Dear Bug...

Oh little boy...we need to have a little chat. You see, every time you move...it feels like my ribs are going to collapse. Your bum is wedged up in between my rid cages, so when you wiggle, it doesn't really feel very good! Espercially when you're pressing down...way down there, having your bum in my ribcage isn't very comfortable!

We're so excited to meet you, Bug! Only a few short weeks until we're "due" with you, however...you are welcome to come now and I told your Daddy last night that you've officially been evicted. He sort of laughed at me, but with all of these contractions that are coming on stronger and more frequently...I think you're almost ready!

And are we ever ready for you! You've got a crib that is snuggly and warm, we'll have a bassinet this weekend so you can sleep near us for the first little while, a really great monkey playmat, lots of clothes, a great big Teddy Bear...Your carseat is even in the car and we're going to be ordering your stroller tomorrow when Daddy's done work and getting your cool little bouncer chair too!

We're ready for you little man, and we know that you're ready for us. Hopefully Dr. Jordan gives us some great news this week so we can get this show on the road and welcome you to our little family. I've let Maggie and Tiko know that you'll be joining us soon, and they seem pretty relaxed about your arrival. I'm sure you will all be friends in no time!

Oh, and I picked this up for you yesterday...mommy has a hard time restraining herself from cute things for you!

See you soon, Bug! We love you!!

Celebrating 37wks with a Baby Shower

Nana V's very best friend, Kathy, and her daughter, Kim threw us a really super cute baby shower in Kathy's newly renovated (and incredibly gorgeous) home this past Saturday. The food was fantastic...I think I went into a chocolate coma by the end of it!

Here are some pictures!


Heading off to the shower, I asked C for a fullterm-picture


Aunt Dorothy and Grandma Dale


Group shot! Suzanne, Kathy, Aunt Dorothy, me, Grandma Dale, Trudy and Kim. How cute is that clothes line?!


Another group show with Nana V and Casey (my little helper for the day)

Casey was so helpful! He would get my gifts for me, and then asked how I was. I said I was pooped...which turned into him walking around and telling everyone "Shan's pooped!" for an hour and a half! So cute!

All of the incredibly generous gifts! Thanks everyone!!

And a rundown of a few of our faves....



Flexible tub that fits into any sink! How cool is that?! Thanks Kelly!!


The Very Hungry Caterpillar book and toy, from Trudy! LOVE it!


Bug's first hightops! Oh Suzanne, they're awesome!

Handmade quilt from Aunt Dorothy...there will be much snuggling had with this one!

This week, we have big plans of ordering the stroller, getting the car seat inspected and organizing the nursery one last time (ya right...it's been organized and reorganized at least a dozen times over by now!). There are a few things that we still need to get, but we did really well yesterday at Walmart getting things like the breast pump, milk saver bags, cotton balls, Vaseline, baby wipes (never can have too many of those right?!), nipple cream, baby bum cream.

We still need to get a baby monitor with good range (leaning toward the Vtech Crystal Clear one, but we will see what BRU has in store on Wednesday after C's done work), bouncer chair, change pad cover, stroller (wahoo for the Quinny Zapp being in stock!), a couple of extra bottles, and a couple more little storage bins to match the one that Suzanne packed all of her handy gifts (remember those hightops?!) in. They'll go in the dresser to keep bath stuff, diaper stuff, and receiving blankets all organized....for now!

Definitely a busy baby week, ending with our weekly doctor's appointment.

Shower Pictures...Baby Brunch

I am positively pooped after the baby shower today...but thought that I would post some pictures from the lovely Baby Brunch shower a few weeks ago that Nana V took. Thanks for letting me borrow your camera!



Christine (my lovely partner in crime at the Whimsical Bakery), me and my mom




Debbie, Jan and Karen


Group shot...me, Kristin (the lovely lovely hostess!), Christine, Karen, Jan, Debbie and my mom


Kristin was an amazing hostess and the shower was fantastic! The food was soooo yummy and everyone was incredibly generous and we are so grateful for all of the love and support.

I know it's silly, but I am SO excited to have the turquoise watering can as the centrepiece on my table!! I had to get rid of the baby's breath today, but will be in search of some funky dried reeds or faux white flowers in the coming week or so.

Oh! And I went with the turquoise flats and accessories! ;)

Update? What Update?

And update would mean that there was something to tell, and unfortunately...I have nothing.

Nada. Squat. Zilch. Zip.

We had our 37wk appointment this afternoon, and after being reassured that we would have an internal today due to the contractions and back pain that I've been experiencing for...oh...the past 2 weeks, we got NOTHING.

So here's the lame-o rundown.


Weight gain/loss - +1lb since our last appointment

Blood pressure - 129/78

Fetal heartrate - 126bpm


And...that's all she wrote. Dr. Leslie said that Dr. Jordan wouldn't be doing an internal until 38wks, so I guess we hold out (and on) for another week, kick counting and keeping track of contractions and pains.

She did the Group B Strep swabs today, so we should get those results next week at our 38wk appointment.

It was interesting when I booked the appointment for next week...the lovely Linda at the front desk asked how far along we would be next week, and I said "37/38 weeks because of a floating due date" and she indicated that Dr. Jordan would need to be included on that appointment for an internal exam and that she would book it for just a little bit longer than what Dr. Leslie wrote on the card. THANK GOD!

Can I have a glass of wine now?

Psst...

look over there on the right....

a little further down.

Do you see it?

That's a watermelon...we're fullterm! Happy Friday! :)

Push Presents

I'm going for a frivolous, ridiculous post today to try and take my mind off counting down the hours....minutes....seconds to 4pm when we get to go see the doctor and get a status report. Bug hasn't been moving too much this morning, I've been trying to kick count, drink juice and eat little by little, but it seems that I have no appetite and he's staying as quiet as can be. Oh well...we're nearing the end and won't be counting kicks, but hearing cries, very soon!

Push Presents are a bone of contention on The Bump, and really...I don't get what the issue it. If Dad wants to get mom a gift to say "wow, you're amazing and I love you so incredibly much for carrying our son/daughter and putting your body through hell for 10 months"...why is that bad? I know that it's not for everyone, but I really do not understand the strong, negative opinions about it scattered throughout the message boards.

Personally, I think the term push present is a little ridiculous, if not slightly disgusting. However, I do not think that the idea of a push present is bad. Not whatsoever!

I actually thought months and months ago about getting myself something to congratulate....celebrate....me for having made it through 10 months of very hard work.

5 months of those 10 were spent throwing up multiple times a day, crawling on the floor to the bathroom and losing a total of 21.5lbs.

2 trips to the hospital, one of which was very scary and put life into a whole new perspective for both C and I.

Countless trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night...

A ridiculous amount of tears (especially recently) over the silliest things, including but not limited to commercials, not having peanut butter in the house, ruining dinner, feeling self conscious over my not-so-perfectly-round bump and receiving negative comments about it...oh, I could go on for ages with the cause of my tears over the past 10 months!

You see...I don't think it's bad...or wrong...for a mom to want a little gift, a token of appreciation, at the end of those 10 months. I had always intended on getting myself that little gift, tightly wrapped in a little blue box. Is it necessary? Absolutely not! But...it would be nice.

It got me thinking a few months back...what about Dad? Certainly, C has gone through all of this with me and while he hasn't experience the same physical pain that I seem to be in everyday, he has been there for all of the emotional ups and downs, trips to the hospital, dealt with my tears and been my backbone through these 10 months, and even prior to the beginning of our pregnancy journey when we weren't sure it was ever going to happen.

Therefore, I make it my mission today to get off my butt and out of my comfies...to go in search of his gift. Something to say thank-you for being there for me, for reading to Bug most every night, for painting the nursery to my very specific requirements, for staying strong when I felt like my world was ending...for being my rock. (queue the waterworks...)

I've had the perfect gift in mind for months, and while I can't tell you all what it is here since he reads our blog daily, it is something that I know he will certainly enjoy and appreciate, something that I would not typically ever spend money on...but that is perfect for celebrating this milestone in our lives. I hope he likes it as much as I think he will!!

Category: Prelabour

Well, at least we fit nicely into a category that means progress!

I was reading What To Expect When Expecting the other evening, mainly to prepare myself for our Friday appointment, and came across the different stages of labour, and what each entails.

Apparently, we fit very comfortably into the Prelabour category. The main signs are:

dropping - we can actually see from the outside now, my belly hangs so low these days

increasing pressure on the pelvic floor and bum, - it's gotten so bad that when I sneeze, I can feel his head pushing against my cervix

loss of weight or no weight gain - at our last appointment, I lost 1lb. However, that could be due to better eating habits since C's been working with a personal trainer

change in energy levels - for me that's meant complete exhaustion...and this rainy weather is NOT helping!

change in discharge, loss of the beloved mucous plug

"show"

intensified Braxton Hicks - which I barely get anymore...they've moved to full on back pain and sharp shooter pains through my pelvis

diarrhea

Well...I've had almost all of that, save for a few of the more gross symptoms. Last night I had alot of back pain that would intensify, then ease up...only to intensify again. Apparently, that's a real labour sign...so I guess you could say that we're on the cusp of Prelabour and Real Labour. A few of the back contractions, and one of the lower uterine contractions, actually had me in tears yesterday....so all signs are pointing toward early delivery...or a few weeks of hell.

Keep your fingers crossed that we get new of progress tomorrow at the doctor's! If we don't, I may have a breakdown!