17 Weeks

This was taken at 17 weeks + 1 day by Joel.

Happy birthday and a few other notes

I should start off appropriately wishing my mom a Happy Birthday!! I love you and hope you have a wonderful day. And although I do not say this near enough, Joel and I really appreciate everything you and dad do for us. Your support and honesty have always been appreciated and I’m sure there were times when you felt like giving up on me. For all the times and every time you did not, I need to thank you. You will never really know how much you mean to me, but please know even when I get annoyed or frustrated or simply do not say it, I love you and I am proud to be your daughter. Hopefully, when I raise our child, I will pass onto him or her many of the same values, work ethic, and closeness you and dad instilled in me.



This Saturday is an exciting one! Not only do I get to travel to Fargo to shop the day away, but my wonderful husband and father-in-law are staying at home to work on our basement! Joel was originally planning to come down to Fargo with us, but after much debate he has decided this weekend would be a good one for continuing the home renovation. The temperature is still well enough to leave the dogs outside (and therefore out of Joel’s way) and he will not have to entertain me. The plan for us is an early departure (7:30am) followed by a day of baby and maternity shopping in Fargo and Grand Forks. We plan to eat at Chili’s (long story, but I trust me when I say I have waited years for this!) for lunch and my dad is picking our dinner destination. Dad will browse Menards in between chauffeuring mom and I from store to store. When I get home, it is my friend Dana’s birthday celebration so assuming I am not totally wiped and make it home at a decent hour, I will head over to the Tavern on Pembina for a good visit with friends.


I have made plans to host our Thanksgiving dinner again at our house, however due to the size of our oven, I have my in-laws cooking the turkey and stuffing and my parents cooking some of the side dishes. (Actually the ones I requested) I always love a good family dinner and have been lacking in my hosting duties lately. This year we are missing 2 staples at our place for Thanksgiving though. Kevin and Mel have joined us for the last couple of Thanksgiving dinners (between our house and my parent’s house) since Kevin’s parents go away and Mel’s parents are in Dryden. This year they will be in Steinbach celebrating with Kevin’s mom’s side of the family. Sarah and Jay are planning on visiting Jay’s family too so it will be a small get together this year.


I missed taking a picture yesterday, but will ask Joel to take one tonight so you can see the progress. I am hoping to have an ultrasound appointment booked soon, and have my next doctor’s appointment Monday. I cannot wait for Joel to hear the heart beat! I attended my workout class this past Monday with a different instructor and it was much easier. I was even told I was the “most fit in the class”. I laughed since there is only 2 other people who participate. One girl, Nicole is at 22 weeks and our newest addition is Wendy at 14 weeks. I need to make more of an effort to participate in the video training at home, but it always feels like I have something on the go. Hopefully tonight I can get a quick session in.

Well that is it for now ~ enjoy!

16 weeks

This picture was actually taken on Wednesday when I hit 16 weeks, but I just got around to posting it.  This picture seems to exaggerate my belly.  Please note that the last picture was taken at 14 weeks so there is a 2 week difference.

Just what the doctor ordered

I have a new picture from week 16 that I will post when I get home, but for now simply the news.

This past weekend was exactly what I needed! Joel and I drove up to Mennville on Friday night to visit Sarah and Jay. We had planned this about a month ago and I was really looking forward to going up there again. Since sleeping is so important right now, I slept inside on their spare bed and Joel slept with the boys outside in a tent. (Jay is allergic so the dogs stay outside) We left the city at a good time, although I had a headache. I think it was the stress of the week’s events building up. The ride was just a little too long for a cranky pregnant woman as I was getting quite annoyed with Joel when we were about 15-20 minutes away. (and he was with me)  But we did survive the road trip together, so that is a plus. I barely said hello to Sarah before a barged into their house and into their bathroom. (again just a little too long without stopping for me)

When we arrived Friday, Joel set up his tent immediately so he could do with some daylight. After he set it up and tied up the dogs, he came inside. About 30 minutes later Monster started barking, but Joel thought he was just lonely. About an hour later Joel went out for a smoke to see his tent in shambles beside the tree the dogs were under. They had pulled the tent towards them and then apart. (I say “they” loosely as my educated guess would be Chaos) Joel reset the tent up in the dark with help from Jay and a lantern while the mosquitoes were swarming! As they finished, Monster entered the tent through the back door. Wait, we do not have a back door in that tent… He had torn the screen of the window so he could jump in. Luckily, there is still a solid cover that you zip up when it rains that was not damaged so Joel used that.

Sarah and I spent Friday night talking like little school girls at a sleep over. I have really enjoyed getting to know Sarah and this weekend was no exception. Sarah is a great listener, and by about 10pm after I unloaded all my stress on her, my headache was gone. At about the same time, Jay and Joel asked if we wanted to play Carcassonne. Surprisingly I played, did not win and still had a lot of fun! I am really thinking about buying that for our house so Joel and I can play together.

Saturday morning Joel woke up with a new “doggie door” installed courtesy of Monster and Chaos. (again, my educated guess would be Chaos although no one can be sure) They had made their own entrance on the side separating the floor and a wall. (Basically one whole side of the tent) I woke up Saturday morning in a comfy bed with dark blinds covering the sun which made me feel like I was at home. Jay made us egg mcmuffins. He placed the beaten eggs in muffin tins and cooked them in the oven. What a great idea! They were the perfect shape and size, and they turned out so yummy. Sarah had also cut up fruit, which both Joel and I eat lots of so that was a good start. We then started the Harry Potter marathon. Although I slept through most of the movies, the parts I did watch were good. We had so much food and ate all day. I had brought a bacon cheese dip, a spinach artichoke dip, and a taco dip, plus Sarah had more fruit, veggies and dip, and wings (which we did not cook cause we had so much else). Jay made us homemade pizza for dinner. The dough was even homemade! It was some of the best pizza I have eaten and seriously makes me consider getting a bread maker. I did not realize you can get bread makers where you dump the ingredients in and it does everything else! I thought I had to have more to do with the process, but after seeing theirs in action I think I will start looking for one! Although the boys only got through 4 (of 6 movies) on Saturday, it was a nice, relaxing day for us. Sunday started with more fruit, and the remaining 2 movies. Again, I slept. It was a perfect weekend and exactly what I needed.

As an update to my spot bleeding, over my relaxing weekend, it completely stopped. Now I cannot say for sure, however my guess of what was causing it was the chiropractor. The timing coincidence is just too large. I went Friday, spot bled Sunday. I went again Tuesday and spot bled on Thursday. I have decided I will no longer be seeing a chiropractor, and if the pain continues I will go to a physiotherapist. My friend since grade 1, Dana is in her last year to be one, and has provided me a lot of great advice. Her biggest advice was exercise during pregnancy.

Which brings me to the research study I joined…. I attended my first fitness class on Monday and loved it! It was totally not what I was expecting (I was expecting delicate flower exercise, they were planning boot camp), but I really felt great afterwards! We do cardio for 30 minutes and then stretch training from another 30 minutes with a short cool down. After my squats, lunges and bosu ball exercises, I really feel like this class will help! I had been going to the gym pre-pregnancy however my first trimester hit me hard in terms of low motivation and desire to do anything besides sleep, so I had stopped. After how I felt on Monday, I think the exercise will be really good for me and the baby.

Tuesday my mom invited Joel and I for dinner. She made an amazing lasagna with Caesar salad and garlic cheese toast. (yes, more calories than I worked off likely, but it was good none the less) After dinner, mom and I headed to Babies R Us to meet Martin and Barb. I picked out our crib, change table and mattress. There was sale on so we thought getting it now would be fine. Our parents split this gift to us (Merry Christmas Peanut!) and I could not be more appreciative and thankful! The set is colored in espresso and is beautiful. We had help loading it into Martin’s truck except not everything would fit. So I called my dad to come meet us and he took a box in his truck too. We unloaded it at my parents in their garage where it will stay until the basement houses the dogs, and the room has been painted.

Our basement has made no progress, but Joel is hoping to get some stuff done this weekend so he can drywall next week. We will see how that goes since we are also helping my parents this weekend pull down their deck at Lilac and move their current shed. They are planning on building a new addition onto their trailer, and put in a new shed in a different location this spring, so the preconstruction has begun already.

We went out for drinks (and cactus cuts for me) with Kevin and Mel and Mike Turenne yesterday. It is nice to finally have enough energy to get out and of course catching up with friends is always enjoyable! I have not been at BP in a long time, and it was a little weird being there, but we had a good time. I am super tired today though since we have been out every day this week. Tonight will hopefully be a nice quiet Thursday to enjoy watching TV.

Well, that’s it for now, so enjoy ~!

Scary, but Strong!

Sunday was one of the worst days I have had during my pregnancy. This was not because I felt sick, or nauseous, or because I was tired, this was because I had spot bleeding. I instantly felt terrible, worried, and like nothing I have ever felt before. After crying on Joel’s shoulder and him telling me everything would be alright, I logged online and started to researched “spot bleeding at 14 weeks”. I know, dangerous game as the internet is full of horror stories. For once, I actually felt better! There were women who had all sorts of reasons on why they had spot bleeding, none of which were anything serious. I started to feel better and things were looking up. Until my mind started working again, and all logic went out the window. Then I was right back to crying on Joel....


Monday morning I woke up and called in sick to work. Right after, I showered and called in to the doctor. I pleaded my case to the receptionist who was awesome and found me an appointment for 3pm. She told me if I have sick time, to use a day and stay in bed and off my feet. (after reading most of the internet stories, likely this advice was in case it was my cervix) When I went into the doctor’s office, it seemed like I waited forever. Finally my name was called and I almost started to cry again. (I should note that by this point the spot bleeding was gone) The doctor walked in and asked if I had any concerns. I told her exactly what happened. She said, “okay, let’s hear the heartbeat”. Just like that! And sure enough, she was able to find one right away!! I cannot tell you how relieved I was. After about a minute, she was able to get a strong enough signal that even I could hear the little heart beating! It ranged, but mostly stayed between 145 bpm and 148 bpm. Joel was disappointed he could not be with me for this appointment, but he had to stay at work. The doctor said spot bleeding happens to 1 in every 4 pregnant women, and actually the more women I talk to, the more common I am learning it is!  The heart beat was like nothing I have ever heard before, and find it hard to imagine that a little person, with their own heart is growing right inside me.


The doctor should be booking an ultrasound in the next 2-4 weeks based on when they can fit me in. Hard to believe that it is already that time. Joel is excited for this appointment and already has plans if the appointment is in the middle of the day vs. near the end. I have blood work next week and another appointment in 3 weeks. It is weird how quickly, and slowly a pregnancy goes.


This weekend was Joel’s cousin’s wedding so we had a quiet Friday night at Kevin and Mel’s. It seems like we have not visited with them in awhile, so it was nice to catch up. On Saturday, Jen and her husband had a beautiful ceremony in Charleswood, (actually at the same Church Joel’s parents got married!) and then a reception at the Hotel Fort Garry. We spent the afternoon at Joel’s parent’s condo for the “gap” between the two ceremonies. My parents were brave and watched the dogs for us since we were gone all day. Apparently the dogs were well behaved although I find that hard to believe. The dogs love playing with my dad, especially Chaos. They wrestle on the ground and play fight, while Monster enjoys having dad throw the ball for him.


This weekend I am excited to be making a “roadtrip” up to Mennville to visit Sarah and Jay. We are planning a Harry Potter marathon. I have never seen any of the movies, and Joel has only seen the first one. It will be nice to be back up there cause although I am sure it is not relaxing for them, it is quite a getaway for us. Joel will sleep outside with the dogs in the tent since Jay is allergic, and I will sleep in their spare bedroom since preggo needs her sleep.


I have started chirco once a week/once every 2 weeks to help align my pelvis and help with my stiff and sore neck. This is supposed to help ease the delivery, so we will see what happens. This service is covered by Joel’s benefits, so I really have nothing to lose.


I have also confirmed my bedding dilemma. My friend and her husband actually live in St. Paul where there is a babies r us store. I called the store and they have everything I need, so yesterday I went and got a US money order that I will mail to Jessica today. Jess said she had no problems picking it up for me! Even better is that my cousins are going down for Thanksgiving weekend, and will bring it back for me! I cannot wait as I was worried I may have to find another nursery set.

Well I am sure there are a million other things going on, but for now, that is all. Enjoy ~

14 Weeks...

A little blurry and in scrubs for clothes but you get the idea.  We have our next doctors appointment one week today.  We should be able to hear the heart beat and schedule our ultrasound.  (for between week 18 and 20)  I am hoping to post a picture every week from now on to document the growth.  Enjoy ~

Roll a Dice....

That is how I feel when I wake up. If I roll an even number, I will have a good day… BUT if I roll an odd number, then I will be tired and possibly sick.


I did get morning sickness for the second time this week on Monday. I came into work and felt great, but while sitting at the front talking with Fiona and Tanya, a nasty heat wave struck me and I went running to the bathroom. Needless to say, I am not complaining as this is only the second time I have been actually sick. Although I felt like I would be more often, I never was and therefore really cannot ask for sympathy.


Besides being tired, my pregnancy is going well. I am counting down until September 16th as we should be able to hear the heart beat and we will also likely schedule my ultrasound! I have also found a new design for the nursery that I am planning. I will be ordering the crib bedding and accessories this weekend and we have friends who live in Minneapolis that can go any pick it up for me! Their family lives up here, so they will bring it during a visit likely by Thanksgiving. For all this hassle, the bedding better be as nice as it looks online……


This past weekend was uneventful, but successful. I came home on Friday to a wonderful husband who had sanded down all our doors so they shut properly. We had a closet door in the nursery that was near impossible to open or close, a bathroom door that needed to be slammed, and a few others that although were not extremely bad were fixed. Joel also worked on the basement! All the electrical minus one wall light (and only because we decided to add one more) is finished! Joel now will order the drywall and has a few trips to the dump to make. Although I think our end of September deadline is not possible, I am still hoping for it.


This week has been low key in some ways and busy in others. I had my final golf game on Monday and although I actually only golfed probably 4 holes, I felt good to get out. I started to get very tired and frustrated near the end so I took a few holes off although I walked with the girls. I enjoyed my golf experience; however I am glad to say it is over. I think if it had become more of a routine, I may have enjoyed it more, but because it was so sparingly attended, I felt obligated to go. I also felt a little tied down and during the summer and I don’t like that. It was a long season that lasted the entire summer which was another down side. I will not be joining again, but do think this was a great league for a beginner, and if it is something you are interested in, this would be a good choice.


We also had our golf wind-up last night. We had pork on a bun – no not pulled pork on a bun like I thought – a slice of ham on a bun. It was okay as it was accompanied by a spinach salad and dessert. There was a performer as well who was entertaining. His tricks and demonstrations were amazing, but his comedy and flow needed some work. (listen to me – like I know what I am talking about!)


I developed a great relationship at the MRFA golf tournament! The gentleman who drove me to the clubhouse who I wrote about in a previous post – Bill from Arctic Glacier – has become another contact on my list. I wrote him a little note thanking him for the ride, and making sure my name and contact information made it to him, and sure enough he was happy to hear from me. He even offered me free ice, or any other favor I needed! Honestly, what a super guy and definitely a name and number to keep for when I am returning to work next spring……..


I am planning on writing my event coordinator case study rewrite by the middle of October. Although I did well on it, I did not pass. The way the exam works is only certain questions are actually marked, and all with different passing levels. Some questions you need to receive full marks on, where others if you received 3/5, you have passed that question. I have to rewrite 3 questions I believe and just need to study my standards a little harder before my rewrite. It is hard to get past the “what would I do” vs. “what do they tell me I should do” frame of mind. I used a lot of logic and quick thinking when I did event coordinating for BP, so using a structured system is difficult at times.


We have had a lot of drama at the office this week. A law suit mending and a few suppliers being let go lead for an interesting week! I have had 2 meetings this week to change our technical suppliers. One was our “IT Guy” – the guy who troubleshoots and supports our system and day to day office operation. The second was to look at switching over our online testing site for the mandatory liquor serving license. Both meetings went well and I am confident the next few months will bring a lot of change into our office.


This weekend we are going out to Lilac for the long weekend. We plan to leave on Saturday and return home on Monday. I am really looking forward to it because my mom is planning a seafood fest! She has lobster tails, scallops, shrimp and crab legs! I cannot wait to enjoy our meal on Sunday. Mom even invited Martin and Barb out so it will be a wonderful family dinner.


Monster is healing but did tear open his stitches. He hates the cream we have to put on, so I usually ask Joel to do it. (he has better luck than I do) His scraps are looking better but the deep cut by his wrist is still quite bad.


Chaos is shedding like crazy right now! Joel and I cannot keep up with sweeping. Our room is swept at least once a day, and sometimes more often depending on how much time the dogs are in our room. He is lucky he is cute, because he sure is a lot of work!


I have found a supplier of the cloth diaper I want to try! I am excited to try and learn about cloth diapering. Although we do not plan on cloth diapering 100% of the time (for example, when we go to Lilac or really anywhere out of the house, I will be bringing disposables) I do think anytime you can cut down on your consumption and environmental impact, it is worth trying. I am also looking into biodegradable diapers; however I know they have been known to cause rashes. The supplier does give a free sample, so before we buy we will know if the baby reacts to them.


There have been a lot more books and online reading this week although I am starting to feel more educated and knowledgeable about the pregnancy subject. It was tough at first as everything was so new and I knew something felt different but I couldn’t tell what. I knew I was “not myself”, but how to explain it to a doctor when nothing physically was wrong. When I learned I was pregnant, it was a relief! But it also got me thinking about how little I knew of what was yet to come. I am feeling better about this now, and although there will be many more surprises, I feel like I can deal with each and every one of them.


I am planning as my first choice to give birth naturally, however I am also open to the idea of “assisted” labor. (i.e. drugs/epidural) A friend from work’s brother is one of the anesthesiologists at St. Boniface Hospital where we plan to deliver. I have asked Fiona to ask her brother a few questions for me, and based on those answers will really determine what the ultimate goal is. I have a strong personality, however am a weak individual when it comes to pain. This is why I am also open to the idea of it being assisted. (of course the hippie in me wants a completely natural birth)


Well I think that is it for now, so enjoy ~