Patch...Wait...Sand...Repeat

Nursery preparations are underway! I puttied up all of the holes on Monday night, sanded them down last night and reputtied any that weren't quite smooth or where the plaster had shrunk a little. There are about 20 holes in the walls from where the previous owners had art and hooks hung for their son...20! That's crazy! He was only 2 or 3!

While I was puttying, I put the CD player on with the new lullaby CD's that arrived yesterday from Amazon.com



The music is just fantastic - all melodic with a xylophone and whatnot, and it was really nice to be able to sing along while Bug kicked away in my belly. It certainly will come in handy at naptime and bedtime - and I'm sure will quickly become a favourite (we also got the 2nd Volume so that we have as much Beatles music as possible.)

Daddy's job today is to finish sanding the patched holes, wipes down the baseboards and window frame...then start taping the edges! I'm really hoping that come next weekend, the nursery is painted and we can start focusing on refinishing furniture and decorating.

With our Maternity Photo Shoot booked for March 28th...I feel like the pressure is on! I know that it's still 11 weeks away, but I want to make sure that the nursery is perfect so that we can get some great pictures in there. I'll post a link off to the side for our photographer's website - she's such a lovely, caring, compassionate woman with an amazing eye for all things beautiful! Take a moment and check out her work - it's really spectacular!

The New Light Fixture

Much to Daddy's chagrin, I bought a new light fixture at IKEA on Saturday when I was shopping with my friend, A. If only he had of texted me back to let me know he didn't like it very much...oh well! The lamp shade was only $4, and we can get all of the wiring and whatnot from RONA from cheaper than at IKEA.



I really love how each shade is unique since they are handmade, and the soft lighting that it will cast in the room. The texture is fantastic, and matches the artsy feel that I'm going for in the nursery. I don't think it will hang as low as it looks in the picture, maybe about 6" from the ceiling just for some breathing room.

Tonight's task: sanding the puttied holes smooth and getting the baseboards/window frames/ceiling taped up!

Half-way There!

I can't believe that we're already half-way there! It seems like just yesterday that I was coming out of the bathroom bawling my eyes out and screaming "I'm pregnant!!" It definitely doesn't feel like that happened months and months ago, and that this baby is almost done developing!

Sticking with the fruit comparisons, by the end of the week Bug will be about the size of a cantaloupe! That is crazy! The kicks are getting stronger and stronger, and my favourite part of the day is quickly becoming when he/she rolls over in my belly. It makes me giggle every time.

The genitals are fully formed at this point, and we're hoping that the ultrasound technician can get a good shot of them on Friday at our 20 week ultrasound. We were debating whether or not to find out the gender, and have talked about for months on end at this point.

I am terrified that labour will not go well...I mean...our pregnancy has been less than smooth, so what makes me think that labour is going to be a breeze?! I'm scared of an emergency c-section, though whatever is the safest way to get Bug into the real world...that's absolutely fine with me. My pain tolerance leaves something to be desired, and I'm worried that I'll need so many drugs to get through this, that I'll be absolutely out of it when they join us in the delivery room, kicking and screaming. I don't want to be the last one to know, and recognize, what our child is.

C is very practical, and has been racking his brain for all of the practical reasons to not find out. So far, he hasn't been able to come up with any. The nursery is getting underway this week, and the paint is neutral...but if this is a girl...we both want to add some really beautiful, girly elements to the room. We both want to start using their name (though that will be kept secret from everyone until delivery!) and we both want to be able to plan for the changes that come with each gender.

Whether at 20 weeks or 40 weeks, it will still be a surprise to us and our families. The real surprise for our families will be when C walks out to tell them that they can come in and meet "______". It's a moment that they will always remember, and one that I won't change or trade for anything.

Milestone! We have Movement!

We were all snuggled in to enjoy some Season 3 Grey's Anatomy when it happened. C had his hand on my belly since I was feeling crazy movements during the episode we were watching (the one about the 8 1/2 month pregnant lady who falls and breaks her arm, then Addison has to tell her that her baby died...so sad...if you're pregnant, don't watch it!). All of a sudden he looked down at me and said "What the h*ll was that?! I felt that!" and I couldn't stop giggling.

Immediately, I high-fived him and said "you just felt the baby!!" It was so great that he finally could feel Bug moving around in there!!

After story time (last night was Curious George and the Birthday Surprise) I had a little chat with Bug and taught them some funny things about their Poppa. I told them that they probably have already met him in Heaven while we were waiting to be ready for a baby, but that he was a strong man who loved Grandma Dale very much, played the drums very well and was a fantastic goalie. Just then, I felt one...two...three little head butts (or bum nudges) against the palm of my hand. I giggled every time, and the baby responded by head butting me more!

We're starting to get the nursery prepared for paint this week. All of Bug's goodies and Christmas gifts have been moved into another room, and tonight we'll putty up any holes that were left from the previous owners. I'm hoping to get the baseboards and whatnot taped up tomorrow or Saturday so that C and his buddy T can get to painting the Almond Cream next week. Almost 5 months down! Time is really starting to fly!

All Boobs and Belly...

or so I've been told! Yesterday marked our 18week/"halfway there!" appointment. Bug is doing really well, has a very active heartbeat and the doctor (not our favourite Dr. Gloria unfortunately, she was busy - but popped in to say hello which I thought was really sweet!) even felt him/her moving around in there.

Their head was over by my left hip, and we picked up the heartbeat over by my right hip. Now, I realize that things are cushioned and whatnot in there, but that's one long baby! Who knew that this little 5'2" Mommy could have a tall baby! haha They must get it from their Daddy!

Then came the weight...I was sure that after Baskin Robbins sundaes, steaks, Key Lime pie, pizza, Bloomin' Onion etc. that were consumed over the holidays that I would at least have packed on a good 5-10lbs. Au contrare! Down another 1.5lbs - so that makes a total of 21.5lbs lost since we found out we were pregnant. The doctor is starting to get concerned, since the baby is so active and I'm getting so tired. He has a feeling that it's taking quite the toll on my body, and that coupled with the weight loss and continued "morning sickness" (no matter if I eat every hour to 2 hours, I still get sick at least once a week)...he mentioned that bed rest may be in my future at some point. Hopefully it doesn't get to that point...but we'll see.

For now, I'm trying to concentrate on the eating and trying to gain some weight. It's incredible to think that even with a growing child in me (and a big one at that), and with boobs that seem ginormous at the moment, I've still managed to weigh less than I did when we got married in 2008. Most definitely, I'm all boobs and belly!

This is from New Years Eve...



And this is the 18wk belly picture - what a difference a week makes!

Bug's First Habs Game

It's become sort of a tradition in our family to go to a Montreal Canadiens game in Florida when we've been going down for Christmas the past few years. This year, I was very excited to go since I would be sporting my "Future Habs Fan" t-shirt (which got us lots of stares, giggles and smiles while walking to the arena) and I was interested to see what Bug's reaction would be.

Well...first and foremost, here is me in my beloved shirt

The view down for me is becoming quite spectacular...

Bug's reaction was what exactly what I had hoped it would be - non stop kicking and wiggling throughout the entire game! Especially when there were loud cheers for the Habs goals and music during the commercial breaks, there was no slowing this baby down! Poppa would be so proud!!

Happy New Year!

I will post later on about our trip to Florida and fun things like Bug's first Montreal Canadiens game, but after reading Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy yesterday afternoon, I thought I would reflect on the past 4 months.

Jenny put so many of the symptoms, grossness and strangeness that I've been going through into perspective. It was hilarious to read, and if you've got some time (it's a short book) and don't mind some of the talk of constipation, hemorrhoids and frequent urges to pee - it's a good book to pick up! There's even some advice for Dad's near the back...like how to not set off your pregnant wife/partner so that you can avoid meeting Psycho Chick.

The past 4 months have definitely not been a cake walk. From the vomiting 5-8 times per day to trips to the hospital for dehydration and other complications...being pregnant is definitely not for the faint of heart. Those close to us have asked me if I would do it over again, knowing what I know now and sensing that my body really truly does not like being pregnant. The answer is absolutely yes. My body can deal for the 9 months that it takes to bring life into this world. My stomach will adjust, my gag reflex will come back (dear God, I hope it comes back!) and there will even come a point where I don't need to eat once every two hours! Life will be better than we ever imagined once this baby is in our world...so how could I not do it all over again?

As we finish up week 18, I'm finding that reality it setting in. We've a nursery to paint, dresser to sand and varnish, crib to purchase and set up....Light fixture to install (hopefully!), showers to go to (eventually), bridal shower to throw for a good friend (wahoo!)....Throw in a Super Bowl party, a few birthday's and Mother's Day and...voila - we're at June!

At almost half-way there, all of the throwing up and trips to the ER seem so much more worth it than they ever did before. By the end of this week, Bug will be the size of a mango (gosh, that sounds yummy!), will be longer than the length of my hand and the sensory development is just crazy this week! The specialized areas of sound, touch, smell, taste, hearing and vision will all be fully developed, and little hairs are even starting to sprout on the top of their head (hopefully to turn into long, dark brown, curly locks like Mommy).

Gosh...half-way there. I guess we should get started on getting things organized!