Das Auto

We bought a new car!! The new 2010 VW Golf TDI Wagon. We absolutely love it. We have to love it from afar for the next few months as it needed to be ordered to fit our specifics, but it'll be so worth it once it rolls in specially made for Christien and Malia.

We went with the comfortline and fully loaded it. I am in love with the sunroof and cannot wait to play with it. It's a panoramic sunroof that goes from the front of the car to the back of the back seats. The dash board is all touch screen. Heated seats and wipers. I just love it. The power windows alone is a step up from both of the cars that we have now. It's going to be easier to get the car seat in and out of the new car, and there is so much more cargo room. We can't wait to do lots of travelling this summer!!

Also, this picture doesn't even do it justice. It's way prettier in person.

Nursery

And we're basically finished!! It's been such an ongoing project, but a very fun project. The nursery. We both love this room. It's basically the nicest room in the house, so it's very fitting for the most precious thing that will be in our house soon. We've still got some pictures that need to get put up on the wall, but other then that, it's livable now. It's going to be such a nice place to sit with the baby and just relax, I love the feel of it. Can't wait for lots of you to see it up close in person, with a little person in it.



Now before anybody freaks out, I know that there are a lot of stuffed animals in the crib right now and yes, we are both very aware that we should basically have nothing in the crib once the baby is in there. However, we just haven't gotten a shelf put up to house the little critters yet. I've got something in mind, now I just have to find it. I've got a good three weeks to putz about looking for those little last minute, non-essential items for the nursery. The room is pretty tiny, but it's cozy. We always pop our heads in there on our way to bed. It's just got such a nice feel to it. That little octopus in the corner is actually pretty cool. He's more like an instrument and comes with a little song book. I think that Christien gets the biggest kick out of it. No matter how you look at it, this baby is going to be musically talented.

Today is a pretty big milestone as well, as I've hit 37 weeks, which means that I am fully to term. Such a crazy spot to be in, cause just a few months ago, I really never though that I would see this week. It's so very exciting, and getting so very scary at the same time. I don't think that I ever let myself think about what would be after 37 weeks. This really means that we are going to have a baby and become parents. I think that the next couple of weeks are going to be very emotional as we get closer and closer to having this baby.

I'm really hoping that it comes when it's supposed to. I will do anything for that to happen. Christien gets back from Fort Mac on the 15th and it would just be perfect for the baby to come at the beginning of his off days so that he can spend as much time with us as possible. Our instructor for our baby classes gave us the sure fire way to have the baby come on time. Plan a big date for the day that baby is supposed to make it's appearance. New outfit, reservations at a nice restaurant... We are going to the Garlic Clove to celebrate a late Valentine's day seeing as Christien will be gone on the 14th. Nothing like checking into the hospital stinking like garlic, but for that embarrassment, to have the baby come on time, is 100% worth it. That's me at 35 weeks.

False Alarm

The end of this week cannot come soon enough. I wish that I could say that I'm feeling great and have all this energy and I can work right up until the end, however, I have been slagging through these last few months. Lots of pain, really tired, and now the water retention is starting to accumulate at an exponential rate. I would never trade being pregnant with this baby for anything in the world, so I'm really not complaining. But it has been hard. This last weekend my feet and ankles just blew up. Nothing was helping to reduce the swelling and as the days went on I just started to get scared. Yesterday at work I just looked down at my feet and they were enormous. Even though I had a doctor's appointment last week and my blood pressure was fine, it still really started to worry me. My mum had toxemia with both Ty and myself, so with the sloshing around in my feet I was just concerned. I wasn't able to get in to see my doctor until tomorrow so they suggested to me that I go to the hospital to have it checked out. So that's what Christien and I ended up doing yesterday afternoon.

I am very happy to say that everything is just fine. Baby is happy, all the tests came back great, so I've basically just got to deal with the swollen-ness that my body is going through. It was a great relief. On the upside of that visit, it kind of gave us a practice run as to how it'll be when I actually go into the hospital to have this baby. We were up in Unit 35 which is the baby unit, and Christien had to go down to admitting to get me admitted as an outpatient. So we know where everythiung is and what to do. And the doctors and nurses were so nice. They definitely made me feel like I made the right decision by coming in to get checked out, rather then making me feel like I was wasting their time. We were hooked up to the fetal monitor for about an hour, so that was neat to hear and see the heartbeat. Christien kept messing with the baby ~ the heartbeat would just be normal and relaxed and then Christien would get up close to my belly to talk to the baby, and then look back to see if it changed the heart rate at all. Every time he did it, the heart rate would jump up to 160. We both got a kick out of it. Christien was making me laugh and making the baby jump around like crazy. I think that baby is super excited to see us too! Thank goodness that it was a false alarm and we are both really looking forward to meeting this little one in three weeks!!

Four More Days

I am so excited that I only have a week left of work. Not counting today, and since I don't work Monday's, I officially have 4 days left of work. It's crazy. And I'm very excited to be able to sleep in and do things during the day, and have those much needed naps. I felt like I was so ready for this baby, and now I'm feeling a bit lost. I mean, we've got all the stuff bought, and Christien has been amazing this week. He's put together so much stuff for baby. It's been beyond helpful. I kind of step back though and realize, that even though I have a month left before baby should show up, there still seems to be so much to do. And I only have Christien here for another 9 days. I need his help with a lot of stuff that can't be left till he gets back next month. What if the baby comes early? Maybe things are just becoming real now. Our last baby class was eye opening. It's all just sinking in. To find out that in actuality I should have my bags packed already kind of panicked me I guess. I didn't even know what to put into my bags!

This weekend we're going to hit up some movies, and take a couple cars for a test drive. Maybe do some shopping and just hang out. More talking about names would be good. He brought some books home from the library yesterday, but I'm not feeling like we're really getting anywhere with picking anything out. We spend too much time laughing at the ridiculousness of some of the names in those books. Sigh.. this needs to be rectified before he leaves or else I'll just stress about it. I don't want to leave the hospital with baby no name.

Next week is going to fly by. We've got plans Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday already. Good, but that just means that Christien's leave date will seem to come quicker. I'm not loving it at all. Fingers crossed that his meeting goes well today and perhaps this will be his last trip up North?? I think that I'd rather have him around more often.

Special Babies of 2010

Besides meeting my own baby in 2010, I am over the moon excited to meet babies Bauer, Dunham and Steele!! Three of my good friends all having babies within weeks and months of each other!! Can't beat being able to pick up the phone and call someone during the day to do something. Go for a walk, hit the mall, get some coffee. It's going to be a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful year.

Christine and I have been friends for more then 10 years now. It's crazy to think that we've known each other that long. We met in Lethbridge when we were both in University. Christine, Kinga, Trish and I were kind of inseparable in that last year of University. Boy, did we have some good times. We moved to Calgary together and lived in the best house by McMahon stadium for about two years together. Really, from there, we've done everything in such close proximity to each other. We were engaged within two months of each other, married within a year of each other, started our baby making journey within months of each other, and now we're set to have our babies two weeks apart. Sometimes you can't even plan it any better. We've seen each other through so many changes in life, that I'm really looking forward to having a whole year off together. We definitely have become busy over the last few years, so it will be nice to spend more time together and watch our babies grow together.

Candice and I have known each other for about 4 years now. She worked with Christien at Grafikom and got Christien and I jobs with the Flames as club seat servers. Although we only worked at the Flames together for a year, Candice and I stayed friends (and her and Christien continued to work together). I eventually brought "my new friend" along to a book club meeting and she proceeded to hit it off with a great bunch of girls. Candice finally announced last week, that her and her husband Chris are expecting their first child in the summer! Couldn't be more excited for her. And now that she's past the scary trimester, I'll have a shopping buddy for the next month. And come August, I'll have another buddy to have play dates with.

Tricia and I have known each other from way back in Fort Mac. We were never really friends in high school. We both went to different schools, but knew who each other were. She ended up coming to Lethbridge for University as well, and we just sort of hit it off. Hence her induction into our little group of three down there. After University Tricia moved up to Edmonton, so we don't really see her too often anymore, which is too bad. Christine and I made a few trips up there to visit, and then Tricia moved to Fort Mac. Tricia and I have always been on par "telepathically" when it comes to our major life events, I feel. She called me in January of 2006 to say "guess who got engaged over Christmas..???" Although she was referring to herself, Christien and I also got engaged over the holidays of 2005. We had a laugh. Then I get an e-mail from her this past fall, telling me that she's pregnant. Turns out our babies are also due two weeks apart, and her and Christine are due 1 day apart. There has to be something more to that then coincidence. I love it. Tricia's husband is also working shift work in Fort Mac. His two week on schedule overlaps with Christine's by one week. So I'm planning on making some trips up there to see her and hopefully have her down to see me. Maybe do some girly camping together this summer while our husbands are away.

So that is why the babies of 2010, and their mums are so special to me!

Ahhh... Family Time

Christien got back last night, which is so nice. Even though he was exhausted and passed out on the couch by 730, and then snoring in my ear all night, it's still so wonderful to have him home. It sucks that I know that these next two weeks are going to fly by though. And it's too bad that I have to work through all of them. Ah well, it'll give him a chance to relax and a chance to do some chores around the house.. Chores that I was unable to do while he was away. Who knew that carrying around a baby would completely knock you on your arse??

Other then that, we're just going to "nail down" some baby names, get the nursery and everything else baby ready, and hit as many movies as we can together. Although there are Stars and Strollers movies, and friends to go with, I'm not sure when the next time we'll get to go to a movie, just the two of us. We're trying to narrow down what we want to see. There isn't all that much out there right now. I'd like to see Up in the Air, and Christien wants to see some vampire movie. There's a new Mel Gibson movie coming out at the end of the month that looks interesting. And maybe Youth in Revolt. I'm getting lots of recommendations for Avatar, but I don't know. I just don't think that I'm too into it. And neither is Christien, so we'll see. He hates movies that get hyped up too much.

Book club tomorrow night! Always an exciting day when we can all get together! It only happens once a month so it's nice when everyone can make it. I'm hoping that Jasmine will be back in time for this one. We missed her last month!

I'm going to start having Christine over to my place, Monday nights starting in February. It's nicer to watch the Bachelor with someone else. Guilty pleasure. And it'll be nice to have the company. Especially once it's just me, home all by myself, all day long. Even once the baby comes, it'll be nice to have company. It'll make me feel normal.

Video Documentation

Christien and I are in the market for a video camera. We thought that we had one all picked out and then read the reviews online and didn't find a good one at all. We just want something small, middle of the line. Waterproof would be nice. Obviously has to have the option to take stills as well (but I think that they all do now). Any advice? Is there anybody out there even?? If there is anybody out there reading this, and you either have a video camera or know of a good one, let me know. I would love the input. We need to buy something before the end of January. We need to do a million things before the end of January, but this is one of them on our to do list.

First pre-natal class on Tuesday was good. Very interesting. For example, did you know that the baby turns three times before it's even close to being born?? No wonder labor goes on for so long and is so painful. It seems like we've got a good bunch of peeps in that class. Good sense of humour (all the girls agreed with me when we were doing our chart of "what we want out of the class" as to when we can have that first glass of wine). Christien missed it as he was away for work, but Beatrice found it really interesting too. He's very excited to start them with me next week, and has been asking questions about the class that he missed. First time parents, everything is new, so it's nice to learn about it.

This last two weeks have gone by really quickly with Christien gone. I think that he might have an interview or two lined up for when he gets back, and I think that it might actually be hard for him to leave his job in Fort Mac, if that's what he decides to do. I think that he really likes it. Keeps him busy and he's got something to show for it at the end of the day. Their crew is getting lots of props from the higher ups for the great job that they are doing. Sounds like all the guys are pretty great too. He's got a work out partner, and another buddy, Grant from Sask. He's already invited both of us out there for a visit sometime soon. Apparently him and his girlfriend are renting a place out there (can't remember the name of the town) and they have cows and chickens and horses, and their monthly bills ~ for everything ~ is $750. Hmmm... maybe the simpler life is really where it's at.

Self Made Long Weekends

Man they are the best. My doctor thinks that I should be off from work already, but I told her that I want to try to make it through to the end of the month (mostly because I have already filled out my maternity leave from work and it's been a nightmare so I couldn't even imagine changing it). So she told me to cut back if I was going to stay till the end of the month. Well, I sit all day, in front of a computer. Not sure how I can take it much easier. So me, being as clever as I am, decided to use some of that vacation time that I have to create myself long weekends for the rest of January. I love it. I've had the last two Monday's off and it's just nice to skip right by "work Monday's" when the train is full, and there is no parking, and everyone is just bummed to be at work. Four day work weeks are the best, and really, that's what everyone should work. I think that it would create a much nicer work/life balance and it would create a happier atmosphere in the workplace. Just my opinion. It's also nice to have that extra day off during the week that nobody else has off, cause there are a lot less crowds in places like Costco and Superstore.

Either way, that extra day makes my body feel better and more rested. Long weekends are good for me and the baby. Speaking of... this little guy (maybe??) is a crazy loon. It doesn't stop moving. Except for at nights. Which is good, cause I'm already not getting a good nights sleep, so I can only imagine what the moving and kicking would add if it were happening in the wee hours of the night. The rest of the day is fair game. All over the place this kid. At my appointment the other day the doctor would get the heartbeat and then before it could register properly on the little thingy, the baby would flip away and she'd have to start all over again. And you can see it moving like crazy too. It's like I have an alien in my belly. She was killing herself laughing cause of the movements this kid was making, and she couldn't get over that you could see it so well. Baby is doing well though. Besides the unusually high heartbeat of 157 (it's okay, cause she could see and feel and hear how much it was moving) everything is right on target. Loads of fluid in there, which I guess is optimal for baby. Measuring right on too. My next appointment will just be for the Strep B and from then on it'll just be getting ready for labour.

Christien is starting to freak out a little bit. It's really starting to hit him that he's going to be a dad. We spent the first 14 weeks just worrying and not really thinking too far into the future with this baby, and then I had energy back and we spent the 2nd trimester just kind of doing what we would normally do. With the exception of getting a nursery ready in the house. But we did it bit by bit, so it wasn't so daunting. Now we're really in the home stretch and I think that he's having crazy heart palpitations. He's super excited, as am I, but really getting freaked out. Nervous maybe? He's going to be a great dad, but I think that it's just the fact that he's going to be a dad. He was pretty freaked out on our wedding day too, while I believe that I remained pretty cool, calm and collected. Now hopefully I will be able to bring that to the birthing of this baby and the commencement of mommy hood.

Pre-natal classes start tonite. So sad that Christien is going to miss the first one, but I've asked my wonderful friend Beatrice (who is a nurse) to step in for him while he's out of town. She's really excited to come as well, cause she's really wanting to make the move to pediatrics and thinks that this will totally help her out. Plus Beatrice and Amber are sharing double duties for Plan B if I happen to go into labour when Christien is still gone. Though they are going to fly him out of camp as soon as possible if that does happen, it'll still take time, and I'm lucky that I've got these gracious friends who have no choice but to help me out. I'm kidding, but it's very nice to know that I'm not going to have to do this alone.

Friday's Fashion

Christien bought me a Shopaholic desk calendar for Christmas and it's got lots of tips in it. I'd like to share Friday's tip with you all:

Tailoring Tricks: Top Tips

By it's very definition, trends come and go, and you certainly can't buy a new wardrobe for every fickle fashion moment. As any sophisticated and stylist woman knows, the key to looking fabulous is in the fit! Secondhand stores and designer discount shops are plentiful resources for finding quality garments, and with a few minor nips and tucks, you can customize these fashions to fit your wants and whims.

The secretary-style tie-neck blouse had its moment, but if you find this look just isn't working for you anymore, don't toss it. Try removing the collar and using the fabric as a belt. This simple switch creates a whole new silhouette. For other tried-and-true tricks, consider adding or taking away buttons to a blouse for flare, turning a conservative shirt into a sexier style by making it backless, or lacing yarn through the knit of a sweater to create contrast and ruching.

Have a wonderful Friday!!

Day 2 of 2010

Hope that everyone had a wonderful New Year and are ready to kick off 2010. I can say that I am really not looking forward to heading back to work on Tuesday. Christien leaves for camp on Monday around noon, then it's just me and Franklin till the middle of January. Only four more weeks of work left before my mat leave. I think that I have a few things that I need to finish up in January, so that should keep me a bit busy.

The one store that I loved in CrossIron Mills is closed. So sad. They had a few, really different rocking chairs in there, and I was going to show Christien today, and voila. Closed and cleaned out. Sad.

As of right now, I'm still sitting on about 6 or 7 dozen Christmas cookies. So if any of you out there would like some cookies (still soft and fresh) let me know. I'll bring you a dozen or so. Look out book club, you will be forced to eat cookies next meeting.

From aunt Stacey and uncle Ty

32 Weeks