dec. 1 work if they didn't have things they wanted complete in their offer.  They don't want to take over our claim with the city, so it means we would need to fix the ceiling and walls from when the sidewalk and street were replaced this summer. It's not a big job, but it would mean finding someone to do it. We have to book a storage unit for our stuff and oh yeah, the big one, find somewhere to live!

We have been lucky, we were offered a place for December (thanks S & J) and a place for Jan - March (thanks mom & dad! - they'll be in Mexico for that time) then we could easily rent in Bissett until..... our build would be complete.

That's right J and I are seriously thinking about building, however until our house is sold, we are sitting in a holding pattern.  We do not want to commit to something until all our loose ends are tied up. I know that is not the traditional way of looking for houses, but that is something the bank has recommended and I understand why.

So this evening the couple is taking one more look and then hopefully we will have an answer soon.....

Monday, Bloody Monday

I am sitting on pins and needles waiting for Monday. In the mean time, I am making a visit tonight with my parents and in laws then tomorrow we have the couple coming for a final visit, then more waiting. But in the end at least I will know what's going on and can go from there...... But come on Monday....

I spoke too soon....

I hate the art of negotiation and J is even worse than I am at it. I have taken classes on the subject, flown to Toronto for a conference that focused on it, and was even evaluated for a case study based on my skills.  Yet somehow no matter how much "knowledge" I have about it, I lack confidence.  I go into negotiation scared.  I don't mind a confrontation, but would prefer to please everyone, so often I will "give in".  But today that stops..... Today I'm playing "hard ball".  I'm going back and telling them - shit or get off the pot. If they want to work with such tight deadlines, then I need an answer. Or at the very least a non-refundable deposit so we are not out any money for this. I need to make arrangements and with J home in a mere 2 weeks it means I need to start making them now. So wish me luck as this afternoon I need to step up and set deadlines.

The news is in.....

Final details to be discussed once we have met the lawyers and signed the paperwork......

just wanted to thank my sister (in law) and her hubby for opening up their home to us yesterday & beyond. I really am lucky in this situation to have family who welcomes me with open arms! you guys are generous and kind and we thank you tremendously!

Impatiently waiting

I hate waiting.... so to kill time let me tell you something.... I have an amazing best friend! He is kind, honest, funny, smart, good looking, and I am a better person because I am with him. He is selfless, empathetic, down to earth and realistic. He builds me up, keeps me real, sets goals, and thrives for perfection. He is the best dad I know to 2 beautiful little girls, and he keeps me smiling everyday. I can be myself when I am with him and I love him with all of my heart.

This time of year always makes me think of our engagement. It actually happened in November, but something about the fall colors always makes me think back to that day 3 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday, sitting in our fireplace room when he got down on one knee.....

So today to try and focus on something other than waiting to hear, I will focus on my wonderful best friend and husband, J.

surprises!

Life is full of surprises! I'll leave it at that for now, but more details soon to come.......

What a face!

One down three to go!

It's going.....

Well! Its getting easier and she's starting to get it. Her morning has been consistent for days now, its the afternoon & evening that gets alittle mucked up. Short naps, often. Usually in the stroller cause I take Peanut to the park or for a walk everyday. All in all, I feel good about the progress, and know this was the right step for us.

My parents also return from their eastern getaway today. I'm looking forward to seeing them. They were gone 2 weeks, and in January they will be gone 3 months! They will miss my birthday, J's birthday and Peanut's birthday! It makes me sad, but I'm glad they are going to enjoy some nice warm weather.

J and I are really excited about the possibility of a new house.  He plays it cool to other people, but then spends his nights telling me of what he was thinking for landscaping, or the basement, or ......! it makes me happy that we are both working so hard to make this a reality. We will put the house up for sale in spring. i am meeting with the new house salesman to discuss time lines and deposits tomorrow.

I am spending the afternoon with my in laws then joining them for dinner. Peanut will be exhausted when we get home as she always is after playing with grams. She follows B around like a shadow and learns LOTS of new skills from her. (I never taught Peanut stairs, or getting off furniture, or the "I hear thunder" song, just to name a few) Peanut is starting to tell me more that she needs to use the washroom, but still hates sitting on the potty..... not sure I'm ready to tackle that yet......

In my free time, I've gotten addicted to pinterest.com.  (like I needed another thing) I spent a lot of time the other night reading quotes, getting home organization ideas, kids activities, and the list goes on!

Well that's life here for the week, onto the next!

The battle has just begun.....

That's right. Im in battle. With a sweet stubborn beautiful little girl and I want to wave my white flag and give up. But then I remember parenting isn't about what's easier for the "now" but about what's right in the end. And in this case what's right is for bug to learn to fall asleep by herself.

She is a great sleeper that I really can't complain but i also can't spend 2 hours a night getting her to sleep. For one that's really my only me time. And really that's not practical in my life. So the battle has been drawn. We are working on it. Its hard. Its frustrating. It tough on me tough on her and tough on peanut. But i feel its right and will be worth the battle in the end.......

Birthday Dinner

My parents get back on my mom's birthday, but not until late so Sunday I am bringing over dinner. They have been eating out a lot so I thought I'd theme her dinner and make things based on that. (I have also done this for my father in laws birthday when I did a Russian themed dinner) My menu includes 7 layer dip for an appie, Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas (http://www.perrysplate.com/2011/03/stacked-roasted-vegetable-enchiladas.html) for the main course, and my dear friend Dawn (Sunrise Mosaics) is making us red velvet Mexican themed cupcakes! My parents head off to PV for 3 months starting January so it's a tribute to their next vacation!

Another go around ~

Another sad day today, but I am really starting to get used to this routine. Funny how it never is as hard as I think it will be. (or as hard as other people think it is on me) I do want to add some clarity to the situation though, just for all the people who have ever questioned....

• J and I love each other very much. He selfless does what he does so 1.) I can stay at home with Peanut & Bug 2.) We can afford the things we need and those that we want
• J actually really likes what he does and the guys he works with and for, he wouldn't do it otherwise
• I can't imagine ever cheating on J or J cheating on me so no I don't worry about it
• If I ever asked, he would stop doing what he does and come back to work in the city. Simple.
• If we ever feel we are drifting apart, he will come back
• We talk every day and he skypes with us at least twice a week.
• Peanut ALWAYS recognizes him - every. single. time.

Anyways, I just wanted people to hear it from me instead of questioning it either behind my back or to other members of my family. I am happy. J is happy. Yes we miss each other, but we also like it too. It adds to our emotional relationship. It keeps us communicating. It adds excitement when we do see each other. We are able to do things we wouldn't be able to do otherwise.

I think sometimes people forget I have an extremely supportive family on both sides. I was lucky enough to marry into great in laws who treat me like their own, a sister who is also on mat leave and makes the drive into the city once a month so the cousins can see each other and we can spend the day talking, asking each other advice, and generally enjoying each other's company. My parents are lucky enough to have retired (or mostly in the case of my pops) and so I can visit with them any day, any time. Both sets of parents welcome me and the kids into their homes. I see both sets a minimum of once a week, but usually more. They help me go shopping, babysit whenever I need, feed me dinner and keep me company on lonely days. I honestly am really grateful for them.

So whenever you think my situation is tough or unfair or judge the way we live, remember that it honestly isn't that bad. There are a lot of positives about my situation. I just felt like it was time to add some clarity......

I love this one too!

Another girl to steal my heart <3

I love this girl

In her dad's outfit from when he was a kid

Feeling better

So to relieve my stress and make us feel better about the big move, we're going to increase our mortgage payments to what they will be with the new taxes included starting next month. This gives us a good way to test the waters before jumping in with both feet. I am feeling good about this. We also have set a down payment goal.

Can't Sleep

Peanut woke up about an hour ago because she was wet - actually she had leaked. Oh those are always fun nights of changing in the dark. I changed her and just put a blanket over top of her wet sheets that I will change in the morning. She went right back to sleep, but I couldn't. I tossed and turned for 1/2 an hour and then decided I might as well get up.  Actually I think it is because I have a lot on mind.  

Today we went to revisit the home we are seriously considering building. I keep replaying the pros and cons of moving. The con list is short..... just one on there...... but it's a big one. Expense!  Not just the expense of the house and lot, but of the other things that will go along with moving. Our furniture will not fit in the living room, so new living room furniture. The master bedroom is huge which means I would like to add a chair to it. We have a flat screen for our TV, but would need a wall mount. We would need to hire movers. It's a new home, so it wouldn't come with things like a hose outside. And the list goes on. Of course there are things I can add to the mortgage like landscaping, appliances and drapes, but it's all the other things that I'm starting to wonder about. Will this actually be possible for the summer of 2012 like we were hoping?! Will we be able to sell our house for enough that we'll walk away with some cash for these expenses besides what we have for savings?! I guess only time will tell...... for now, the planner in me has kicked in and I'm just left wondering.......

Adventures and Shopping

We ventured out to Grand Forks this weekend for some shopping and relaxing. J really wanted to take Peanut camping this year for Father's Day, but I was VERY pregnant and he was worried about getting Peanut somewhere and to the hospital if it happened while he was away. (turns out he could have gone since he missed it anyways) So to make up for it we headed down to Grand Forks for Sunday and Monday with our friends Chris, Sarah and their 2 little guys.  R is a year older than peanut, but they play extremely well together.  It's actually really cute to watch. Besides the exchanging of kisses and a couple of meltdowns (from both kids), they shared toys, played in the pools, and hung out with their dads pretty much the whole weekend.  Sarah and I took B and Bug shopping with us, and got a lot accomplished. We even managed a sit down lunch with both little ones. I am finished my Christmas shopping for all children in our lives leaving just my parents and in laws. Considering it is only September, I am super happy! 

Last weekend we ventured out to the parade of homes. We have been talking for awhile now about a new house. We have now been preapproved from the bank (conditional on the sale of our house), met with 2 different Realtors about selling our place, and found a couple of floor plans we both like. I like different areas of the city than J, so we will see who wins that battle.  We hope to make it out to the parade again before J heads back. There was one home in particular I would like to visit again as I really think the floor plan is functional. It is missing the formal dining room however has enough room in the kitchen for a dining room table. It didn't meet J's requirement of an open ceiling to the 2nd story, however it did have 13ft ceilings on the main floor so it still left open and big. (without having the windows to clean and drape) It was the smallest house we have seen, but with every room being functional, I believe it is actually bigger. (most other houses were approx. 300 sq ft bigger, but included a formal dining room and/or study) Plus with me being the one who cleans it, I'm perfectly happy with it being slightly smaller. :) J wants me to revisit one from the spring parade as he really liked that floor plan.

I have really enjoyed this last week and am excited to still have another week to go!

Yum!

DRESSING
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
Zest and juice from a lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1/2 teaspoon cumin (key ingredient, try not to skip)
1 or more chipotle chiles from a can of 'chipotle peppers in adobo sauce' (because I like it spicy, I use about 5 chilies)

BEAN & VEGETABLE MIXTURE
2 15-ounce cans of beans, rinsed well and drained
1 or more good summer tomatoes, chopped
2 large bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped cilantro

mix all together and enjoy!

Challenge

Secretly (or not so secretly now), I'd like to be a vegan. Something about the challenge and discipline of it really interests me.  Plus the more and more I think about it, the more it seems like the right decision for me. (no judgement here, just a statement) I wonder if I could for 30 days? I think after the weekend, I might need to try.......

My smiles today <3

I love watching siblings together!

I'll admit, I cried.....

I have never been "connected" to breastfeeding.  It was something I wanted to do for the benefits to my girls, but I was never "into" it.  I read an article today about extended breastfeeding. (breastfeeding past the first year) I never and I mean NEVER even considered this with Peanut or Bug.  I had a lot of the same feelings as the mom who wrote the article ~ "If they can ask for it, they're too old." 

However as I read her story and how her thoughts and opinions changed, I cried. She talked about the special bond it created, the love your child has for you while they look up and nurse.  She talked about how it was a different relationship with the second child, less time to bond, and more of a duty. But still she tried to make it special, make it that child's mommy time.  Special cuddles just for them. 

She then talked about how her 3rd child (18 months) is currently still nursing, but that she thinks it might be coming to an end.  And how she mourned the end of that relationship.  How this was her last baby and this was the last "baby" thing her little one would do.  It made me think about my own family.  How many times have I spent puttering on my phone or watched TV, or had my attention anywhere but on my precious child at the time.  How many times did I truly take the time to appreciate those little coos and noises they each made while they fed?

Although I am not sure Bug will be our last child, she might be. This breaks my heart in a lot of ways.  I never really put it together that this might be my last baby.  That when Bug weans from breastfeeding, it could be the last time I ever experience that with a child.  Did I while pregnant, wishing for the last month to be over, ever really think that this would be the last kick I felt?

I know how fast the last 18 months have gone by with Peanut, how much she has changed, learned, grown, and developed physically, mentally and emotionally. She really is her own little person with feelings, opinions and her own personality.  Am I really taking the time each day to appreciate Bug, as she develops from my little baby into her own person? It's time to go cuddle with my little one before she gets too old to want to, but for all the mommys and mommy-to-bes out there that read this, ask yourself - Are you really appreciating the present?

My Love List.....

After a talk with a friend (a much older and wiser friend), I have been really grateful these days and here are a few reasons why.......

• I have 2 beautiful healthy girls that make me laugh everyday
• I have a selfless husband who works hard for his family, is a great provider, a loyal partner, honest, smart, funny, sexy, and truly my best friend
• I have a family who helps me in so many ways; inviting me for dinner, watching the girls, lending me vehicles, coming with me on errands, fixing things around the house, driving a distance for a lunch visit, etc. They probably don't know how much I appreciate them, but I do!
• I have a home with a yard that keeps me warm in the winter and cool in the summer, it keeps me dry and safe and although I don't love everything about my home, it is more than a lot of people have
• I have friends that I have been friends with all my life (Ms. Perrier), friends since grade 1 (Mrs. K and Mrs. S), and friends I have met along the way to where I am now. They also probably don't know how much I love them
• J and I are able to do a lot for our kids including enrolling them into activities and creating activities at home like edible paint and play dough

J and I have set a few goals for the next year and I'm excited to see how they play out. We couldn't be happier or luckier to have found each other and start a new family together, thanks monkey for everything!

As for my friend who inspired this post ~ R, you are one of a kind. Your stories not only amuse me, but help me appreciate everything I have and everything I've been given. I miss our baseball games together, but will always hold those memories close.

Date Night

Last night Mika went for a sleep over with grams and grumpa. Although she had a bad night, Joel and I had a wonderful one. We walked up to Safeway and rented a movie, came home and just relaxed for awhile. We watched the movie Dilemma then went to bed. 7 hours later I woke up to feed Maddy Cakes, and went back to bed for another few hours. This morning I woke up and did a little yoga while Maddy played under her mat. We went to return the movie and headed to pick up Mika. Both Barb and I needed a few things from the grocery store so we walked up together to Extra Foods. Mika is now down for a nap and Maddy and I are headed out to get J and Grumpa some beer.  They are building the deck this morning and we will be having a BBQ on it this evening. Life is good ~

Got me thinking....

Recently I found out a (distant) friend has cancer. She is 27 years old. She has a 2 year old daughter. This terrifies me.

Her treatment is very aggressive. And through all of this, she is the most positive person explaining that she could be way worse. I've been thinking about it all night and I just can't shake it. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family ~

Vegetarian

I'm back to eating vegetarian again and have been for a couple of weeks. I do this for a few reasons, but mostly because I just feel like I have more energy when I am not eating meat. Lately the thought of eating something with eyes has made me want to throw up, so it's an easy transition for me. I don't drink milk, however I still eat things that contain milk, eggs and cheese. (therefore I'm not vegan) So far it's been easy, although while J is home it means making 2 meals.  One meat heavy and one for me which I don't mind as long as he does the dishes. :)

So after the comment I faced the other day I have really started to think about my goals and how I want to achieve them. I have already started to make some small changes, but ones I know will make a big difference. For example... I am not drinking pop anymore. (exception was last night when I had a Slurpee while out for dinner with the Funks) Last time I stopped drinking pop was for a "biggest loser" competition at work. I was 0.2lbs from winning and lost to the only man in the competition, so I was super proud of myself. I've also joined a stroller fitness and boot camp that will be 3 days a week. It is only for 4 weeks, but a good intro to see if I want to join the fall session.  I like the idea of it since both my kids can come and I don't need to try and find a sitter.

J is working on the yard today - I took the liberty of ordering the dirt this morning so he had to work. So today will be a peaceful day at my moms with the girls.

Keep your mouth shut!

Have you ever asked a woman if she was pregnant only to find out she wasn't expecting?! Can you say awkward! Well unfortunately I was on the receiving end of that last night.... someone asked me when I was due. I almost died of embarrassment, for me and for them. However to make matters worse was they didn't even apologize or seem to feel bad which only added to my humiliation. (like they were justified in asking) So now I am feeling sorry for myself and quite grumpy.  I am just putting this out there, but unless a woman is in the hospital with a baby between her legs, maybe you should just keep your mouth shut?!

I have to laugh.....

2 things brightened my day today....

Joel has started to teach Mika to use the potty. Not really potty training, because she is still in a diaper all day, but if we notice the signs or she tells us she has to go, then we will put her on her potty and encourage her to use it.  He has had more success than I have with 2 successes today. 

Today she told him she had to go and he put her on her potty.  He sat on the toilet like she requested.  If you know Mika, you know she is a little OCD.  Everything has it's place and things belong where they belong. (she is her mother's daughter!)  While she sat on the potty she noticed the bath mat's corner had flipped so she got up to fix it.  (clearly a priority over needing to pee)  While she did this however, she peed all over the floor!  We would have had another successful attempt if it wasn't for that corner.... oh well!

Day 3:
J: "Honey, I don't know how you do it everyday. I'm exhausted!"
Me: "Baby, you don't even have it that bad. You haven't had to go grocery shopping or get anything with both of them plus you aren't the one feeding Maddy in between playing with Mika."

This makes me laugh for a lot of reasons, but mostly because this was said on day 3. (I do this 28 days in a row.) I think he is starting to understand why I look forward to those 2 weeks when he is home so much!

He's home!

J is home and we had a great night! He surprised me by coming home in the afternoon, only to find out I wasn't here!  Oops!  Oh well, we came home while he showered and he spent the night with his girls. I was even able to go out grocery shopping alone.... like completely alone! After shopping, I came home and made supper for us and peanut while J gave baths. We had a great night, with peanut only waking once around 11pm, then once at 5:15, but going back to sleep until.... get this.... 8:15am!!!  Bug went to bed around 11:15pm, slept until 5:15, ate, and went back to bed until 10am.  Great night!! I already feel rested and it's only been one day!

J is busy this morning working on landscaping the backyard. Our yard sloped towards the house so J wanted to correct it before we put it up for sale. He will build a deck next, but for now he is busy hauling dirt.  I'm excited for this all to be finished as we will be one step closer to not having any more projects!

I'm off to relax while my girls sleep!

Motivation

So in the heat I often lose motivation.... for really everything. For taking Mika outside or to the park, for cooking, for cleaning, etc. How do you stay motivated in the heat?

One week + 1 day

Yep, that's it! 1 week plus a day and monkey will be home! I couldn't be more excited to see him and for him to see his girls. He has big plans for his time at home including camping in our backyard with peanut, taking peanut swimming and to gymnastics and landscaping the backyard, but we'll see what actually gets done. He's hoping to have an extra week off so he would be home for 3 weeks. 

Otherwise life on our end is good. Full of eating, sleeping, swimming, changing diapers, baths and playing downstairs.

Just a short update....

A day in the life.....

Well it has been just 5 days since Joel returned to work. It was like judgement day for me. I was fearing the worst. Worrying myself on how I would possibly manage 2 children, a house, getting to and from anywhere, etc. But I am happy to say things are (knock on wood here) going extremely well!  Mika has been sleeping better at night, waking only 2-3 times. (For many this would seem outrageous, but at this point in the game it is a HUGE victory for us) Maddy is also waking 2-3 times, eats and goes right back to bed (in her crib in her own room) which is wonderful.  Since I am so used to getting up multiple times throughout the night this hasn't been an adjustment, it just feels like it did before. 

Maddy has changed a lot already, being up for greater periods of time and being more alert. We have a midwife appointment on Thursday to check her weight, but on Saturday (at birth) she was 8lbs. 1oz, the next day she was 7lbs. 14 oz., Tuesday she was down to 7lbs. 13 oz., and by Thursday she was..... 8lbs 8oz! What a little piggy. She was cluster feeding in the evening but she has stopped that. She is feeding more often, but she is not glued to me like she was for the first week.  Breastfeeding is going extremely well. With only one nurse trying to "correct" my technique (I humored her, but went back to doing it my way as soon as she left the room), Maddy has learned to feed from me. 

Joel's parents took Mika the Saturday after Joel left which allowed me to get many errands done. I had some grocery shopping to do, I wanted to look for a sling, get stamps to mail Maddy's birth certificate papers, etc. I got everything I could done and headed home for a nap. I woke later than I wanted to, but then headed to Martin and Barb's for dinner. We spent that night at home then woke up and headed to Lilac. I packed to stay a few days as I figured it was easier to bring clean clothes home then need clothes. Although the night went better then I expected, by the end of it, we were all sleeping in the bed together! We enjoyed the day out there, went into Steinbach for lunch and then decided to head home. Which actually ended up being to my mom's since they came in too and she invited us for dinner. I skyped with Joel from my parents and showed him his 2 girls.  Mika was all about giving daddy kisses and waving to him. We got home and I wondered if the night away or seeing daddy would completely ruin our nighttime routine. Turns out it didn't, my girls slept well! 

We had a quiet day yesterday where I spent most of the day playing and cuddling Mika while Maddy slept, then cuddling Maddy while Mika slept. I got a few things done around the house and set up a little pool for Mika for today.

We have made it outside once already and I hope to get Mika out once more after her nap. I can't wait to have a deck where Mika can play instead of the mud pit that is our backyard.  I don't mind her getting dirty, but I swept and mopped today so keeping the floor clean for at least a day would be great! Maddy was sleeping so I just set up the monitor as it is too warm for her anyways.

So life is going well, I have managed to shower everyday, keep the house clean, do the laundry and even eat supper! I think this is really going to work. Now to go feed bug before peanut wakes up.......

Welcome Maddison Alexandra Hayward

On Saturday June 25 2011 we welcomed our second beautiful girl into the world! She was born at 11:41am and weighed 8lbs 1oz.  She was 20.5 inches long.  Here is her birth story.....

At 4:30am Mika woke up and was up for the morning so we headed downstairs, shared cuddles on the couch, played a bit all while I had minor contractions.  I had braxton hicks for weeks so this was nothing new. I figured by nap time they would be gone and Mika and I would continue our day. 

At 5:53am I texted Joel our good morning message and told him I was having a lot of contractions, but that nothing had changed yet, so to keep working. He messaged back that he would work on the surface for as long as he could so I could reach him.

At 6:51am I put Mika down for a nap. I texted him that I was still having contractions and that I was going for a bath.  I was pretty sure at this point "today would be the day", but to keep working until he heard from me.  I told him if I still had contractions in an hour I might call the midwife to let her know I was in early labour.

After my bath, I went into our room and took a nap. I was woken up by contractions, but enjoyed at least some time with my eyes shut.

8:20am I messaged him contractions were still happening, and that I wasn't sure what to tell him to do. They weren't getting worse in my opinion. Mika woke up and I gave her a bath. I decided I needed help watching her so I would go to my moms.

At 8:30am, Joel messaged that he had to go underground, but that he would come up as often as he could to check his phone.

At 9:44am I messaged him that today would be the day and he should pack up at lunch.

At 9:47am I changed my mind, called Joel and told him to come home now.

At 9:56am I messaged my father in law to tell him Joel was on his way home and Mika was at my mom's house with me. (I was supposed to bring Mika to their place for a play date with Grams and Grumpa) I took a shower and continued to labour at my parents.

At 10:52am I called my midwife to tell her to meet me at the hospital.

At 11:05am we finally left my mom's after having many contractions in the hallway to the van. My aunt helped me walk to the car while my mom pulled up to the front doors.

11:25am I called Joel from the labour lounge. I had been registered, but not checked yet at triage. I was waiting for a bed to be clean. I started to have a contraction that I couldn't talk through, so I handed the phone to my mom.  They cleaned a bed and I headed into triage while I asked my mom to find out where Joel was.

In triage, she asked me to step on the scale. I refused and told her I had the urge to push.  She put me on a bed immediately, checked and realized I was fully dilated and effaced.  It was time to push! She called emergency, while I was breathing through contractions. My mom came with us into a room and they transferred me onto a bed. The midwife Fleur who was on call that day came into the room with literally no time to spare. She directed me on pushing and at 11:41am I welcomed Maddison into the world.

At 12:30pm Joel came into the room expecting to see his wife pushing, however the room had been cleaned and I introduced him to our baby girl.

Now I realize what you must be thinking - my biggest fear happened, but in all reality it couldn't have worked out any better.  You see, it was really up to me to tell Joel when to leave and when I did, he left. He came as quick as he could (he made it to the hospital in 2.5 hours when Bissett to the city is a 3 hour drive!) and kept checking on me. Labour wasn't drawn out in a hospital which is where I didn't want to be alone, and I had my mom with me during delivery.  Mika stayed with my uncle Ed and dad, and my dad even managed to put her down for a nap!

That evening we had a few visitors including a very proud big sister. Mika has been amazing, very gentle, and loves giving her sister hugs and kisses.  She is adjusting nicely and we are all settling into our new routines as a family of 4.

advice

Because I am overdue I have heard a lot of advice on how to get the baby to arrive.  Here are some of the things I should try according to friends, family, strangers, really anyone who hears I am overdue. Now I'm not saying these will/will not work.  These are merely posted for amusement and I thought I should include all of them to be fair and not pick out ones in particular that I find funny...........I will let you be your own judge......

• Walking
• Eating pineapple
• Drinking red raspberry leaf tea
• Acupuncture
• Membrane sweep
• Eating Chinese food - but REALLY pigging out on it
• Sex
• Castrol oil
• Relaxing
• Singing to the baby
• Telling the baby I am ready
• Eating ice cream standing on my head ;)
• Not thinking about it
• Taking a bath
• Eating watermelon
• Squats
• Washing the floors
• Cleaning
• Eat spicy foods
• Eat East Indian food
• Eating pea soup
• Make a birth plan
• Climb stairs
• Go for a run/jog
• Cut the grass
• Stop eating/fast
• Go for a swim
• Go shopping
• Drive over train tracks/4x4/bumpy golf cart ride
• Speed slides at Lilac
• Eat greasy food like a big burger and fries
• A glass of wine
• Reflexology

So these are the ones I have been given.  If you have given me advice that appears on this list, please note I have tried several things on here and I appreciate you trying to help me. Please don't take offense.

misunderstood

It's days like yesterday that make it painful obvious to me very few people "get" me. I made a comment about being frustrated on my facebook status and received a lot of advice of being patient, things to try to induce labor, etc.  Now I'm sorry if this comes across rude, but seriously I get the baby is on its way out. I realize I won't be pregnant for much longer, and that they won't let Bug stay in there past 42 weeks. That being said, that was only part of the frustration. It is frustrating to hear everything is the same as it was weeks ago. BUT that is not what my status was ultimately about. 

My status was about all the feelings that have returned to my life.  I am scared. Joel leaves tonight to head back to Bissett and I am left alone. I am alone with a 15 month old and a due date that has come and gone.  I am alone in the middle of the night. Yes, I have family that I will call when I go into labour who will watch Mika, not what I'm getting at.  Joel was such a huge support and comfort for me last time.  I am confident he can make it home for the actual delivery. Again, not the point.  It is all of the before things.  It is packing up the car, it is taking care of Mika until my parents get here, or driving me to the hospital, or anything else I might need.  It may sound silly to some, actually to most apparently, but most people have their partners at home so those people shouldn't judge as they have no idea what this is like. 

I am worried about when to call Joel and how to get ahold of him.  If he is in the mine, there is a whole set of things that need to happen to get ahold of him and inform him he needs to come home.  This likely will add an hour to the travel time. That is an extra hour I am alone.  I am by myself trying to deal with the pain, excitement, and worry that the birthing experience brings.  The travel is bad right now as the road to and from Bissett is in rough shape.  It will take him 3 hours this time of year to get to our house.  Again, even if I go into labour when he is not in the mine, that is 3 hours of being scared with no reassurance by myself.

I'm frustrated that people don't understand this.  I'm frustrated people judge me and assume it is just that I don't want to be pregnant anymore.  Actually, in all honesty I don't mind being pregnant - I've been either pregnant or breastfeeding for the last 2 years. (true story ~ 9 months with Mika plus 6 months of breastfeeding plus 9 months with Bug)  Although some days are hard being pregnant with a little one, I know the reward is just around the corner and things might be harder before they get easier, but I'm prepared for all of that.  I am frustrated because I thought the timing of Joel being home would work out.  All my fears and worries were put to bed the day Joel arrived home. And although every day that went by without a baby felt like I had been "cheated" out of a day of Joel's help, I always knew he would stay another week if we/I needed it.  But now those 2 weeks have come and gone and all these feelings are back.

Now, I do have a backup plan in theory.  My friend Dana who I have known since grade 1 when I first started at BH has agreed to be my "on call" partner.  She would meet me at the hospital, or drive me and stay with me until Joel arrives. Understanding that may mean actually being there for the birth.  That being said, this plan has faults.  Dana can't exactly just leave work to be with me, so this plan only works if it is a weekend or before/after work hours.

Anyways, I just feel misunderstood which only adds to my frustration.

A Family of 4 is just around the corner.....

Have you ever had something you looked forward to for so long and then when it got close to the date became terrified?! This is my life these days.  I am nervous. I am worried. I am overwhelmed. I am scared. I wonder how my days with 2 babies will be filled. I wonder if I will be a good enough mom. I wonder how I will share my time between them.  I wonder how I will love them equally. I wonder if Mika will feel cheated. I wonder if Mika will still feel how much we love her.  I wonder about how life will be in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years....... I wonder......

And yet in all of this wondering, I know things will work out.  I remember feeling this way before Mika.  I wondered how different life would be once we became a family of 3.  I remember no matter how much control I wanted and was used to, I couldn't plan "the unknown".  I think had I planned the wedding we originally set out for, I would have felt this way about that too.  Everything has always worked out, it's just scary to think about how different life will be.

I am 39 weeks today - June 10th.  Mika was born at 39 weeks + 1 day which makes me think any day now could be "the" day.

Joel is home and I am loving have him here. He has been a huge help in taking care of Mika, especially at night. He hasn't started any home renovations which I am thankful for as I think he knows I just want some "quiet" time.  He is already bored however, and I think already wishing he could be working on something......

At my last midwife appointment everything was good. The hb was in the 140's and baby's head was low. She was unable to move it anymore which means they have engaged into birthing position. I was 2 cm dilated.  I have another appointment Monday so we will see how things have progressed then, for now we are just spending time as a family of 3 before the new chapter in our life begins.

The Nomores!

Today we completed the first of the "nomores". What's a nomore? It means we have no more Wednesdays left until Joel is home!  Tomorrow will mean no more Thursdays, and well you get the point.  I am very excited for him to come home and spend some time with me and peanut.

I have been posting pictures of her on facebook for him and he keeps saying the same thing, "She looks so old now". My little peanut does look (and act) like a toddler, which makes me sad in many ways, but also I am so proud of her and all the things she has learned, discovered, and mastered. It's amazing what changes in that first year.

As for life as a pregnant lady, I am 38 weeks and wishing I was in labour. Like yesterday.....BUT at my appointment on Monday it didn't sound like it would be any time soon.  So for now I'm patiently waiting (or as patiently as it gets for a 9 month pregnant lady) for Bug to decide they are ready.  I do remind Bug everyday that daddy wouldn't mind coming home a few days early and that we're all really excited to meet them. Let's just see if they will listen.......

Predictions:
my mom thinks Friday (June 3) - girl
Chelsea - Sunday (June 5) - boy
me - Thursday (June 9) - girl
Joel - girl
Sarah - girl
Dawn A.- girl
Martin - boy (although I'm not entirely sure if he isn't just saying that to "bug" me - haha
Robyn - boy
Sue - boy
Marge - boy
Vicki - boy
Due Date: June 15

Anyone else want to put down a guess.......?

A Weekend Away

Mika and I packed up Saturday evening, made a quick trip to the mall to pick up Auntie Mel and headed out to Lilac for a weekend away.  Last year Joel helped my dad build a new deck and room onto my parents seasonal site.  This weekend proved the room is exactly what they needed.  Mika happily played in the addition with some toys, place mats, water bottles and goldfish crackers. (She ate an entire bag in 2 days!) 

It was nice to spend time outside and have a change of scenery, but I was also happy to be home.  I wasn't feeling great all weekend (When I talked to Joel on Friday I told him I thought Bug would make their appearance this weekend just from how I was feeling - no such luck!) so I am hoping a good nights sleep in my own bed will cure me.  or Bug will come. :)

Sunday I went to visit Chris and Sarah (and Ryan of course) in Steinbach and had a great time. Mika couldn't get enough hugs and kisses from Chris. I think she really misses daddy and Chris was a good stand in. (Camping Daddy) We walked around the block, but with both of us being pregnant and it being 22 degrees outside, we decided some inside air conditioning was needed. I am so thankful to not be pregnant the entire summer - I don't handle heat well normally, and adding a little furnace to the front does not help!

Tomorrow I see my midwife again. I'll post that update soon.....

Just for Fun

When I was pregnant with Meeks, I did a lot of fun little quizzes to help predict the gender.  We don't know the gender of "Bug", but I thought it might be fun to complete another quiz based on one I had done with Mika.  The first answers are Mika's, the second are todays.  I have hit the 36 weeks mark and besides being tired and huge, I am feeling great.

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.
Verdict: Girl. 

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.

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: Girl


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: Girl


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: Girl.

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

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: Boy
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: Girl
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: Girl.
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: Boy
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.
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 (25 and 2010)
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 (between 140 - 150 the entire time)

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: Both. Dreamt about having a girl at about week 8 and a boy at 19 weeks
Verdict: Girl. I dreamt about having a boy twice now

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.